This article is for PBSA operators who have already created a product group and need to configure it for sale. Configuration is where you define what is being sold, at what price, and under which rules.
Each product group must be fully configured before it can be used to generate sellable products.
Case scenarios
You will configure product groups when:
Setting pricing for different unit types
Allocating inventory to specific offers
Defining booking rules and expiry timers
Assigning payment plans
Attaching additional services to bookings
Pre-requisites
Before configuring a product group:
A product group must already be created
Units and unit types must exist
Instalment plans must be set up
Services (if used) must be configured
Note: Only users with the Admin user role can create, configure, edit, or activate product groups.
How to configure or edit a product group
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Open the product group for editing
From the main menu, go to Inventory.
Select Product groups.
Find the product group you want to configure.
Click the three dots (⋯) next to the product group.
Select Edit.
You will now enter the product group configuration view. Creating a product group involves six configuration steps. Each step controls a different aspect of how your inventory is sold.
1. Product group configuration
This step defines the core structure, visibility, and selling rules for the product group.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Product group details
Configure the core identifying information for the product group.
Enter an internal reference.
This is used internally for operational consistency, reporting, and inventory management.Add one or more marketing titles.
Marketing titles are customer-facing names shown during the booking experience.They support:
Localisation across multiple languages
Market-specific branding
Flexible merchandising across regions
To add a marketing title:
Select a language.
Enter the translated marketing name.
Click Add translation to add additional languages.
Example:
Internal reference:
AY 2027 Ensuite DLEnglish marketing title:
Classic Ensuite – Academic YearSpanish marketing title:
Habitación Ensuite Clásica – Año Académico(Optional) Add tags to support reporting, segmentation, and filtering.
Product group segment
Select the student segment this product group belongs to.
Typical segments may include:
Academic Year
Full Year
Semester 1
Semester 2
Note: Segments help categorise inventory and support operational reporting.
Contract dates
Define the contract duration for this product group.
Select the academic year.
Set the earliest start date.
Set the end date.
The system automatically calculates the contract length.
Note: These dates are also used as the default check-in and check-out dates.
Publishing window
Control when the product group becomes visible to students.
Set Start publishing on.
Set Publish until.
Both fields are optional.
If left blank, the product group will remain published indefinitely once active.
Note: Publishing windows are useful for promotions, limited offers, and staged launches.
Sales method
Choose how this product group will be sold:
Sold directly to students
Sold under a commercial agreement
Commercial agreements restrict availability to a specific partner, such as a university allocation.
Cancellation policy
Select the cancellation policy that applies to bookings made under this product group.
Note: The selected cancellation policy applies to all bookings created through this product group.
Contract template
(Optional) Select the contract template that will automatically be generated and sent to students during the booking process.
Note: Marketing titles are customer-facing, while internal references are used for operational management.
Publishing windows are essential for promotions and time-limited offers.
2. Unit type allocation
This step defines what you are selling and at what price.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Select relevant unit types (for example, Studio or Ensuite).
Choose a rate interval (weekly, monthly, nightly).
Enter a rate for each unit type.
Set a target allocation (maximum units available under this group).
(Optional) Define target occupancy (%) for reporting.
Note: The target set here limits how many units you can allocate in the next step.
3. Unit allocation
This step defines exactly which units are available for sale.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Select specific units (rooms, beds, or apartments).
Use filters such as:
Unit type
Floor
Review the allocation summary panel to track:
Selected units vs target
Allocation per unit type
Note: You cannot exceed the target defined in the previous step.
4. Booking expiry timer
This controls how long a booking can remain tentative.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Enable or disable the expiry timer.
Set a duration (for example, 30 minutes, 1 day).
Typical use cases:
Short timers for Direct Lets to maximise availability.
Longer timers for nomination or partner bookings.
Note: This timer only sets the initial state. It may extend during the booking process and only affects future bookings.
5. Instalment plans
This step controls how customers can pay.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Select applicable instalment plan templates.
These are pre-configured elsewhere in the system.
Examples:
Full payment upfront
Monthly or termly instalments
Plans requiring a guarantor
6. Product services
This step allows you to attach additional services to the product.
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Select services configured at building level.
Define each as:
Included (mandatory and added to booking cost)
Offered (optional add-on during booking)
Note: Services are priced separately from accommodation and added during booking.
Your product group will not be available for booking until it is set to Active.
After completing configuration, follow the steps below to activate it.
How to set a product group to active/inactive
Video walkthrough
Step-by-step
Once you have finished configuring the product group, you need to set it to Active before it can be made available for booking.
Go to Inventory.
Select Product groups.
Find the product group you have just configured.
Click the three dots (⋯) next to the product group.
Select Set to active.
Confirm the product group status has changed to Active in the product group list.
Note: A product group should only be set to active once its pricing, unit allocation, booking rules, instalment plans, and services have been reviewed.
Governing behaviour: configuration snapshotting
Once a booking is made, the system takes a snapshot of the product configuration at that point in time.
This means:
Changes made to the product group will not affect existing bookings
Updates only apply to future bookings
This includes changes to:
Pricing and rates
Unit type allocation
Unit allocation
Booking expiry timer
Instalment plans
Product services
Note: This ensures pricing and booking conditions remain consistent for customers who have already booked.
Important things to note
Product groups are the source of availability in the system.
Products are the sellable outputs created from those groups.
A single unit can belong to multiple product groups.
Targets limit allocation but do not enforce sales caps beyond availability.
Target occupancy is for reporting only.
Publishing windows control when inventory is visible, not when it exists.
Booking expiry timers prevent inventory from being locked in incomplete bookings.
Commercial agreements restrict access to specific inventory pools.
What’s coming next
The following enhancements are planned to improve product group management:
Ability to duplicate product groups to speed up setup.
Options to archive or delete product groups.
Improved search and sorting within the product group list.
Enhanced unit allocation filtering (for example, hiding specific unit types).
Introduction of derived product groups, allowing you to:
Create new groups based on existing ones
Inherit or dynamically adjust pricing (for example, percentage changes)
Link related products (for example, short stays derived from long-stay pricing)
Stay tuned: This guide will be updated as new functionality is released.
Related articles
Configuring a product group is where your inventory becomes sellable. By defining pricing, allocation, and booking rules, you control how your products appear and behave in the booking flow.
A well-configured product group ensures accurate availability, consistent pricing, and a smooth booking experience.