Before starting, you must have the following:

• Travel agency or travel manager's direct bill number for the car rental agency.
• Determine if the car rental vendor requires a unique identifier, or if the traveler’s loyalty number will be passed to the global distribution system (GDS). With some car rental agencies, the traveler’s loyalty number is not passed to the GDS if the reservation is a direct bill.

Setting Up Discount Codes

To set up the discount codes for the car rental agency, follow these steps:

1. Configure the travel services as described in Configuring Travel Services: Click the Services tab to show the Services | Overview page, and click the Travel link in the Travel section. The Services | Travel page appears.
2. Click the Private Rates link, and follow the instructions in Configuring Private Rates. 
3. Click the Rental Car Discount Codes link, and follow the instructions in Rental Car Discount Codes. Keep in mind that some agencies require the direct billing number to replace the customer's loyalty number. Choose one of the following for the "Override user’s id with direct bill number" option:
   • For agencies that require the direct billing number to replace the customer's loyalty number, choose Yes. The traveler’s loyalty number will not be sent to the car rental agency in the passenger name record (PNR).
     • The "Enter unique GDS format required for direct bill" option is replaced by "Enter a direct bill number". 
     • Enter the customer’s direct bill number provided by the rental car agency.
   • For agencies that don't require the direct billing number to replace the customer's loyalty number, choose No for the "Override user’s id with direct bill number" option. The traveler’s loyalty number will be sent to the car rental agency in the passenger name record (PNR).
     • Enter unique GDS format required for direct bill (optional): Enter the information as it is provided by the car rental agency.
     • Enter a direct bill number: Enter the customer’s direct bill number provided by the rental car agency.

Sample Values

The following table shows sample values by rental car agency and global distribution system (GDS):

National Rental Car Example String by GDS:

 NOTE:  111111 = Corporate contract ID number (Discount code or CD)

            222222 = Emerald Club loyalty ID number

            333333 = Customer’s direct bill number

Apollo

CARZLSAN01MAR-04MARICAR/ARR-9A/RET-9A/CD-111111/ID-222222/G-ZL333333 

Galileo

CARZLSAN01MAR-04MARICAR/ARR-9A/RET-9A/CD-111111/ID-222222/G-ZL333333

Sabre

CARZLSAN01MAR-04MARSCAR/ARR-9A/RET-9A/CD-111111/ID-222222/GCAR333333 

WorldSpan

CRN01MAR-04MARSAN/CZL/VSCAR/ARR-9A/DT-9A/CD-111111/ID-222222/G-CCZL333333EXPMMYY

If Direct Bill Number Is Rejected by Vendor: 

NOTE:  If there is a problem with the direct bill number when it is passed to the vendor, one of two flows will take place:

• Override user's ID = Yes - In the event the direct bill number is rejected by the car rental vendor the system will retry without the number. In this scenario the car rental will be booked without the direct bill number and the user will be messaged on the trip confirmation page that the reservation is not set up for direct bill.
• Override user's ID = No - In the event the direct bill number is rejected by the car rental vendor the system will present the user with a retry page. In this scenario the user will be given the options to retry the booking, select a new vendor, or continue without the car.

15.  Save the configuration and commit changes.  Test the configuration.