Pax365 is a booking and fleet management system for tour and activity operators, built by Dublin software firm Odin Consultants and used mainly by Irish owner-operators and small coach and tour fleets. It handles tour scheduling, driver and guide assignment, vehicle compliance records, payments and reseller access from one back office.
Connecting Pax365 to Ventrata lets you resell products from operators that use Pax365 as their booking system. Ventrata reads their live availability and prices from Pax365, and every booking you take is created directly in the operator's Pax365 account.
To learn more about Pax365, visit pax365.com.
Primary website | |
Tags | Custom / Proprietary Operator System |
Connection features | Availability Sync · Pricing Sync · Bookings Sync |
Developed by | Ventrata (using Pax365 OCTO API) |
This operator connection (also called a backend) lets you resell products from operators that use Pax365 as their primary booking system, with every booking created directly in Pax365. Features of this connection include:
Availability Sync – live availability comes from the operator's Pax365 account.
Pricing Sync – prices come from Pax365, or you set prices in Ventrata.
Bookings Sync – bookings, updates and cancellations post from Ventrata to Pax365, and Pax365 issues the tickets or vouchers.
Creating the Pax365 Connection
🔐 Required Role Permissions: See Operators, Modify Operators, See Products, Modify Products
Before you begin:
You must have a commercial agreement with the operator for their rates and terms.
You must have the OCTO API Key for the operator. See the steps below.
You must recreate the operator's products in Ventrata. See how to create products. The connection syncs availability, pricing and bookings, but doesn't create products in Ventrata.
Step 1: Configure the Operator in Ventrata
Your operator gets it from their Pax365 contact. This is currently a manual process that needs help from the Pax365 team.
In the Ventrata Dashboard, go to Products → Operators and open the operator. If they don't exist yet, create them as an operator first.
In the Backend Partner section, select Pax365 and enter the OCTO API Key. Leave the endpoint as the default unless Pax365 or your operator tells you otherwise.
Leave the OCTO Endpoint field with its pre-filled default unless your operator instructs otherwise.
Press Update Operator.
📒 NOTE – Each OCTO API Key connects you to one operator. Set up each Pax365 operator separately.
Step 2: Connect Each Product
Open the operator's product in Products → Products and edit it. Check that Operator is set to this operator.
Tick Backend Connected. Tick Backend Availability to use availability from Pax365, and Backend Pricing to use prices from Pax365.
Press Update Product.
📒 NOTE
Pax365 sends retail prices only. With Backend Pricing ticked, Ventrata records the retail price and calculates your net (cost) price using the cost percentage set on the operator in the Ventrata Dashboard.
Check Backend Connected, then Backend Availability to pull availability and Backend Pricing to pull pricing.
Without Backend Availability and/or Backend Pricing, the product uses the availability and/or pricing set in Ventrata but still posts bookings to Pax365.
Mapping Products to Pax365
‼️ IMPORTANT
Mapping tells Ventrata which Pax365 product, option and units to check availability for and book. If a backend-connected product isn't mapped correctly, its bookings fail. A red highlight across the product row shows an incorrectly mapped product.
In the Ventrata Dashboard, go to Products → Products and open the product.
Open the Mappings tab. It appears once the product is set to Backend Connected.
For each Ventrata option and unit, select the matching Pax365 product, option and units from the dropdowns, which Ventrata loads from Pax365. Don't leave any field empty.
Press Save Changes.
📗 TIP
Make a test booking after mapping, and ask the operator to confirm it arrived in their Pax365 account.
Managing the Pax365 Connection
Update the mapping when the operator changes products, options or units in Pax365.
Replace the key on the operator if Pax365 or the operator issues a new one.
Switch Backend Availability or Backend Pricing off on a product to use Ventrata's own availability or prices instead. Bookings still post to Pax365.
Connection Features Detailed
This section is for anyone who wants to know exactly how the Pax365 connection works. Here the direction is the opposite of a reseller connection: Ventrata calls Pax365, using Pax365 OCTO API. For each feature, it explains which calls Ventrata makes, when, and what that means for you.
In short: Ventrata asks Pax365 for availability and prices whenever someone looks at a backend-connected product, and creates every booking in the operator's Pax365 account. Pax365 doesn't send changes back to Ventrata.
Timings are typical for Pax365 and rounded, and they can change.
Product Mapping | ✅ |
You map each Ventrata product, option and unit to the operator's Pax365 product in the Ventrata Dashboard. This works as follows:
What this means for you: if something is missing from the dropdown, the operator hasn't made it available to you in Pax365. Ask them to. |
Content Sync | ❌ |
Ventrata doesn't import product content from Pax365. Ventrata doesn't import product content from Pax365. You create and describe the products in Ventrata yourself. |
Availability Sync | ✅ |
With Backend Availability on, Ventrata checks the operator's live availability in Pax365. This works as follows:
Typically with Pax365:
What this means for you: customers book against the operator's live Pax365 availability, so you can't oversell a slot the operator has already sold elsewhere. |
Pricing Sync | ✅ |
With Backend Pricing on, Ventrata takes prices from Pax365. This works as follows:
Pax365 sends retail prices only. With Backend Pricing ticked, Ventrata records the retail price and calculates your net (cost) price using the cost percentage set on the operator in the Ventrata Dashboard. |
Promotions Sync | ❌ |
Promotions aren't sent to Pax365. Promotions aren't sent to Pax365. Your Ventrata promotions still apply to the price your customer pays in Ventrata. |
Bookings Sync | ✅ |
Bookings made in Ventrata for a backend-connected product are created in the operator's Pax365 account. This works as follows:
Reserve when a product is added to the cart. Confirm after payment, with customer contact information. Pax365 does not provide any voucher/ticket back to Ventrata, so Ventrata-generated values are used for the booking. Updates and cancellations are sent to Pax365 by API.
‼️ IMPORTANT – Bookings sync one way, from Ventrata to Pax365. If the operator changes or cancels a booking in Pax365, Ventrata isn't notified. Ask the operator to tell you about any changes they make. |
Pickups/Dropoff Sync | ❌ |
Pickup and drop-off details aren't passed to Pax365. Pickup and drop-off details aren't passed to Pax365. Share them with the operator another way if a product needs them. |
Custom Questions Sync | ❌ |
Answers to your booking questions aren't passed to Pax365. Answers to your booking questions aren't passed to Pax365. Share them with the operator another way if they need them. |
Extras Sync | ❌ |
Extras and add-ons aren't booked in Pax365. Extras and add-ons aren't booked in Pax365. Only the main product, option and units are. |
Redemption Sync | ❌ |
Redemptions and other status changes in Pax365 aren't sent back to Ventrata after a booking is confirmed. Redemptions and other status changes in Pax365 aren't sent back to Ventrata after a booking is confirmed. Not supported. Booking status from Pax365 (for example Redeemed) is not communicated back to Ventrata. |
Pass Walkup Scanning Sync | ❌ |
Pass walk-up scanning isn't available with Pax365. Pass walk-up scanning isn't available with Pax365. |
Gift Card Sync | ❌ |
Ventrata gift cards aren't passed to Pax365. Ventrata gift cards aren't passed to Pax365. Gift card payments stay in Ventrata. |
✅ supported · ❌ not supported
Good to know: limits and details of the Pax365 connection
Good to know: limits and details of the Pax365 connection
Live availability: availability comes from Pax365 as people browse.
One-way bookings: changes the operator makes in Pax365 don't reach Ventrata.
FAQs
I get an error when I save the operator's backend configuration.
I get an error when I save the operator's backend configuration.
The OCTO API Key or endpoint is most likely incorrect. Check them with your operator. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
There's no Backend Connected box in the product settings.
There's no Backend Connected box in the product settings.
The operator set on the product most likely doesn't have a backend configured. Check the operator's Backend Partner settings and try again. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
The product, option or unit I want to map isn't in the dropdown.
The product, option or unit I want to map isn't in the dropdown.
The dropdowns list what the operator has made available to you in Pax365. Ask the operator. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
Bookings fail for a backend-connected product.
Bookings fail for a backend-connected product.
Check the product's mapping first: every option and unit must be mapped. Then check that the slot is still available in Pax365. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
Error when updating the operator to save the backend configuration.
Error when updating the operator to save the backend configuration.
The OCTO API Key or OCTO Endpoint is likely incorrect. Double-check them with your operator. If the issue persists, contact support.
The product/option/unit I want to map is not in the dropdown.
The product/option/unit I want to map is not in the dropdown.
The dropdown is pulled from Pax365 based on the products, options and units your operator made available to you. Double-check with your operator. If the issue persists, contact support.
Useful Resources
📚 More about Ventrata connections
Partner Information
The Digital Depot (Odin)
Thomas Street West, The Digital Hub
Dublin D08 TCV4, Ireland
Ventrata Partner ID: ee8bb38c-1dcd-4703-a24e-1d1ce781cbd5