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Using Group Blocks in the PMS & Booking Engine
Group Blocks allow you to hold rooms for a specific group and make them bookable through your online booking engine. Follow the steps below to set up and manage a group block.
1. Create a New Group
Before you can create a block, you’ll first set up the group it belongs to.
Open the dropdown menu in the top-left corner.
Click Groups.
Select New.
Enter a Group Name and, ideally, a Contact Person.
2. Decide Whether the Group Needs Its Own Rate Type
Groups may have special pricing. Determine whether this group requires a new, unique rate type.
If you already have a general Group rate type or previously created a unique one for this group, you can continue to the next step.
If not, create a new rate type before building the block.
3. Add and Configure a Room Block
Once your group is created, you can set aside rooms for their stay.
Tip: Save your work periodically using the Save button in the bottom-right corner to avoid losing any changes.
Navigate to Blocks
Open the group you just created.
Go to the Blocks tab.
Assign a Group Code
Enter a Group Code—this is what guests will use in the booking engine to find and book rooms held within the block.
A group code is required in order to save the block.
Choose the Allocation Type
Allocation determines how you reserve inventory for the group:
Room Type Allocation:
Allocate a number of rooms per type.Example: If the group needs 5 Kings and 3 Double-Doubles but specific rooms don’t matter, choose Room Type.
Room Allocation:
Allocate specific rooms.Example: If they need exact rooms (e.g., Rooms 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 for Kings and Rooms 2, 7, 10 for Doubles), choose Room.
Set Date Range
Select the Start Date and End Date for the block.
Guests must search within these dates to book the block.
Guests may still book stays outside the block dates, but those nights would be a separate reservation.
Add a Cutoff Date (Optional)
The Cutoff Date is the last day the block inventory is held exclusively for the group.
After this date, group guests can still book within the block, but rooms are no longer protected and may be booked by anyone.
Select a Block Rate
Choose the Rate Type that applies to the group.
If needed, create the rate type before setting up the block.
4. Allocate Rooms or Room Types
The interface will depend on the allocation type selected.
If Allocating Room Types
You’ll see a grid showing:
Picked Up: How many rooms have already been booked in the block (initially zero).
Blocked: The number of rooms you want to allocate for each room type per day. (This is the field you’ll enter.)
Total: The total number of rooms available in that room type for that night.
Enter the number of rooms you wish to allocate for each night.
If Allocating Rooms
You’ll see a grid listing each room down the left side and dates across the top.
Check the boxes for each room/night combination you want to allocate to the block.
Choosing an Allocation Type for a Room Block
When creating a room block, you must choose how inventory will be allocated to the group. The Allocation Type determines whether you block specific rooms or a quantity of rooms within a room type.
Allocation by Room
Use Allocation Type: Room when you want to reserve specific, individual rooms for a group.
When this option is selected:
Each room is listed individually (for example: Firebird Suite, Meadow House, The Cabin).
You can control exactly which rooms are held for the group.
Availability is managed at the individual room level.
This option is best for:
Buyouts or partial buyouts
Groups that require specific units
Properties where rooms are unique or not interchangeable
Allocation by Room Type
Use Allocation Type: Room Type when you want to reserve a set number of rooms within one or more room types, rather than assigning specific rooms.
When this option is selected:
Room types are displayed with a number in parentheses indicating total inventory (for example: Room Type 3 (4)).
Reservations booked into the block will pull from available rooms within the selected room type.
Room assignment can be finalized later, closer to arrival.
This option is best for:
Standardized hotel-style inventory
Larger groups with flexible room assignments
Simplifying inventory management for multi-room bookings
Common Settings for Both Allocation Types
Regardless of allocation type, you can also configure:
Block Start and End Dates to define the stay window
Optional Cutoff Date to release unused inventory back to general availability
Block Rate to apply a specific group rate
Once your allocation details are set, click Save to create the block.
5. Save Your Block
Once you’ve added your allocations:
Don’t forget to click Save at the bottom-right corner to save your changes.
How to Book a Room Block by Room Internally
Use these steps to book a reservation into an existing group room block for specific rooms from within the property management system. Reservations created this way will pull from the group’s blocked inventory and apply the group rate.
Steps
Click the New button
In the upper-right corner of the screen, click the black New button to open the New Reservation modal.Select stay dates
Choose a check-in and check-out date that fall within the group block’s date range.Select occupancy
Choose the appropriate number of guests for the reservation.Apply the group block rate
Open the Special Rates dropdown and select the applicable Group Block under Active Groups.Select a room
Choose a room from the available inventory associated with the group block.Continue to the next step
Click Continue to review additional options.Add upsell items (optional)
Select any upsell items you would like to add to the reservation, if applicable.Create the reservation
Click Create Reservation to save the booking.Assign a customer
Attach an existing customer or create a new customer to complete the reservation.
Notes
Only dates within the group block’s date range will be eligible for booking.
If the group block does not appear under Active Groups, verify that inventory is still available and the cutoff date has not passed.
How to Book a Room Block Online
Guests can book a reservation within a group room block directly through the booking engine using the group’s block code. Follow the steps below to complete your booking.
Steps
Go to the booking engine
Navigate to the property’s online booking engine.Select your stay dates
Choose a check-in and check-out date that fall within the group’s room block date range.Select occupancy
Choose the number of guests for your stay.Open Special Rates
Under Special Rates, select Group Block Code.Enter the group block code
Enter the group’s provided block code in the field shown.Search for availability
Click Search to view rooms available within the group block.Select a room
Click Add to Reservation for the room you would like to book.Enter guest and billing information
Provide the required guest details and billing information.Confirm your reservation
Click Confirm Reservation to complete your booking.
Notes
Only dates within the group block’s date range will be eligible for booking.
If no rooms appear, the block may be fully booked, expired, or the code may be entered incorrectly.