Synchronizing order data means getting data on the current status of the reservation in the supplier's system, compare the received data with Websky, update the order and save new data in case of discrepancies. When booking an order, the system stores the order identifier in the supplier's system (PNR number in the GDS, order ID in the hotel system, etc.).
Attention! Websky system is not responsible for and does not guarantee correct processing of bookings which were manually manipulated in the terminal or via other similar means. To avoid problems, it is recommended to fixate the required order status in Websky manually.
Attention! After making changes to the booking in the terminal, you need to update an order manually in our system to upload changes to Websky.
This applies to all operations with PNR which resulted in changes that should be taken into account when working with the order in the Websky system. Such operations include, for example:
- Issuance of tickets or EMD
- Ticket or EMD voiding
- Changing, adding or deleting passenger data
- Changing or adding flight segments
- Adding or changing ancillary airline services
You can enable synchronization in the administrative part of the site, in the For technical support → Modules section.
Attention! Only the administrator can enable or disable this setting.
Synchronization of the order can be carried out several times.
Attention! After the service is over, only the Websky administrator can update the order, because there is a possibility that segments of the order may disappear, some order information may be lost, etc.
During synchronization, all service parameters are written to the order database by a new revision. When an element (service parameter) Websky is changed, it must be reported to the user as a message on the order page. If several parameters have been changed, the system shows all the changes. Agent and service dependent texts of messages are set up by agency manager using language labels. If nothing has changed, no messages will be displayed.
Contents
Types of synchronization in Websky
There are three types of synchronization possible in the system:
- Order synchronization starts when a certain trigger event occurs (for example, when you switch to payment). It depends on how the triggers are configured;
- Manual operator (user dependent) - started manually by a person when pressing the "Update" button. If the synchronization module is enabled and rights to update components are set, then the "Update" button appears on the page with information about the order and on your personal account page (if the "Actions" column is active);
Updating issued order for synchronization is available to manager and experts of the company/agency. - Auto Update - automatic update of orders. The conditions of launching the auto-update script are set by the manager.
- Synchronization via the Online-ticket message reader service - used in Websky to synchronize data such as EMD return/exchange, if these operations were performed via the GDS terminal.
- GDS Queue Synchronization is a built-in module of the system for synchronization and automated order processing from GDS queues.
Whenever changes in the composition of the segments of already issued air tickets are detected, customers receive a notification by mail, i.e. an information letter about the changes recorded by the air carrier.
Trigger set-up
Triggers are configured in System Settings → Background Processes → Synchronization Events section of the administrative section of the site. On this page, there are settings that allow you to determine when to start synchronization:
- proceeding to payment;
- proceeding to printing;
- opening the order by manager;
- opening the booking by the user who made it.
You can also enable all the settings at once - then after each of the above actions the system will start the synchronization.
On the same page, you can configure the application of fees for modification and cancellation.
Also set the service charge recalculation during synchronization. Possible values:
- Yes - recalculate the fees at each synchronization
- No - never count the charges when synchronizing
- Recalculate only if the new order price (net) is higher than the old order price (net).
Attention! Triggers are configured separately for components and services.
Setting up auto updates
- For auto updates to work, you need to activate the setting Enable the autorefresh of bookingsfrom the Site Management → Domains and Protocols section.
- You can add and remove conditions to start auto-updating in System Settings → Background Processes → Auto-Update Conditions, the maximum number of conditions is 25. Only managers of the main agency have access to this section. Rules are set only for the whole agency.
- Rules can be set up for a specific service or provider.
- The following conditions are available for auto-updates:
- Count the time before the service starts - the auto-updating script will be triggered in the time specified by the setting before the start of a service (departure, room check-in). For example, if the "Start time" field contains 01/00/00 (1 day), then, for the flight with the departure scheduled on April 20 at 12:00, the auto-update script will start on April 19 at 12:00.
- Count the time until the end of the service - similar to the previous item, the script will be launched at the set time until the end of the service (arrival at the destination).
- Count the time before the time limit - the script will be launched at the set time before the time limit (the time after which the order cannot be paid anymore).
- Count time from booking date - synchronization will be started after the set time from booking date.
- ''Read from Last Update Date (minimum time after 24 hours) - auto-update script starts after set time from last order update. If the "Start time" setting is less than a day, the auto-update will start in a day from the last order update. If the "Start time" setting is set to one day or more, the auto-update will start according to the specified start time.
- Orders that were changed during the auto-update can be tracked in your personal account in the Changed at synchronization subsection. In addition, an e-mail will be sent if the "Order was modified during synchronization" template is set up in System Settings → Notifications and Documents → Email Templates section.
Attention! Auto Update is only available when the module Synchronization is enabled.
Price Synchronization Setting
If there was a price reduction after booking and before ticket issuance (fare and/or tax change), it is possible to strictly set fixed initial price (high). Setting Don't fix price reductions when updating in Product control→ Avia tickets → Outdated settings → Booking defaults allows you to prevent the reduced price from being fixed when the price is updated.
Orders with fixed price can be viewed in the "Fixed price" queue in your personal account.
Operation variants:
- Through saving old fares: always - the order will not fix a lower price, the method of saving old fares in the order.
- Through saving old fares: only if the fare code has changed in case the fare code has changed - the order will not contain a lower price, only if the fare code has changed.
- By adding agent fee: always - the order will not fix a lower price added by a "fixing fee".
- Never - the previous price will not be fixed.
Attention! This setting works only if the fare price was changed. If the number of passengers decreases and the price of the order decreases accordingly, this setting will not work.
Attention! While paying via GDS processing, the order will be sent to standard processing if the Do not fix price reductions for bookings and updates setting is triggered.
Setting Apply price fixing in the following cases in the section Product control → Avia tickets → Outdated settings → Booking defaults allows you to determine at what points the price fixing will be made. Operation variants:
- Before booking in case of airfare update - price fixing takes place when switching from the page of search results to the page of booking.
- Right after booking - the price is fixed after booking.
- In case of synchronization after booking - the price is fixed every time the booked order is updated.
Attention! If the order was updated and there was a price increase, after which there was another update, there will be no warning about the price increase, because during the second update the price remains unchanged (in this case, notification of price increase will come to the post office after the first update) .
Problem Orders
Problem orders may appear after synchronization:
- those which had the "Canceled" status in Websky, and after updating it was found out that the status is different (for example, "Booked").
- those for which you cannot solve the issue automatically during the update. In this case the system will display the list of problems that occurred during the update on the booking information page.
You can track such orders if you select the "Problem orders (during synchronization)" queue in the client office in the filter. In order to keep the status in Websky system up to date, there is a link «Update» link on the order page in the upper right corner - when you click on it, we request information about the booking from the supplier and change the booking to a new revision in accordance with it.
Attention! If the administrator turns off the synchronization module configuration, no related settings will be shown.
Attention! ' When synchronizing Galileo orders, the departure date of which is already in the past, Websky will not change the status of the order.
Synchronization can be used for the following suppliers: Sirena Travel, Galileo, Sabre.
Problem orders during integration
.
This line includes orders that had problems uploading to the external system.
Sirena's order changes
If there were any changes in the flight, after the order is updated, you will receive remarks from the supplier of the type:
Получены записи от перевозчика: → ПАСС.#1, СЕГМ.#1 ПРЕДЛ.ТАР. 'HSSOW' В СУММЕ 1475RUB; ИТОГО СО СБОРАМИ 1475RUB
'HSSOW' IN THE SUM OF 1475RUB; TOTAL WITH 1475RUB FEES.
Managers and experts of the company/agency can see similar remarks at the top of the order information page, they are also available in the log files [GDS] "order" response:
<remarks>
<remark>PASS.#1, SEGM.#1 PRELL TAR. 'HSSOW' in SUMMER 1475RUB</remark>
<remark>this one with 1475RUB</remark>
</remarks>
In addition, when receiving remarks from the supplier, a notification «Order was changed during synchronization (flight)» is sent:
- if the order was created by a manager or expert of the agency / company, the letter is sent to the customer's mail,
- if the order is created by a regular user, the e-mail is sent only to the address specified in the "Address for a hidden copy of the e-mail" field for this template; if the e-mail address is not specified in this field,then the email is sent to the agency/company address from the settings E-mail address for notification copies in the section System Settings → Notifications → Options, the checkbox should be active Send an email to the client about order change.