Merlin Software continues to evolve to meet the practical needs of resort teams, owners, and members.
Our September 20, 2026 general server update includes enhancements across the Name Home Page, Back Office, Front Office, Sales, Marketing and Setup. The latest changes improve visibility, reporting, booking controls, communications and day-to-day administration.
Some updates address very specific operational requirements. Others give teams more control over how Merlin handles bookings, contracts, waitlists and financial processes.
Here is what has changed and what it means for Merlin users.
Better Visibility on the Name Home Page
Designated Ownership on the NHP
Designated Ownership can now be displayed on the Name Home Page HUD. This gives staff another useful ownership detail without requiring them to navigate away from the NHP.
For teams dealing with complex ownership structures, having this information immediately visible can make it easier to understand an owner’s position and provide accurate answers when they contact the resort.
Module: Name Home Page
Improved Direct Debit Control
Find Overlapping Direct Debit Mandates
A new Overlapping filter has been added to:
BO → Actions → Direct Debit Mandates → View
Users can now identify Direct Debit Mandates with overlapping dates. Once identified, users can edit the relevant mandates to remove the overlap. This provides a clearer way to identify potential conflicts in mandate records and gives finance teams a practical tool for correcting them.
For resorts processing recurring payments across large owner databases, quickly identifying these issues can reduce manual checking and help maintain cleaner financial records.
Module: Back Office
More Control Over Promo Codes
Promo Code Validity Enhancement
Additional date options have been added to the PromoCode setup under:
Setup → Modules → Front Office → Front Office 3 → PromoCode
This gives resorts greater control over when promotional codes can be used. For properties running different promotions throughout the year, this provides more flexibility when setting up promotional periods and managing booking offers. The result is better control over promotional activity without requiring teams to manage validity periods outside Merlin.
Module: Front Office
A New Contract Flag
Contract Flag 3
A new Contract Flag 3 field has been added to:
Setup → Modules → Sales → Sales 4 → Contract Flag → Flag
It is also available on the:
NHP → Names → Sale Contracts → Normal
page.
Additional contract flags give resorts another way to categorise and identify contracts. This can be useful when teams need to distinguish contracts based on specific operational requirements, particularly where existing contract flags are already used for other purposes.
Module: Sales
More Flexibility When Uploading Reservation Requests
Reservation Request Template
We added three additional columns to the Reservation Request template. This provides more information within the upload process and gives resorts greater flexibility when bringing reservation request data into Merlin. For properties handling significant volumes of reservation requests, expanding the template can reduce the need for manual updates after an upload.
Module: Front Office
Standard Booking Charges
Charge the Occupier or Booked For
Standard Booking Charges can now be configured to charge either the Occupier or the Booked For.
The setting is available under:
Setup → Modules → Front Office → Front Office 4 → Standard Booking Charges
This gives resorts greater control over how standard booking charges are applied. That distinction can matter in vacation ownership, where the person occupying a unit is not always the same person who made the booking. By allowing the charging rule to reflect the resort’s operating model, teams can reduce manual corrections and apply charges more consistently.
Module: Setup
More Detail in Transaction Matching
Property Name and Unit Number Added
Property Name and Unit Number have been added to the Transaction Matching detail grid and export:
Back Office → Reports → Transaction Matching → Matching Detail
These additional fields give finance teams more context when reviewing transactions. Instead of relying only on transaction information, users can now see the associated property and unit details within the matching process. This can make reconciliation and investigation easier, particularly for resorts managing multiple properties or a large volume of transactions.
Module: Back Office
More Information in Member Rights Reporting
FSG and FUG Columns Added
FSG and FUG columns have been added to the Member Rights Usage report and export:
FO → Reports → Reservation Rights → Member Rights Usage
This gives users additional information when reviewing member rights usage. For teams responsible for monitoring reservations and entitlement usage, these fields make it easier to analyse the underlying data and export it for further review.
Module: Front Office
Greater Control Over Unit Changes
Do Not Allow Unit Change Rule
A new setup option can prevent a Unit Change when making a booking from Product Pool level.
This gives resorts another way to control how inventory can be changed during the booking process. For properties where certain Product Pools have specific inventory or unit allocation rules, this can help protect those rules and reduce unintended changes.
Module: Setup
Better Communication Records for Auto Offers
Auto Offer Communications
When Auto Offers are sent, Merlin will now write a Communication record against the member’s Name.
The record covers:
- Offer emails
- Acceptance emails
- Rejection emails
- Expiring emails
This creates a clearer communication history around automated offers. Staff can see what communications have taken place without relying on individual email records or separate systems. That becomes particularly useful when a member contacts the resort about an offer and the team needs to understand what was sent and when.
Module: Marketing
Further Priority Waitlist Enhancements
Priority Waitlist
Further enhancements have been made to the Priority Waitlist programme.
The update continues the development of Merlin’s waitlist functionality, giving resorts more tools to manage members waiting for availability. For properties with high demand for particular dates, units or inventory types, effective waitlist management can help staff handle demand while giving members a more structured experience.
Module: Front Office
More Information in Statement Exports
Date of Birth Added to Statement Export
Date of Birth has been added to the Export All Statements export:
Back Office → Actions → Print Statements → Export All Statements
This gives users another field when working with exported statement information. For teams using exported data for administration, verification or reporting, having the additional member information available can make the resulting dataset more useful.
Module: Back Office
What Does the September Update Mean for Merlin Users?
The September release shows how Merlin develops through regular, practical enhancements.
The changes cover very different areas of resort operations, but they share a common purpose: giving users more information and more control while reducing unnecessary manual work.
This month’s enhancements can help teams:
- Identify overlapping Direct Debit Mandates
- Improve contract categorisation
- Manage promotional validity periods
- Control booking charges
- Protect Product Pool booking rules
- Improve transaction reconciliation
- Access more detailed member rights information
- Track automated communications
- Manage Priority Waitlists
- Improve statement exports
- See additional ownership information directly on the NHP
For resort operators, these improvements matter because they sit within the same wider Merlin environment.
Teams do not need to treat every enhancement as a separate technology project. Merlin continues to develop the platform around the operational requirements of vacation ownership businesses.
What Does This Mean for Owners and Members?
Many of these enhancements work behind the scenes, but they can still affect the owner and member experience.
Better controls and more accurate information help staff answer questions more quickly. Improved booking rules can reduce errors. Better communication records give teams more context when dealing with members.
The result is a system that supports the people using Merlin while also helping the resort deliver a more consistent service to the people they look after.
Already Using Merlin?
If you have questions about any of the September enhancements, please contact the Merlin Support team. Our team can explain how the changes work and whether any new functionality needs to be configured for your property.
Looking for Resort Management Software?
Regular development is one way Merlin continues to deliver value to its users.
Merlin generally releases updates and enhancements at no additional cost, allowing existing users to benefit from the latest version of the software as the platform develops.
That means your investment in Merlin does not leave you running yesterday’s software.
The platform continues to evolve as resort operations change, new requirements emerge, and technology develops.
If you are reviewing your current resort management software, this is worth considering. The question is not only what a system can do today. It is also how that system will continue to develop after you choose it.
Learn More About Merlin Software
If you would like to see how Merlin CORE, Merlin Web Apps, Merlin Portal and the wider Merlin Ecosystem can support your resort, contact Mike Ashton to arrange a demonstration.
Let’s start a conversation about how Merlin Software can support your property’s success.
FAQs
1. What was included in the September 20, 2026 Merlin Software update?
The September update includes enhancements across Back Office, Front Office, Sales, Marketing, Setup and the Name Home Page. Updates include improved Direct Debit mandate management, new contract and promo code controls, enhanced reporting, Priority Waitlist improvements, booking charge options and better communication tracking.
2. Are Merlin Software updates included for existing users?
General Merlin Software updates and enhancements are generally released at no additional cost to users. This allows resorts to continue benefiting from ongoing development without having to purchase each new enhancement separately.
3. How can I find out more about Merlin Software?
Existing users with questions about the September update can contact Merlin Support. Resorts considering a new property management system can contact Mike Ashton to discuss their requirements and arrange a demonstration of Merlin Software and the wider Merlin Ecosystem.
