Learn how to set up and manage Categories and Areas in RMS, including Category Classes, occupancy limits, overbooking options and STR Global export settings.
Overview
A Category defines the type of physical space available for a reservation at the property. For example, a Category might be Standard Room, Tent Site, Cabin, or Conference Room.
An Area represents an individual space within a Category (for example, “Room 101” and “Room 102” in the “Standard Room” Category, or individual Site numbers in a Site Category) and must be created within a Category to be made available for use.
The behaviour and features of an Area are determined by the Category Class and Category Options selected during Category setup.
Category Classifications
The Category Class defines the type of space a Category represents and determines the reservation options available in RMS and on the RMS Booking Engine.
For more detailed information on each Category Class, including behaviour and example use cases, see:
Category Class.
Accommodation
Accommodation Areas are designated spaces used as resting places or living quarters within permanent or semi‑permanent roofed structures.
Accommodation Categories usually operate on a per‑night booking basis, but they can also provide options for daily and hourly bookings.
This classification is suitable for various types of accommodations, including apartments, cabins, dormitories, houses, individual rooms, shared lodgings, units, and other roofed structures.
Add On
The Add-On Category classification designates Areas as additional bookable items that must be reserved alongside another Category Class.
This classification is suitable for items including car parks, cots, rollaway beds, or any other supplementary item that necessitates inventory management.
Dock
The Dock Category classification defines designated spaces for berthing water vessels and offers additional options for managing the specifications of boats or vessels that may be berthed there.
This classification is commonly utilised by marina properties or properties that provide water vessel berthing or mooring services.
Facility
The Facility classification defines designated spaces used for events with Event Management or for activity spaces available for booking on an hourly or daily basis.
This classification is suitable for various types of venues, including community halls, conference rooms, wedding venues, function venues, as well as recreational areas such as tennis courts, squash courts, and facilities for activities like mountain biking or paddle boating.
Site
The Site Category classification designates land allocations intended for portable habitats provided by guests.
This classification includes powered or unpowered campsites, pitches, or fields suitable for caravans or tents.
Ticketing
The Ticketing Category classification is utilised alongside the Tour Desk module to manage Tour Inventory.
Within this classification, tickets can be allocated for venues, vessels, or vehicles, with Areas representing individual seats or places that are bookable within those spaces.
Use the Ticketing classification with the Tour Desk module for various venues and vehicles, including arenas, concert halls, cinemas, shuttle buses, tour buses, and theatres.
The Ticketing category classification is utilised alongside the Tour Desk module to manage Tour Inventory.
Within this category classification, tickets can be allocated for venues, vessels, or vehicles, with areas representing individual seats or places that are bookable within those spaces.
Utilise the Ticketing category classification with the Tour Desk module for various venues and vehicles, including arenas, concert halls, cinemas, shuttle buses, tour buses, and theatres.
Ticketing categories can be configured as Interconnecting Categories.
Category Options
The following options are available when configuring a Category.
These options control how reservations behave for the Category. Some options only apply when the Category is set to Book by Category (rather than Book by Area).
Booked By: Book by Night vs Book by Day
The Booked By option selected on the Category determines the default reservation behaviour and how reservations are displayed in the Category or its Areas.
Book by Night
Designed for overnight stays that span at least one night.
Reservations are created and displayed as nights.
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Commonly used for:
Hotel rooms
Cabins
Apartments
Any nightly accommodation
Book by Day
Designed for day use or time‑based bookings that do not involve an overnight stay.
Reservations are created and displayed as days or time blocks.
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Commonly used for:
Function rooms
Conference rooms
Meeting rooms
Day‑use facilities
Maximum Occupants per Area
Use Maximum Occupants per Area to define the total number of persons that can occupy any one space in the Category.
This is the per‑Area occupancy cap and determines how many guests can be booked into a single Area (e.g. Room 101).
Maximum Occupants per Category
Use Maximum Occupants per Category to define a limit that incorporates all Areas in the Category.
RMS counts all reservations in the Category to determine when the maximum occupancy is reached. When the cap is reached, RMS prevents new reservations for that Category, even if individual Areas are still available.
Use Maximum Occupants per Area to limit guests in a single Area.
Use Maximum Occupants per Category to limit the total number of guests across all Areas in the Category.
Category Overbooking (Allow Overbooking)
Use Allow Overbooking to permit the Category to be overbooked beyond its normal availability.
When Allow Overbooking is enabled on a Book by Category Category, RMS will allow Reservations to be saved even when all Areas appear to be allocated, up to any overbooking limits you configure (if applicable).
This is typically used in properties that manage base rooms and upgrade paths manually.
Use this with care, and only when you have:
A clear upgrade or relocation strategy, and
Operational controls to manage overbooked guests.
STR Global Interface (Category Level)
The Include in STR Global Interface option determines whether this Category is included in occupancy and revenue statistics sent to STR Global.
Only active Categories selected as Include in STR Global Interface, with Area Statistics = Yes, are included in STR exports.
For more information on the STR Global integration and exported data, see: STR Global Interface
Do Not Include in Category Overlap Validation
RMS has a feature which prevents guests from holding multiple reservations across one or more properties simultaneously.
The Do Not Include in Category Overlap Validation option will exclude this Category from that feature.
Book by Category: Option Summary
The following options specifically affect Categories set to Book by Category:
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Exclude in Auto Allocation
Enable Exclude in Auto Allocation if you do not want this Category to be used when RMS automatically allocates Areas. This is useful for:Special‑use Categories
Maintenance or out‑of‑service Categories
Categories you prefer to allocate manually
Allow Overbooking
Enable Allow Overbooking to permit Reservations to be saved even when the Category appears to be fully booked (see Category Overbooking above).
Include in STR Global Interface
Enable Include in STR Global Interface if you want statistics from this Category to be sent to STR Global (see STR Global Interface above).
Guide
In the side menu, go to Setup > Property Options > Categories.
Select Add.
Enter a Category Description/Name.
Enter a Long Description.
Configure Maximum Occupants per Area and/or Maximum Occupants per Category as required.
Select the GL Acc Code.
Select the Category Class.
Select a Booked By option (Book by Night or Book by Day).
All other selections are optional.Select Save.
Select the Category Access.
Select Apply/Exit.
Log back in to ensure the database updates and reflects the modifications.
Follow the guide to configure Areas for the newly created Category.
Interconnecting Categories
Interconnecting Categories are used for Areas that can be booked individually or combined to create a larger space (for example, dual‑key rooms or holiday houses that can be sold as separate rooms or the whole house).
For full details on setup and behaviour, see:
Category setup includes a wide variety of options and features that can be used for different property types and operational requirements.
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