Field Codes Available in All Templates

Status: Declined 1 Vote
Ken T
Feb 9, 2024 10:20 AM
Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

Unfortunately, where field codes are not available in messages of certain types, it's because this is not possible, because of the nature of the fields.

Let's consider your specific example - a booking template does not allow the use of rental agreement related fields.  While for most clients, most bookings only do have one (or no) rental agreement, that is not a limit of the system.  It is possible to have multiple rental agreements on the same booking, for a variety of reasons - separate pet agreements, a requirement that every single guest personally sign the agreement not just whoever made the booking, etc.

Therefore, it's impossible to use those field codes in booking templates, because the system has no way of knowing which of the potentially many applicable agreements should be used to populate that field.

Similarly, consider the field codes related to payments.  It's normal practice for one booking to have many payments.  If you are generating a Payment type message, you know which specific payment it is for and can use those field codes.  But if it's a Booking type message, how would the system know which of the many payments, with all sorts of different amounts, statuses, etc., should be used?

Hope this helps explain the limitations!

NickS
Feb 9, 2024 1:53 AM
Joined Sep, 2023 3 posts

The full list of field codes is very long, and helpful.

Unfortunately they are not all accessible via all templates.

For example, a booking template does not allow the use of rental agreement related fields (ie called Leasing fields in the long list). Why not make all fields accessible no matter what the purpose of the booking template is?

This would provide for a much greater level of functionality in constructing the templates.

 

Ken T
Feb 9, 2024 10:20 AM
Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

Unfortunately, where field codes are not available in messages of certain types, it's because this is not possible, because of the nature of the fields.

Let's consider your specific example - a booking template does not allow the use of rental agreement related fields.  While for most clients, most bookings only do have one (or no) rental agreement, that is not a limit of the system.  It is possible to have multiple rental agreements on the same booking, for a variety of reasons - separate pet agreements, a requirement that every single guest personally sign the agreement not just whoever made the booking, etc.

Therefore, it's impossible to use those field codes in booking templates, because the system has no way of knowing which of the potentially many applicable agreements should be used to populate that field.

Similarly, consider the field codes related to payments.  It's normal practice for one booking to have many payments.  If you are generating a Payment type message, you know which specific payment it is for and can use those field codes.  But if it's a Booking type message, how would the system know which of the many payments, with all sorts of different amounts, statuses, etc., should be used?

Hope this helps explain the limitations!

NickS
Feb 10, 2024 4:07 PM
Joined Sep, 2023 3 posts

Ok - this makes sense, although maybe there is some middle ground where field codes can be made available more widely within certain selected rules. In any event, field codes are very helpful and would be great to be able to draw on them more widely. thanks for your clarification. Nick.

Ken T
Feb 13, 2024 12:12 PM
Joined Aug, 2019 1706 posts

Do you have specific field codes that you think should be able to be available in specific situations and aren't?  If so, post them here, and I may be able to answer why they aren't.