How do I set up my bookable allocation?
You can track your progress using the thermometer on your manager portal 'Home' page, but here is a detailed description of the steps to take:
1. Ensure that you've completed the ‘Site info’ section. In particular, check the location of your site in the 'Map' tab and ensure the 'Payment' section contains the correct information, and that the 'General' tab has the right age ranges (this defines 'adult', 'child' and 'infant' for any per-person charges you have).
Add pitch types
2. Visit 'Pitch types & extras' and click the blue 'Add pitch type' button. Add the pitch types you'd like us to book (e.g. Electric touring pitch, Savannah two-bed static caravan, Honeysuckle three-bed lodge) - your allocation and pricing will be added later.
When you create a pitch type, a 'charge type' is set up automatically called 'Standard'. A charge type is simply a daily collection of prices (which can vary). You will add rates to charge types later.
'Active' is automatically ticked next to each pitch type. Unticking this box will remove the pitch type from the public pages.
Add extras
3. Once you've finished adding pitch types, visit the 'Extras' section below and click 'Add extra', assigning them to the charge types you want to have access to that extra. (There is no need to set up extras for persons, adults, children and infants. You will be able to specify per-person prices in the 'Rates' section later. This works in conjunction with the 'persons included' in each pitch type to calculate the correct price, subject to your 'max. persons' setting.)
'Active' is automatically ticked next to each extra. Unticking this box will remove the extra from the public pages.
4. Once you've added extras, go back to the pitch type section where you can associate extras with any specific features on pitch types - for example set up a pitch type with two dogs maximum and one included, you can associate an extra for 'Extra dog' with that pitch type for the chargeable dog.
Adding pricing
5. Now you need to add pricing. For each pitch type, a charge type called 'Standard' has been created automatically. If you wish, you may change the name of each charge type. You may also add an additional charge type - this is only necessary if you want to create different prices for the same arrival day for each pitch type - for example, lower prices for a longer stay. For more info, see the FAQ 'My tariff involves short breaks and weekly stays - how do I set this up?'.
On the 'Rates' tab, you have three options for adding or updating rates:
a. If your rates are straightforward, for example they do not vary throughout the year and/or you only have one unit (e.g. a camping pitch) to update, click on the blue ‘Batch update rates’ button to the right-hand side of your screen and use the pop-up window to add your rates via the following steps:
Step 1: Select arrival days if you require arrivals on specific days or click 'All days' to allow greater flexibility.
Step 2: Click on 'Start date' and 'End date' and use the calendar to define which dates you wish to add.
Step 3: Tick the pitch type or unit type you wish to add rates for (please note: you can only update one pitch or unit type at a time).
Step 4: Add the basic price for this pitch or unit and set how many nights are included for this price (e.g. 1 night for a nightly rate, 7 nights for a weekly rate).
Step 5: If you have per-person charges, don't forget to add the price per extra adult, child and infant. Make sure that the extra people rates relate to the 'pricing period' for this pitch type.
Step 6: Set the minimum-night stay if applicable. Please note, this will be updated automatically if you have entered a price for more than one night.
OR
b. If your rates vary significantly during the season, you have different types of tariff, you are advertising different types of units, and/or particularly if you are updating rates for statics or lodges, click the ‘Batch tariff’ button. This can be found under the ‘Rates’ tab, between ‘Weekly view’ and ‘Offers’. Here, you can follow three easy steps to add all your rates for all your pitches/units at once:
Step 1: Create a tariff via the ‘Add a tariff’ button. Use the pop-up window to specify which days of the week guests should arrive for each tariff and name it clearly (e.g. Nightly tariff, Weekly tariff, Three-night midweek etc.). Repeat until all tariffs are added.
Step 2: In the table that appears below, use the ‘Start date’ and ‘End date’ fields to define a rate period. Use the columns to enter the rate for each tariff within the selected date range, don’t forget to add any extra adult, children and infant rates. Click the green ‘Save date range and prices’ to save your prices.
Step 3: Repeat step 2 until all dates ranges and tariffs are added and saved. Then click the blue ‘Apply date ranges and prices’ to update your rates.
OR
c. To modify individual dates, for example to add a minimum stay over bank holiday weekends, do it directly on the ‘Weekly view’ grid. Please note that you will need to have added rates for those dates via one of the methods above before anything will be visible.
Adding allocation
7. Go to the ‘Allocation’ tab
You now have two options:
a. To add/update/remove allocation for longer periods:
Step 1: Click on the ‘Batch update allocation’ button and complete the form. You can update numerous pitch and unit types at the same time by adding new values for all options. Alternatively, update specific pitches or unit types by selecting and entering a new value for the required option.
Step 2: Click the ‘Save’ button.
Please note: batch updating does not take into consideration pitches or units you have already sold on Pitchup.com. Make sure you check how many units or pitches are already sold via the allocation calendar before batch updating for a period.
OR
b. To add/update/remove availability for individual dates:
Step 1: Go to the ‘Allocation’ tab and select the month.
Step 2: Use your mouse to hover over the date you would like to change.
Step 3: Enter the new allocation (or zero if you need to remove all allocation), move your mouse away, and click outside the grid to save.
Add photos
8. Visit photos and click the blue 'Upload a photo' button on the right. After uploading each photo you'll be asked to set a caption and assign each photo to the general site gallery and/or specific pitch type(s).
That's it - you're ready to go! Use the link at the top of the page to request activation and we'll let you know when you're live. Email us or call us on 0208 434 7444 if you need any help.
After you go live, remember to try a search on Pitchup.com to ensure all's working correctly, especially your pricing!