We want to help you understand the process of connecting your property management software (PMS) to your Vrbo account.

This article will guide you through the following topics:

 

The entire activation process can take up to 5 days, depending on the property manager’s (PM) readiness, responsiveness, and engagement during the process.
 

Onboarding methods 

There are two ways to initiate your activation request, either through self-service or manual integration.

Self-Service Onboarding (SSO)
A link will be provided by either your software company once your set up is ready in your software, or by your Vrbo Account Manager. The SSO link is an automated process that simplifies the onboarding process. With this method, the integration is usually done within 24 hours. 

Manual integration 
Manual integration may be necessary, and you will need the assistance of our Integrated Property Management (IPM) Support and/or Account Manager to create your request. You can IPM Support via these steps:

  1. Select Contact Us on the Vrbo Help homepage.
  2. Select Software Integration.
  3. Select whether you wish to Call or Email support. 


If you have an assigned Account Manager, you can contact them to initiate the onboarding process. The integration usually takes up to 5 days to be completed. The integration begins once you have signed a purchase order/agreement after initiating the activation project with our teams. 

Note: If you’re not the primary contact for this project, please provide the appropriate contact’s preferred email address and phone number.
 

PM and software readiness

You must take the following actions before contacting us:

  • Verify that Vrbo is enabled as a channel partner within your software.
  • Create and enable your listings to feed over to Vrbo from your software.
  • Ensure you have set up your payment processor in your software.
  • Be aware that you’ll have a credit card on file ready for our commission charge.
  • Have your correct software account ID handy.
  • For European accounts: Confirm your VAT number / Professional Tax Identifier.
 

Onboarding phases 

Project kickoff 
Once the above has been completed, an Onboarding Specialist (OS) will contact you by email or phone to confirm that you meet the following requirements for the integration:
  • Minimum content requirements for listings:
    • Have at least 6 photos.
    • Has a headline with a minimum of 20 characters.
    • Has a description with a minimum of 400 characters.
    • Contains a minimum of 1 bedroom and bathroom.
    • Has a valid address.
    • Has accurate rates and calendar availability.
    • Has a cancellation policy in place.
    • The payment processor is set up in your software.
    • Cancellation and rental agreements are entered in your software. 

At this point, the OS will answer any additional questions you may have.

Account preparation
Steps performed during this stage will ensure that your listing information, rates, calendars, and reviews are configured appropriately. This will include:
  • Account consolidation (if necessary) for customers with multiple accounts on Vrbo.
  • Listing and Reservation ID mapping:
    • PMs may be required to assist in mapping their existing Vrbo listings and reservations (if applicable) to match those in your software.
      • Listing Mapping:
        • If a PM has existing, live listings on Vrbo, they will need to map their Listing IDs in their software to the corresponding Vrbo IDs.
      • Reservation Mapping:
        • If a PM is switching from one software to another, they will need to map each reservation ID from their old software to their new one. This means the PM is responsible for entering and attributing all current and upcoming Vrbo reservations in their new software.
        • Note: PMs going from Vrbo Platform to software don’t need to complete this process. 
 
Important: The project cannot move forward until all mapping is complete. This is a requirement for a successful integration.

Integration enablement and testing 
During this phase, the OS will:
  • Enable the feed from your software directly to Vrbo.
  • Run tests to ensure the integration is working properly 
 
Note: Once your account is activated, your software becomes the system of record for your bookings, payments, rates, calendars, listing content, and photos. Any listing content already entered on the Vrbo Dashboard will be overwritten by the software’s feed.

Partner training and optimization
Once the integration is complete and the listings are live, the OS will schedule a call to review your listings, answer questions, and share best practices for booking optimization. In some cases, you may receive a detailed email instead. 

A typical call could include:
  • How the integration works.
  • How to enable new listings.
  • Pay-Per-Booking (PPB) statements and transactions.
  • What’s managed in Vrbo vs your software.
  • A rates, calendar, and content check.
  • Listing optimization and best practices. 

Project close 
Once the integration is complete, the OS will send a final email with more information, including the contact details of IPM Support.