When you move to a different PMS or channel manager, you do not simply swap the connection in Duve. The two systems identify your rentals and reservations differently, so a switch done in the wrong order creates duplicate rentals, duplicate reservations, and duplicate guest messages.
This article walks through the migration in the order that avoids that, and tells you what to check before you remove the old connection.
Use cases
- You are migrating from one PMS to another and want your existing reservations and guest journeys to carry over cleanly.
- You are moving from a channel manager to a direct PMS integration, or the other way around.
- You are consolidating two properties onto a single new system.
Before you start
- Talk to Duve support first. Tell us the date you plan to switch and which system you are moving to. Support can check your account for anything specific to it, and can watch the migration with you. This is the single best way to avoid a messy switch.
- Pick a quiet window. The fewer guests mid-journey, the less there is to untangle. Avoid switching on a heavy arrivals day.
- Know your account type. Some accounts are built around rentals, others around room types. This changes what you deactivate in step 3, so check which one you have before you begin.
- You need the Manager role for the settings involved.
How to change your integration source
Follow the steps in order. The order is what prevents duplicates.
Step 1: Contact Duve support before you begin (Optional)
Let support know you are switching, which system you are moving to, and when. Every account is set up a little differently, and support can tell you what applies to yours and keep an eye on the switch while it happens.
Step 2: Turn off all your messages
Turn off every active message, not only the confirmation email. When the new source syncs, it brings reservations in as new, and any message that triggers on a new reservation fires again for guests who already received it.
Step 3: Deactivate all room types or rentals
Deactivate your existing room types or rentals, depending on how your account is set up. Accounts built around room types deactivate room types; accounts built around individual rentals deactivate rentals. If you are not sure which applies, ask support in step 1.
This keeps the old entries from being matched and re-synced while the new source connects.
Step 4: Add your new sync source
- Go to Settings, General, Connect & Sync.
- Select Add or Replace Source, then Add New Source.
- Pick your new PMS or channel manager and complete the connection, following the step by step guide linked on that screen.
Step 5: Make sure there aren't any duplications
Once the new source has synced, go through your account and confirm nothing arrived twice. Check:
- Rentals or room types. Each one should appear once.
- Reservations. Look for the same guest, dates, and rental appearing twice. This happens for stays that existed in both systems during the switch.
- Guests. A duplicated reservation usually brings a duplicated guest profile with it.
When you find a duplicate reservation, delete the new one that has not progressed, and keep the one your guest already acted on, such as a completed pre check-in. Deleting the wrong copy loses the guest's pre check-in, documents, and signature.
Step 6: Update your messages, and turn them on only after a few days
Review your messages against the new source. Field names, rate plans, and reservation statuses often differ between systems, so a message that worked on the old PMS may reference something that no longer arrives.
Leave the messages off for a few days after the switch. Guests who are already in-house, or who already pre checked in, would otherwise receive a second copy of messages they got before the migration. Turn them back on once those reservations have checked out.
Step 7: Keep the old sync source connected for now
Do not delete the old connection on the day you switch. Leave it in place while you confirm the new one is syncing properly, reservations are arriving, and nothing is missing.
When everything has looked right for a few days, delete it:
- Go to Connect & Sync.
- Select the old source.
- Select Delete.
In the first days after the switch
Check these each day until you are confident, and keep the old source connected until they all look right.
- Last Sync on the new source is recent, within the last 10 to 15 minutes.
- New reservations are arriving, and they land on the correct rental or room type.
- Arrivals for the next few days are all present, with the right dates and guest details.
- No new duplicates have appeared since your first check.
- Guests who pre checked in before the switch still show their pre check-in, documents, and signature.
If something is wrong, contact support before changing anything else. Deleting reservations or the old source to fix a problem usually makes it harder to recover.
Troubleshooting
- Guests received a message twice: Messages were turned back on too early, while reservations that had already been messaged were still active. Turn them off again and contact support.
- A reservation is missing after the switch: Check that its rental is matched to a property in Duve and is active again. An unmatched or still deactivated rental brings nothing in.
Restrictions and limitations
- You need the Manager role for the settings in this process.
- Duve cannot merge two reservations after the fact. Preventing the duplicate is much easier than undoing it.
- A migration is not instant. Expect the new source to take time on its first sync, and plan for a few days of watching it before you remove the old one.
- Pre-checked-in reservations' status won't be saved between the old and new connections.
Tips and tricks
- Export or screenshot your current list of active messages before step 2, so you know exactly what to turn back on in step 6.
- Export all your "Pre-checked-in" reservations from the Reservations list:
- Switch early in the week, so support is available during the days you are watching the new connection.
FAQs
Q: Do I have to contact support, or can I do this myself?
A: You can do it yourself, but this is advised to share it with us first. Accounts differ, and a short conversation before you start is far quicker than untangling duplicates afterward.
Q: Why turn off all messages and not just the confirmation email?
A: Because any message that triggers on a new reservation will fire again. The new source brings existing stays in as new reservations, so a pre check-in reminder or an upsell message would reach guests who already received it.
Q: How long should I wait before turning messages back on?
A: A few days, until the reservations that existed before the switch have checked out. Guests already in-house or already pre checked in are the ones who would get a second copy. This is an advised step,
Q: Should I deactivate room types or rentals?
A: It depends on how your account is built. Room type accounts deactivate room types, rental accounts deactivate rentals. Support can confirm which yours is.
Q: When should I delete the old sync source?
A: Not on switch day. Keep it connected until the new source has been syncing correctly for a few days with no missing or duplicated data, then delete it.
Q: Which copy of a duplicate reservation should I delete?
A: The new one that the guest has not acted on. Keep the copy that holds a completed pre check-in, uploaded documents, or a signature.
Q: Something went wrong after the switch. What now?
A: Contact support before making further changes. Deleting reservations or the old connection to clean things up often removes the data needed to fix it.
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