Converting From One GDS to Another

Benefits and Need to Know

Benefits

• Limited down time for clients.

  • You can leave all clients active and functioning in your current GDS until you have fully converted to the new GDS.

• Ability to configure more than one GDS or PCC.

Need to Know

• Supported GDS:

  • Apollo

  • Amadeus

  • Galileo

  • Sabre

  • Worldspan

  • Travelport+

• For further information please click link: Emulation Steps for each GDS.

• GDS Guides, please note these are not Deem created guides.

  • Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Quick Reference Guide.

Best Practice

• If this is the first time converting from one GDS to another or adding a second GDS to a site.

  • Clone your site and complete the conversion in the cloned site and test extensively.

  • Once you are satisfied with the results then start configuring sites which need converted.

Note: This will save you a lot of frustration down the line, and you can copy and paste the information from your test site to the active sites with ease.

• There are no options currently within the Partner Dashboard to simply copy the Agency Settings, Queues or Custom PNR from your existing site, as you can with Travel Policy or Display Configuration. You will need to manually copy and paste each line of data for each area. You can then change the output to the new GDS format.

Hint: You will need to use two different browser types (Such as: Google Chrome and Firefox) to copy from one site to another or use Incognito within your browser.

Example: 

• Google Chrome: 

• Select the Vertical Dots in the upper right hand corner.

• Select New Incognito Window.

• Or you can use Keyboard shortcut:

  • MasOS: Press Ctrl + Shift + n.

  • Windows/Linux: Press ⌘ + Shift + n.

• Mozilla Firefox: 

• Select the Firefox Menu in the upper right hand corner.

• Select New Private Window

• Or you can use Keyboard shortcut:

  • MasOS: Press Shift + ⌘ + P.

  • Windows/Linux: Press Shift + CTRL + P.

Task

Process and Helpful Hint

Create Test Group

• Configure Test Group.

• Click on link for further information around Groups.

Custom PNR

• Configure new custom PNR mapping for new GDS and/or PCC.

Hint: Configuration the Custom PNR first, as you will need to assign it to the Agency Settings.

• Click link for further information around Customer PNR Mapping.

Queues

• Area to configure Queues for new GDS or PCC.

• Hint: Configuration the Custom PNR first, as you will need to assign it to the Agency Settings.

• Click on link for further information around Queue Delivery Options.

Agency Settings

What you will find in Agency Settings and will need to configure.

• New GDS/PCC.

• Assign new GDS/PCC PNR mapping.

• Travelfusion and other Ancillary Sources.

• PNR Acquisition queues.

• Assign new GDS/PCC Queue set.

• Assign new PNR fail queue for voids and refunds.

• Negotiated rates for Air.

• Assign new queues for Pre-Trip Approval (PTA), if client is set up with PTA.

• Click on link for further information about Agency Settings.

Update Private Rates

If client has a private rate you will need to have them updated.

• Air Private Rates.

  • Update in Agency Settings as well as loaded properly in GDS.

  • Private Rates (If different from Agency Settings).

• Click link for further information around Air Private Rates.

• Car Private Rates.

  • Typically, do not change from one PCC to another.

• Click link for further information around Car Private Rates.

• Hotel Private Rates.

  • Insure not only updated in the Partner Dashboard but also loaded in the new GDS.

• Click link for further information around Hotel Private Rates.

Preferred Hotels

• This is the best time to insure the preferred properties are up to date and change to the HOD and Chain codes in new GDS. It is not 100% necessary to upload a new list as Deem will convert to the other GDS, but it is best practice to verify the preferred properties are accurate and upload.

• Click on link for further information about Preferred Hotel Upload.

Service Rules

• Click link for further information around updating Service Rules.

ETSI/WebServices

Update programming to support user profiles in new GDS.

• Click link for further information around ETSI Profile Synch.

• If you need help with setting up Web Services, please open a Deem Support Case.

Benefits and Need to Know

Steps

Create Test Group to test configuration before launching to all travelers within site.

• Click link to see process for creating Groups.

• Add test user to new test Group.

Task

Process and Helpful Hint

Steps

• Deem does not have the option to clone the existing Custom PNR. Therefore, you will need to manually copy and paste the information from your existing Custom PNR to the new one. In this process you will need to change the output (format line is written to the GDS) as well as the GDS source.

Note: Use above hints for copying from original mapping to the new mapping, using multiple browsers or Incognito.

• On the Services tab, select Travel Agency.

• Select Custom PNR.

• Select Add a New PNR Configuration.

• Name new PNR Mapping.

• Select Add PNR Line.

• Line No.

  • Use same line number from your original mapping.

• PNR Field Type.

  • Select the same field type as in your original mapping.

• Custom PNR Requirement.

  • Copy and paste script from your original mapping.

  • Change the output to the new GDS formatting.

Example:

• In Apollo you may move the company profile with.

  • MVT\/Company Profile.

• In Sabre you enter as

  • N*-PCC-Company Profile Name#nm.

• In Apollo you may enter the TAW line as.

  • C:T:TAU\/.

• In Sabre you may enter the TAW line as.

  • 7TAW.

• Custom PNR Requirement type, select Script or Text.

• GDS, select radio button for appropriate GDS.

• Once you have configured your mapping, move to the bottom of the mapping, and select PNR Mask requirements.

Note: Select the same options you have selected on your original mapping.

• Select Save.

• You will add the new PNR mapping to Agency Settings.

Benefits and Need to Know

Steps 1

• Configure queues for new GDS.

Note: Deem provides the option to copy each queue option, which allows you to make very few updates.

• On the Services tab, select Travel Agency.

• Select Queue/Delivery Options.

• Select Queue/Delivery Options.

• Select Copy to the far right of queue option.

• Change the name of the queue option Record Name.

Hint: Add the new GDS to the front of the name, as it allows you to easily spot the queue option from the list of options, assisting you when adding to the queue set.

• Move to the bottom of the queue option and enter the new Pseudo City Code and Queue.

• Select Save.

• Continue this process until you have set up each queue option.

Step 2

Add Queues to Set, which gives you the ability to assign the appropriate queues to the appropriate Agency Settings.

• Select Back to Agency Configuration.

• Select Queue/Delivery Options Sets.

• Select Add A New Queue/Delivery Options Set.

• Enter Set Name.

• Select Add Option.

• Select radio button next to queue you would like to add to set.

• Select Ok & Add Another to continue to add all queues to the set.

• Once complete select Done.

• You will add the new queue set to  Agency Settings.

Benefits and Need to Know

Step

• Deem does not have the option to clone the existing Agency Settings. Therefore, you will need to manually copy and paste the information from your existing Agency Settings to the new one, being mindful to change PCC specific details to new PCC.

Note: Use above hints for copying from original mapping to the new mapping, using multiple browsers or Incognito.

• On the Services tab, select Travel Agency.

• Select Agency Settings.

• Select Add A New Agency Setting.

• Fill in Agency Settings form.

Examples:

• Host Information, enter appropriate GDS information related to new GDS.

• Add Ancillary Sources, copy configured in the original Agency Settings.

• Agency information, copy configured in the original Agency Settings.

• PNR Configuration

  • Booking Configuration, Select new PNR mapping from list.

  • PNR Synchronization Settings, configure new PCC and queues.

    • Please click link for further information PNR Synchronization/Acquisition.

• Passive Segment Processing, not typically configured, but if you do need this configured and do now know how, please open a Deem Support Case.

• Air Pricing, configure as needed for GDS.

• Negotiated Rates, configure new air negotiated rates if your client has them, if not leave field blank.

• Train Support, copy configured in the original Agency Settings.

• Queue/Delivery Options, select appropriate Queue set from list.

• Urgent Queue for Actioning Voids/Refunds

  • Enter PCC and queue where you would like reservations to drop, if PNRs failed change/cancel and successful void or refunds.

• Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) Setting, update only if site has PTA set up, enter queues and PCC for new GDS.

• Select Save.

Benefits and Need to Know

Air

If Private rates are different from that of what is set up under Agency Settings you will need to configure Air Private rates. 

Note: You will also need to make sure the private rates are loaded in the GDS.

• On the Services, select Private Rates.

• Select Air Rates.

• Select Add New Air Private Rates.

• Fill in private rate information, specific to the client’s rate rules.

• Select Save.

• Select Back to Private Rates.

•  Select Airline Rate Sets.

• Select Add A New Airline Set.

• Enter Private Rate Name.

• Select Add Rates.

• Select radio button next to private rate you would like to add to the set.

• Select OK, if this is the only rate you are adding or select OK & Add Another Rate, if there are others you would like to add to the set.

• Select Save.

Hotel and Car Discount Codes

Hotel Discount code configurations may change based on GDS. Car vendors typically do not change with GDS conversions. 

• On the Services, select Private Rates.

• Select Hotel Discount Codes.

• Select Add New Hotel Discount Code.

• Enter Discount Code Name and complete configurations based on new GDS and client requirements.

• Once complete select Save.

• Select Back to Private Rates.

• Select Rental Car/Hotel Discount Code Sets.

• Select Add A New Rental Car Discount Code Set.

• Enter Rental Car/Hotel Rate Set Name and select Add Rates.

• Select radio button to the left of the new private rate hotel and select Ok & Add Another. Continue with this process until you have added each car vendor to the set.

• Select Save.

• Click link for further information with configuring Hotel Discount Codes.

Benefits and Need to Know

Step

This is a great time to update preferred hotels.

• Ensure private rates are loaded in the GDS.

• Update Preferred Hotel upload file.

  • Extract current preferred hotels.

  • Validate preferred hotels are current client preferred hotels.

  • Change the HOD to match the new GDS.

  • Upload new Preferred Hotel.

Note: Keep original preferred hotel upload file until you have completed your testing of the new GDS configuration and testing

Benefits and Need to Know

Step

Configure Service Rules for Test Group.

• Click link to see process to update Service Rules.

Benefits and Need to Know

Step

You will need to update your Web Services to accommodate the new GDS formats, and profile mapping configuration to support the new GDS/PCC.

Benefits and Need to Know

Important Notice

As with any new configurations or changes you will need to Test, Test,Test!!!

• Ensure that everything is working as anticipated.

• Apply changes to appropriate Service Rules/Groups once you are sure the configuration changes are correct, and you are ready to convert to the new GDS or PCC. 

• Re-Test to make sure that each group is functioning properly,