Index
What is this integration?
The SiteMinder integration connects Golfmanager with the SiteMinder channel manager, which in turn distributes your rooms across the online sales channels (Booking.com, Expedia, etc.).
Golfmanager acts as the hotel's PMS: it sends the availability, rates and restrictions to SiteMinder and automatically receives the reservations that arrive from any channel.
A channel manager is a system that connects your hotel with many booking portals at once, keeping availability and prices synchronized. SiteMinder is one of the most used; this integration makes Golfmanager talk to it as if it were the hotel's PMS (the program that manages the hotel's rooms, reservations and rates).
What problem does it solve?
Sell across many channels with a single management of availability and rates.
Avoid overbooking: availability is updated in all channels at once.
Automatic reservations: new bookings, modifications and cancellations from the channels come into Golfmanager on their own.
Saves manual work and reduces errors.
What is exchanged and in which direction?
Information | Direction | Purpose |
Availability, rates and restrictions | Golfmanager → SiteMinder | Publish your inventory and prices on the channels |
Reservations (new, modification, cancellation) | SiteMinder → Golfmanager | Receive bookings from any channel |
Catalog of rooms and rate plans | SiteMinder → Golfmanager | Link each room/rate with the Golfmanager one |
How does it work under the hood?
You do not need to know the technical details to use it, but it helps to understand how it works:
It communicates with SiteMinder through its pmsXchange interface, based on the industry standard (Open Travel Alliance / OTA).
It works automatically and in the background: a scheduled task runs very frequently (approximately every minute) to collect pending reservations and publish availability changes.
Only the changes in availability (what has varied) are sent, grouped by periods, so the synchronization is efficient.
Each received reservation is confirmed or rejected to SiteMinder with its reason, and everything is logged (what was sent, what was received and the result).
If a communication fails, there is a retry policy: messages are not lost and are resent until they are delivered.
Prerequisites (before enabling the integration)
Have a SiteMinder account and the credentials provided by their connectivity team (pmsXchange username and password).
Have the SiteMinder module installed, together with the bookings module.
Have a booking area for the hotel in Golfmanager (the bookings of that area are mirrored to SiteMinder).
Know your hotel code, your PMS code and your pricing model in SiteMinder.
Administration permissions to configure it.
Authorization form
To authorize the integration between your company and the system through an API, you normally need to send Golfmanager a document filled in and signed by both parties before you start. Your implementation team will tell you the specific form and how to submit it.
Installing the module
The SiteMinder module is installed with help from our team. Once installed, the SiteMinder configuration section and the scheduled task that keeps the synchronization running will appear. If it is not available to you, contact support through the blue bubble.
How to set it up (step by step)
Location: Settings > SiteMinder
Step 1 — Credentials and connection data
Go to Settings > SiteMinder.
Make sure Service disabled is set to No (i.e. the service active).
Enter the pmsXchange Username and Password (provided by the SiteMinder connectivity team).
Enter the PMS Code and the Hotel Code.
Enter the SOAP service URL and, if you are going to sync the catalog, the REST service URL.
Indicate the Currency (EUR by default).
Select the Hotel area (the booking area whose rooms are synchronized).
Indicate the Pricing model (it must match the one in SiteMinder).
Save the changes.
Step 2 — Sync and map
Click "Sync rooms and rates": the SiteMinder catalog is downloaded.
In the mapping, open each row and link it with the Golfmanager resource type (room) and booking type (rate).
Step 3 — Publish
Click "Publish availability" to send the inventory (next 90 days).
Click "Publish rates" (next 365 days) and "Publish restrictions".
Check that the pricing model matches the one configured in SiteMinder.
⚠️ Mapping is key: each SiteMinder room and rate must be linked with the Golfmanager one. Those not linked are not published, and reservations arriving for them are left with an error awaiting mapping.
The configuration fields in detail
Below is an explanation of each field in the SiteMinder configuration.
1) Service disabled
• Field name: Service disabled
• Description: A switch to pause the integration without deleting the configuration.
• Impact on the system: If enabled, the scheduled task neither sends nor receives anything.
• Usage example: you enable it temporarily during maintenance.
What happens when it is used: synchronization stops until you disable it.
System behavior: in normal operation it should be disabled (service active).
2) Username
• Field name: Username
• Description: The pmsXchange API username, provided by SiteMinder.
• Impact on the system: It is part of the authentication with SiteMinder.
• Usage example: you copy it from the SiteMinder connectivity setup.
What happens when it is used: it authenticates the requests to SiteMinder.
System behavior: if incorrect, operations fail due to authentication.
3) Password
• Field name: Password
• Description: The pmsXchange API password. It is sensitive information.
• Impact on the system: It completes the authentication with SiteMinder.
• Usage example: it is provided by the SiteMinder connectivity team.
What happens when it is used: it enables secure communication with SiteMinder.
System behavior: if it expires or is incorrect, synchronization stops ("authentication failed").
4) PMS Code
• Field name: PMS Code
• Description: The identifier SiteMinder assigns to Golfmanager as a PMS. It is the same for an environment (it differs between test and production).
• Impact on the system: It identifies Golfmanager in every message (the "RequestorID" is generated from it).
• Usage example: the one SiteMinder indicates.
What happens when it is used: SiteMinder recognizes that the requests come from Golfmanager.
System behavior: if it is empty, requests cannot be sent ("requestorID" error).
5) Hotel Code
• Field name: Hotel Code
• Description: The identifier of your hotel/property within SiteMinder (it appears in the property dashboard in SiteMinder).
• Impact on the system: It indicates which property the availability, rates and reservations belong to.
• Usage example: the code that appears on your SiteMinder property.
What happens when it is used: the messages are directed to your correct hotel.
System behavior: if it is wrong, SiteMinder responds that you do not have access to that hotel code.
6) SOAP service URL
• Field name: SOAP service URL
• Description: The address of the pmsXchange service to which availability and rates are sent and from which reservations are collected.
• Impact on the system: It defines which SiteMinder server the module connects to.
• Usage example: the URL provided by SiteMinder (different in test and production).
What happens when it is used: communications travel to that endpoint.
System behavior: an incorrect URL prevents synchronization.
7) REST service URL
• Field name: REST service URL
• Description: The address of the service to download the catalog of rooms and rate plans.
• Impact on the system: It is the one used by the "Sync rooms and rates" button. If it is missing, that button is disabled, but the rest of the integration keeps working.
• Usage example: the REST URL provided by SiteMinder.
What happens when it is used: it lets you bring in the catalog to map it.
System behavior: without it, you would have to map without syncing the catalog.
8) Currency
• Field name: Currency
• Description: The currency in which prices are sent (EUR by default).
• Impact on the system: It must match your property's currency in SiteMinder.
• Usage example: EUR for euros.
What happens when it is used: rates are published in that currency.
System behavior: an inconsistent currency may cause incorrect prices.
9) Hotel area
• Field name: Hotel area
• Description: The Golfmanager booking area that contains the hotel's rooms.
• Impact on the system: The bookings and availability of that area are the ones synchronized with SiteMinder.
• Usage example: you select the "Hotel" area.
What happens when it is used: changes in that area are reflected in SiteMinder.
System behavior: bookings from other areas (golf, etc.) are not sent to SiteMinder.
10) Pricing model
• Field name: Pricing model
• Description: Indicates how prices are calculated: by occupancy (depending on the number of guests) or per room/day. It must match the model configured in SiteMinder.
• Impact on the system: It determines how rates are published.
• Usage example: "by occupancy" if your prices depend on the number of people.
What happens when it is used: rates are sent in the format SiteMinder expects.
System behavior: if it does not match SiteMinder, prices may come out wrong.
ℹ️ Note: the exact names may vary slightly depending on your version and language. The function of each field is as described.
Mapping rooms and rates
For SiteMinder and Golfmanager to understand each other, you have to link their codes. The equivalences are:
Room (SiteMinder Room Code / Inventory Code) ↔ Golfmanager resource type.
Rate (SiteMinder Rate Code) ↔ Golfmanager booking type.
After clicking "Sync rooms and rates", one row appears for each room + rate combination in SiteMinder. In each one you choose the equivalent resource type and booking type. Combinations that no longer exist in SiteMinder are marked as obsolete.
How it is used day to day
Availability and prices: when you manage your bookings and rates in Golfmanager, the changes are published to SiteMinder (and from there to the channels) automatically.
Incoming reservations: when a customer books on a channel, the reservation appears on its own in Golfmanager; the same with modifications and cancellations.
Monitoring: you can check the status of the integration (whether it is active, pending messages to send, received reservations, errors) to make sure everything flows.
Normally there is nothing to do manually: the scheduled task keeps everything synchronized in the background. If you need to, you can force the send with "Drain outbound queue".
The pieces of the integration
Element | What it is |
Mapping (rooms/rates) | The correspondence between SiteMinder rooms and rates and Golfmanager ones |
Prices and restrictions | The prices by date/occupancy and the restrictions (minimum nights, stop sell…) that are published |
Outbound queue | The messages pending publication (availability, rates, restrictions) |
Inbox | The record of the reservations received from the channels |
Scheduled task | The automatic process (in Tools) that synchronizes and saves the result of each run |
These screens help you see what is happening and where something gets stuck if there is a problem. If a message fails several times, it goes to "failed" status and you can fix the cause and use the "Reactivate" option on that message.
Limitations to keep in mind
Each room and rate must be mapped; without mapping, they are not published and their reservations are not processed.
The pricing model must match SiteMinder's (or prices will come out wrong).
There may be a small delay between the channel and Golfmanager (synchronization is very frequent, but not always instant).
Only the configured hotel area is synchronized; other areas are not sent.
It depends on SiteMinder and the credentials: if they expire or the service is unavailable, synchronization stops.
Frequently asked questions
What is a channel manager and why do I need it?
It is a system that connects your hotel with many booking portals (OTAs) at once and keeps availability and prices synchronized. SiteMinder is one of the most used; this integration makes Golfmanager send it your inventory and receive its reservations.
Do I have to do anything every day?
No. The integration is automatic: a scheduled task synchronizes in the background very frequently. You just manage your bookings and rates in Golfmanager as usual.
I get "0 rooms synced".
Usually the hotel code does not match SiteMinder's. SiteMinder responds that you do not have access to that code. Check it in the configuration.
A reservation comes in with an error.
The room or rate is not mapped. Link that room (resource type) and that rate (booking type) in the mapping and the reservation will be able to be processed.
Prices come out wrong (for example, strange values).
The pricing model does not match SiteMinder's. Adjust it and run "Publish rates" again.
"Authentication failed" appears.
The credentials (username/password) are incorrect or have expired. Ask SiteMinder to reissue them and update them in the configuration.
I see a "requestorID" error.
The PMS Code is missing from the configuration. Fill it in: the identifier SiteMinder requires in every message is generated from it.
A message gets stuck.
After several failed retries it goes to "failed". Fix the cause (credentials, mapping, prices) and use the "Reactivate" option on that message.
Where do I see the reservations that arrive from the channels?
They come in automatically as bookings in the hotel area. In addition, the SiteMinder inbox keeps a record of each reservation received (with its channel and its result).
How often does it update?
The scheduled task runs very frequently (approximately every minute), so synchronization is almost continuous, although there may be a small delay.
Can I pause the integration?
Yes. Enable "Service disabled" to pause it without losing the configuration, and disable it to resume.
Are golf bookings or other areas synchronized?
No. Only the hotel area indicated in the configuration is synchronized.
Recommended best practices
Complete the mapping of all rooms and rates before publishing.
Verify the pricing model and the hotel code at setup.
Monitor the status of the integration (pending messages and reservations with errors) periodically.
For a stuck message, fix the cause (credentials, mapping, prices) and reactivate it.
Use SiteMinder's test environment (preproduction) before operating live, if your team provides it.
Need help?
If you have questions about the credentials, the mapping, the prices or a reservation that does not come in, our support team is available to help you. Write to us through the blue bubble in your management software. For the connectivity credentials, the hotel code and your property's pricing model, also rely on the SiteMinder team.