⚠️ This article applies only to standard connected channels (OTAs). The extranet and mapping troubleshooting steps do not apply to Channels Plus or Direct Booking.
Why is my inventory (ARI) not syncing or showing correctly on a channel?
Inventory (ARI updates: rates, availability, and restrictions) that is not syncing, or is showing incorrectly on a channel, is usually caused by one of these:
Mapping or disabled rates: the channel or its room rates are disabled or unmapped, so no updates are sent.
Channel support or data limits: the channel, or a specific channel rate, does not support certain inventory updates from Little Hotelier.
Connection or performance issues: slow updates, outages, or connection interruptions between Little Hotelier and the channel.
Before you start
If your rates, availability, or restrictions are wrong or not syncing on a channel, first find where the difference starts:
Your Little Hotelier Calendar and Inventory tab differ: if availability on your Calendar tab does not match your Inventory tab, contact our support team.
Little Hotelier and the channel extranet differ: work through the checks below.
The channel extranet and the public website differ: contact the channel. It may be applying promotions, member or mobile discounts, or wholesale pricing.
Check what the guest sees
Look at the channel’s live booking website, the listing a guest sees. Note the exact booking details so you can check the same scenario everywhere:
The check-in and check-out dates.
The room type and room rate.
The occupancy and number of guests.
Then compare the same dates, room, and rate in all three places: your Inventory grid in Distribution > Inventory, the channel’s extranet, and the channel’s live website. Where they stop matching shows where the difference begins.
Check the Inventory grid for wrong rates or restrictions
Check the Inventory grid to see whether a restriction or an incorrect rate is causing the difference. To check the grid:
Go to Distribution > Inventory.
Click the View by drop-down to open the menu.
Select the channel’s name.
Under Select a data type to display, click Rates, Stop sell, Close to arrivals, Close to departures, Min. length of stay, or Max. length of stay. The button you click turns blue, and the grid updates to show that data for each date.
For the affected date, correct or remove anything that should not be there in your Inventory grid.
💡 Look for symbols or colours on the Inventory grid that might explain rate differences. Click the question mark button to open the legend and see what the symbols mean:
Down arrow: your rate is below the minimum rate setting.
Crossed arrows icon: a rate multiplier is enabled.
Calculator icon: currency conversion is active.
Orange boxes: a stop sell or no-availability restriction.
Alert icon: the channel rate is disabled and not receiving updates.
Red highlighting: invalid values that channels cannot accept.
Check your channel settings and connection
In Distribution > Channels, open the affected channel’s Channel settings and check:
The property code is correct. ⚠️ The property code field (also known as Property ID, Hotel ID, Channel ID, or Account Number) is read-only and greyed out, as it cannot be changed here. To update the property code for a connected channel, contact our support team.
Any required credentials are current (not applicable to all channels).
Next, check your connection in the channel extranet:
Make sure Little Hotelier (“SiteMinder” or “SiteMinder RDX”) is selected as the connectivity provider in the channel extranet.
Make sure your property is active and that the relevant room rates exist and are active in the channel extranet.
Check for disabled channels, disabled rates, and unmapped rates
⚠️ These are the most common causes of inventory (ARI) not syncing or channels showing incorrect inventory.
Check the channel is enabled, not disabled
If the channel is disabled, it will not receive inventory updates (ARI: rates, availability, and restrictions) from Little Hotelier. The channel may still be live and accepting bookings with outdated rates or availability.
To check your channel is enabled:
Go to Distribution > Channels.
Confirm the affected channel shows Enabled, not Disabled or Awaiting setup.
If the channel is disabled, hover over the disabled icon (the red or yellow triangle warning icon) to see the error message.
Fix the error, then re-enable the channel in Channel settings.
Check for unmapped rates
⚠️ Unmapped rates are a common cause of inventory (ARI) not syncing. If a channel rate is unmapped, SiteMinder does not send updates to it, so the rate can stay live and bookable on the channel with incorrect rates or outdated availability.
Make sure all rates across every connected channel are mapped and enabled, not only the one currently affected. Leaving rates unmapped, or updating them manually in a channel extranet, can cause discrepancies such as:
Reservations not syncing to Little Hotelier, which prevents inventory updates in Little Hotelier and subsequent updates to channels or OTAs.
Overbookings or missing availability.
To find and map unmapped rates:
Go to Distribution > Channels.
Click the ellipsis button (three dots button) next to the channel name.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
To see unmapped rates, filter by Unmapped.
Check that your room rates are mapped to the correct channel rates in the Mapped to drop-down.
Map any unmapped rate to the correct channel rate.
💡 Some channels require you to map one room rate to multiple rate types, such as sell rates, package rates, and derived rates.
💡 Missing room rates: if you cannot locate a specific rate to map to on the channel, check with the channel to confirm the room rate is active. New rates can take up to 60 minutes to appear in your platform after they are created in the channel’s extranet.
Everything looks mapped
Check there is no partial mapping. Check the Rates mapped: X of Y counter. Both numbers must match.
Rates mapped: 8 of 9: a channel rate is missing or unmapped.
Rates mapped: 9 of 8: the rate configuration in the channel’s extranet was modified. Remap all rates for this channel to reset the connection.
Crossed mapping: ensure Room Type A is not mistakenly linked to Channel Room Rate B.
Mapping additional rate types (common with Expedia): everything may look mapped, as the additional rate types do not show in the Unmapped filter on the main room rates mapping page. To find them, click the channel room rate in the left column, select Map to channel, then choose a different rate type from the drop-down.
Also verify that the total number of room rates in the channel’s extranet matches the number mapped in SiteMinder. Some rates are managed directly in the channel extranet and are not synced through Little Hotelier:
Booking.com: room rates tagged “NOT XML” are managed directly in the channel extranet, rather than synced through Little Hotelier:.
Agoda: reservations made through Agoda Private Sales may not automatically adjust your availability, as these rates cannot be mapped to your channel manager.
Check for disabled rates
⚠️ If a rate is disabled, Little Hotelier does not send inventory (ARI) updates to the channel for that rate. The rate can stay live on the channel with outdated data and keep accepting bookings.
A rate can be automatically disabled when a setting conflicts with the channel, for example a rate below the minimum rate or above the channel’s price limit, a minimum stay higher than the maximum stay, an occupancy or pricing model mismatch, or a currency mismatch.
To find and check disabled rates:
Go to Distribution > Channels.
Click the ellipsis button (three dots button) next to the channel name.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
Click More filters, then under Rate update status select Disabled to show only disabled rates.
Hover over the disabled icon (the red or yellow triangle warning icon) to see the error, or click the rate and select Audit to view the error history.
💡 You can also check your Dashboard under Property status for alerts about disabled rates.
💡 If a rate shows Unable to locate, the room rate was recently modified or deleted in the channel’s extranet. Disconnect and remap it as needed.
Re-enable a disabled rate
Once the error that disabled the rate is resolved, re-enable it so Little Hotelier sends updates to the channel again:
Click the channel rate, then click Configure.
Follow any instructions highlighted in yellow at the top to fix the underlying error.
Set Start updating channel to Yes.
Click Save.
⚠️ After updating a room price or inventory, or mapping or remapping a rate, wait 15 to 30 minutes for the changes to sync with the channel extranet, then refresh your browser. Avoid making repeated mapping or price changes during this window, as this resets and delays mapping synchronisation.
Validate your channel rate mapping configuration
Each channel maps differently, so check every field in the mapping configuration. Where it applies, make sure:
Each room type and room rate is mapped to the correct channel room type and rate, with no crossed mapping (for example, a room type linked to an unrelated channel rate).
The included and maximum occupancy match the channel extranet.
Extras and discounts (extra adult, extra child, and single guest discount) are enabled in the channel extranet before you activate them in Little Hotelier. If they do not appear in the mapping configuration, manage them in the extranet.
Note:
Map each room type to one channel room type, not several (and not several room types to one). This is different from mapping one room rate to multiple rate types, which some channels require.
Create an independent rate plan to map room rates. Linked or derived rate plans in the channel extranet cannot be retrieved for mapping.
Channel rate multipliers do not apply to extra adult, extra child, or single guest discount rates.
To check whether a channel rate supports a given update type, see Data supported by this channel rate in the channel rate configuration.
Check whether the channel rate supports the inventory update
If your channel is enabled and your room rates are mapped, but inventory is still not syncing to the channel correctly, the channel rate may not support those update types from Little Hotelier. Not all channels (or certain rates) support all types of inventory updates.
Step 1 – Look for dashes in the inventory grid
A dash/hyphen (-) for all rates means the channel doesn't support that update type.
A dash/hyphen (-) for specific rates may mean updates are blocked for certain rate types (like package or derived rates).
Step 2 – Check “Data supported by this channel rate”
In the channel rate configuration, check the inventory types under Data supported by this channel rate / Data not supported by this channel rate:
Go to Distribution > Channels.
Click on the ellipsis button (three dots button) next to the channel name.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
Click on an existing channel rate > click Configure.
Supported inventory types will show in blue under the heading Data supported by this channel rate.
Inventory types not supported will show in grey under the heading Data not supported by this channel rate. These inventory types are not supported and cannot be sent to the channel. Manage those settings directly in the channel’s extranet.
Why some data is not supported
Different channels and channel rates support different inventory data (rates, availability, restrictions). Some rate types such as package, derived, and linked rates do not support any inventory updates because they inherit pricing and restrictions from a main rate managed by the channel.
Data is not supported but you need it supported
If the data (rates, availability, restrictions) is not supported by the channel rate and you are not sure why or need the data to be supported, contact the channel's (OTA) support team directly.
The channel now supports a rate that previously showed a dash
If a rate previously showed a dash (-) and the channel's configuration has since changed to support rate updates, re-save the mapping so Little Hotelier picks up the change.
Go to Distribution > Channels.
Click the ellipsis button (three dots) next to the channel name.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
Open the affected channel rate and re-save the mapping.
Note: re-saving only applies the channel's configuration change. Continue to enter rate updates in your inventory grid usual.
Why is my rate wrong or higher on the channel than in Little Hotelier?
If your rate is correct in the Inventory grid but still shows wrong or higher on the channel, check the settings that can change the final price:
Minimum rate: a minimum rate lifts any price below it, including derived rates, so your channel price can be higher than expected. It can be set at three levels (property, rate plan, and room rate), and the most specific level that is set applies: the room rate’s minimum if set, otherwise the rate plan’s, otherwise the property’s. A rate plan or room rate minimum must be higher than the property minimum. Check it in Setup > Property settings > General information > Inventory, and rate-plan or room-rate minimums in Rooms and rates > Rate plans under Pricing details.
Rate multiplier: a multiplier set below or above 1 lowers or raises your price. Check Distribution > Channels > [channel] > Update channel settings.
Rate adjustments: check Distribution > Channels > [channel] > Edit room rates mapping > [rate] > Configure > Rate setup for Adjust daily rates by or Advanced rate configuration.
Currency conversion: check the currency conversion setting and the channel’s currency are not causing the difference. Make sure the channel’s currency matches your Little Hotelier currency. If they differ, use Currency conversion and confirm the conversion in Channel settings reflects the channel’s currency.
Taxes: check whether any taxes are applied.
Rate derivation: if the rate is derived from another rate, check the derivation settings in Rooms and rates > Rate plans (rate plans or room rates), Edit room rates mapping > [rate] > Configure (channel rates), or Direct Booking > Rates (direct booking rates).
Channel promotions: check for promotional discounts in the channel extranet. If the extranet matches Little Hotelier but the public site differs, the channel may be applying its own promotions.
Cached data: clear your browser cache and cookies in case cached data is hiding the update.
Why is availability lower than expected or dates are closed?
If availability is lower than expected or dates are closed on the channel, check the following:
Restrictions in the Inventory grid: check Stop sell, Close to arrivals, Close to departures, Min. length of stay, and Max. length of stay for the affected dates.
Yield rules: go to Distribution > Yield rules and check for active rules covering the affected dates, room types, or channels. A yield rule can reduce availability or apply a stop sell to selected channels when its threshold is reached.
Release period: if a stop sell appears to have been applied automatically, check the room rate’s and rate plan’s release period. Go to Rooms and rates > Rate plans, expand the rate plan, select the affected room, click Edit, and review Release period. A populated release period can cause the stop sell. If it is empty, continue checking yield rules and manual restrictions.
Auto-replenishment: auto-replenishment restores availability after a reservation is cancelled or modified. Because your Little Hotelier calendar controls availability, keeping auto-replenishment enabled risks mismatches and overbooking. Go to Setup > Property settings > General information > Inventory and confirm Auto-replenishment is disabled.
💡 Availability can take up to five minutes to update across your channels. To prevent double bookings, you can set up an automatic closure yield rule to apply a stop sell when your room availability reaches 1.
Check the update period
If inventory (ARI) is not showing on channels for dates far in the future, check whether the update period is set high enough. The update period is the maximum number of days in advance inventory is sent to your connected channels.
To check each channel’s maximum update period:
Go to Distribution > Channels.
In the My channels view, check the maximum update period shown for each connected channel.
To check or update your property update period:
Go to Setup > Property settings > General information.
Click the pencil (edit) icon for Inventory.
Review the Update period setting and increase it if needed.
Check for channel connection issues
Check your Dashboard > Property status for alerts about connection issues:
Channels experiencing delayed updates: updates may take longer to sync.
Channel connections interrupted: this could indicate a sync issue, a disabled channel, or a performance issue, such as an unexpected incident or scheduled maintenance.
Disabled channel room rates: these rates are not receiving updates.
If you see one of these alerts, the issue may be on the channel’s side. Check whether you have received a notification from Little Hotelier about the issue, or check with the channel directly.
Connection issues can usually be resolved by waiting until the system processes the backlog, but persistent problems may require refreshing your mapping.
💡 Allow 15 to 30 minutes for sync after updating rates, availability, or restrictions (stop sell, min. and max. length of stay, close to arrivals, and close to departures) before comparing values.
Stop sells are not working on the channel
If a room is still bookable on the channel even though you have applied a stop sell, check the following:
Verify the stop sell appears in your Inventory grid.
Check whether the channel rate supports stop sell updates from Little Hotelier, under Data supported by this channel rate in the channel rate configuration.
Check the channel’s extranet for any settings that might override your stop sell.
You received a reservation despite zero availability
⚠️ If you receive a reservation even though availability should be closed or restricted, this can be caused by a disabled or unmapped rate. If no updates are being sent, the channel retains the last availability it received and can continue accepting bookings. It may also occur if your platform was sending zero availability but the channel accepted the booking regardless.
If you receive a reservation even though Little Hotelier was sending zero availability to a channel:
If the booking was accepted by a connected channel or OTA (for example, Booking.com or Expedia), contact that channel to investigate why the booking was accepted at zero availability. To support the investigation, contact our support team for the XML log of the inventory updates Little Hotelier sent to the channel, then share that log with the channel as evidence of the availability sent.
The channel does not provide this log. Little Hotelier holds the record of what was sent to the channel, so Little Hotelier provides the XML log for the channel to investigate.
If the channel (OTA) is requesting an XML log of the inventory updates (ARI: availability, rates, and restrictions) sent from Little Hotelier to the channel, contact us. Our support team can provide this XML log for you.
Why is the price different on the channel’s public website?
If your rate is different on the channel’s public booking website from the rate you set in Little Hotelier, check the channel extranet first to confirm whether prices match Little Hotelier:
Compare your Little Hotelier rates against the channel extranet. If the rate differs between Little Hotelier and the channel extranet, it is a sync or mapping issue. Continue working through the mapping checks in this article.
If the extranet matches Little Hotelier but the public website differs, the difference is controlled by the channel, for example member deals, mobile discounts, or wholesale sourcing.
⚠️ If the difference is only between the extranet and the booking site, contact the channel’s support team directly to investigate. Common reasons the public booking site may show a lower or different price include promotions controlled by the channel.
Ask the channel to check channel-side settings and overrides
If your values are correct in Little Hotelier but still wrong on the channel, ask the channel to confirm whether any channel-side setting is affecting the result, including:
Room-level restrictions or stop sells in the channel extranet.
Rate-plan book and stay validity dates in the channel extranet.
Minimum or maximum price thresholds in the channel extranet.
Guaranteed allotments or other channel-controlled inventory rules in the channel extranet.
Auto-replenishment in the channel extranet.
Inventory still not syncing after troubleshooting?
There is no built-in feature to manually push or repush inventory to channels. Inventory updates (rates, availability, and restrictions) are sent to channels automatically. A manual push or re-sync will not resolve the issue unless the underlying root cause is identified and fixed.
You can also try disconnecting and re-mapping a newly mapped rate however note that disconnecting a mapped rate permanently deletes its update and connection history log.
⚠️ After disconnecting, this history cannot be recovered, so only do this for newly mapped rates. Do not disconnect disabled rates that have been previously mapped and established.
If a channel or OTA such as Booking.com, Expedia, or Hotelbeds asks you to refresh or re-sync availability, rates, or restrictions, work through the checks in this article first. A push or re-sync from your PMS, RMS, or CRS will not resend inventory to the channel. The channel rate must also support that inventory type for SiteMinder to send it, which you can check under Data supported by this channel rate. If it is not supported, manage it directly in the channel's extranet.
If you have worked through all the troubleshooting steps above and a rate still fails to sync, contact our support team to request a manual push to the channel. Provide:
The room type affected (if all, just give an example of one)
The room rate affected (if all, just give an example of one)
Stay date (example of one)
The value that is displayed
The correct value