Setting up the Viator integration in Checkfront (Classic Items)

Get your Viator integration up and running by configuring the connection in Checkfront, so you can provide Viator with the key business information and preferences they need to start listing your inventory on their marketplace.

Learn how to set up your Viator integration in Checkfront, including accessing setup, signing up for Viator, and providing key information and configuration preferences.

Are you new to Viator?  Read the first article in this series for an introduction to the Viator integration.

Accessing the features mentioned in this article

What industry does this feature apply to?

• X Accommodations | ✓ Activities  | ✓ Tours  | X Rentals  | ✓ Adventures | ✓ Escape Rooms | Learn More
   

Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

• Manage > Integrations > Channels > Viator
   

What more do I need to use this feature?

• Admin permissions to manage integrations.
• A Viator account (or sign up during integration setup!)
   

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - classic items, classic products, or both?

• Classic Items: Manage > Integrations > Channels > Viator
• Classic Products: Contact Support to determine if your account is eligible.

Are you using Checkfront with Classic Products?  Please contact Customer Support to determine whether your account is eligible to use our Viator integration. If your account is eligible, we provide you with further instructions on how to connect with Viator. Learn more here about how to determine if your account is using Classic Products: Accessing help articles related to products (Classic Products)

To activate the integration in Checkfront:

1. Navigate to the Integrations page (Manage > Integrations > Channels) in your main Checkfront menu.
2. Click the Viator listing. You can also search for the integration by name.
   
    

3. Next, you can select the option that matches your needs:
   • Click the I need a Viator account button to sign up for a Viator account on their website. After creating your Viator account, you can return to Checkfront to complete the setup.
   • Click the I have a Viator account button to provide the necessary information to connect your Viator account to Checkfront. 

Do you need a Viator account? Click the Sign up for Viator button to go to the Viator website and get started.

After creating your Viator account, you can return to Checkfront to complete the setup.

Next, you must provide key information and configuration preferences to help map your Viator account to Checkfront.

There are two sections of Viator fields. The first section collects details on your business and defines some of Viator's basic settings. We describe these settings below.

Check out the next article in this series for information on configuring the Item Parameter section settings: Mapping Checkfront items to Viator inventory.

 

This is the name of your business as it appears in your Viator account. Viator uses this name to match the Checkfront integration with your Viator account. Ensure that the name you enter here matches the supplier name listed on Viator.

This is the person at your business whom Viator should contact during or after the configuration process if they have any questions.

This is the name of the city where your tours or activities operate. You may enter only one city per integration.

This is the UN/LOCODE for the city. You can search for the code at the following website: http://www.unece.org/cefact/locode/service/location.html.

Search by country to find the city's suffix code. For example, Vancouver, Canada = CA VAN

This is the maximum amount of time Viator sets aside inventory for booking. If a Customer books an item on Viator, the system holds the item in inventory. If the Customer commits to the booking within this hold time, the inventory is updated to reflect that the item is no longer available. However, if the maximum hold time is reached before a booking is completed, the system releases the hold, and the item becomes available for another booking. This mechanism prevents double bookings.

This is the status assigned to new Checkfront bookings created in Viator. You can use the same status you use for your regular Checkfront bookings, or create a custom status to quickly identify (in the Checkfront interface) which bookings have come in from Viator. For example, you can search for all bookings with the status Viator.

This key is sent to Viator to connect to this Checkfront account. This value is read-only.

When a booking is made through Viator, a reservation is also made in Checkfront, and the invoice generated contains information brought in from Viator, known in our system as Viator Merchant Details, for example:

By default, these details display in the Name field, with options to display them in the Address, City, Zip Code, or Note fields.

We highly recommend you create a new field specifically for Viator! We recommend creating a custom, staff-only field to display this information. You can create a new Checkfront booking form field within Booking Details (Manage > Layout > Booking Form). See the instructions below.

When a booking is made through Viator, a reservation is also made in Checkfront, and the invoice generated contains Customer information brought in from Viator, labeled in our system as Viator Customer Details, for example:

By default, these details display in the Name field, with options to display them in the Address, City, Zip Code, or Note fields.

We highly recommend you create a new field specifically for Viator! As with the View Merchant Details field, we recommend creating a custom, staff-only field to display this information. You can create a new Checkfront booking form field within Booking Details (Manage > Layout > Booking Form). See the instructions below.

We highly recommend creating new fields for capturing Viator information within invoices! Here's why... If you have chosen to display booking notes from Checkfront on your Customer invoices, the details from Viator are also displayed. Generally, you want your Customers to avoid seeing this information. Therefore, a Viator-specific, staff-only field is recommended. You can create a new Checkfront booking form field within Booking Details (Manage > Layout > Booking Form).

You must select Show on form and Show on Invoice for Staff when creating the Viator system-specific booking form field (Manage > Layout > Booking Form > Add new field > Options).

Using these settings, you can hide the Viator details from your Customers but show them on the company-side invoice views. 

 

Learn more about the booking form For a detailed look at Booking Form fields, check out the following article series: Introduction to booking form fields

Due to API restrictions, Checkfront cannot access a breakdown of Viator service fees, and they cannot be displayed anywhere in your Checkfront account. Viator only provides the booking net amount, the total amount payable to the supplier for one booking.

Notice that invoices in Checkfront for bookings created in Viator have a zeroed-out balance and item cost. This is to avoid confusion about the amounts paid in Viator and those posted in Checkfront. As a result, you should use Viator for your reporting on those bookings.
 

Next Steps

With the next article in this series, we look at mapping your Checkfront inventory to Viator inventory.

< Introduction to the Viator Integration with Checkfront | Mapping Checkfront inventory to Viator inventory >