Managing guest deposits and collecting final payments doesn't have to mean chasing emails or making manual reminder calls. If your policy requires guests to settle their remaining balance before checking in, NightsBridge can automatically send them a secure payment link email ahead of their arrival.
This guide walks you through how automatic balance collection works, what to check before enabling it, and the simple steps to set it up in your account.
How automatic balance collection works
When enabled, NightsBridge automatically emails your guest a secure 3D-Secure credit card link a set number of days before their check-in date. The guest can quickly settle their outstanding balance online, ensuring funds are collected smoothly before they arrive.
To protect your guests' privacy and keep personal card data secure, each payment link remains valid for 3 days from the date it is sent.
General conditions:
- The email will not be sent if the account is settled in full - accounts with a zero balance (R0.00).
- This feature is not available for clients using a connected 3rd-party property management system (Semper, Innkeeper, ResRequest and others).
Since NightsBridge does not have access to the guest account information on the 3rd-party PMS, this feature is unable to function in this scenario. - Once sent to the guest, the credit card link has a 3-day validity. This is to reduce the risk associated with having personal information available for an extended period.
Important checks before you begin
To make sure your automated payment links send smoothly and calculate the correct amount due, please take a quick moment to review these prerequisites:
Payment Gateway:
- This feature is available to all properties using NightsBridge Pay or connected online gateways like Adumo Online, iVeri, and DPO.
- (Please note: It is not available for NightsBridge Pay Lite users).
Accepted Payment Types:
- Your property payment settings must be set to Credit Card or Both (Credit Cards & Bank/EFT).
- (Automated links will not send if your property is set to accept EFT payments only).
Keep your booking accounts up to date:
- Ensure all manual payments (such as direct EFT deposits) are recorded on the guest's booking in NightsBridge. Keeping your account balances up to date ensures the guest receives a payment link for the correct amount.
Channels and systems with special rules:
Airbnb Bookings:
- Because Airbnb handles guest payments and payouts directly with you, automated payment link emails are not sent for Airbnb reservations.
Payments by Booking.com:
- If you use the Payments by Booking.com product where Booking.com pays you directly via payout, automated payment link emails are excluded for those stays.
Zero Balances:
- If a booking has already been settled in full (R0.00 balance), no payment email will be sent.
3rd-Party PMS Systems:
- If you connect to NightsBridge through a third-party Property Management System (such as Semper, Innkeeper, or ResRequest), this feature cannot access individual guest billing files, so automated links must be managed within your PMS.
Step-by-step: Enabling automated payment links
Setting up your automatic payment link schedule takes just a couple of minutes:
Step 1: Open Notifications & Alerts
Log into your NightsBridge account.
- Select Notifications & Alerts from your main Property menu.
Step 2: Configure your payment link schedule
- Find the Automated Payment Link setting and click the toggle to Yes.
- Under Do you want a copy of this email?, select Yes if you'd like a copy sent to your inbox, or No if you prefer it to run silently in the background.
- Enter the number of days before arrival you would like the payment link email to be sent out to your guest.
- Click Save.
The Automated Payment link emails will only apply to NightsBridge Pay and Alternative Payment Gateways that can use the credit card link on NightsBridge.
Should you want a copy of the email containing the payment link to be sent automatically:
- Select toggle 'Yes' as the option next to 'Do you want a copy of this email?.
Email sample
The following email, containing a 3D-Secure payment link will be sent to the guest. This allows the guest to settle the outstanding balance on the account.
Please remember that a Rand value must be outstanding for the accommodation, excluding any extras, in order for the email to be sent.
