Reciprocal exchanges can be at the same time (simultaneous) or at different times (non-simultaneous). Whether your exchange is simultaneous or non-simultaneous, if both members know and agree on dates, these are the steps you need to take to finalize the exchange:
1) Ensure the exchange is registered as reciprocal in the exchange details
The member sending the original exchange request is able to also propose the type of exchange. Should you both decide you want to change the type of exchange, you can do so on the right side of the conversation in the exchange details. In line with "Exchange Type" click on the orange pencil beside "non-reciprocal exchange". As you do so, a menu will open where you can click on "reciprocal exchange":
2) Add and/or update the details of the exchange
You can also add/update other details (dates, number of travelers, GuestPoints) of your trip and that of your guest within the two tabs "Your trip" and "X's trip".
In the tab "Your trip", you can update all the information about your trip: your dates, your number of travelers. If you click on "Your partner's trip", you will see the same information but you will be able to only edit the number of GuestPoints per night in your home.
* Small tip I: If you can see a blue pencil next to all or one of those details, it means you can update this information. If you do not see it, this information can only be updated by your exchange partner.
* Small tip II: As you and/or your exchange partner make these changes, you will see within your message thread that those changes were made and who made them. To differentiate it from your messages, this will show in wight:
3) Pre-approve the exchange
Once you have both agreed on the details of the exchange, one of you must pre-approve the exchange by clicking on the orange "Pre-approve" button in the bottom right of the exchange details. When you click to pre-approve, a note will alert you that you are about to pre-approve the exchange.
If you already have a pre-approved or finalized exchange for those dates, you will see a note alerting you that you already have an exchange pre-approved or finalized and you will be unable to continue pre-approving this exchange.
If either member updates the exchange details after it was pre-approved, you will be prompted to pre-approve the exchange again with the new details.
4) Finalize the exchange
Once the exchange has been pre-approved, your exchange partner can now finalize the exchange. Then the member who initiated the pre-approval can also finalize it. To finalize the exchange, click on "Finalize" at the bottom right of the screen where the pre-approve button was.
Once you have both finalized the exchange, the exchange is set to go. You will see the exchange as "Finalized" and by clicking on the "Exchange Details" button, you can see your exchange partner's details.
If you would like to finalize a reciprocal, non-simultaneous exchange, but one exchange partner does not know the dates and will know them at a later stage, please finalize 2 non-reciprocal exchanges with or without GuestPoints. Here is how you can finalize a non-reciprocal exchange.