If you need to switch your account from one to multiple accommodations or vise versa, the further recommendations for manual settings should come in handy.

How to add a new accommodation

To add a new accommodation type, go to Accommodation > Add Accommodation types.

Fill in the data (capacity, amenities, photos, view, bed types, etc.) to present your accommodations.

Click +Add New Service / +Add New Amenity / etc. if your list is empty.

You can have multiple accommodations of the same accommodation type. This is especially relevant for hotels that might have many rooms of the same kind. To easily copy the data of one accommodation type, choose the Generate Accommodations menu, set the preferred number in the drop-down menu.

If you rent out a single accommodation

If you rent out a single accommodation, you might want to disable unneeded booking widget fields and leave only the arrival/departure fields. This will speed up and simplify the booking process for your guests.

For this, go to Accommodation > Settings > Search options > Guest management:

• Check the ‘Skip Search Results’ checkbox.
• Select Disable “adults” and “children” options for my website.

Then scroll down to Misc > uncheck the “Enable search form to recommend the best set of accommodations according to a number of guests.”

Scroll down to save the changes.

Then go to Pages > All Pages > find the Front page > open it.

Make sure to add the Booking form block to the page (hit + and scroll down to Hotel Booking > Add the Booking form block to the page).

Make sure to designate the ID of your property and click Save/Update the page.

To find out the ID of a property, go to Accommodation > Accommodation types > hover over the property to see its ID.

This will allow guests to check only the available dates and book a property directly.

If you rent out multiple accommodations

For multiple accommodations, make sure that the Availability Search form block is added to the page.

It must be added to the Front page:

We’d also recommend you to turn on the “Enable search form to recommend the best set of accommodations according to a number of guests.” option that will help guests choose the best options from multiple accommodations.

Display price along with the availability

Go to Accommodation > Settings > Search options > Direct Booking Form.

No matter whether you rent out one or many accommodations, this menu will help you decide whether to display the property price for the chosen dates next to the information about its availability or not.

Note: You configure this for bookings on the individual property page (on a single accommodation type page).

• Default – it will only show if an accommodation is available.

• Show price for selected period – it will show the rate for chosen dates along with the availability.

• Show price together with adults and children fields – it will show the rate for chosen dates along with the availability and form fields.

The post Rent out single or multiple accommodations appeared first on BNBForms.

This is a two-way process, namely, you can import as well as export the data across the websites automatically.

Requirements

In order to sync the availability, the platform you use must support the iCal file format. The sync process is done by the file exchange process (import and export of the events). Make sure to check if the file is supported in your account before you can proceed.

Find the URLs for import and export of iCals

How to import and export Calendars on Booking.com
How to import and export Airbnb calendars
How to import and export VRBO/HomeAway calendars
How to import and export TripAdvisor calendars
How to import and export Expedia calendars

Export calendars to external platforms

1. Go to BNBForms > Bookings > Sync Calendars.
   
2. To further add the calendar to the external platforms, you’ll need to copy the calendar URL and paste it into the appropriate section in a chosen OTA.

Please note: Some OTAs might not accept the iCal URL if there is no booking in it. In this case, you should add at least one booking for the accommodation and try importing the link again.

Import calendars to BNBForms

1. Go to BNBForms > Bookings > Sync Calendars.
2. Hover your mouse over the needed accommodation and click ‘Edit’.
   
3. Click ‘Add new calendar’ and insert the calendar URL from an external platform for the respective accommodations > click ‘Update’.
   

Once all the import and export calendars are added, you can proceed to manual or automatic calendars synchronization.

Calendars synchronization

The calendars synchronization can be configured in either automatic or manual mode, providing flexibility in managing updates and ensuring seamless coordination.

Under calendar synchronization, we refer to the process of loading data into the BNBForms account from all external platforms. External platforms download booking information from your BNBForms based on their internal schedules.

Manual synchronization

To synchronize all calendars for all accommodations:

1. Open Bookings > Sync Calendars.
2. Click on the ‘Sync All External Calendars’ button.

Once done, you’ll see the result for all accommodations that have both (import and export) URLs.

In the Bookings section, you’ll see whether you received new bookings.

Automatic synchronization

For the automatic sync, you need to configure your sync frequency schedule.

1. Go to Accommodation > Settings > scroll down to Calendar Synchronization scheduler.
2. Check ‘Enable automatic external calendars synchronization’.
3. Set up how often the sync process must be performed automatically.

Note: All external platforms download information on bookings from your BNBForms account by the exported links with the frequency of their own internal schedules.

Download or Upload calendars

You may also manually download calendars from your site to your device or upload external ones. Use ‘Import’ and ‘Download’ buttons.

Watch: How to Sync BNBForms with Airbnb, Booking.com, and Other Travel Platforms

The post How to sync with Airbnb, Booking.com, and other travel platforms via iCal appeared first on BNBForms.

This document outlines the process of syncing booking information between BNBForms with Google Calendar and Apple Calendar via iCal.

iCal (iCalendar) is a standardized data format designed for storing and exchanging calendar events, including bookings of rental properties.

Many popular property management platforms and calendar applications support iCal synchronization, including:

• Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, etc.
• Personal calendars: Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, etc.

BNBForms supports two-way synchronization, where updates made in any connected calendar are reflected in all others.

The specific steps for setting up iCal synchronization will vary depending on the calendar application you’re using. Below you’ll find step-by-step guides for Google Calendar & Apple Calendar.

How to sync bookings with Google Calendar

1. Locate your calendar URLs.

All calendar URLs associated with your rental properties can be found via Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars.

2. Copy your calendar URL.

Copy your calendar URL located in the “Export” column.

3. Open your Google Calendar.

Navigate to https://calendar.google.com/ in your browser.

4. In the Other Calendars menu, press the plus icon and choose ‘From URL’.

5. Paste the link of your property calendar that you copied earlier into the designated field, then click the ‘Add calendar’ button.

The calendar will appear in the list on the left side and Google will try to fetch all bookings of this property made on your website. You can click on the calendar and assign it a descriptive name for easier reference.

6. Go back to the main screen to review imported bookings.

You can click on a booking to view additional information.

7. Create a new calendar to export bookings.

While the “From URL” calendar is read-only, which means you can only import bookings from your website, to create new bookings in Google Calendar and export them back to your website (BNBForms account), you must create a new calendar.

8. Click on the gear icon and choose Settings.

9. In the Settings menu, navigate to Add calendar > Create new calendar.

Give it a name, choose the appropriate time zone, and then click the ‘Create calendar’ button.

10. Choose the calendar, scroll to the bottom of the page, and copy the Secret address.

11. Navigate to BNBForms Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars, and click the ‘Edit button’ under your property.

12. Click the ‘Add New Calendar’ button and paste the Secret address of your Google calendar. Click the ‘Update’ button.

13. Navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars and click the ‘Sync All External Calendars’ button.

After clicking, you will be redirected to the Calendars Synchronization Status page where you can view a log of the synchronization process that includes the number of created bookings.

Imported bookings can be accessed from both the Bookings and Calendar pages.

14. Enable automatic external calendars synchronization.

Navigate to Dashboard > Accommodation > Settings and scroll down to the Calendars Synchronization Scheduler section.

Select “Enable automatic external calendars synchronization” to enable automatic synchronization with external calendars.

This option enables your BNBForms account to load external calendars according to a set schedule. However, this option doesn’t control how frequently external platforms will load calendars from your BNBForms account.

15. Create a booking or block time in your Google Calendar.

In Google Calendar, switch to the Month view and select the dates you would like to mark as booked or blocked.

In the opened popup, add the title, description and choose a calendar associated with your property. We created this calendar earlier in this tutorial. Click ‘Save’.

If you’ve enabled automatic calendar synchronization, you can either wait for the automatic synchronization process or navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars and click the ‘Sync All External Calendars’ button to synchronize immediately.

Navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Calendar. If synchronization was successful, you will find a new booking imported from your Google Calendar. Hover over or click on it to see details.

How to sync bookings with Apple Calendar

1. Locate your calendar URLs.

All calendar URLs associated with your rental properties can be found via Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars.

2. Copy your calendar URL.

Copy your calendar URL located in the “Export” column.

3. Open Apple Calendar on your MacBook.

We’ll provide you with examples from Calendar version 11.0.

4. Click File > New Calendar Subscription.

5. Paste the previously copied link in the dialog box.

In the dialog box, paste the previously copied link of your property calendar into the provided field and click the ‘Subscribe’ button.

6. Add a calendar name and choose how often to refresh the calendar.

Unlike Google Calendar, you can control synchronization intervals.

7. Apple Calendar will try to fetch all bookings made for this property on your website and display them.

You can click on a booking to view its details.

8. Create a new calendar to export bookings.

While the “Calendar Subscription” is read-only, which means you can only import bookings from your website, to create new bookings in Apple Calendar and export them back to your website (BNBForms account), you must create a new calendar.

9. Click File > New Calendar.

The new calendar will appear on the left side of the screen. Give it a name.

10. Share the calendar.

Right-click on the created calendar, then choose ‘Share Calendar’.

11. Make the calendar public.

In the dialog box, choose ‘Public Calendar’ and click ‘Done’.

12. Right-click on the created calendar and choose ‘Get Info’.

13. Copy the calendar URL.

In the dialog box, copy the calendar URL.

14. Navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars and click the ‘Edit button’ under chosen property.

15. Click the ‘Add New Calendar’ button and paste the calendar URL of your Apple Calendar.

Click the ‘Update’ button.

16. Create a booking or time blocking in your Apple Calendar.

In Apple Calendar, switch to the Month view and select dates you would like to mark as booked or blocked.

In the opened popup, add the title, description, and choose a calendar associated with your property. We created this calendar earlier in this tutorial.

If you’ve enabled automatic calendar synchronization, you can either wait for the automatic synchronization process or navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Sync Calendars and click the ‘Sync All External Calendars’ button to synchronize immediately.

Navigate to Dashboard > Bookings > Calendar. If synchronization was successful, you will find a new booking imported from your Apple Calendar. Hover over or click on it to see details.

To enable automatic external calendars synchronization, navigate to Dashboard > Accommodation > Settings and scroll down to the Calendars Synchronization Scheduler section.

How to force Google Calendar to update a subscribed Calendar

Google Calendar’s iCal sync can be slow, with updates taking up to 48 hours, according to their documentation. For faster refreshes, consider Google Apps Script (by @derekantrican) which allows automatic sync every N minutes for any given subscribed calendar.

https://github.com/derekantrican/GAS-ICS-Sync

Follow these steps to run the script:

1. Navigate to following URL

https://script.google.com/d/1BOk8MDLbLaHh6SwG1M1tsgNXjkcC-79LE0QoipRuTDxbO3fMVvqoROQD/edit?newcopy=true

2. On the left-hand side of the screen, choose the Overview menu.

3. Click the “Copy” icon on the top right.

4. Scroll down to the line #28 and replace iCal URLs with your data.

Example:

[
    "https://bnbforms.com/100011/?feed=mphb.ics&accommodation_id=22",
    "BNBForms"
]

, where

• https://bnbforms.com/100011/?feed=mphb.ics&accommodation_id=22 – is the iCal URL of a calendar;
• BNBForms – is the name of a calendar in the Google Calendar.

5. Click the ‘Save’ button on the top panel.

6. Make sure your toolbar says “Install” to the right of “Debug”, then click “Run”.

7. You will be prompted to authorize the program and will need to click “Advanced” > “Go to GAS-ICS-Sync (unsafe)”.

8. You can check script executions and logs of synchronization following this URL

https://script.google.com/home/executions

On the image below, you will see that the script executes with the default 15-minute interval.

9. To stop the script (optional).

To stop the script, open it from your account at https://script.google.com/home/, change the dropdown to the right of “Debug” from “Install” to “Uninstall”, then click Run.

10. Result.

If you check your Google Calendar after the script execution, you will find two calendars with the name “BNBForms” in our case.

This is because the script doesn’t actually force Google to update your external calendar created following this tutorial. It creates a new calendar and processes the calendar feed separately.

The post How to sync bookings with Google and Apple calendars appeared first on BNBForms.

Booking inquiries are essential for effective communication in various scenarios. They assist in accommodating special requests, addressing group needs, and clarifying property policies.

Understanding Confirmation by Admin mode

BNBForms offer the option of “confirmation by admin mode.” This means that your valued guests can send you a reservation request, putting you in control to either approve or decline it.

How to manage booking inquiries

1. Receive Reservation Request.
   Your guests will initiate the booking process by sending a reservation request through our user-friendly booking form.
2. Review Reservation Request.
   As the admin, you can access the reservation details and make an informed decision.
3. Choose Approval or Decline.
   Based on your availability and preferences, you have the flexibility to approve or decline the reservation request.
4. Communicate with Guests.
   Utilize our platform’s communication features to interact with guests, seek additional information if needed, or simply confirm the booking details.

We understand the importance of a hassle-free reservation process for both hosts and guests. By having the ability to review and confirm bookings, you can ensure that your property or service aligns perfectly with your guests’ expectations.

The post How to master booking inquiries: admin approval for hosts appeared first on BNBForms.

Add Stripe Secret and Public keys

Here is how to find them:

1. Go to your Stripe Dashboard.
2. Locate your Stripe Secret and Public keys on the screen. If either key is missing, press the “Create key” button.
    
   
3. Enable Stripe and add your Publishable and Secret keys to their corresponding fields in your BNBForms account.
    
   
4. Scroll down and save the changes.

Testing Stripe Integration

Optionally, use test mode with test card numbers to test your Stripe integration before going live with payments.

Use test API Keys and enable Sandbox Mode in your BNBForms account.

Note: don’t forget to switch to Live mode, update fields with live API Keys and disable Sandbox Mode in your BNBForms account after tests.

How to set up webhooks

To connect webhooks, follow the steps in the “Setting up webhooks” tutorial.

To add a new endpoint, in your Stripe account, go to Developers > Webhooks > + Add endpoint.

Webhook Secret – This is your Webhook ID that you can find in the upper right corner of the endpoint page.

Endpoint URL – The URL in Stripe settings of your BNBForms dashboard. It is displayed when Stripe is turned on (check the box “Enable “Pay by card (Stripe)”, then save the changes).

You need to choose these event types when setting up webhook endpoints:

charge.failed
charge.succeeded
source.canceled
source.chargeable
source.failed

The post How to obtain keys and enable webhooks for Stripe appeared first on BNBForms.

When to Use Multiple Rates

Create multiple rates only if you want to offer clearly different booking options for the same accommodation type. Examples:

1. With Breakfast vs Without Breakfast
2. Refundable vs Non-Refundable

Guests will be able to choose their preferred rate when they submit a booking request.

When to Use Seasonal Prices Instead of Multiple Rates

If your prices only vary by dates (e.g., summer vs winter rates, holiday prices, peak season rates), you do not need to create multiple rates. Instead:

1. Create one default rate for the accommodation type.
2. Open that rate and click Add Season.
3. Set the dates and prices for each season.

This keeps your setup organized and makes it easier to manage availability.

Common Mistake: Multiple Rates Instead of Seasonal Prices

Some users mistakenly create separate rates for each period instead of adding seasons within a single rate. This can cause confusion for guests and make managing prices harder.

If you find yourself with several rates that differ only by date, you should merge them into a single rate and add seasons.

Need Help?

If you’re unsure whether to use multiple rates or seasonal prices, contact us — we’ll be happy to review your setup and recommend the best approach.

The post How to set up Rates and Seasonal Prices appeared first on BNBForms.

1. Go to Accommodation > Rates
2. Select a rate you want to edit or Add New
3. To add variations based on the number of booked dates click +.

Make sure to start from the lowest variation, e.g. 3, 4, 7, 14 nights.

For example, the following set up means that if a booking is placed for 7 or more nights, the total price will be counted as 50 per night.

There is no limitation to the number of days or variations that you can add here. These rules can be also combined with the per person rates if you tick Enable Variable Pricing.

Watch: Customize Seasonal Pricing & Rates

The post How to set Weekly & Monthly rates appeared first on BNBForms.

Hotel invoice generator capabilities

• This extension automatically emails customized PDF invoices to guests upon booking submission, even if the booking is not paid/confirmed yet.
• Access and manage invoices within the BNBForms backoffice, supporting viewing, downloading, and printing with your preferred PDF editor.

Enabling invoice sending

• Visit: BNBForms > Accommodation > Settings > Extensions > Invoices.
• Set up your customization options and click ‘Save’.

Customization options

• Tailor the appearance of your invoices in the Invoices menu.
• Personalize fields such as company name, logo, legal information, invoice title, and font for a polished PDF invoice.
• Allow guests to download invoices directly from the booking confirmation page by enabling the dedicated option.

Include invoices into emails

Ensure automated attachment of PDF invoices to guest emails by inserting the %pdf_invoice% tag in the Booking Confirmed email template.

Find the template at BNBForms > Settings > Customer Emails > Approved Booking Email template.

No matter where you inset the tag, guests will receive an invoice as a standard attachment in the email.

Manage invoices from the backoffice

Instantly access and manage every unique PDF invoice, past and present, on your BNBForms dashboard.

• Download invoices as an admin by navigating to the Bookings menu, choosing a booking, and clicking on the Generate Invoice option.
• Download, resend, or print invoices seamlessly with a few clicks in your preferred PDF software.

Real-time updates for accuracy

Invoices automatically update with any booking or payment changes. Example: If a guest pays a partial amount initially and settles the rest later, the invoice reflects the latest update.

Note: Invoices are generated even for unpaid bookings, displaying the amount due for client reference.

The post How to automate PDF invoices appeared first on BNBForms.

1. Log in to your BNBForms account.
2. Click on the Users menu
3. Click Add New.
4. Scroll down to the Add New User section.
5. Fill out the form:

    

   Username (required) – Enter the username of the new user here. This will also be used as the login name of the new user. Usernames can only contain lowercase letters (a-z) and numbers.

   E-mail (required) – Enter a valid e-mail address of the new user here. The e-mail address must be unique for each user.

   Role – Select the desired role for this user from the drop-down menu:

   • Hotel Worker – can only view reservations in the Calendar menu. This user role is most likely suitable to the hotel staff.
   • Hotel Manager – can view all menus and configure all settings. Can’t access essential administrative settings (Appearance, Users, Tools, General Settings).
   • Administrator – has full access to your account.
6. Click the Add New User button.
7. An invitation email will be sent to the email address of the new user.

A confirmation link must be clicked before their account is created.

The post How to add a new user to your BNBForms account appeared first on BNBForms.

1. Navigate to Bookings > Booking Rules.
2. Scroll down to the Block accommodation section.
3. Press the Add rule button.
   
4. Choose an accommodation type, dates and restriction rules. Possible restriction rules are:
   • The Not check-in rule marks the date as unavailable for check-in.
   • The Not check-out rule marks the date as unavailable for check-out.
   • The Not stay-in rule displays the date as blocked. This date is unavailable for check-in and check-out on the next date.
   • The Not stay-in with Not check-out rules applied at the same time completely block the selected date, additionally displaying the previous date as unavailable for check-in.
5. Press Done.
6. Scroll down and save.

Watch: how to block dates manually

The post How to block dates manually appeared first on BNBForms.