When you use Payments by Booking.com, Booking.com collects payment from the guest and issues you a virtual credit card (VCC) for the booking. You charge the VCC through your payment gateway within Preno, just like a normal card — but only from the card's activation date. The activation date of a Booking.com Virtual Credit Card (VCC) depends on the reservation policy, please contact Booking.com support for more info.
Before you start
You need a payment gateway connected to Preno to charge a VCC. See Setting up your Payment Gateway.
VCCs only apply to bookings where Booking.com facilitates the payment (Booking.com VCC information).
Charging the VCC
Open the booking in Preno. The VCC details come through with the Booking.com booking and appear in the Payments section as the card on file.
Check the card's activation date. Booking.com usually activates the VCC on the day of check-in — a charge before this date will decline.
To charge, click the card in the Payments section and charge the correct amount. It's only loaded with enough funds to cover the Booking.com booking amount.
The payment records against the booking like any other card payment. If you're connected to Xero, it flows through to your your accounts the same.
If the charge declines
Work through these in order:
Check the activation date. This is the most common cause is the VCC being charged before it's activated.
Check the amount. A VCC holds an exact balance. Charging more than the card's balance will decline; charge the amount Booking.com specifies for the booking.
Check whether the card has already been charged. A VCC can only be used for its balance once, a second full charge will decline.
Check the booking hasn't been amended or cancelled. Booking.com may adjust or deactivate the VCC when a booking changes. Confirm the current card details and balance in your Booking.com extranet.
If none of these apply, contact our support team with the booking reference and we'll help investigate.
The VCC amount is the payout Booking.com owes you for the booking. Commission is already handled by Booking.com, so don't deduct it again when charging the card.