CRS tax configuration guide
The CRS provides comprehensive tax and fee calculation settings that apply during the guest booking process. These configurations calculate taxes for channels that use real-time CRS availability, including CRS booking engine, voice application, GDS and custom APIs.
⚠️Important: Extranet or push channels and PMS systems do not read CRS tax configurations. These systems require separate tax setup to control how taxes are applied through those channels. Refer to channel-specific documentation for individual integration requirements.
Tax assignment hierarchy
Taxes can be assigned at multiple levels with different application logic.
Property level this is the default: Applied to all rates and add-ons by default.
Rate code level: Replaces property default tax for specific rate codes.
Add-on level: Replaces property default tax for specific add-ons.
Room type level: Applies in addition to property or rate code taxes.
Creating taxes and fees
Follow the steps below to add a new tax.
Go to Property Description.
Go to Taxes.
Click Create New tab.
Enter the name of the tax being added.
Select rounding rule from the dropdown for total tax items within this tax:
Rounding down.
Rounding up.
Rounding half up.
Check if this tax should be the default for all transactions.
Click Add to create the tax structure, you are now ready to add tax items to the tax.
Add tax items to the tax
Tax items are the individual calculations within a tax structure. Follow the steps below to add a new tax item to a tax.
Go to Property Description.
Go to Tax.
Select Tax Item tab.
Select from the dropdown the tax you want to add items to.
Click Add New Tax Item.
Tax item name, select from dropdown:
Naming convention aligns with GDS requirements.
Miscellaneous tax is not supported by Worldspan, use another tax item if this tax will be applicable to any rates selling on this channel.
Goods and services option has a separate workflow outlined below.
Amount or rate:
Enter calculation value.
Choose from dropdown if this is a percentage or flat amount.
Based on: Select the calculation method:
Per person per night - Charges each person for each night.
Per person per stay - Charges each person once for entire stay.
Per room per night - Charges each room for each night.
Per room per stay - Charges each room once for entire stay.
Per stay - Single charge for entire stay regardless of occupancy.
Charge base: Relationship to other tax items:
Independent - Calculate on base price ignoring other taxes.
Compound - Calculate on top of previously calculated taxes based on sort order.
Optional tax item settings:
Inclusive: Check if tax is already included in the rate or add-on price in the CRS.
Rate breakdown still displays the tax calculation even though it is already included in the configured pricing.
Used in regions requiring tax-inclusive pricing display.
Actual fee: Check to separate this item from taxes and apply as fee only.
Total tax = items without actual fee checked.
Total fee = items with actual fee checked.
Add to rate display amount: Adds amount to initial rate display in CRS booking engine.
Only works for non-inclusive, per-night tax items.
Amount displays in calendar and availability screens where the full pricing with taxes and fees are not already shown for compliance.
Reservation still posts with separate rate and tax line items.
Maximum stay: Available for per-night calculations in jurisdictions that cap tax after set number of nights.
Not applicable to add-ons.
Complimentary rate handling: Options based on calculation rate chosen:
Percentage taxes: Apply on comp rate amount - check box option.
Flat amount taxes: Exclude complimentary night - check box option.
Sorting: Order of tax item application within the tax structure.
Exclude from deposit: Prevents tax from being included in deposit policy calculations.
Date range: Begin and end dates for tax application.
Enables advance planning for tax changes.
Click Add.
Variable taxation (GST)
For regions requiring different tax rates based on room price for example India, use the goods and services tax item type. This setting applies tax based on each night's rate individually unlike other taxes that use arrival date and applies it to all dates.
Add a GST tax item to a tax
Follow the steps below to add a GST tax item to a tax.
Go to Property Description.
Go to Tax.
Select Tax Item tab.
Select from the dropdown the tax you want to add items to.
Click Add New Tax Item.
Tax item name: Select goods and services (GST) from the dropdown.
Skip amount or rate as you will enter them for each pricing band in a further step.
Based on: Select calculation method:
Per person per night - Charges each person for each night.
Per person per stay - Charges each person once for entire stay.
Per room per night - Charges each room for each night.
Per room per stay - Charges each room once for entire stay.
Per stay - Single charge for entire stay regardless of occupancy.
Check the amount or rate box to open up the fields or input taxable amount ranges:
Enter the lower and upper pricing to set bands or ranges as required for your region.
Enter the tax rate.
Choose if this is a percent or amount calculation from the dropdown.
System validates no gaps exist in taxable value ranges.
Validation: System returns error if gaps exist in taxable value ranges to ensure all rates have appropriate tax applied.
Charge base: Only Independent available with this setting.
Optional tax item settings:
Actual fee: Check to separate this item from taxes and apply as fee only .
Total tax = items without actual fee checked.
Total fee = items with actual fee checked.
Add to rate display amount: Adds amount to initial rate display in CRS booking engine.
Only works for non-inclusive, per-night tax items.
Amount displays in calendar and availability screens where the full pricing with taxes and fees are not already shown for compliance.
Reservation still posts with separate rate and tax line items.
Maximum stay: Available for per-night calculations in jurisdictions that cap tax after set number of nights.
Not applicable to add-ons.
Apply on comp rate amount check box to exclude this tax option.
Sorting: Order of tax item application within the tax structure.
Exclude from deposit: Prevents tax from being included in deposit policy calculations.
Date range: Begin and end dates for tax application (enables advance planning for tax changes).
Click Add.
Tax assignment
Create a rate code level tax assignment with the steps outlined below.
For rates requiring different taxation than property default.
Go to Property Description.
Go to Tax.
Go to Assign to Rate Code tab.
Choose the tax from the dropdown to apply to the rate code or codes.
Choose the rate category from the dropdown to filter the rate codes.
Click in the Rate Code field to choose a rate or multiple rates.
Date range: Begin and end dates for tax application (enables advance planning for tax changes).
Click Create New
Room type level tax assignment
For rooms requiring additional taxes beyond property or rate defaults. The CRS applies this tax in addition to property default or rate-specific taxes. Often used for resort fees or country-specific room type taxation.
Create a room type level tax assignment
Follow the steps below to create a room type level tax assignment.
Go to Property Description.
Go to Tax.
Go to Assign to Room Type tab:
Check Include Closed Room Types to assign taxes to those if they will be brought online later.
Click in the Room Type field to choose a room or multiple rooms.
Date range: Begin and end dates for tax application (enables advance planning for tax changes).
Click Create New.
CRS booking engine additional display options
This can be configured by the support team if you do not have access to the client manager menu.
Choose one of these options:
Display as defined: Shows taxes as configured either inclusive or exclusive this is the default setting.
Display tax inclusive: Forces all rates to show tax-inclusive regardless of configuration.
Display tax exclusive: Forces all rates to show tax-exclusive regardless of configuration.
Common use cases for taxes in the CRS
Outlined below are common use cases for taxes in the CRS.
Fee transparency: Configure as part of your tax items with the add to rate display feature as designed to show non-tax related fees with the price.
City occupancy tax: Use per-person per-night calculation with maximum stay limits where applicable.
Tax-exempt rates: Create zero-calculation taxes and assign to specific rate codes.
⚠️Important: Changes to existing taxes only affect future reservations, not current or past bookings.