Hi there,

Release Date: 11/08/2025

What's New?

We’re excited to announce two final enhancements to the automated invoicing and payment collection projects:

1. Automated emailing of recurring invoices and receipts – giving customers the option to automatically send monthly recurring invoices/charge notes and payment receipts via email.
2. New Auto-Payment Disabled report – providing finance teams with visibility on bookings where automated payment collection has been disabled.

These features complete the automation initiative designed to reduce manual effort, streamline workflows, and give teams more control.

Key Features:

Automated Emailing

What’s changed? Workspace-level feature flags now allow teams to:

• Automate emailing of monthly recurring invoices/charge notes when they are issued (either manually or automatically).
• Automate emailing of payment receipts upon generation. This builds on the earlier release that enabled ad hoc emailing of invoices and the existing automation for down payments.

Why was this changed? To reduce manual effort and ensure tenants consistently receive invoices and receipts in a timely manner.

Notes:

• Applies only to monthly invoices/charge notes for accommodation and optional services.
• Does not apply to corrective invoices or credits.
• Not available for company recipients (emails not stored for company contacts).

Auto-Payment disabled report

What’s changed? A new finance report – Bookings: auto-payment disabled – has been introduced, giving teams clear oversight of which bookings have automated payment collection disabled.

Why was this changed? To make it easier to track and manage exceptions in the auto-payment workflow without relying on workarounds.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

These updates were the final planned enhancements for the invoicing and payment collection automation initiative. They directly address customer feedback by reducing manual workloads, improving visibility, and ensuring smoother financial operations.

Impact:

• Reduces time spent on manual emailing and payment follow-ups.
• Improves tenant communication by ensuring timely delivery of invoices and receipts.
• Provides finance teams with greater visibility into automated payment collection.

Availability:

The Auto-Payment Disabled report is available to all customers in the Finance section of Lavanda PMS.

Getting Started:

To enable automated emailing, please contact your Lavanda account manager to confirm workspace-level activation.

The Bookings: auto-payment disabled report can be accessed directly under Reporting > Finance > Bookings: Auto-payment Disabled.

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

Release Date: 04/08/2025

1. Gross and Net Options for Booking Optional Services

What's New?

Users can now choose whether the charge amount for a booking optional service is set as net (excluding tax) or gross (including tax). This selection can be applied directly at the booking level, giving teams more flexibility when charging for additional services.

Key Features:

• Net or Gross Amount Selection at Booking Level

What’s changed? Users can define tax-inclusive (gross) or tax-exclusive (net) pricing for optional services during booking.
Why was this changed? To give users more control over pricing structures and improve tax clarity.

• Accurate Tax Breakdown in Account Documents

What’s changed? The selected amount type is reflected in invoices and statements with appropriate tax breakdowns.

Why was this changed? To ensure billing is transparent and correct.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

To accommodate diverse pricing strategies and ensure billing documents accurately reflect applied taxes.

Impact:

• More flexible service pricing
• Improved transparency for end-users
• Accurate and automated tax breakdowns in documentation

Getting Started:

See this short walkthrough and read this help article.

2. Improved Tax Handling for Optional Services at Entity Level

What's New?

You can now configure the default charge amount type—net or gross—for optional services at the entity level. When an optional service is added to a booking, the selected type will be automatically applied based on this configuration.

Key Features:

• Entity-Level Configuration for Optional Services

What’s changed? Administrators can predefine the amount type (gross/net) for each optional service at the entity level.
Why was this changed? To streamline service setup and reduce manual adjustments during bookings.

• Backward Compatibility

What’s changed? All previously configured services will retain their existing settings unless updated.

Why was this changed? To ensure the change doesn’t disrupt current workflows.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

To simplify service setup and provide consistency in tax treatment across bookings.

Impact:

• Reduced manual entry at time of booking
• Centralised control over pricing configuration
• Future-proofed flexibility without impacting existing setups

Getting Started:

Watch the demo for how to update default configurations and read this help article.

3. Report No-Show Booking to Booking.com

What's New?

Lavanda PMS users can now report no-show bookings directly to Booking.com without leaving the PMS. The reporting window becomes available 24 hours after the guest’s scheduled check-in, and remains open for 48 hours.

Key Features:

• Integrated No-Show Reporting

What’s changed? Booking.com no-shows can be flagged directly from the PMS interface.
Why was this changed? To reduce the need to use the Booking.com extranet.

• Optional Cancellation Fee Waiver

What’s changed? Users can optionally waive the cancellation fee when reporting a no-show.

Why was this changed? To give operators more control over fee management and guest communication.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

To streamline the no-show reporting process, increase operational efficiency, and give users more flexibility in handling guest disputes.

Impact:

• Faster handling of no-show cases
• Greater control over cancellation outcomes
• Improved workflow by eliminating external platform dependency

Getting Started:

No setup required—available directly within the booking view when applicable. Watch the demo for how to report a no-show and read this help article.

Availability:

All features will be available to all Lavanda customers from 4th August 2025.

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

What's New?

We’ve introduced a new automation that enhances the way monthly recurring invoices are paid within Lavanda PMS. When a recurring invoice reaches its due date, Lavanda will automatically trigger a payment collection process via Stripe.

This will attempt to collect the payment via direct debit by default—if a valid mandate is in place. Where no direct debit mandate is configured, a secure card payment link will instead be emailed to the relevant contact.

Key Features:

• Automated Payment Trigger Based on Due Date

What’s changed?

Recurring invoices are now linked to an automated payment trigger at the time of their due date.

Why was this changed?

To streamline payment operations and remove the need for manual tracking and collection.

• Default to Direct Debit with Fallback to Card Payment

What’s changed?

Where direct debit mandates exist, Lavanda will automatically use them. Otherwise, card payment links will be sent.

Why was this changed?

To ensure maximum automation coverage, regardless of the customer’s payment setup.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

To deliver automation efficiencies for our customers—minimising manual intervention and speeding up the reconciliation of recurring revenue.

Impact:

• Reduces operational overhead by automating the payment collection process.
• Improves cash flow consistency by aligning collection with invoice due dates.
• Enhances customer experience with timely and predictable billing.

Availability:

This feature is now live for all Lavanda customers as of 1st August 2025.

Getting Started:

To see how this automation works and how to set up direct debit mandates or manage fallback card payments, please refer to our Help Centre guide:

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

What's New?

We’ve introduced a new way to distribute accounting documents directly from the Lavanda PMS interface. Instead of only downloading financial documents, users can now send them via email directly from the document screen. This simplifies document delivery, especially in workflows where timeliness and accuracy are critical.

Key Features:

• Export Menu Redesign

What’s changed?

The existing “Download” button has been replaced with a new “Export” dropdown menu.

Why was this changed?

To provide a unified interface for both downloading and emailing accounting documents.

• Send by Email Option

What’s changed?

A new “Send by email” option is now available within the Export menu.

Why was this changed?

This enables users to send documents directly from the platform, removing the need to manually download and email files.

• Pre-filled & Editable Recipient Field

What’s changed?

The recipient email is automatically pre-filled but can be edited before sending.

Why was this changed?

To reduce user input while still offering flexibility in recipient selection.

• Language Selection Modal

What’s changed?

Users can choose from English, Spanish, or French for the document language.

Why was this changed?

To ensure recipients receive documents in their preferred language, improving clarity and professionalism.

• Standardised, Localised Email Template with PDF Attachment

What’s changed?

Emails are sent using a new, consistent template and include a PDF attachment with filename and content based on the selected language.

Why was this changed?

To support localisation efforts and maintain brand consistency in client communications.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

This enhancement was developed in preparation for upcoming auto-payment flows, where seamless document distribution will be critical. It also addresses a current usability gap: users previously had to manually download and email accounting documents, a process that was inefficient and error-prone. By introducing direct email capabilities, we reduce operational friction and enhance the day-to-day experience for finance and property management teams.

Impact:

• Reduces time and manual effort required to share financial documents
• Enhances multilingual communication with localised templates
• Prepares Lavanda PMS for future automation in payment workflows

Availability:

This feature is now available as of 1st August 2025 and is currently live in selected workspaces. If you’d like to enable it in your workspace, please reach out to your Client Advisor or Implementation Manager, who will guide you through the setup process.

Getting Started:

To use this feature, open any accounting document and select the new “Export” dropdown. Click “Send by email,” confirm the recipient and language, then send. The system will validate the email and deliver a localised PDF copy of the document.

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

What's New?

We’ve updated how SEPA direct debit mandate statuses are displayed in the Lavanda PMS. Previously, failed or invalidated mandates continued to show as “Active,” leading to confusion and potential errors when attempting to process payments. From this release onwards, the PMS will now correctly reflect the true status of SEPA mandates when they fail or become inactive.

Key Features:

• Accurate Mandate Status Display

What’s changed?

Mandates that have failed or been invalidated will no longer appear as “Active” in the booking financials section.

Why was this changed?

To prevent errors in initiating SEPA payments and provide more accurate financial data.

• Improved Direct Debit Handling for Automations

What’s changed?

The PMS now recognises and updates the status of invalid or inactive mandates as part of the broader automation of direct debit payment collections.

Why was this changed?

This is a foundational improvement to support the wider automation of direct debit collections, ensuring reliability and transparency.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

As part of our ongoing work to automate and streamline payment collections within Lavanda PMS, it is critical that financial data—such as the status of direct debit mandates—accurately reflects reality. This reduces manual checks, prevents failed payment attempts, and supports a more robust automation framework.

Impact:

• Prevents payment instruction errors due to incorrect mandate statuses
• Enhances transparency for finance and operations teams
• Contributes to future-ready payment automation infrastructure

Availability:

This update is available to all customers starting 10th July 2025.

Getting Started:

No action is needed—this update is automatically applied to your Lavanda PMS environment. To understand how mandate statuses interact with direct debit workflows, please reach out to our support team or review help articles related to SEPA and payment automation.

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

What's New?

We’ve introduced a new “Relationships” tab within CRM contact profiles to support the management of emergency contact information. This enhancement allows users to create and track emergency contact relationships across their CRM data. Whether selecting an existing contact or creating a new one, emergency contacts are now consistently linked and stored as permanent relationships, ensuring safety and compliance.

Key Features:

• Relationships Tab in CRM

What’s changed?

A new tab has been added to CRM contact profiles to allow linking of emergency contacts.

Why was this changed?

To centralise and standardise emergency contact data across the platform.

• Link Existing or New Contacts

What’s changed?

Users can now select existing contacts or create new ones as emergency contacts from within a profile.

Why was this changed?

To make it faster and easier to establish emergency contact relationships.

• Permanent Relationship Records

What’s changed?

All emergency contact relationships are stored as permanent, non-booking-specific CRM records.

Why was this changed?

To ensure emergency contact data is always accessible and supports future integration with the student booking journey.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

As Lavanda expands its support for student accommodation providers, it’s essential to manage emergency contact information effectively. By treating emergency contacts as CRM relationships rather than booking-specific entries, we ensure long-term data visibility, regulatory compliance, and readiness for future automation in the booking process.

• Enhances safety and compliance by maintaining permanent emergency contact records
• Improves CRM data consistency for student and long-term accommodation workflows
• Lays ground work for future automation in the student booking journey

Availability:

This feature is available to all Lavanda customers from 3rd June 2025.

Getting Started:

To begin using Emergency Contact Relationships, navigate to any CRM contact profile and select the new "Relationships" tab. From there, you can view, add, or manage emergency contact links.

Warm regards,

The Lavanda Product Team

Hi there,

What's New?

We’re excited to share a set of powerful enhancements to Lavanda PMS that significantly reduce manual work across invoicing and payment allocation. These updates form part of a broader initiative to automate all billing and payment operations across short-let and long-let stays.

We’re laying the groundwork for a fully automated, end-to-end payment journey—from booking through to reconciliation. Our goal is a seamless, automated flow from booking to cash collection and reconciliation, significantly reducing admin, improving visibility, and ensuring faster payments.

This release includes:

• Auto-allocation of payments to issued invoices, where payments are paid in advance
• Auto-issuing of non-recurring invoices at checkout (available on request)
• Release of auto-issuing for monthly recurring invoices (available on request)

Key Features:

• Auto Allocation of Payments made at the time of booking to Issued Invoices

What’s changed?

OTA payments are now automatically matched to their corresponding invoices once the PMS detects the OTA payout post-checkout.

Why was this changed?

Direct booking payments are automatically allocated when the invoice is issued.

• Auto-Issuing of Non-Recurring Invoices (Short Stays)

What’s changed?

• Nightly-rated invoices for short-let bookings are now automatically issued at checkout — whether via manual or automated processes.
• Applicable to direct and OTA bookings for stays that have not yet checked out.
• Corrective drafts created after checkout will however need manual issuing.
• A new Document Management screen helps resolve data validation issues before issuing.

Why was this changed?

To improve invoicing speed, accuracy, and reduce admin for short stays.

Note: This feature is available on request. Please contact your Implementation Manager or Client Advisor if you’d like to enable this.

• Auto-Issuing of Recurring Monthly Invoices

What’s changed?

• Recurring invoices will be auto-issued on the 1st day of their billing period.
• Any valid drafts with billing periods starting from 1st April 2025 onward will be issued automatically.
• Correctives and fixed invoices also auto-issue after a 1-hour grace period if valid.
• Blocking functionality has been introduced to prevent automated issuance when needed.

Why was this changed?

To reduce friction in recurring billing cycles and lay the groundwork for upcoming automation of payment collections.

Note: This feature is available on request. Please contact your Implementation Manager or Client Advisor if you’d like to enable this.

​Why Have We Made This Change?

This marks a major milestone in Lavanda’s invoicing and payment automation journey. By eliminating the need for repetitive finance tasks, we’re helping customers scale operations with less admin, fewer errors, and better visibility.

These changes are designed to:

• Increase operational efficiency
• Reduce finance team workload
• Enable seamless and timely billing

Impact:

• Manual allocation and issuing effort is significantly reduced
• Enhanced control with fail-safe handling for invoice exceptions
• Customers can opt-in to powerful new automation capabilities

Availability:

• Auto Allocation: Now live for all users as of 11th April 2025
• Non-Recurring Invoice Auto-Issuing: Contact your Implementation Manager or Client Advisor
• Recurring Invoice Auto-Issuing: Contact your Implementation Manager or Client Advisor

Getting Started:

• To learn more about enabling automatic issuing for your short-stay invoices, visit our Help Centre
• For documentation on managing draft invoices and validation errors, search “Automated Invoicing Overview” in the Help Centre
• Contact your Implementation Manager or Client Advisor for activation or a detailed walkthrough

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We’re introducing a new Invoicing & Receipts Report within the standard finance menu. This report consolidates all AR document types — not just issued invoices — and offers extensive filtering options to support finance teams with insight, control, and reconciliation.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive AR Reporting

What’s changed?

A single report now surfaces all accounts receivable (AR) document types, including drafts, issued, and blocked invoices.

Why was this changed?

To enable additional financial oversight and control.

• Advanced Filtering Options

What’s changed?

Filters now allow you to easily view:

1. Draft invoices or charge notes that have passed their auto-issue date but remain unissued due to blocks or missing data.
2. Issued invoices within a selected billing period that remain unpaid and may not yet have triggered a payment request.

Why was this changed?

To streamline reconciliation workflows and improve visibility into invoice statuses.

Why Have We Made This Change?

This release is designed to assist all customers — including those using auto-issuing of invoices — in managing the end-to-end invoicing and reconciliation process. It complements the Document Management control screens, ensuring smoother operations and proactive financial oversight.

Impact:

• Enhanced visibility over all invoice types
• Faster identification of invoicing
• Greater control and support for automated billing workflows

Availability:

Available to all customers from 13th May 2025 via the standard finance menu in Lavanda PMS.

Getting Started:

Simply navigate to the Reporting > Finance > Invoicing & receipts Report section. No setup is required. Use the new billing status filters to uncover and manage key AR scenarios.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

Lavanda has released a new Overbookings Report as part of our standard reporting library. This enhancement empowers operational teams with the visibility they need to proactively manage overbooked reservations by reviewing impacted bookings and resolving them with ease.

Key Features:

• Overbookings Report

What’s changed?

A new report has been added to the reporting suite that displays all current overbookings across the platform.

Why was this changed?

To give customers a clear overview of overbooked reservations and the ability to resolve issues efficiently.

• Linked Bookings for Easy Resolution

What’s changed?

Each overbooking entry includes direct links to the affected bookings.

Why was this changed?

To streamline the resolution process—users can quickly access bookings to amend, cancel, or move them as needed.

• Clear Summary of Overbooking Volume

What’s changed?

The report includes a count of total overbookings within a defined period.

Why was this changed?

To help operational teams track and reduce overbooking trends over time.

Why Have We Made This Change?

Overbookings can cause operational disruption and guest dissatisfaction. By making this information easily accessible via reporting, customers are better equipped to identify and act on overbooked stays before they result in service issues. This update is part of our continued efforts to improve visibility and usability across Lavanda PMS.

Impact:

• Enhances operational oversight of booking anomalies
• Reduces risk of guest issues due to overbooking
• Supports timely and informed decision-making by customer teams

Availability:

This report is available to all customers from 11th April as part of the standard reporting library.

Getting Started:

The report can be accessed directly via the Reporting module in Lavanda PMS. Look for the “Overbookings” report under Operations.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We’re excited to roll out the first in a series of enhancements to automate invoicing and payments in Lavanda PMS. Starting today, non-recurring invoices (e.g. short-let, nightly-rated bookings) will now be automatically issued on checkout.

Key Features:

Auto-Issue on Checkout for Nightly Rated Stays

• What’s changed?

Non-recurring invoices are now automatically generated and issued when a booking checks out, either via manual checkout or automated checkout.

• Why was this changed?

This ensures faster, more consistent invoicing with reduced manual effort, helping teams focus on higher-value tasks.

Smart Draft Handling

• What’s changed?

Draft invoices which failed to issue and any corrective invoices created after checkout will need to be issued manually. Historic drafts (for bookings already checked out) are excluded from this automation.

• Why was this changed?

To preserve invoice accuracy and avoid issuing incomplete or outdated data, while still allowing flexibility for edge cases.

New Document Management Control Screen

• What’s changed?

A dedicated control screen has been introduced to manage draft invoices with missing or invalid data, complete with a “Fix” button for easy resolution.

• Why was this changed?

This improves visibility and control over invoice exceptions, making it easier for teams to resolve issues before they impact operations

Why Have We Made This Change?

This release is the first phase in a broader project to fully automate the Lavanda invoicing and payments system. Automating non-recurring invoicing is a key step in reducing friction and admin for short-stay bookings. Recurring invoices, allocations, and payment collection automation will follow shortly, all scheduled for release by the end of June.

Impact:

• Reduces manual workload for finance and operations teams
• Improves speed and accuracy of invoicing
• Provides more control through the new invoice exception management screen

Availability:

This feature improvement is now available as of 8th April 2025.

Getting Started:

This feature is already enabled for specific Be Casa workspaces. To learn where it’s available, how it works, and how to access the Document Management control screen, please refer to this help article for a step-by-step guide:

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda