Hi there,

Release date: 24th September 2024

What's New?

We are excited to announce an enhancement to Lavanda PMS: Increased Data Sent to Stripe with Payment Requests. This enhancement adds more comprehensive data to Stripe payment requests across all payment methods, which will be visible in the Stripe reconciliation reports. By incorporating additional details into payment requests, users will be in a much-improved position when reconciling payments on the bank statement, the PMS reports, and the bank ledger balance.

Key Features:

Added Data in Payment Requests from Invoice:
When requesting a payment from an invoice, the following data is now included:

• Invoice Number
• Booking ID
• Invoice Recipient Name
• Invoice Recipient Email
• Lead Guest Name
• Unit
• Check-in Date
• Check-out Date
• Internal CRM ID

Added Data in Payment Requests from Payments Screen:
When manually recording a payment or using the Credit / Debit card (Cardholder present - Stripe) payment option from the payments screen, the following data is now included:

• Booking ID
• Payment Type
• Payment Reference
• Lead Guest Name
• Unit
• Check-in Date
• Check-out Date

Why This Change?

This improvement supports better bank reconciliation, helping users reconcile payments more quickly and effectively. By enriching the data sent to Stripe, this update improves clarity and operational efficiency, especially for teams managing high volumes of transactions.

Impact:

This feature enhancement will simplify the reconciliation process, reducing manual intervention and improving the accuracy of financial reporting. It aligns Stripe payment requests with the PMS journal for seamless and effective bank reconciliation.

Getting Started:

This data is being rolled out to Stripe, and you’ll be able to view it directly on your Stripe dashboard to enhance your payment request and reconciliation process.

How to check on your Stripe dashboard:

1. On your Stripe dashboard, navigate to Transactions.
2. Select a payment transaction.
3. Scroll down to the Metadata section to see the added data depending on payment request type.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

Release date: 18th September 2024

What's New?

We are pleased to introduce an improvement to Lavanda PMS: Automated Handling of Payment Disputes and Chargebacks. This feature streamlines the management of payment disputes for Stripe transactions, automating the previously manual process of handling disputes and reversals.

When a Stripe payment (via card or SEPA) is initially successful but subsequently disputed by the payee, the payment will now be automatically marked as 'disputed'. If the dispute leads to a refund, the system will reverse the payment and create a payment reversal note for accounting purposes (Journals/Allocations), marking the payment as 'reversed by dispute'. In cases where the dispute fails, the dispute flag will be removed, and the payment will remain as successful.

Key Features:

• Automated Dispute Flagging: Payments via Stripe are automatically marked as 'disputed' when a dispute is raised.
• Automated Reversals: If a dispute results in a refund, the payment is reversed, and a payment reversal note is automatically generated for accurate accounting.
• Dispute Resolution: If the dispute is unsuccessful, the payment will retain its 'successful' status, with the dispute flag removed.
• No Partial Reversals: There are no partial refunds or reversals; the entire payment is reversed if the dispute is won by the payee.

Why This Change?

Previously, this process relied on manual Stripe notifications and manual creation of payment reversals, leading to inefficiencies and an increased risk of bad debt. Automating this process allows us to manage higher volumes of disputes more effectively while reducing operational risks.

Impact:

This feature improves operational efficiency by automating the handling of payment disputes, eliminating the need for manual intervention. It helps reduce the risk of errors, ensures accurate accounting, and lowers the potential for bad debt.

Getting Started:

Begin exploring this feature in Lavanda PMS to enjoy the improved management of payment disputes and chargebacks.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

Release date: 12th September 2024

What's New?

We are excited to announce a new feature in Lavanda PMS: Cancel Stripe Payment Requests. This feature allows users to cancel payment requests directly from the PMS, intentionally expiring the payment link.

Previously, when a payment request was in progress, several actions on an invoice were unavailable until the request was either paid or expired naturally. With this new functionality, you can now cancel the payment request, immediately unlocking all invoice actions again.

Key Features:

• Cancel Payment Requests: Users can now cancel active payment requests, effectively expiring the payment link and allowing other invoice actions.
• Enhanced Flexibility: This update simplifies payment management by removing the need to wait for a payment request to be fulfilled or expired.
• Improved User Control: Gain more control over invoice management, streamlining your workflow by avoiding unnecessary delays.

Why This Change?

Handling payment requests often led to unnecessary bottlenecks, as users were unable to take certain actions on invoices until the payment request was processed or expired. The previous processes were cumbersome and time-consuming. This new feature eliminates these inefficiencies, ensuring a smoother and faster invoice management experience.

Impact:

This enhancement improves operational efficiency and provides users with greater control over payment requests and invoice actions. It reduces delays, making the payment management process more intuitive and user-friendly.

Getting Started:

Explore this feature within Lavanda PMS and enjoy the improved flexibility in managing Stripe payment requests.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

Release Date: August 2024

We’re pleased to introduce three key updates to Lavanda PMS that will enhance the accuracy, transparency, and efficiency of your invoice and payment management processes.

1. Stripe Payment ID Now Displayed in the Payments Info Tab

• What’s Changed?
  The Stripe Payment ID has been added to the payments info tab, making it easier to view and track payment details directly within the platform.
• Why This Change?
  Previously, Stripe Payment IDs were only accessible via reports, leading to inefficiencies. This update ensures that crucial payment information is visible on-screen, improving the ease of payment management.

2. Invoice Issuance Validation Improvements

• What’s Changed?
  We’ve made significant improvements to the validation process when issuing invoices. These enhancements reduce errors and ensure that invoices are only issued under correct conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of your financial records.
• Why This Change?
  This update improves the invoice validation experience, streamlining the issuance process.

3. Paid/Allocation Status Now Displayed on Invoice List Views

• What’s Changed?
  The Paid/Allocation status is now visible directly in the invoice list views, allowing for quicker assessment of invoice statuses without the need to open individual invoices.
• Why This Change?
  By displaying the payment and allocation statuses upfront, this update helps users quickly identify which invoices are paid, partially allocated, or still outstanding, improving the efficiency of financial management.

Why These Updates Matter:

These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to improving the user experience and enhancing the efficiency of financial management within Lavanda PMS. By making key payment and invoice information more accessible and reducing potential errors, we aim to help you manage your operations more effectively.

Impact:

These enhancements are designed to streamline your workflow, making it easier to manage payments and invoices accurately and efficiently. All customers will benefit from these updates, leading to improved operational efficiency and a better overall user experience.

Getting Started:

These new features are live and ready to use. Explore the updates in your Lavanda PMS account today to experience the improved payment and invoice management capabilities.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are thrilled to introduce the new Tasks Report as part of our standard Operations reports.

Please note that this feature can only be accessed by users with the Admin or Analytics Viewer user roles.

Key Features:

The Tasks report provides a comprehensive view of all tasks created within the PMS. It includes detailed information such as:

• Task owner
• Due date
• Type of task
• Associated booking and unit
• Subtasks, displayed as individual rows

Available filters:

To enhance usability, the report can be filtered by:

• Due date
• Building
• Task status
• Task category
• Assigned to

Impact:

This report can also serve as a housekeeping report. By filtering on specific task categories such as guest ready cleans or refresh cleans, you can streamline and manage your housekeeping tasks efficiently.

We are confident that this new report will provide valuable insights and improve your task management efficiency.

Getting Started:

This feature is now live under the Reporting segment of the PMS. We encourage all relevant users to explore this new capability in order to maximise their portfolio’s performance.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Reporting Library, a significant enhancement to Lavanda PMS that empowers you with advanced reporting capabilities. This new feature is designed to provide more insightful, and user-friendly reporting options, enabling you to make data-driven decisions with ease.

Key Features:

• Clear menu structure organising reports by functional area. 13 reports are available across: Operations, Sales & Marketing and Finance.
• Portfolio reporting: Ability to access data of all the workspaces PMS users have access to in a single view.
• User permissions: The Lavanda user permissions are now shared with the reporting system and no longer required to be managed separately. Google accounts are no longer required to gain access to the reports under the Reporting Library.
• Consistency across all workspaces: The architecture of the new reporting system means report definitions are shared across multiple workspaces ensuring consistency and reduced maintenance.
• Report capabilities include:
• Filtering: Date and building filters.
• Cross Filtering
• Search Bar: Free text search for each table.
• Data Download: Export to Excel, CSV, or PDF.
• Sorting

Why This Change?

Our aim with this launch is to provide seamless access to data in order to make data-driven decisions. It addresses permission issues and removes the need for Google accounts. Additionally, the new reporting system allows for consistency across all workspaces, with shared report definitions.

Impact:

This update benefits the Chapter & Canvas brands by offering seamless access to a range of reports. The new reporting system should contribute to improved efficiency, greater consistency, and more insightful data analysis, ultimately driving better business outcomes.

Getting Started:

This feature is now live under the Reporting segment of the PMS. We encourage all relevant users to explore this new capability in order to maximise their portfolio’s performance.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are excited to introduce several enhancements to the payment and refund processes within Lavanda PMS. These updates aim to improve the user experience and unify the interface for all users, regardless of their Accounts Receivable (AR) system usage.

Key Features:

• Direct Refunds in Payments Tab: For users not using the Accounts Receivable (AR) system, it is now possible to record and make refunds directly in the payments tab, ensuring they are properly related to the corresponding payments.
• Unified Display for Refunds and Payments: For all users, refunds and payments are now displayed in a manner that clearly shows which refunds belong to which payments.
• Consistent UI for Payments: The user interface for recording or taking a new payment directly in the payments tab has been aligned to match the process when doing it from an invoice.
• Improved Payment Screen: The view payment screen has been enhanced for better clarity and usability.
• Consistent Payment Statuses: Payment statuses are now consistent across the payments list, improving overall clarity and user experience.

Why This Change?

To unify the user interface and improve the user experience, making it easier for all customers to manage payments and refunds efficiently.

Impact:

These enhancements streamline the payment and refund processes for all customers, making the system more intuitive and user-friendly. This reduces the time spent on managing financial transactions and improves operational efficiency.

Getting Started:

Explore the enhanced payment and refund features within Lavanda PMS and experience the improved user interface and functionality.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are pleased to announce the launch of Lavanda University, an innovative learning platform designed to boost your expertise with the Lavanda Property Management System (PMS). Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and skills to maximise the potential of our PMS, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.

What is Lavanda University?

Lavanda University offers a series of educational courses tailored to various aspects of our PMS. From basic navigation to advanced features, these courses cover everything you need to become a Lavanda PMS expert.

How Does it Work?

Our courses are delivered through EdApp, the cutting-edge micro-learning app that makes learning convenient and engaging. Whether you prefer learning on-the-go via your mobile device or from the comfort of your desktop, Lavanda University is accessible anytime, anywhere.

Get Started Today

Ready to enhance your Lavanda PMS skills? Click the Sign Me Up button below to gain access to Lavanda University and embark on your learning journey.

If you can't click on the link, you can send an email to training@getlavanda.com to register for the Lavanda University.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

P.S. Keep an eye out for new courses and updates as we continually expand Lavanda University to serve you better!

Hi there,

What's New?

We're pleased to announce a significant update to Lavanda PMS, focusing on enhancing your payment processing experience. With this latest update, we've streamlined the payment workflow by integrating Stripe and manual payments, ensuring a smoother and more efficient process for managing financial transactions within the platform.

Key Features:

• Unified Payment Workflow: Enjoy a seamless payment experience with the integration of Stripe and manual payments into a single, intuitive workflow.
• Direct Stripe Card Payments: Make Stripe card payments directly from the invoice, simplifying the payment process with fewer user interactions and automatic allocations.
• Enhanced User Experience: Experience a significant improvement in the payment UX, including auto-allocations and default settings that reduce manual effort.
• Expanded Payment Options: Look forward to more versatility with the upcoming addition of new payment methods to our platform.
• Payment Date Issue Resolution: Addressing a critical need, we've resolved payment date discrepancies, a major improvement especially highlighted by our collaboration with Greystar.
• Automated Allocations and Journals: Continue to benefit from automated allocations and journals within the payment workflows, a testament to the efficiency of our system.

Why This Change?

This update is part of our ongoing commitment to providing a better user experience and addressing high-priority issues. By reducing the need for workarounds and minimising the time spent on processing and reconciling payments, we aim to enhance operational efficiency and user satisfaction across the board.

Impact:

This enhancement is designed to streamline the payment process for all our customers, making it more efficient and user-friendly. With these improvements, managing payments on Lavanda PMS is now more straightforward, providing you with more time to focus on other aspects of your business.

Getting Started:

Dive into the new payment features and experience the ease of managing your financial transactions on Lavanda PMS.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We're pleased to announce the latest update to our platform, introducing the ability to support manual allocations to downpayment invoices. This enhancement is specifically designed for our Greystar Be Casa brands, addressing a crucial need within their unique operational framework.

Key Features:

• Manual Allocation Capability: Users can now manually allocate payments to downpayment invoices, providing greater flexibility and control over financial transactions.

Why This Change?

This update addresses a previously overlooked aspect of manual allocations. Although it was initially considered an edge case, the necessity for this feature was quickly identified by our diligent users, notably Summer at Greystar. In the standard flow, downpayment invoices are automatically issued and allocated upon successful payment. However, challenges arose when payments were charged back, leading to reversed allocations without the ability to re-allocate new successful payments manually. This enhancement resolves this issue, ensuring seamless financial management even in the event of payment reversals.

Impact:

This update primarily benefits the Greystar Be Casa brands, streamlining their financial operations by allowing manual reallocations to downpayment invoices, particularly in scenarios involving payment reversals. This ensures that their accounting practices can remain accurate and up-to-date, reflecting the true financial status of each booking.

Getting Started:

This feature is now live and available for use. We encourage all relevant users to familiarise themselves with this new capability to maximise their financial management efficiency.

We're committed to continuously improving our platform to meet the specific needs of our diverse user base. We appreciate your feedback and are here to support your success with our solutions.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda