II deposit question

[daviator]

So this is probably a pretty basic question, but I seem to get confused every time I do something with II. The whole process is so much more complicated than it needs to be.

Last year, I deposited my Westin Flex VOI to Interval, 2025 usage. So I have until the end of 2027 to use it.

But when I go to the II website and search for exchanges, it asks me what I want to exchange – and the 2025 usage that I deposited isn't even one of the options. It also doesn't seem to show the deposit anywhere on the II site. I seem to recall that might be normal – that the assignment to Interval is kept on the Vistana side until you actually use it – but does that mean I can't even search for exchanges online? Do I have to call in to do anything? What a pain. The whole thing seems designed to get people to deposit and then either (a) forget they've done so, and lose the deposited VOI, or (b) get frustrated at the difficulty of actually searching for exchanges and give up, thereby losing the deposit.

1. Should I see my deposited Westin Flex anywhere on the II site? (I think the answer is no.)
2 How do I go about searching for exchanges or placing an exchange/request? Only by phone?

Thanks for reminding me of what I probably used to know...

 

[Hindsite]

Have you been to exchange and then My Units on the II website and does it show there?

 

[daviator]

Have you been to exchange and then My Units on the II website and does it show there?

Oddly, it shows 2026 usage for Westin Flex, and my WF is EOY odd. So there is no 2026 usage.

 

[Hindsite]

Oddly, it shows 2026 usage for Westin Flex, and my WF is EOY odd. So there is no 2026 usage.

The II placeholders under My Units are often there in off years, if you tried to use 2026 it would fail verification.

With flex you have to keep a tally of what you have deposited, it doesn't show up on the system. So make sure you do that.

@kozykritter may know more details.

 

[kozykritter]

So this is probably a pretty basic question, but I seem to get confused every time I do something with II. The whole process is so much more complicated than it needs to be.

Welcome to the DIY world of using Flex in II. Like anything else, it has its drawbacks and advantages. First, here's some basics....

-You must keep track of any Flex you deposit (assign) into II as you will never find a balance or deposit transaction list on II. I use a tab in an Excel spreadsheet where I track all my ownership usage.
-You are correct that your Flex never actually leaves Vistana when you deposit/assign it to II but instead is moved out of sight by Vistana in an internal bookkeeping transaction that you can't see yourself. When you do an II transaction using Flex, II goes back to Vistana and asks for the Flex using first what you have assigned (deposited) and then pulling from any current year balance to make up any difference.
-For Flex, the placeholder screen will always show the current use year and is not at all related to the use year of the Flex options you want to deposit/exchange with. When it comes to pulling non-deposited Flex, you are able to use the current use year Flex for which maintenance fees have been paid, and also the next use year Flex if you prepay the maintenance fees.
-You can deposit any number of Flex options. The Vistana system will remind you that you need 20,700 to do the minimum exchange in II but in reality you can send over whatever scraps you have left for the current use year before December 31 and Vistana will use those first in any transactions before pulling more.

Whew! Ok, now that that is out of the way, you use Flex in II the same way you would weeks regardless of whether you deposit first or have them pull the Flex from your account afterwards.

-You can do instant exchanges or put in ongoing searches. Just click on the placeholder for Flex in My Units regardless of what year it is showing.
-All exchanges will return results that show the number of Flex options needed to do that exchange.
-Once you do an exchange, II will request the usage from Vistana as I outlined above. I normally go in to Vistana right after I do an instant exchange and assign any undeposited/unassigned amount of Flex they are going to need to pull to complete the exchange just to speed the confirmation process.
-If you don't have enough Flex on deposit and/or available in your current balance (i.e. where maintenance fees have been paid), you will get a notice from Vistana to that effect and a period of time (10 days I think, may be 14) to fix the situation before the exchange fails. This allows you time to prepay the maintenance fees on a contract for the next year usage to be able to use that Flex to complete the exchange.
-Once you do an exchange, it will show up in your II History and you can track those specific Flex options from there.
-If your Flex is Abound enrolled, then retrades of any exchanges to Vistana/Marriott properties are fee free (they still call it a full fee retrade but for $0) and can be done unlimited times before the underlying Flex options expire two years after their use year.
-To do a retrade, you have to call the Exchange desk at II as there is no online option. When they connect you, ask for the Vistana desk.

The big pluses of using your Flex in II (as of right now) are you can actually exchange to Vistana/Marriott properties whereas those using Abound Club Points cannot, and also when you go to retrade, they don't normally take any extra Flex options to upgrade to a larger unit/retrade to a more expensive trade.

Once you learn the ins and outs of using Flex in II, it becomes easy and second nature and you can focus on enjoying the benefits of V/M exchanges with unlimited free retrades.

 

[daviator]

Welcome to the DIY world of using Flex in II. Like anything else, it has its drawbacks and advantages. First, here's some basics....

-You must keep track of any Flex you deposit (assign) into II as you will never find a balance or deposit transaction list on II. I use a tab in an Excel spreadsheet where I track all my ownership usage.
-You are correct that your Flex never actually leaves Vistana when you deposit/assign it to II but instead is moved out of sight by Vistana in an internal bookkeeping transaction that you can't see yourself. When you do an II transaction using Flex, II goes back to Vistana and asks for the Flex using first what you have assigned (deposited) and then pulling from any current year balance to make up any difference.
-For Flex, the placeholder screen will always show the current use year and is not at all related to the use year of the Flex options you want to deposit/exchange with. When it comes to pulling non-deposited Flex, you are able to use the current use year Flex for which maintenance fees have been paid, and also the next use year Flex if you prepay the maintenance fees.
-You can deposit any number of Flex options. The Vistana system will remind you that you need 20,700 to do the minimum exchange in II but in reality you can send over whatever scraps you have left for the current use year before December 31 and Vistana will use those first in any transactions before pulling more.

Whew! Ok, now that that is out of the way, you use Flex in II the same way you would weeks regardless of whether you deposit first or have them pull the Flex from your account afterwards.

-You can do instant exchanges or put in ongoing searches. Just click on the placeholder for Flex in My Units regardless of what year it is showing.
-All exchanges will return results that show the number of Flex options needed to do that exchange.
-Once you do an exchange, II will request the usage from Vistana as I outlined above. I normally go in to Vistana right after I do an instant exchange and assign any undeposited/unassigned amount of Flex they are going to need to pull to complete the exchange just to speed the confirmation process.
-If you don't have enough Flex on deposit and/or available in your current balance (i.e. where maintenance fees have been paid), you will get a notice from Vistana to that effect and a period of time (10 days I think, may be 14) to fix the situation before the exchange fails. This allows you time to prepay the maintenance fees on a contract for the next year usage to be able to use that Flex to complete the exchange.
-Once you do an exchange, it will show up in your II History and you can track those specific Flex options from there.
-If your Flex is Abound enrolled, then retrades of any exchanges to Vistana/Marriott properties are fee free (they still call it a full fee retrade but for $0) and can be done unlimited times before the underlying Flex options expire two years after their use year.
-To do a retrade, you have to call the Exchange desk at II as there is no online option. When they connect you, ask for the Vistana desk.

The big pluses of using your Flex in II (as of right now) are you can actually exchange to Vistana/Marriott properties whereas those using Abound Club Points cannot, and also when you go to retrade, they don't normally take any extra Flex options to upgrade to a larger unit/retrade to a more expensive trade.

Once you learn the ins and outs of using Flex in II, it becomes easy and second nature and you can focus on enjoying the benefits of V/M exchanges with unlimited free retrades.

That is so helpful! I’m going to have to read it a couple more times when I have time, to internalize it all, but I get the gist and am so thankful for all the information. I owe you one!

 

[tomvc]

-You must keep track of any Flex you deposit (assign) into II as you will never find a balance or deposit transaction list on II.

If you click History, do you see a tab for Points Transactions. I have it for HVC/Welk, but the grouping by deposit date is a bit confusing when multiple deposits are needed for 1 exchange.

 

[daviator]

If you click History, do you see a tab for Points Transactions. I have it for HVC/Welk, but the grouping by deposit date is a bit confusing when multiple deposits are needed for 1 exchange.

There is a tab for points transactions, but nothing shows under it.

 

[kozykritter]

If you click History, do you see a tab for Points Transactions. I have it for HVC/Welk, but the grouping by deposit date is a bit confusing when multiple deposits are needed for 1 exchange.

Exchanges using Flex options show up under the Exchange tab on the History page. You can see the amount of Flex options used in the exchange but not their source/use year/etc.