realtyna inc.for example, if you map the mls bedrooms field to a wrong field, the properties...

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MLSadd-on(ForWPL)RealtynaInc.

ContentsofthismanualareapplicabletoWPLMLSaddon.Detailsofthismanualmaybedifferentbasedoncustomizationsyoumayhaveoryoursoftware.

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IntroductionThismanualcontainsinformationabouttheMLSadd-on,anextensionforWPLplugin.MLSadd-onisapowerfulextensionthatenablesrealestateWordPresswebsitestoimportproperties,agents,imagesetc.fromtheMLSserverdirectlyintotheirwebsites.ByusingtheMLSaddonofWPL,youcansyncyourwebsitewiththeMLSserverproperties.Thismeansifa new property is added on the MLS server, it will be imported into your websiteautomatically.AlsoifapropertydatawasupdatedordeletedontheMLSserver,itwillbeupdatedordeletedonyourwebsiteaswell.

SystemRequirementsTousetheMLSaddonyouwillneedthefollowing:

1- WPLPRO.(Don'tinstallanyaddononWPLbasic)2- AtleastoneMLSserveraccess.(MLSusername,passwordandloginURL)

Installation

IfyouhavetheinstallationpackageoftheMLSaddon,youcaneasilyuploaditfromthefollowingpath:WordPress->WPLdashboard->InstallAddonform.

Glossary

Belowisalistoftermsusedthroughoutthismanualandtheirmeanings.MLSServer:Awebserverusedforstoringpropertydata,propertyimagesandperhapsagentinformation.MLSaddonneedsthelogincredentialstoconnecttoMLSserverforcommunicating.MLS/RETS/IDX/VOW:Thesetermsallmean"MLSserver"asmentionedabove.NormallyyoucanusetheMLSaddonforallofthesedataservers.RETSVersion:UsedinWPLRETSlibrary.Itiscommonlyknownas"RETS/1.5".MLSResource:MLSserverscategorizethedataintoadifferentsectioncalledaresourcesection.Forsyncing/importingthepropertiestheresourceisusuallycalled"Property".Mapping:Forimporting/syncingPropertydatafromtheMLSservertoWPL,youneedtosynctheMLSdatafieldstoWPLdatafields.Thisiscalledmapping.Sampledata:HavingsampledataoftheMLSfieldscanhelpyoutounderstandwhattheMLSfieldis,andyoucanmapittothecorrectfieldofWPL.

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MLSClass:TheMLSpropertiesarecategorizedinsomesectionscalledMLSclass(Residential,Commercial,LotsandLand,Multifamilyetc.).SyncPeriod:Thedurationtimebetweeneachupdaterequest.TheMLSAddoncallsarequesttotheMLSserverforaddingnewpropertiesormodifyingexistingproperties.Youcansetitsdurationbasedondays.Query:Youcancreatevarioustypesofqueriesforimporting/syncingtheMLSpropertiestoWPL.Forexample,ifyourbrokeragespecializingincommerciallistingsorrentalproperties,youcanimport/syncthesetypesofpropertiestoyourWPL.ThereisalsoanamazinginterfaceforcreatingadvancedqueriesonthequerywizardofMLSAddonaswell.

RunningMLSAddon

Aftertheinstallation,youshouldconfiguretheMLSAddon.

AddingMLSserversToaddMLSserverspleasegotoWPL->MLSAddonmenuandclickon"+"buttonontopofpage.

- Name:Youcanaddyourdesiredname.- URL:EnterloginURLofMLSserver.- Username:YourMLSserverusername- Password:YourMLSserverpassword- AgentUsername:YourMLSAgentUsername.(IftheMLSProviderneedstothisfieldto

connectintotheirserver)- AgentPassword:YourMLSAgentPassword.(IftheMLSProviderneedstothisfieldto

connectintotheirserver)

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- UniqueField:EverypropertyonMLSserverhasauniqueid,youshouldfindthenameofuniqueidfieldinMLSfieldsandthenplaceithere.Normallyitis"ListingID".

- SampleQuery:BasedonMLSserverstructuresitcanbedifferent.

#AdvancedTab

- RETSVersion:Usuallyit’sRETS/1.5,RETS/1.7.2orRETS/1.8.TheMLSprovidermentionsthat

intheRETSinformation.- Resource:TheListingresourceintheMLSdata,that95%is“Property”.Itmeansyouwantto

receivejustlistingfromMLSdata.- ImageResource:TheImageobjectoftheMLSdata,someMLSproviderhasHighPhotoor

anotherrelevantphotoobject.TogetthehigherresolutionphotosfromtheMLS.- ExternalImage:SomeoftheproviderssupporttheCDNlinkforphotos(asExternalimage).

Itmeansthephotoswon’tdownloadonyourwebsite/host.- DownloadExternalImage:YoucandownloadthephotosfromCDNlinksinyour

host/server,ifyouselectthe‘Yes’valueofthisoption.ItisfortheMLSprovidersthatreturntheHigh-resolutionphotojustinExternalimages.

- GoogleGEOCoordinates:Ifit’senabled(Yes),itwillgeneratetheGoogleGeocodingfromtheGoogledirectly,usingthepropertyaddress.

- MLSPhotosupdate:IfIt’senabled(Yes),itwillupdatethelistingphotosineachMLSupdateprocess.

Afterfillingouttheformandclickonthesavebutton,thepagewillrefreshautomaticallytoseetheaddedMLSserver.Note:YoucanaddmanyMLSserversasmuchasyoulike.

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AfterthatyoumustchecktheconnectionandimportMLSclassesandMLSfieldsinordertomapwithWPLfields.Forthisyoucansimplyclickon"Importfields"button.

YoucanalsoupdateMLSclassesandfieldslaterifneededbyclickingon"UpdateFields"button.Note:IftheMLSAddonshowsaconnectionerrorinthisstep,checkyourlogincredentialsandinsertcorrectinformationinordertoproceedtothenextstep.WhentheMLSconnectionhasbeensuccessfullysetup,Youwillseean(i)iconintheActionscolumn.Byclickingonthat,alltheMLSobjecttypesandMLSclasseswillbeshown.

MapwithWPLClickonthe"MapwithWPL"linkorGototheWPL->MLSmappingtoseetheMappinginterfaceofWPL.SelectMLSserverandMLSclasstoseetheMLSfields.

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TheMappingfunctionalityisdesignedinawaythathelpsyoumapallthefieldseasily.NormallytherearealotoffieldsinMLSservers,thereforemappingthemonebyoneisatime-consumingprocess.So,ifyoumapanMLSfieldinaspecificMLSclass,theMLSAddonwillmapthesamefieldsontheotherMLSclassesautomatically.Thereisalsoamassautocreatefieldinthebottomofthemappingtable.Youcanselectsomefieldsandthenclickon"CreateAll"button.IfyouwanttointegratemultipleMLSServersinthewebsite,youcouldusevaluemappingfeaturebyclickingontherespectivecheckboxatthebottomofMLSMappingpopup.ItwillmapafieldforalltheMLSservers.Moreover,MLSadd-onhasafeaturetocreateMLSimportqueryautomatically.Byclickingonthat,youwillseeanewrecordintheMLSquerypagewhichcouldbemodified.ThedefaultquerywillretrievealltheactivelistingsoftherespectiveMLScategory.Importantnote:Themappingprocessisveryimportant.Wrongorincompletemappingcancreateseriousnumerousissuesonyourwebsite.Forexample,ifyoumaptheMLSbedroomsfieldtoawrongfield,thepropertieswon'tbeabletofindthebedroomsthroughWPLsearchwidget.Ifavisitorlooksfor2bedroomproperties,theWPLsearchwidgetwillsearchintheWPLbedroomsfield.Itwon'tfindtheinformationitislookingforbecausethebedroominformationofMLSpropertiesisonanotherfield.Thesameissuewillhappenforpropertylisting/propertyshowpage.Dependingonyourtheme,therearesomefixedpositionsforshowingsomebasicinformationofthepropertysuchaslisting,propertytype,price,bedrooms,rooms,bathrooms,parkingspaces,propertylocationetc.SoifyoumappedthefieldswronglyWPLwillshow0,nullorwronginformationonyourtheme.Soyoumustdothemappingverycarefully.Notethefollowingitemsduringmapping:

- MaptheMLSfieldstoexistingWPLfields.- Avoidcreatingnewfieldsusing"AutoCreate"buttonunlessreallythereisnorelatedfieldon

WPLforthosefields.- It'sbetterifyoudon'tmapthefieldswhichdon'thaveanydataonsampledata.Itcanmake

yourwebsitemessywithunnecessaryinformation.- WPL'smostimportantfieldsare:listingtype,propertytype,price,priceunit,pricetype(for

rentalproperties),listingID,bedrooms,bathrooms,rooms,view,propertydescription,builtuparea,lotarea,images,locationinformation,propertytitle(ifexists).Mapthesefieldswithcarefully.

- Selectaproperfieldtypeifyouwanttouseautocreatefeature.Forexample,youshoulduseURLfieldtypeforVirtualTourfield.

- MappingsomefieldsmayneedtobemanuallytailoredbasedoncustomizationsyoumayhaveonyourWPL,otherAddons,orthedatastructureofyourMLSserver.

ValuetoValuemappingfeatureSincewesavevaluesofaMLSfield(usingMLSLookup)inthenewversionofMLSadd-on.Youmightwanttosaveavalueonyourwebsitewithanothername.

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So,youcandefinedesiredvaluesforafieldaftermappingthat(MLSfield)tooneWPLfield(TheWPLfieldshouldbeaSelect/Featuretype).Forexample,youcanfindamappedMLSfieldinWPLFlexpage;andclickonitsEditbuttontoaddnewvalues.Nowthereisasamplefieldcalled‘AppliancesIncluded’thatisaddedasaFeaturefieldinWPL.

Asyouseeinthescreenshotabove,weadded3valuesforthisfield.NowyoucanfindtheMLSfieldthatyoualreadymappedittothisfield(Forexample:‘AppliancesIncluded’),andclickthe‘Modifymapping’linktoopentheMappingbox.

TheMappingbox:

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Youcanadddesiredvaluesforthemnow.Itmeansifyousavethismappingwiththissamplestructure,itsaves'BuiltinOven'as'Value1'toyourwebsite,orsaves'Compactor'as'Value2'.

MLSQuery(Querywizard)Afterthemappingprocess,youshouldusethe"MLSQuery"menuforimportingpropertiestoyourwebsite.YoucouldalsosyncthemtoWPLbyusingtheMLSautosyncfeature.

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Ifyouclickon"+"buttonforaddingqueryorclickonediticonofeachQuery,youwillseethebelowinterfaces.

- DefaultUser:Thepropertieswillbeassignedtothecurrentuserbydefault.Youcanselectanyuser/agentyouwantbyusingthedropdownmenu.

- Images:YoucanspecifyhowmanyimagesyouwouldliketohavedownloadedfromtheMLSserverandimportedtoWPL.Dependingonyourserverspaceandresources,youcanincreasethisparameter.Donotsetittounlimited(-1)ifyoudon'thaveastrongserver.

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- Limit:ConnectingtotheMLSserver,fetchingthedataanddownloadingimagesarearesourcetakingprocess.Onsomeserversitcancreateinternalservererrors.Wehavecreatedanoptiontodotheimport/syncactionsstepbysteptoreduceserverload.Pleasedon'tsettoahighnumber.ThisisanotherreasonwhyyoushouldhaveadedicatedserverforutilizingMLSintegrations.

- SyncPeriod:Youcansetthesyncperiodifneeded.SetittoahighernumberifyourMLSserverwon'tupdatedaily,oryou'renotsureaboutyourserverresources.Youcansetitto5days(forexample).

- Query:MLSAddonhasanamazingQueryWizard,soyoucansetthecredentialsfortheimportorsyncprocessifneeded.Pleaseleavethisemptyifyou'reuncertain.

EnablingtheQueryforsyncprocessAfteraddingthequeriesyoushouldenable/disableitforsyncprocessifneededbyclickingon"x"ortickiconon"Actions"column.

ImportYoucanclickonthe"Import"linkaftercreatingthequeryformanuallyimportingtheproperties.Afterclickingonthe"Import"link,youwillberedirecttoanewpage.Clickonthe"Start"linkforstartingtheimportprocess.Itmaytakesaseveralminutesbasedonyourserverload.

Don'trefreshthepageornavigatetootherpageswhileit'simportingthelistings.

MLSAddonsettings(SomeotherMLSfeatures)YoucanfindtheseoptionsfromWPLBackend->Settingsmenu->Globaltab->MLSAddonsection.Youwillseethefollowingfields.

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- MLSautosync:It’sanoutdatedfieldinthenewversionofMLSadd-on(since3.5.0),soitdoesn’tworkanymore.

- Clearthumbnailsafterupdating:Itremovesthumbnailimagesofalistingwheneveritupdatesonyourwebsite.

- ListTracIntegration:YouneedtoimplementListTrac(http://www.listtrac.com/)rulesonyourwebsiteforsomeMLSproviderslike(UtahMLS).So,youcanintegratethatsimplybyaddinganAPIKey/CodeprovidedbytheListTracwebsiteinthe‘ListTracCode’field.

- ImageWhiteSpaces:SometimestheMLSimageshaveawhitespaceinaroundit.Youcansetthisfieldto‘Trim’valuetoremovethewhitespaceofthat.

(WPL)MLSDisclaimerMLShasaspecificwidgetforaddingMLSDisclaimertextinListingorDetailspages.

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YoucanShow/HidetheCopyrightandLastUpdatetexts(thatareimportantitemsinMLSCompliances/Rules)inthiswidgetaswell.

MLSadd-onautosync

Aftercreatingthequeries,youneedtoaddtherelevantCommandsinyourcron-jobsystemtoruntheMLSimportprocessautomatically.Wesuggestmakingthembyatechnicalperson,youalsocanaskourteamtohelpyouinthisregard.Thefollowingcommandsarerequiredforcron-jobssystem:1.wget-O/dev/null'http://your-website.com/?rets_cron_job=1&rets_cron_job_type=offline'

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ItwillfetchalltheMLSRAWdataandstorethemintothelocaldatabase.Itcouldberuntwiceaday,andtakecareof[']thatweaddedtothiscommandforURL,itshouldbeaddedlikeImentionedabove.2.wget-O/dev/nullhttp://your-website.com/?rets_import_cron_job=1ItwilltranslateallthestoredRAWdataanddisplaytheminthewebsite.Itcouldberunevery10-15minutes.3.wget-O/dev/nullhttp://your-website.com/?rets_purge_cron_job=1Itwillpurgealltheexpiredlistings.Itshouldberunevery15minutes.