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Transaction messages send data about rooms, prices, and packages to Google.
There are two primary types of Transaction messages:
Itinerary data: Define Room Bundle and itinerary data including:
Hotel prices and inventory: Set the minimum price for an itinerary that
meets certain requirements. For more information, see
Updating Prices.
You can also remove a room from inventory. For more information, see
Remove inventory.
Room Bundles: Set the itinerary prices for a combination of a physical
room and a package of additional services. For more information,
Room Bundles.
Google caches the contents of your Transaction messages so that the prices
are available at all times. In some cases, Google determines that the values
in its cache are not up to date, so it might send additional <Query>
messages (or in some cases, Live Pricing Queries)
to get updated prices. This data typically changes very frequently. To
define pricing and availability of Transaction messages, use <Result>.
Room and package metadata: Specifies details about rooms and packages,
such as a descriptions, photos, and maximum occupancy. This data does not
change very often. To define metadata Transaction messages, use
<PropertyDataSet>. Google stores this metadata so that you can refer to it
from your pricing messages rather than include repetitive information about
rooms and packages in every one. For more information, see
Define room and package metadata.
The root element of a Transaction message is <Transaction>. Messages that use
the <Transaction> element as the root element require at least one of the
child elements. Transaction messages can have any number of child elements, as
long as the total message size does not exceed 100MB.
Regardless of your delivery mode, Google might also send you requests known as
Live pricing queries. These Query messages seek prices in response to a
current search. If you respond within the specified timeframe which is
usually a few hundred milliseconds, then your ad can appear in the auction.
Your results can also better match the customer, including their country and
device type, and the number of guests they specified. For more information, see
Live pricing queries.
Message size
You can include any combination of data updates in a single Transaction message,
but there is a 100MB limit on the size of each message. Typically, all Pull and
Hint Requests have a response time limit of 100 seconds. The timeout is a
configurable field adjustable by Google as requested. Google recommends that you
set the time-out to 10 minutes for very large messages.
To greatly reduce message size and potentially avoid issues with message
sizes and time-outs, use Transaction messages to pre-define your
room and package metadata.
You can also add GNU zipped content to messages by adding
Content-Encoding: gzip to the message headers.
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Last updated 2025-06-05 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-06-05 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eTransaction messages relay data about rooms, prices, and packages to Google, encompassing itinerary details (like pricing and inventory) and room/package metadata (descriptions, photos, etc.).\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThese messages are delivered via Pull or Changed Pricing modes, with Google occasionally requesting live pricing for real-time search results (except for EEA users due to the new search experience).\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTransaction messages can combine various data updates, but they're limited to 100MB; pre-defining room/package metadata and using gzip compression can help manage size.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eGoogle might request updated pricing through additional Query or Live Pricing Queries if its cached data is deemed outdated, ensuring accurate information is displayed.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen defining pricing and availability within Transaction messages, either \u003ccode\u003e<AllowablePackageIDs>\u003c/code\u003e or \u003ccode\u003e<AllowableRoomIDs>\u003c/code\u003e should be used, but not both, to specify room type and rate plan combinations.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Overview of Transaction messages\n\nTransaction messages send data about rooms, prices, and packages to Google.\nThere are two primary types of Transaction messages:\n\n1. **Itinerary data**: Define Room Bundle and itinerary data including:\n\n - *Hotel prices and inventory* : Set the minimum price for an itinerary that\n meets certain requirements. For more information, see\n [Updating Prices](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/updating-prices).\n You can also remove a room from inventory. For more information, see\n [Remove inventory](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/removing-inventory).\n\n - *Room Bundles* : Set the itinerary prices for a combination of a physical\n room and a package of additional services. For more information,\n [Room Bundles](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/room-bundles).\n Google caches the contents of your Transaction messages so that the prices\n are available at all times. In some cases, Google determines that the values\n in its cache are not up to date, so it might send additional [`\u003cQuery\u003e`](../xml-reference/queries#Query)\n messages (or in some cases, [Live Pricing Queries](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/query-messages#live_pricing_queries))\n to get updated prices. This data typically changes very frequently. To\n define pricing and availability of Transaction messages, use [`\u003cResult\u003e`](../xml-reference/transaction-messages#Result).\n\n2. **Room and package metadata** : Specifies details about rooms and packages,\n such as a descriptions, photos, and maximum occupancy. This data does not\n change very often. To define metadata Transaction messages, use\n [`\u003cPropertyDataSet\u003e`](../xml-reference/transaction-messages#PropertyDataSet). Google stores this metadata so that you can refer to it\n from your pricing messages rather than include repetitive information about\n rooms and packages in every one. For more information, see\n [Define room and package metadata](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/room-bundles#metadata).\n\nThe root element of a Transaction message is [`\u003cTransaction\u003e`](../xml-reference/transaction-messages#Transaction). Messages that use\nthe `\u003cTransaction\u003e` element as the root element require at least one of the\nchild elements. Transaction messages can have any number of child elements, as\nlong as the total message size does not exceed 100MB.\n| **Key Point:** Use either `\u003cAllowablePackageIDs\u003e` or `\u003cAllowableRoomIDs\u003e`, but not both. If neither of these elements are defined in the Transaction message, room types can be combined with any rate plan.\n\nFor examples of Transaction messages responding to requests by Google, see\n[Pricing \\& Room Inventory (Transactions) XML Reference](/hotels/hotel-prices/xml-reference/transaction-messages).\n\nDelivery modes\n--------------\n\nThe type and frequency with which you send Transaction messages depends on your\ndelivery mode:\n\n- For the Pull delivery mode, you send Transaction messages when you receive a [`\u003cQuery\u003e`](../xml-reference/queries#Query) from Google.\n- For the Changed Pricing delivery mode, you send a Transaction message after receiving and responding to a [`\u003cHintRequest\u003e`](../xml-reference/queries#hintrequest) and `\u003cQuery\u003e`.\n\nFor more information, see [Pricing Delivery modes](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/delivery-mode).\n\nLive pricing queries\n--------------------\n\nRegardless of your delivery mode, Google might also send you requests known as\n*Live pricing queries* . These Query messages seek prices in response to a\n*current* search. If you respond within the specified timeframe which is\nusually a few hundred milliseconds, then your ad can appear in the auction.\nYour results can also better match the customer, including their country and\ndevice type, and the number of guests they specified. For more information, see\n[Live pricing queries](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/query-messages#live_pricing_queries).\n| **Key Point:** Due to the [New Search experience](/search/blog/2024/02/search-experiences-in-eea), Live Query has limited availability for EEA users.\n\nMessage size\n------------\n\nYou can include any combination of data updates in a single Transaction message,\nbut there is a 100MB limit on the size of each message. Typically, all Pull and\nHint Requests have a response time limit of 100 seconds. The timeout is a\nconfigurable field adjustable by Google as requested. Google recommends that you\nset the time-out to 10 minutes for very large messages.\n\nTo greatly reduce message size and potentially avoid issues with message\nsizes and time-outs, use Transaction messages to pre-define your\n[room and package metadata](/hotels/hotel-prices/dev-guide/room-bundles#metadata).\nYou can also add GNU zipped content to messages by adding\n`Content-Encoding: gzip` to the message headers."]]