The awkward part of an agency's quarter-end is often the last few bookings: a direct reservation missing from the export, a cancelled stay still showing a levy, or a payment that belongs to another owner's flat. A correct percentage does not resolve any of those.
Start with the scope of the return. Then work through the bookings that need an explanation.
Give every property an owner and a council
Create a managed client for each owner you act for and attach their properties to that client. Check the council area on each property. A portfolio can cross council boundaries even when the booking channels and property manager are the same.
Keep a small control list alongside the work:
| Client | Property | Council | Booking sources | Return owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner A | Flat 1 | Edinburgh | Airbnb and direct | Named team member |
| Owner B | Cottage 2 | Fife | Booking.com | Named team member |
These are illustrative entries, not customer records. The Fife property belongs on the planning list while its levy remains a proposal; it should not acquire an Edinburgh liability just because it shares a manager.
Use the council pages to distinguish an operating scheme from a future approved scheme or consultation. The workspace supports council-specific records, but live calculations are available only for schemes enabled in the calculator. A proposed rate is not a filing rule.
Import by property, then check the mapping
Export reservation-level records from each booking source. When a PMS export already includes Airbnb bookings, adding the same Airbnb export can create duplicates. Decide which file is the primary record for that property and use other files as evidence where appropriate.
At the mapping step, check the amounts as carefully as the dates. Accommodation revenue, total charged to the guest and cash paid to the owner are different numbers. A familiar-looking heading does not make a column suitable for the levy base.
Visitor Levy Calculator suggests mappings for Airbnb, Booking.com and PMS exports. You confirm them before importing. This is a file-import workflow; it does not depend on a live connection to your booking account.
Review differences while the booking is still identifiable
Work through the exceptions with the source record open. For each difference, establish whether the problem is the imported data, a platform calculation, or an assumption requiring review.
A useful note says: “The export includes a £40 optional breakfast charge; invoice checked and accommodation corrected.” A note saying “fixed” will not help the next person.
Commission needs the same care. Do not turn an owner payout into accommodation revenue by guesswork. The Edinburgh commission guide explains the two guidance treatments and how to record a comparison.
Hand over one client's figures at a time
Before exporting, check the selected client, council and reporting period. Keep the booking schedule with the totals so the reviewer can trace an amount back to its source. Use the readiness checks to find unresolved items before the handover.
Agree who will submit and who will pay. The product prepares figures and evidence; the responsible provider or authorised agent completes the official filing. Record the submission reference and payment reference separately once each action is complete.
Choose a tool around the work you actually repeat
A free calculator may be enough for a small number of straightforward bookings. If the same team repeatedly combines files, investigates discrepancies and prepares separate client packs, those are the steps worth evaluating in software.
Try a completed period for one property first. Compare the imported bookings and exported working with your existing records. Then add the next client once the mapping and review process are clear.
See the letting-agent workflow, CSV import guide and current pricing.