Calendar Import/Export Conflicts

I both import from and export to VRBO. When a booking comes in from VRBO, it is then exported back to VRBO and thus shows a conflict there. It's not a huge deal since I know it's there and what's causing it, but is it possible to prevent imported bookings from being exported back? Thanks!

We have a todo list item to allow you to exclude bookings from a listing site from a calendar export. Once that's in place you'll be able to create a custom calendar export, exclude the VRBO bookings, and use that for VRBO instead of the default export.

In the meantime, like you mentioned, it doesn't actually hurt anything on the VRBO side to have the extra blocks, it is more of a display issue with how they show the calendars.

I wanted to follow up and see if this issue had been resolved yet? We are having a similar issue with our VRBO calendar showing conflicts.

Since this has historically been nothing more than a confusing UI issue, and it goes away if you use our API connection, this hasn't been a priority to address.  We've talked about it with Vrbo several times and they aren't interested in fixing it either.  The only way we could fix it would be somewhat clunky - a special iCal feed that does not include any Vrbo bookings - which would potentially cause major problems if it was used to feed anything other than Vrbo.  We've been reluctant to implement something that might potentially replace a minor confusion with a real problem.

However, as complaints about this have continued regularly, we are giving this issue another look.

Hello Ken, 

We are also running into this issue.  All of our bookings on VRBO show up in bright red because it thinks there is a conflict.  We are concerned about this for two reasons.  First, it will be extremely difficult to spot an actual error or overbooking because we'll become accustom to seeing everything in an error state (red).  Second, we think it's possible that having numerous conflicts could potentially harm our VRBO internal ranking.  This is clearly conjecture as we have no idea how their ranking algorithms work, but even taking a chance is not something we'd like to do.

Does integration of the API require custom coding on our end?  

Thank you.

Does integration of the API require custom coding on our end? 

No, although there are a few other limitations and requirements:

https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/channel-management-api-integrations-vrbo 

Hello! We are hesitant to use API and are having the same conflict issue. Just to make sure I understand correctly we can make a custom calendar, then exclude the current VRBO bookings, and that should fix the conflict? Thank you!  

I am observing this same issue as we only use VRBO (red conflict for every booking). I do not see a way to create a specific ical feed with just bookings taken directly in OR for example, which would be what is required here. Is this possible?

We're on the phone with VRBO now, my booking agent/PA has been working on this for the last couple hours. I'll keep you posted.

No, it is unfortunately not possible to do this.  But as far as we are aware, the apparent conflict doesn't actually do anything beyond looking odd in your Vrbo calendar, because it is just an illusion.

I get what you are saying, but i agree with the comment above where this makes it much more difficult to find an ACTUAL issue since every trip is being flagged as a conflict. It would seem to be a simple thing to just not advertise bookings from a channel back to that channel from an ical perspective. The ical feed should only contain native OR bookings or other channels etc.  Maybe add a filter option on the custom external ical setting that filtered by booking source? That would allow users to set this up themselves.

Please get rid of the conflicts on VRBO. Other hosting sites have figured it out. The red conflict is a huge problem, especially when Airbnb or Book.com have an issue. It takes hours and days to figure it all out if the conflict was not there in the first place it would make life easier. API does the same thing.

PLEASE YOU CAN MAKE OWNER REZ A STAND ALONG JUST LIKE AIRBN VRBO AND BOOKING.COM! 

We released a Listing Site filter on custom export iCals today that can be used to get around this for Vrbo (and if needed for other channels).

Can you please elaborate on this further? I am trying to set this up on my account to get rid of the duplicates in VRBO.

Hi Jessica,

Please email in to our helpdesk at help@ownerrez.com so we can take a look at your exact account configuration and discuss in further detail.

~Caleb