Beta: Managing payment automations

Scheduling payments allows you to handle payment collection before it's time to actually collect the money. Use payment automations to create a series of payments throughout the reservation life cycle. Once an automation is activated, payments are added to relevant reservations as they are created.

Each automation applies to reservations based on conditions you set, such as channel and listing. A listing can have more than one payment automation, to meet the unique payment requirements of different booking channels, for example.

Follow the instructions below to set up payment automations.

Create a payment automation

Use one of our templates or create a custom automation. Either way, make sure you create payment automation to cover all of your reservations.

We recommend categorizing the types of reservations that require a unique payment schedule and aligning the automations with your cancellation policies to reduce guest complaints and chargeback risks. For example:

• If channel X has a strict cancellation policy, you can create an automation to collect 100% at confirmation for reservations from that channel.
• If listings A, B, and C allow extended stays, you can create an automation to collect several payments after check-in, with 3 weeks between each payment.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Operations mode.
3. Click Automations and select Payments from the dropdown menu.
4. In the top-right corner, click Add payment automation.
5. Click Add on the relevant template or Create custom automation in the top-right corner.
6. Under "Reservation conditions", set which reservations will get this payment schedule:
   • Properties: Choose between all or specific properties. If you select All, you can exclude specific properties.
   • Channels: Choose between all or specific channels. To apply the automation to Guesty Booking Engine reservations, include the channel “Manual”.
   • Advance notice can be set if the only channel is "Manual". Set a condition based on the number of days between confirmation and check-in. For example, you can collect 100% at check-in for reservations that were confirmed less than two days before check-in.
   • Length of stay can be set if the only channel is "Manual". Set a condition based on the number of nights booked. For example, you can have four payments for reservations of more than 30 nights.
7. Next, create the payment schedule by clicking Add payment and filling in the payment settings.
   • Select between Collect payment and Hold payment.
   • Set when the payment will be collected or held during the reservation life cycle.
   • Set how much money should be collected or held - percentage or fixed amount. If this is the last payment in the reservation, we recommend selecting Collect the remaining balance to avoid undercharging the guest.
   • For holds, decide whether the hold will be charged or released and set the number of days.
8. Click Save to save the payment.
9. In the bottom-right corner, click Save to save the automation.
10. In the pop-up, name the payment automation, review its settings, and click Add payment automation.
11. Choose whether to apply the automation to future reservations only or also to existing reservations that meet the conditions, have no existing charges, and haven't check-in yet.

Activate a payment automation

Activate a payment automation to start using it. In the payment automations page, toggle on the automation to activate.

Update or deactivate a payment automation

Update or deactivate a payment automation at any time. Existing reservations will keep the deactivated payment schedule, but make sure there is a payment automation to cover new reservations.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Operations mode.
3. Click Automations and select Payments from the dropdown menu.
4. To the right of the payment automation you want to update, click .
5. Select Edit.
6. Click De-activate or make the necessary changes, then click Save.
7. In the pop-up, click Continue to deactivate, or Add payment automation to update.
8. When updating, choose whether to apply the updated automation to future reservations only or also to existing reservations that meet the conditions, have no existing charges, and haven't check-in yet.

Delete a payment automation

Once an automation is deleted, it won't be triggered for future reservations and will be removed permanently.

Step by step:

1. Sign in to your Guesty account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Operations mode.
3. Click Automations and select Payments from the dropdown menu.
4. To the right of the payment automation you want to update, click .
5. Select Delete.
6. In the pop-up, click Delete.
7. Choose whether to delete the automation from existing reservations or only from future ones.