Use custom merge fields in your Letters
Q: Do merge fields exist for specific, unique, property information in the letters? For example: I use a keyless door lock and I’d love to be able to store this information and just populate it into one of the letters.
A. Yes. To insert property-specific information into your letters (such as lock codes, pet restrictions, or special instructions), follow these steps:
1) Click the “EDIT” tab
2) To the right of the submenu, “EDIT PROPERTY >,” click the link to the property for which the home-specific information will apply.
3) Scroll down on the property screen until you see the “Addendum” section. Type anything that is specific to this home in the addendum textboxes, then click the “Save” button. Below are examples of what could be typed in the following addendums. Remember, you’ll type these addendums in the edit property screen, but they’ll be automatically inserted into letters to guests when you use the corresponding merge codes.
Example: {Quote-Addendum} “This property, House 123, has a hot tub. The hot tub is generally 100 degrees, but the temperature is not guaranteed.”
Example: {Contract-Addendum} “No more than 5 adults and no more than 8 people total are allowed in Casa De House because of fire safety laws”
Example: {Arrival-Letter-Addendum} “The lockbox code for Cabin 5 is: 2345. The phone number for Cabin 5 is (123) 555-1212. Click the link that follows for a Google Map to this specific property ….. ”
Example {Pet Addendum}: “No pets exceeding 20 pounds are allowed in Home 1234. This home does not have a fenced yard and you are responsible to pick up after your pet”
4) When you create or edit a letter with the “EDIT LETTERS>” screen, use one of the following merge codes to automatically “merge” the addendum information from specific properties into your letters:
{Quote-Addendum}
{Contract-Addendum}
{Arrival-Letter-Addendum}
{Pet-Addendum}
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Q. When editing a letter, does a merge field exist that will allow me to insert a breakdown of the costs?
A. The {quote-one-home} merge field will insert text into your letter that looks like this:
“4804HC: Cleaning: $69.00 + Nightly Rate: 7nts x $129.00 + $126.36 = $1098.36″
Keep in mind, however, that as a good marketer, you may have a “manufacturer’s suggested retail price, MSRP” and then you’ll have the actual cost you decide to charge your guest. For example, my breakdown may show a total of $1098.36, but I may have offered my guest “$50 off” if he makes a firm reservation within 24 hours of my quote. So, without regard to what my original quote was, I may only charge this guest $1049 for the rental.
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Q: Does a merge field exist that will let me indicate a payment due date in a letter?
A: The {payment-due-date} is a great suggestion and I’ll add it to the programmer’s task list as a feature to add. For now, when you click the blue link to send correspondence to a guest you can quickly type the “payment due” date (or any other custom note) into the body of the letter before sending it.
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Q: ·Does a merge field exist that will let me insert the number of adults, children and pets into letters?
A: Another great suggestion. I’ll have the programmers add a field called {adults-children-pets} that will insert this information automatically into your letters.