REALTYNA - SALES DEPARTMENT

Last update: Jan. 13th, 2020

Contents of this Manual are applicable to the WPL MLS  Add-On. Details of this Manual may be different based on the customizations you have or your software.

Introduction

This manual contains information about the MLS add-on, an extension for WPL plugin.

MLS add-on is a powerful extension that enables real estate WordPress websites to import properties, agents, images etc. from the MLS server directly into their websites. By using the MLS addon of WPL, you can sync your website with the MLS server properties. This means if a new property is added on the MLS server, it will be imported into your website automatically. Also if a property data was updated or deleted on the MLS server, it will also be updated or deleted on your website.

System Requirements

To use the MLS add-on, you will need the following: 

1. WPL PRO. (Don't install any addon on WPL basic)

2. At least one MLS server access. (MLS username, password and login URL)

Installation

If you have the installation package of the MLS add-on, you can easily upload it from the following path: WordPress->WPL dashboard->Install Add-on form.

Glossary

Below is a list of terms used throughout this manual and their meanings.

MLS Server: A web server used for storing property data, property images and perhaps agent information. MLS addon needs the login credentials to connect to MLS server for communicating.

MLS/RETS/IDX/VOW: These terms all mean "MLS server" as mentioned above. Normally you can use the MLS add-on for all of these data servers.

RETS Version: Used in WPL RETS library. It is commonly known as "RETS/1.5".

MLS Resource: MLS servers categorize the data into a different section called a resource section. For syncing/importing the properties, the resource is usually called "Property". 

Mapping: For importing/syncing Property data from the MLS server to WPL, you need to sync the MLS data fields to WPL data fields. This is called mapping. 

Sample data: Having sample data of the MLS fields can help you understand what the MLS field is, and you can map it to the correct field of WPL. 

MLS Class: The MLS properties are categorized in some sections called MLS class (Residential, Commercial, Lots and Land, Multifamily etc.).

Sync Period: The duration time between each update request. The MLS Addon calls a request to the MLS server for adding new properties or modifying existing properties. You can set its duration based on days. 

Query: You can create various types of queries for importing/syncing the MLS properties to WPL. For example, if your brokerage specializes in commercial listings or rental properties, you can import/sync these types of properties to your WPL. There is also an amazing interface for creating advanced queries on the query wizard of MLS Add-on.

Running MLS Add-on

After the installation, you should configure the MLS Add-on.

Adding MLS servers

To add MLS servers, please go to WPL->MLS Addon menu and click on "+" button on top of the page.

Open

MLS Add-on supports RETS and RESO WebAPI feeds. Choose proper Type based on feed and credentials you have.

• RETS Feed configuration:

Open

• Name: You can add your desired name.

• URL: Enter login URL of RETS server.

• Username: Your RETS server username

• Password: Your RETS server password

• Agent Username: Your MLS Agent Username. (If the MLS Provider needs this field to connect into their server)

• Agent Password: Your MLS Agent Password. (If the MLS Provider needs this field to connect into their server)

• Unique Field: Every property record on MLS server has a unique ID. MLS add-on may find that during the “import fields” step. Otherwise, you should find the name of a unique ID field in MLS fields and then place it here. 

• Sample Query: Use DMQL syntax and set a query here to get sample data and do the mapping more precisely. Based on MLS server structures, it can be different.

# Advanced Tab

• RETS Version: it could be RETS/1.5, RETS/1.7.2 or RETS/1.8. The MLS provider mentions that in the RETS information.

• Resource: The Listing resource in the MLS data, most cases it’s “Property”.

• Image Resource: Type of the Image object on the MLS server should be set here. Some MLS providers include multiple types of photos based on its resolution . This feature helps you get the higher resolution photos from the MLS.

• External Image: Some of the providers have a CDN for photos and return Image URLs (as External image). It means the photos won’t download on your website/host.

• Download External Image: You can download the photos from MLS CDN on your host/server, if you select the ‘Yes’ value of this option. It works for the MLS providers that return External images.

• Google GEO Coordinates: If it’s enabled (Yes), it will generate the Google Geocoding from the Google directly, using the property address.

• MLS Photos update: If It’s enabled (Yes), it will update the listing photos in each MLS update process.

After filling out the form and clicking on the save button, the page will refresh automatically to see the added MLS server.

Note: You can add many MLS servers as much as you like.

After that you must check the connection and import MLS classes and MLS fields in order to map with WPL fields. For this you can simply click on the "Import fields" button.

You can also update MLS classes and fields later if needed by clicking on the "Update Fields" button. 

Note: If the MLS Add-on shows a connection error in this step, check your login credentials and insert correct information in order to proceed to the next step.

When the MLS connection has been successfully set up, You will see an (i) icon in the Actions column. By clicking on that, all the MLS object types and MLS classes will be shown.

Automate neighborhood creation and assignment

If you have neighborhood add-on installed, you can create neighborhood and assign listings to the neighborhood automatically, wherein during the import process, the listings will be assigned automatically based on a field that represents neighborhood.

Note: The neighborhood field has to be defined before importing the listings

Note: The neighborhood field has to be the ‘SystemName’ of the MLS field

Map with WPL

Click on the "Map with WPL" link or Go to the WPL->MLS mapping to see the Mapping interface of WPL. Select MLS server and MLS class to see the MLS fields.

The Mapping functionality is designed in a way that helps you map all the fields easily. Normally there are a lot of fields in MLS servers, therefore mapping them one by one is a time-consuming process. So, if you map an MLS field in a specific MLS class, the MLS Addon will map the same fields on the other MLS classes automatically.   

There is also a mass auto create field in the bottom of the mapping table. You can select some fields and then click on the "Create All" button.

If you want to integrate multiple MLS Servers on the website, you could use the value mapping feature by clicking on the respective checkbox at the bottom of MLS Mapping popup. It will map a field for all the MLS servers.

Moreover, MLS add-on has a feature to create MLS import query automatically. By clicking on that, you will see a new record in the MLS query page which could be modified. The default query will retrieve all the active listings of the respective MLS category.

Important note: The mapping process is very important. Wrong or incomplete mapping can create serious numerous issues on your website. 

For example, if you map the MLS bedrooms field to a wrong field, the properties won't be able to find the bedrooms through WPL search widget. If a visitor looks for 2 bedroom properties, the WPL search widget will search in the WPL bedrooms field. It won't find the information it is looking for because the bedroom information of MLS properties is on another field. 

The same issue will happen for property listing/property show page. Depending on your theme, there are some fixed positions for showing some basic information of the property such as listing, property type, price, bedrooms, rooms, bathrooms, parking spaces, property location etc. So if you mapped the fields wrongly WPL will show 0, null or wrong information on your theme. 

So you must do the mapping very carefully. Note the following items during mapping:

• Map the MLS fields to existing WPL fields.

• Avoid creating new fields using the "Auto Create" button unless there are really  no related fields on WPL for those fields.

• It's better if you don't map the fields which don't have any data on sample data. It can make your website messy with unnecessary information.

• WPL's most important fields are: listing type, property type, price, price unit, price type (for rental properties), listing ID, bedrooms, bathrooms, rooms, view, property description, built up area, lot area, images, location information, property title (if exists). Map these fields carefully.

• Select a proper field type if you want to use auto create feature. For example, you should use the URL field type for the Virtual Tour field.

• Mapping some fields may need to be manually tailored based on customizations you may have on your WPL, other Addons, or the data structure of your MLS server.

Value to Value mapping feature

Since we save values of a MLS field (using MLS Lookup) in the new version of MLS add-on. You might want to save a value on your website with another name.

So, you can define desired values for a field after mapping that (MLS field) to one WPL field (The WPL field should be a Select/Feature type).

For example, you can find a mapped MLS field in WPL Flex page; and click on its Edit button to add new values. Now there is a sample field called ‘Appliances Included’ that is added as a Feature field in WPL.

As you see in the screenshot above, we added 3 values for this field.

Now you can find the MLS field that you already mapped it to this field (For example: ‘Appliances Included’), and click the ‘Modify mapping’ link to open the Mapping box.

The Mapping box:

You can add desired values for them now.

It means if you save this mapping with this sample structure, it saves 'Built in Oven' as 'Value 1' to your website, or saves 'Compactor' as 'Value 2'.

MLS Query (Query wizard)

After the mapping process, you should use the "MLS Query" menu for importing properties to your website. You could also sync them to WPL by using the MLS auto sync feature. 

If you click on "+" button for adding query or click on the edit icon of each Query, you will see the below interfaces.

• Default User: The properties will be assigned to the current user by default. You can select any user/agent you want by using the dropdown menu.

• Images: You can specify how many images you would like to have downloaded from the MLS server and imported to WPL. Depending on your server space and resources, you can increase this parameter. Do not set it to unlimited (-1) if you don't have a strong server.

• Limit: Connecting to the MLS server, fetching the data and downloading images are a resource taking process. On some servers it can create internal server errors. We have created an option to do the import/sync actions step by step to reduce server load. Please don't set a high number. This is another reason why you should have a dedicated server for utilizing MLS integrations.

• Sync Period: You can set the sync period if needed. Set it to a higher number if your MLS server won't update daily, or you're not sure about your server resources. You can set it to 5 days (for example).

• Query: MLS Addon has an amazing Query Wizard, so you can set the credentials for the import or sync process if needed. Please leave this empty if you're uncertain.

Enabling the Query for sync process

After adding the queries you should enable/disable it for the sync process if needed by clicking on "x" or tick icon on "Actions" column.

Import

You can click on the "Import" link after creating the query for manually importing the properties. After clicking on the "Import" link, you will be redirected to a new page. Click on the "Start" link for starting the import process. It may take several minutes based on your server load. 

Don't refresh the page or navigate to other pages while it's importing the listings.

MLS Addon settings (Some other MLS features)

You can find these options from WPL Backend -> Settings menu -> Global tab -> MLS Addon section.

You will see the following fields.

MLS auto sync: It’s an outdated field in the new version of MLS add-on (since 3.5.0), so it doesn’t work anymore.

Clear thumbnails after updating: It removes thumbnail images of a listing whenever it updates on your website.

ListTrac Integration: You need to implement List Trac (http://www.listtrac.com/) rules on your website for some MLS providers like (Utah MLS). So, you can integrate that simply by adding an API Key/Code provided by the List Trac website in the ‘ListTrac Code’ field. 

Image White Spaces: Sometimes the MLS images have a white space around it. You can set this field to ‘Trim’ value to remove the white space of that.

(WPL) MLS Disclaimer

MLS has a specific widget for adding MLS Disclaimer text in Listing or Details pages.

You can Show/Hide the Copyright and Last Update texts (that are important items in MLS Compliances/Rules) in this widget as well.

MLS add-on auto sync

After creating the queries, you need to add the relevant Commands in your cron-job system to run the MLS import process automatically. We suggest making them by a technical person, you also can ask our team to help you in this regard.

The following commands are required for cron-jobs system:

1. wget -O /dev/null  'http://your-website.com/?rets_cron_job=1&rets_cron_job_type=offline' 

It will fetch all the MLS RAW data and store them into the local database. It could be run twice a day, and take care of [ ' ] that we added to this command for URL, it should be added like I mentioned above.

2. wget -O /dev/null  http://your-website.com/?rets_import_cron_job=1

It will translate all the stored RAW data and display them on the website. It could run every 10 - 15 minutes.

3. wget -O /dev/null  http://your-website.com/?rets_purge_cron_job=1

It will purge all the expired listings. It should run every 15 minutes.