Cancellation Rules and Refund Rules Set Up and User Guide

Set up your cancellation rules and refund rules to help with an easier cancellation process for your team while managing reservations.

Last Updated: July 17, 2024

Link to Feature: https://app.fireflyreservations.com/Units

Quick Links:

• Overview
• Video Walkthroughs
• Set Up
  • Step 1: Adding Cancellation Fees as Add-Ons 
  • Step 2: Creating Cancellation Rules
  • Step 3: Creating Refund Rules

• Common Examples of Cancellation and Refund Rules
  
  

Overview:

Cancellations look different for every situation. In Firefly, we now have custom cancellation rules that you can set to help your team manage the refunds and charges that come alongside a canceled reservation. 

💡 You can still manually process cancellations, refunds, and other tasks manually, but if you set these up it will help do it for you automatically. 🤩

This process will allow parks to:

• Create Cancellation Rules at the unit level
• Create Refund Rules at the unit level
• Transfer payments to cancellation fees automatically
• Zero out charges automatically
• Stop future recurring charges automatically
• Generate Final Invoices automatically
  
  

Cancellation rules and refund rules live within the unit settings. These can be imported/exported from one unit to the rest once created to help streamline the process. 

Video Walkthrough: 

Set Up:

• Step 1: Adding Cancellation Fees as Add-Ons 
• Step 2: Creating Cancellation Rules
• Step 3: Creating Refund Rules

Set Up Step 1: Adding Cancellation Fees as Add-Ons

To create add-on fees visit our help article, Reservation Add-Ons.

Note: Be sure to create your fees as "other." 

Set Up Step 2: Creating your Cancellation Rules

Cancellation Rules are found under unit settings. If your rules are the same for all units, you can use the import/export tool to copy your rules from one unit to the next. 

1. Click Settings
2. Click Units
3. Select a Unit
4. Click on the Cancellations tab
5. Click "Add Cancellation Rule"  
6. The "New Cancellation Rule" window will appear and you can use the options listed below to create your cancellation rule and click save. For examples, keep scrolling or click here to skip to the section. 
   1. Name: The identifier of your rule (ex: 24-Hour Policy, Early Departure Policy)
   2. Reservation Type: A dropdown of either All, Standard, or Ongoing
   3. Days In Stay (Minimum): The cancellation rule will only apply if the number of days in the reservation meet this criteria 
   4. Days In Stay (Maximum): The cancellation rule will only apply if the number of days in the reservation meet this criteria
   5. Days To Arrival (Minimum): The cancellation rule will only apply if the number of days to the reservation meet this criteria
   6. Days To Arrival (Maximum): The cancellation rule will only apply if the number of days to the reservation meet this criteria
   7. Apply Add-On Fee: A dropdown showing all add-ons in the category type “Other”. Select one of the add-ons displayed to apply it to cancellations. This will transfer payments to the selected add-on fee before the refund is made when possible. 
   8. Options: A checkbox that states “Zero reservation charge total by transferring remaining funds to Fee Addon when possible”. NOTE: This can only be selected if a $0 add-on fee is applied.
   9. Refund Rules: For instructions on setting these up, click here or scroll down below
   10. Advanced Cancellation Option - Reservation Dates (Minimum Arrival): This cancellation rule will only apply if the reservation dates meet
       this criteria
   11. Advanced Cancellation Option - Reservation Dates (Maximum Arrival): This cancellation rule will only apply if the reservation dates meet
       this criteria 
   12. Advanced Cancellation Option - Reservation Dates (Minimum Departure): This cancellation rule will only apply if the reservation dates
       meet this criteria
   13. Advanced Cancellation Option - Reservation Dates (Maximum Departure): This cancellation rule will only apply if the reservation dates
       meet this criteria

Set Up Step 3: Creating Refund Rules

Refund rules are found within the cancellation rules and will determine what to automatically do with the money that has already been paid towards the reservation. First, complete the steps up above (creating add ons as needed, and initially creating cancellation rules), then follow these steps to create your refund rules. 

To create a New Refund Rule:

1. Click Settings
2. Click Units
3. Click on the Unit with the rules you wish to create under 
4. Click on the cancellation rule you wish to add a refund rule to (if you have not created any cancellation rules, click here to jump to those steps)
5. You will see any previously created refund rules listed, and the button to "Add Refund Rule"
6. Enter the information needed in the refund rule prompt
   1. Enter the Amount
   2. Choose the Type will give you three options: "$ to Keep" "% to Refund" or "Nights to Refund"
   3. Choose the Charge Type
   4. Choose the Payment Method
7. Click Save

Navigating to an existing Refund Rule:

1. Click on Settings
2. Units
3. Go to a unit with the cancellation rule (and refund rule) you are looking for
4. Click on the Cancellations tab
5. Click on the specific Cancellation rule that would have the refund you are looking for
6. Click the circle with the three dots, then click Edit
7. Then you will see any existing refund rules appear and you can click on the circle with the three dots to then edit.

Common Examples of Cancellation and Refund Rules 

Firefly cannot provide legal or official advice to a park. These are common policies and fees that we have seen our customers use, so we thought they might be helpful as you set up your policies, if you don't yet have them established. 😊

🙋‍♀️ Still need help? Email: support@fireflyreservations.com and one of our technicians can help answer your questions.

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