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How do I manage my Channel Manager connection?

Agoda.com understands that many of our property partners use a Channel Manager to manage rooms and prices for online distribution channels. In this article, we will outline how you can connect to a Channel Manager and troubleshoot common issues that may arise. 

Last updated: 1 month ago | 11 min read time

Managing your property’s rooms and prices across multiple distribution channels can be streamlined with the right channel manager. This article will guide you through everything you need to know about channel managers, from mapping them correctly to connecting, changing, or removing them on YCS. Whether you’re new to channel managers or looking to optimize your current setup, we’ve got you covered with step-by-step instructions and helpful resources.

What is a channel manager?

Many of our partners use a channel manager to help manage their property’s rooms and prices across multiple distribution channels. You may identify the name of the channel manager that you wish to use during the registration process. If you have already registered your property, you can still send a request to connect.

How to connect to a channel manager

Go to YCS >> Property >> Property Settings.
Click Optional Settings.
Click the Channel manager mode box (or tick Enable channel manager mode) to add your preferred channel manager.
Select the Name of channel manager from the drop-down box.
Click Save.

How to change or remove a channel manager

Go to YCS >> Property >> Property Settings.
Click Optional Settings.
Click None to remove the channel manager. (Or untick Enable channel manager mode)
Click Confirm >> Save.

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How do I correctly map my channel manager to YCS?

In order to correctly map your channel manager, you will need your Agoda Property ID, Room Type IDs, and Rate Plan IDs. The steps below will help you to locate this information on YCS.

Property ID:
Log in to YCS and hover your mouse over the top right corner. You will also be able to view your Property ID when you click the drop-down arrow.
Room Type IDs:
YCS>> Property >> Room Setup.

Rate Plan IDs: Go to YCS >> Rates & Availability >> Rate plans.

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FAQs

1. What if my updated rates and availability are not reflected on YCS?

Your channel manager should provide an error message if your update is unsuccessful. Below are some of the most common scenarios:

Possible cause: Did not pass system validation. This may happen if your Single rate is higher than your Double rate, or if any rate is lower than the minimum rate set for that room type.

How to fix: Correct the data that is highlighted in the error message by updating the relevant settings in YCS >> Property >> Room Set up.

Possible cause: Technical Issue/Connection Error

How to fix: First, try waiting for a few minutes then try to send the update again. If the issue persists, check the connection with your channel manager. If the channel manager also sees a connection error, the issue will be escalated to us. If your channel manager does not see a connection error, please contact us.

2. Why did I not receive a booking notification from Agoda?

Agoda will still send booking notifications via email, even if you are connected to a channel manager. In some cases, you may receive a booking notification from Agoda but not via the channel manager system. Below are some of the most common scenarios:

Possible cause: Channel manager’s Request API does not cover the booking period.

How to fix: Contact your channel manager directly for more information.

Possible cause: Technical Issue/Connection Error.

How to fix: For partners using Hint, Agoda will try to push the booking notification 3 times. If it still fails, we will send the notification via email to your channel manager. For partners not using Hint, your channel manager will need to send a new request to Agoda once the connection is restored.

3. Why didn’t I receive the guest's complete contact details from Agoda?

In compliance with PCI Compliance and GDPR standards, we do not disclose complete customer contact details. Instead, we will mask the guest’s email address. You can still send an email to the guest using the masked email address, or via the Agoda Customer Messaging System on YCS >> Reports >> Bookings. More information on contacting guests is provided in this article.

4. Why did I receive an error message while trying to connect/disconnect my channel manager?

Please ensure that you are following the correct steps when connecting/disconnecting your channel manager. Refer to Question #1 to correct the property data highlighted in the error message.

If you see an error message for “property cut-off time”, this means you need to set up a cut-off time for your property before connecting/disconnecting the channel manager. Feel free to contact us if you need further assistance with this setting.