Changeover guide
Moving a holiday-let cleaning diary from a spreadsheet
Start with a small group of properties and future stays, verify the dates, then invite owners to send updates through a consistent route.
The short answer
Do not switch a whole portfolio at once. Choose representative properties, clean the property list, import future bookings with their sources, and compare the new diary with the spreadsheet before relying on it for daily work.
01
Prepare the source
Create one row per property with a clear owner contact and identify the spreadsheet that currently controls future bookings. Check date formats, duplicated stays and notes that mix cleaning instructions with guest details. Keep a copy of the original export for reconciliation.
- Agree which spreadsheet is the latest version.
- Separate property names that are similar or have changed.
- Identify bookings that are provisional or already cancelled.
02
Pilot a small set of real properties
Use a handful of properties with different booking patterns: a busy property, one with same-day turns and one whose owner sends files or messages. Compare every upcoming departure with the source spreadsheet. Resolve uncertain rows rather than guessing what they mean.
- Verify the next seven days first.
- Compare counts and dates across the pilot period.
- Record any correction and why it was needed.
03
Switch the incoming updates
Give each pilot owner a private submission route and explain where later changes should go. If booking email or an optional iCal feed is used, make clear which source the office will check first when two dates disagree. Keep the old spreadsheet available as a reference until the team has completed a full booking cycle with the new diary.
Worked example · illustrative
Illustrative migration check
What arrives
The spreadsheet shows Harbour House departing on 19 September. A newer owner email says 20 September.
What the office does
Import the booking with both sources visible and hold the conflicting departure for review. The office confirms the correct date before the new diary becomes the team's working schedule.