Integrating: How does it all come together?

i-Reserve offers various integration options ranging from accessing the online reservation system on your own website (via API) to creating an alias. We will discuss this in more detail in the final blog post of this four-part series. Be sure to also check out our references to see how our system has been implemented at a number of our clients. Would you like to know more about our reservation system after reading this article? Then please contact us!

We have several integration options:

• i-Reserve.net subdomain (most popular)
• Alias ​​via subdomain of i-Reserve.net
• Integration into your own website via API
• Integration with plugin in your CMS via API
• Mobile app via API

Option 1: i-Reserve.net subdomain (most popular)

The fastest way to use the i-Reserve reservation system is with a subdomain. This option is the default one most of our customers choose. Simply add a "reserve" or "book now" button to your website. This button takes customers to the i-Reserve subdomain specifically configured for your business. So how does this work exactly?

On your own website, you can place all information and details about the products and/or services that customers can reserve. These could boats, meeting rooms, courses , or even tours . Next, you place a “reserve” or “book now” button with a link to the i-reserve: {company name}i-reserve. Here, customers can directly view and reserve your products and/or services. If you also have the “online payment” module via i-Reserve , they can settle their reservation directly here as well. Naturally, you can also place links on the subdomain that direct the customer back to your own website. From your own website, you can then, for example, work with so-called deep links that go directly to the calendar of a specific room, boat, or course. If you ensure that all links between the two websites work correctly, your visitor will not notice that there is another domain in between.

What's more, this subdomain can adopt the styling of your website, so customers won't realize they are landing on a different site. You can easily add your logo and custom colors yourself. Do you want to go a step further than the standard look and feel? Advanced styling is also possible. If you have knowledge of CSS and stylesheets, you can handle this yourself. However, most clients submit this request to us. After consulting with you, we will get to work.
You can use this option with any CMS system. So whether you want a reservation system for WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or one of the other CMS systems, you are always in good hands with this option. Curious how this works in practice? Be sure to check out our references. Then you can see for yourself how our clients i-Reserve have integrated

Option 2: Alias ​​via subdomain of i-Reserve.net

When you use option 1, customers usually won't realize they're being redirected to a different website because the look and feel is identical to your own. Want to take things a step further and hide the i-Reserve name from your URL? You can create an alias URL using your own domain. So how does this work exactly?

Through your own hosting provider, you can create a subdomain on your own URL. For example: reserveren.{yoururl.nl}. This subdomain must then be redirected to the i-Reserve subdomain where your reservation system is located. This can be done via a CNAME. You can then provide us with the subdomain you created, and we will ensure it can be used as an alias. It's important that the subdomain you create has an SSL certificate. This creates a secure layer between the server and the browser, protecting data. If you have a system administrator or some expertise, this option is also very easy to implement.

Option 3: Integration into your own website via API

i i-Reserve includes a widget that you can use on your own website. An example of the widget can be found in the meeting rooms demo. The widget is easy to use by creating it in the i-Reserve environment. Next, you authorize your website in the Content Security Policy and add a rule to the header and another to the body of your website. The widget allows customers to make reservations without leaving your website, which you can then process in the i-Reserve environment.

Option 4: iFrames

It is possible to include the client pages of the i-Reserve environment on your own website by using iFrames. iFrames can be used to embed a web page within another web page. In this way, the client pages of the i-Reserve environment can be placed on the pages of your own website. You can find more information about what iFrames are and how they work on this page of w3schools.

The use of iFrames is not recommended due to the drawbacks associated with the responsiveness of pages within them and the security implications they introduce. Other integration options are generally preferred.

Option 5: Integration into your own website via API

Do you prefer not to redirect your customers at all, but instead have the i-Reserve reservation system directly on your website? Then you can use an API. This allows you to place the entire reservation dialogue on your own website or extract specific data (such as a list of course dates). Or you can turn it into an app.
The API is a well-functioning solution that you can deploy, but it is technically somewhat more complex. If you have technical knowledge yourself or an in-house developer, you can get started with our available APIs. more information about the available APIs, APIs in general , and webhooks in general . If you have any questions about this option, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Option 6: Integration with plugin in your CMS (such as Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal) via API

Do you use a CMS such as WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal and do you want to install the reservation system as a plugin? This is also possible via an API. Because our reservation system is modular and tailored to each client, we do not have a single standard plugin that you can download and install. Just like in option 5, you will need to retrieve the reservation dialog or specific data from the reservation system via an API.
Just like option 5, option 6 also requires technical knowledge. If you do not have this yourself and do not have access to a developer, but would still like to get started with this, please contact us to discuss the possibilities. more information available regarding the APIs, APIs in general , and webhooks in general .

Option 7: Mobile application via API

Do you have a large company and process many reservations daily, perhaps even many repeat bookings? Then you might consider creating a mobile application for your reservation system. This is an expensive option, but it's very user-friendly and will pay for itself in the long run. If you employ an app developer, they can use the API to retrieve data from your reservation system and convert it into an app. If you don't have an app developer but would still like to process your reservations via an app, please contact us to discuss the possibilities.

i-Reserve reservation system as your CMS

Don't have your own website yet but want to accept online reservations? Then you can also use the i-Reserve reservation system as a CMS to set up your entire website. The i-Reserve system then becomes your website. In addition to many reservation modules, our reservation system also offers many content possibilities. With the i-Reserve CMS, you can add as much as you want using content pages, image management, menus, and SEO settings. Curious to see what this looks like? Take a look yourself at our demo sites for course reservations and room reservations.

Which integration option is right for your business?

As you can see above, we offer several options for using the reservation system. From option 1, which is technically very simple to implement, to the app in option 7. Which integration option is right for your business depends on you. What are your interests and what technical expertise do you have? Would you like to explore the possibilities together? You're always welcome to contact us.

Try i-Reserve now for 30 days

So you've seen what the i-Reserve reservation system can do, and now you're wondering how it could work for your business? Why not try i-Reserve for 30 days? You'll have the chance to explore our system using some sample data and see exactly how well it meets your needs. Try it for yourself.