Contents
What is this integration?
The Host Hotel Systems integration connects Golfmanager with the hotel's PMS (the Host hotel management system). It lets staff, from the Golfmanager POS, charge a guest's purchases directly to their room.
The amount is no longer collected at the till and instead is added to the hotel account, so the guest pays it all together at check-out.
A PMS (Property Management System) is the program the hotel uses to manage rooms, reservations and each guest's account. Host Hotel Systems is one of those systems. This integration bridges your POS and the guest's account at the hotel.
What problem does it solve?
The guest doesn't pay on the spot: they spend at the golf, the shop or the bar and it all accumulates on their hotel account.
It avoids double handling: there's no need to charge separately and reconcile with the hotel; the charge travels to the PMS instantly.
It improves the customer experience at resorts that combine hotel and golf.
It leaves a trail of every operation: charges and refunds are recorded.
Which systems does it connect, and which way does the data flow?
It connects the Golfmanager POS with the hotel's Host PMS (through its cloud service), in real time:
Golfmanager asks Host for the list of occupied rooms and their guests.
Golfmanager sends the charge (or the refund) to the room, stating the charge code based on the product type.
Host replies whether the operation went through, and Golfmanager marks the sale as paid.
ℹ️ In addition, payments made with other methods (cash, card…) are also reflected in Host using an auxiliary room, so the hotel has the full picture of what's sold at the golf. Those amounts aren't charged to the guest: they only appear in Host for reconciliation.
What information is exchanged?
Information | Direction | Purpose |
List of rooms and guests | Host → Golfmanager | Choose who to charge |
Amount, concept and charge code | Golfmanager → Host | Add the charge to the guest's account |
Operation confirmation | Host → Golfmanager | Confirm the charge and keep a record |
Sales are grouped by charge code (based on the product's subfamily), so the hotel knows which concept/department to assign the amount to.
Prerequisites (before turning the integration on)
That the hotel uses the Host Hotel Systems PMS and has its service enabled.
Have the Host module installed in your Golfmanager, along with the POS and billing modules.
The subscription key (Primary Key) provided by Host (and the test one).
The charge codes the hotel uses (to assign them to the subfamilies).
Billing management permissions to configure.
How to set it up (step by step)
Step 1 — Install the module
Install the Host module (with support's help). Afterwards the Host menu appears with the Settings and the Transactions.
Step 2 — Connection details
Go to Host > Settings.
To start testing, leave Production Mode off and enter the Test Key and the Test auxiliary room.
To operate for real, turn on Production Mode and enter the Primary Key and the auxiliary room.
Save your changes. The keys are stored encrypted.
Step 3 — Charge codes by subfamily
Go to Products > Subfamilies.
On each subfamily, fill in the Code field with the charge code the hotel gives you.
Save.
Step 4 — Test and turn on production
In test mode, make a sample charge to the test room and check in Transactions that it comes out correct.
When everything works, turn on Production Mode with the primary key.
⚠️ Important: in production the charges are real on the guest's account. Don't mix the test keys/rooms with the production ones.
Each configuration field explained
Below, each field is explained: what it is, how it affects the system, how it behaves, and an example of use. They're grouped into the Host settings and the charge codes.
Host settings (Host > Settings)
Production Mode
Field name: Production Mode. It's a toggle (on/off, off by default).
Description: it decides whether charges are real or test.
System impact: on, it uses the production key and room and charges for real; off, it uses the test ones.
System behavior: depending on the mode, it requires the matching details (key and room) to be filled in; if they're missing, it gives a "configuration error".
Example of use / what happens: you leave it off while testing and turn it on when you're going to operate for real.
Primary Key
Field name: Primary Key.
Description: the subscription key Golfmanager uses to authenticate to Host in production.
System impact: without it, you can't operate in production. It's stored encrypted.
System behavior: it's required if Production Mode is on; if it's missing, it gives a "configuration error".
Example of use / what happens: you copy it from the details Host gives you and paste it here.
Auxiliary room
Field name: Auxiliary room (it appears as "Test Room" in production).
Description: the room number used to reflect in Host the sales paid with other methods (not a room charge).
System impact: it lets the hotel see in its PMS everything sold at the golf, even when it's not charged to a specific guest.
System behavior: it's required in production; those amounts aren't charged to the guest, they're informational only.
Example of use / what happens: you set the auxiliary room number the hotel indicates.
Test Key (Primary Test Key)
Field name: Test Key.
Description: the subscription key for Host's test environment.
System impact: it's used when Production Mode is off. It's stored encrypted.
System behavior: it's required in test mode; if it's missing, it gives a "configuration error".
Example of use / what happens: you fill it in to validate the integration before going to production.
Test auxiliary room
Field name: Test auxiliary room (Test Room).
Description: the auxiliary room for the test environment (default 9000).
System impact: it does the same job as the auxiliary room, but in test.
System behavior: it's used in test mode; it's required in that mode.
Example of use / what happens: you leave it at 9000 or set the one the hotel indicates for testing.
Charge codes
Subfamily code
Field name: Code (on each product subfamily).
Description: the charge code sent to Host to classify the amount (which concept/department it goes to).
System impact: it determines how the charge is booked at the hotel; sales are grouped by this code.
System behavior: if a subfamily has no code, the charge is sent with an empty code (the hotel may not classify it correctly).
Example of use / what happens: you set the "Green fees" subfamily its code and "Restaurant" its own; each concept reaches its department in Host.
Host code of the payment method
Field name: Host code (on the payment method).
Description: a code that can be associated with each payment method for Host.
System impact: it helps identify in Host the sales paid with each method.
System behavior: it's optional; the hotel provides it if needed.
Example of use / what happens: you fill it in if the hotel wants to distinguish payments by method in its PMS.
How it works day to day
Charging a sale to the room
At the POS, add the products to the cart as usual.
As the payment method, select "Charge to room" (Host).
Golfmanager shows the "Select a room" window, with the list of occupied rooms (you can search by name or room number). Choose the customer's.
Confirm. The charge is sent to Host and the sale is marked as paid.
Refunds
To refund, open the sale and use Cancel / Discard: Golfmanager sends Host a negative charge. On a room charge, it will ask you to select the room again; on payments by other methods, the refund is reflected in the auxiliary room.
Checking the transactions
In Host > Transactions you'll see all the operations sent to Host. Each record shows:
The customer and the amount.
The type (payment, refund or room charge) and the identifier (Host ID) the PMS returns.
Whether it was successful or failed and the error detail if there was one.
It's the first screen to check when a charge or a refund hasn't been completed.
Limitations to keep in mind
It's for the POS (front desk), not for the customer's online payment.
It depends on the hotel: Host must be reachable. If its service doesn't respond, rooms can't be charged.
The guest must be checked in: only occupied rooms with a guest appear.
The charge codes must match the hotel's so the amount is classified correctly.
Don't mix test mode with the real one: in production the charges are real on the guest's account.
Payments by other methods are reflected in Host (auxiliary room) for information only; they aren't charged to the guest.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does this integration do?
It lets you, from the golf POS, charge a guest's purchases to their hotel room (Host PMS). The guest doesn't pay at the till: the amount is added to their hotel account and they settle it at check-out.
How do I charge a sale to a room?
At the POS, choose "Charge to room" (Host), the "Select a room" window opens, you search by name or number, choose the customer's and confirm. The sale is paid.
Why don't rooms appear in the list?
Because there are no occupied rooms with a guest, or because Host isn't responding. Only rooms with a number and a guest are shown. Check that the guest is checked in and that Host is reachable.
The charge was declined. What do I do?
Host didn't accept the operation (for example, the guest already checked out or the account is closed). Review the detail in Host > Transactions; the customer can pay with another method.
I get a Host "configuration error". What should I check?
Details are missing for the active mode. In production, the Primary Key and the auxiliary room must be set; in test, the Test Key and the test auxiliary room. Complete them in Host > Settings.
How do I make a refund?
Open the sale and use Cancel / Discard. Golfmanager sends Host a negative charge: on a room charge it asks you to reselect the room; on other payments it's reflected in the auxiliary room.
What is the "charge code" and where do I set it?
It's the code the hotel uses to classify the amount (concept/department). You set it in the Code field of each product subfamily, with the value the hotel gives you.
The amount reaches the wrong concept at the hotel. What should I check?
The charge code of the product's subfamily is wrong. Review it in Products > Subfamilies and set it according to the hotel's codes.
What happens if a subfamily has no charge code?
The charge is still sent but with an empty code, so the hotel may not classify it correctly. It's best to assign the code to all the subfamilies you'll charge.
Why do sales that aren't room charges appear in Host?
Because payments by other methods (cash, card…) are also reflected in Host using the auxiliary room, so the hotel has the full picture of what's sold at the golf. They aren't charged to the guest: they're informational only.
What is the "auxiliary room" for?
It's a room the hotel indicates to reflect in the PMS the sales paid with other methods. It allows reconciliation, but those amounts aren't a real charge to any guest.
Is there a test environment?
Yes. With Production Mode off, the test key and the test auxiliary room (default 9000) are used. Validate a charge and then turn on production.
How do I move from test to production?
Turn on Production Mode in Host > Settings and make sure you have the production Primary Key and auxiliary room. From then on, the charges are real.
Are the keys secure?
Yes. The primary key and the test key are stored encrypted. Even so, don't share them and treat them like passwords.
Can I charge several different concepts on the same ticket?
Yes. Sales are grouped by charge code: if the cart has products from several subfamilies with different codes, Golfmanager sends one charge per code.
Does it work for the customer's online payment (online bookings/shop)?
No. Charge to room is a POS (front desk) payment method, not the customer's online portal.
Where do I see the status of a charge or a refund?
In Host > Transactions: there you'll find the customer, the amount, the type, the Host identifier and whether it was successful or failed, with the error detail if there was one.
The guest has checked out. Can I charge them anything?
No: at check-out their room is no longer occupied and doesn't appear in the list. If Host declines a charge for this reason, you'll see it in Transactions.
What permissions do I need to configure the integration?
Billing management permissions, which give access to the Host configuration and the transactions.
Is there any automatic background process?
There are no scheduled tasks: everything happens at the moment (querying rooms when charging, sending the charge on confirmation, the refund on cancellation). Golfmanager doesn't send anything on its own in a deferred way.
Recommended best practices
Test first in test mode with the test key and room before turning on production.
Agree the charge codes with the hotel and assign them to the correct subfamilies.
Always confirm the room and the guest before charging.
Keep the keys safe and don't share them; they're stored encrypted in Golfmanager.
On a failed charge, check Transactions first: the error detail usually shows the cause.