The connection to IDeaS has two main aspects:
Provision export - sending statistic, booking, and event block data to IDeaS and
Decision import - capable of importing the DailyBAR and MinLOS decisions from IDeaS.
Below you will find out how the integration can be configured and used. To take advantage of the IDeaS integration, you will first need to have the "Revenue Management powered by IDeaS" option enabled. To do so, please contact your sales agent.
Provision export
Preparations
- You should request an IDeaS API user from Clock PMS+ Customer service team.
- You should plan the interface activation with your IDeaS account manager/support specialist and receive the respective connection activation details.
The configuration screen is accessed by going to Settings->All Settings->Revenue Management powered by IdeaS-> Provision Settings.
Connection configuration. To activate the connection you need the fill in the following details:
- API host (1) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- Username (2) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- Password (3) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- Requestor (4) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- Chain code (5) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- Hotel code (6) - Provided by your IDeaS account manager/support specialist
- API user (7) - Select the Clock PMS+ API user created by our Customer service team
- Start from date (8) - Specify the earliest date for which you wish the Clock PMS+ data to be sent to IDeaS. This configuration is very important if migrating from another PMS integrated with IDeaS, as Clock PMS+ will not override the data already available in IDeaS. Please consult your IDeaS account manager about the date, if necessary.
- Export Statistics interval (9) - While the booking and block data are sent every hour, you can define how frequently the statistics data are to be sent. Please select the interval for statistics export (1=every hour, 24=once per day).
- Export Statistics window (10) - The setting determines the number of days for which statistical data will be sent to IDeaS. It can accept values ranging from 365 to 730 (365 by default) and is particularly useful for ensuring right price suggestions for hotels with a long booking lead time.
Mapping configurations. To connect the same values like statuses, marketing elements, etc. between the two systems, the respective mappings between Clock PMS+ and IDeaS have to be made:
- Event Status Codes Mapping - Select the proper IDeaSblock status for each Event status from Clock PMS+. Every Clock PMS+block will be exported to IDeaS with the proper status code;
- Booking Channel Codes Mapping - Select the proper IDeaS channel code for each one you have created as a Marketing Channel in Clock PMS+;
- Guarantee Type Map - Map the guarantee policies from Clock PMS+ with the ones from IDeaS;
Other settings:
- Default rate - Select the rate to be exported to IDeaS for every booking and block for which there is no selected rate;
- Default marketing segment - Select the Marketing segment to be exported to IDeaS for every booking and block for which there is no selected marketing segment;
- Default marketing source - Select the Marketing source to be exported to IDeaS for every booking and block for which there is no selected marketing source;
- Default marketing channel - Select the Marketing segment to be exported to IDeaS for every booking and block for which there is no selected marketing channel;
- Create 'To-Do' on error - If selected, you will need to specify for which To-Do channel the To-Do is to be created. Then if an error with the communication with IDeaS occurs, users will be informed of it through such a To-Do.
How does the Provision export work
Once the connection to IDeaS is activated, the so-called Cold Start will be performed and the data (bookings, blocks, and summary statistics) will be synced with IDeaS. With the initial sync completion, the data will be exported regularly as follows:
| Exported data | Frequency | Data horizon |
| Bookings data | 1 hour | 45 days in the past* + value set in Export statistics window in the future |
| Block availability, including release dates | 1 hour | 45 days in the past* + value set in Export statistics window in the future |
| Hotel inventory by room type | Configurable (from 1 to 24 hours) - Export Statistics interval | 45 days in the past* + value set in Export statistics window in the future |
* Alternatively, you can set a fixed date from which on Clock PMS+ to send historic data.
Important: When the data for the blocks and bookings are exported to IDeaS the cost of the block/booking is calculated based on the selected rate in the block/booking. If no rate is selected the cost is calculated based on the selected Default rate in the Provision Settings of the interface!
Decision Settings
Preparations
Before you can proceed to the Decision settings, you need to have the Provision export activated and to have received confirmation from your IDeaS account manager. Create as many rates in Clock PMS+ as you need for the DailyBAR occupancy levels that you would like to receive per room type.
Example: You have two room types DBL and APP, and you would like to receive decisions for the single and double use of the DBL room type as well as the single, double and triple use for the APP. So you will need 5 rates in total for this configuration: two for DBL and three for APP.
Connection configuration. You will need to provide your IDeaS account manager with the username, API key and endpoint URL to be used for the decision sends. To get them, go to Settings-> All Settings -> Revenue Management powered by IdeaS -> Decision Settings
Daily Best Available Rate (Daily BAR) import config. Check the box if you wish to receive Daily BAR rate decisions. The Daily BAR prices decisions are sent from IDeaS per occupancy levels. So we need to configure which Clock PMS+ rate is to be updated and which occupancy level price should be used. Start with the room type you wish and click on the '+Add' button a pop-up screen like the below one will appear:
- Rate - Select the rate that needs to be updated by IDeaS with their decisions.
- Adults count and Children count - The combination of these fields will help the system to know which occupancy level prices to update with the selected rate.
Add as many rates as you need to be updated by the interface.
Minimum Length of Stay (MinLOS) import config. Check the box if you wish to receive Min LOS decisions. For every room type, you will need to configure the rates for which MinLOS decisions from IDeaS will be applied. Click '+Add' button:
- Rate plan code - Specify the rate plan as visible in IDeaS;
- Rate maps - tick the box for every rate to which MinLOS from the respective IDeaS rate plan code will be imported;
Important: Based on IdeaS requirements, the restriction that is applied in the Clock PMS+ rates is Min Stay on Arrival.
How does the Decision import work
Once the Decision configurations are done, IDeaS will start sending decision messages periodically. Please check with your IDeaS account manager how often this message sending should be. The received messages will be processed by Clock PMS+ and the configured rates will be updated accordingly.
The Decision import supports a maximum number of 390 days in the future for the decisions provided by IDeaS
Note: A good practice here is to have a set of base rates to be updated by the IDeaS integration and create other rates derived from the up-to-date base rates.
Communication log
The communication between Clock PMS+ and IdeaS, along with the exchanged data, can be monitored by going to Settings->All Settings->Revenue Management powered by IdeaS > Communication log. The message period, message type, reference, and correlation numbers can be used for filtering the communication details.
