How to Set Up an Oversell Allotment in the Control Panel When Using Book by Category with Overbooking Enabled

Overview

Oversell Allotment is a restriction type available in the Control Panel when using Book by Category, and a category has been configured to allow overbooking. This feature enables you to manage availability beyond the physical capacity of individual areas, allowing greater flexibility in reservation handling.

Unlike standard availability, Overbooking and Oversell Allotments modify the category-level availability, not the availability of individual areas. This means RMS and any connected channels will use the Oversell Allotment to determine if a reservation can be made, rather than relying solely on physical inventory.

How Oversell Allotments Work

• Oversell Limit: Sets the number of reservations allowed above physical capacity for a selected category or property during a specific date range.

• Availability Display: The oversell value is included in the category's availability count in RMS and across connected channels. The oversell allotment value displays on both the Availability Chart and the Rate Manager.

• Custom Configuration: Oversell Allotments can be set based on:

  • Specific date ranges

  • Selected days of the week

  • An occupancy benchmark

  • A rolling lead time

RMS calculates the number of rooms available for sale by starting with the physical room count, adding the oversell allotment, then subtracting confirmed reservations and any out of order or maintenance bookings. This total is what appears in the Rate Manager chart and is the figure sent to connected online channels. Channels receive a single availability number and have no visibility into whether it includes an oversell allowance.
 

Occupancy Benchmark

The occupancy benchmark is determined using the property's Occupancy Calculation Rule, which controls whether occupancy is calculated by:

• Individual category occupancy, or

• Total property occupancy

You can also configure whether maintenance reservations are included in occupancy reporting. Regardless of reporting rules, maintenance reservations will always reduce actual available inventory when determining if a reservation can be created.

Additional Rules and Limits

• Multiple Oversell Allotments can be created for overlapping dates. When this occurs, the most recently created record will take precedence.

• A Maximum Property Oversell limit can be set to cap the total number of excess reservations allowed above the property's physical capacity.

• Alternatively, use the Do Not Overbook Property setting to ensure that category overbookings never exceed the overall physical capacity of the property.

Key Features

The following key features are available with an Oversell Allotment in RMS:

• Set Overbooking Limits by Date Range
  Define how many reservations can exceed physical availability within specific date ranges.

• Apply Excess Inventory Based on Occupancy or Lead Time
  Control when additional inventory becomes available using occupancy benchmarks or rolling lead times.

• Target Specific Channels, Categories, or Rate Types
  Configure oversell allotments to apply only to selected distribution channels, property categories, or rate types.

• Restrict Overbooking by Day of the Week
  Limit when oversell inventory is available by specifying applicable days.

Steps

In the Side Menu of RMS, go to Charts > Rate Manager.

1. Navigate to the Control Panel icon.
2. Select the Add icon.
3. Choose the Oversell Allotment Restriction Type.
4. Pick a Property.
5. Decide on a Date Range or select the Set Permanently checkbox.
   Configure Multiple Date Ranges (Optional).
   1. Select the Add icon.
   2. Choose a Date Range.
   3. Enable the checkbox for Days of the Week (Optional).
   4. Enter the Oversell Allotment Value.
   5. Save/Exit.
6. Select the checkbox for Days of the Week (Optional).
7. Input the Oversell Allotment Value.
8. Designate an Occupancy Benchmark (Optional).
9. Enter a Lead Time (Optional).
10. Choose either Channel or Travel Agent for the Oversell Allotment.
11. Select the checkbox for applicable Channels or Travel Agents.
12. Click the Next icon.
13. Pick the checkbox for a Category.
14. Choose the Next icon.
15. Select the checkbox for a Rate Type.
16. Save/Exit.

Visual Guide

In the side menu of RMS, go to Charts > Rate Manager.

1. Navigate to the Control Panel icon.
   

    

2. Select the Add icon.
   

    

3. Choose the Oversell Allotment Restriction Type.
   

    

4. Pick a Property.
5. Decide on a Date Range or select the Set Permanently checkbox.
   Select the Add icon to add Multiple Date Ranges (Optional).
6. Select the checkbox for Days of the Week (Optional).
7. Input the Oversell Allotment Value.
8. Designate an Occupancy Benchmark (Optional).
   Please note: Occupancy-based restrictions use your existing occupancy configuration. For more details, see Occupancy Calculation Rule.
9. Enter a Lead Time (Optional).
   • The lead time will only apply the Oversell Allotment the entered number of days in advance of the current day.
10. Choose either Channel or Travel Agent for the Oversell Allotment.
11. Select the checkbox for applicable Channels or Travel Agents.
12. Click the Next icon.

13. Pick the checkbox for a Category.

14. Choose the Next icon.
    

     

15. Select the checkbox for a Rate Type.
16. Click the Save/Exit icon to store the changes made and return to the Control Panel.