Hi there,

What's New?

We're excited to announce a significant update to our Property Management System (PMS) with the introduction of the "Additional Deposits" feature. This new functionality allows for more flexible financial management directly within the booking payments screen of our PMS.

Key Features:

• Enhanced Deposit Handling: You can now easily record new deposits or take additional deposits through Stripe (for customers present) directly on the PMS booking payments screen. This feature is designed specifically for PMS customers utilising our deposits feature.
• Deposit Receipts and Allocations: Every transaction generates a deposit receipt accompanied by General Ledger (GL) journal postings. Plus, you have the flexibility to manually allocate a deposit receipt to any invoice or charge note on the same booking with an available balance, enabling partial deposit refunds.

Why This Change?

Our aim with this update is to provide our customers with greater flexibility in managing deposits outside the initial resident or customer onboarding flow. Whether it's for securing extra bookings or handling special cases, the "Additional Deposits" feature ensures that your financial transactions are more streamlined and efficient.

Impact:

This feature improvement is designed to benefit all our customers, offering a more robust and flexible financial management tool within the PMS. It's particularly useful for those who require additional security or financial assurances from their clients beyond the standard booking process.

Getting Started:

This new feature is now live and available for use. For a detailed walkthrough, please visit the help centre link below.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest feature, Record a Payment, now live in your Property Management System (PMS). This new functionality enhances your ability to manage payments efficiently and seamlessly integrates with your existing workflows.

Feature Overview:

• Direct Payment Recording: You can now record payments processed outside of the PMS directly against an invoice. This not only generates the payment receipt but also creates the corresponding General Ledger (GL) journals and allocates the payment automatically.
• Comprehensive Payment Solutions: This feature complements our existing Stripe payment requests, including Card and SEPA options, directly from the invoice, offering a broader range of payment handling capabilities.

Why This Change?

Our goal is to streamline your payment management process, eliminating the need for manual payment recording and allocation within the payments tab. This update simplifies the task of linking payments to their relevant invoices, reducing administrative overhead and enhancing efficiency.

Upcoming Enhancements:

• Direct Charge via Stripe: In our next release, we will introduce the ability to charge through Stripe (customer present) directly on the invoice, expanding your payment processing options.
• Deposit Payment & Receipt Management: We are also working on enabling the recording and requesting of deposit payments through Stripe, along with the creation of deposit receipts within the PMS. These receipts can then be allocated to an invoice or charge note at a future point, offering greater flexibility in financial management.

Getting Started:

Customers can start utilizing this new workflow immediately following the update. For detailed instructions and more information, feel free to click the Help Article link below.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We're thrilled to unveil a new feature in our latest update to Lavanda PMS: Payment and Deposit Receipt Refunds with allocations. This enhancement streamlines the refund process, offering more flexibility and control over financial transactions within the platform.

Key Features:

• Refund Capability: Directly refund payment receipts, including deposit receipts, from the receipt document itself, ensuring a smoother refund process.
• Integrated Payment Solutions: For card payments processed via Stripe, refunds are seamlessly directed back to the original card, with considerations for expired cards to ensure a hassle-free experience.
• Manual Payment Refunds: For payments recorded manually in the PMS, the system guides users to execute refunds using the original payment method, maintaining consistency and traceability.
• Refund Notes and Allocations: Each refund generates a detailed refund note, automatically allocated to the corresponding receipt for accurate financial tracking.
• Flexible Refund Amounts: The system supports full or partial refunds, accommodating situations like overpayments or corrections, providing greater flexibility in handling financial adjustments.

Why This Change?

This feature represents a significant step forward in providing a more intuitive and efficient user experience, aligning with industry standards and expectations. The addition of this feature is part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the financial transaction capabilities within Lavanda PMS, paving the way for future updates focused on payment and refund processes.

Important Notes:

• Certain payments, such as SEPA/DD and OTA payout receipts, cannot be refunded using this feature, but can be recorded as reversed, with ongoing developments to enhance OTA-initiated refunds.
• This update enables the refund of deposit receipts. However, down payment receipt refunds will continue to follow the existing workflow, ensuring proper management of down payment refunds.
• Upcoming releases will remove current restrictions on manual allocations and deposit receipt allocations, further enhancing the platform's financial management capabilities.

Impact:

This new feature simplifies the refund process, providing our customers with a more streamlined and user-friendly experience. It ensures greater accuracy in financial management, reinforcing trust and reliability in our platform.

Getting Started:

Customers can start utilizing this new refund workflow immediately following the update. For detailed instructions and more information, please visit the 'Settings' section within the Help Section of Lavanda PMS.

Warm regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We're thrilled to introduce a pivotal enhancement in our accounting system: Manual Allocations. This update significantly expands upon our existing functionalities of automated allocations, marking a crucial step toward comprehensive debt management.

Key Features:

• Manual Payment Allocation: Manually assign payment receipts to invoices when automated allocation isn't feasible or adjustments are necessary, offering greater flexibility in managing financial transactions.
• Graphical displays now provide a clear visualisation of allocations on all accounts receivable transactions, enhancing clarity in transaction balance calculations
• New User Interface: A dedicated screen for allocation tasks, accessible via the actions button, simplifies the allocation process, whether you're allocating a payment to an invoice or vice versa.
• Comprehensive Allocation Visibility: View allocations across all accounts receivable transactions to understand transaction balances clearly.
• Enhanced Payment Statuses: New statuses for invoices (unpaid, part-paid, fully paid) and payment receipts (unallocated, part-allocated, fully allocated) provide clear insights into transaction statuses.

Why This Change?

This update addresses the essential need for manual intervention in payment allocations, a feature previously missing in our Accounts Receivable system. It offers our users the flexibility to correct, adjust, or manually allocate payments, enhancing accuracy and control over financial management.

How It Works:

• Allocating a Payment: From the actions button, access the new allocation screen from either direction: to link a payment receipt to an invoice or link an invoice from a payment receipt.
• Reversing Allocations: Easily reverse allocations when necessary, unless restricted, to maintain accurate accounting records.

Impact:

This enhancement ensures more precise financial tracking and reporting, empowering you with the tools to manage your finances more effectively and efficiently.

Getting Started:

Dive into the new functionalities today! For a detailed guide on using the new manual allocation features, please refer to the dedicated section in our Help Center. This feature is fully operational since 6th February 2024.

Future Work:

Stay tuned for PART 2 of the Manual Allocations Epic, which will introduce further refinements and capabilities to our system.

Best regards,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We are excited to announce a valuable addition to the Lavanda PMS: the 'Availability Issues Modal.' This new feature is triggered when a selected unit or unit type becomes unavailable. It appears right after the 'Send offer', 'Progress to application', and 'Convert to booking' buttons, promptly notifying the PMS user of the change in availability.

Key Features:

• Instant Notification: The modal instantly alerts users when a chosen unit or unit type is no longer available.
• Improved Communication Flow: It ensures that PMS users can quickly communicate any changes to guests, maintaining a smooth booking experience.
• Enhanced Control: This feature aids in decision-making, whether to discuss alternative options with the guest or to proceed with an overbooking if necessary.

Why This Change?

The introduction of this feature addresses an area for improvement in the booking process. While our PMS allows users to lock in a specific unit upon converting an offer to a booking, the dynamic nature of inventory availability can lead to changes during the time delay between offer and booking confirmation. The Availability Issues Modal is our solution to keeping our users informed in real-time, enabling them to manage bookings more effectively and maintain excellent guest relations.

Short Description:

The Availability Issues Modal will activate during the 'Send offer', 'Progress to application', and 'Convert to booking' processes if the selected unit or type is no longer available, ensuring up-to-date communication with guests.

Impact:

This update enhances the accuracy and efficiency of the booking process, ensuring that both PMS users and guests are well-informed, leading to better management of expectations and overall guest satisfaction.

Getting Started:

This feature is now live and operational as of 13th December 2023.

Hi there,

Introducing our latest update to the PMS platform: Specific Unit Allocation. We've made enhancements based on your valuable feedback. This feature is set to streamline the process of converting offers into bookings by allowing the selection of specific units.

Here's what the Specific Unit Allocation brings to the table:

• Precisely select a unit or room during the offer process, minimising previous manual tasks.
• Tailored to suit the multifamily and student accommodations' common scenarios for a more efficient process.
• Offers with a designated unit will now automatically consider that unit during the booking conversion.

Steps to Utilise Specific Unit Allocation:

1. Set your check-in and check-out dates and head to the Accommodation Section.
2. Decide on your Rate Interval.
3. Opt for Add Accommodation, select the unit type, and then use the (+) icon.
4. A drop-down allows you to select a specific unit or retain the default “Automatically assign” choice.
5. Your chosen unit/s will then be reflected in your accommodation selection.

Important Reminders:

• Chosen units won't appear in the offer email.
• The selected unit will be part of the contract if you include the DocuSign data label (rooms[1].apartment_number).
• Unit selection offers both available and non-available options. Ensure to verify availability via the multi-calendar.

Our commitment remains to improve and simplify your management processes. We trust this feature will be a beneficial addition to your toolkit.

All the best,

Team Lavanda

Hi there,

What's New?

We're excited to announce a significant update to Lavanda PMS: the ability to set and manage user access roles within the system. This update introduces refined access control, allowing specific data restrictions based on user roles, namely Admin, Guest Experience, and Guest Experience Managers.

Key Features:

• Role-Based Access Control: Admins can now assign or remove roles to team members, ensuring that access to sensitive data is appropriately managed.
• Enhanced Data Security: Restricting access to the Application tab on the leads page for selected roles, safeguarding sensitive information like passports, payslips, and bank statements.
• Simplified User Management: Admins can easily add or remove roles through the 'Settings' in the main menu, ensuring a seamless user management experience.

How It Works:

To Add a Role:

• Go to 'Settings' in the main menu.
• Navigate to the 'Users' tab, select a user.
• Under 'Roles', add a new role and save changes.

To Remove a Role:

• Follow the same steps as above, but click the trash icon next to the role to remove it, then save changes.

Why This Change?

This update addresses the critical need for enhanced security within our PMS. Previously, all users had equal access to sensitive data, posing potential security risks. With this change, we're empowering Admins with more control, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access to crucial guest data and complying with data protection standards.

Impact:

This change ensures a more secure and compliant environment, enhancing trust in our platform while providing a tailored experience for different user roles.

Getting Started:

Admins can begin setting user roles immediately following this update. For detailed instructions, refer to the 'Settings' section within the Help Section of the Lavanda PMS.

We're thrilled to announce that the enhancements to our Invoice Viewer experience are now live in your PMS, bringing you a more efficient and user-friendly way to manage your payments. Here’s a breakdown of what’s new in case you missed it.

Exciting Updates to Our Invoice Viewer Experience:

• Ultra-Fast Load Time: Say goodbye to those tiresome renderings with each load. Your invoices now appear almost instantly.
• Enhanced Error Detection: Easy to spot GL codes and data discrepancies, ensuring nothing goes unnoticed.
• Real-time Updates: Any changes or amendments to bookings? Our viewer reflects them instantaneously.
• Streamlined Flow: Everything you need, all on one page. Say goodbye to excessive clicks and navigation, enhancing your overall interaction.
• Transparent Allocations: A quick glance lets you discern how items are allocated per document.
• Multilingual Invoice Downloads: Catering to our global audience, you can now download invoices in multiple languages.
• User-Friendly: We've shifted away from restrictive PDF renderings, boosting accessibility and offering a superior mobile experience.
• Optimised for Mobile: Engage with a design that's as mobile-friendly as it is on desktops.
• Intuitive Layout: With an interactive layout, you'll always know where to find what, mirroring a traditional invoice layout.
• Instant Feedback: Our instant notification feature ensures that users are always in the loop, providing real-time feedback.

Future Opportunities with Our Enhanced Invoice Viewer:

• Efficient Payment Workflows: Expect smoother workflows for manual payment allocations, streamlining financial processes.
• Transparent Tracking: We're introducing a dedicated tab for audit trails and change history, ensuring accountability and traceability.
• Tax & Accounting Clarity: A designated area will display the status of tax submissions and accounting, providing control and ensuring compliance.
• Integrated Actions: We're expanding functionalities with action buttons, like directly emailing invoices or receipts, simplifying user operations.

We are committed to providing you with a more efficient, transparent, and simplified payment management experience. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our dedicated support team at info@getlavanda.com or directly via the intercom chatbot.

All the best,

Team Lavanda

We are pleased to bring to your attention an important update that significantly enhances the payment management process for bookings made via Booking.com in your workspace. This modification ensures a streamlined and accurate tracking of payments, making the process easier to manage, both for you and your guests.

When a booking is made through Booking.com, it will be initialised with a payment status marked as 'SUCCESS' based on the initial payment made by the guest at the time of booking. This feature enables a seamless update of payment statuses in real-time, reflecting any amendments made to the booking (such as date or rate adjustments) to include any additional payments made.

Here is what you need to know about this update:

• Payment Initialisation at Booking: The booking will commence with a payment in ‘SUCCESS’ status, reflecting the amount paid by the guest during the booking process.
• Dynamic Payment Updates: Any changes made on Booking.com will automatically update the corresponding payment details, keeping the payment status 'SUCCESS' until checkout.
• Checkout & Payment Settlement: Upon the guest's checkout, a payment receipt will be generated, aligning with the building owner's payout timeline.
• Cancellation & Payment Adjustments: In cases where a booking is cancelled and a cancellation fee is applied, the payment status will adjust accordingly. If no cancellation fee is charged, no payment record or invoice will be generated.
• Accounting Integration & Reconciliation: If your workspace is integrated with your accounting system, using an integration or our standard export which includes payments, the issued Booking.com payment receipts will now be included along with other payment receipts and invoices for easier accounting and reconciliation.

Additional information:

• Note: It's important to be aware that, due to this change, the alignment of VAT reporting in some tax regimes, might necessitate additional attention, since it technically corresponds with the guest's payment timings, even though the building owner receives the payment post-checkout. We are here to assist with adapting to this grey area and ensuring smooth VAT reporting.
• Looking Ahead: As part of our continuous improvement for booking.com bookings, we plan to introduce automatic issuance of invoices and auto-allocation of payments aligned with payment receipt generation at checkout, further facilitating payment management and reconciliation.
• Migration Note: To ensure consistency, a migration script will be executed to reprocess booking.com payments where the checkout date is on or after January 1, 2023. Workspaces with the invoicing feature enabled will receive backdated payment receipts for reporting purposes. The backdated payment receipts will not however be included in accounting interface data although will include the GL codes.

We hope this update will provide a more efficient, transparent, and simplified payment management experience. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated support team at info@getlavanda.com or directly via the intercom chatbot.

All the best,

Team Lavanda