Opera Pms
Opera PMS User’s Guide 3.0
A VISUAL REFERENCE GUIDE
Copyright © 2005 MICROS Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 1 Getting Started
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Opera PMS User’s Guide 3.0
CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED............................................................................................ 6 1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.2 LOG IN TO OPERA ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.3 USING OPERA WINDOWS ............................................................................................................. 7 1.4 USING OPERA KEYBOARD COMMANDS ........................................................................................ 8 1.5 USING HELP ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5.1 To Use Help ........................................................................................................................ 9 1.5.2 To Use the Table of Contents .................................................................................... 11 1.5.3 To Use the Index............................................................................................................ 12 1.5.4 To Use Search ................................................................................................................. 13 1.5.5 Help Screen Information ............................................................................................. 14 1.6 CLOSING OPERA .......................................................................................................................... 15
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CHAPTER 2 RESERVATIONS................................................................................................. 16 2.1 NEW RESERVATION ..................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.1 Reservation Flow ............................................................................................................ 16 2.1.2 Rate Query Screen ........................................................................................................ 16 2.1.3 Reservation Screen ....................................................................................................... 21 2.1.4 More Fields Tab............................................................................................................... 30 2.1.5 Reservation Options...................................................................................................... 32 2.2 UPDATE RESERVATION ................................................................................................................ 40 2.3 WAITLIST ..................................................................................................................................... 43 2.4 BLOCKS ........................................................................................................................................ 44 2.4.1 Business Block Search ................................................................................................. 45 2.4.2 Quick Business Block .................................................................................................... 57 2.4.3 Inquiry................................................................................................................................ 60 2.5 PROFILES ...................................................................................................................................... 62 2.5.1 Profile Search .................................................................................................................. 63 2.5.2 Company Profiles ........................................................................................................... 71 2.5.3 Travel Agent Profiles..................................................................................................... 73 2.5.4 Source Profiles ................................................................................................................ 75 2.5.5 Group Profiles .................................................................................................................. 77 2.5.6 Contact Profiles............................................................................................................... 79 2.6 ROOM PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 82 2.7 FLOOR PLAN ................................................................................................................................. 83 2.8 CONFIRMATION ............................................................................................................................ 84 2.9 CALENDAR OPTION ...................................................................................................................... 85
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CHAPTER 3 FRONT DESK ....................................................................................................... 87 3.1 ARRIVALS ..................................................................................................................................... 87 3.1.1 Advanced Search............................................................................................................ 88 3.1.2 Walk In............................................................................................................................... 90 3.1.3 Check In ................................................................................................................................ 90 3.1.4 Cancel/Reinstate ................................................................................................................ 90 3.2 QUEUE RESERVATIONS ............................................................................................................... 93 3.3 IN-HOUSE GUESTS ..................................................................................................................... 97 3.4 ACCOUNTS ................................................................................................................................... 98 3.5 ROOM BLOCKING ......................................................................................................................... 99 3.6 MESSAGES ................................................................................................................................. 101 3.6.1 Send Messages ............................................................................................................. 102 3.6.2 Display Messages ......................................................................................................... 103 3.7 TRACES ....................................................................................................................................... 103
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
CHAPTER 4 CASHIERING..................................................................................................... 105 4.1 BILLING ...................................................................................................................................... 105 4.1.1 Button Options .............................................................................................................. 105 4.1.2 Right-Click Options...................................................................................................... 110 4.2 FAST POSTING ............................................................................................................................... 112 4.3 CASHIER FUNCTIONS..................................................................................................................... 114 4.3.1 Batch Folios ........................................................................................................................ 114 4.3.2 Batch Postings............................................................................................................... 116 4.3.3 Cashier Reports ............................................................................................................ 117 4.3.4 Cashier Status............................................................................................................... 117 4.3.5 Check Exchange ........................................................................................................... 118 4.3.6 Currency Calculator..................................................................................................... 119 4.3.7 Currency Exchange ..................................................................................................... 121 4.3.8 Exchange Rate .............................................................................................................. 122 4.3.9 Folio History ................................................................................................................... 124 4.3.10 General Cashier.............................................................................................................. 126 4.3.11 Journal.............................................................................................................................. 127 4.3.12 Petty Cash....................................................................................................................... 128 4.3.13 Receipt History.............................................................................................................. 129 4.3.14 Deposit/Cancellation ................................................................................................... 130 4.4 CLOSE CASHIER......................................................................................................................... 133 4.5 PASSERBY ................................................................................................................................... 136 4.6 QUICK CHECK OUT ................................................................................................................... 138 4.7 CREDIT CARDS .......................................................................................................................... 139 4.7.1 Settlements .................................................................................................................... 139 4.7.2 Authorization ..................................................................................................................... 140
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CHAPTER 5 ROOMS MANAGEMENT ................................................................................ 141 5.1 HOUSEKEEPING .......................................................................................................................... 141 5.1.1 Housekeeping Management..................................................................................... 141 5.1.2 Queue Rooms ................................................................................................................ 143 5.1.3 House Assignment ....................................................................................................... 144 5.1.4 Discrepant Rooms........................................................................................................ 146 5.1.5 Attendant Points........................................................................................................... 147 5.1.6 Task Assignment .......................................................................................................... 148 5.1.7 Facility Forecast............................................................................................................ 151 5.2 OUT OF ORDER/OUT OF SERVICE............................................................................................ 151 5.3 ROOM HISTORY ......................................................................................................................... 153 5.4 SELL LIMITS ............................................................................................................................... 154 5.5 OCCUPANCY GRAPH................................................................................................................... 156 5.6 MAINTENANCE............................................................................................................................ 156
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CHAPTER 6 ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ............................................................................ 159 6.1 ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................................... 159 6.2 TRANSFER F/O DATA ................................................................................................................ 163 6.3 CREDIT CARDS .......................................................................................................................... 165 6.4 RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................. 166 6.5 AR MAILINGS ............................................................................................................................ 167 6.5.1 Batch Statements ........................................................................................................ 167 6.5.2 Mailing History .............................................................................................................. 169 6.5.3 Reminder Letters.......................................................................................................... 170 6.5.4 Traces ............................................................................................................................... 171
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CHAPTER 7 COMMISSION HANDLING ......................................................................... 173 7.1 PAYMENT PROCESSING ............................................................................................................. 173 7.1.1 By Account...................................................................................................................... 173 7.1.2 By Agent.......................................................................................................................... 176 7.2 PAYMENT ACTIVITY .................................................................................................................... 176 7.2.1 Register............................................................................................................................ 176 7.2.2 Reprint Checks .............................................................................................................. 177 7.3 RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................. 178
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CHAPTER 8 MISCELLANEOUS............................................................................................ 180 8.1 REPORTS .................................................................................................................................... 180 8.2 INTERFACES ............................................................................................................................... 181 8.2.1 Interface Sub Menu..................................................................................................... 181 8.2.2 Wake Up Calls ............................................................................................................... 182 8.3 SHOW QUICK KEYS ................................................................................................................... 183 8.3.1 Opera Help (F1)............................................................................................................ 183 8.3.2 Occupancy Graph (Shift + F1)................................................................................ 183 8.3.3 Opera Help (CTRL + F1)............................................................................................ 184 8.3.4 Control Panel (Shift + F2) ........................................................................................ 185 8.3.5 Detailed Availability (CTRL + F2)........................................................................... 187 8.3.6 Room Search (F3)........................................................................................................ 188 8.3.7 House Status (Shift + F3) ........................................................................................ 188 8.3.8 Room Plan (CTRL + F3)............................................................................................. 191 8.3.9 Inquiry (Shift + F4)..................................................................................................... 192 8.3.10 Dashboard (CTRL + F4)............................................................................................. 195 8.3.11 Rate Information (F5) ................................................................................................ 196 8.3.12 Quick Book (Shift F7) ................................................................................................. 196 8.3.13 New Reservation (F7)................................................................................................. 196 8.3.14 Telephone Book (Shift + F7) ................................................................................... 197 8.3.15 Telephone Operator (CTRL + F8) .......................................................................... 197 8.3.16 Logout (F8)..................................................................................................................... 200 8.3.17 IFC Menu (Shift + F8) ................................................................................................ 200 8.3.18 Maximum Availability (CTRL + F8)........................................................................ 201 8.3.19 DIARY (SHIFT+F9) ...................................................................................................... 202 8.4 CHANGE PASSWORD ................................................................................................................. 202 8.5 DATA EXTRACTION .................................................................................................................... 203 8.6 AWARDS ..................................................................................................................................... 205 8.7 PROMOTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 206 8.8 ENROLLMENT .............................................................................................................................. 208 8.9 PRINT TASKS ............................................................................................................................. 208 8.10 USER ACTIVITY LOG.................................................................................................................. 210 8.11 FILE DOWNLOAD ....................................................................................................................... 212 8.12 REGISTRATION CARDS .............................................................................................................. 212
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CHAPTER 9 SETUP ................................................................................................................... 214 9.1 USER CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................. 214 9.2 APPLICATION SETTINGS ............................................................................................................ 219 9.2.1 AR....................................................................................................................................... 220 9.2.2 Blocks ............................................................................................................................... 223 9.2.3 Cashiering ....................................................................................................................... 227 9.2.4 Commission.................................................................................................................... 233
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9.2.5 End of Day ...................................................................................................................... 234 9.2.6 Exports............................................................................................................................. 235 9.2.7 Front Desk ...................................................................................................................... 236 9.2.8 General............................................................................................................................. 236 9.2.9 IFC ..................................................................................................................................... 238 9.2.10 Membership.................................................................................................................... 240 9.2.11 Multi- Property .............................................................................................................. 240 9.2.12 OWS .................................................................................................................................. 241 9.2.13 Profiles ............................................................................................................................. 241 9.2.14 Rates................................................................................................................................. 244 9.2.15 Reservations .................................................................................................................. 246 9.2.16 Rooms Management ................................................................................................... 250 9.3 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ......................................................................................................... 252 10 CHAPTER 10 END OF DAY SEQUENCE ...................................................................... 253
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.1 Introduction
As you use this guide, it is important to understand that Opera is extremely customizable. There are a number of functions to customize in the Property Management System (PMS), depending on the operational decisions of each hotel. This guide displays all possible functionality in the PMS. Your screens may display information in a different order or may not display some of the functionality mentioned here if the management decision was not to activate it. This section of the manual explains how to: Log into Opera Use the Opera Menu Windows Navigate through the Menu Windows using the mouse or the keyboard Access and use the Help Menus Use the Table of Contents for the Help Screens Use the Index to search for Help Topics Use the Search to locate Help Topics Close out of Opera
1.2 Log In to Opera
The Login screen provides access to the main screen of the Property Management System. Steps to Log In: o o Double click Opera on the desktop. When the Web Page opens, click on PMS to open Opera.
o o o Or o
Enter your user name as assigned by your administrator. Enter your password as assigned by your administrator. Select Login to initiate the login process verifying your user name, password, and property login.
Select Exit Button to close the screen and leave the Opera application.
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1.3 Using Opera Windows
Once in the Opera application, it is easy to navigate through the screens.
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1.4 Using Opera Keyboard Commands
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It’s possible to navigate through Opera primarily using keyboard commands.
To selection a button using the keyboard, hold down the [Alt] key and press the underlined letter on the corresponding button that you wish to select. In any screen, selecting OK will both save and close the active screen, Save will save any work done but keep the active screen open, and Close will close out of the screen with the option not to save changes.
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1.5 Using Help 1.5.1 To Use Help
To access the help screens, select the Menu Option for Help from the top of the screen.
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You may also press the [F1] key on the keyboard to access the help screens.
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1.5.2 To Use the Table of Contents
Search through the Table of Contents on the left side of the screen to locate the general topic. Select the folder icon to the left of the topic to open subtopics. Continue searching until the requested information displays.
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1.5.3 To Use the Index
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Type the first few letters of the topic in the search field. Select the topic to display the help message.
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1.5.4 To Use Search
The search field allows the user to locate instructions for specific functions in Opera. Use the search to locate the function and click it with the mouse.
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1.5.5 Help Screen Information
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Once the Help information has been located, it will display on the screen. Any item displayed in blue letters and underlined will open additional information on the topic.
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1.6 Closing Opera
To close out of Opera at the end of a session, either use the Exit menu option at the top of the screen or double click the large Exit to the left.
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Chapter 2 Reservations
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Chapter 2 Reservations
This section of the manual explains the Reservation module of the Opera PMS system. Using the reservations module you can enter a new reservation, search, view and modify an existing reservation, enter and maintain group room allotments and rooming lists, generate guest confirmation letters individually or in batches, maintain a wait list and enter and update guest profile information.
2.1 New Reservation
When creating a new reservation, it is common to check both rate and room availability before reserving a room for a guest. To create a new reservation, select “Reservation” from the menu options at the top of the screen then “New Reservation” from the functions on the left.
2.1.1 Reservation Flow
The Reservations>Reservation Flow application setting allows you to customize the reservation process. Select from any of these options to control which screen appears when the user makes a new reservation: • Calendar – Display the Property Calendar screen first. Select the start date and end date for the reservation. (The default start date is today’s business date.) The Reservation screen appears, with the arrival and departure dates pre-filled. Calendar/Grid – Display the Property Calendar screen first. Select the start date and end date for the reservation. Following a prompt to select number of adults, the Rate Query Details screen appears. Select the rate for the reservation before proceeding to the Reservation screen. Direct – Go directly to the Reservations screen. Rate Query – Go directly to the Rate Query screen where you may enter the arrival and departure dates, number of persons, etc. From there the system moves to the Rate Query Details screen and finally the Reservation screen once a rate selection occurs. Room/Plan/Grid - The Room Plan screen provides a view of the occupancy and the availability of rooms over a period of time. In addition, the Room Plan offers you direct access to many of the most-used screens in Opera, and a shortcut to a variety of options such as moving guests to other rooms without having to access the Reservation menu, checking in guests, and creating shares.
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2.1.2 Rate Query Screen
If your property’s Reservation feature begins with the Rate Query screen, the first step in making a new reservation is to check availability. Availability varies depending on the dates of the guest’s stay and other parameters such as number of persons, room requirements and company, travel agent, and source affiliations. As the starting point for making a new reservation, the Rate Query screen is a flexible tool for searching availability based on a wide variety of search criteria. From the main menu, select Reservations>New Reservation to display the Rate Query screen. (You may also access this screen by selecting Scope on the Rate Query Details screen, or by pressing the [F5] key from anywhere in Opera.) You can query rates by any or all options on the Rate Query screen. This screen filters information so you can display only those rates that match your needs. For instance, if you want to display the rates available for an arrival date of July 1, 2005, for one adult with one room then select those values on this screen. The available rates that meet these criteria will display on the
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Rate Query Details screen when you select OK. (In addition, information you enter on the Rate Query screen pre-populates fields on the Reservation screen, once you have selected a rate for a reservation.)
Arrival: The calendar date on which the guest will check in to the hotel. Nights: The number of nights that the guest will stay in the hotel. Departure: The calendar date on which the guest will check out of the hotel. Adults: The number of adults who will be staying in the room. In many hotels, rates calculate depending on the number of adults. Therefore, it is important to enter the correct number of adults to quote the exact rate. Children: The number of children in the hotel’s first range of ages who will be staying in the room. In some hotels, the rates calculate based on the number of adults and/or children, so it is important to enter the correct number to quote the exact rate. Rates are also configurable based on the ages of the children in the room. No. of Rooms: The number of rooms required. If more than one room is required, it is important to enter the total needed to be sure that there is availability for all needed rooms. Name: If the guest has stayed at the hotel in the past and has a profile on record, entering the guest name here can speed the reservation process. Block: If the guest will be arriving as a group member, this field will be necessary to locate the specific group for an availability check on the group allotment rather than on the house inventory. Member Type: If the guest is a member of a frequent flyer program or has a hotel loyalty program number in their profile, this field helps to locate the guest quickly.
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Member No.: The member number is unique and use of this field locates the profile immediately if the guest previously stayed at the hotel. Company: If the guest is traveling for business, use of this field may help to locate the company’s negotiated rates. CORP No.: The corporate number is a unique identifying number for company profiles and can help to locate the right company profile quickly. Agent: If a travel agent is making the booking, attaching the correct agent profile during the availability check may help to locate negotiated rates, and will set the reservation for commission processing. IATA No.: Since the IATA number is unique; using this field to search will locate the exact travel agent more quickly. Source: Source profiles are useful for a number of reasons in a hotel. Searching for a specific source profile may help in paying commissions on a reservation or in locating an Accounts Receivable number for billing or for locating a negotiated rate. Source No.: Source number is a unique number assigned to a source profile and can help to locate the correct source profile more quickly. Show Rates Closed: Check this box to see closed rates on the grid. The default setting is to view only rates that are open and available. Show Rates Day Use: If the reservation is for “day use” (arrival and departure on the same day), checking this box will help to locate rates set up specifically for “day use” purposes. Show Rates Pseudo: If the hotel assigns rates to non-inventory rooms, such as parlors, condominiums or marina slips check this box to view rates for these room types. Pseudo rooms do not display availability, only rates. Show Rates Best Available: If the hotel is using the Best Available Rates functionality, checking this box will display the configured best available rates for each Room Type. Rate Class: Entering a choice in this field, i.e. if the search is only for Discount Rates or Rack Rates, causes only those rate codes attached to the rate class to display on the rate query screen. Rate Category: Entering a choice in this field, i.e. if only wholesale or holiday rates are selected, causes only those rate codes attached to the rate category to display on the rate query screen. Features: To search for rooms that have a particular feature, such as a balcony or a Jacuzzi, enter in this field to filter out rooms that do not contain the requested feature. Rate Code: To search for only one specific rate code, enter that code in this field. Packages: To locate rates, which may include a particular package option such as breakfast or parking, select this option. Promotions: To search for rates that are available for hotel or corporate promotions, the name of the promotion will generate a search for attached rate codes. Incl Non Deduct: Check the box include non-deduct rooms in room counts shown on the Rate Query Details screen.
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Enter all query information and select OK to proceed to the Rate Query Details.
The grid displays the rates for each rate code/room type combination. Rates given are for the dates of the stay and number of persons selected in the Rate Query screen. (You may control the display by using the Query search criteria.) Rate Codes appear on the left, Room Types appear across the top of the grid. To locate the rate for a particular room type, select the room type then the rate code. The Rate is at the intersection of the Rate Code and Room Type; just follow the associated column and row.
Screen Conventions
Include Overbooking: The figures shown in this row indicate the number of actual rooms in the hotel PLUS the number of rooms in each room type that have been approved by management for overbooking. Physical Inventory: The actual number of rooms available in each room type with no overbooking included. Yellow Highlighting: Rates highlight in yellow when the selected rate code involves multiple rates that may result in a rate change during the period of the guest’s stay (for example, if the rate for Friday through Sunday is $150 while the rate for Monday through Thursday is $350). When you select a rate code having multiple rates, a message advises you to review the Multiple Rate Codes screen to determine the effect of the rate changes on the guest. To do so, right-click in the Rate field on the Reservation screen and select “Multiple Rate Codes”. Negotiated Rates: Immediately to the right of the currency column is the negotiated rates column. The following codes may appear in this column, depending on the types of profiles attached to the query. o o C = Company profile attached to the query has negotiated rates. I = Individual profile attached to the query has negotiated rates.
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T = Travel Agent profile attached to the query has negotiated rates. S = Source profile attached to the query has negotiated rates.
Package Rates: "Pkg.” appears next to the negotiated rate column when a package exists for that rate code. Click on “Pkg.” to see package details. Overbooked Rates: Rates shown in red are overbooked. Depending on your permissions, you may select the rate even though it is overbooked.
Query Options
Average Rate: Display single-night rates. (This is the default) Total Rates: If the guest is staying more than one night, display total rates for the number of nights the guest is staying. For example, if the 1-night rate is $250 and the guest is staying 3 nights, the rate shown is $750. Best Available: Select this check box to include the Best Available Rates in the display. The property determines up to 25 rate codes to take into consideration when calculating the best available rate for a reservation. (Available when the Rates>Best Available Rates application function is set to “Y”.) Negotiated: Display negotiated rates attached to the profile of the individual guest, company, travel agent, group or source. If the profile has one or more negotiated rates attached, and the rates apply to the arrival date of the reservation, this check box checks by default and the display shows only the negotiated rates. To show other rates, uncheck this check box. Use the Neg. Rates option in Profile options to attach a negotiated rate to a profile. Promotions: Selecting this radio button displays all rates that are available for hotel or corporate promotions. Day Use: Selecting this radio button displays all rates configured for day use (arrival and departure on the same day). Rate codes may be configured as Day Use when they are set up (System Configuration>Rate Codes>Rate). Closed: Select this radio button to display currently closed rates.
Rate Query Details Buttons
Hurdle: When Opera interfaces with a yield management system, certain rates may not meet the specified hurdle rate for the dates of the reservation queried. Those rates are unavailable and Opera indicates this by the letter H on the Rate Query Details grid. If your user permissions include OVERRIDE RATECODE, the Hurdle button will be active. Highlight the H and select this button to see and, optionally select, the rate. Item Inventory: Use the Item Inventory screen to manage inventory items attached to a reservation. Wait List: Record a waitlisted reservation when the desired rate is not available and notify the prospective guest if the rate becomes available. When you select this button, the Waitlist screen appears. (You can also access the Waitlist screen by selecting Waitlist from Reservation Options.) Rate Info: View more information concerning the cost components of this rate, including room cost, taxes and charges for associated package elements. Analyze: Rate Restrictions placed on the rate code or room type. Rate restrictions include rates closed completely, or closed to arrival. They may also include rates that have a minimum length of stay or a maximum length of stay. This screen shows availability of the selected rate code for the next ten days into the future. Long Info: Additional information regarding the rate code, configurable by the hotel. Generally, long info will include free-form text with in-depth explanations of the rate code and its restrictions.
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This information is entered and edited from the Rate Setup screen (System Configuration>Rate Classification>Rate Codes). Turnaways: If the prospective guest decides not to make the reservation, select this button to display the Turnaways screen. (This button is available only if the Reservations>Turnaways application parameter is set to “Y”.) Reasons for not completing this reservation might include property full, rate too high, or suitable room type not available. OK: Selecting this option will take the user to the reservation screen to complete the reservation. All information selected to this point (guest name, number of nights, arrival date, rate code, room type, etc) will be carried to the reservation screen. Scope: Selecting this will return the user to the Rate Query Grid with the original query intact. Close: Selecting this will return the user to the Rate Query Grid and will reset the query to the default settings.
2.1.3 Reservation Screen
The Reservation screen holds information from the guest profile as well as stay information. The screen is generally exactly the same during the reservation phase, the arrival/check in phase and the in-house phase of the guest stay. The Reservation screen consists of the following sections: Header: Information about the guest and the guest’s company, travel agent, group and membership affiliations. A button links you directly to the guest’s Profile screen where complete guest demographics are stored. Detail: Particulars about the guest’s stay, including arrival and departure dates, room and rate information, payment method, credit cards, and packages. More Fields: Additional information such as transportation requirements. These fields are customizable for each property. Options in this section can control whether transactions post on the guest folio in the Billing screen, whether the guest may use video check out, and check out time. This section appears when the Reservations> Reservations More Fields application parameter is set to “Y” (this is the default). Indicator Lamps: Lamps (indicators or notations) may appear in the lower part of the screen to alert you about information that pertains to the reservation.
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Profile Information on the Reservation screen:
Name: This is the last name of the guest from the profile. If you type a name in this field, a search generates for matching profiles based on the entries in the Name and First Name fields. First Name: The first name of the guest from the profile. If you type a name in this field, a search generates for matching profiles based on the entries in the Name and First Name fields. Title: The guest’s title as entered in the profile. An entry in this field will populate in the profile as a permanent record. The greetings sort based on the language selected. This title addresses the guest in written correspondence. Knowing the courtesy title the guest prefers is also useful when you are dealing with the guest in person. Country: The country field as entered in the guest’s address in the profile. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate the profile as a permanent record. Language: The guest’s language as registered on the profile. Select the down arrow to open the Languages list of values and choose the guest’s preferred correspondence language. A default language for confirmation letters, folios, and guest mailings for your property establishes during configuration. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate in the profile as a permanent record. VIP: The VIP level for the guest. Take extra care when entering this field as it populates in the guest’s profile as a permanent record. Select the down arrow to open the VIP list of values. Phone: The Guest’s Home telephone number as registered in the profile. If you make an entry in this field, it becomes a permanent profile record. Member Type: A frequent flyer type or hotel loyalty type. Entering membership information on a reservation will generate membership or frequent flyer point calculations. (By selecting the membership organization here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the organization display when you perform a rate query for this reservation.)
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Member No.: The unique identifying frequent flyer or loyalty club membership number. Member Lvl.: The level of membership the guest has reached. The membership information configured by each hotel and may vary from property to property. Agent: Select the down arrow to display travel agent profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the travel agent that is associated with this reservation. Some properties pay a commission to travel agents based on the reservations they generate. In addition, by selecting the travel agent here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the travel agent display when performing a rate query for this reservation. Company: Select the down arrow to display company profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the company that is associated with this reservation. By selecting the company here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the company display when you performing a rate query for this reservation. Group: Select the down arrow to display group profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the group associated with this reservation. Source: When the Profiles>Source application function is set to “Y”, select the down arrow to display source profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the source associated with this reservation. (By selecting the source here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the source display when you performing a rate query for this reservation.) Contact: Select the down arrow to open the Billing Contacts screen. This screen displays all profiles defined as having a relationship with any of the company, travel agent, group or source profiles attached to the reservation. Select a maximum of two contact profiles – a reservation contact and/or a billing contact. If the contact has no relationship and is new, select New to create a new or select an existing contact and select their relationship. Note: Only one billing contact and one reservation contact is allowed for each reservation. You can select the same contact to be both reservation contact and billing contact if necessary. If you select two different contacts, the Contact field is highlights in yellow. Statistical information gathers on contact profiles that link as reservation contacts. Historical and future stay records are also available for reservation contacts. No statistical or stay information is collected for billing contacts.
Reservation Details
The main part of the Reservation screen contains particulars about the guest’s stay, including arrival and departure dates, room and rate information, payment method, credit cards, and packages. If the guest’s stay covers multiple days, certain elements of the reservation, such as rate code and rate, may not remain the same for the entire stay. If information varies over the length of the stay, the field highlights in yellow. Note: Your property has the option of using the Opera Screen Painter feature to add fields to the Reservation screen. Therefore, your screen display may not exactly match the description of the standard display provided in this help topic.
Stay Information on the Reservation screen:
Arrival: Use the calendar tool or manually type in the date to select the arrival year, month and day. The weekday name displays next to the date selected. The default is today’s date. The date you select cannot be a past date. (If the Reservations >Blank Arrival Date application
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parameter is set to “Y”, the Arrival Date field will be blank rather than defaulting to today’s date. You must manually enter an arrival date.) Note: You may enter +1, +2 … to advance or -1, -2 … to back-up the arrival and/or departure date by 1 day, 2 days, etc. Use ++1 or --1 to advance or back up by a week. Use +++1 or ---1 to advance or back up by a month. Departure: The Departure Date field entry changes according to the entries in the Arrival Date and Nights fields. The default is the next business date. Use the calendar tool or manually type in the date to select the departure year, month and day. The weekday name displays next to the date selected. Note: If the External Activities Scheduler license code (OPX_CONC) is active, and one or more activities attach to the reservation, a message advises you if a change in departure date causes an activity to fall outside of the dates of the stay. Nights: The number of nights the guest is staying. The default is 1. Changing the number in this field automatically changes the departure date. Conversely, changing the departure date automatically changes the number in this field. You may adjust the number by typing + or – in the field. The total number of nights displays next to the number entered. Enter 0 (zero) to reserve a day use room. The text Day Use displays next to the 0 entry. Adults: The number of adult guests in the room for this reservation. Opera calculates the room rate based on this number. The field defaults to 1. Note: Zero may appear here if the reservation is for one or more children who will be staying in their own room (unaccompanied by an adult). Child: The number of minor guests in the room (the age for children will vary from hotel to hotel. Consult management to find out the official age range for children). This field defaults to zero. If rates have been configured based on varying ages of the children, selecting the arrow to the right of the field will allow the user to see how many children in each age range are expected. Select Ellipsis button to see the number of children in each age group (e.g., Child 1-3 years, Child 4-12 years, Child 13+ years). No. of Rooms: The number of rooms required for the guest. The field defaults to 1. If, for example, the guest requires 2 rooms, enter 2 in this field. All rooms will be of the same room type. Alternatively, if the guest requires more than one room, you may use Add On. With Add On, this reservation duplicates, but you can change the room type for the second (duplicate) reservation. The number of rooms entered here subtracts from availability. Note: When adding-on a reservation to a single reservation with multiple rooms, the message “Do you want the Add On reservation to be for X rooms?” is displayed. If you select No, an Add On reservation creates for only one room. If you select Yes, an Add On reservation creates for the number of rooms in the original reservation. Xbed: The extra beds required in the room. This may affect the room rate, depending on the configuration of the hotel’s rate codes. Cribs: The number of cribs required in the room. This may affect the room rate, depending on the configuration of the hotel’s rate codes. Room Type: Select the down arrow to display the Room Types list of values (e.g., deluxe double, deluxe king, standard double, etc.). Choose a room type from the list. The room type
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automatically populates when you select a rate code and room type from the Rate Query screen (see Rate Code, below). Note: Once the reservation saves and a confirmation number generates, the number of rooms entered in the Number of Rooms field deducts from the property’s inventory of this room type (provided the Reservation Type acts as “Deduct from Inventory”). RTC (Room Type Charged). This field will generate the room rate. When the Reservations>Room Type to Charge application parameter is set to “Y”, this field is displayed. If the Room Type field and the Room Type Charged (RTC) fields differ, the guest checks into the Room Type room, but the system only charges for the RTC room. This is the most efficient way to upgrade a guest. Room: The actual room number the guest will occupy. In the reservation, this field indicates the pre-blocked room the guest occupies. In the Arrival screen, this field indicates the room that the guest checks into. In the In-House screen, this field indicates the room the guest is occupying. Select the down arrow to display the Available Rooms Search screen. The screen displays room numbers for the selected room type, along with room features, floor number, reservation status and current housekeeping status associated with each. You may search to identify inspected rooms, smoking and non-smoking rooms, and rooms with specific features such as a particular view. Rate Code: Select the down arrow to open the Rate Query screen. Choose a rate code and room type for this reservation. For new reservations, a default rate code appears here if it is set by the Reservations>Default Rate Code application parameter. When you select a rate code and room type from the Rate Query screen, the room type populates the Room Type filed, the rate code populates the Rate Code field, and the rate populates the Rate field. Whether a deposit is required or a cancellation penalty applies may be determined by the reservation type and/or rate code. Fixed Rate: If a change occurs on the rate, but not to the rate code, it is necessary to use this Fixed Rate feature to keep the rate from returning to its configured amount whenever accessing this screen. When the Reservations>Fixed Rate application function is set to “Y”, this field is displayed and fixed rate functionality is enabled. Note: For multiple night stays, you may set a fixed rate for one or more individual nights by selecting the ellipsis button next to the Rate field in order to display the Multiple Rate Codes screen. Edit the rate amount for those dates on which you desire to set a fixed rate. Rate: The dollar amount charged for the Room Type requested (or Room to Charge if an upgrade occurs). The currency code to the left of the field shows the currency in which the rate displays. The rate automatically populates when you select a rate code and room type. (You may select values for the Rate Code and Room Type fields individually, or you may select a rate from the Rate Query screen, in which case the Room Type, Rate Code and Rate are populated.) The Rate field highlights in yellow when the selected rate code involves a rate change during the period of the guest’s stay. For example, assume the rate for the Friday through Sunday period is $150 while the rate for the period Monday through Thursday is $350. If the guest is staying for 5 nights, the Rate field highlights in yellow. Select ellipsis and choose Multiple Rate Codes to check the rates that will apply during the guest’s stay. Packages: Select the down arrow to display the Packages screen. This screen lists any packages associated with the reservation, either attributable to the rate code that has been selected or added separately to the reservation. When a package is part of the rate code, the package price may be exclusive or inclusive. Exclusive packages are not included in the rate. When an exclusive package is associated with the reservation, a separate amount appears under the Rate field showing the combined rate plus packages price. In addition, the package code
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displays in the Packages field and inclusive packages are those included in the rate. You may use the Packages screen to change whether a package is inclusive or exclusive. Block Code: If the guest is a member of a group, the block code is the linking information for this reservation to the group. From this screen you may search for the block; from the list of room types available for each night of the block you may then select the room type for the reservation. Use the down arrow to display the Block Search screen. Arrival Time: In the reservation phase, the Arrival Time indicates the expected arrival of the guest. When the guest checks in, the system will enter the actual check-in time for historical purposes. Res. Type: The Reservation Type indicates the guarantee method, whether by 6 PM hold, credit card hold, company hold, etc., and also indicates whether or not the rooms associated with this reservation deducts from inventory and availability. For new reservations, a default reservation type appears here if it is set by the Reservations>Reservation Type application setting. Opera stores availability information by reservation type; you can see how many of the expected arrivals are guaranteed for a 6 PM check-in, guaranteed for a late check-in by credit card, nonguaranteed, etc. Whether a deposit is required or a cancellation penalty applies may be determined by the reservation type and/or rate code. Market: The market code breaks down all room revenue associated with this reservation for accounting and statistical purposes. This field collects information for statistical reports. Generally the Market Code attaches to the Rate Code and should not adjust. Source: Information regarding the source of the reservation (or how the booking came to the property) indicates in the Source field. Some examples might be GDS, Walk In, Sales Office, Referral from Sister Property, or any other appropriate entry. This field collects information for statistical reports. Origin: Generally used in hotels using GDS or CRS. Choose a category of business channel (e.g., central reservations office, GDS members) from which this reservation originated. Cross reference reservation origins with reservation sources for statistical purposes (for example, to see how many guests made a reservation via GDS solicited by a direct mail promotion). Payment: The method of payment used to guarantee this reservation. This is usually a required field. Select the down arrow to display the Payment Methods list of values. Choose a payment method (e.g., Visa, Master Card, American Express, cash, check, direct bill) from the list. When you collect an advanced deposit, accept a payment, or check out this guest, Opera automatically defaults to this payment method. When the Reservations>Payment Types Per Window application function is set to “Y”, multiple payment methods can be made for a reservation. If more than one method is applied, the background of the Payment Method field will be yellow and an ellipsis button displays beside the down arrow. Select the ellipsis button to view or edit the Payment Methods screen (See Multiple Payment Methods for details). If you select a credit card payment method, Opera prompts you whether you wish to add the credit card number to the guest’s profile. If you select "Yes", the credit card number you enter in the Credit Card No field and the expiration date you enter in the Exp. Date field will be stored in the guest’s profile and will be available when the guest makes reservations in the future. The Profiles>Profile Credit Card application function controls whether or not you are prompted to add the credit card information from the profile. When the IFC>CC Number Not Mandatory For Reservation application parameter is set to “Y”, a credit card number and expiration date are not mandatory when making or changing a reservation with a credit card payment method, nor is a credit card number required when checking the guest in or while the guest is in-house. In addition, when this option is set, no credit authorization performs at check in or by end of day routines.
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Note: When the guest chooses to pay by credit card, you may skip the Payment field and go directly to the Credit Card No. field to enter the credit card number. Opera will automatically select the appropriate payment method. Credit Card Number: Enter the guest’s credit card number in this field. This field is mandatory if you select a credit card payment method in the Payment field. When the guest makes a payment at check out, the payment method defaults to the credit card number on the reservation. (The guest can select a different credit card number or a different payment method altogether.) Should the guest choose to pay by credit card at check out, only the last 4 digits of the credit card number display; the remainder of the numbers mask with X’s. Expiration Date: The expiration date as listed on the credit card. CRS Res. Number: The confirmation number from a central reservation system, if applicable. Depending on the CRS, this number may be auto-populated when the reservation originates from a central reservation system. Approval Code: Once the guest has checked in with a credit card, the system will send out for bank approval of funds. The approval code returned will be viewable on the reservations screen. This field is not editable, only viewable. Approval Amount: The amount of money approved by the bank for this guest’s stay. Suite With: The room number for rooms connected to the room identified in the Room field, if applicable. Confirmation: Select this check box to prepare a Confirmation Letter via fax, email, or print for a new reservation. This box is automatically checked if the Reservations>Confirmation Letter application parameter is set to “Y”. For new reservations, the Confirmation check box on the Reservation screen is editable. If the user selects the check box (or if it is selected by default via the Reservation>Confirmation Letter application parameter), the Confirmation screen automatically appears for the user to request to send the confirmation letter. When a reservation is updated, the reservation screen will show a grayed-out Confirmation check box, either checked (if a confirmation letter was requested) or unchecked (if a confirmation letter was not requested), as appropriate. If no confirmation letter generated, the Confirmation button from the Reservation Options menu accesses the Confirmation screen and requests a confirmation letter. When the user returns to the Reservation screen, the Confirmation check box, notice the selected check box is gray. When a guest cancels their reservation, a confirmation letter can now send to them. Guest Balance: The amount of money the guest currently owes. In the case of a deposit, a negative sign will indicate a credit balance. Disc. Amt./%: Enter an amount (in the first field) and/or a percentage (in the second field) to reflect a discount on the rate. The Rate field is adjusted by the amount and/or percentage entered. If both an amount and percentage exists, the percentage discount calculates first, and the discount amount subtracts from the adjusted rate. (A negative amount and/or negative percentage apply to the rate.) For example if the rate is $300 and you enter an amount of $50 and 10%, the rate adjusts to $220. (300-30)-50=220. Note: When a rate code is assigned to the reservation, the Discount Amount, Discount %, and Discount Reason fields are available if the Discount check box is selected on the Rate Setup screen’s Rate Header tab (System Configuration>Rate Management>Rate Classification>Rate Code). If the Discount check box remains unselected, you may not edit these fields. If a reservation exists with a discount applied, and you select a new rate which does not support discounts, the discount amount and/or percentage values remove and the applicable fields gray out. For multi-rate reservations, the rate code on the arrival date determines whether a discount
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Reason: If you offer a discount amount or discount percentage, enter a reason in this field. Choose a Reason from a pre-configured list entered by hotel management. Specials: Select the down arrow to display the list of Feature Code Values. Check one, multiple, or all special requests (e.g., foam pillows, crib, rollaway, extra towels) from the list. If you select any specials, Opera prompts you to indicate whether you wish to add these to the guest’s profile for this property. Comments: Select the down arrow to display the Reservation Comments screen. Use this screen to enter new comments and to review all comments associated with this reservation. If one or more reservation comments are associated with this reservation, the Comments lamp appears in the lower left section of the Reservation screen. The most recently entered comment appears in this field. There are three types of comments: Reservation Comments – these comments appear at any time this reservation is accessed prior to the guest’s arrival. In-House Comments – these comments appear once the guest checks into the hotel. Cashiering Comments – these comments appear in the guest folio screen, not on the reservation screen. Note: When creating a new reservation, if Reservation-type comments exist on the guest’s profile and the Profiles>Reservation Comments application parameter is set to “Y”, the system will automatically copy the comments to the new reservation. Delete comments if you do not wish to keep them on the reservation. Promotions: When the Membership>Promotions Module application parameter is set to “Y”, this field is displayed. Select the down arrow to display the Promotions list. Promotions (e.g., Fall Holiday, Super bowl Sunday, Buy One Get One Free) that are currently available display on this screen. Select one, multiple or all promotions from the available promotions list. Item Inv.: Inventory items (for example, extra beds, cribs, recreational equipment, audio-visual hardware, and so on) attach to a reservation through a package or through the rate code. If so, the items display in this field. You may also attach inventory items to the reservation manually. To do so, select the down arrow to open the Item Inventory screen. This field is available when the Reservations>Item Inventory application function is set to “Y”. Certain items may have traces associated with them when configured. If so, the traces automatically attach to the reservation. Along the bottom of the screen the following view-only information displays: Created By: this is the Opera user ID that created this reservation On: The date this reservation generated. Updated By: The user who last updated the reservation On: The date that the reservation last updated.
Refresh Rates and Multiple Rates
When you right click with the mouse on the ellipsis button next to the Rate field, an options menu appears.
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Refresh Rates: Select this option to make sure you are displaying the most current rate information, particularly when you are updating an existing reservation. For example, if the rate amount changes from $100 to $150, new reservations books at the new rate of $150. However, if you wish to update an existing reservation made before the rate change, you would use this option to refresh the rate to reflect the current amount. Not only rate amounts, but other rate code details, such as changes to packages associated with the rate code, refresh as well. Multiple Rate Codes: Select this option to see the Multiple Rate Codes screen. This screen shows the individual rates for each night of the guest’s stay. Yellow highlighting indicates that there is a rate change over the course of the stay. (Rate codes may change over the course of the guest’s stay. For example, a guest traveling on business may spend the first two nights of his or her stay at a corporate rate. If the guest decides to stay an extra night for personal reasons, he or she may change to a rack rate for the final night; in this scenario, multiple rate codes will apply to the stay.)
To Enter Multiple Rates on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o Select the gray box to the right of the Rate field and select Multiple Rate Code to view details. Highlight the desired date for a Rate Code change and select Edit. Select the drop down arrow next to Rate Code to view availability for alternate Rate Codes for the selected date. Select an available Rate Code for the same Room Type reserved and select Res. to return the selection to the reservation. Select "Yes" to update the Market Code. Select "Yes" to update the Source Code. Note the newly changed Rate Code and Rate Amount for the Daily Element of Multiple Rate Codes. Select OK to save changes.
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Note the newly changed Rate Code that indicates a rate change in effect by the yellow highlight. Select OK to save changes and return to the main reservation. Select OK to respond to the warning message. Note the yellow highlight in the Rate Code, Rate, Market, and Source fields indicating that each of these categories will change during the duration of the guest’s stay. The displayed fields always default to the arrival date’s rate elements. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation.
2.1.4 More Fields Tab
From the Reservation screen it is possible to access a secondary screen that holds additional reservation information. To do so, select More Fields directly above the Arrival Date field.
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The More Fields Screen The More Fields screen contains posting, tax and transportation information. It is also a screen customizable for a hotel or company, so it may appear quite different in each hotel. If the screen varies from the below configuration, hotel management will explain the use of the More Fields screen.
No Post: This field checks automatically depending on the form of payment in the reservation. If the form of payment is cash or check, the hotel generally requests that no automatic postings post to a guest’s account unless a substantial deposit exists on the room. If the No Post field is checked, the telephone interface will not be activated for out-going calls, the restaurants will not be able to post restaurant checks to room charge, movies will not be activated and any other interfaces that post charges. Print Rate: If this box is checked, the rate prints on any confirmation letters or registration cards. Some rate codes are configured Do Not Print automatically, particularly in the case of wholesale rates. Check this field for individual reservations as well. Video Check Out: If you allow the guest to use video check out, check this field. Like No Post, this field activates depending on the payment method. If the guest has sufficient credit at the desk, and if you collect a credit card at check in, the Video Check Out option activates. Generally, do no allow this option with cash or check payment types. C/O Time: This field indicates the guest’s check out time. Make an entry in this field while the reservation is in reserved or in-house status; however the system overwrites it with the actual checkout time at the guest’s departure. This will register the actual check out time in history. Tax Type: If the guest is exempt from some or all taxes, setting the tax type in the reservation determines which taxes, if any, post to the guest’s folios. Exempt No.: If the guest is tax exempt, accounting generally requires a tax-exempt number from the exempt organization. Enter that number in this field. Pickup Req’d: If the guest requires transport from the airport, train station, bus terminal or shipping port, a yes indicator in this field will generate information on a transport report.
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Transport Type: The Transport Type indicates the type of transportation that the guest will require, whether it is shuttle, taxi, limousine or any other type of transport provided or organized by the hotel for arrival. Arrival Date: The date the guest will arrive at the city. Pickup Time: The time to pick the guest up at the station. Drop off Req’d: If the guest requires transport to the airport, train station, bus terminal or shipping port, a yes indicator in this field will generate information on a transport report. Transport Type: The Transport Type indicates the type of transportation that the guest will require, whether it is shuttle, taxi, limousine or any other type of transport provided or organized by the hotel for departure. Departure Date: The date the guest will depart from the city. Drop off Time: The time to drop the guest off at the station.
2.1.5 Reservation Options
The Options button from the Reservation screen contains a large number of functions to customize a reservation for a guest. Options are available from the Reservation screen or from the Reservation Search screen.
Accompanying: This option adds a guest to a reservation without opening a folio or allowing separate billing for the guest. To use this option, Select Attach and either locate or create a profile for the accompanying guest. This profile will remain on file in the hotel; however, the accompanying guest will not have a separate folio while in the hotel. Use this instead of the Shares function if very simple shares situations exist. Add On: This option creates a copy of the guest reservation. Selecting Add On will create a new reservation with all the same attributes as the original. Some uses for Add On reservations are to create a second reservation for the same arrival and departure dates very easily. Once
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created, the guest’s profile changes to another. Another use for an Add On reservation is to create a reservation for the same guest for the future. Once the Add On reservation creates, the arrival date changes and the reservation is complete
To Create an Add On Reservation: o o o o o From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. From the Reservation Options, select Add On. Select "Yes" to create the Add On. Make any necessary modifications to the new reservation; select OK to save changes and receive a new confirmation number. Select OK to the confirmation number message; the new reservation window will close.
Agent/Company: This option attaches additional profiles to the reservation. Travel Agent, Company, Group or Source profiles can be located and attached using this feature. There is no difference on the reservation if the profiles are attached using Agent/Company than if they were attached to the main Reservation screen. When setting up charge routing, access to additional profiles is quicker from this option. Alerts: Alerts generate messages to appear at various times in the life of the reservation. Configure alerts for a pre-blocked room to appear every time you access the reservation prior to check in to warn users not to change the room blocked. Configure another alert to appear at check in to locate the Front Office Manager for a VIP arrival, or to collect a voucher needed at check in. Also, configure an alert at check out to remind users to collect safety-deposit-box keys.
To Add an Alert to a Reservation: o o o o o o o o From either the Reservations Search Results screen or the In-House Guest Search results screen, locate the desired reservation or guest. Highlight the guest and select Options. Select Alerts. Select New to add a new Alert. Click on the drop down arrow to select the Code. Highlight the appropriate Alert and select OK. Click on the drop down arrow to highlight and select the Area or department for the Alert message to display on the reservation. Check-In alerts display when the Front Desk accesses the arrival; Checkout alerts display when the Cashier accesses a due-out guest folio; Reservation alerts display when accessing the record in Reservations. Select Save to save the Alert. Be sure to save changes to the reservation before exiting.
o o
Billing: This option appears once the guest checks in and allows the user to access the guest folio while working with the reservation. All normal functions of the Billing screen are available by accessing this option, depending on user rights. Changes: Any updates or changes made to a guest reservation are logged and available for view. Each change to the reservation tracks as well as the agent making the change, the time and the date. This option helps to track history of information on a guest reservation. Confirmation: From this option, send confirmation letters to the guest or to any other profile attached to the reservation. Depending on the configuration of the hotel’s network, the confirmation letters may be printed, faxed or emailed. Also, customize for an individual from this option.
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To Add and Send a Confirmation Letter: o o o o o o o o o o o o
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From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Select Confirmation from the Reservation Options. Highlight the Conf. Name to send and select OK. Click on the drop down arrow next to Address, Email, or Fax to select from available directory information. Highlight the appropriate address to deliver the Confirmation to and select OK. If you need an alternate address, email, or fax, highlight the New Address, New Email, or New Fax line to initiate the creation of new directory information. Place an “X” in the field under the preferred delivery method, and select Send. Print jobs send to the workstation’s designated printer for Confirmations; Fax and Email open the appropriate programs for delivery. Note the Successful Status for the printed Confirmation. Select Close to return to Reservation Options, then Close to return to the main reservation. An alternate way to initiate the printing of a Confirmation Letter is to check the Confirmation box when creating a new reservation. Once a Confirmation Number is given, the Confirmation screen will automatically appear.
Credit Cards: Make changes or updates to the credit card authorization information from here. When Opera installs in an existing hotel, entering the manual authorization information from the previous system makes the guest’s check out go much more smoothly. The hotel also has a default calculation for authorizing credit cards, generally the number of nights multiplied by the rate plus either a flat sum or a percentage for taxes and incidentals. There are occasions when this calculation will over-authorize a card, so the option to manually change the expected authorization is included here. Finally, if a guest bill exceeds the amount pre-authorized, obtain additional authorization using this option. Delete: The Delete option will delete the reservation entirely from the database. Do no use this option to replace the cancel option, and is generally controlled through User Rights. Deposit: The Deposit option posts an advance deposit on a guest’s reservation. The deposit option may also post a deposit request schedule or to post a deposit payment on the reservation. The deposit request schedule most often applies to large group posting master deposits, but is also for individual reservations as well. If a deposit schedule rule exists on the rate code or the guarantee type on the reservation, the deposit request enters on the reservation automatically, otherwise enter a deposit request manually.
To Enter a Manual Deposit Request: o o o o o Select Deposit on the Options screen of a reservation. Select New to enter a Deposit Request. By clicking on the drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and select OK. Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $149.00 would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o Select Post Deposit to post a collected advance deposit. Log into your Cashier by entering your Password; select Login. Click on the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK.
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o
Fixed Charges: The Fixed Charges option is used to pre-set automatic postings on a reservation. These charges post immediately after the Room and Tax postings during the End of Day (Night Audit) Sequence. Some examples of fixed charges might be extra bed charges, parking charges, refrigerator rentals or any other charge that automatically posted on a nightly basis. Fixed charges can also post on a weekly or monthly basis as well, and as a result can post weekly or monthly rental fees.
To Enter Fixed Charges: o o o o o o o From a Reservation Options, select Fixed Charges. Select New to enter a fixed charge. Dates will default to original reservation dates of stay. Highlight the desired Transaction Code for the Fixed Charge and select OK. Complete the Amount, Quantity, as well as posting frequency and select OK to save. Select Close to return to the Options menu. Select Close from the Options menu to return to the main Reservation or Reservation Search screen; be sure to save changes before exiting.
History: Find information on previous guest stays in the Reservations Options screen. Access Guest History stored in the profile either through the profile or through a reservation. The stay info screen displays arrival and departure dates from previous stays, as well as folio history for this guest printable from this screen. The Revenue screen displays all accumulated revenue divided into the hotel’s configured revenue buckets. Locator: Locators alert all users to a guest’s location for transferring telephone calls or for quick access. Use Locators if a guest will be out of the room, but wishes to have calls transferred to a different location in the hotel. Also, use Locators if a guest’s room is not ready at check in and the guest will need to be located once the room is ready.
To Enter a Locator on a Guest’s Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Locators only apply to guests arriving on the current day or checked in guests. Select Locator. Select New to enter a new locator. Enter the Begin Date for the locator and the End Date for the locator. Enter the Begin Time and End Time for the locator. On the right side of the screen, highlight the location the guest will be. Enter that text in the space at the bottom of the screen, if needed. Select Save when finished.
Messages: Enter text messages on a guest’s reservation. In most hotels, this will activate the message light on the telephone in a guest’s room indicating that a message is waiting. Once you deliver a message to a guest, it must be marked as received to inactivate the message lamp in the room.
To Enter a Text Message for a Guest: o o o o Select Messages. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then select the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save.
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Once the return Phone No. exists, press the [Tab] key to move the message information into the text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Select "Yes" to send the message to the guest. This will turn the message light on in the guest room. To print the message for delivery to the guest room, select Print on the highlighted message. Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. Note the Message lamp on the reservation screen indicating that a message is waiting for delivery. To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select Received. This will turn off the message light in the guest room. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
Package Option: The Package Option is a tool for front desk users and managers to research how much a guest consumed of a package element. Package elements such as breakfast have an upper limit to the amount of money a guest may consume. Above that pre-determined allowance, any further charges will post on the guest’s bill. The package option displays the allowance amount, the amount consumed by the guest and the overage, which posts on the guest bill. Each day the package element is valid displays separately. Party: Entering more than one room on a reservation creates party reservations. A reservation with multiple rooms and a single confirmation number can split to multiple rooms and multiple confirmation numbers. Once split, party reservations are located by selecting the original name on the reservation. All party reservations, regardless of the name on the reservation at check in display when a searching by Party name.
To Create Party Reservations: o o o o o o o o o o o o o The initial reservation must have more than one room entered in the No. of Rooms field. From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight the primary reservation to begin the party, and select Options. Select Party. To split a multiple-room reservation into two separate reservations within the party, highlight the reservation and select Split. Select "Yes" to copy payment details from the original reservation to all split reservations; select No to enter a unique payment for all split reservations. Select Join Party to join guests into a party with this guest. Search for a guest to join the party by entering the Guest Name and pressing the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Once the guest is located, highlight the reservation and click Select. Note the newly joined guest to the Party and either select Join Party to continue adding additional guests, or OK to save changes. To change a guest from one party to another, highlight the desired reservation and select Chg. Party. Select the new Party for the reservation to belong to and select OK. Once all additions complete the Party, select OK to save changes. Note the “PARTY: Name” indicating the selected guest belongs to a party of reservations. Use this to locate all party reservations together from a Reservations Search screen.
Rate Info: Rate Info displays the breakdown of room charge, tax and any package elements that are included in the guest’s rate. This information displays in the local currency, but changes to display in any currency for which the hotel has an exchange rate configured.
To Display Rate Information:
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o o o o o o o
From the Reservation Search Results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select Rate Info. Note the daily breakdown of Room Revenue, Tax, Package Summary, and the Total for each day. The Grand Total estimated for the entire reserved stay is located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. To view transaction details for a specific date, highlight the date and select Details. Daily Rate Details indicates the exact estimate of transactions to post to the guest folio including totals for revenue and non-revenue postings. Be sure to save any changes to the reservation before exiting.
Register Card: Registration Cards print for a guest at check in or prior to arrival. A registration card can print for a guest at any time from the moment the reservation exists until the day the guest checks out.
To Print a Registration Card: o o o o o From the Reservation Search screen, locate the desired reservation and highlight; select Options. Select Register Card. Place an “X” next to the type of Registration Card to print; select Print. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation. Unless you pre-assign a room number for the guest, the Room Number field will be blank on the registration card.
Room Move: The Room Move option is only available after the guest checks into the room. Prior to check in, selecting a different room number in the Room field on the reservation can easily change a pre-blocked room. After check in, use Room Move as the housekeeping status must update and all guest information must transfer automatically to the new room number.
To Move a Guest to Another Room After Check In: o o o o o o o o o o From the In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired room and select Options. Select Room Move. Click on the drop down arrow next to Move to Room field. The room number that appears is the current room number occupied. Choose an alternate room from the Available Rooms Search screen and select OK to save. Select OK to save the Room Move. Depending on your hotel’s policy, select the return Housekeeping status for the initial room. Generally, if the guest has not arrived, give the room the most available status (i.e. Inspected or Clean). If the guest arrived and occupied the room for a short length of time, use the Pickup status. If the guest occupied the room for a longer length of time, use the Dirty status. Close from the Reservation Options and note the newly changed Room number for the guest.
Routing: Setting up charge routing can be a great time-saver when checking out a guest. If charges are routed correctly, guest complaints at the desk may be prevented and a much faster check out time. Charges can be automatically separated on a guest’s folio, or can be moved off the guest’s folio altogether to a posting master or another guest room.
To Enter Charge Routing Instructions on a Reservation:
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From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select Routing. Select to setup a new routing instruction. To route charges from one room to another, select Room Routing; indicate whether the instructions apply for the Entire Stay or Other Dates (i.e. partial dates). Click on the drop down arrow to select the Route to Room to route charges to. Select the transaction codes to route by marking them with an “X” and choose Select. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. To save the Routing Instructions, select OK. Note the newly created Routing Instructions for this guest. Select Close to return to the reservation and be sure to save changes before exiting. To set up routing of charges from one folio window to another, select the Window Routing option and dates. Enter the Guest Name or Room Number and press the [Tab] key to initiate a search. Highlight the desired guest and select OK. Select the transaction codes to route by marking them with an “X” and click Select. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. Select the Window No. in which the routed charges should appear. To route charges to another profile name (i.e. a Company Profile), select the drop down arrow next to the Route to Name field. Highlight the available Profile name to route charges to and select OK. If no additional profile name exists on the reservation, the Profile Search Screen will appear allowing the search of an existing profile or the creation of a new one. Once complete, select OK to save changes.
Shares: Sharing rooms is a common occurrence in a hotel, however it can be tricky to separate out charges and be sure that we charge each guest the proper amount. It can also be a difficult situation if the guests arrive or depart on different days.
To Create a Shared Reservation: o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, locate the desired reservation and select Options. Select Shares from the Reservation Options screen. Note the existing reservation information and select Combine. Select From Profile and select the drop down arrow to select the profile name to share. Search for an existing profile, or create a New Profile if one does not exist. Once you choose the profile, select OK to submit the new name for sharing. Select OK to confirm combining the two guest names on the reservation. Select "Yes" to copy payment details from the primary reservation to the share-with reservation. Select No if a method of payment will be unique for the share-with reservation. Note the two profile names on the reservation and their Nightly Rate Details. (Each guest pays full rate for one room). To indicate the primary guest as paying full rate on the reservation and the share-with paying zero, highlight the paying guest and select Entire. Note that the second guest name is now a zero rate and the primary guest is paying full rate. To resume the status of both guests paying full rate, select Full. To evenly split the rate between all guests, select Split. Note the Share Amt. evenly split between both guests. Once you decide the rate structure, select OK to save changes. Note the original reservation now indicates a Share with guest name and Share lamp.
o o o o o o o o
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o
To Combine Two Existing Reservations in a Share: o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, locate the desired reservation and select Options. Select Shares from the Reservation Options screen. Note the existing reservation information and select Combine. Select From Reservation and click on the drop down arrow to select the reservation to share. Search for the existing reservation combine by entering Guest Name and pressing the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Once you find the reservation, highlight it and click Select to combine the two reservations into one sharing reservation. Select OK to complete the joining of the two reservations to share. Both reservations retain their existing Opera confirmation number and are searchable by either number. Those hotels with a CRS will generally send a cancellation to the reservation that is not primary. Note the two profile names on the reservation and their Share Amt. (paying full rate for one room). To indicate the primary guest as paying full rate on the reservation and the share-with paying zero, highlight the paying guest and select Entire. Note that the second guest name is now a zero rate and the primary guest is paying full rate. To resume the status of both guests paying full rate, select Full. To evenly split the rate between all guests, select Split. Note the Share Amt. evenly split between both guests.
o o o o o o
To Break a Shared Reservation: o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight one of the sharing reservations and click on the Share lamp in the lower left-hand corner Select Break Shr. to separate the reservations. Select OK to check the turndown status. (This is a reminder that if a turndown request exists on a share room reservation, it is best to address the separate reservations at this point for that feature.) Note the primary reservation is no longer sharing with any guest. Select OK to save changes The second reservation is now with a reservation status with an individual room of its own and a unique Opera confirmation number. For hotels with a CRS, a new confirmation number generates for the second reservation.
o o o
Traces: Traces placed on a guest reservation print on daily trace reports for hotel management. They are an excellent way to automatically communicate between departments to handle special guest requests or instructions. Traces communicate the need for direct bill authorization, transportation to or from the airport, VIP amenities or room features or special housekeeping touches.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select Traces. Select New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send Enter any additional instructions or manual trace information in the Text field.
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Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All will complete all traces and resolve for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
Wait List: In an overbooked situation for the hotel for a date or range of dates, reservations placed on wait list continue to generate a confirmation number, but the guest does not have a guaranteed room. Wait listed reservations will not figure into availability figures and are not considered to be deducted from inventory. Managing wait-listed reservations includes being able to prioritize the reservations returning to reserved status, and canceling reservations that will not be able to be placed.
To Create a Reservation For the Wait List: o o o o o o o o o Once the reservation is complete, a confirmation number will appear. This should not be given to the guest will indicate that the reservation will be ready for them upon arrival. Select Options from the main Reservation screen. Select Wait List. Enter the Wait List Reason. Enter the Wait List Priority for this reservation. Enter the guest’s Telephone Number for future reference. If any further information is required, type that information in the space at the bottom of the screen. The reservation is now on the wait list. Moving reservations off the wait list and back to reserved status will be covered in section 2-3
Wake Up Call: To set, views, and delete wake up calls, for one or more individual rooms or for blocks of rooms, select the Wake Up Call option from the Reservation Options menu. This option is available only for checked in guests.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select the Wake Up Call option. To set a single wake up call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date and To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a wake up call for every member of a group, use the option Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in the Block Name field, begin and end date for the calls and the time. Select Set to continue. To view all current wake up calls entered in the PMS, select View Wake Up Calls. Enter any filter criteria needed and select View. All current Wake Up calls display. To print a list for manual calls, select Print.
2.2 Update Reservation
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Reservation Search
The Reservation Search screen provides a wide variety of options to locate existing reservations. The most common search fields are the guest name or confirmation number, but many more options are available.
Use any of the search fields to locate the reservation and select Search. o Only type the first few letters in a field to generate a search. o If only know a portion of the name, using the “%” sign before the letters generates a partial name search. For instance, if the name Johnson is to be located, typing “%son” will locate all names that include the letters “son” in the name. o In any field with an arrow to the right, place the cursor in the field and press [F9] to open.
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New: The New button will begin a new reservation. All normal procedures follow – the Rate Query screen appears first, followed by the Rate Grid and the Reservations screen. Check In: This option will check in the guest verifying only the room number and the method of payment. Use this when checking in posting masters or internal house accounts but not when checking in hotel guests. Edit checks in hotel guests and the entire Reservation screen displays; verbally verify all stay information with the guest for accuracy. Cancel: If the guest has called to cancel the reservation, this option will initiate the cancellation. The room returns to available inventory and a cancellation number generates. Once the reservation cancels this button reads Reinstate and reinstates the reservation if needed.
To Cancel a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations, then Update Reservation. Enter search criteria (i.e. Last Name, Conf. No) and select Search or Advanced for more search criteria. Highlight the reservation and select Cancel. Click on the drop down arrow to select from a list of Cancellation Reason choices. Highlight the appropriate Cancellation Reason and select OK. You may complete the cancellation by adding any additional pertinent details in the white text box; select OK to finish. An Opera Cancellation Number generates; select OK to exit. If a CRS is the main reservation database, a CRS generated cancellation number will appear. Note the CANCELLED status on the reservation.
To Reinstate a Cancelled Reservation:
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o o o
To reinstate a cancelled reservation, simply select Reinstate. When reinstating, the main Reservation screen will appear allowing any changes to accommodation or guest information; once complete, select OK to save changes. Reinstated reservations do not generate a new Opera Confirmation Number but typically generate a new, unique CRS number.
Profile: The Profile button offers access to the guest profile for updating or viewing information. See section 2-6 for complete information regarding guest profiles. Options: All reservation options are accessible from the Reservation Search screen. See section 2.1.5 for complete information on all reservation options. Edit: The Edit option displays the complete reservation screen and allows access to all information for updates. See Section 2.1.2 for a complete discussion of all the fields on the reservation screen. Search: The Search option will refresh the Reservation Search screen for the next reservation search.
2.3 Waitlist
The Wait List feature is optional for hotels, and helps to manage reservations created and set aside to wait for availability. Once a reservation places on the wait list, a reason for placement on the wait list and a priority for return to reservation status accompany the reservation. From the wait list function, a front office manager is able to view reservations, profiles and information to make informed decisions as to which reservations to return first. A cancel function is also included if the reservations must be canceled rather than returned to reserved status.
Search
The Wait List Search screen provides a number of options to locate waitlisted reservations.
Name: Locate the guest by typing in the guest’s last name.
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Reasons: To search for reservations that were waitlisted for a specific waitlist reason, select the down arrow to choose the waitlist reason. Date: Entering a date in this field will locate all waitlisted reservations whose stay dates cross the entered date. This means that the date field will locate any reservation that will be an arrival, stay-over or due out on the date entered. Rate Code: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific rate code, select the down arrow to choose the rate code. Priority: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific waitlist priority, select the down arrow to choose the waitlist priority. Room Type: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific room type, select the down arrow to choose the room type. Market Code: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific market code, select the down arrow to choose the market code. Company: The Company, if any, attached to the reservation. Agent: The travel agent, if any, attached to the reservation. Source: When PMS, ORS, or other Opera applications are integrated, the name of the application from which the reservation was submitted. Group: The group name if the guest belongs to a group. Phone: The primary phone number specified for the guest whose profile exists on the reservation. VIP: The guest's VIP status. Profile: This button will access the guest’s profile. This can be useful when checking previous guest stays, profile notes or VIP status of the guest in order to make a determination as to which reservations should return to reserved status first. Details: View and edit the Waitlist details screen. Options: Displays only those options applicable to a waitlist reservation. Resv.: View and edit the reservation details. View: This button will access the guest’s reservation information. This can be useful when checking current stay information such as rate, discounts, reservation comments, and membership status or market code. Accept Res: Using this option will reverse the reservation to reserved status and remove it from the wait list. Before moving this reservation, the reservation screen displays so that you can enter any changes to rate or room type. Cancel: This option will cancel the reservation and remove it from the wait list.
2.4 Blocks
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All Group Business in Opera is created, maintained and updated using the Business Block Options. Depending on the needs of each hotel, one or more of the options may be available. Options such as the Quick Business Block or Business Block Search activate if the parameter is set in system configuration.
2.4.1 Business Block Search
The Business Block Search screen locates existing business blocks for view or update. There are a wide number of search options available. All of the fields in the yellow-bordered area locate specific group blocks.
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To create a new business block, select New on the Business Block search screen and fill out the information needed to set up the account.
Acct/Com: Attaches company profiles to a Business Block Header. When doing this, the Company profile appears on each reservation made with this block and the reservation statistics for the company include all room nights and revenue from each reservation on the block. It is also possible with a company profile attached to use the negotiated rate for the company, and if the company has approved direct billing, any charges from the group bill out on an Accounts Receivable statement. Agent: Attaches Travel Agent profile to a Business Block Header. When doing this and a commissionable rate attaches to the group and all reservations generate travel agent commissions. Source: Attaches Source profile to a Business Block Header. When doing this the Source profile attaches to every reservation in the group. The source profile sometimes pays commission to a company that not normally considered a travel agent. Group: A Group profile is required to work with the Business Block Header. The Group Profile creates the reservation for the posting master, which automatically creates prior to any reservations made. Contact: Attaches Company contact profiles to a Business Block Header. The Company Contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Company contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information.
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Contact: Attaches Travel agent contact profile to a Business Block Header. The Travel agent contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Travel agent contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Name: The official name of the group. Start Date: The first date for offering the group rate. Nights: The number of nights for offering the group rate. End Date: The official departure date for the group. Status: The status is generally dependant on the status of the group contract. The status determines whether reservations can book for the group and whether the (unreserved) allotted rooms count in the hotel’s availability or not. A group in inquiry starting status would not allow reservations for pickup and any rooms allotted for the group will not deduct from hotel inventory counts. A Tentative group may not allow pickup, but may deduct allotted rooms from inventory. A Definite group will allow pickup and all allotted rooms (reserved and un-reserved) will be deducted from inventory counts. Market: The Market Code defines where the room revenue generated by this group will be booked on a market code report. Market Codes divide room revenue into statistically useful categories for tracking the types of business that are using the hotel. Source: The Source field indicates where the business generated. Some examples of Source codes are: GDS, Sales Office, Sister Property, CRO, Repeat, etc. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Block Code: The Block Code is the unique identifying code for this group. The block code links all group reservations together. Res. Type: The Res. Type determines the guarantee status of the group and links to the Status Code. Rate Code: If the group rate structure follows a standardized rate code, enter that code on the Block Header and the rates default based on the original configuration of the rate code. If this field is blank, it will be possible to build rates per room type per day for each individual group. Packages: If a package element is to be included for all members of the group, enter it on the Block Header and it applies to every reservation. Print Rate: If the Print Rate box is checked, the rate will be visible for the guest. This becomes the default setting for all reservations picked up from this block. Elastic Block: If the Elastic Block box is checked, the group can pick up more than the allotted rooms and can book the group rate before and after the start and end date. If the Elastic Block box is not checked, it will not be possible to book more than the allotted rooms per day and it will not be possible to extend the days for the group easily. If a group exists as non-elastic, make it elastic on the day of arrival as it is not possible to separate a shared reservation if there are no additional rooms in the block and the front desk may be handicapped at check in. Suppress Rt.: If the Suppress Rt. box is checked, the rate will not be visible to the user. The message "Display of rate amount is prohibited for this rate code" appears.
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Cutoff Date: Entering a date in this field will set the date that all allotted rooms that have not been picked up will be given back to house inventory. The cutoff procedure can be set to be automatic during the End of Day sequence, or can be a manual operation based on a report of blocks and their cutoff dates. A cutoff date will return all rooms for all days of the group at one time. Cutoff Days: Cutoff Days allow for a rolling cutoff. For a 3 day group for instance, 7 cutoff days would cut off all unused rooms from the first day of the group 7 days out. The next day, all unused rooms from the second day of the group cut off and so on. Follow Up Date: used for the hotel’s account manager to contact the group coordinator for further information. Decision Date: This field registers the date by which the group must make a final decision to hold the group at the hotel. After this date, if there is no decision, the allotted rooms can release back into general inventory. Trace Code: If the hotel requires follow up on the group, a trace code reminder can enter in this field for a later date. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account.
Catering Details
Status: A drop down list used to specify the status of the Catering section of the booking. Attendees: The maximum number of attendees at any given time during this stay. Guaranteed: Select this check box to note that the number in the Attendees field is the minimum guaranteed by the client. When this field is marked it affects the Event screen. Information Board: Copied from the name of the booking. This field is editable and will accept all characters for example, Micros Systems - 2003 Conference. This information identifies this event in the Function Agenda and provides information for door cards and electronic information boards. Follow Up Date: A date field with a calendar attached. A Catering Manager or Coordinator may want to use this field to systematically follow up on this Event Group. Decision Date: A date field with a calendar attached. Indicates the date by which the client has agreed to make a decision on the booking. A Catering Manager or Coordinator may want to use this field to systematically show when Event Groups must make a decision. Function Type: A free typing field where you can define in more detail the type of function this is. Contract No: A numeric only field. Enter any other code identifier this Business Block may have (External Contract Number, Guest Referral Number). Onsite Name: A free typing field. Enter the name of the client's in-house representative or contact on the day of the event. This may be the same as the primary contact on the Business Block or it may be an alternate contact. This field will appear on the Banquet Event Order at a later stage.
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Owner: This is the Catering Manager who is operationally responsible, or credited for the Catering Revenue.
Details
Resv. Method: Select an option to indicate how the individual reservations (Individual Call In, Rooming List) for this Business Block are organized. Rooming List Due: The date when the Rooming List is due. This field attaches to a calendar. Arrival Time: Enter the approximate check in time for the group into this field. Departure Time: Enter the approximate check out time for the group into this field. Porterage Included: Select this box if the room rate quoted includes any porterage cost. If you mark the check box then the following price will disappear from the screen. Price: If you do not mark the Porterage Included check box, then there is an additional price per person for porterage. Fill in this field with a value. Breakfast Included: Select this check box if the room rate quoted includes any breakfast. If you mark the check box then the following price will disappear from the screen. Price: If you do not mark the Breakfast Included check box, then there is an additional price per person for breakfast. Fill in this field with a value. Breakfast Description: If you wish to note the exact breakfast that is included or offered as an extra, type this information here. Commission %: Indicate what percentage of this Business Block is eligible for commission.
More
The More function is for all user definable fields that are created from Screen Painter and supports additional booking information customized for the particular installation.
Cancel
The Cancel function allows the user to cancel rooms or catering events for the given reservation. Enter a reason and a comment for future reservations.
Edit
Use the Edit button on the Business Search screen to open the highlighted business block for Editing or Update.
Options
Select Options to display additional functions that edit or update the highlighted Business Block.
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Add PM: This will add an additional Posting Master to the group for billing purposes, select this option. Changes: Changes displays tracks all functions performed on the Business Block Header. These changes include cutoff information, changes to grids, changes to dates, market codes, source codes or any other changes to fields. Production Changes tracks all availability changes made to the number of room nights allotted and the associated revenue as well as any changes to the group’s status. Copy: If a group will have more than one business block, it can save time to copy an existing block. Use Copy to create a new business block exactly like the original. It will be possible to enter a new start date and select a new block code, but all other information is from the first business block.
To Copy a Business Block: o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, select Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block, highlight the block name; click Options. Select Copy. Enter the New Start Date and the New Block Code. The new block has the same name as the original. Alter the name of the new block and any other differences from the original. Copied blocks retain a “Pending” or “Initial” status until the user indicates that it is “Definite” or “Open for Pickup”.
Delete: This option will delete the entire group. It is controlled by User Rights. It is not possible to delete a group with active reservations. Deposit: Deposits for groups are usually on the group’s primary posting master. All charges paid for by the deposit have routing set up to the posting master to balance the credit with charges. Because deposits for groups can be quite large depending on the hotel’s policy, you may enter a schedule for payment.
To Manually Enter a Deposit Request: o o o o From the Business Block Search screen highlight the reservation and select Options. Select New to enter a Deposit Request. By clicking on the drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and click OK.
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o
Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $ 149.00 entered would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o o Select Post Deposit to post a collected advance deposit. Log into your Cashier by entering your Password; select Login. Click on the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and click OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK. Select OK to complete posting the advance deposit.
Cutoff: Allotted rooms for a group that do have reservations by a certain date or number of days prior to the group’s arrival can be released back to house inventory for pickup by other group or individual reservations. To release all unused allotments at one time, the cutoff function is used. You can cut off rooms for an individual block or for all blocks at one time.
To Manually Cut Off Group Room Allotments: o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight the block name; select Options. Click Cutoff to release the unused rooms in this block. Any confirmed reservations remain reserved. Select Yes to Cutoff all the rooms in this block. The Available column now shows zero rooms and a Manual Cutoff lamp appears at the bottom of the screen. Select Save to confirm then Close to exit screen.
Notes: To enter notes on a group, enter the type of note to file and type the text in the large white box at the bottom of the screen. A Notes lamp appears on the group so any user may view and react to the notes on the group. Item inventory: Use the Item Inventory screen to manage inventory items attached to a reservation. Shift Date: Before a Business Block is open for pickup, it is possible to shift the dates for the block if needed. Use the button Shift Date to do so. Simply enter the new start date and select OK. The system will check to be sure the allotted rooms are available, and the block date will then shift. Statistics: This option displays information regarding the number of rooms for each room type that picked up each day and the number of guests arriving for each room type each day. Restrictions: This screen shows the restrictions that have been set up for that specific business block and for what specific room type(s) by date. These restrictions apply to blocks that have or do not have a rate code attached to them. Cust Tour Series: Use this option to create multiple occurrences of the group. With the Custom Tour Series, all information on the block will copy except for the arrival date and the block code. Tour Series: This option allows the user to quickly create a number of recurring groups on a 1, 2, 3 or 4-week basis. The groups must all start on the same day of the week and must arrive on a regular schedule.
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Refr. Rates: If a rate code has been changed or updated on the block header, this option will refresh the rate information. If the new rate should apply to existing reservations, the Refresh Rates option will update all reservations. Traces: This option allows users to communicate with other internal departments such as Front Office or Housekeeping to leave reminders regarding the group’s reservations. Resv.: From the main Business Block screen, the button marked Resv. opens to the individual reservations associated with a particular group. In this area, you can create and update Rooming lists, Routing instructions for some or all members of a group, pre-block or check-in rooms and cancel reservations.
New: Create a new reservation with this group. Edit: Edit the highlighted reservation. Options: The options button on this screen will display the same list of Reservation Options as found in the reservation screen. The options available for an individual reservation are the same as those available for a reservation within a group. For a full description of all of the options available, refer to Section 2-1. Profile: Profile will display the profile of the guest on the highlighted reservation. Check In: If the arrival date on the reservation is the same as the current date, check in will take the user to the quick check in function. Search: To locate a particular group guest reservation, use the search options. Cancel: This option will allow the user to cancel the highlighted reservation. If the highlighted reservation is the Posting Master, the option will allow you to cancel just the posting master or to cancel the entire group.
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Group Options: These options include Rooming List, Check In Group, Room Assign, Room Status, Statistics, New Post Master, Delete, Print Keys, and Print Registration Cards.
Rooming List: Enter a list of guest reservations for a group.
To Enter a Group Rooming List: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Group Reservations Screen, select Group Options. Select Rooming List. On the Rooming List screen, the default entry creates New reservations. The first reservation has the group profile name; change to the first name on the list. If the system is to check existing profiles for matches to prevent duplicates, select the option to Check Guest Profile. Continue entering all guest Names, Titles, Arrival Date, Departure Date and Room Types. Use the down arrow on the keyboard to move to the next line. To Share two guests on a rooming list, mark the first guest with an “X”. Select whether to share the rate Even, Full or if one person will pay the full rate (Zero); select Share. Mark the sharing guest with an “X” and select Stop. Shared guests have an asterisk by their Name and the rate information appears in the white space in the center of the screen. Continue entering all names on the rooming list. It is a good idea to Save every 5 names. A saved reservation has a confirmation number; reservations without a confirmation number did not save. Note that all reservations on this rooming list saved with confirmation numbers.
Check In Group: Automatically check in all pre-blocked group reservations. The arrival date for the reservations must be the current business date.
To Check In a Group: o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Check In Group.
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Select whether to check guests into Clean Rooms Only or pre-check them in to dirty or pickup rooms as well. Rooms to check-in must be pre-blocked prior to accessing Check In Group. Select whether to Print Keys through the key interface or not. Select whether to Print Registration Cards for guests or not. Select Check In when ready. Select OK to the successful completion message. Check In information displays in the white details window. Select Close to return to Group Options.
Room Assign: Pre-Block Group rooms based on the needs or special requests of the group.
To Pre-Block Rooms for a Group: o o o o o o o o o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Room Assign. Enter the Arrival Date for pre-blocking, and a Room Type if applicable. If all reservations are pre-blocked, select All Dates and leave the Room Type field blank. Enter any specific room Features, Smoking preferences or Floors if applicable. Check to Include Due Out Rooms and Out of Service Rooms if applicable. Select Save when finished. Select OK to the successful completion of the auto-block. Note the details of the blocking in the white window. Any reservations unable to block will also appear here as “unassigned.” Note the newly pre-blocked rooms for the group.
Room Status: This option displays the housekeeping status for all pre-blocked rooms arriving on the current business date. It can be used to view all rooms prior to the group’s arrival. Print Registration Card: This option can be used to pre-print registration cards for an arriving group.
To Print Group Registration Cards: o o o o o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Print Registration Cards. Registration cards can be printed for only guests due in on the current day, guests who have already been checked in, or all guests arriving today or in the future for this group. Select the option that applies and click Print. Select the appropriate sort criteria. Guest Name prints alphabetically, Room Class prints according to room type and Room prints in room number order. Select OK when ready to print.
New Post Master: If charges for group billing are need to be in more than eight separate folio windows, a second Posting Master will be required to satisfy the group’s billing needs. This option will automatically create additional posting masters for the group as needed. Delete: This option will delete the entire group. It is controlled by User Rights. Cut Keys: If a working key interface is in use by the hotel, it is possible to pre-print all group room keys for pre-blocked rooms using this option.
To Cut Keys for a Group Arrival: o o o From the Group Reservations screen, select Group Options. Select Cut Keys. Select either to print keys automatically for each pre-blocked group member, or to have a Yes/No prompt for each key.
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o o
Grid
The Room Grid is where all rooms for the group are allotted and is located on the bottom left of the screen as a scroll down window. There are several possible grids for each Business Block: o Original Grid: This is the first grid allotted for the group. The original grid allotments begin while the business block is still in a tentative status. The original grid will no longer be available to update once the group is definite. This grid then becomes a benchmark against which to compare actual totals. o Current Grid: This grid appears once the group has been turned Definite and shows all rooms both picked up and allotted. o Available Grid: This grid displays the number of rooms allotted but not picked up in each room type each day. o Pickup Grid: This grid displays the number of rooms picked up in each room type each day. o Pickup Percentage: This grid displays the percentage of rooms picked up in each room type each day. o Changes to Original: This grid displays any difference between the Original Grid and the Current Grid. o Released: This grid displays any rooms that washed back to inventory or cut off. o Contract Grid: This grid does not affect availability and is to enter the precise number of rooms per room type designated on the contract. This grid is for a comparison to pickup and released grids for reporting purposes. o 1 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 1 person for each room type for each day. o 2 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 2 persons for each room type for each day. o 3 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 3 persons for each room type for each day. o 4 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 4 persons for each room type for each day.
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Wash: This option allows the user to release rooms by a set number or by a percentage back to house inventory.
To Wash Rooms From a Business Block: o o o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight block name; select Edit. Select Wash to decrease block inventory. Verify the Date Range or days of week to decrease inventory. Select to wash rooms By Value or By Percentage and enter the value or percentage of rooms to decrease. Select the Room Types to wash. The only choices available are Room Types that have more than 0 rooms blocked. Select OK to accept. Select Yes to decrease block inventory The newly washed inventory displays in the grid.
Range: This option is for allocating the number of rooms for each room type for each day as well as to enter the rates for 1, 2, 3 or 4 people if a rate code is not on the Block Header.
To Allocate Rooms to a Business Block: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block, and highlight the block name and click Edit. Select Grid to modify the number of rooms held for this block. The Room Grid displays in an Original view until the block changes to a pickup status. Notice all other views are “ghosted out” at this stage. Once the status of the block is definite, the view changed to Current. Select Range to modify the rooms and/or rates. The Date Range defaults to the start/end dates of the block. You may modify this field to change the date range of the block. Select the Room Types with an “X” to modify. The values ranged apply per Room Type and per Night. If a Rate Code is on the header, rates will not appear on this screen and you will only need to enter the rooms. If no Rate Code exists on the header, you will need to enter Rates. Rate 1 is the rate for one-person occupancy; Rate 2 is the rate for two person occupancy, and so on. Remember that Rates are for all Room Types selected. Be sure to select similarly priced Room Types. Once you enter the rates, select OK to save changes. Select Yes to modify the Rooms Grid for the Business Block. Rates are now viewable by selecting the appropriate Rate (i.e. 1 Person Rate, 2 Person Rate, etc). To offer additional flexibility with the group’s inventory, select Range to modify the grid. Enter zero number of rooms for all the other room types. If there is no Rate Code in the header, enter the Rates as well. Select OK and then Yes to modify the grid. In the Original view, all Room Types display counts whether holding rooms or not In the Rate view, the rates to quote display, if there were rooms available in general inventory display.
Priorities: In a hotel with a large number of room types, it may be helpful to reorder the room types for the purposes of reading the grids more easily. The priorities button allows the user to order the room types on the grid in a more useful sequence.
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To Enter Room Priorities on a Room Grid: o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight the block name; select Edit. Select Room Grid. Select Priorities. Select Yes to see minimum available rooms. Room Types display in default order sequenced in System Configuration. Click on the line for the Room Type that is the 1st in sequence for this group block, and then click on the 2nd and so forth; the numbers automatically populate in the Pr. No column. Select Sort to rearrange the sequence order. Select OK to accept the changed sequence order Notice the newly prioritized rooms displayed in the order chosen.
o o o
Res: Any reservations attached to this Block Header will display and can be edited or updated if needed. Details: House availability and all details concerning a room type on a particular day display.
2.4.2 Quick Business Block
The Quick Business Block offers an alternative to the full Business Block for hotels that may have simpler group needs. The Quick Business Block contains all the system-required fields for creating a Business Block, but the screens are more streamlined and easy to use. The Quick Business Block is available to use in addition to the full Business Block or instead of the full Business Block. The Quick Business Block Search screen is simpler and easier to use.
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Search: The Quick Business Block Search screen locates existing business blocks for view or update. There are a number of search options available. All of the fields in the yellow-bordered area are available to locate a specific group block. New: To create a new business block, select the New button on the Business Block search screen. There are several steps to creating a New Business Block.
Acct/Comp: A company profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Company profile will appear on each reservation made with this block and the reservation statistics for the company will include all room nights and revenue from each reservation on the block. It is also possible with a company profile attached to use the negotiated rate for the company, and if the company has approval for direct bill, billing of the charges from the group could be through Accounts Receivable. Agent: A Travel Agent profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. If a commissionable rate is set on the group, all reservations may generate travel agent commission. Group: A Group Profile is attachable to a Quick Block Header. This particular group profile will be on every reservation in the block. Contact: A Company contact profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Company contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Company contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Contact: A Travel agent contact profile may is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Travel agent contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Source: A Source profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Source profile will be on every reservation in the group. The source profile sometimes is for paying commission to a company that is not normally a travel agent. Name: The official name of the group, as will be posted in the hotel. Start Date: The first date that the group rate is available.
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Nights: The number of nights the group rate is available. End Date: The official departure date for the group. Block Code: The Block Code is the unique identifying code for this group. The block code links all group reservations together. Status: The status is generally dependant on the status of the group contract. The status determines whether anyone can make reservations for the group and whether the (unreserved) allotted rooms in the hotel’s availability or not. A group in starting status would not allow reservations and any rooms allotted for the group will not deduct from hotel inventory counts. A Tentative group may not allow pickup, but may deduct allotted rooms from inventory. A Definite group will allow pickup and all allotted rooms (reserved and un-reserved) will be deducted from inventory counts. Res. Type: The Res. Type determines the guarantee status of the group and links to the Status Code. Rate Code: If the group rate structure will follow a standardized rate code that code can be entered on the Block Header and the rates will be defaulted based on the original configuration of the rate code. If this field is blank, it will be possible to build rates per room type per day for each individual group. Cutoff Date: Entering a date in this field will set the date that all allotted rooms that have not been picked up will be given back to house inventory. The cutoff procedure can be set to be automatic during the End of Day sequence, or can be a manual operation based on a report of blocks and their cutoff dates. A cutoff date will return all rooms for all days of the group at one time. Cutoff Days: Cutoff Days allow for a rolling cutoff. For a 3 day group for instance, 7 cutoff days would cut off all unused rooms from the first day of the group 7 days out. The next day, all unused rooms from the second day of the group will cut off and so on. Market: The Market Code defines where the room revenue generated by this group will be booked on a market code report. Market Codes divide room revenue into statistically useful categories for tracking the types of business that are using the hotel. Source: The Source field indicates where the business came from. Some examples of Source codes are: GDS, Sales Office, Sister Property, CRO, Repeat, etc. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Elastic Block: If the Elastic Block box is checked, the group will be to reserve more than the allotted rooms and will be able to book the group rate before and after the start and end date. If the Elastic Block box is not checked, it will not be possible to book more than the allotted rooms per day and it will not be possible to extend the days for the group easily.
To Use the Quick Block Functionality: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations and Blocks. Select Quick Business Block. To create a new Business Block, select New. Enter the Name of the group, the Start Date, number of Nights and End Date. The Block Code defaults to the hotel’s format for block codes in the Application Settings.
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The Status defaults to the beginning group status and the Res Type defaults based on the Status. Enter a Rate Code if necessary and determine whether the block is elastic or non-elastic. Enter the Cutoff Date or Cutoff Days, the Market code and Source code. Select Save when finished. All other group functions are available from this screen.
Edit: Use the Edit button to open the highlighted business block for Editing or Update.
2.4.3 Inquiry
The Inquiry function allows a user to search for availability for potential group business for a single date or multiple dates. It’s possible to search for availability by room type or by general house inventory. The Quick Business Block function is available for easy entry of group information.
Acct/Comp: Attach an Account or Company profile during the Inquiry process. This may assist in attaching negotiated rates if included on the profile. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Agent: Attach a Travel Agent profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Source: Attach a Source profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked.
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Contact: Attach a Company contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any Company profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a Travel agent contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any travel agent profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Start Date: The date that the group rate is available. # Nights: The total number of nights the group rate will be offered. End Date: The date that the group rate will no longer be available. Alternate Dates: If the primary date is unavailable, the group contact may have additional dates for consideration. Range From: The first date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to begin the group. To: The last date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to book the group. # Nights Stay: The total number of nights the group will expect to be in house. Arrival Day: For a range of days, the days of the week that the group can be booked to begin. Rooms per day: The number of rooms that will be required per day. The system will check availability on this figure, so it should be close or equal to the maximum number of rooms required on the highest occupancy night. Rate Code: If a rate code is present, the Inquiry function will check availability of the rate code during the requested dates. Room Types: Enter specific room types to inquire for availability. %: If the % sign is checked, the system will look for this percentage of the rooms per day in the room type associated. If the % sign is not checked, the system will search for a number of rooms in the associated room type. Availability: Using this button will access the availability screen that will display which dates have availability and which do not.
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Inquiry: Go back to the Inquiry Process screen, where you can see in detail exactly what criteria you are searching for. This also gives you an opportunity to make any changes and re-process the inquiry. Ctrl Panel: The Front Office Control Panel where you will be able to see a more general picture of the movement within the hotel. Det Availability: The Detailed Availability screen shows in detail the exact Room Type Availability, Room Type Occupancy, Blocks and Turnaways. This is a vital tool to ensure that a Sales Manager gets the whole picture of the movement within the hotel before committing to any contracts. Bus. Block: If the group will be booked, this button will access a new business block for information entry. Reset: If you use the Inquiry function to search for a different group or set of criteria, the Reset button will return the Inquiry screen to its default settings.
2.5 Profiles
Profiles are the main building block in Opera. Each guest reserving a room at the hotel must have a profile. Even after the guest departs the hotel, the profile remains in Opera for the next reservation. As more information about the guest is available to the hotel, the profile updates as well. A profile keeps track of the guest’s special requests and preferences, as well as address and contact information. You may keep extensive text notes for a guest as well as credit card information, membership numbers and any negotiated rates the guest may be eligible to receive.
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Profiles can be quite extensive for regular guests and help to achieve the guest’s expectations for each and every visit. In addition to individual guest profiles, there are other types as well. Each company that does business with the hotel also has a company profile in the system. Company profiles track the number of guest stays as well as revenue that the company has booked at the hotel. If a company has a negotiated rate, it can be booked for a guest by attaching that company’s profile to the guest reservation. Company profiles may have direct billing through accounting, and in this case the company profile information is available to create the A/R account. Travel Agent profiles provide tracking for commission payment information. Each travel agent profile tracks the percentage commission that agent should receive for booking rooms, as well as the address information for sending the check once a commission is ready to be paid. A hotel uses Source profiles for various reasons. It may be a requirement to track business from other than a company profile, as in the case of a Chamber of Commerce recommendation or employee referrals. Source profiles can also calculate commission records to keep group or wholesale commission records separate from actual travel agents. Group profiles are required for all group reservations. This profile must be present on a Business Block before being able to make reservations for the group. In the case of a Standard Group, the group profile pulls all reservations together in place of the block code in the Business Block or Quick Business Block. Contact profiles are optional for hotels and generally are useful when a large amount of group business takes place at the hotel. Contact profiles assist with tracking individual meeting planners and organizers and the amount of business that each meeting planner brings to the hotel.
2.5.1 Profile Search
To search for a profile, select the Profiles option from the Reservations menu. Name: To locate a specific profile, type the first few letters of the guest’s last name in this field. All profiles that start with those letters will display.
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First Name: To locate a guest more specifically, it may be helpful to enter the guest’s first name in this field to narrow the search. For instance, if the guest’s last name is Alexander, a large number of profiles may return from a last name search. If the guest’s name is James Alexander, typing in the first name will reduce the total number of profiles returned. View By: To search for only one particular type of profile, select the type under View By. City/Postal Code: This field is available to further locate a specific guest. For instance, if John Smith is calling, a search by First and Last Name may return a large number of profiles. Looking for John Smith from Little Rock may reduce the number of profiles returned. Mem. Type: If the guest has a membership number, this number is unique and searching by the membership type and number together will return the one guest in the system with that number. Member No. Used in connection with the Membership Type field, a search for this information will return the one guest in the system with this number. Keyword: Keywords on a profile are available to assist in looking up profiles by acronyms or commonly used names. For instance, AAA will probably be in the system as American Automobile Association, and will not be able to be located by typing AAA in the Name field. If the keyword AAA is on the profile, it is possible to locate the profile using this search field. It is a customizable search field for users. It is possible to use keywords to enter A/R numbers as well if that is a search that is common. Communications: Enter Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow the faxing of confirmation letters or A/R statements. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow emailing of confirmation letters directly from Opera. Client ID: The client ID number is available to search for the specific profile. IATA No.: The IATA number is unique and exists to locate a specific travel agent, as many travel agents have the same name, particularly if they are part of a large consortium. Corporate ID.: The Corporate ID number is available in a profile to assist in locating a particular company.
To Search for a Profile: o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations button; then select Profiles. Choose the type of profile you are searching for in the View By field. Enter search criteria in any field(s) surrounded by the yellow line and press the [Tab] key to initiate your search; highlight the line for the selected profile and select Profile to view details. The more criteria entered, the fewer results displayed. For a partial search, enter partial criteria and press [Tab] to initiate the search. Double-click on profile line to view details.
o o o
Enrollment
If the hotel has a 2-way Central Reservations Interface and membership enrollment is active, it is possible to enroll a new guest in the hotel’s membership program directly from the profile.
To Enroll a Guest in a Membership Program: o o From the Profile Search Screen, select a profile and select Enrollment. If a profile already has a Membership attached, this button will be gray
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o o o o
o o o o
Any guest information that exists on the profile automatically populates to the Guest Enrollment; select OK once completed. Required fields have BOLD field descriptions and highlighted fields. If the guest prefers to receive airline mileage rather than loyalty program points, enter the Alliance Code and Number. If the guest prefers to let the system generate a membership number, leave the Number field blank next to Program. If the guest prefers to select a number, the number must be nine (9) numeric digits. Employee ID automatically populates based on User Profile. Select Yes or No to print the Enrollment summary once complete. This summary acts as a temporary card for the newly enrolled guest. Select Enrollment to proceed. Note the confirmed Enrollment in the Membership tab.
Lookup
This field requires a two-way interface that will support the functionality. It looks up a guest from a large bank of profiles kept at a Central Reservations System.
Resv.
To use the highlighted profile to begin a reservation, select this option.
Edit
To view or update the highlighted profile select this option.
New Profile
To create a new profile, select this option. Below is a screen showing an individual profile.
Last Name: The last name of the guest as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field is present throughout the program to locate the guest, it is very important that
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it spelling is correct. Notice that the Last Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. First / Middle: The first and middle names of the guest. Language / Title: The guest’s native language. The local language will default in this field, but if the guest is more comfortable using another language, some PBX systems are able to read this field to set voice mail instructions in the guest’s language. This field will activate the appropriate language for the guest’s printed information, in a hotel where multiple languages to print folios, registration cards and reports are used. The title indicates how the guest prefers to being addressed and will also be used on printed letters. Address: The street address of the guest. Enter an address directly in this field, and will become the guest’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the guest’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the guest’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the guest’s primary address. Entering the State and Postal Cd, automatically generate the city. Salutation: The opening salutation on any mail correspondence to the guest. The information here will be defaulted from the title field, but is updatable if the guest, for instance, would like to have letters addressed to him by his first name only. VIP: If the guest has a VIP status at the hotel, enter that information here. Reports run based on this field for VIP’s arriving or in-house. Housekeeping can also clean rooms based on this VIP status if required. Nationality: The guest’s nationality. Check to be sure that your hotel uses this field as some hotels do not like to use it. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the guest’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios configuration supports it, both the local currency and the guest’s home currency will print on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate exists for the guest’s home currency. Mail Action: If the hotel sends out mailing information, the mailing actions may be setup to put a guest on a particular mailing list, such as Christmas Card list or Travel Agent Promotional mailings. Mailing List: This check box indicates whether a guest would like to be on a mailing list or not. If the box is marked “N”, the guest will not be on any mailing list from the hotel. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, enter that information in the keyword field so that it is available to locate the profile from the search screen. Date of Birth: Some hotels keep this information for mailing birthday cards. Passport: If the hotel must register a passport number, either by hotel policy or country requirement, enter it in this field. Communications: Enter Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow the faxing
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of confirmation letters or A/R statements. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow emailing of confirmation letters directly from Opera. Active: Selecting this option will activate or deactivate a profile. Contact: If this guest is a contact for a group or company, checking this box will create a contact profile for this guest. The contact profile is attachable to groups or reservations as needed. History: If this guest’s profile information should be in history even if there is a period of no activity, check this option. This field defaults the profile to save in history automatically. Notes: Enter notes about a guest here. Most of these notes are on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to move to every reservation made by this guest. In this way, guest’s special requirements are available at any time. Search: Locate another existing guest profile.
Options
The Options menu contains arrays of buttons to select further access to many of the major features supported by the Opera profiles.
Attachment: This screen allows selecting and creating files for mail-merges or for other purposes. Changes: All changes made to a profile are registered and tracked for research purposes. Credit Cards: Many guests prefer that once the hotel has their credit card number it may be on file for ease of use in making future reservations. The Credit Card option allows all credit cards to register on the guest’s profile.
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From the Profile Search screen, highlight the desired profile; double-click or choose Profile to view details. Select Options. Select Credit Card. Select New to add a new credit card. Click on the drop arrow to choose the appropriate credit Card Type. Select the credit Card Type and select OK. Enter the Credit Card Number and Expiration Date to complete; select Save. The sequence is the order that this credit card will appear for payment if there are multiple credit cards on the profile. Note the newly added credit card. Either select Close to return to the profile, or New to add another credit card. Be sure to select OK on the main profile screen to save your changes to the profile.
Delete: To delete this profile, select this button. It is not possible to delete a profile with active reservations. Enrollment: If the hotel has a 2-way Central Reservations Interface and membership enrollment is available, it is possible to enroll a new guest in the hotel’s membership program directly from the profile.
To Enroll a Guest in a Membership Program: o o o o o o From the Profile Search Screen, select a profile and select Enrollment. If a profile already has a Membership attached, this button will be gray Any guest information that exists on the profile automatically populates to the Guest Enrollment; select OK once completed. Required fields have BOLD field descriptions and highlighted fields. If the guest prefers to receive airline mileage rather than loyalty program points, enter Alliance Code and Number. If the guest prefers to let the system generate a membership number, leave the Number field blank next to Program. If the guest prefers to select a number, the number must be nine (9) numeric digits. Employee ID automatically populates based on User Profile Select Yes or No to print the Enrollment summary once complete. This summary acts as a temporary card for the newly enrolled guest. Select Enrollment to proceed. Note the confirmed Enrollment in the Membership tab.
o o o o
Future: All future reservations for this guest are on this tab. Depending on user rights, any future reservation is accessible the guest’s profile. History: All previous reservations, no-shows, cancellations and current in-house information are in the history tab. It is possible to view Year To Date information on total revenue produced by the guest as well as accumulated membership points. Finally, from the history tab, any previous folio information is viewable and printable. Memberships: Many hotel chains offer loyalty club points for frequent guest stays, and it can be very complicated to calculate the points accumulated manually. Entering membership information in the guest’s profile can help to automatically calculate points each time the guest stays at the hotel.
To Attach Membership Information to a Profile:
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o o o o o o o o
From the Profile Search screen, select an Individual Profile, select Options and choose Membership. Select New to add a new membership record. Select the drop down arrow to the right of Type and Level to select the appropriate Member Type and Level. Highlight the appropriate Membership Type and select OK. Highlight the appropriate Membership Level and select OK. Complete the remaining membership information and select OK to save. Note the newly added Membership record and Close to return to the Individual Profile. Save changes on the Individual Profile by selecting OK.
Merge: If more than one profile for a single guest exists, it is possible to merge the profiles together to combine the statistical information and revenues.
To Merge Profiles: o o o o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, enter search criteria for multiple profiles to merge; press the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Highlight the profile with the correct information to save and select Profile to view details. Select Options in the lower, right-hand corner. Select Merge. Re-enter the search criteria for the duplicate profile; press the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Highlight the duplicate profile; click OK to begin the Merge. Review information on the duplicate profile with the original profile; select Merge to combine the two. Merge Status will display during the merge process. All guest information will merge including Statistics, History, Commissions, Preferences, Credit Cards, Relationships, Future Reservations, and Memberships. Once the Merge is successful, select OK to return to the main profile.
Negotiated Rates: If a hotel has negotiated a discounted rate with an individual or company, that rate should be in the profile. Each time you create a new reservation, as long as the profile is accessible for the rate query, only the negotiated rates will return. This function is fundamental in ensuring that the negotiated rates are available at all times and prevents callbacks and adjustments to room rates. Notes: In this section, record extensive notes about a guest. Most of these notes are on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to move to every reservation made by this guest. In this way, guest’s special requirements can be accessible at any time. Preferences: Preferences indicate a guest’s permanent requests. For instance, if a guest is allergic to cigarette smoke, entering a non-smoking preference in the profile will restrict the system from assigning a smoking room for the guest at check in. Each hotel configures its own set of preferences and should take care not to enter too many preferences in the profile, as many are one-time requests.
To Add Guest Preferences to a Profile: o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the profile; select Profile or double-click on the profile line for details. Select Options. Select Preferences. Select New to add a preference. Select a Preference Group then choose OK. Select all applicable preferences by placing an “X” in the field to the left of each. Select OK.
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Note the newly added preferences in the preference window. Select Close to return to the Individual Profile and select OK to save changes.
Relationship: In some cases, profiles link to each other for viewing purposes. This is a relationship between profiles. If a husband and wife each have their own profiles, the relationship feature can link them together. If a guest is an employee of a particular company, that relationship can be between the guest and the company profile.
To Set Up Relationships on a Profile: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the profile to relate and highlight the profile line; double-click the profile line or select Profile to view details. Select Options. Select Relationship. Select New to create a new Relationship. Highlight the appropriate Relationship, and then select OK. From the Profile Search, locate the appropriate profile for the relationship; highlight the profile and click OK. Note the newly added Relationship; select Close to return to the main profile screen. Be sure to save changes on the main profile screen before exiting. To view the Company Profile containing the relationship, return to the Profile Search screen and locate the company. Select the Relationship tab. Note that the Individual has a “+” next to it indicating a relationship; double-click on the line to expand for details. Note the Individual Profile previously related to this Company Profile; to display Contact information, select Display. Note the Individual Profile is now a contact for the Company Profile. To add a new relationship from the Company Profile, return to the Account Relations view and highlight the profile type to relate; select New. Select the drop down arrow to establish the Relationship to add. Highlight the appropriate Relationship Type and select OK. Note the Relationship chosen and select OK. Type in an Account Name and press the [Tab] key to initiate your search. Place an “X” to the left of the account to be related and select OK. Note the new Company Subsidiary Account Relationship; select Close to return to the main profile screen. Be sure to save changes from the main profile screen before exiting.
New
To create a new profile, select this button.
To Create an Individual Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Individual profile and choose OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, click on the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, click on the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, and then select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to Individual Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
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More Fields
In addition to the main screen of the profile, there are tabs across the top of the screen that will allow entry of additional specific information. Each hotel generally customizes the More Fields tab, so fields on this screen will vary. Check with hotel management for an explanation of the fields on the More Fields screen.
Stats and Info
This tab is for display and indicates the amount of business that the guest has done in the hotel or in the case of multi-property, combined for all hotels. The total room revenue, other revenue, number of nights, number of no-show or cancelled reservations also displays. Use the Stats and Info Tab to create and store the Accounts Receivable Number for all profile types and to restrict billing and reservations for any profile type. On the Company profile screen, there are fields to enter the Company’s Tax ID number, as well as any default billing instructions. On a Travel Agent or Source Profile, the More Fields screen also carries the Commission Code and Commission Percent for paying commissions.
To Set Restrictions on Profiles: o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the desired profile; double-click or select Profile to view details. Select the Stats and Info tab. Select Restriction and write a text Rule; select OK to save. Be sure to save changes once returned to the main profile screen. Note the results of a Restriction when attaching a profile to a reservation.
Contact
If an individual profile creates as a contact, a second profile generates as a contact type. This tab will access the contact profile information, which may be different from the individual information.
2.5.2 Company Profiles
Company profiles attach to reservations to track the amount of business in revenue and room nights a company is producing for the hotel. This information can help in negotiating rates and contracts every year. A company profile also attaches if your accounting department approves the company for direct billing and an A/R number exists on the profile. Finally, a company profiles with negotiated rates attach to rate queries for reservations to only view the negotiated rate for that company.
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Account: The name of the company as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. Since we use this field throughout the program to locate the company, it is very important that you correctly spell entries in the field. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the company. Enter an address in this field for the company's permanent mailing and contact address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the company’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the company’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the company’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: Enter the hotel’s Sales Territories here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, enter that information in the keyword field to locate the profile from the search screen. Type: This field determines whether the profile is a company, travel agent or source type. These three profile types have very similar screens, but slightly different potential functionality so it is important to save profiles using the correct type.
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A/R No: If you accounting department approves this company for direct bill, an A/R number exists on the profile. That number displays in this field but you can not edit this field. Corp ID #: Enter corporate ID numbers in this field for additional search criteria. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the company’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios allow multiple currencies, both the local currency and the company’s home currency print on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the company’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Company Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Company profile and click OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to Individual Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.3 Travel Agent Profiles
Travel Agent profiles are helpful to calculate commissions due to agencies for booking rooms at the hotel. Travel agencies expect payment for each reservation, so an agency profile must be attached.
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Account: The name of the agency as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the travel agent, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the travel agent. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the travel agent’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the travel agent’s primary address. City: The city for the travel agent’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the travel agent’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Agency has a familiar name or acronym, that information can be entered in the keyword field so that it can be used to locate the profile from the search screen. Type: This field determines whether the profile is a company, travel agent or source type. These three profile types have very similar screens, but slightly different potential functionality so it is important that it is saved as the correct type.
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A/R Number: If this travel agent has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field. IATA Number: This is a unique identifying number that validates a Travel Agency. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the travel agent’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the travel agent’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the travel agent’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Travel Agent Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Travel Agent profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.4 Source Profiles
Hotels sometimes track information that does not readily fall into Travel Agent, Company or Group categories using source profiles. Source profiles can be configured to generate commission payments and are sometimes used to pay wholesalers that are not regular travel agents. They can also be used to pay commission on groups, or to track business recommended by Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus or employees.
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Account: The name of the source as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the source, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the source. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the source’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the source’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the source’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the source’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, that information can be entered in the keyword field so that it can be used to locate the profile from the search screen. A/R Number: If this source has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field.
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IATA Number: This is a unique identifying number that validates a Travel Agency. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the source’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the source’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the source’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera. negotiated a discounted rate with an agent or company, that rate will be kept in the profile. Each time a new reservation is created, as long as the profile is accessed for the rate query, only the negotiated rates will be returned. This function is fundamental in ensuring that the negotiated rates are used at all times and prevents callbacks and adjustments to room rates.
To Create a Source Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Source profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.5 Group Profiles
Group profiles are required for any business block and contain permanent information relating to the group. They are used to create the posting masters used by the group for billing as well.
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Group Name: The name of the group as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the group, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Group Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Language: The group’s native language. The local language will default in this field, but if the group is more comfortable using another language, some PBX systems are able to read this field to set voice mail instructions in the group’s language. In a hotel where multiple languages are used to print folios, registration cards and reports, this field will activate the appropriate language for the guest’s printed information as well. Any entry in the group profile will default to every guest in the group when creating a rooming list. Address: The street address of the group. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the group’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the group’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the group’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the group’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. VIP: If the group has a VIP status at the hotel, that information should be entered here. Reports are run based on this field for VIP’s arriving or in-house. Housekeeping can also clean rooms based on this VIP status if required. A VIP status entered on a group profile will default to EVERY member of the group.
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Acct. Contact: The name of the person with the group who is the primary contact. This field does not have anything to do with a contact profile, and is generally only used in a hotel that has opted not to use Contact Profiles. Account Type: This is a configurable field by the hotel and indicates what type of business this group will give the hotel. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the group’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the source’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the group’s home currency. History: Select this check box to save this profile from being purged Notes: In this section, extensive notes can be taken about a group. Most of these notes are kept on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to be moved to every reservation made by this group. In this way, special requirements can be accessed at any time.
To Create a Group Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Group profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.6 Contact Profiles
Contact profiles are the only optional profile type in Opera and are generally used in large group hotels. With the Opera Sales and Catering interface, contact profiles are required. Contact profiles keep all pertinent information regarding the group or company main intermediary and are used to track the amount of business that one meeting planner books at a hotel.
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Last Name: The name of the contact as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the contact, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Last Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. First / Middle: The contact’s first and middle names. Position / Dept.: The contact’s position within the company and the department that he/she works for. Language: The guest’s language as registered on the profile. Select the down arrow to open the Languages list of values and choose the guest’s preferred correspondence language. A default language for confirmation letters, folios, and guest mailings was established for your property during set up. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate the profile as a permanent record. Title: The guest’s title as entered in the profile. An entry in this field will populate the profile as a permanent record. The greetings are sorted based on the language selected. This title may be used to address the guest in written correspondence. Knowing the courtesy title the guest prefers is also useful when you are dealing with the guest in person. Envelope Greeting: How the contact’s name should appear on an envelope. An example might be Attn: John Smith. Salutation: The opening salutation on any mail correspondence to the guest. The information here will be defaulted from the title field, but may be updated if the guest would like to have letters addressed to him by his first name only, for instance.
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Address: The street address of the contact. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the contact’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the contact’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the contact’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the contact’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. A/R Number: If this contact has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field. Birth Date: The contact’s birthday, possibly used to send birthday cards. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Contact Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Contact profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
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2.6 Room Plan
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The room plan is a tool for organizing pre-blocked rooms to maximize hotel availability. In the room plan, all in-house and pre-blocked rooms are displayed in a calendar function so that a week at a time can be viewed. In this way, pre-blocked reservations can be moved to arrive on rooms that are set for departure the same day so that rooms do not go unused due to poor management in pre-blocking.
From the room plan screen, there are a number of possibilities to maximize the room pre-blocks. Edit: Navigates directly to the Reservations screen to display the reservation for this guest. Room Block: Use this option to check if there are expected allotments for this room type on this date. Check In: Use this quick check in option to check in the arriving reservation. The arrival date must be the current date. Options: Display the Reservation Options menu for this reservation. OOO/ OOS: Use this option to place this room out of order or out of service. Calendar: Use this option to see what events are influencing business at the hotel.
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2.7 Floor Plan
The floor plan function displays all rooms in the hotel in relation to each other floor by floor. From the floor plan it is possible to view the housekeeping status of every room, as well as whether it is occupied, vacant, due to arrive or due to depart. Any reservation may be opened and edited from the floor plan as long as the user has the appropriate user rights to do so. The Floor plan only displays housekeeping and front office status for rooms for the current date.
The housekeeping and front office statuses of the rooms appear in a grid at the bottom of the screen. The codes are as follows: o CL - Clean o DI - Dirty o PU – Pick Up o IP - Inspected o OO/OS – Out of Order/Out of Service o OC - Occupied o VA -Vacant o DN – Departure Not Paid (Due Out) o AE – Arrival Expected (Pre-Blocked Due In) The rooms themselves reflect the colors associated with both the housekeeping and front office statuses. Double-clicking on any room with an OC, DN or AE code will display the reservation information.
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Confirmation letters can be printed, faxed or emailed immediately upon making a reservation, or a hotel can choose to pre-set confirmation letters for batch printing later. In this section we will explain the batch confirmation function.
The default view for this screen is to see all reservations not yet checked in. To see only those reservations with confirmation letters pending, it’s important to check the box in the center of the screen marked “Pending Only”. This will display all confirmation letters that have been marked for batch sending. Print All: To select all confirmations letters that have been pre-set to print, select this option and all printed confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will print. Print None: To unselect all confirmation letters for print, select this button. All selected printed confirmation letters will be unmarked. Fax All: To select all confirmation letters that have been pre-set to be faxed, select this option and all fax confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will be faxed to the attached fax number. A working fax interface is required for this to work. Fax None: To unselect all confirmation letters for fax, select this button. All selected fax confirmation letters will be unmarked. Email All: To select all confirmation letters that have been pre-set to be emailed, select this option and all email confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will be emailed to the attached email address. A working email interface is required for this to work. Email None: To unselect all confirmation letters for email, select this button. All selected email confirmation letters will be unmarked.
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Attach: To attach a confirmation letter to any reservation, or to update the confirmation letter for a reservation, select Attach and the confirmation letter screen for the highlighted reservation will display. Send: Once all confirmation letters to be sent are marked, select Send to produce the letters. Print confirmation letters will be printed for postal mailing, fax confirmation letters will be directed to the guest’s fax number and email confirmation letters will be sent as Adobe Acrobat attachments to emails sent to the guest’s email address.
2.9 Calendar Option
When the Application Setting Reservations>Reservation Flow is set to Display the Property Calendar screen first the following screen will appear. Select the start date (by clicking once on the arrival date) and end date (by clicking once on the departure date) for the reservation. (The default start date is today’s business date.) The Rate Query screen appears, with the arrival and departure dates pre-filled. If you click twice on the departure date, the Detailed Availability screen appears.
Legend: The Legend displays the color square boxes that indicate their associated day types on the calendar. The day type description displays at the bottom of the grid when the cursor is placed on the date. Edit: add a new event or day type to the property calendar.
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From Date: The begin date for a defined event or day type. To Date: The end date for a defined event or day type. Day Type: The description for the day type. Event: The description for the event. Days of the Week Check Boxes: Day(s) of the week this event or day type is in effect.
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3
Chapter 3 Front Desk
The Front Desk menu contains all the functionality needed to work with the current day’s business. Arrivals, Guests in House, House Accounts, Guest Messaging, Room Blocking and House Status information are all available from the Front Desk menu.
3.1 Arrivals
From the Arrivals screen, all arriving guest’s reservations can be accessed and edited. This is also the screen for checking in guests as well as for walking in guests arriving with no reservations.
Search: To locate an arriving guest reservation, use any of the fields in the yellow-bordered boxes. The most common search fields are Name (which locates the guest’s last name by matching the last name on the profile) and Conf No, which is a uniquely generated number in Opera. Once the search criteria have been entered, select the Search button to activate a search for arrivals. If no search criterion is entered, the Arrivals dialog box appears displaying the expected arrivals for today’s date. The expected arrivals are listed in alphabetical order of the guest names. Advanced: If the normal search fields are not able to locate the arriving guest, using the Advanced button will open the bottom portion of the screen for more search options. See section 3.1.1 for further details. Walk In: If a guest does not have a previous reservation, the Walk In feature may be used. This feature follows the complete reservation cycle such as searching for availability, attaching a profile, creating the reservation and check in the guest as one function. No reservations found. If search criteria is entered and there are no expected arrivals that match what has been specified, a confirmation dialog box appears asking if you want to search all
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properties (if running in a multi property environment), search for all reservations, search other arrival dates, or perform a walk in.
3.1.1 Advanced Search
Room Type: To choose the room type specified on the reservation. Stay On: The date on which guests are, or will be in-house. Select the calendar icon to display the calendar screen. Choose the date on which you wish to search. This option searches for reservations for guests who are, or will be in-house on the selected date. Room No: The room number assigned on the reservation. Market Code: To choose the market code specified on the reservation. Res Type: To choose the reservation type specified on the reservation. Source Code: To choose the source code specified on the reservation. Rate Code: To choose the rate code specified on the reservation. Country: To choose the guest's country. City: The guest's city Cancel No: The reservation cancellation number. Conf. Letter: Search by a letter type for reservations for guests receiving that letter.
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Promotions: Promotions (e.g., Fall Holiday, Superbowl Sunday and Buy One Get One Free) that are currently available are displayed on this screen. Select one, multiple, or all promotions from the available promotions list. Arrival Time From/To: Define the arrival time range (on the arrival date) you wish to search. For example, if you wished to find all guests who arrived between 4:00 PM and 6:00 p.m. Rate From/To: The range of the rate amounts for the reservation. Deposit Date: The date on which the reservation deposit is due. This option is to search for reservations having a deposit due on the selected date. Deposit From/To: The range of the deposit amounts required by the reservation. VIP: To search by VIP level. Created On: To search for the date in which the reservation was created. Created By: To search by the Opera User who created the reservation. Search Type: If you wish to search for reservations having a specific reservation status, select the appropriate radio button: • • • • • • • • General: Search for reservations regardless of reservation status. This is the default. Cancellation: Search for cancelled reservations. Day Use: Search for Day Use reservations. Checked Out: Search for Checked Out reservations. Due In: Search for Due In reservations. Due Out: Search for Due Out reservations. No Shows: Search for No Show reservations. Complimentary: Search for reservations with complimentary as a rate code.
Mass Cancellation. This button is available to allow cancellation of all listed reservations belonging to guests who have not yet checked in. Partial String Match: One or more letters that appear anywhere in the term you are searching for. Partial Condition Match. Select this check box if you wish to perform a search based on a match in any one or more of the criteria you specify.
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3.1.2 Walk In
This option directs the user through the process of making a new reservation and checking a guest into the hotel. The Walk In function first checks availability, allows a profile to be attached, displays the Reservation screen and checks the guest in once all information has been entered.
To Walk a Guest Into the Hotel: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Select Walk In. Complete the Rate Query including all accommodation information and guest profile; select OK. Select an available Rate Code and Room Type then select Res. Select an available Room Number for the guest or let the system auto-assign one. Make sure the Source is “Walk In” and enter the guest’s Payment information. Once all reservation and in-house guest information is complete, select OK. Answer Yes to continue the check-in. Answer Yes to print a Registration Card. Select OK to the guest being checked in successfully. Answer OK to the Confirmation Number notice.
3.1.3 Check In
This option is meant to be a Quick Check In, and should not be used for standard guest check in. The Quick Check In button verifies only room number and form of payment and does not give the desk clerk the opportunity to verify all other information with the guest. This option should be used to pre-check in guests, or to check in posting masters and house accounts.
To Use the Quick Check In Option: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Enter the guest Name or Conf No. and select Search. Highlight the appropriate reservation, verify the accommodation information with the guest, and select the Check In button. Room Number is auto-assigned based on the reserved room type; to make an alternate selection select the drop down arrow next to Room. Method of Payment defaults from the reservation guarantee; to make an alternate selection or prompt the swiping of the card, select the drop down arrow next to Method of Payment. Once Room and Payment information are correct, select OK to save the check-in. Answer Yes to print a Registration Card. Select OK to the successful check-in message.
o o o
3.1.4 Cancel/Reinstate
To cancel an existing reservation, select this option. Enter a cancellation reason and a unique cancellation number will be given. This cancellation number may be used to locate this reservation information in the future. The reservation status is changed from expected to cancelled. Note: If the guest has a deposit, you cannot cancel the reservation with this option. It must be cancelled through the Cashiering program.
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To Cancel a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations, then Update Reservation. Enter search criteria (i.e. Last Name, Conf. No) and select Search or Advanced for more search criteria. Highlight the correct reservation and select Cancel. Select from the drop down arrow a list of Cancellation Reason choices. Highlight and select the appropriate Cancellation Reason from drop down arrow and select OK. You may complete the cancellation by adding any additional pertinent details in the text box; select OK to finish. An Opera Cancellation Number is generated; select OK to exit. If a CRS is the main reservation database, a CRS generated cancellation number appears. Note the CANCELLED status on the reservation.
To Reinstate a Cancelled Reservation: o o o Select Reinstate. When reinstating, the main Reservation screen appears allowing any changes to accommodation or guest information; once complete, select OK to save changes. Reinstated reservations do not generate a new Opera Confirmation Number but typically generate a new, unique CRS number.
Reg. Card
To print a registration card at any time, select this option. Registration cards may be printed from the time the reservation is made until the guest’s departure date.
Profile
Select this option to access the guest’s profile.
Options:
Select this function to access all reservations options. All reservations options are in Section 2.1.5.
Edit:
To access the reservation for check in, select Edit. This is the best way to check in a guest.
To Check in a Guest with a Credit Card: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and select Arrivals. Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. To change the form of payment to credit card from the original reservation form of payment, select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field. Choose the given Payment Method and select OK. If a credit card is available on file for the guest’s Individual Profile but not being used as a form of payment, select Cancel.
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Even if this credit card is being used, it is suggested to Cancel; this will prompt the Credit Card interface to ask for the card to be swiped. Answering Yes to attaching the credit card to the guest’s profile keeps the newly swiped card on record for future use. Answering No only keeps the newly swiped card for this particular record only. Note the newly swiped credit card information. With a Room assigned and a collected Payment, select OK to check the guest into the hotel. Answer Yes to check the guest in. Opera verifies the Room and Method of Payment again allowing another opportunity to make any changes; if not, select OK. To change either, select from the drop down arrow next to the field and make the change. Decide whether to print a registration card and answer accordingly. Select OK to close the successful check in message. If a credit card already exists on the reservation as Payment for guarantee, to change the payment method, choose from the Payment field and delete the payment. This is suggested even if the Payment remains the same to invoke the swiping of the credit card. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment to select the given credit card. Choose the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. Again, Cancel from using the Available Credit Card from the guest profile. Note the newly swiped credit card as the Method of Payment and select OK to complete the check in. If the PMS system is connected to interfaces it prompts the key card intrface for the keys. A change of payment may be performed yet again here as well.
To Check In a Guest with Cash: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. Select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field to choose the form of payment. Highlight Cash and select OK. Select OK to save and check in the guest. Select Yes to Check In the guest. Select Yes to print a registration card or No to print at a later time. Answering Yes to posting a payment allows the direct posting of the cash payment. Answering No does not post a payment and must be posted manually. If this parameter is not applicable for your hotel, follow instructions to post the cash payment manually. Enter your User Password to login to your Cashier and select Login. Enter the Amount of cash to post and indicate any additional number of Copies of payment receipts to print; select Post to complete. Payment Code for Cash is the default. Be sure to select OK to save changes before exiting. To verify the cash payment as posted, note the Guest Balance on the reservation screen; to manually post the cash payment, select the Options button. Select Billing from the Reservation Options. Enter your Password to login to your Cashier and select Login Select the Payment button from the guest folio window.
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o
Enter the Amount of cash to post and indicate an additional number of Copies of payment receipts to print; select Post to complete. Payment Code for Cash is the default for form of payment on the reservation. Note the posted cash payment on the guest folio and Close from the billing window; Close from the Reservations Options. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation.
o o o
To Check In a Guest with Direct Bill: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. Select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field to select the form of payment Highlight the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. Check that a Company, Travel Agent or Source profile exists on the reservation for Direct Billing purposes. This company must have an active AR account to accept Direct Bill charges. Select OK to save and check in the guest. Select Yes to Check In the guest. Select Yes to print a registration card. Respond OK to the guest’s successful check in. Be sure to Close and Save changes before exiting the reservation. To ensure Routing of charges is setup properly for direct billing, from the Main Menu, select Front Desk and then Arrivals. Enter Name criteria and select Search. Highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select the Routing button from the Reservation Options menu. If the Company/Travel Agent or Source has default folio instructions, answering Yes applies them to this in-house guest. Note the newly added Routing instructions for this guest. To create additional routing, select New. If default folio instructions do not exist for the company select New and proceed with creating them. Close from Routing and Close from the Reservations Options; be sure to save changes to the reservation before exiting.
3.2 Queue Reservations
At times a guest may arrive before the requested room type is available for assignment, using this feature helps to manage room assignment, and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts. Note: A reservation can be placed into the queue only if the reservation is not checked in and the guest’s arrival date equals the property business date.
When attempting to check in guests before their accommodations are available — for example, if the assigned room is still occupied or all rooms of the desired room type are dirty — the Queue Reservations message appears asking to put the reservation into a check-in queue. Select Yes to place the reservation in queue.
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For reservations currently in queue, the Queue button on the Reservation Options menu shows the queue position for the reservation and allows removing the reservation from the queue. Select Yes to remove the reservation from the queue. The queue time is always listed in Hours and minutes.
To locate specific reservations, enter your filter criteria and select the Search button. Name: Enter all or the first part of the guest's last name. First Name: Enter all or the first part of the guest's first name. Room Type: Select the down arrow to choose a room type.
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Room: Select the down arrow to choose the room number. .
Search Results Grid
The following fields are available for each reservation in the queue. Select a column header to resort the queue by that field. #: Priority number. Q-Time: Hours and minutes the reservation has been in queue. Room: Room number, if assigned. Room Type: Room type assigned to the reservation. FO Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the front office status of the room (e.g., Vacant, Occupied). Room Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the housekeeping room status (e.g., Dirty, Pick Up, Clean). Name: Guest's name. VIP: Guest's VIP status.
Function Buttons
Check In: Check in the highlighted reservation. The payment screen appears. Priority: Manually change the queue position of the highlighted reservation. Resv: Displays the reservation screen for the highlighted reservation. Details: Displays the Rooms Edit screen for the guest's room. Available when a room number is assigned to the guest. Statistics: Displays a detailed view of the current reservations in queue. Report: Prepare the Queue Reservations report.
Queue Reservations Statistics
The Queue Reservations Statistics screen appears when the Statistics button on the Queue Reservations screen is selected.
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At the top of the screen the following information is shown: Current: Average time a reservation has been in queue for all reservations in the current queue. Actual: Average time a reservation was actually in queue before being checked-in based on those reservations that have been placed on queue during the current business date. This screen shows the room type, the description of the room type, and the number of reservations in queue for that room type. Beneath the grid is the total number of rooms in queue.
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3.3 In-House Guests
The In-House Guests function locates all guests checked in to the hotel at the current time. From this screen, all reservations options are available, as well as several options that are only available to checked in guests. The In-House Guests search screen looks much like all other reservations search screens with the addition of the Room No. field as a search possibility.
Search:
Once all search criteria have been entered selecting Search locates all in-house guests that fit the search options.
Advanced:
If an in-house guest cannot be located by the first few options, selecting Advanced opens up the bottom portion of the screen for more search options.
New:
To create new reservations from this screen see information in Chapter 2.1.1.
Cancel C/I:
To cancel the check in and return the reservation to arrival status, select this option. Cancel Check In does not cancel the reservation entirely, but only reverses the reservation from checked in to reserved/arrival status for later check in. It is not possible to cancel a check in if charges have been posted to a guest’s folio. It is also not possible to cancel a check in if a deposit had been placed on the reservation as it is transferred to the guest’s folio as a credit balance once the guest is checked in.
To Cancel A Check In: o o o From the In-House Guests search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Cancel C/I. Only guests that arrived today are eligible for Cancel C/I. Answer Yes to proceed with the cancellation.
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Answering Yes to blocking the room leaves the assigned room number blocked on the reservation. Answering No removes the assignment from the reservation and the room becomes available to general inventory. Depending on your hotel’s policy, select the Housekeeping status for the room. (Generally, if the guest has not arrived, the room would be given the most available status (i.e. Inspected or Clean)). (If the guest arrived and occupied the room for a short length of time, a Pickup status is suggested.) (If the guest occupied the room for a longer length of time, a Dirty status is suggested). Once the Cancel C/I is complete, the reservation returns to a Due-In reservation status.
Profile
Select this option to access the guest’s profile to view or edit.
Options
To access all reservation options select this button. All reservations options are explained in detail in section 2.1.5.
Edit
To open the Reservation screen to view or edit, select this option. .
3.4 Accounts
Hotels use Posting Masters and House Accounts to post charges for banquets or to adjust disputed amounts. Posting Masters and House Accounts are handled like regular guest reservations but are assigned a different set of room numbers to differentiate them. Because Posting Masters are used so frequently, it is useful to have a quick and easy way to create them and check them in.
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Name: The name of the group or account, or the last name of the guest if a posting master is being made for a guest. First Name: The first name of the guest if a posting master is being made for a guest. Date From: The date on which the posting master should be checked in as an arrival so that charges may be posted on it. Date to: The date on which the posting master should be checked out as a departure once the balance is zero and the charges have been resolved. Room Type: The posting master room type. Most hotels use the PM room type, but some hotels may have configured more than one type of posting room. Be sure to check for the proper room type at your hotel. Room: The number of the posting room. Usually posting rooms are numbered between 9000 and 9999, check with your hotel to be sure that you know which numbers you should be using. Rate Code: Select the down arrow to choose a rate code for the account. Market Code: The market code is important as it is used to categorize the revenue that is posted on this account. Because posting masters are used for everything from banquet functions to disputed charges, be sure that you know which market code should be used for your posting master. Source Code: The source code indicates where the business was generated. If the business is banquets or catering the source code is different than if the account is being created for house use.
To Create a House Account or Posting Master: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Accounts. Enter a Name (last) and optional First Name and press the Tab key. If an existing profile match is found, a duplicate will not be created. Enter the Account dates. Accounts are allowed to arrive and depart on the same date. Highlight the PM Room Type and select OK. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room Type. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room to choose a PM room number. Search for a room. Highlight an available PM room number and select OK. Choose from the drop down arrow next to Rate Code. Choose the appropriate Market Code and select OK. Choose from the drop down arrow next to Source. Select the appropriate Source Code and click OK. Select OK to check-in the PM Account. Answer Yes to check-in the guest (PM). Select OK on the successful check-in message.
3.5 Room Blocking
Front Office Management often uses a tool to pre-block some or all of the day’s arrivals into rooms. When working with large group check-ins, pre-blocking rooms can speed the check-in process at the desk. If there are a large number of special room requests or VIP arrivals, preblocking rooms can help eliminate last minute rushing to prepare rooms.
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Search Criterion Date: The date prompted in this field always defaults to the current business date. If you want to assign rooms for a future date, enter the date here. Name: Enter the guest's last name associated with reservation to search for a specific reservation. Room Type: Select the down arrow to display the Room Types list of values (e.g., deluxe double, deluxe king, standard double, etc.). Choose a room type from the list. Group. Enter a group name to narrow the search for reservations with a specific group profile attached. Room Features: Search for all reservations that have this particular room features attached to the profile. Select one or more room features from the list of values. Res. Type: Search for all reservations that have a specific reservation type. Select a reservation type from the list of values. Block: Select a block code to search for reservations with a block code attached. Select from the list of values. Specials: Search for all reservations that have this particular specials attached to the reservation. Select one or more specials from the list of values. Smoking: Use this to search for all reservations that have a specific smoking preference attached to the reservation. Select a smoking preference from the list of values.
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VIP: Select the down arrow to display the VIP list of values (e.g., management guest, repeat guest, etc.). Choose a VIP type from the list.
Advanced Search
Company: Displays a specific company profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Source: Displays source profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Features: Displays specific room features associated with the selected guest's reservation. Group: Displays group profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Agent: Displays travel agent name associated with selected guest's reservation. Preferred Room: Displays the preferred room number associated with the selected guest's reservation.
Function Buttons
Block: Use this button to access the vacant room list to assign a room for the highlighted reservation. Unblock: Use this button to eliminate the pre-blocked room from the highlighted reservation. Auto: Use this option to pre-block all arrivals for the day. The system looks for preferences in both the profile and the reservation and locates rooms that suit the guest. Profile: Use this option to access the guest profile for information that may assist in locating a room for the guest. Res.: Use this option to access the guest reservation for update or view. Check In: Use this option to check in the guest. Like the Quick Check In option in section 3.1.3 in the arrivals screen, this option verifies only the room number and the form of payment.
3.6 Messages
Guest messages can be left individually on each guest reservation, or can be left as batch messages for larger sets of guests.
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3.6.1 Send Messages
Messages can be sent in batches to guests with similar characteristics on their reservations. Once any one of the following options is selected, there are further filter screens that will assist in narrowing down the number of guests receiving the message .
Guests Arriving Today: All guests with the current date as the arrival date on the reservation. Guests Arriving Tomorrow: All guests with tomorrow as the arrival date on the reservation. Guests Departing Today: All guests with today as the departure date on the reservation. Guests Departing Tomorrow: All guests with tomorrow as the departure date on the reservation. Guests In House: All guests with a Reservation Type “CHECKED IN or DUE OUT”. Guests In House Tomorrow: All Guests reserved to arrive tomorrow, as well as today’s stay over guests. Group Guests: Guests from specific groups can be sorted out to receive messages.
To Leave a Text Message for a Group Guests: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Opera screen, select Front Desk and Messages. Select Send Messages. Select the group of guests that will receive the batch message. Enter any additional filter criteria needed. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then select the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save. Once the return Phone No. is entered, press the [Tab] key to move the message information into the text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Answer Yes to send the message to the guests. This will turn the message light on in the guest rooms of the selected group.
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o o o o o
To print the message for delivery to a guest room, select Print on the highlighted message. Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. A Message lamp on this group in-house indicates that a message is waiting to be delivered. To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select the Received button. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
3.6.2 Display Messages
Displays messages and the status of the message.
The Display Messages options include the following: Not Received: Displays only those messages in the system that have not been received. Received: Displays all messages marked as received other than video received. Printed: Displays only those messages that have been printed. Lamp on: Displays only those messages that have been saved and not received. All saved messages automatically turn on the message lamp for those telephone systems with an interface to Opera. Video Sent: Displays only those messages sent for video display. This function is available for those video systems with an interface to Opera. Video Received: Displays only those messages received by video display. This function is available for those video systems with an interface to Opera. All Messages: Displays all messages in the system, both received and not received.
3.7 Traces
Traces can be left on an individual reservation as a reminder to perform a special function for the guest or to be sure that guest requests are communicated to other departments. Leaving a trace on an individual reservation was explained in Section 2.1.5. In this section, we’ll explain locating and resolving open traces for all reservations from one screen.
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New: To create a new trace for the highlighted guest, select New. Traces for guests not already listed here must be created in the reservation itself. Resolve: Once the action has been completed, the trace is marked resolved, indicating that no further action must be taken. If a trace has been entered to be tracked for more than one day, each day will have to be marked as resolved individually. Edit: To update information on an existing trace, select Edit. Any information on the trace can be changed or updated. Delete: To delete a trace from the database, select Delete. This is not a recommended manner of resolving traces, as all history information about this trace will also be deleted. The Delete option is controlled by User Rights.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select the Traces option. Select on New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send. Any additional instructions or manual trace information should be entered in the Text field. Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To Resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All completes all traces and resolves for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
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Chapter 4 Cashiering
The Cashiering menu offers a number of options to work with in-house guest folios, check out guests, and process other cashiering requirements such as check cashing, fast posting, currency exchange and research.
4.1 Billing
The billing screen contains all detail on the guest’s folio and allows access for editing, transferring charges, adjustments, folio printing and guest check out. This screen is the primary billing screen and users should be very familiar and comfortable with it.
4.1.1 Button Options
In addition to the right click menu, there are a number of options displayed on the screen that provide access to additional folio functionality.
Balance: The total amount due from all eight windows of the guest’s folio. Status: The statuses of the reservation, whether it is checked in, checked out, due out or walk in. Arrival: The arrival date as entered on the reservation. Depart: The departure date as entered on the reservation. Company: The name of a company profile attached to the reservation.
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Group: The name of a group profile attached to the reservation. Rate Code: The rate code on the reservation. Rate: The dollar amount of the rate on the reservation.
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Window Name: The name of the person or company responsible for the charges in this folio window. This is set up through the routing function on the reservation. Window Balance: The balance of charges in this window only. The sum of all windows will total the Balance in the upper left corner of the screen.
Select All
Use this button to mark all charges in the highlighted window. This can be done to save time when transferring a large number of charges from one window to another or from one folio to another.
Post
Use this button to post charges or adjustments manually on this guest’s folio.
To Post a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Cashiering and Billing. Enter your user Password for the Cashier Login and select Login to continue. Search for the guest. Highlight the desired guest and Select the room. Select Post to add a manual posting. Select from the drop down arrow a Code for selecting the transaction code to post. Find and highlight the appropriate Transaction Code and select OK. Enter the charge Price, Quantity, Detail on Check No, Supplement, Reference and Window to post the charge to. Select Post to complete the transaction. Close from the posting window to return to the folio. Notice the newly posted charge to the guest folio. Close from the billing window to prevent further postings.
Edit
Use this option to edit reference or supplement information on a charge so that the explanation prints on the guest folio and on reports pertaining to charges.
To Edit a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o From the Billing screen, highlight the desired room and click Select. Highlight the charge to be edited, and either double-click the charge or select Edit. Note the current Price of the charge. Edit the price to the correct amount and select OK to save. This may only be performed on a manual posting from the same business date (i.e. no interface postings or charges applied on a previous business date). Note the newly edited posting. Select Close to exit the billing screen and prevent further postings. This depends on user rights if the user is given the permission from the Management to be allowed to edit a charge on a guest Folio.
Folio
Preview: Use this option to preview the guest’s highlighted folio window on screen without printing.
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Print Folio: Use this option to print the highlighted folio window. Folio Style: This option allows the user to change the folio style for printing the highlighted folio window. Select the folio style from one of 19 styles configured in the system.
Options:
A number of cashiering and reservations options are available from the folio screen. Agent/Company: Use this option to attach additional profiles to the reservation. Travel Agent, Company, Group or Source profiles can be located and attached using this feature. There is no difference on the reservation if the profiles are attached using Agent/Company than if they were attached to the main reservation screen. When setting up charge routing, access to additional profiles is quicker from this option. Billing Summary: This screen displays a side-by-side comparison of the guest's comped and charged transactions. Credit Cards: Displays the credit cards used for payment throughout the guest's stay. You can access this option if you are using the credit card interface. When you select this option, Opera offers you the following choices: Manual Approval, Authorization Rule, and Additional Authorization. Disable/Enable Phone: This option either enables telephone numbers dialed to be printed on the guest folio or restricts the printing of the telephone numbers. Fixed Charges: The Fixed Charges option is used to pre-set automatic postings on a reservation. These charges post immediately after the Room and Tax postings during the End of Day (Night Audit) Sequence. Some examples of fixed charges are extra bed charges, parking charges, refrigerator rentals or any other charge that might be automatically added on a nightly basis. Fixed charges can also be entered to post on a weekly or monthly basis as well, and as a result can be used to post weekly or monthly rental fees.
To Enter Fixed Charges: o o o o o o o o From the Billing screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Choose the Fixed Charges option. Select New. Name, Dates and Nights will default to original reservation dates of stay. Select the desired Transaction Code for the Fixed Charge. Complete the Amount, Quantity and select OK to save. Note the newly entered Fixed Charges and select Close to return to the Options menu. Select Close from the Options menu to return to the main Reservation or Reservation Search screen; be sure to save changes before exiting.
Folio History: A copy of each folio is stored for the guest at the time they check out, when an AR invoice is created, or when a passer by folio is generated. From the Folio History screen, folios can be reviewed on-screen and printed in any of the available folio styles. Package Options: The Package Option is a tool for front desk users and managers to research how much of a package element has been consumed. Package elements such as breakfast have an upper limit to the amount of money a guest may consume. Above that pre-determined allowance, any further charges post on the guest’s bill. The package option displays the allowance amount, the amount consumed by the guest and the overage, which posts on the guest bill. Each day the package element is valid it is displayed separately.
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Phone Details: This option accesses the details of telephone calls posted to the guest room. This displays the time of the call, number of minutes, number dialed and total posted amount. Post Rate Code: Manually post room and tax. Posting History: In the Posting History option, all postings made to the folio as well as any changes or adjustments to those charges are displayed. Profile: Use this function to access the guest profile for update or view information. See section 2-5 for complete information regarding guest profiles. Reservation: The Reservation option displays the complete reservation screen and allows all information to be accessed and updated. See Section 2.1.5 for a complete discussion of all the fields on the reservation screen. Routing: Setting up charge routing can be a great time-saver when checking out a guest. If charges are routed correctly, there are fewer guest complaints at the desk and a much faster check out time. Charges can be automatically separated on a guest’s folio, or can be moved off the guest’s folio completely to a posting master or another guest room.
To Enter Charge Routing Instructions on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select the Routing. Choose to setup a New routing instruction. To route charges from one room to another, select Room Routing; indicate whether the instructions apply for the Entire Stay or Other Dates (i.e. partial dates). To route charges to a room, select the room number from the Route to Room drop down arrow. Enter the Guest Name or Room Number and press the Tab key to initiate a search. Highlight the desired guest and select OK. Select the drop down arrow next to Transaction Code to use a pre-defined grouping of transaction codes (i.e. all F&B charges). If routing an individual transaction code, select the code by placing an “X” next to the transaction code. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. If selecting a pre-defined grouping of billing instructions, place an “X” to the left of the category and select OK to save. To save the Routing Instructions, select OK. Note the newly created Routing Instructions for this guest. Be sure to save the changes before selecting Close. To set up routing of charges from one folio window to another, select the Window Routing option and dates. To route charges to another profile name (i.e. a Company Profile), select from the drop down arrow next to the Name field. Highlight the available Profile name to route charges to and select OK. o If no additional profile name exists on the reservation, the Profile Search Screen appears allowing the search of an existing profile or the creation of a new one. Select from the drop down arrow next to Transaction Code to use a pre-defined grouping of transaction codes (i.e. all F&B charges). After selecting the transaction codes to route, select the folio window for the charges to be routed to using the drop down arrow next to Window No. Once complete, select OK to save changes.
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Payment:
Use this button to post a payment to the guest’s folio without checking the guest out of the hotel. It is not possible to post a direct bill payment from this option. A direct bill payment may only be made when checking out a guest.
To Post a Payment to a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest and click Select. Select Payment. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code the form of payment. The default Payment Code is the listed form of payment on the reservation; to change, select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code. Highlight the Payment Type and select OK. Enter the Amount of the payment and select Post. The amount always defaults to the folio window balance. If the payment is for a different amount, make the applicable change. Note the newly posted payment. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further charges from posting on this folio.
Settlement/Check Out:
Use this option to check a guest out of the hotel. The button reads “Settlement” if the departure date is in the future and “Check Out” if the departure date is the current date.
To Check Out a Guest to Credit Card: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Cashiering and Billing. Enter your user Password and select Login. Highlight the desired guest to check out and click Select. The default Payment Code is the listed form of payment on the reservation; to change, select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code. The default Amount is the folio balance; if the payment amount differs, enter the Amount. Select Post to post the payment; if additional authorization is required, the credit card interface obtains it at this point. Once a payment receipt and guest folio print, notice the posted credit card payment and the change in guest Status to Checked Out. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings.
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To Check Out a Guest to Direct Bill: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest to check out and click Select. It is necessary that a second folio window exists with a Company Name attached; note the company label on folio window two. To check that a valid AR account exists for this company, select Options. Select Agent/Company from the Billing Options. Select from the drop down arrow next to Company Profile. Ensure the company selected has a valid AR No. Select OK to exit; Close from the Profile screen and Close from the Billing Options. To proceed, select on the Check out button. For folio window one, enter the correct form of payment and Post the payment to settle the folio window. Answer Yes to continue with folio window 2. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to change to Direct Bill. Select the Direct Bill Payment Type and select OK to save. Ensure the Amount to settle to Direct Bill is correct and select Post. Note the newly posted Direct Bill Payment and the change in guest Status to Checked Out.
4.1.2 Right-Click Options
From the billing screen, there are a number of button options displayed at the bottom of the screen. In addition to these buttons, a full menu of options is available by using the right-click on the mouse. The right-click options are discussed below.
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Transfer to Window
The highlighted charge or group of charges is moved to the selected window using this option.
Add New Window
Up to 8 folio windows can be opened for each guest. Use this option to open additional windows.
Delete Window
To delete the highest numbered window, select this option. It is not possible to delete a window with transactions attached.
Screen View
To view each folio window as a full screen, select Full, to view two windows on one screen select Split, and to view four windows on one screen select Quad.
View Summarized Transactions/View detailed Transactions
These options will toggle based on which option was selected prior. It displays on screen only, one line per transaction code per day for easier viewing.
Delete Transaction
This option is managed by User Rights, and deletes a posted transaction. This deletion is tracked through posting history and in a Night Audit report as well. Only current day transactions may be deleted, and a reason for deletion is required.
Split Transaction:
Use this button to split one charge into two smaller charges. This is useful if a portion of a charge is to be adjusted or transferred.
To Split a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the appropriate guest and click Select to view the folio. Highlight the charge to be split, right-click and choose the Split option. Select to split the posting either by Amount or Percentage and enter the value. Select OK to save. Note the newly split charge on the guest folio. Click Close to exit the folio and prevent further postings.
Adjust Transaction:
Use this button to allow the system to adjust a charge to its internally configured adjustment code. This button is only used for charges posted automatically by Opera or by an interface, and only by charges posted prior to the current date.
To Adjust a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search results screen, highlight the desired guest room and click Select. Place an “X” next to the charge to be adjusted, right click and select Adjustment. Only charges that were posted on a previous business date may be adjusted. Choose the Adjust Selected Posting option to adjust an individual posting. The Adjust Selected by Trn. Codes option adjusts multiple postings with the same transaction code. The Adjust by Check No. option adjusts interface postings by Check No. Select an Amount or Percentage of the price of the charge to adjust and enter the amount; next, select from the drop down arrow next to Reason Code. Select the appropriate Reason Code and select OK to save. Enter any additional Reason Text regarding the adjustment and select OK to save. Select OK to the adjustment message. Note the newly adjusted posting.
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Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings.
Transfer Transaction:
Use this button to transfer charges to or from another guest folio.
To Transfer Postings To or From a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest and click Select. Highlight the charge to be transferred, right click and select Transfer. Select to Transfer TO another Room. Transfer FROM another Room allows postings from another room to be transferred to this folio. Transfer FROM List of Rooms allows postings from a list of rooms to be transferred to this folio. Select All Marked Postings to transfer; select from the drop down arrow next to Room to select the room to send the charges to. Input the Room or Name, press the Tab key to initiate the search, highlight the guest and click Select. Note the visual display of the transfer, and select Transfer to complete. Answer OK to the charge transfer message. Note the transferred charge from the guest folio. Select Close to exit the billing window to prevent further postings to this folio. Alternately, right-click in the folio window and select to Add Guest View. Enter Room or Name, press Tab key to initiate search, highlight guest record, and click Select. Note the newly added guest view. Using the mouse, click and drag the charge down to the second guest folio. Note the newly transferred charge back on the original folio. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings to this folio.
Add Guest View
To open and display a second guest folio for comparison or transfer, select Add Guest View. The second guest folio is chosen from the list of in-house guest folios, and can be opened at the same time as the current folio.
Remove Guest View
This option closes the folio that is currently viewable on screen if more than one folio is open.
Next Guest
If more than one guest folio is open, this option moves the user to the next open folio.
Previous Guest
If more than one guest folio is open, this option moves the user to the previous open folio.
POS Check Details
If the hotel has an advanced POS interface with the restaurants, it is possible to view and print the restaurant check detail from the folio window using this option.
4.2 Fast Posting
Fast Posting allows a number of charges to be posted to different guest rooms without having to access each guest folio individually. Some common uses for fast posting are: posting laundry charges, posting parking charges, posting valet or bellman charges, and so on. Notice in the bottom left corner that a running total of charges is displayed. This assists if the list that is being entered also has a total at the bottom. The totals can then be compared for accuracy.
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Room/Name: The folio can be located by typing the guest’s room number in the Room/Name field. It can also be located by typing in the first few letters of the guest’s last name in the Room/Name field. Code: The transaction code for posting can be located by typing in the number of the code, or by typing in the first few letters in the description of the code. Opening the arrow to the right of the field and searching through all codes configured in the system can also locate the correct transaction code. Description: The description attached to the transaction code. Amount: The amount of money to be charged the guest for the particular transaction. Qty.: The number of charges that should be put on the guest folio. For example one charge with a quantity of two could be entered, resulting in one line item on the guest’s folio with twice the amount of the charge. If the quantity was four, the one line item would be four times the amount of the charge. Window: The folio window on which the charge will appear. Check No.: Check Number is used if the POS interface will support check numbers in Opera. If an additional charge is added to a restaurant bill at the front desk, entering the check number will cause that charge to roll up into one line item with all other charges on that check number. Supplement: The Supplement field may or may not print on the guest’s folio. A supplement may include information as to why the charge is being posted manually, or additional information about the charge. Reference: The reference information will print on the guest bill. This field is primarily for guest reference, and should be spelled correctly.
To Use the Fast Posting Function: o o From the Cashiering menu, select Fast Posting. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen.
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Enter the Room Number or Partial Name or select from the drop down arrow to search for in-house guests. Search for the guest by any of the fields displayed. Typically, search by last Name or Room Number. Highlight the appropriate choice and click Select. Enter the Transaction Code of the posting (i.e. Flowers) or select from the drop down arrow to search for the correct code. Search for the appropriate Transaction Code by typing a few letters in the “find” field. o o To search by Code, type to the left of the % sign (i.e. 21%). To search by Description, type to the right of the % sign (i.e. %flower).
o o o o o
Select Find to activate the search and display any partial matches display. Highlight the appropriate selection and select OK. Select the Amount, Quantity, Window, Check No, Supplement or Reference. Select Post to proceed to the next line and continue entering charges for other transactions and/or guests. Once all the charges have been entered, select Close to exit the screen and apply all charges to each guest’s folio.
4.3 Cashier Functions
The Cashier Functions button contains a number of different options that may or may not be used at your hotel. It is a good idea to become familiar with each of them. The Cashier Functions cover a wide range of additional information, such as Currency Exchange, Check Exchange, Folio History, Petty Cash Handling and Receipt History.
4.3.1 Batch Folios
Night Auditors routinely print folios for express checkouts to be delivered under the guest’s doors on the overnight. There are also times when it is a good idea to print every guest folio in house in preparation for possible down time. The Batch Folios option is used in either circumstance.
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Batch Folios can be printed for a number of reasons. The most common reason is for express check-out guests. Folios can be printed before or after the End of Day sequence. If printed before, selecting Folios for Guests Departing Tomorrow will pre-print room and tax charges expected to be posted during the audit. If printed after, actual room and tax charges will print. In the case of expected down time, printing folios for all guests will help the desk cope with a manual system.
To Print Express Check Out Folios: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Batch Folios from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. If printing folios before the Night Audit has rolled the business date, then select Folios for Guests Departing Tomorrow. If printing folios after the Night Audit has completed, select Folios for Guests Departing Today. Select Next to continue. In this example, folios are being printed before rolling the business date. To print charges as they appear after the Night Audit, select Advance Folio. Select Next to continue. If delivering folios to each guest room, select Room Number Order. Select Next to continue. If delivering folios to everyone in-house, select All Guests. If only delivering to specific guests, select All VIP and/or the appropriate VIP code to be included in this process. Select Next to continue. Select Only Credit Cards to exclude other payment methods (i.e. Cash, Check, etc) or select All Payment Methods to include all of them. Select Next to continue. Select Only Windows Billed to Guest. This will prevent printing of any Direct Bill folios. If the Reservation does not have Routing set up properly (i.e. Route to Name), this function will not exclude those folio windows. Select Next to continue. Select a Folio Style. To select all guests, select Print All. To select individual guests, place an “X” next to their name and select Print.
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4.3.2 Batch Postings
As part of contractual agreements, it can be common for hotels to negotiate a common charge to be posted to a large number of guest folios. One example can be a group that contracts a per person gratuity for baggage handling. Rather than posting this charge to each individual folio, or even posting this to a large group by fast posting, Batch Posting can be used as long as the charge is the same amount for everyone receiving it. For Batch Posting to be used correctly, the same transaction code and amount must be posted to every guest receiving the charge. It is possible to designate a list of rooms, or to post to every member of a group or everyone in house with the same travel agency. If the charge should be multiplied by the number of adults, and include today’s due out guests, that information can be indicated as well. If the charge should be posted regardless whether the folio is a guest folio or a posting master, that can be indicated here. Finally, if the charge should be posted even if the guest does not have a form of payment that will allow it, the No Post flag should be overridden.
To Enter Batch Postings: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select Batch Postings. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Enter the Trn. Code or select from the drop down arrow next to Trn Code to search for possible options. To search by description, type the first few letters to the right of the “%” sign and select Find to activate the search. The results of any codes containing that combination of letters displays. Highlight the appropriate Code and select OK. Enter the amount. Select from the drop down arrow next to Rooms to select the guests who should have this charge posted to their account. Search for guests using any of the fields in the yellow box in the bottom left corner of the screen. Select them by placing an “X” next to their room number. Once all relevant guests, Groups or Travel agent have an “X” next to their name, click Select to accept. Enter the Amount and Supplement information used to refer to the supplement section.
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o o o o
If the charge being applied is “per person”, make sure to also check the Multiply by Number of Adults checkbox. Select OK to apply charges. Select Yes to see the Posting Details. The new account balance displays for all guests selected. The “X’ in the OK column indicates the posting successfully applied to their folios.
4.3.3 Cashier Reports
When closing out for the day, each cashier must balance his or her work before dropping any cash and checks. To do so, the Cashier Reports should be printed for verification of the amount of cash, checks and credit cards that have been taken in. If the hotel handles foreign currency exchanges as well, the foreign currency totals can also be found on the cashier reports. These reports can be printed at any time during the shift (assuming the parameter for blind drop is not activated), and totals should be verified against actual cash, foreign currency and checks. Once the cashier is closed for the day, these reports are reset to zero and will begin again the next time that the cashier opens.
Cashier Reports are totaled by payment type. The Cash Report also contains a record of every posting that was made on the cashier’s password for the day.
4.3.4 Cashier Status
When a cashier logs into a cash-handling or reporting screen for the first time during a shift, a message appears asking if he or she would like to open the cashier. This is a requirement to open or view cash-handling areas. Once the cashier is open, all postings and payments begin to total for that cashier for the day. At the end of the shift, the cashier must balance all payments, make a drop and close the cashier in Opera. If this is not done, the cashier closes during the audit, but a drop is not registered. The following shift, the cashier will open again with the drop from the previous day registered as part of the opening cash totals. This can cause confusion for the cashier. The Cashier Status screen allows a manager or Night Auditor to see if any cashiers were left open. If not properly closed it creates problems when balancing the following day. The audit auto closes cashiers.
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The cashier number, status and cashier name appear as the times open and closed.
4.3.5 Check Exchange
If a hotel cashes checks for guests, using the check exchange function can help to keep the cashier totals straight at the end of the day. Since cashing a check does not increase or decrease the value of a cashier’s bank, the purpose of the check exchange is to register a decrease in the cash and a corresponding increase in check totals for counting out at the end of the day.
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Room No.: The room number of the registered guest cashing the check. Since most hotels do not cash checks for other than registered guests, this is a required field. Guest Name: The name of the guest cashing the check. Amount: The amount of the check. This is the amount that will be subtracted from the cashier’s cash total and added to the cashier’s check total for balancing. Text: The word “Check” defaults, but can be overwritten with any text needed. It’s a good idea to enter the name on the check if it is different from the guest’s name. Supplement: Usually the check number would be entered here for tracking purposes.
To Process a Check Exchange: o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Check Exchange from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select the in house guest from the drop down arrow next to Room No. Search for and highlight the appropriate guest; click Select. Enter the Amount of the check being exchanged. Enter the “Check #” in the Supplement line and select OK to complete the transaction. Select OK to verify the exchange was completed successfully.
o
4.3.6 Currency Calculator
The currency calculator feature allows a user to calculate and view an exchange amount without actually processing the exchange. In Opera, there are six possible exchange rates for each currency, although it is unusual to use all six separately. Most hotels combine two or more exchange types using the same rate for all to keep the exchange feature manageable.
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Amount: The amount in the currency to be exchanged. If 50 Euro are being exchanged for dollars, the amount 50 would be entered in this field. Date: The date of the transaction. In a hotel that updates exchange rates for the next day, entering today’s date may give a different exchange rate than the same amount the following day. From Currency: The currency the guest is exchanging. Exchange Code. The type of exchange to take place. • • • • • • Cash - Exchanged currency to be used without regard for its ultimate application (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Check - Exchanged traveler's check to be used without regard for its ultimate application (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Settlement - Exchanged currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Forecast - Exchanged currency to be used for property revenue forecasting. Commissions - Exchanged currency to be used for travel agent commissions. Posting - Exchanged currency to be applied to posting transactions
To Currency: The currency the guest will receive in the exchange.
Calculation Results
Buy Rate: Currency exchange buy rate configured for the currency in the From Currency field. Buy Commission: Currency exchange buy commission percentage configured for the currency in the From Currency field. Calculated Amount: Amount of the exchange in the currency shown in the To Currency field.
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To Use the Currency Calculator: o o o o o o o o From the Main Opera menu, select Cashiering and Cashier Functions. Select Currency Calculator. Enter your password. Enter the amount of foreign currency the guest would like to calculate in the Amount field. Enter the type of foreign currency the guest would like to calculate in the From Currency field. Enter the type of currency the guest would like to receive in the To Currency field. The total amount of the currency to be exchanged will appear. Note: This function does NOT register the currency exchange with the cashier’s bank. This function is only a calculator to display currency exchange information. To complete an exchange and register it on a cashier’s totals, the currency exchange feature must be used.
4.3.7 Currency Exchange
To register a foreign currency exchange as part of the cashier’s totals, the Currency Exchange feature must be used. Any currency exchanged using this function is exchanged at the rate set up for Exchange in the Exchange Rate Setup function.
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Room No.: Most hotels exchange currency only for registered guests, the room number may be a required field based on the hotels procedures. Name: The name of the guest exchanging currency. Currency: The type of foreign currency being exchanged to local currency. Exchange Code: Allows the user to select the exchange rate to use. Amount: The amount of foreign currency being exchanged to local. Supplement: Any additional text required by hotel policy.
To Process a Foreign Currency Exchange: o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Currency Exchange from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room No or Name to select the in house guest exchanging foreign currency. Highlight the appropriate guest and click Select. Select from the drop down arrow next to Currency Code to select from the list of foreign currencies accepted. Highlight the given currency and select OK. Enter the Amount being exchanged and press tab to calculate the exchange rate. The Exchange Rate Details displays the calculation used and the Local Amount due to the guest in the local currency. Select OK to pay out and generate a receipt. If more than one receipt is needed, enter the number of Copies to print.
4.3.8 Exchange Rate
If a hotel is using either the Currency Exchange feature or the Currency Calculator feature, or configuring rate codes or paying commissions in foreign currency, the Exchange Rates needs to be entered and updated often. The Exchange Rate feature is normally restricted to appropriate personnel through user rights and is where any updates to the exchange rates can be made.
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Currency: To localize a single currency for update, select that currency from the drop down menu accessed from the arrow to the right of the field. All: This displays all currency exchange rates listed above. Exchange Rate Usage Radio Buttons: Select the radio button that corresponds to the usage, or purpose, for which you want to see currency exchange rates. All current currency exchange rates for the selected usage will be displayed. • • • • • • All - Show exchange rates for all usages. This is the default. Exchange - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when performing a currency exchange (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Check - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when cashing traveler's checks. Settlement - Show exchange rates for currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Posting - Show exchange rates for currency to be applied to posting transactions. Commissions - Show exchange rates for currency to be used for travel agent commissions. (This option is available if the OPP COM Commission handling add-on license code is active.) Membership - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when calculating membership program benefits.
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Grid Fields
For each currency, the Exchange Rate screen grid provides the following information. Currency: Currency code.
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Code: Currency exchange code. The currency exchange codes are set up in System. Exch: Exchange rate for currency to be used when performing a currency exchange (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Chk: Exchange rate for currency to be used when cashing traveller's checks. Sett: Exchange rate for currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Post: Exchange rate for currency to be applied to posting transactions. Comm: Exchange rate for currency to be used for travel agent commissions. Buy Rate: The applicable exchange rate when buying currency, the usual exchange transaction. Date: The effective date for the exchange rate.
Currency Exchange rate buttons
Future: Select this option to see foreign currency exchange rates set for the future. Past: Select this option to review the foreign currency exchange rates from previous business dates. Delete: To delete a currency type from the list of approved currencies, select Delete. New: Select this option to enter a new currency for exchange. Edit: Use this option to update an exchange rate already in use. It is always a good idea to update currencies beginning on the next business day, as it can be confusing to settle foreign currency paid-outs if exchanges have been made both before and after a currency change.
To Enter or Update a Foreign Currency Exchange Rate: o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select Exchange Rates. To change the existing Exchange Rate, highlight the Currency code and select Edit. Select the Currency, Code, Begin Date and Buy Date then select OK.
4.3.9 Folio History
Guests frequently call the hotel for copies of folios. Many times they are looking for a copy of the folio printed in a different format from then one they were given at check out. In Folio History, all guest folios are able to be previewed or printed, and the folio style can be changed to reflect the guest’s needs. It is possible to reprint checked out guest folios, passerby folios and Accounting folios.
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Date: The date that the folio was checked out. Name: The last name of the guest. Folio No.: The folio number generated at check out. Some folios will have this number printed on them for referral, some will not. Whether the folio number is printed on the check or not, one is assigned to every folio. If the folio number is printed on the bill, the guest can refer to this number to locate that folio specifically as it is a unique number assigned to only one folio. First Name: The first name of the guest. Room: The room number of the guest at check out. If the guest’s folio was transferred to a Posting Master before being checked out, the posting master number will be the room number used to search. Search Filter check boxes: • Check Out: Select this radio button to view all folios for guests checked out of the hotel. This includes any folios paid for by cash, check or credit card. If a folio was closed using the Direct Bill payment code, it can not be located here. Direct Bill folios are only found by selecting AR. Passerby: Select this radio button to locate any folios that were checked out using the Passerby feature. AR: Select this radio button to view all folios closed to the Direct Bill payment code. These folios are billed to companies rather than guests, and should be located by searching for the company name, not the guest name. Video Checkout: Display folios for guests who used video checkout.
• •
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Print Phone Details: If the guest would like to see telephone numbers dialed on the folio, check this box. If the phone numbers should not be printed, do not check this box.
Folio History Buttons: Folio: Displays the Folio Option Screen to preview or print folios for a specific date range and for a specific folio style.
To Reprint a Guest Folio from History: o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, select Cashier Functions and Folio History. Determine whether the folio is in the checked out guest list, the Accounting list or the Passerby list. Use any of the search fields to locate the guest. Past stays list in order of arrival date with the most recent listed at the top. Highlight the appropriate stay and select Folio. All windows for this stay list. Highlight the appropriate window and select Preview to display the folio or Print to reprint the folio. There are options for changing the Folio Style, printing Phone Details, etc.
4.3.10 General Cashier
For hotels that handle large cash transactions at the Front Desk, the General Cashier function can be used to register an increase or decrease in a cashier’s bank mid-shift. If a guest pays with a large amount of cash, it is a good idea to make a cash drop rather than keep that amount of money on hand. Rather than having the cashier total all transactions to balance prior to dropping the cash, the General Cashier function can be used to register the drop. This will decrease the amount of money to be dropped at the shift close. On the other hand, if the agent has made a large paid-out or currency exchange which has depleted the total cash on hand, an increase in cash can be necessary mid-shift to keep enough cash on hand for the agent to continue working. The General Cashier may register cash into the cashier’s bank, and this cash will then be included in the amount of cash to balance at the end of the shift.
Cash transactions can be registered as going To the General Cashier, in the case of a large cash payment that should be dropped immediately. A cash transaction can also be registered as coming From the General Cashier in the case of a large pay out or exchange that has depleted the total cash in a cashier’s drawer and must be replaced.
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To General Cashier: If cash or checks are being dropped (given to the General Cashier), then select this option. This decreases the amount of cash to balance for the cash drop at the end of the shift. From General Cashier: If cash, checks or foreign currency are being added to the cashier’s bank (From the General Cashier) select this option. This increases the amount of cash to balance at the end of the shift. Amount: The total amount of cash, checks or foreign currency that are being added to or taken from the cashier’s bank. Supplement: Free text information as to why the General Cashier function is used. Trn. Code: The transaction code indicates whether cash, check or other payments or paid outs are added or subtracted. Currency: The currency that is added or subtracted from the cashier’s bank.
To Use the General Cashier Function: o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select General Cashier. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. To receive money, select From General Cashier. This amount is included in “cash received” when the Cashier is closed at the end of the shift. Select OK to accept. To make an early drop without closing your Cashier, select To General Cashier. This amount subtracts from the “cash received” total when the Cashier is closed at the end of the shift. Select OK to accept.
4.3.11 Journal
On occasion, it is necessary to research a cashier’s transactions to locate problems in balancing or in resolving guest questions. The Journal function offers a way to locate information about a specific cashier, transaction code or guest for the current day or previous days.
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Cashier No.: The identifying cashier number for locating transactions. Transaction Code(s): To research transactions on a particular payment type, enter that transaction code here to narrow down the results of the search. Arrangement Code: If Arrangement codes are used at the hotel, selecting an arrangement code gives a list of transactions posted to that arrangement code for the date range indicated. List of Rooms: If all transactions for one or more rooms are to be searched, enter the room number or numbers here. Ref. No: The Reference number refers to a POS check number and is used to locate specific transactions. Date From: The first date to begin looking for the transaction in question. Date To: The last date to begin looking for the transaction in question.
4.3.12 Petty Cash
The petty cash fund is used to pay cash for outside services that are not charged to a particular guest. Some examples of typical petty cash expenses include the purchase of newspapers and magazines for the hotel, postage costs, or taxi service. The petty cash fund is also used when money in payment for incidentals is received for incidental payments, for example when someone stops at the front desk and asks to buy a stamp. Petty cash is useful for tracking money paid out (paid-outs) and money received (paid-ins) which applies to the property in general and not to any guest's bill or folio.
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Paid / Received: To determine whether cash is being paid-out (Paid), or accepted (Received) in this transaction. Posting Text: This field shows the description of the Petty Cash Account that is selected in the grid. Amount: The amount paid out or received. This amount must always be positive. Transaction Code: To choose the transaction code for this petty cash transaction. Currency: The code for the type of currency used for this transaction. Supplement: Any supplemental information such as the reason for the transaction. Balance: To check the balance in a petty cash account, highlight the account on the Petty Cash screen and select Balance.
4.3.13 Receipt History
Receipts are created in Opera for a number of reasons – payment receipts, currency or check exchange receipts and paid out receipts are the most common. These receipts are generated when the transaction is made, but can be reprinted from history as well.
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From/To. The date the receipt was issued. If that date is unknown, it is a good idea to delete the current date default and search for all dates. Receipt No.: A receipt number is generated with each transaction. This receipt number may or may not be printed on the receipt itself, but is generated with the transaction regardless. Receipt Type: This describes the type of receipt being searched. Types of receipts are Check Exchange, Payment Receipt or Paid Out Receipt. Name: The last name of the guest on the transaction. First Name: The first name of the guest on the transaction. Search: Use this option to locate the receipt based on the search criteria entered. Print: Print the receipt to a local printer. Preview: Display the receipt on screen for viewing.
4.3.14 Deposit/Cancellation
The Deposit/Cancellation option is used to post an advance deposit on a guest’s reservation or to handle cancellation charges or penalties. In this section, we are able to post deposit requests or payments on more than one reservation easily.
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The Deposits and Cancellations radio buttons determine the basic features of the screen. By default, the screen opens with the Deposits radio button selected and is configured to show reservation deposits. Non Processed Only: This makes a distinction between Processed and Non Processed entries in the search results grid so reservations can be separated quickly. All Reservations: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all reservations that have not yet checked in, whether or not they require a deposit. Deposits Outstanding: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for any reservations where the deposit owed value is less than the deposit requested value. Deposits Paid: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for any reservation that has a deposit posted against it when the button is selected. All Cancelled Reservations: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all cancelled reservations, regardless of whether or not they have a cancellation rule attached. Cancellation Rule Attached: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all cancelled reservations that have a cancellation rule attached. (See Adding Cancellation Rules, below.) Arrival Date: To search for all reservations booked for arrival on or after a specific date. The default is today's date. Deposit Due Date: (When the Deposits radio button is selected) To search for all reservations having a deposit due on a specific date, select the down arrow to display the calendar and choose the date.
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Cancellation Date: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) To search for all reservations cancelled on a specific date, select the down arrow to display the calendar and choose the date. Name: To search for a reservation by name, enter the guest's last name or the group name. Company: To search for reservations associated with a company, enter the company name. Agent: To search for reservations associated with the travel agency. Confirmation No: To search by confirmation number. Reservation Type: To search by the reservation type. Payment Type: To search by the payment type. Users: To search for the user, enter the user id or select the down arrow to choose from a list of values for the user.
Reservation deposit search results grid and button
Conf No: The reservation confirmation number. Name: The name of the guest or posting master. To sort the reservations displayed in the grid alphabetically, click on the Name column label. Native Name: Alternate name of the guest displayed in the base language name or native name values. Arrival: The guest's arrival date. To sort the reservations displayed in the grid by date, select the Arrival column label. Departure: The guest's departure date. Requested: The amount of deposit requested. Paid: The amount of deposit that has been paid. Owed: The amount of deposit still owed (Deposit Requested - Deposit Paid). Status: The current status of the reservation. Processed: The indicator in this column shows whether the reservation has been processed (Y) or not processed (N). Deposit: Select the Deposit button to go to the Deposit & Cancellation screen for the reservation you have highlighted. The Deposits tab on this screen lets you view deposits currently required and deposits that have been paid. You may also set new deposit requirements, edit existing deposit requirements, delete deposit requirements, and post deposit payments.
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To Enter a Deposit Request: o o o o Select Cashiering, Cashiering Functions and Deposit/Cancellation. Select Deposit and enter Request. By selecting from drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and select OK. o Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $149.00 would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o o o Select Cashiering, Cashiering Functions and Deposit/Cancellation. Select Deposit and enter Payment. Log into your Cashier by entering your User Password; select Login. Select from the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK. Select OK to complete posting the advance deposit.
4.4
Close Cashier
At the end of every shift, all users who have opened the cashier at the beginning of the shift must close the cashier at the end of the day. This ends the totaling of all payment transactions and allows the user to register a cash drop at the end. If this is not done, all cashiers will be closed automatically during the night audit, but any payments taken in are assumed to still be with the cashier and will be part of the opening bank the following shift. If the payment drop has been made, this can cause confusion for the cashier and make it difficult to balance the next day. Closing the cashier should be the very last thing done during the day and must be done every shift.
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Opening Balance Cash: The amount of cash registered in the cashier’s bank. This total comes from the amount listed as the cashier’s float plus any amount that may not have been registered as dropped on previous days. If a cashier has not closed the cashier properly, this amount can be incorrect and an adjustment must be made. To make the adjustment, register an actual cash drop that will include the opening balance overage. Opening Balance Check: The amount of checks registered in the cashier’s bank. This total comes from any check transactions from previous days that were not registered as dropped by the cashier. If a cashier has not closed the cashier properly, this amount will be incorrect and an adjustment must be made. To make the adjustment, register an actual check drop that will include the opening balance overage. Cash: This is the amount of cash that Opera has registered as having been taken in on the current shift. This total includes all cash taken as payments on the cashier’s user ID. Paid Out: This is the amount of cash that Opera has registered as having been paid out on the current shift. This total includes any transaction processed on a paid out transaction code as well as any check or currency exchange that has been made. Total Cash Drop: The total amount of cash that Opera calculates the cashier to have on hand. Total Cash Payments minus Total Cash Paid Outs equals Total Cash Drop. Actual Cash Drop: In this field, the user must type in exactly the amount of cash that is being dropped. This is the amount that will register on the cashier summary report and so will be matched to the actual drop envelope total. If there is a difference between the Total Cash Drop
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calculated by Opera and the Actual Cash Drop as entered by the cashier, an Over/Short will be registered. Checks: The total amount of payment taken by the cashier by using the check payment transaction code. Actual Check Drop: In this field, the user must type in exactly the amount of checks that are being dropped. This is the amount that will register on the cashier summary report and so will be matched to the actual drop envelope total. If there is a difference between the Checks amount calculated by Opera and the Actual Check Drop as entered by the cashier, an Over/Short will be registered. Expected Shift Drop: The total amount of cash and checks that Opera registers as being dropped. Shift Drop Over/Short: Any difference between the amount of cash and checks that Opera has calculated and the actual amount of cash and checks the cashier will drop. Foreign Currency: The currency type that has been calculated as being processed by this cashier. Opening: If any amount of the foreign currency is still registered from previous shifts as not having been dropped, this amount will register as the opening balance for that currency. From Today: Any amount of foreign currency that was taken in on the current shift. Shift Drop: The total of previous day’s foreign currency and the current day’s totals. This is the amount that the cashier will type in that is included in the shift drop envelope. Foreign Check Currency: The currency type that has been calculated as being processed by this cashier as checks. Opening: If any checks in the foreign currency are still registered from previous shifts as not having been dropped, this amount will register as the opening balance for that currency. Shift Drop: The total of previous day’s foreign currency checks and the current day’s totals. This is the amount that the cashier will type in that is included in the shift drop envelope.
To Close a Cashier: o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, select Close Cashier. Enter your Password and click Login. All postings for the day display. This includes payments (i.e. Cash, Check, etc.) and revenue postings (i.e. Fax, Parking, Flowers, etc.) To view individual details for each charge Description, highlight the charge group and select Details. If the postings displayed are correct, select OK to continue closing the cashier. Displayed is all Cash received or Paid Out for the day. The expected shift drop is broken out into Total Cash Drop and Checks. Foreign Currency exchanges list separately on the bottom half of the screen and should be dropped along with local currency. If the Actual Cash and Actual Checks being dropped match the display, click OK; if they do not match what is calculated, enter the amount being dropped.
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Opera calculates any Shift Drop Over/Short or Due Back based on the Cashier’s Opening Balance. Verify the amount of cash/checks being placed in the envelope is accurate. If the Cash Drop amount is correct, select “Yes”. If the amount displayed is not correct, select “No” and then select Back to correct the mistaken postings before closing your cashier. Select “Yes” to print Cashier Reports. Select OK and the Cashier is now closed.
4.5
Passerby
Posting charges to a guest’s folio is a very easy matter, but if a non-guest would like to purchase an item or service at the front desk, it can be a lengthy matter to check in a posting master, post a charge and settle the bill. For this reason, the Passerby function exists to handle this situation. With the passerby function, Opera essentially becomes a cash register to process a posting and a payment without going through all the steps of creating a reservation and checking in a guest.
Name: Attach a profile for the guest making the transaction. Many hotels create a profile called “Passerby” or “Non-Guest” to track this type of revenue. Market Code: The market code in which the revenue is registered. Again, many hotels set up a market code for processing these transactions or lump them together in a House Account market code.
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Source Code: The source of business. If this is a group guest, it may be useful to track the source of this revenue, but again, many hotels have an internal account source of business code that would be used for this transaction. Room Class: The room class is generally a posting room or pseudo room rather than a regular room class such as Standard, Deluxe or Suite. The next screen is the same posting screen as that found in a guest’s folio. Any and all charges can be entered on this screen. Once the close button is pressed, the payment screen will appear and payment should be registered.
To Process a Passerby Transaction: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu select Passerby. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select Post to begin the charging process. Every Passerby requires a profile. Select from the drop down arrow next to Name to search for and select a profile. Type in a few letters of the guest’s last Name and press Tab to activate the search. Highlight the correct guest and select OK. Select the drop down arrow next to Room Class to select from the list. Highlight the appropriate Room Class and click OK. Note: Room Class for Passerby is typically Other or House Use. Select Post to begin entering transactions. Note: The Market Code and Source Code are automatically entered by the system. Enter the Transaction Code of the charge (i.e. fax, copy, etc). or select from the drop down arrow to search for the correct Code. Search for the code by typing a few letters of its description in the “Find” field to the right side of the “%” sign. Select Find to activate the search and any partial matches will display. Highlight the appropriate selection and select OK. Enter the Price per item and the Quantity of items. Select Post to proceed to the next line and continue entering charges remembering to Post after each charge. Once all the charges have been entered, select Close to proceed. Next, Opera expects a payment for the items posted in the previous screen. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to display choices.
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Highlight the Payment Type used and select OK. Typically, a Passerby guest pays Cash. Enter the Amount received and select Post to apply the payment. Note: If you select Close the payment will not apply and all the charges for this transaction will reverse. To view all Passerby postings for the current day, select Check Out. The top half of the screen shows the Passerby folios for the day. Notice there is only one folio for the guest “Passerby”. The bottom half of the screen shows the transactions (postings and payments) for the folio highlighted at the top.
4.6
Quick Check Out
In a hotel with a large amount of group business, the Quick Check Out option can help to efficiently check out members of a group that may already have left the hotel. From the Quick Check Out function, all of the day’s departures appear, and any guests with a zero balance bill (generally due to all charges having been routed elsewhere) may be checked out in one motion. As all departures for the day must be resolved for the audit to run, this function can help to focus attention on guests due out that may need to be checked out or extended.
Select All: This option opens a check out screen for every window of every due out guest in turn. It is possible to process the payments on each folio in turn. The default form of payment is the payment type listed in the guest’s reservation. Billing: This option takes the user to the guest folio screen where charges can be transferred, adjusted or payment made. C/O Zero: This option automatically checks out all due out reservations with zero balances. This is very useful when checking out a large group with all charges routed elsewhere. Select: This selects the highlighted reservation only for quick check out.
To Use the Quick Check Out Function: o From the Cashiering menu, select Quick Check Out.
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o o o o
o
o o o o
Enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select the “C/O Zero” option to check out all guests with a zero folio balance. Caution: Be certain that all scheduled departures with a zero balance are confirmed by Housekeeping as departed before using this function! To check out a group of guests with a zero balance and not all departures with a zero balance, minimize the search results by Block, Group, Party or Company. Once the search results display only that group, select the “C/O Zero” to check out only those guests. To select an individual guest to check out without opening the folio window, place an “X” next to the Room Number and choose the Select button. A payment window prompts for settlement for the folio balance. If there are multiple folio windows, payment is required for each one before the check out is complete. For multiple guests, place an “X” next to each Room Number, choose Select and apply a payment for each folio for each room. To check out all due out guests, choose the Select All button and apply a payment to each folio window. To check out a group of guests and not all departures, minimize the search results by Block, Group, Party or Company. Once the search results display only that group, use the Select or Select All option to check out only those guests.
4.7
Credit Cards
4.7.1 Settlements
The settlement function is used if the property works with a credit card interface that includes batch settlement. The Credit Card Settlement feature allows viewing or modifying the credit card payment records waiting to be settled. This feature is also used to send the credit card records (as electronic files) to the central credit card processing agency for batch settlement.
Settle for Date: The date for which to process credit card settlements. Name: Type or part of the guest name. Folio No: The Folio number of the guest to search for. Room: The room number of the guest to search for.
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Credit Card Settlement Grid
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X: This column is used to select a credit card payment record for the settlement. Name: The name of the guest. Room: The room number of the guest. Folio No: The number of the folio which has the credit card number recorded. Window: The folio window number which has the credit card attached to. Credit Card: The number of the credit card used for the payment. Expiration: The expiration date of the credit card. Approval: The approval code received from the credit card company. Amount: The amount to be settled. A negative amount means there is a credit to the guest. Transaction Date: The date on which the transaction took place. Total Amount on Hold: The total amount of the credit card payment transaction not to be settled. This information is view only. Total Amount to be Settled: The total amount of the credit card transaction to be settled.
Edit a Credit Card
Highlight the reservation and select Edit to modify details of a credit card Credit Card: The credit card number for the highlighted transaction. This information is view only. Expiration: The expiration date for this credit card. Approval Code: The approval code given by the credit card company for the transaction covered by this payment. Amount: The settlement amount.
Settlement processing
Select Settle to select the record to be settled by the credit card company. After the transaction a message is displayed informing if the credit card settlement was successful or not.
4.7.2 Authorization
The authorization function is used to process credit card authorizations for checked in guest. Once the credit cards are processed the credit card authorization report can be viewed.
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5
Chapter 5 Rooms Management
In the Rooms Management section of the application are a number of functions designed to manage the physical rooms in the hotel. The most used option is Housekeeping, where room statuses can be updated, rooms can be put Out of Order or Out of Service, Housekeeping Task Assignment sheets are created and discrepant rooms are resolved. Also in the Rooms Management section is Room History for locating the owners of lost and found items, Sell Limits for setting over booking limits, the Occupancy Graph for a quick view of upcoming business and Maintenance for those hotels who use Opera to manage Maintenance requests.
5.1 Housekeeping
The Housekeeping module is used to manually update room statuses and to print room lists. Rooms can be viewed and sorted in a variety of ways, and can be updated easily. Housekeeping also holds information on discrepant rooms and is used to place rooms Out of Order or Out of Service as well. Housekeeping Task Sheets are created and printed on the Task Assignments tab.
5.1.1 Housekeeping Management
The Housekeeping Management screen is used to change the housekeeping status of a room manually. Various searches are also available to print a list of rooms.
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Room Status: This option allows the user to select the room statuses that will be viewed. The default setting is to view all rooms in all Housekeeping Statuses. If a list of Dirty rooms only should be viewed, clear all and check Dirty and the list of rooms will be displayed as requested. FO Status: This option allows the user to select the Front Office Statuses that will be viewed. The default setting is to view all rooms whether vacant or occupied. If a list of only vacant rooms should be viewed, uncheck the box marked “Occupied” and the list of rooms will be displayed as requested. Advanced: Use this option to open additional search criteria. With this option, it’s possible to sort the list by looking for rooms with the following statuses: Arrivals, Arrived, Stay Over, Due Out, Departed, Not Reserved, Reserved or Day Use. Select All: Use this option to automatically select all rooms for view. Clear All: Use this option to automatically clear all rooms from the current search.
Room Search Grid
Rm Type: A description of the room type for the highlighted room on the list. Room Status: The current Housekeeping status of the highlighted room. The housekeeping status can be manually updated by using the arrow to the right of the field to select the proper status for change. FO Status: The current front office status for a room. Reservation Status: The current reservation status for a room.
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Details: Displays configuration details for the highlighted room. Report: Displays the option to preview or to print the Housekeeping AM or PM reports. Statistics: This option will display the total number of clean rooms, dirty rooms, pickup rooms, out of order rooms, arrivals, departures, etc. This is the best screen to use to determine how many housekeepers will be needed to clean the rooms on the current day. Change: To change more than one room status at a time, select this option. Rooms can be entered as a list to be changed from dirty to clean, or can be changed as a range of rooms or by section.
To Update the Status of a Room: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping Management. Enter search criteria and select Search. Locate the room to change. Click the drop down arrow to the right of the Room Status field to display all Housekeeping options and highlight the appropriate status to change. Note the new status of the room.
5.1.2 Queue Rooms
At times a guest may arrive before the requested room type is available for assignment, using this feature helps to manage room assignment fairly, and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts.
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Current: Average time a reservation has been in queue for all the reservations in the current queue. Actual: Average time a reservation has been in queue before being checked in. Total rooms in queue: Total number of rooms in queue
Search Results Grid
#: Priority number. Q-Time: Hours and minutes the reservation has been in queue. Room: Room number, if assigned. Room Type: Room type assigned to the reservation. FO Status: The Front Office status of the room. (i.e., Vacant or Occupied) Room Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the housekeeping room status (e.g., Dirty, Pick Up, Clean). Name: Guest's name. VIP: Guest's VIP status. Statistics: Displays a summary by housekeeping status of all rooms. Details: Displays the Rooms Edit screen for the guest's room. Available when a room number is assigned to the guest. Resv: Displays the Reservation screen for the highlighted reservation. Report: Prepare the Queue Reservations report
5.1.3 House Assignment
Hotels that perform turndown service in rooms often wish to turn down vacant rooms for arriving VIPs. Not all rooms in the hotel may be turned down, so it is helpful to indicate to the front desk which rooms are prepared for guest arrival. To do this, the House Assignment function is used. Another use for House Assignment is to hold back rooms from being pre-blocked at check in.
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General Assignment: A general assigned room will be removed from the vacant room list and will not auto block at check in. This room is not Out of Order or Out of Service, but is only able to be used if the room number is typed directly into the Room Number field. General Assigned rooms are normally kept by Front Office management, and are used to hold rooms back for possible VIP arrivals. Housekeeping Assignment: Housekeeping Assigned rooms will appear on the vacant room list along with the assignment reason code. This assignment type is used to indicate that something has been added to the room or a special service has been done with the room for arrivals. These rooms are not pre-blocked for anyone in particular, but are available at check in if needed. If a vacant room has been turned down for a VIP walk in, a reason code should be configured to indicate that. If a Murphy bed has been made up, or a sofa bed pulled out in anticipation of guest needs, that indication can be made on the room as a Housekeeping assignment. Unassigned: Displays all rooms currently not assigned as General or Housekeeping.
House Assignment Grid
The House Assignment screen shows the following information. X: Placing an “X” in this column selects the room to be assigned or unassigned. Room: Room number assigned to the room. Room Type: Room type assigned to the room. Rm. Status: Housekeeping status of the room. FO Status: Front Office status (e.g., Vacant, Occupied).
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Features: Room features. Type: Assignment type: Housekeeping (H) or General (G). Reason: Assignment reason code. Description: Assignment reason description.
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How to Use Housekeeping Assignment to indicate individual Turn Down Rooms with a special service request: o o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen select House Assignment. Locate the rooms that need to turn down for a special housekeeping service and mark them with an “X”. Select Assign. Select Housekeeping Assignment. Select the Reason. Select OK. This room now appears with a turn down indicator showing a special service added to the room. (For example: Sofa bed made up)
5.1.4 Discrepant Rooms
Most hotels use the telephone to dial in an updated Housekeeping status. When dialing in these codes, the housekeepers must dial in not only the clean status of the room, but also whether the room is occupied or vacant. When Housekeeping and the Front Office have different statuses, a Discrepant Room is created. These Discrepant Rooms must be physically checked each day by either Housekeeping or the Front Office to determine whether a guest is checked into the room or not. There are two types of Discrepant Rooms – Skips and Sleeps. In a Skip room, Housekeeping has dialed down that the room is vacant, but the Front Office has a guest checked into the room. Usually, this happens when the guest has used the Express Check Out option and has left the hotel, but the Front Office has not yet checked the guest out. The other type of discrepancy, a Sleep room, has Housekeeping dialing down the room as occupied, but the Front Desk does not have anyone checked into the room. Often, the Housekeeper has dialed the wrong code, but the room should be checked as if someone is actually occupying the room, that person must be checked in or another guest will be checked into the room. If a room is not checked in, Room and Tax will not post.
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Show: Select the types of discrepancies to view. It is possible to see Skips, Sleeps or Person Discrepancies. Floor: To view discrepancies on a particular floor, select that floor here. Room: To view a particular room, type the room number here. Billing: Displays the guest billing screen for a highlighted room. Resv: Displays the reservation search screen for a highlighted room. Details: Displays the detailed configuration for a room. Report: Allows previewing or printing the Housekeeping Discrepancy Report Save: Save any changes made to the discrepant room list.
To Update Discrepant Rooms: o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Room Discrepancies. Highlight the Discrepant Room to update. Click on the drop down arrow to the right of the Room Status field, the HK Status field or the HK Persons Field to change the status.
5.1.5 Attendant Points
If the Housekeeping Department has an incentive program and are giving prize points for housekeepers, the Attendant Points function will help to track points. It can also be used for hotels that pay housekeepers based on the number of rooms cleaned. In this case, each day when a housekeeper finishes the rooms, the total number of rooms can be entered in the system and a total can be kept on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
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Enter the start Date, End Date and the list of attendants in the Search Criteria Options.
Attendant Points Grid
Date: This is the date for which the room attendant has been rewarded points. Attendant ID: The code for the selected room attendant. Name: The proper name of the room attendant. Points: The number of points for the room attendant that day.
To assign points to an Attendant o o o o Select New. Enter the Date for which the room attendant is rewarded points. Select the appropriate Attendant ID. Enter the number of Points to record for the Attendant.
5.1.6 Task Assignment
Opera not only tracks the housekeeping status of every room in house, but can be used to create individual lists of rooms for housekeepers to clean every day. These lists, once created, can be kept in history for later research if necessary. Housekeeping Task Sheets can be created using a system of maximum credits, or can be separated into pre-determined sections or floors.
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Task Date: The date to search for Task Assignment sheets. By default the page will open to the current date, however it is possible to view a Task Assignment sheet from previous days as well. Task Code: The Task Code defines the final assignment sheets for any day. Only one set of Task Assignment Sheets will be kept for a Task Code on any day. If the Housekeeping department usually creates more than one set of Assignment Sheets (such as one for general cleaning and one for turndown) every day, and would like to have access to these sheets in history, then a task code must be created for every set of assignment sheets to be saved. Task Sheet: To view a specific task sheet, select from the Task Sheet list of values. Expanded: This button will access the details of the task assignment sheets, and will allow the user to move rooms from one housekeeping sheet to another. Report: Allows previewing or printing the Task Sheet report. New: Create a new task assignment sheet. Auto: Use this option to create the Housekeeping task sheets. Details: To display further details of the Task sheet. Delete: To delete a task sheet.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Section: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Section. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Check the Group by Section box and select either the AM/PM sections. Select the Task Code.
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Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. All rooms group by section with one additional task sheet containing rooms not assigned to specific Housekeepers.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Floor: o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Floor. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Check the Group by Floor box. Select the Task Code. Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. All rooms group by floor with one additional task sheet containing rooms not assigned to specific Housekeepers.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Room Number: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Room Number. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Select the Task Code. Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. Task sheets are in room number order.
To Modify Task Sheets: o o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen, select Expanded. To move a room from one task sheet to another, mark the room with an “X”. Select Move. Enter the Task Sheet Number. Note the room moved from one task sheet to the other. Alternately, move a room by using the mouse to drag and drop rooms from one task sheet to another.
To Print Housekeeping Task Sheets: o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen select Task Assignment; select the Report. Select the Task Date From for the date to print. The default date is the current date. Select the Task Code Select the Task Sheet From and To for printing. Choose the Attendant for which the report is prepared for.
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Select the Report Style. Select whether to print Due Outs only, or whether to print or Show Guest Name on the sheets. Determine whether to Double Space the task sheets, Eject a Page per Section and indicate how many Copies to Print. Select Print.
5.1.7 Facility Forecast
The Facility Forecast screen is a function that provides detailed information about the hotels occupancy and needs in terms of housekeeping services. This is a useful tool to plan ahead inventory based on the expectations.
The Facility Forecast screen search criteria are Start Date and Facility Tasks. Start Date: The starting date for the facility forecast display. To view data for a new date, the start date can be entered manually or by using the calendar tool. Facility Tasks: Select from a multi-select task LOV (list of values) to search for one, several or all facility tasks. When the Facility Management menu item is selected, the same options are presented as when printing a report.
5.2 Out of Order/Out of Service
For various reasons, rooms must be taken off line and not sold on occasion. When this is needed, the room is placed Out of Order or Out of Service. Both statuses will take the room off line and will not allow guests to be checked into the room, but there is a difference between the two options. If a room is placed Out of Order, that room is no longer figured in the occupancy statistics of the hotel. For instance, if a hotel has 200 rooms and 10 rooms are put Out of Order, 100% occupancy will be figured on 190 rooms. If those same 10 rooms are put Out of Service, 100% occupancy is still figured on the original 200 rooms. When rooms are placed Out of Order, total available rooms will fluctuate. When rooms are placed Out of Service, total available rooms will remain constant at the hotel’s total.
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For Date: Select the date from the calendar field to check rooms that are out of order or out of service. The default date is the current date. Room: If a particular room is to be viewed, type that room number in this field. Out of Order: To search only for rooms placed out of order, select this option. Out of Service: To search only for rooms placed out of service, select this option. Out of Order/Service: To search for both out of order and out of service rooms, select both Out of Order and Out of Service. Details: Displays configuration details for the highlighted room. Resv: Displays the reservation for the highlighted room. Copy: To place additional rooms out of order or out of service for the same reasons and the same range of dates as the highlighted room, select Copy. This will copy the out of order/out of service details to additional rooms. New: To create a new out of order or out of service record, select New. Edit: To update out of order or out of service information on a particular room, select this option. Delete: To delete an out of order or out of service record, select Delete. The room will be returned to house inventory.
To Place a Room Out of Order/Out of Service: o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management. Select Out of Order/Out of Service. Select New to place a room Out of Order or Out of Service.
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Enter the room number in the Room List field or enter a range of rooms in the fields marked From Room and To Room. Select the date range this room will be Out of Order or Out of Service in the From Date and Through Date fields. Select either Out of Order or Out of Service in the Status field. In the Return Status field, select the Housekeeping status for the room when it returns to availability. Enter the Reason the room is Out of Order or Out of Service. Type in any additional Remarks about the status of the room and select OK.
5.3 Room History
Room History can help to locate the owner of a lost and found item. To see which guests have occupied a room in the past few weeks, select Rooms Management and Room History.
Search: Use the departure date and room number to locate the guests that have occupied a room since the date entered. The default date will be one month prior to the current date. Resv.: Displays the reservation for the highlighted room.
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Revenue: View information regarding the revenue spent by the guest. Profile: Access to the profile can be helpful to locate a telephone number or address for returning lost and found items. Folio: Folio History will allow a user with appropriate rights to preview or reprint the guest’s folio. Room History Search Screen Room: Displays the room number. Name: The last name of the guest. Arrival: To Display the arrival date. Departure: To display the departure date. A: Number of adults staying in the room. C: Number of children staying in the room. Rate Code: The Rate code for the reservation. Revenue: The current revenue. Rate: Displays the rate per nigh.t
5.4 Sell Limits
Also called Overbooking limits, sell limits can be set to allow the hotel to be overbooked in a controlled manner. It is possible to overbook the entire hotel, regardless of room type, or to set specific room type overbooking limits. If users are restricted from overbooking the hotel at all, then sell limits allows the user to sell more rooms than are in inventory, but not more than are set as sell limits.
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Physical: This button will display the physical numbers of rooms in each room type and room class. New: To set a new Sell Limit, select this button.
To Set Sell Limits: o o o o o o o o o o Select Rooms Management and Sell Limits. Select New. In the field marked From Date, enter the date that the sell limit will begin. In the field marked To Date, enter the last date that the sell limit will be in effect. If the sell limit will not apply to specific days of the week during the range of dates entered, uncheck the days of the week. If the sell limit is to be set on a room type, enter the Room Type. Select the Overbook Level. If overbooking by a percentage of rooms mark Percentage and enter that percentage number in the Overbook Level field. If overbooking by a number of rooms mark Number and enter that number in the Overbook Level field. Select OK.
Edit: To update or edit an existing sell limit, select this option. Delete: To delete a sell limit, select this option.
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5.5 Occupancy Graph
The Occupancy Graph is used to see upcoming confirmed business at a glance. A user can view the occupancy graph based on a particular room type, room class or the entire hotel. It might also show a week, a month or a number of weeks at a time. This graph can be printed for forecast meetings as well.
Start Date: The date to begin showing the occupancy. Room Type: The room type to display on the graph. Bar Display: To define which type of information to include on the graph Number of (Days/Weeks): To select whether the information displayed is by days or weeks and for how long. Grid Lines: To display grid lines on the graph. Percentage: To display the percentage of the number of rooms that corresponds to the bar’s components. Non Deducted: To include the non-deducted reservations in the graphs total.
5.6 Maintenance
For hotels that wish to process maintenance work orders through Opera, the Maintenance section allows for tasks to be entered and resolved by anyone with user right to do so.
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Room: The room assigned a repair or maintenance request. Type: The room type for this room. HK Status: The current room status determined by the Housekeeping Department. FO Status: The current Front Office status determined by the Front Ofice Department. Reason: The code used for the repair/maintenance request. Maintenance Remarks: Reference notes required to satisfy the repair/maintenance request. Last Change: Date of the last modification of the request. By: The originator of the repair/maintenance request. Resolved: A “Y” indicates the request as resolved. On Date: The date that the request was resolved. By: The employee who recorded the completion of this order. Show Options Show all: Displays all resolved and unresolved repair/maintenance requests. Resolved: Display only resolved repair/maintenance requests. Unresolved: Displays only unresolved repair/maintenance requests. Print: To print a list of tasks to be completed, use this option. New: To enter a new task, select New. This will open a screen to create and assign a new maintenance task.
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Edit: To update information on a scheduled task, select Edit. This will allow fields to be updated with current information. Delete: To eliminate a task from the database completely, select Delete. Resolve/Unresolve: When a maintenance request has been resolved this button turns into unresolve. When a maintenance request is still unresolved this button is says resolve.
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6.1 Account Maintenance
The Account Maintenance menu offers a wide variety of options such as creating new accounts, editing information on existing accounts, processing payments for an account, as well as printing statements and reminder letters. After selecting the Account Maintenance option, the AR Account Search screen displays.
Options: Select this feature to access functions on this account. o Aging: displays the current balance in each of the hotel’s defined aging buckets. o Notes: attaches notes to an AR account. o Future Res.: displays any future reservations arriving with this company or account. This is useful if the hotel is planning to restrict the billing status for an outstanding balance. o Post History: displays all postings (debits and credits) applied to the account. o Remarks: allows the entry of free-text remarks about this account. Information for agreed billing practices or special instructions traditionally list as remarks on the account. o Reminders: prints reminder letters for outstanding invoices on the account. Reminder letters print for specific billing cycles. A reminder letter generates based on the age of the oldest open invoice. o Profile: displays the account profile. o Statement: prints a statement for the highlighted account only. o Traces: applies an inter-department trace for tracking future actions. o Year View: displays debits and credits on this account for the past year. This is a good “at-a-glance” screen to determine the credit status of the account. Delete: deletes an A/R account. Deleting an A/R account will not delete the account profile, only the account information. All invoice history deletes as well. An account cannot be deleted if it has unpaid invoices, even if the account balance is zero, and cannot be deleted if the “Permanent Account” box in the Account setup screen is checked. New: creates a new A/R account. An A/R account usually begins with a company profile, although any profile type can have an AR number.
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Select: opens the account to for process payments or printing statements
To Create a New A/R Account: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, Select AR, then Account Maintenance. Enter your user Password and select Login. Select New from the AR Account Search screen. Search for an existing account (any profile type) and highlight the desired profile; select OK to continue. Alternately, if a profile does not exist for the account, select New Prof. to create a profile. Select on the drop down arrow next to the Account Type field to select from the list. Enter the assigned Account Number for the account and any pertinent contact information (i.e. address, phone, etc.)
NOTE: Account Number formats defined in System Configuration>Application o Settings must follow the specified format (i.e. numeric, alpha, and alpha-numeric). S e o Select a “Normal” status account if you allow Direct Bill payments to the account; select a “Restricted” status account if you do not allow Direct Bill payments. o Select OK to save the account. o Select Close to exit Account Maintenance. o o o o o o o o Alternately, from the Main Menu, select Reservations and Profiles. Search for an existing profile (any type) and select Profile to view details. If a profile does not exist for the new account, select New to create one. Select the More Fields tab. Click on the drop down arrow next to A/R No. to create a new account. Complete the account setup as described in the steps above and Save your changes. Close from the More Fields screen. Save and Close the profile.
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Search: Use the Invoice No., Folio No., or Date fields to locate a specific invoice on this account. Compress: compresses two or more invoices into one line on the statement. It is possible to compress invoices, and to uncompress them on the same day. Once the night audit runs for that business date, compressed invoices can no longer be uncompressed and always print as one line on statements. It is possible to print each individual invoice’s detail on compressed invoices; however, it is not possible to present compressed invoices as two separate invoices on statements.
To Compress Invoices on an A/R Account: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Account Maintenance. Enter your Password and select Login. Search for and highlight the desired account and choose Select. Place an “X” next to each invoice to compress and select Compress. Enter a Reference and Supplement as necessary and select OK.
Note the newly created invoice with a compressed balance of the previous invoices. The “+” sign to the left of the invoice date indicates compressed invoices. Click once on the “+” sign to expand the compressed invoices and show details. o o To uncompress invoices, simply right click on the compressed invoice and select Uncompress. Compressed invoices may only be uncompressed on the same business date.
Note that after invoices are uncompressed, they return to their original invoice state.
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From the Main Menu, select AR then Account Maintenance Enter your Password and select Login. Search for and highlight the desired account and choose Select. Highlight the invoice to adjust and select Details. Select the Adjust option. Click on the drop down arrow next to Trn. Code to select the Transaction Codes to adjust. Place an “X” next to all Transaction Codes to adjust and select OK. Enter the Begin Dt. and End Dt. for the adjustment. Select an Amount or Percentage to adjust and enter the value. Click on the drop down arrow next to Reason Code to enter a reason for the adjustment. Highlight the appropriate adjustment Reason and select OK. Enter any additional Reason Text for explanation of the adjustment and select OK to process. Note: the adjustment appears as a separate line item on the folio; if adjusting multiple dates on the invoice, one line item includes the adjustment for all dates.
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Select Close to return to the Account Maintenance screen.
Details: displays postings or adds new postings to the invoice, edits transaction details, adjusts postings based on transaction codes, prints the invoice, or accesses the profile for the AR account. Edit: edits reference or supplement information on the invoice. New: creates an entirely new invoice. Pay: applies a payment to the highlighted invoice only.
To Apply Credit to an A/R Account: o o o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, highlight the desired account and choose Select. If a payment does not apply to a particular invoice but must apply to the total account balance, select Pay. Click on the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to select the type of payment. Enter the Amount of the payment and any Supplement Info. or Reference information. Select an Option to apply the credit: o To apply a credit to the entire account balance and not a specific invoice, select the Unallocated payment option. o To apply a credit to the oldest outstanding balances, select the Apply payment to oldest charges option. o For a credit applied to marked invoices (you must first place an “X” next to each invoice before applying the credit), select the Apply payment to marked charges option. o To apply different amounts of the credit to different invoices (i.e. $25 to one invoice and $75 to another), choose the Apply payment selectively option. Select Post to apply the credit to the account.
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To Reverse a Payment from and A/R Account: o o From the Account Maintenance screen, search for and highlight the desired account. Choose Select.
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Select “Payments Only” option in the search criteria to only view unapplied payments and highlight the desired payment to reverse. Right click the mouse and select the Reverse Payment option. Select Close to exit.
To Unapply a Payment to an A/R Invoice: o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, highlight the desired account and choose Select. Since paid invoices no longer have an open balance, change the search criteria to an All view. Place an “X” next to the payment and right click on the mouse; select the Unapply option. Notice that the invoice now returns to the Open view with a balance as well as the posted check amount. The account balance still reflects the check payment but the payment no longer applies to a specific invoice. To reverse this payment or transfer this to another account, refer to “Reverse a Payment on an Invoice” or “Transfer Payments to Another Account” sections of this chapter. Options: A variety of other functions are available for the A/R Account. o o o o o o o o Account Setup: update or display existing account information Aging: displays the current balance in each of the hotel’s defined aging buckets Folio History: access and reprint folios from history Future Reservation: displays future reservations for an account Notes: attaches notes to the AR account Pay History: displays all payments posted to this A/R account Post History: displays all postings for this A/R account Profile: accesses the company or account profile screen. Address and contact information entered on the profile applies to any correspondence sent to the account. If the billing address or contact information is different, enter that information in the Account Setup screen. Statement: prints a statement for this account only Traces: enters traces for tracking future actions on the account Transfer: transfers all or part of the highlighted invoice to another A/R account Year View: displays debits and credits on this account for the past year. This is a good “at-a-glance” screen to determine the credit status of the account.
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6.2 Transfer F/O Data
When a guest uses the direct bill payment method, charges to the guest's folio are processed by Night Audit and made available as invoices for transfer into Accounts Receivable either automatically or manually, based on the function set up in Setup>Application Settings.
Manual Transfer of Accruals to A/R
When a folio closes to direct bill in the front office, it transfers during the next Night Audit to the F/O Transfer Bin in the Accounts Receivable module. The purpose of this transfer bin is to allow Accounting to view each invoice ensuring that it transfers to the correct A/R account.
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Edit: changes the account number that the highlighted invoice transfers to. If the wrong account number was used to close this folio in the front office, this is the best opportunity to correct the billing mistake. Transfer: transfers correctly assigned folio invoices on accounts from the Guest Ledger to the Accounts Receivable ledger.
To Transfer Invoices from Front Office to A/R: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Transfer F/O Data. To work with invoices from a particular business date only, enter search criteria in the Date fields. To view folio information for a particular invoice to transfer, highlight the invoice and select Details. To modify the account the invoice is applied to, highlight the invoice and select Edit. To transfer more than one invoice, place an “X” next to each invoice and select Transfer. The “Selected” balance deducts from the “Remaining” balance. Answer “Yes” if you are ready to transfer the invoices to the AR Ledger. To transfer all remaining invoices, select Transfer All. Answer “Yes” if you are ready to transfer the invoices to the AR Ledger. Select Close to exit.
Details: displays details of the charges on the A/R invoice. It is not possible to make adjustments from the F/O Transfer Bin. Transfer All: transfers all invoices at the same time. All invoices transfer from the Guest Ledger to their individual A/R accounts in the Accounts Receivable ledger. Print All: prints copies of all folio detail for the invoices.
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6.3 Credit Cards
For hotels that process credit cards through Accounts Receivable, this menu option is available as a transfer bin in the same way that the Front Office invoices are sent to a transfer bin prior to being moved to the A/R accounts. From the Credit Card transfer bin, cards batch and send to the processor as compressed lines on an individual statement. Transactions compress as one line per card per day, as that is how the credit card company will send the payments for the cards processed.
All: marks all credit card records for this credit card type for transfer. None: unselects all credit card records for this credit card type for transfer. Transfer: transfers all marked charges as one line item on the Credit card account. Each individual record lists as a single detail item on the A/R account. Print: prints a list of the marked credit card records. Print All: prints a list of all credit card records for this credit card type.
To Transfer Payments or Invoices to another Account: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Account Maintenance. Search for and highlight the desired account and press Select. Highlight the unallocated payment or invoice and right click the mouse. Select Options from the menu and Transfer. Search for and highlight the new account to apply the payment to and select OK. Answer “Yes” if you are sure you want to complete the transfer. Select Close to exit.
Transfer All: moves all records to the A/R statement as one line item. Again, this is most useful if all records are from the same business date.
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To Transfer Credit Cards to A/R Accounts: o o o o o o o o
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From the Main Menu, select AR and Credit Cards. Enter your Password and select Login. Select the individual payment records to transfer by placing and “X” next to each. Notice the Balance selected increases as you add records. To select all records displayed, choose the All option. To change the card type, click on the drop down arrow next to Credit Card. Highlight the desired card type and select OK. Once you select all records to transfer, select Transfer. Select Close to exit. In the AR Account Maintenance screen, notice the newly added invoice for that day’s c credit cards. One line item creates for the entire transferred balance.
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To see individual record details for that business date, select View to display the invoice details.
6.4 Research
Frequently, companies call the hotel with questions regarding A/R billing. It can be timeconsuming to research old invoices unless there is a way to access billing information in a manner consistent with the way that companies request the information.
Search Criteria Search: Because research primarily involves locating a specific invoice rather than an account, there are a number of search fields provided to locate an invoice from history. Invoice No.: If the person calling knows the invoice number, use this localized search as invoice numbers are unique. Folio No.: If the person calling has the front office folio number, use this localized search as folio numbers are also unique. Account No.: opens all current and paid invoices for that account. The system automatically deletes closed invoices after a defined number of days in Setup>Application Settings. If the number of days to purge zero balance invoices is 365 and the invoice in question is older than that, the invoice does not exist as that information purged when it became older than 365 days.
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Account Name: All invoices on a particular account can be located using the account name. Searching by account will bring up all current and all paid invoices for that account. The system will automatically delete closed invoices after a defined number of days. If the number of days to purge zero balance invoices is 365 and the invoice in question is older than that, it will not be located as that information has been purged. Name: locates an invoice by the guest’s last name Date: searches for invoices by the date transferred to the account Amount From: searches by dollar amount for all invoices above the specified value Amount To: searches by dollar amount for all invoices below the specified value Account: displays information related to an invoice or a payment Pay: applies payments to specific invoices Transfer: transfers invoices from one account to another account History: displays posting history for an invoice or payment View: displays an invoice’s folio details Edit: displays invoice details for editing and viewing
6.5 AR Mailings
The Accounting Department regularly sends out mailings in the form of “bulk” Statements and Reminder Letters. .
6.5.1 Batch Statements
Batch Statements send out to all active accounts on a schedule depending on hotel needs. Some send out statements on a weekly basis, some on a monthly basis. In any case, the Batch Statements function makes it easy to organize all invoices with unpaid balances that need statements delivered.
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Search: The key to printing batch statements is to organize the statements sent together. Use any of the search options provided to narrow the number of statements printed. Most hotels will not mail out a statement if the minimum balance is less than a dollar, or less than the price of a stamp. If bulk mailing is used, sorting the mailing by country and postal code helps when sending the statements out from the Post Office. In the Promotional Text field, a free-text appears on the bottom of each statement. Balance Forward From: lists invoices balanced forward to the AR ledger after a specified date. Balance Forward To: lists invoices balanced for to the AR ledger up to a specified date. Last Posted From: only displays invoices that posted on the account from a specified date. Last Posted To: only displays invoices that posted on the account up to a specified date. Print Zero Balance: prints zero balance folios only. Print Full Statement: selects all statements for printing, whether there is a balance or not. Print Folios: prints all folios detailed on each statement. Add Text: text that appears at the bottom of the statement.
To Print Batch Statements in Accounts Receivable: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Mailing. Select Batch Statements. Place an “X” next to each account to print statements and select to Print Full Statement. Change the display to view only Open Balances and prevent zero invoices from printing. Sort mailings to print in a particular order for ease in mailing. Add Text to customize the statements; enter number of Copies. Select Print to finish and print statements.
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Answer “Yes” to generate the statements for the selected accounts. Notice the “Completed” message and select Close to exit. To print statements for all open balances, select the All option.
6.5.2 Mailing History
Because a large amount of mailing generates from the Accounting office, access to mailing history can be helpful when researching information about an account. Mailing History consists of records for statements and reminder letters mailed to accounts.
Statement History
Use the search fields to locate the statement or statements in question, and select Print to reprint a statement from history.
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Locate the reminder letters in question, mark the ones to print with an “X”, and select Print.
6.5.3 Reminder Letters
Many hotels send out reminder letters to accounts that are overdue in payment. These reminder letters may be set up in cycles attached to the account type, and as the age of the invoices increases, the reminder letters may become increasingly more urgent. The system assigns a reminder letter based on the age of the oldest open invoice on the account. The aging buckets are determined by the property.
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From the Reminder Letter screen, you may view “All” accounts, only accounts with an “Open Balance” or just accounts with “No Balance”. Generate: generates reminder letters for marked accounts. This function locates the oldest open invoice on the account and generates the reminder letter associated with the age of that invoice. All: generates reminder letters for all accounts. This function locates the oldest open invoice on the account and generates the reminder letter associated with the age of that invoice.
To Print Batch Reminder Letters: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Mailing. Select Reminder Letters. Search for accounts that have outstanding balances by selecting the Open Balance option. To send reminders to a selection of accounts, place an “X” next to each account and select Generate. To send reminders to all with outstanding balances that are due reminders, select All. From the list of cycled reminders, place an “X” next to the accounts to send reminders, and select Print. To print all cycled reminders, select the All option. Select Close to exit.
6.5.4 Traces
Place traces on individual A/R Accounts as reminders to take some action with the account. Traces are useful in making sure that we complete action items, even if the account manager is out of the office for the day.
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Edit: displays an existing trace for changes. The text of the trace or the active date is changeable. Delete: deletes a trace. We recommend resolving traces rather than deleting, as a resolved trace remains in the account’s history, but a deleted trace deletes from the database entirely. Resolve: resolves traces indicating to others that no further action needed. Resolve All: marks all active traces as resolved items.
To Resolve A/R Traces: o o o o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, if an account has a Trace lamp, select the Options button. Select Traces. Alter the view of all traces to “Unresolved Traces”. Highlight the applicable trace, investigate and select Resolve; to complete all traces, select Resolve All. In the event of a mistake and to reverse a resolved trace, select Unresolve; Select Close to exit.
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Chapter 7 Commission Handling
Tracking and paying Travel Agent Commissions can be a complex and time-consuming task. Opera maintains travel agent commission records and pays them by checks generated at the property or through an export sent to an outside agency.
7.1 Payment Processing
Commission Handling is tracked by travel agent accounts. If an account prefers payment in a specific currency, or if the hotel pays the same agency in different currencies, separate accounts will need to be set up. Accounts can also either pay by exports or by printed check. If some agencies are paid through a processing center and others are paid by checks produced on site, different accounts will need to be set up for these circumstances as well.
7.1.1 By Account
Commission Records are calculated at the time the guest checks out of the hotel. The records move to Commission Handling after the audit from the previous night for payment the following day. Commission Records belong to the account attached to the Travel Agent profile. To process all records in an account, select the option By Account.
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Profile: accesses the profile of the highlighted record. o If the upper portion of the screen is active, the profile is that of the highlighted Travel Agent. o If the lower portion of the screen is active, the profile is that of the guest. To properly process commissions, a complete agency address and IATA number are required. If either of these items is missing, access the Travel Agent profile for a telephone number to call the agency to complete the profile information. Hold/Rel.: places an agency or a commission record on hold. Place holds on all commission records for an agency or on a specific guest stay if there are questions about the validity of a commission record.
To Place a Commission Record on Hold: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Highlight the commission record to hold and select the button marked Hold. A record on hold displays an “X” in the column marked “H”. The amount of money on hold appears in the center of the screen. This commission will not pay with the next check run unless the record releases from hold.
To Release a Commission Record from Hold: o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing.
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o o o
Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Highlight the commission record to release and select Rel.
Pay: processes and pays commissions. • If commissions pay by an export, the export file creates for the records selected. • If commissions pay by checks printed on property, checks print immediately following processing.
To Pay Commissions by Export: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Once all records are ready to be paid, select Pay. Select a Departure Date Range if required. If the date fields are blank, all released commission records process for payment. Answer “Yes” to pay. Answer “Yes” to print the Pre-Payment report if required. Answer “Yes” if the Pre-Payment report should include held commission records.
To Pay Commissions by Check: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Once all records are ready for payment, select Pay. Select a Departure Date Range if required. If the date fields are blank, all released commission records process for payment. Answer “Yes” to pay. Answer “Yes” to print the Pre-Payment report if required. Be sure that the checks are not in the printer. Answer “Yes” if the Pre-Payment report should include held commission records. Select OK to continue or change the check number to match the checks in the printer. Replace the checks in the printer with plain paper and answer “Yes” to print the Check Summary Report. All commission records print on checks for the Travel Agents.
Edit: Edits commission payment details. Options: This feature applies only to individual reservation records highlighted at the bottom of the screen and are gray if the upper portion of the screen is active. Options include Folio Detail, Reservation Detail and Folio History. New: Adds new reservations for commission payment. AR: Places a commission record on “AR hold” if the travel agency has an outstanding balance in Accounts Receivable. Commissions will not pay until the A/R balance is settled. Reports: Previews or prints a report of all commission records transferred into Commission Handling by day, select this option. .
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On occasion, it may be useful to pay a commission check to a single agent rather than all the agencies in an account. To do so, select By Agent. Once the Agency is located, verify all the commission records and process the payment.
Highlight the individual account and select OK to open the commission processing screen; this opens the commission processing screen. See section 7.1.1 for complete instructions on processing and paying commission records from this point.
7.2 Payment Activity
Once payments process, view check history in the Register. It is possible to use the Register to mark checks as having been cleared, voided or not presented at the bank. This feature is helpful in researching or tracking commission checks and payments.
7.2.1 Register
The Register stores information on previously processed checks and that may need to be marked as Presented, Unpresented or Voided for reprocessing.
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Outstanding: checks sent to an agent, but not cleared by the hotel’s bank. Reconciled: checks presented and cleared by the hotel’s bank. Unpresented: checks get marked at this status after an extended period of time if they have not cleared the hotel’s bank. Void: checks that were printed, then voided and sent back for reprocessing. Void: voids all highlighted or marked checks. Records return to the processing screen for adjustment and repayment. Details: displays details for the individual guest stay that is commissionable. Edit: changes the check number assigned to a particular check. Print: prints a report on a series of checks.
7.2.2 Reprint Checks
If the hotel prints checks manually, a reprint option can be very useful. Printers can jam, checks print out of order; any number of things can require a new run of printed checks.
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First Check Number/Last Check Number. Enter the check number of the first check to print in the First Check Number field. If you are printing a continuous range of check numbers, enter the last check number to print in the Last Check Number field. If you are printing only one check, enter the same check number in both fields.
7.3 Research
Travel Agencies may call to find out information on expected commission checks. There are many reasons why a commission is not paid, and the research tool assists in locating the information needed.
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Search: Searches for guest record entered in the search criteria. Resv.: Displays details of the selected reservation. Profile: Displays guest’s profile on the commission record if necessary. It is possible to see reservations and folio history from the profile which is especially useful if the reservation cancelled or did not show. Comm.: Status information on the commission payment. The batch number, check number and date of payment display. Also, checks marked as cleared, voided or unpresented display here. This information can help track down and research the record in question.
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Aside from the primary functions that Opera offers, there are a variety of miscellaneous functions that may also be used. Some of the following functions are dependant upon license codes and may not appear in every hotel.
8.1 Reports
Opera holds an enormous amount of data particularly regarding profile and reservation information. Hotels rely on the reports to operate the hotel and track statistics. The system holds over 250 reports that can be filtered to display relevant information. This section explains how to locate a report and how to filter that report to display the information desired.
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Search
To locate a specific report, it is easiest to separate out the reports by category. If an arrivals report is needed, select the Report Group “Arrival” and a much shorter list of reports will display. To locate a specific report, type either the Report Name or REP name (file name) in the Report field and select search. This will generate a search for the report. If the name of the report or file is not completely known, type a % in the field followed by a partial report name. This will generate a list of reports with that information contained somewhere in the report name. To search only by report name or REP name, check the appropriate box below the Report field before selecting the Search button.
Preview
Many times report information can be viewed on screen without printing out a long list of information. To view a report on screen, select the button for Preview. In most hotels, this will open the report using Adobe Acrobat. From preview, print the report using Adobe Acrobat or view and close without printing.
Print
If a printed report is needed, selecting the Print button will allow the user to view and change the filter screen as needed, then automatically send the report to the printer. The report will not be displayed first in preview mode.
8.2 Interfaces
Your Opera system is most likely set up to interface with other computer systems, such as those for movie systems, restaurant systems, telephone systems and door locks. The interfaces as they are set up allow for charges to be entered in one system and automatically posted on the guest’s folio in Opera. It may be necessary for various reasons to access and make changes to the interfaces for a specific guest. Some of the reasons to access the interfaces are: o To create a new guest room key. o To stop interface charges from being allowed to post to a guest room due to a lack of valid credit on the part of the guest. o The guest might request that adult movie channels are barred from a room. o Wake Up Calls may be automatically set through the telephone system. There are many other reasons why the interfaces may need to be updated or changed for a guest. Please bear in mind that there are a large number of interfaces available, and each one has different requirements and different possibilities. Check with your manager to find out which interfaces are at your hotel and how they work.
8.2.1 Interface Sub Menu
The interface sub menu will display all other systems that are linked to Opera. Again, each interface will perform different functions. The options that are displayed for each interface will vary depending on its capabilities. This is information that is generally very property specific. Ask your manager to instruct you in the use of this function.
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8.2.2 Wake Up Calls
The Wake Up Call function can be interfaced with some PBX systems to make the Wake Up Call feature automatic. From any workstation a wake up call can be entered for a guest for a single day or for a range of days.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest o o o o o o o o o o o From Reservation Options select the Wake Up Call. To set a single Wake Up Call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date, To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for every member of a group, select Wake Up Call from Group Options and Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in the Block Name field, the From Date, To Date and the Time. Select Set to continue. To view all current Wake Up Calls entered in the PMS, select View Wake Up Calls from the Wake Up Calls menu.
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o o o
8.3 Show Quick Keys
The Quick Keys provide easy access to information on a variety of hotel statistics and current information. Quick keys are available from the Miscellaneous menu, but are also easily accessible from any screen in the application by using a combination of [function keys], [Ctrl] and [Alt]. Each Quick Key lists separately with its corresponding access combination.
8.3.1 Opera Help (F1)
Access the help screen by selecting the [F1] function key. All topics are available for search. Pressing the [F1] key from an Opera screen (such as the reservations screen) displays the Help topic for that screen. See Chapter 1 for a full explanation as to how to use the help screens.
8.3.2 Occupancy Graph (Shift + F1)
To see upcoming confirmed business at a glance use The Occupancy Graph. A user can view the occupancy graph based on a particular room type, room class or the entire hotel. It might also show a week, a month or a number of weeks at a time. This graph can be printed for forecast meetings as well.
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8.3.3 Opera Help (CTRL + F1)
This screen differs from the [F1] help; it displays information on using keyboard shortcuts. For those users who prefer to use the keyboard more often than the mouse, this list of navigation hints will be very helpful.
Keyboard navigation information displays on this screen; it is a good idea to become familiar with all the various ways to move from field to field or from screen to screen.
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8.3.4 Control Panel (Shift + F2)
The control panel gives an overview of occupancy, availability and other hotel statistics for seven days. It is also a highly interactive screen and allows access to group functionality for cutting off blocks and updating current availability statistics.
Total Physical Rooms: The total number of rooms in the hotel as validated by the license code: Out of Order: The total number of rooms that are in Out of Order status for the day. Inventory Rooms: The number of Total Physical Rooms minus the number of Out of Order rooms. Occupancy statistics use this number for calculation. Overbooking: The number of rooms available for making reservations above the Inventory rooms for the day. Sell Limits: The maximum number of rooms available to sell in the hotel. This number is the Inventory Rooms plus Overbooking. Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a deducted status that do not have a reservation. Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a deducted status that have a reservation. Total Deducted Rooms: The sum of the Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U plus Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U. Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a non-deducted status that are blocked, but do not have a reservation.
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Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a non-deducted status that are blocked and have a reservation. Total Non-Deducted Rooms: The sum of the Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U plus NonDeducted Blk. Rooms P/U. Out of Service: The number of rooms in Out of Service status for the day. Available Physical Rooms: The number of Inventory Rooms minus the number of Out of Service rooms. These are the rooms that are potentially rentable for the day. Maximum Availability: The available rooms if none of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Minimum Availability: The available rooms if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Min. Occupancy %: The percentage of rooms occupied if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Max. Occupancy %: The percentage of rooms occupied if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Total Rooms Reserved: Total number of rooms with actual reservations both deducted and non-deducted. Event: If an event has been configured for this date in the calendar function, the event will display here as a reference. Day Type: If a day type has been configured for this date in the calendar function, the day type will display here as a reference. Adults In-House: The total number of adults as counted from the reservations currently checked in house. Children In-House: The total number of children as counted from the reservations currently checked in house. People In-House: The total number of adults and children as counted from the reservations currently in house. Arrival Rooms: The number of rooms on reservations that have the highlighted date as the arrival date. Arrival Persons: The number of adults and children on reservations that have the highlighted date as the arrival date. Departure Rooms: The number of rooms on reservations that have the highlighted date as the departure date. Departure Persons: The number of adults and children on reservations that have the highlighted date as the departure date. Room Type Obkg: This is a Yes/No field and indicates whether or not sell limits by room type are configured.
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Day Rooms/Persons: The number of day use rooms and the total persons associated with those reservations. Waitlist Rooms/ Persons: The number of rooms on the waitlist for the highlighted day’s arrival and the total persons associated with those reservations. Turnaways: If the property records turned-away business with the Record Turnaways option. If this function is activated Opera will log this record as a normal turnaway and update the turnaway statistics at the same time.
8.3.5 Detailed Availability (CTRL + F2)
The detailed availability screen displays the available rooms by room type for a range of dates. This is a highly interactive screen with access to blocks, detailed room type availability and reservation type information.
Search: Change the search criteria in the yellow-bordered box and select the Search option to initiate a new search. Details: Displays the breakdown for the occupied rooms by reservation type. Turnaway: The Turnaway function is available for recording turned-away business. Blocks: Access to full block functionality. This allows a user to cut off blocks manually if necessary to update availability. Zoom: Displays details for the highlighted date only. Occupancy/Availability: Detailed information on the availability by room type.
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The Vacant Room Search screen displays in the reservation screen when searching for a room to pre-block on a reservation or at check in. This screen is available at any time by using the F3 key. Select the information for the search and select search. The vacant rooms that qualify all search criteria will appear at the bottom of the screen.
8.3.7 House Status (Shift + F3)
When managing rooms from the Front Office or Housekeeping, it can be very helpful to have a screen which displays current information on the housekeeping status of rooms, availability of rooms, arrivals, departures and stayovers. The House Status screen provides detailed information on the status of each room in the hotel, as well as each reservation that will affect the current day’s availability.
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Room Summary Total Hotel Rooms: The total number of rooms in the hotel as validated by the PMS license code. This number does not include any Posting Master or other House Account rooms. Out of Order: The number of rooms in Out of Order status. These rooms are not in the occupancy figures for the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Total Rooms to Sell: The total number of Hotel Rooms less any Out of Order rooms. This is the number of rooms used to calculate 100% occupancy for the current date. Out of Service: The number of rooms in Out of Service status. These rooms are in the occupancy figures for the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Activity Stayovers: The number of reservations that arrived before today and will be staying in the hotel tonight. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Departures Expected: The reservations made with the current date as the departure date that have not yet checked out of the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed.
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Departures Actual: The reservations that have already checked out of the hotel today. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Arrivals Expected: The reservations made with the current date as the arrival date that have not yet checked into the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Arrivals Actual: Reservations with the current date as an arrival date that are checked in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Extended Stays: Reservations checked into the hotel that extended the number of days on the reservation after check in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Early Departures: Reservations checked into the hotel that decreased the number of days on the reservation after check in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Day Use Rooms: Reservations scheduled to both arrive and depart on the current date. These rooms are zero night rooms. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Walk Ins: Reservations made using the Walk In function. These guests arrived at the hotel without previous reservations and checked in to the hotel using the Walk In button. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Complimentary and House Use Complimentary Arrivals: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Due In or Checked In, with a rate code marked as Complimentary. Stayovers: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked In, with a rate code marked as Complimentary. Departures: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-Out or Due Out and with a rate code marked as Complimentary. House Use Arrivals: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Reserved or Checked In, with a rate code marked as House Use. Stayovers: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-In, with a rate code marked as House Use. Departures: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-Out or Due Out and with a rate code marked as House Use End of Day Projection Min. Available Tonight: The minimum number of rooms available tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations. Max. Occupied Tonight: The maximum number of rooms occupied tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations. Max. % Occupied Tonight: The maximum percentage occupancy tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations.
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Blocks Not Picked Up: The number of group allotted rooms that are not actual reservations. On the day of arrival, this number should be zero. It is not uncommon for this number to change throughout the day as the group checks in. Cancelled group reservations, shares combined during check in and shares split during check in will all affect this number. Check this frequently throughout the check in process to be sure that all rooms are properly cut off and returned to house inventory. Individuals: The number of rooms and persons who are in house on non-group reservations. Groups and Blocks: The number of rooms and persons who are in house with group reservations. Room Revenue: The total net room revenue based on Max. Occupied Tonight. Average Room Rate: Net average room revenue: Room Revenue / Max. Occupied Tonight. Housekeeping Room Status Inspected Rooms: The number of rooms both occupied and vacant which have an Inspected housekeeping status. Clean Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Clean status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Dirty Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Dirty status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Pickup: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Pickup status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Out of Order Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold an Out of Order status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Out of Service Rooms: The number of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold an Out of Service status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Queue: The total number of rooms that are on queue status.
8.3.8 Room Plan (CTRL + F3)
The room plan is a tool for organizing pre-blocked rooms to maximize hotel availability. In the room plan, all in-house and pre-blocked rooms display in a calendar function so that a week at a time is viewable. Pre-blocked reservations can be moved to arrive in rooms that are set for departure the same day so that rooms do not go unused due to poor management in preblocking.
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From the room plan screen, there are a number of possibilities to maximize the room pre-blocks. New: To create a new reservation, highlight an empty cell and select this option. A new reservation may start from here in the same manner as through the main Reservations screen. Edit: To navigate directly to the Reservations screen to display the reservation for this guest. Room Block: Use this option to check if there are expected allotments for this room type on this date. Room Move: To room move the guest select the left mouse button on the block and drag the reservation to a vacant block representing a vacant room. Check In: Use this quick check in option to check in the arriving reservation. The arrival date must be the current date. Options: Displays reservation options see section 2.1.5. Out of Order/Service: Use this option to place this room out of order or out of service. Calendar: Displays the Property Calendar screen.
8.3.9 Inquiry (Shift + F4)
The Inquiry function allows a user to search for availability for potential group business for a single date or multiple dates. It’s possible to search for availability by room type or by general house inventory. Once a date is decided upon, the Quick Business Block function is used for easy entry of group information.
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Acct/Comp: Attach an Account or Company profile during the Inquiry process. This may assist in attaching negotiated rates if included on the profile. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Agent: Attach a Travel Agent profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Source: Attach a Source profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a company contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a Travel agent contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Start Date: The date that the group rate will first be offered. # Nights: The total number of nights the group rate will be offered. End Date: The date that the group rate will no longer be offered.
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Alternate Dates 1, 2, 3: Additional dates that the group contact may be willing to begin the group if the primary date is unavailable. Range From: The first date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to begin the group. To: The last date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to book the group. # Nights Stay: The total number of nights the group will expect to be in house. Arrival Day: For a range of days, the days of the week that the group can be booked to begin. Rooms per day: The number of rooms that will be required per day. The system will check availability on this figure, so it should be close or equal to the maximum number of rooms required on the highest occupancy night. Rate Code: If a rate code is entered here, the Inquiry function will check availability of the rate code during the requested dates. Room Types: To check availability of specific room types, enter the room type here. %: If the % sign is checked, the system will look for this percentage of the rooms per day in the room type associated. If the % sign is not checked, the system will search for a number of rooms in the associated room type. Availability: This button will access the availability screen that will display which dates have availability and which do not.
Bus. Block: If the group will be booked, this button will access a new business block for information entry. Reset: If the Inquiry function will be used to search for a different group or set of criteria, the Reset button will return the Inquiry screen to its default settings.
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8.3.10 Dashboard (CTRL + F4)
The Dashboard screen is a single view of essential data for the current business date from one source. From this one screen core activities such as making new reservations; locating, updating and canceling reservations; requesting and applying deposits; processing guest check ins and check outs; pre-allocating rooms; managing guest billing; running reports; working with housekeeping; and reviewing and referencing availability, day types, and house status for today or any future date can be handled. Guest names can be easily verified, whether they have checked in, and their room numbers. Volumes of other important information — such as guest profiles and stay histories — are available from the Dashboard, too.
Search Section: Can be used to perform full search capabilities with a standard or Advanced search option to locate all reservation expected, cancelled, walk in, checked in and due out for the current business date. Select Report to access and print reports. Select Housekeeping to verify or modify room statuses. Reservation Section: The “smart buttons” change to provide the access to features needed based on the status of the reservation. Profile Section: Allows the user to edit or add guest profiles directly from the dashboard. Additional Information: Red lamp buttons (such as Share, Comments, Preference, Profile Notes, and many more) display in this section for any options that apply to the current reservation that is highlighted/selected in the search section. Cashiering section: To view the billing section of the reservation that applies to the current reservation that is highlighted/selected in the search section. This option can be used to see the current balance, routing codes, payment methods and to perform convenient check outs.
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This quick key will begin the reservation process from the Rate Query screen. Press the [F5] key to access the package element setup as well as the rate availability screens. User rights control both of these screens to ensure only qualified users access this information. The Rate Query screen locates the rate and room type required to make a guest reservation.
Rates by Room Number/Type: Shows full rate code information including rate splitting for any particular rate code, room type or room number. Rate Query: Displays at a glance which rates are available for each room type on any given arrival date and number of persons. Rate Lookup: Shows full rate code information including rate splitting for any particular rate code, room type or room number. Package Elements: This option displays all available packages. Rate Availability Grid: Shows the availability of all rate codes given in a month. Item inventory: Shows the quantity of each item in inventory (green background) and the quantity available (white background) for any given date.
8.3.12 Quick Book (Shift F7)
To create a new Quick Business Block from the Quick Business Block Search screen, select the New button to display the Quick Business Block screen. To edit an existing business block, highlight your choice and select the Edit button. See section 2.4.2
8.3.13 New Reservation (F7)
When creating a new reservation, it is common to check both rate and room availability before reserving a room for a guest. To create a new reservation, press F7 and the system will follow the flow defined in the Application Setting Reservation>Reservation Flow. See section 2.1.1
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8.3.14 Telephone Book (Shift + F7)
The telephone book function allows the hotel to entered frequently used telephone numbers that will be accessible to all Opera users. Many hotels use this feature to enter administrative telephone extensions, taxi cab numbers, local restaurants or points of interest and any other business or service that may be called by the hotel frequently for guests.
The category is set to display a collection of telephone numbers that can be accessed and printed together. Notice that remarks can be entered for each entry. Directions to the business, hours of operation, dress code and any other information can be entered.
8.3.15 Telephone Operator (CTRL + F8)
The Telephone Operator screen was designed for use by PBX agents and provides access to all the information usually required by that department. From the Telephone Operator screen it’s possible to locate a guest room to transfer an incoming call, leave a message, set a locator or trace, or to enter a wake up call for a guest.
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All Guests: This option displays all guests arriving, in-house, departing, stayover, cancelled and No Show for the selected date. Arrivals: This option displays all guests listed as arrivals on the selected date. Stayovers: This option displays all guests listed as stayovers on the selected date. Departures: This option will display all guests departing on the selected date. Operator: This option, which is the default, will display all guests in house, arriving in the next 7 days as well as those that have departed in the past 3 days from the selected date.
Message:
This option displays all messages previously entered for a guest, both received and not received. A new message may be entered if needed.
To Enter a Text Message for a Guest: o o o o o o o o o Select the Messages option. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then click on the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save. Once the return Phone No. is entered, press the Tab key to move the message information into the white text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Answer Yes to send the message to the guest. This will turn the message light on in the guest room. To print the message for delivery to the guest room, select Print on the highlighted message.
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o o o o o
Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. Note the Message lamp on this in-house guest indicating that a message is waiting to be delivered To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select the Received button. This will turn off the message light in the guest room. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
Locator:
This option allows the user to enter a locator for a guest.
To Enter a Locator on a Guest’s Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Telephone Operator screen select a reservation. Locators can only be placed for guests arriving on the current day or checked in. Select Locator. Select New to enter a new locator. Enter the Begin Date for the locator and the End Date for the locator. Enter the From Time and To Time for the locator. On the right side of the screen, highlight the location the guest will be. If more text is needed, enter that text in the white space at the bottom of the screen. Select OK when finished.
Profile:
The guest’s profile is available from this option, and may be viewed or updated based on user rights.
Res.:
This option will display reservation information for the selected guest and will allow the reservation to be edited based on user rights.
Trace:
Traces placed on a guest reservation print on daily trace reports for hotel management. They are an excellent way to automatically communicate between departments to handle special guest requests or instructions. Traces can be used to communicate the need for direct bill authorization, transportation to or from the airport, VIP amenities or room features or special housekeeping touches.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Operator Screen. Select Trace. Select New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send Enter any additional instructions or manual trace information in the white Text field. Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To Resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All will complete all traces and resolve for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
Wk Up Call:
Guests will generally call the operator to enter wake up calls. This function allows wake up calls to be handled easily.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest
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From the Operator screen Select the Wake Up Call option. To set a single Wake Up Call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date and To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for every member of a group, use Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in Block Name, begin and end date for the calls and the time. Select Set to continue. To view all current Wake Up Calls entered in the PMS, select the option View Wake Up Calls. Enter any filter criteria needed and select View. All current wake up calls display. To print a list for manual calls, select Print.
8.3.16 Logout (F8)
This option is used if an agent will be leaving the workstation and will log out of Opera, but will not log out to the Windows screen. Another user may easily log in and begin working in Opera.
8.3.17
IFC Menu (Shift + F8)
The interface sub menu displays all other systems that are linked to Opera. Again, each interface performs different functions. The options that are displayed for each interface will vary depending on its capabilities. This is information that is generally very property specific. Ask your manager to instruct you in the use of this function.
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8.3.18 Maximum Availability (CTRL + F8)
The Maximum Availability screen will display the maximum number of rooms available in each room type over a range of dates. If a reservation or group is looking for multiple rooms over 3 nights, the maximum number of king rooms may be found on the second night, and the maximum number of doubles on the third. This screen will display the nights with the maximum number of rooms available per room type for the range of dates requested.
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This function can be used to view availability for function spaces and for PMS sleeping rooms that have been configured with the Can Be Meeting Room option selected in room type setup
8.4 Change Password
Passwords should be guarded and not given out for any reason as all activity happening on a user login is traced back through the User Name and Password. Some hotels will set the system to expire passwords automatically after a certain number of days, and a message will appear instructing each user to change the password. It’s always a good idea to change a password frequently as it is more difficult for others to gain access that way.
To change a password, enter the old password, then type the new password twice to be sure that the original spelling is correct.
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8.5 Data Extraction
It is possible to create labels and form letter mailings based on hotel-specific queries or to use this feature to assist in data cleanup, to quickly pull data into third-party spreadsheets, and to design queries that can be directly copied into data management programs like SQL Navigator. The Data Extraction feature is very intuitive and easy to use.
Data Extraction Query
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Step 1
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Select a Data Source: Select from the hard coded list of data sources available. Data sources include profile and reservation information.
Step 2 Select a Field for Filter Conditions: From the data source, select the primary field that will be used to sort out the desired guests. In the example above, we are going to sort by Contacts -> All Owner Codes. Step 3 Specify a Filter Condition: Determine the specific filter criteria to be used to sort data. In this case, we are looking only for the partially contains within (Multiple Values). Step 4 Apply the Filter condition: Once the filter condition has been set, select the Add button to add the filter condition to the query. Process: Select this option once all the filter conditions have been entered. The result will be the data needed. Save As: If this query is to be used again, the query can be saved by a name that makes sense to the user, such as “Today’s Arrivals with Email Addresses”. By doing this, the query can be called again in future. Save: This query will be saved by the name that is defaulted in the first field. This name can be changed prior to saving if desired.
Extract Results
To merge the Data Extract information into either an HTML file or a CSV file, the Extract Results tool will be used. Previously saved data extract files can be reprocessed at any time.
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8.6 Awards
Use Awards setup to store and manage various awards that can be given to members of a property or chain loyalty program. Guest awards allow you to create user-defined guest award types for a guest to use during a visit to the property. The awards are stored against the guest’s profile and history details after departure. The possibilities are endless, all resulting in the ability to monitor and evaluate award/promotion plans.
Instant Awards
With this option, the hotel can immediately grant an award and subtract the points from the guest’s total accumulated. The system will then return the number of points the guest has remaining.
Award Code: The hotel’s code for the specific award. Description: The long description of the specific award. Quantity: The number of awards that are being redeemed in this transaction. Points Required: The number of points required to redeem this particular award. Member Last Name: The guest’s last name. First Name: The guest’s first name. Current Balance: The current balance of points on the guest’s account before the award is granted.
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Award Order No.: The number of the award.
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New Point Balance: The number of points on the guest’s account after the award has been granted.
Awards Lookup
This option is used to search for previously paid awards for a guest. Once the award has been paid and the points subtracted from the total, the record may be researched to satisfy guest questions.
Membership No.: To locate a specific guest record by membership number, use this field. Last Name: To locate a guest by last name. First Name: To locate a guest by first name. Award Order No.: To locate a record by awards order number. Award Processed Date: To view all awards processed on a specific date. Confirmation Number: To view awards processed for a specific reservation.
8.7 Promotions
Many hotels offer special seasonal promotions to increase business during slow months. To effectively market the promotion, it is normally given a name by which the guests will call to book the rate. A rate code may be attached to a promotion code so that when the guests call asking for the special promotion, the agent can search for the proper rate code by typing in the promotion code.
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Promotion Code: A unique code that is used to locate the promotion information in the system. Market Code: Promotions are generally attached to market codes for accurate revenue tracking. Category Code: A hotel-determined field that can be used to track certain promotions together for reporting purposes. Booking Start Date: The first date that the promotion will be available to book. Stay Start Date: The first date that a reservation may be booked to arrive. Check In Time: If the promotion has a check in time restriction, that information can be entered here. Instruction: If the promotion code is valid only under certain circumstances, enter those circumstances here. Some examples might be that a promotion requires a valid military ID or membership in AARP for a legitimate booking. Name: The long name of the promotion. Program Name: If the promotion is attached to another hotel program, that information can be entered here. Description: A long description of the category code. Booking End Date: The last date that the promotion will appear on the rate query screen for booking. Stay End Date: The last date that a guest may book this promotion.
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Check Out Time: If there is a restriction on check out time, it may be entered here.
8.8 Enrollment
This option is only available if the hotel has a working 2-way interface to the central reservations system and that interface is configured to allow instant enrollment in the hotel’s membership program. This allows the front desk agent to submit required information about the guest to the 2-way interface to immediately return a new membership number for use on the guest’s current stay. Please note that some external systems may require the Employee ID to validate and process incentive payments for eligible enrollments.
All items in bold text are required. The Alliance Code refers to an airline code. This is used if the hotel’s loyalty program may be paid in miles rather than points. The membership number is entered and the alliance code is also entered.
8.9 Print Tasks
For users with the proper user rights, it may be possible to change the printer that a workstation is using for a particular task. For instance, if all reports are set to print to a report printer, but that printer is not working, it may be necessary to redirect reports temporarily to another printer. Each of the Opera print tasks is listed separately. For those who will be changing print tasks, it is useful to become familiar with all the various print tasks and the types of files that will be affected by the changes. Each workstation will have its own set of print tasks. When setting up print tasks, the same printer can be used for a number of tasks. The reason that many of these items are separated is that some items may always be printed on plain paper, while some are printed 208
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on letterhead. Some printers may be set to carry unusually sized paper for guest messages or for registration cards.
AR_FOLIO: This print task assigns a printer to any invoice that is printed from the Accounts Receivable module from the Details button on the account. AR_RECEIPT: If a payment receipt is generated, this printer will be used to print the payment receipt for Accounts Receivable payments only. CASHIER_CLOSE_REP: This print task will be used to print the closing reports when performing the Close Cashier function. CHECK_PRINTER: This print task is used to print Travel Agent Checks. CHECK_XANGE: This print task is used to print a check payment receipt when doing a check exchange. CONF_LETTER: This printer task is used to print confirmation letters when the Print option is chosen. CONF_LETTER_EMAIL: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s email server. CONF_LETTER_FAX: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s fax server. DEFAULT_EMAIL: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s email server. DEFAULT_FAX: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s fax server. DEP_RECEIPTS: This printer task is used for printing receipts after a deposit payment has been made. FOREIGN_CURR_XANGE: This printer task is used for printing receipts after a foreign currency exchange transaction has been completed. GST_FOLIO: This printer task is used for printing all guest folios. GST_MSG: This printer task is used for printing all guest messages.
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HOUSEKEEPING: This printer task is used for printing housekeeping task sheets. INFO_FOLIO: If an information folio is printed prior to check out, this printer task will be used. LABELS: This print task determines which printer will be used to print labels from the mailing function. LIST_REPORTS: This print task determines where all reports except cashier closing reports will be printed. MAILINGS: This printer task is used to produce any mailings to guests in house that are batched and sent through the Mailings function. NA_REPORTS: This printer task is used to reprint Night Audit reports using the menu option Reprint NA Reports. PAIDOUTS: This printer task will produce all paid-out receipts. PASSER_FOLIO: This printer task will produce any folio generated by using the Passerby feature. REG_CARD: This printer task will be used to print registration cards. REMINDER: This printer task is used to print reminder letters for Accounts Receivable accounts. REMINDER_FAX: This printer task should be directed to the hotel’s fax server. STATEMENT: This printer task is used to print Accounts Receivable statements. STATEMENT_FAX: This printer task should be directed to the hotel’s fax server. TA_CHECKS: This printer task is used to print Travel Agent checks.
8.10 User Activity Log
The User Activity Log allows a user or manager to research past activity in the system. It is a way to look back into reservations, profiles, housekeeping, postings and accounting to try to resolve questions or issues.
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User: To find activity on a particular user, type the login name in User or select from the list of values by opening the drop down arrow to the right of the field. Date: To search for activity on a particular date or range of dates, select the beginning of the search period. To: To search for activity on a particular date or range of dates, select the end of the search period. Type: To select for a specific type of an activity. Text: Type a partial or whole string to search for in the log’s Descriptions Reservation: Locate any changes or updates made to a guest reservation screen. Posting: Locate any changes or updates made in the Billing screen. Housekeeping: Locate all Housekeeping changes. Commission: Locate all commission processing activity. Configuration: Locate any configuration changes. This would include parameter changes, transaction code changes or additions and new or updated rate codes. Credit Cards: Locate all information on credit card approvals, interface time-outs and nonapproved cards. Accts. Rec.: Locate any changes or updates made to A/R accounts.
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Profile: Locate any changes or updates made to any profile screen. Block: Locate any changes or updates made to a group or business block.
8.11 File Download
In a Thin Client environment, the File Download menu option is used to generate a file in a specific location (usually the Application Server) and then downloaded from that location.
There may be a large number of files on the server, so it is best to use the file name to search for the file. The file name was displayed when the file was generated. Locate the file needed and select the button to Download. A windows screen will appear and will allow the user to save the file at any location on the computer. Once the file is downloaded to the specified location, it may be located when creating an email to send the file off to a processing agency or corporate office.
8.12 Registration Cards
Some hotels pre-print registration cards for all arriving guests during the night audit or for large group arrivals. In this section, there is a batch printing option for registration cards to make this process easier.
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Use the search options to locate the set of guests to print the registration cards. Select View to see each card in Adobe Acrobat format and Print to automatically print all registration cards.
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User rights control all the options in Setup. It is generally assumed that the system supervisor(s) only will have access to make changes.
9.1 User Configuration
User Groups
Any new employee needing to use Opera will be set up as a User. Usually, a hotel will have a set of user groups created and a new user will be attached to one or more user groups.
Permission: Select this button to attach one or more permissions to the user group highlighted.
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Users: This option will display and allow selecting the users who will belong to the highlighted user group.
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New: Select New to create a new user group. All information in bold letters is required to create the user group. All other information is optional and is only visible when viewing this screen. It does not appear in reporting.
Edit: Select Edit to view or change information on an existing user group. This will allow you to change password information or update any other field that has changed. Delete: To delete a user group
Users New User
Every person that will be actively using Opera (setting up, configuring, and managing the system; and performing day-to-day operations) must be identified as an employee starting from the Employees screen. This option allows defining all the users of the system, such as giving them a user ID, assigning a default password, and, as needed, assigning a cashier number as well as defining their access permissions by assigning them to one or more user groups. In addition, users can disable login, set password expiry dates and allow grace logins. Login Name: Enter the user name required for the user to log in to Opera. Password: Enter the user password required for the user to log in to Opera. Always displays as asterisks. Confirm Password: Enter the user password required for the user to log in to Opera to verify the password typed earlier is correct. Disabled Until: Enter the date until which this user record is inactive. The system would prevent any attempts to use this login before that date.
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Disabled On: Enter the date on which this user record should become inactive. The system would prevent any attempts to use this login after that date. Cashier ID: Enter the cashier ID for any users that require access to financial postings. Employee Number: Enter the employee number if applicable. In some cases the employee number may be required for interfaces to an external system such as enrollment in a frequent stay program. Report Group: In some instances a user may have limited reporting needs. Selecting the user's default report group that would save them time when they access their reports. Pass Exp Days: Use this field to define the number of days for which the current password will be valid. Although the user may still change their password at any time, if left blank there will be no expiration date for the password.
Permission: Select this button to attach the user to a user group as well as add or remove individual permissions independent of the user group. Notes: Select this button to add notes to this user record, modify an existing note or remove a note from this user record.
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9.2 Application Settings
Application settings control the functionality and defaults assigned to the system. The use of functions, parameters, and settings allows a hotel to adapt Opera to specific needs. Do not change these settings without a complete understanding of the consequences. Many hotels have central reservations systems that require these settings to be on or off, and making changes may inactivate communication with a CRS. Changing default settings can have a direct impact on system reporting. Of course, the parameters are available for change if needed, but it is a good idea to know and understand any corporate requirements for settings and defaults as well as any interface or system requirements. Functions: govern menu-driven components and major procedural activities. When you activate a function, Opera displays a menu item available for selection. Parameters: define the characteristics of a process or procedure within a program function. When you activate a function, Opera will enhance, restrict, or eliminate a particular service. Settings: are default values. The user may override some of the values set as defaults from the "front end" Opera screens while others can only be changed from the Application Settings screen.
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9.2.1 AR
AR Functions
AR TRACES
Select “Y” to activate the ability to set traces on A/R accounts to follow up specific account activity. These traces are separate from the Reservations Traces used by the Front Office and other departments.
AUTO TRANSFER FOLIOS
Select “Y” to activate the automatic transfer for Front Office folios into AR. When the night audit runs, the system will automatically transfer all the folios settled to Direct Bill into the respective AR account. Select “N” to manually move these folios settled to Direct Bill through Transfer FO Data instead.
AR Parameters
AGE CREDITS
This parameter will age unallocated credits on an A/R account in the same way that debits are aged if it is marked as “Y”. If it is marked as “N”, unallocated credit totals will always appear in the current bin, no matter how long they have been on the account.
AR NUMBER MANDATORY
If this parameter is entered as “Y”, an A/R number is required on a folio window to send invoices to Accounts Receivable. If this parameter is set to “N”, it is possible to send invoices to Accounts Receivable without the A/R number. In that case, an A/R account must be created, but the A/R
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number is not mandatory. This will result in a number of A/R accounts that have no A/R number. The user may locate them by the Account Name instead.
AR USE DEBIT CREDIT
This parameter enables the A/R statement to always print all charges both debit and credit. This option will automatically default the statement to print zero balances in batch printing.
BALANCE FORWARD DATE
When printing statements, all invoices on the statement prior to the date of the last printing will appear as a one-line balance forward and all new invoices will print in detail. If the hotel is in the habit of regularly printing copies of the statement for internal use, this parameter may be in conflict with business practices.
CHECK INVOICES
In the A/R account, if an invoice is checked (marked with an “X”) for any reason, that check mark will remain on the invoice until unchecked by the user. If this parameter is set to “N”, the invoice will automatically be unchecked as soon as the user returns to the account screen.
CLOSE INVOICE
If this option is set to “Y”, once an invoice is closed there will be no further adjustments, postings or transfers allowed. This parameter is meant to address some country-specific requirements and may be too restrictive for countries not needing to use this. Once an invoice is closed, it is not possible to re-open it. The user may take no further action on a closed invoice except to pay it in part or in full.
CONSOLIDATE CC
When this parameter is set to “Y”, credit cards in the holding bin will automatically be compressed and moved to the A/R account with the night audit. If this parameter is set to “N”, this must be a manual procedure. Due to the nature of the way that Opera calculates credit card totals on the Trial Balance report, if the cards are consolidated on the day following the audit, the totals will appear as credits on the Guest Ledger on the day they are used to settle the bill, but will not appear as debits on the A/R ledger until they are compressed and transferred. This can cause confusion when balancing credit cards in Accounting.
NO MODIFY INVOICE
This option is very similar to Close Invoice; however once the invoice is generated there will be no modification of the invoice at all. A new invoice is required to make any adjustments.
SIMPLE REMINDER
When this parameter is set to “Y”, reminder letters produced for an invoice follow the aging buckets as defined in A/R configuration. If this parameter is set to “N”, it is possible to define different reminder letter schedules based on Account Type.
UNALLOCATED PAYMENT ON REMINDER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, any payment on the A/R account applied but not allocated to a particular invoice will appear on the A/R statement as an unallocated payment. If it is set to “N”, unallocated payments will not appear as single line items on the statement; however they will be included in the total due on the account.
AR Settings
ACCOUNT PICTURE
This setting defines a pre-determined template for creating A/R numbers. If this is left blank, new A/R accounts may be created using any alphanumeric system with no restrictions. If the template is set (for instance) to AAA-9999, then each new A/R account must follow the naming convention of three letters, followed by a dash, followed by four numbers. A clerk would not be able to use any other naming convention to create a new A/R account number.
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In many countries, there are laws that determine a certain period of time after which a user may no longer adjustment charges. This setting defines the amount of time limit for adjustments to occur. The options available are: after one day, after one week, after one month, after one year or unlimited if there is no time limit for adjustments.
AR FOLIO STYLE
The Folio Style automatically used when printing a Folio from AR
CREDIT CARD TRN CODE
This setting defines the transaction code used internally by the system when consolidating credit cards and moving them to the A/R account.
DATE FOR AGING
This setting determines at which point aging will begin on an invoice. o o Check Out Date: Select this to begin the aging on the date that the guest was checked out. AR Transfer Date: Select this to begin the aging on the date the invoice transfers from FO data to the AR account. This option is only applicable if the function AUTO TRANSFER FOLIOS is to “N”. Invoice Close Date: Select this to begin aging on the date that the invoice is closed. This last option is only applicable if the parameter AR CLOSE INVOICE is to “Y”.
o
DEFAULT ACCOUNT TYPE FOR REMINDERS
This setting defines the default account type used when printing a reminder letter if no cycle is defined for the specified account type.
DEFAULT COMPANY ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Company profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate on the account setup screen. If populated the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT GROUP ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Group profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using an Individual profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT MARKET CODE
This setting Defaults the Market Code for New Postings and New Invoice. This setting may be left blank, in which case it will be determined on a case-by-case basis or it may be populated, which will default an entry in the field that may be changed if needed.
DEFAULT SOURCE CODE
Default Source Code for New Postings and New Invoices. This setting may be left blank, in which case it will be determined on a case-by-case basis or it may be populated, which will default an entry in the field that may be changed if needed.
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DEFAULT TRAVEL AGENT ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Travel Agent profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
GLOBAL CREDIT LIMIT
Enter a value to populate the credit limit field automatically when creating a new A/R account. The value entered in this setting will automatically populate to save time when creating an account. For an account requiring a different credit limit the user may easily changed it on a caseby-case basis. If left blank, the credit limit is always determined on a case-by-case basis.
MINIMUM REMINDER DAYS
This setting defines the number of days required between sending two reminder letters to the same account. In a situation where a hotel sends a reminder letter to an account on one day and the invoice falls into the next reminder cycle overnight then generating reminder letters the following day might produce a second letter to the same account. The hotel can determine the number of days that must pass before generating another reminder letter.
OLD BALANCE TRN CODE
This setting determines the transaction code used to post any balance forward totals entered from a previous system during an Opera conversion. This transaction code should never be used for any other purpose other than this one. An entry in this setting determines that the system will automatically use it in the Balance Forward process.
TYPEWRITER
Opera has a typewriter function that allows Accounting to alter the information on a statement in a way that the hotel would like to see it appear. Using the typewriter function does not affect any totals or balances on an A/R account, only the appearance of the statement. This setting determines the directory on the application server that will hold the statement file as it is being amended.
ZERO INVOICE PURGE DAYS
When an invoice is paid and has zero balance, it will remain in history for view or update. Holding a large number of invoices in history can make the accounts difficult to work with, so it is recommended that a number of days be set to purge the paid invoices. Once the invoice is purged, there will be no way to locate it in history, so it is recommended to set an appropriate number of days based on the amount of access to history needed by the hotel.
9.2.2 Blocks
Block Functions
BLOCK TRACES
This function activates a trace system used for group blocks only. Block Traces appear only when accessing block information and used to remind sales managers to follow up on group billing or contract information. If this parameter is set to “Y”, the ability to have separate trace functions for groups is allowed. If the parameter is set to “N”, the function is not available. These traces are separate from the Reservations Traces used by the Front Office and other departments.
BUSINESS BLOCK
This function activates the full business block screen and functionality. This parameter must be set to “Y” if Opera is interfaced with any external Sales and Catering system such as the Opera Sales and Catering system or Delphi. The full business block functionality allows a greater
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degree of complexity when entering block information. Without this parameter set to “Y”, the options are to use the Quick Booking function or the Standard Groups module or both. Activate all three options together or any combination of the functions.
DIARY
This function activates use and display of the Function Diary, a graphical calendar that enables limited event handling capabilities. Use the Function Diary to view all availability for PMS sleeping rooms and for function spaces. View the function room inventory by the hour, day, or week. This includes combination, sharing, individual and sleeping rooms which can sell as meeting rooms.
INQUIRY
This parameter activates the Inquiry function that allows a user to check availability for potential groups by checking a number of dates and variables. It will also move directly into a booking screen. This is a useful function if there are agents in the hotel who are likely to book a group while on the telephone with the contact. This function may not be required if the hotel has an external Sales and Catering system as groups would not be originally booked in Opera but would be booked in the S&C system.
QUICK BUSINESS BLOCK
This option allows the hotel to use a scaled down version of the business block screen. Only the primary required fields are given. This is a useful function for hotels that may not need the complexity of the full business block option but book groups regularly. The hotel may choose whether to use this function in addition to the full business block function or as an alternative to the Full Business Block.
SET BLOCK PICKUP RESTRICTIONS
This option allows setting Pickup Restrictions at the Block Level. When this function is set to “Y”, the Business Block Restrictions screen is available. Date restrictions can be set, but must be within the booking dates, no matter if the block reservation is elastic or non-elastic.
TOUR SERIES
The tour series option helps to duplicate a particular block reservation, which recurs on a regular basis. Tour Series would be used in scenarios such as having a contract with a travel agency to book rooms for a tour series where the group will need thirty rooms from Monday through Wednesday every two weeks for the entire year.
Block Parameters
ALIAS
This function allows the entry of a booking name alias for Business Blocks. When this parameter function is set to “Y” the user may enter an alias name for any block. The alias name may be used instead of the Business Block name when searching for a business block. This is helpful in cases where callers trying to book a group reservation may be referring to the same group different names.
AUTO ASSIGN SUB BLOCK CODES
When this parameter is “N”, the Tour Series option will be removed. Instead users would use the Custom Tour Series where the users manually assign the block codes. Set this parameter to “Y” to automatically generate the sub business block codes.
AUTOLOAD CONTRACT GRID
When the parameter is set to “Y”, the contract grid will be loaded automatically with the original grid information. Changes to the original grid will also apply to the contract grid until the Turn Off Autoload check box is selected from within the block.
BLANK BUSINESS BLOCK START DATE
When the parameter is set to “Y”, the arrival date for new business blocks will be blank by default so that the user must manually enter it.
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BLOCK DEPOSIT REQUIRED
When the parameter is set to “Y”, an advance deposit is required for any blocks with a reservation type of Deposit Required.
BLOCK RATE CODE MANDATORY
This parameter determines whether or not the rate code is a mandatory field for business blocks and reservations made against the block. If the parameter is set to “N”, then the hotel may create blocks without a rate code. This parameter works in conjunction with the DEFAULT GROUPS RATE CODE setting which is required for blocks without a rate code.
BUSINESS BLOCK TYPE
This parameter activates the Business Block Type field on Business Block and Quick Business Block screens. This feature allows users to attach a “category of business” designation to each booking. For example, they can identify the booking as a wedding, a tour, a conference, a meeting, a convention, and so on. For reporting purposes it is helpful to track this information.
CATERING
This parameter allows the hotel to create a block for catering events without holding rooms. When using the Sales and Catering module, a "Catering only" box is available to select.
CONFIRM BOOKING STATUS CHANGE
Display confirmation message for booking status change.
CUTOFF
If this parameter is set to “N” the only way to return rooms to inventory is to use the “Wash” function and manually return rooms not needed. If this parameter is set to “Y” then the ability to automatically return unused rooms to inventory will be accessible for each block. Cutoff by Date will release all unsold rooms in the block on a specified date. Cutoff by Days will release unsold rooms in the block one day at a time.
ELASTIC BLOCK
This parameter provides the ability to book additional rooms or room types not included in the block as well as group reservations outside of the block dates. When this parameter is set to “Y”, it will be possible to define a block as elastic. If the parameter is set to “N”, the elastic checkbox is not available in any block. A non-elastic block will restrict the hotel from breaking shared reservations after the rooms have been cut off and returned to inventory as the additional guest would then require an another room to be added to the block.
ENFORCE BLOCK CODE TEMPLATE LENGTH
When this parameter is set to “Y”, any block codes entered manually are evaluated against the template and only entries of the same length are valid. If used in conjunction with the parameter Blocks > Unique Block Code and the setting Blocks > Block Code Template, the block code will be automatically created for new blocks. If the block code exists already, the block code field will stay blank.
EXTENDED COPY OPTIONS
Activate this function to copy bookings with extended options.
MANDATORY ROOMINGLIST PROFILE SEARCH
This parameter determines if it is mandatory to search for an existing profile when creating a reservation via the Rooming List option in Groups. When this parameter is set to “Y”, a checkmark appears by default in the Check Guest Profile check box and the check box is unavailable (grayed out). In this situation, when you create a new reservation the Profile Search screen appears and you must search for and select an existing profile or create a new one in order to proceed. For hotels with a high instance of return group guests, this will minimize duplicated profiles and ensure accurate reporting. For hotels with a low instance of return group guests, this may be counter-productive as it requires an extra step for every reservation. This option overrides the Blocks > Profile Check in RoomingList parameter.
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OCCUPANCY SPLIT PER ROOM TYPE
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This parameter controls where the number of occupants per room type is to be set on the block grid. This allows for a more accurate forecast and the value in the "Pax per Room" will be ignored. It also determines whether rates for business blocks can be split by occupancy or not. When the parameter is set to “N”, room grids entered with only the total number of rooms of each room type and the forecasted revenues are based on single occupancy of all rooms. When the parameter is “Y”, room grids will be based on room type and occupancy. The number of rooms for each occupancy level must be entered separately. This will result in a more accurate forecasting of the number of persons arriving with a group as well as the total revenue in cases where the rooms are priced differently based on the number of people in the room.
PROFILE CHECK IN ROOMINGLIST
This parameter determines whether profiles entered into a rooming list will be checked against existing profiles or not, in an effort to minimize duplicate profiles in the database and accurately record history for each guest. When parameter is “Y”, the Check Guest Profile selects by default, but you may un-check it. When the box is checked the system automatically looks for a profile for the reservation name you enter. If none exists, and the system finds no possible duplicate, then a prompt asks if you want to create a new profile. To inactivate the profile search the user may uncheck the box. When this parameter is “N” the same check box will appear but will be unchecked by default instead. If the system does not find a profile match then a new profile is automatically created. If the system finds a profile match, it is automatically used.
RETURN BLOCK TO HOUSE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then rooms cut off from a business block will be returned to regular house inventory at the next night audit. If it is set to “N”, then the rooms will continue to be unallocated group rooms rather than unallocated house rooms.
SHIFT DATE
This parameter activates the Shift Date feature used to move a business block from one arrival date to a new arrival date. If there are any reservations or posting masters (PMs) attached to the business block, you will not be able to shift dates for the booking. You also are not able to use this function when the business block’s arrival date is prior to the current business date for the property.
UNIQUE BLOCK CODE
This parameter controls whether or not each business block must have a unique block code. Take care to understand the consequences of this parameter as changes to it may cause errors in some CRS interfaces. If this parameter is set to “N”, block codes may be duplicated as long as only one block is active at a time. If this parameter is set to “Y”, no duplicate block codes may be created. Whenever Opera automatically generates the block code and two block codes would be the same based on the default block code template that is set up, the system will add _01 to the second block code, _02 to the third and so on to create unique codes. Again, this may cause issues in a CRS interface or S&C interface, so care should be taken to understand the hotel’s needs.
Block Settings
BUSINESS BLOCK TEMPLATE
Many hotels have specific block template requirements due to a Sales and Catering interface or a Central Reservations Interface. This setting will create a default template for the block code for each hotel. For example, a template of DDMMYYAAA would mean that the block code created for new blocks would use the arrival day, month and year followed by the first three letters of the group name.
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COPY BLOCK NOTES
This setting determines whether or not the system will copy the Booking Notes by default when copying a group.
COPY BOOKING STATUS
To copy a block the newly created block must start at a pre-defined status code. This setting defines the default status code for a newly copied block.
DEFAULT NEW BLOCK STATUS
When building a new group block the status code is a required field. Each new block must begin with a non-deducted status code. This setting determines the default entry for each new group block.
EXTERNAL DEFAULT RES TYPES
When using an external Sales and Catering system, all reservations released from the Sales and Catering system to Opera must have a reservation type attached. This entry is the default reservation type for all reservations turned over to Opera from an external Sales and Catering system.
PROFILE PROMPT FOR BLOCKS
A group profile is created automatically based on the group name unless a specific group profile is attached. This setting determines the prompt to associate a profile to a business block if one has not been attached. o If the setting is set to “N” for None, the system will not remind the user to attach profiles to a business block. o If the setting is “P” for Prompt User, a message will appear stating that no profiles are attached to the block header but will allow the user to save the block without a company, source or agent profile attached. o If the setting is “R” for Required, then at least one company, source or agent profile must be attached to the group block to save the block header.
ROOMING LIST AUTOMATIC NAME
When a rooming list is automatically generated for a business block, this setting controls whether the new reservation profiles use the Group Profile Name or the Block Names. In either case, new reservations created through the rooming list use new profiles.
ROOMINGLIST RESERVATION METHODS
This setting determines which Reservation Methods allow the entry of the Rooming List Due Date. A user may select multiple reservation types. When left blank, the rooming list due date is not available in any blocks.
TOUR SERIES HANDLING
This setting determines if tour series should be performed as a simple copy or as sub-bookings.
NUMBER OF ROOMS PER DIARY PAGE
Determines the number of rooms to be displayed per diary page at a time.
9.2.3 Cashiering
Cashiering Functions
ADVANCED GENERATES
This function offers the ability to specify, at a group, subgroup, or transaction generate level, if and when generate postings (by the Room and Tax procedure in the End of Day routine) should be stopped. If this function is set to “Y”, the generates screen allows you to specify the length of stay, in days, after which the generate will stop posting. It also lets you determine how the adjustment for the generate rebate is to be handled.
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ARTICLES
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Articles are used to break down and collect statistics on specific types of postings that may be too detailed for reporting on a traditional transaction code report.
AUTHORIZE DIRECT BILL
This function allows a user to indicate that an authorized person has reviewed and approved particular reservation for direct billing. This is separate from allowing a user to actually set-up direct billing. In all cases an active A/R account is required in the profile displayed in the payment window. If the value is “Y”, when checking out an authorized reservation the user will be allowed to select the DB payment type and settle without any messages/warnings. If the reservation is not authorized, the user will still be allowed to select the DB payment type however when selecting the OK button to post, the message 'This reservation has not been authorized for Direct Bill. Do you want to continue?’ When a user selects “Yes”, the user log records an entry as they continue on to the checkout. When a user selects “No”, Opera will return to payment screen without recording an entry in the user log.
BATCH POSTING
This function activates the ability to use the Batch Posting feature. This feature is frequently used to post one charge to a list of guests. Some uses for batch posting are the ability to post a parking charge to a long list of guests in house, the ability to post a contracted luggage-handling charge to all guests in house with a particular group or the ability to post a fee to a list of guests.
BILLING SUMMARY
An additional Comp Accounting feature allows casino hosts to easily review and compare a sideby-side summary of the charged and comped components of guest transactions.
BUDGETS
Activates the budget functionality used to enter Room and/or Catering budgets for comparisons against actual and forecasted revenues on Opera reports.
CASHIER FOREIGN CURRENCY AMOUNTS
The ability to determine foreign currency amounts in a cashier's drawer.
CHECK EXCHANGE
Activates Cashiering/Cashier Functions/Check Exchange and associated user permissions.
DEPOSIT CANCELLATION
This function allows defining deposit and cancellation rules for rate codes and reservations.
DIRECT BILL BATCH FOLIOS
The purpose is to allow printing of batch folios for direct bill based on the direct bill batch type assigned to the guest and on when the direct bill batch folios were last printed.
FIXED CHARGES
This function activates the ability to use the Fixed Charges option in the reservations screen. This function allows the user to preset specific charges to post during the night audit.
FOLIO ARRANGEMENTS
Activates Folio Arrangement Functionality.
GENERAL CASHIER
This function activates the ability to use the General Cashier functionality. Used primarily for hotels doing a large amount of cash handling at the front desk and need the ability to add to add or subtract from the cashier’s bank during a shift while tracking the cash in hand.
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PASSERBY
This function activates the ability to make payments, postings, and produce a receipt in the system for a person not necessarily staying in the hotel. Passerby folios are used to post and pay charges for simple transactions done at the front desk for non-hotel guests.
PERIOD DEFINITION
This function allows a property to setup fiscal periods and years, and have key reports give information based on Fiscal and/or Calendar periods.
PERIOD FOLIOS
This function activates the ability to generate folios on a periodic basis (Weekly, Monthly etc).
PETTY CASH
This function activates the ability for the front desk user to perform paid outs and reimbursements to petty cash accounts from the front desk. The petty cash fund allows you to pay cash for outside services that are not charged to a particular guest. Petty cash is useful for tracking money paid out (paid-outs) and money received (paid-ins) which applies to the property in general and not to any guest’s bill or folio. The cash in and out is tracked as part of the cashier’s bank and will be part of the cashier’s totals at the end of the day.
ROUTING
This function activates the ability to route charges from one window or room to another for certain (or all) charges in a given period. If this function is set to “N” all charges must be transferred manually instead.
ROUTING LIMITS
This function activates limits which enables routing for Window, Room, and Comp routing. Routing instructions enhanced by imposing a limit on the total value of transactions routed.
TAX TYPES
This function activates the ability to calculate taxes on transaction codes based on either the guest’s profile tax type status or the reservation tax type status.
TRANSACTION USER GROUPS
Enables the functionality to choose transaction codes that may be posted manually by users belonging to the specified user group. By assigning specific transaction codes to each group you can control the transactions which may be posted by members of each group. If a user group has no transaction codes attached, members of the group cannot post.
Cashiering Parameters
ADDITIONAL FOLIO TEXT
Additional fields to show on the folio when entered on a guest reservation.
ADJUSTMENT AS NEGATIVE
This parameter determines the characteristics of adjustments. When set to “Y”, adjustments are always negative. When set to “N”, the user must enter the negative value to reduce the amount of the guest folio.
ALLOW ROUTING OF TAX TRANSACTIONS
Allow the Selection of Tax Transaction Codes when setting Room Routing or Window Routing.
AR SETTLEMENT VISIBLE ON FOLIO
If this parameter is set to “Y”, a folio closed to the Direct Bill transaction code will display Direct Bill as a payment method that reduces the bill to zero when printed. If it is set to “N”, the folio shows a zero on the guest ledger but the printed folio will display the outstanding balance.
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AUTO TRANSFER GENERATES WITH MAIN
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If this parameter is set to “Y”, then transferring any transaction code will automatically transfer any taxes attached. If this parameter is set to “N”, then taxes must be transferred separately from the posting that generated them.
BLIND CASHIER DROP
If this option is set to “Y”, the cashier closure screen will not display the amount of cash and checks that the system has calculated the cashier to drop. The cashier will enter the amount of cash and checks in hand and make the drop. Any over/short will appear only on the Cashier Summary report printed with that night’s audit.
BYPASS CASHIER LOGIN
Bypass Cashier login after the first successful login for the user session.
CREDIT BILL
This function allows issuing a credit folio for a previously settled folio. This also creates additional search functionality within Opera.
DEFERRED TAXES
For hotels in countries that have VAT, setting this option to “Y” will defer the calculation of the taxes on the guest’s bill until the guest checks out. This will mean that information folios printed prior to check out will not have the VAT calculated.
FISCAL FOLIO PRINTING
Activating this function sends guest folios directly to a fiscal printer.
FISCAL PAYMENTS
This function activates Fiscal Payments.
FIX BILL NUMBER PER RESERVATION
This parameter assigns a bill number to all four windows of the guest’s folio so that a user can pull up all folio window totals in history by this bill number. This parameter cannot be activated if the parameter Cashiering>Fix Bill Number Per Window is set to “Y”.
FIX BILL NUMBER PER WINDOW
This parameter assigns a separate bill number to each of the four windows on a guest’s folio. Each window is located in history using a separate bill number. This parameter cannot be activated if the parameter Cashiering>Fix Bill Number Per Reservation is set to “Y”.
FOLIO COPY LEGEND
When printing multiple folios, the associated legend (e.g., Original, First Copy, Second Copy, etc.) will print on folio. Activating this parameter will add approximately 6-8 seconds per copy to the folio generation process.
FOLIO NO REPRINT
If activated, does not allow Reprint, Split, Transfer, Adjustments or Corrections for postings with Bill Numbers.
FOLIO NUMBER FOR DEPOSITS
This option will activate the folio number for a guest assigned at the time that a deposit posting occurs on the reservation. The system uses this folio number at check in.
FOLIO REVISION NUMBER
This parameter will assign a new internal revision number to a folio each time a correction occurs.
FOLIO STYLES
Use Folio Style options when printing folios.
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FOREIGN PAIDOUTS
This parameter activates the ability to perform paid outs in foreign currency. It is still possible to process currency exchanges with this parameter set to “N”. This parameter affects only the ability to use a paid out posting code on a guest folio to refund money in foreign currency.
GENERATE ZERO BILL
Allow user to print an Invoice that has a Zero Balance.
LOG TRANSACTION DETAILS
This function used for support purposes only. If activated the system records all Transaction Details into Log.
PHONE DETAILS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the telephone number for all posted telephone calls will print on the guest folio. If this parameter is set to “N”, telephone numbers will not print on the guest folio by default. In either case, it is possible to change the phone detail printing on an individual folio if needed.
PRINT REFERENCE ON FOLIO SYLE 18
When this parameter is set to “Y”, folio will print the reference field normally suppressed on folio style 18.
PROMPT FOR EXPENSE FOLIO UPON CHECKOUT
If this parameter is set to “Y” this parameter will activate a prompt with every guest checkout asking to print the expense folio. If activated, it will be necessary to configure expense folio buckets for the transaction code breakdown using the configuration screen under Setup>System Configuration>Cashiering>Folio and Revenue Buckets>Expense Folio. Without defining the transaction buckets the Expense Folio will display all zeros.
ROLLUP TRANSACTIONS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, all food and beverage charges with the same check number will appear on the folio screen as one line item while still providing the ability to see details if necessary. This parameter affects only the screen view for the user, but does not apply to a printed folio. To affect the printed folio, the user must define an appropriate folio style.
SELL FOREIGN CURRENCY
Allows a property to determine whether they wish to sell foreign currency as well as the more usual handling which is simply to buy foreign currency. That is, exchange foreign for local currency.
SUMMARIZE TAX
This parameter will summarize tax transaction codes on the folio.
VOID BILL
This parameter activates the ability to void a previously created folio. A bill may be voided only on the same business date as when it was created.
Cashiering Settings
ADVANCED DEPOSIT HANDLING
This setting defines the characteristics of extended deposit handling functionality. There are country requirements that determine the selection.
AR SETTLEMENT TRN CODE
This setting defines the single payment code in the system that will transfer folio balances to Accounts Receivable. Once this code is defined, it may only be used to transfer balances to A/R. Activate this code for Front Desk payments only.
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ARTICLE PROMPT
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Available when Articles application function is active. Select type of prompt when posting articles.
CASH SHIFT DROP
This setting defines the internal code that will total all cashier shift drops for cash. This code should NEVER be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process cash transactions. This code should be built but not activated on any ledger, as it should only be used internally.
CASH TRN CODE
This setting defines the default transaction code used for cash transactions.
CHECK EXCHANGE PAIDOUT TRN CODE
This setting defines the Paid Out Transaction Code used during Check Exchange.
CHECK SHIFT DROP
This setting defines the internal code that will total all cashier shift drops for checks. This code should never be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process check transactions. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
CHECK TRN CODE
This setting defines the single payment code that is used to process check payments. All payments made on this code will be used in the cashier closure routine to total check transactions. Activate for Deposit Payments, Front Desk Payments and A/R Payments as needed.
COPIES
This setting defines the number of copies of a guest folio that will print automatically. Generally this is set as one copy and any additional copies may be printed manually.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE PAIDOUT TRN CODE
This setting defines the internal code that is used to process check exchange transactions. This code should never be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process check payments. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
DECIMAL CALCULATION
Number of decimals to maintain in the database for the calculation amount such as net amount, etc. pertaining to inclusive taxes/generates.
DEFAULT TAX TYPE
After defining the Tax Types this setting determines the tax type attached to all reservations by default. Generally this tax type is one that posts all taxes and would apply to the greatest number of incoming guests.
DEPOSIT LEDGER TRN CODE
This code defines the internal offsetting transaction code that will transfer deposit payments from the deposit ledger to the guest ledger when the guest checks in. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
FOLIO GENERATION
This setting determines the characteristics used to generate and print a guest folio.
FOLIO STYLE
This setting determines the default folio style used by the hotel. Based on the hotel’s configuration and needs this folio style may be different for each hotel. Once the default folio style is determined, manually change individual guest folio styles when needed.
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PACKAGE LOSS
This setting determines the default package loss transaction code. When building any package with an allowance, this package loss transaction code will default. It is possible to build additional package loss codes and change the code for individual package elements if needed.
PACKAGE PROFIT
This setting determines the default package profit transaction code. When building any package with an allowance, this package profit transaction code will default. It is possible to build additional package profit codes and change the code for individual package elements if needed.
PASSERBY MARKET CODE
This setting determines the default market code for Passerby transactions. It is possible to enter the default code to reduce the amount of time required to process the transaction at the desk. If needed, replace the default market code for an individual transaction.
PASSERBY SOURCE CODE
This setting determines the default source code for Passerby transactions. It is possible to enter the default code to reduce the amount of time required to process the transaction at the desk. If needed, replace the default source code for an individual transaction.
PRINT RECEIPT
This setting defines the characteristics of automatic printing of receipts. This setting affects the Deposit, Currency Exchange, Paid-Out and Payment receipts.
TAX TYPE CALCULATION
This setting determines whether tax types calculate based on the profile or reservation.
WARNING AMOUNT
This setting defines the amount of money on a manual posting that will generate a warning message for the cashier. The intent of this setting is to reduce the amount of adjustments made if a cashier neglects to enter a decimal point in the posting.
9.2.4 Commission
Commissions Parameters
AUTO CALCULATE VAT
If this function is set to “Y”, then VAT (Value Added Tax) will calculate on commissions paid. If it is set to “N”, the system will not calculate VAT on commissions.
AUTO PRINT REPORT BEFORE EFT PAYMENT
When the bank account is payment type of EFT, automatically print the eftpayment_post report before generating the EFT file.
EXPORT ISO CODE
Use ISO Code for exporting country information for Travel Agent.
INCLUDE ZERO COMISSIONS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, all commission records will include zero balances in commission processing. If it is set to “N”, only commission records with balances are processed.
PRE PAYMENT TO SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then it will be possible to pre-pay commissions to source profiles. If it is set to “N”, then source profiles may not be used for pre-payment of commissions.
PRE PRINTED CHECK NUMBERS
If the hotel is printing checks on site, rather than using the export feature to process commission payments, setting this parameter to “Y” will track check numbers based on the number of pages
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used. If this parameter is set to “Y” and a check is printed on more than one page, the system will include the second check in its count. If it is set to “N”, then each check will be assigned only one number regardless of the number of pages used to print a check.
SHOW CODE FOR SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y” the commission code will be visible on the source profile. If it is set to “N”, the commission code will not be visible on the profile.
STOP PROCESSING REASON CODES
If this parameter is set to “Y” it will be required to enter a reason for putting an agency or commission on payment hold. If it is set to “N”, it will be possible to put a commission record or agency on payment hold without indicating a reason.
TRANSFER COMISSIONABLE NO SHOWS AND CANCELS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then all no show and cancellation records with valid Travel Agent profiles attached will be sent to Commission Handling. If this parameter is set to “N”, then No Show and Cancelled reservations will not be sent to the processing area. Since No Shows and Cancellations generally produce zero balance records, it is not always advisable to process them as many companies charge per transaction regardless of commission generated.
TRANSFER SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then it will be possible to pay commissions to source profiles. If it is set to “N”, then source profiles may not be used for payment of commissions.
Commissions Settings
COMMISSION CODES TO NOT PROCESS
This setting defines which commission codes to not process in the commissions’ module. Any of the codes defined in this parameter setting and used either in a Travel Agent/Source or Rate Code will take priority over the other commission codes attached in the commission calculation hierarchy.
DEFAULT COMMISSION
This setting defines the standard percentage or dollar amount used to pay commissions in most cases.
DEFAULT PREPAID COMMISSION TRN CODE
This setting defines the transaction code used to process pre-paid commissions on reservations.
9.2.5 End of Day
End of Day Functions
INCOME AUDIT
This function activates the ability for the hotel to use the Income Audit feature which allows the accounting department to close the business day at a different time than the system date is closed. With this feature activated, it is possible to process adjustments on a previous date prior to closing the business date; up to 5 business dates may be open at one time.
End of Day Parameters
AUDIT
Activate this parameter to force the validation of transaction code totals during the night audit. If the value is set to “Y”, the night auditor will see a screen used to enter in system totals prior to running the end of day procedures and reports. This screen will allow the auditor to verify totals with the system prior to final postings and reports.
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AUDIT CHECK NUMBER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will automatically assign a check number to room and tax postings, allowing a rollup of all room and tax postings to a single line on the folio if used in conjunction with the folio style “Summary by Check Number”.
AUTO CLOSE CASHIERS
Automatically close any open cashiers during the End of Day Sequence.
AUTO CONTINUE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the audit will move automatically from one procedure to the next. If it is set to “N”, the auditor will have to manually continue the audit at each new procedure by selecting Yes to a screen saying, “Continue the End of Day sequence? “
AUTO NOSHOW ARRIVALS
This parameter automatically changes arrivals not checked into a No Show status.
COUNTRY STATISTICS CHECK
This parameter activates Country Check Feature to verify the profiles for all guests in house have an entry in the country field. This check allows the user to make an entry if none exists.
RESERVATION PACE
This parameter, when set to “Y” will populate a reservation booking pace report used with the Opera Sales and Catering system.
STATE STATISTICS CHECK
This parameter activates State Statistics check. The routine added to the End of Day procedures includes a check for missing and/or incomplete state information in profiles belonging to in house guests.
WEATHER NOTES
This parameter activates Weather Notes feature. The Weather and Notes option allows the entry of notes on the cover page of the Audit pack.
End of Day Settings
AUTO ROLL DATE MINUTES
This setting determines the number of minutes for Auto Roll Date message.
END OF DAY CASHIER
This setting determines the cashier ID for running the night audit. When a cashier logs in to run the audit, all postings of room and tax and fixed charges made during the processing of the night audit will appear on this night audit cashier ID rather than on the cashier’s own ID.
9.2.6 Exports
Exports Parameters
COUNTRY EXPORTS
Set this parameter to “Y” in any country that requires specific exports. Currently this parameter applies to Belgium only.
EXPORT ZIP IN NA
For hotels using export files created during the night audit, this feature will zip the files in the night audit sequence once created.
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Exports Settings
EXPORT CHARACTER SET
This setting activates the character set used to write export files.
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9.2.7 Front Desk
Front Desk Functions
HOTEL ACCOUNTS
This function activates the ability to create posting masters using the Accounts function. If this parameter is set to “N”, posting masters created using the standard reservations creation method.
LOCATORS
This function activates the ability to set locators for guests in the hotel. Used to ensure the guest receives telephone calls, messages and guests even they are not in the hotel room.
MESSAGES
This function activates the ability to leave text messages in Opera for a guest. If the hotel is using the video system to display guest messages, this feature must be activated.
9.2.8 General
General Functions
ALTERNATE NAME
The extended byte function allows the system to both store and display screens and data in Oriental language characters as well as in single byte characters.
DATA EXTRACTION
This function activates the ability of the user to create mailings for guests in house or to create group key packet labels.
EXTENSIONS
This function allows the hotel to assign extension numbers at check in. This function used only if the capability exists in the telephone system to assign separate extension numbers for accommodations with multiple guest rooms but a single entry door.
FILTER SEARCH
Activate filter option for search criteria.
IATA UPLOAD
If the hotel has purchased software to upload all existing IATA number information, this function must be set to “Y” to complete the upload.
LOGIN LANGUAGE
This function allows the user to set the language on the screen to the login language of the user.
MULTI CURRENCY
This function allows the hotel to configure rates in multiple currencies and to post those rates in multiple currencies. Configure an exchange rate type “posting” for each of the currencies.
OWNER
If this function is set to “Y”, then an owner must be entered on every company, source and travel agent profile in the system. The owner is the person in the hotel who is responsible for that account. If this function is set to “N” the owner field will not be displayed on any profile type.
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POTENTIAL
If this function is set to “Y” the Potential Functionality is active.
PROFILE LANGUAGE
This function allows the hotel to print folios and messages in the language listed in the guest’s profile. Use of this feature will require that all folios, room types, transaction codes, messages, confirmation letters and any other text must be configured in every language entered in the system.
RECENT USED RECORDS MENU
Switches the menu option on or off for recently used Accounts, Contacts, Profiles, Reservations, Events and Business Blocks.
ROOM CLASS
This function will activate the ability to sort report information by room class. Room Class reports can be run for Market Code statistics as well as forecast and occupancy figures.
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT
This function activates a tool for the synchronization of profile information between many databases.
General Parameters
APPLICATION CURTAIN
Setting this parameter to “Y” will display the Opera curtain in full whenever using Opera. If this parameter is set to “N”, the desktop will be under the Opera menu.
MASK CREDIT CARD NUMBER
Due to the increasingly stringent requirements for the protection of credit card information, this parameter affects several areas of Opera. When this parameter is set to “Y”, only the last 4 digits of the credit card number display and the expiration date will not display at all. The user can no longer view the full credit card number and expiration date on the Opera screens once entered and saved. This parameter will also mask the credit card number on reports including the registration card and user activity log.
POLICE INTERFACE
This function allows the hotel to interface directly with local police departments to verify guest information. This interface is used in countries where required by law.
REPORT GROUP ACCESS BY USER GROUP
This parameter allows for report group access defined by a user group.
General Settings
BASE LANGUAGE
This setting determines the default language for any new guest profile. It may be changed, but will originally default to this designated language.
COMPRESSION UTILITY
Zip Program Name. For AIX the command for ZIP and UNZIP are identical this should be set to pkzip25.
CURTAIN COLOR
This setting determines the color of the background in Opera. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to use different background colors to distinguish the training hotel from the production hotel. This is also true in a multi property environment where users may accidentally make a reservation in the wrong hotel if not clearly indicated.
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CURTAIN STYLE
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This setting determines the curtain style the hotel prefers to display for users. The available background curtains reflect various product uses. This style then displays over the curtain color selected in the application setting CURTAIN COLOR.
CUSTOMIZABLE REPORTS
This setting defines the location of the customizable reports files. It is not a good idea to change this location after it has been set.
DATA EXTRACTION FORMAT
Set the default format for data extraction files. The default value is CSV.1.
DECOMPRESSION UTILITY
Unzip program name to UNZIP the files. For AIX the command for ZIP and UNZIP are identical. This should be set to pkzip25.
DEFAULT REGISTRATION CARD
If the hotel has created more than one registration card, this setting defines the one that will print automatically by default at check in or when printing batch registration cards.
NUMBER OF GRACE LOGINS
This setting defines the number of grace logins so that the user has several chances to change the password before it expires. A message displays each time the user logs in telling them how many more times they may log in before the password will expire.
ORACLE LISTENER PORT
Only a DBA or qualified technical support agent may change this setting.
POLICE INTERFACE TIMER
The setting defines the interval of time (in minutes) between two automated police export/import.
PROPERTY TAX ID
This setting identifies the property the tax ID number which prints on A/R statements if required by the hotel.
REPORT APPLICATION SERVER NAME
This setting determines the name of the application server that generates and emails reports from the database used by OWS.
TOOLBAR STYLE
This setting determines the Tool Bar Style used by the Property.
WEEKEND DAYS
This setting identifies the days of the week designated as weekend days by the hotel. Some screens display weekends differently to clarify the information displayed. Also, rates can be configured to change on weekend days.
DATABASE TIME ZONE REGION
This setting identifies the Time Zone Region where the Database server is physically located. System Date will be considered in the specified time zone region.
9.2.9 IFC
IFC Functions
CC IFC
To display credit card authorization messages, activate this function.
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IFC Parameters
ALWAYS SWIPE CC
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will ask to swipe a credit card when a user selects a credit card method of payment. This will work in conjunction with the workstation setup designated as credit card reader attached and the credit card interface active.
CC NUMBER NOT MADATORY FOR RESERVATIONS
Credit card number or expiration dates are not mandatory for making or changing a reservation with a credit card payment method, nor is a credit card number required when checking the guest in.
GIFT CARD
This parameter activates the gift cards functionality. An additional IFC Credit Card Type, SV (which stands for “stored value”), has been added to handle an increasingly popular variation on the credit card payment option — gift cards.
REQUEST CC SWIPE
This parameter activates a request to swipe a credit card at Check-in and Check-out if not previously done.
VIDEO CHECK OUT
This parameter activates the video check out functionality.
WAKE UP DELAY
This parameter determines the amount of time that will elapse before sending a second wake up call to a room that did not acknowledge a first wake up call.
CC TRACK 2
This parameter activates the ability to store Track2 Data for Credit Cards
IFC Settings
DEFAULT POSTING ROOM
This setting determines the posting master that will receive all buffered charges that cannot be posted on the appropriate rooms. This will generally occur if the interfaces have been off for some time and a guest has checked out of a room that has charges waiting to post. Any “orphaned” charges will be sent to the posting master defined here. Opera standard is to use PM 9500. Maintaining this standard will make support much more efficient in handling interface questions.
EXTERNAL TIMEOUT
This setting determines the timeout seconds for external interface tasks. General set by the installer and changing it may cause issues.
FLAGS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, it is possible to access the interface account settings from the PMS. If it is set to “N”, it is not possible to access the interface account settings from the PMS.
INTERFACE TIME OUT
Defines the amount of seconds after which the system/interface will timeout if no response has been received from a third party system.
PATH
This setting defines the directory path where the database resides. Generally set by the installer and changing it may cause issues.
PATH ID
This setting defines the Interface Path ID for the Resort.
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SETTLEMENT AUTHORIZATION CODE
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This application setting allows you to select which authorization code to send to the interface during settlement if multiple authorization codes exist. When more than one authorization obtained through the credit card interface is stored in the system, the last authorization code or the original authorization code may be required at settlement.
VIDEO CHECK OUT PRINTER
This setting determines the printer that used to print folios generated by guests using the video checkout feature.
VIDEO CHECK OUT START TIME
This setting determines the time of day that video check out may begin. Time is set on a 24-hour clock and should be set to begin after the night audit has finished to be sure that all postings for room and tax charges are completed.
VIDEO CHECK OUT STOP TIME
This setting determines the time of day that video check out will end. After this time, a guest must go to the front desk to check out.
9.2.10 Membership
Membership Functions
AWARDS
This function allows the hotel to track and distribute awards points accumulated by using the membership module.
ENROLLMENT
This function activates the ability to directly enroll a guest in a membership program immediately. It requires an active 2-way interface with the enrolling program.
LOOKUP
This function activates the ability to look up a guest’s point accruals immediately on line. It requires an active 2-way interface with the enrolling program.
Membership Parameters
OCIS MEMBERSHIP CONFIGURATION
This parameter enables the system to set up for OCIS memberships.
Membership Settings
ENROLLMENT TYPE
Specify the types of enrollments available through Opera. Hard coded options include LOYALTY, GAMING, and ACTIVITIES. Available if ENROLLMENT function setting is Y.
9.2.11 Multi- Property
Multi-Property Parameters
ENDSCRIPT
Enable/Disable End Script functionality on Selling screen.
PROFILE SCREEN
Visible/Invisible Profile Button on Cross selling screen.
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SELL MESSAGES
This parameter will enable the ability to display Sell messages in the cross selling screen. Messages may display generically or for a particular property and can also be linked to specific rate codes, room types or blocks.
SPEED SEARCH
Enable/Disable Speed Search on Cross selling Define Search screen
9.2.12 OWS
OWS Parameters
EXTERNAL_RESERVATION_MEMBER_PTS
This parameter value set to “Y”, inserts the number of points of a guest earns per night and then sends via an external member system in reservation daily elements.
OWS Settings
FETCH_RESERVATION
This setting allows the Opera Web Suite Engine to retrieve reservation for either all reservations, regardless of entry point or for only created through OWS.
9.2.13 Profiles
Profiles Functions
ACCOUNT OVERVIEW
Activate the overview of accounts, business blocks and reservations functionality for account profiles.
ADDRESS CLEANSING
Whenever profile address is created or changed this function validates address by Invoking external address cleansing interface.
CONTACTS
This function activates the ability to use a sixth profile type called Contacts. This profile type used in conjunction with the Company, Travel Agent, Group and Source profiles identifies the individual who is the primary contact with the hotel. The contact profile can be used to track statistics on a particular booking agent or person. In addition to reservations, this function will also activate the Contact field on the Business Block and Quick Business Block screens.
FILE ATTACHMENTS
This function activates the Attachments to Profiles Functionality for any property that wants to attach outside documents to profiles within Opera.
FUTURE
This function activates the ability to view future reservations for Profiles. This functionality activates the Future screen in all profile types.
HISTORY
This function activates the ability to view past reservations for Profiles. This functionality activates the History screen in all profile types.
IATA COMP TYPE
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional field will appear in the Company, Travel Agent and Source profiles. This field called Type allows the user to select from the list of values provided.
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INCOGNITO
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This function activates the Incognito functionality used when celebrity guests would like to stay under an alternative name.
KEYWORD
Activate the ability to enter keywords into profiles. These keywords used as an additional hotelspecific search field may help find specific profiles when the name is not specific enough to allow a user to discern the correct choice.
PRIVACY
This function activates the Profile Privacy. If the property allows a guest to choose rather they want to receive promotional information, mailings, etc.
PROFILE CREDIT CARD
This function activates the ability for the hotel to keep credit card information on file in a guest’s profile. While it is accessible for every future reservation, it is also available for view to every Opera user with user rights to view this information.
PROFILE REQUESTS
The Profile Requests feature allows the user to request email or print (mail) information products. Some examples include brochures, event fliers and rate cards which the guest may receive via email or print. The Profile Requests screen shows the profile requests submitted and allows the user to make new requests. The feature also allows the user to see when the request was processed, and to send requests again if necessary.
PROFILE REVENUE BUCKETS
Display revenue bucket details from the Profile history screen. This display will allow the user to see the total revenue each guest has produced based on hotel defined revenue buckets.
QUICK ADDRESS
If the hotel has purchased third-party software called QAS, this function allows Opera to use its address database to accurately enter a large amount of address information. This program is mostly used in European properties.
RELATIONSHIPS
This function allows setting up affiliations between a guest and a company, travel agency, group, or source. A relationship is sometimes used to qualify a guest for a special rate and can be made between profiles that allows for rates to be shared or for financial and statistical reporting. A common relationship would be a parent and subsidiary company. Information gathered for both profiles separately provides the option of reporting together.
SALES INFORMATION
This function defines certain sales information on company and source profiles, such as Market Code, Source Code, etc (Note: This is for informational use only unless the Sales & Catering module is turned on. There is no independent reporting on these screens in PMS).
SOURCE
Source profiles can generate commission payments. Source profiles can also track business recommended by Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus or Secretary Clubs or pay commission on groups and wholesalers that are not regular travel agents.
STATISTICS
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional tab in the profiles screen will appear. This tab will display statistics from previous guest stays. In a multi-property environment with shared profiles, the statistics tab will indicate information collected system-wide, not just in the user’s hotel.
VIP
This function activates the configuration and display of VIP status throughout the application.
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Profiles Parameters
PROFILE MORE FIELDS
This parameter allows to active the more fields tab on Profiles
RESERVATION COMMENTS
Activate this parameter to enable the ability to transfer all reservation comments entered into the profile to each new reservation for that guest. If the function is set to “N”, then reservation comments will be visible only in the profile comments field.
SHOW FUTURE RESERVATIONS
Activate this parameter to enable the ability to display future reservations for each individual profile in the Profile Search as well as Options. If this function is set to “N”, future reservations still display in Options but not Profile Search.
ALLOW DUPLICATE IATA
Activating this parameter allows merging duplicate IATA numbers for Travel Agent and Source profiles.
AUTO GENERATE CLIENT ID
Activate this parameter to generate unique ID numbers for Individual profiles.
IATA YN
Activate this parameter to validate IATA numbers entered in the Travel Agent or Source profiles.
Profiles Settings
ADDRESS TYPE TO COPY FROM ACCOUNT TO CONTACT
When creating a contact for a company, this setting determines the address type that will default to the contact profile. Generally, a contact profile carries the business address as the primary address.
COMPANY ADDRESS TYPE
This setting determines the default address type used to create the primary address for a company profile. The company profile is generally defaulted to a business address.
COMPANY PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for a company profile. The company profile is generally defaulted to a business telephone number.
DEFAULT MEMBERSHIP TYPE
This setting determines the default membership type that will populate profile search fields. If this setting is left blank, the user must enter a membership type each time to locate a specific guest by member number. If it is populated, it will automatically appear in the field each time, and may be changed.
EMPLOYEE DEFAULT PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for a new employee profile. The employee profile is generally defaulted to a home telephone number.
INDIVIDUAL PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for an individual profile. The individual profile is generally defaulted to a business telephone number.
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PHONE TYPE TO COPY FROM ACCOUNT TO CONTACT
When creating a contact profile for a company, this setting determines the phone type that will default to the contact profile. Generally, a contact profile carries the business phone as the primary phone type.
PURGE DAYS
This setting determines the number of days that a guest profile has no activity before the system will automatically purge it in the night audit sequence. To purge, the profile must not be marked for “History” and must not have any future reservations attached.
9.2.14 Rates
Rates Functions
ADVANCE RATE RESTRICTION
Activating this function will enable the user to set rate restrictions and rate strategies in Opera.
ADVANCED PACKAGES
This application function allows properties to restrict the setup, and ultimately the complexity, of basic package configuration. Without this function active, users will not see the package configuration attributes for Overage, Alternate Transaction Codes, Profit, Loss, Post Next Day and Validation.
BASE RATES
Activate this function to enable the ability to copy a rate and its details for a new rate as well as increasing or decreasing the new rate by a percentage or a flat amount. This feature allows you to associate one rate code with another. Whenever a change occurs in the associated rate, all the room type/rate elements of the related rate codes reflect the change based on the defined calculation rules.
BEST AVAILABLE RATES
The feature displays best available rates by room type for a specific date range. Each property can determine the (up to 25) rate codes to take into consideration when calculating the best available rate (BAR) for a reservation.
DAY TYPES
Activate Day Type functionality by setting the value to “Y”.
GLOBAL RATE UPDATE
Activate global rate update functionality.
NEGOTIATED RATES
Setting this function to “Y” will allow the user to set up and use the negotiated rates function. This function allows the user to attach rate codes to a company profile and then if needed take the rate codes off the general rate query screen unless that company profile is included in the rate search.
PROMOTIONS
This is a way to put together a limited availability sales promotion including start and end dates, rate and market codes, arrival and departure times, and additional information, and make them accessible to sell in one easy package which, when chosen, populates the reservation accordingly.
RATE SEASONS
This function allows the hotel to pre-set ranges of dates during which the rates will change. This can help in configuring a long list of rate codes.
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RATE TIERS
Activate the Rate Tier Functionality. This allows configuration of Length of Stay Tiers and Rate Details by defined Lengths of Stay.
RATES BY DEFINED BUCKETS
Rate Details can be configured by three user defined buckets. The labels for the Buckets are user defined in Application Settings (RATE Group).
SURPRESS RATE
This feature is used to activate the suppress rate functionality.
Rates Parameters
BASE RATE EXTRA PERSON CALCULATION
This parameter indicates if the base rate calculation should be applied to extra adult and extra child amount.
DISTRIBUTABLE RATES
In a multi property hotel, this parameter enables the distribution of rates across properties.
HIDE PROMOTION RATES
This parameter allows the user to hide rate codes attached to Promotions in the Rate Query/Sales screen unless selecting the specific Promotion Code.
SET RATE CATEGORY RESTRICTIONS
This parameter allows the user to set rate restrictions at the rate category level.
SET RATE CODE RESTRICTIONS
This parameter allows the user to set rate restrictions at the rate code level.
SHOW ADD SEPARATE LINK PKGS TO RATES ON RATE QUERY
This parameter allows the user to display in the Rate Query packages configured to be Add Rate Separate Line.
Rates Settings
BEST AVAILABLE RATE TYPE
When Best Available Rates (BAR) are configured, the best rates available for a room type within a specified date range appear for a property on rate query and rate availability screens. Best Available Rates display either by Day or by LOS. This setting defines the method for this hotel. By Day: The Best Available Rate will be determined based on Day. Configure up to 25 Rate Codes per day for consideration of the Best Available Rate. The Rate Query will return up to 4 Rate Amounts per Room type for the Best Available Rate. By LOS: The Best Available Rate will be determined based on the Length of Stay. Create only one Rate Code per Length of Stay per Day as the Best Available Rate. The Rate Query will only display 1 Rate Amount per Room type as the Best Available Rate.
DEFAULT PACKAGE TRN CODE
This setting determines the transaction code used to post package rates on the folio. Package rates are composed of more than one transaction code; normally room revenue plus food, beverage or other revenue. The package posting transaction code set up in configuration must belong to a “Wrapper” transaction group.
DEFAULT TRN CODE
This setting determines the default transaction code used to create rate codes. When no rate code exists on reservations and blocks this is the transaction code used for forecasting purposes.
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If the hotel only uses one room charge transaction code, this is normally the default transaction code for posting.
RESTRICTION TYPES
This setting determines restriction types that can be set for the Property in the Rate Availability and Rate Strategy screens.
9.2.15 Reservations
Reservations Functions
ACCOMPANYING GUEST
This function allows the user to attach a profile to a reservation indicating that a guest is in house, but will not assign a folio to the accompanying guest as with a sharing guest.
ADD ON
This function allows the hotel to create copies of reservations. The Add On feature is used most often to create a copy of a guest reservation for a future stay. It requires much less time to create a copy than to create a new reservation. Once created, the arrival date and number of nights can be changed to reflect the new reservation information.
ALERTS
This function allows the user to enter messages to appear on screen during one of three points in the reservation cycle. The messages are specific to the reservation they were entered on. An alert can be configured to appear during the reservation phase at check in or at check out.
CALLER INFORMATION
Display Caller Information History within the Caller Info Reservation Option. This function would only show information received from a central system and/or received from the F7 Cross Reservation process.
CLOSING SCRIPT
This function activates the ability for the system to produce a closing script immediately following the confirmation number for every new reservation. The closing script can be customized to the needs of the hotel.
COMPONENT GROUPS
This function allows the user to activate the component Groups functionality. The Groups module is generally used to make reservations for five or more guests who have some features in common- e.g. they are all from the same company and are arriving on approximately the same dates or they are all member of an organized tour, etc. This module is specifically designed to manage reservations with various similar needs. Component groups are often thought of as groups within a group- one ‘umbrella’ block, which has components, or multiple different groups profile reservations, associated with it.
FIXED RATES
This function activates the ability for a user to overwrite the rate on a rate code and enter another dollar amount. If this is set to “N”, then adjust the rate using the Discount fields instead.
GENERIC ROOM TYPE
This functionality allows the user to create reservations for generic room types.
ITEM INVENTORY
The Item Inventory feature within Opera enables inventory items to be associated to both reservations and blocks, and at the same time to provide a simple forecast and analysis screen of the items defined. Items can include any equipment, products, supplies, or services that can be rented or sold to guests, or to catering customers as part of a catered function. Items can range from extra beds and cribs to flipcharts, irons, bicycles, flipcharts, and bartenders. Once items are
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defined they can then be attached separately to a reservation, attached to a block, or alternatively, attached to a package code.
PARTY
This function allows multiple room reservations to be created, and once separated will allow the user to locate all the related reservations at one time for billing or viewing purposes.
PAYMENT TYPES PER WINDOW
In the event that a guest wants to use more than one method of payment for their reservation, Opera allows this functionality by activating this function.
RESERVATION CONTACT
If the contact profile type is used, this option will allow the user to view the contact profile name on the reservation screen.
RESERVATION TRACES
This function activates the ability for the user to enter departmental reminders about a reservation. Traces may be generated about a reservation from the point the reservation is made until the day the reservation is due to check out.
SHARES
This function activates the full share functionality. Shares can be created by combining existing reservations or by copying reservations and using a second guest profile. Shared reservations each have their own reservation, their own confirmation number and their own folio. This is unlike the Accompanying Guest function that does not create an additional reservation, confirmation number or folio, but does register a second guest in the room.
SMS CONFIRMATIONS
This functionality activates the ability to send a confirmation message to a mobile device using Short Message Service (SMS) when this functionality is set to “Y”.
TURNAWAYS
This function activates the use of turnaway reasons which allows the hotel to record statistical information related to turned away business. When this function is set to “Y”, every search of the rate query screen will produce either a reservation or a turnaway.
WAITLIST
This function activates the ability for the hotel to maintain a waitlist in Opera. The reservations on the waitlist do not deduct rooms from inventory. Users may cancel or move back to the reservation list as needed.
WAKEUP CALLS
This function allows the user to set up wake up calls that when interfaced with some PBX systems make the Wake Up Call automatic. If not interfaced, the Wake Up Calls may be printed and used to manually call the guests at their appropriate times. Wake Up Calls for a guest are entered from any workstation for a single day or range of days.
Reservations Parameters
AUTO DEPOSIT SCREEN
This parameter activates the deposit screen on new reservations with existing deposit schedules will automatically appear when the user saves the reservation.
BLANK ARRIVAL DATE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the arrival date in the rate query screen will be blank, requiring the user to type in the correct date. If it is set to “N”, the default arrival date will default to the system date which may results in reservations errors if the users have a tendency to ignore fields that are automatically populated.
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If credit card swipes will be attached to any computer in the system, this parameter must be set to “Y”. If there will not be any credit card swipes attached to any computer in the system, this parameter must be set to “N”.
CHECK RESTRICTIONS ON CHECK OUT
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will validate any length of stay restrictions at check out. For example, if a guest books a rate that has a 3 day minimum length of stay, but chooses to check out a day early, the system will deliver a message that the length of stay restrictions has not been met. This would allow the user to enter any fees associated with an early checkout on that rate.
CONFIRMATION LETTER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then a confirmation letter will be required with every reservation. If it is set to “N”, then confirmation letters will be optional.
DEFAULT NON DEDUCT CHECK BOX
Default Non Deduct Check Box on Availability screens where separation between Non Deduct and Deduct Rooms is available.
EXCLUDE RATE FROM AUTH BASED ON ROUTING
Exclude Rate from authorization if the source payee name in routing instructions is not the same as the target and transaction code for accommodation exists in the routing instruction code.
MARKET MAIN GROUP
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then both the market group and the market code display in the list of values on the reservation screen. If it is set to “N”, then only the market code displays in the list of values on the reservation screen.
METHOD OF PAYMENT MANDATORY
When this parameter is set to”Y”, then the method of payment field within the reservation will be mandatory. When this parameter is N, it will be possible to save a reservation without a valid method of payment entered in the reservation.
PRIMARY SHARE
Allow the user to designate one sharer as the primary sharer.
PRINT REGISTRATION AT CHECKIN
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then a registration card automatically prints at check in. If it is set to “N”, then a registration card only prints manually. If printed manually, registration cards may print before or after check in as well as in a batch printing of registration cards.
PROFILE SEARCH PRIOR TO THE NEW RESERVATION
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the system will automatically search for a guest profile before beginning a reservation. If it is set to “N”, the system will search for a guest profile based on the entry in the last name and first name fields on the reservation. If there is no match in the system, a new profile will be created automatically.
RATE CODE MANDATORY
If this parameter is set to “Y”, a rate code is mandatory for all non-group reservations. If this parameter is set to “N”, it will be possible to make a reservation without a corresponding rate code.
RESERVATION MORE FIELDS
This parameter activates more fields tab on reservations.
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RESERVATION ROOM FEATURES
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then room features are available for reservations even if not entered on the profile. If this parameter is set to “N”, then room features are only available on a guest profile and will default to every reservation made by this guest.
ROOM TYPE TO CHARGE
This parameter activates the use of the RTC field in the reservation. It allows the system to place the guest in one room type but charge for another room type on the same rate code. This is generally the way that hotels are able to upgrade the guest using the same rate code.
TAX FREE GUESTS
Allow the user to make a distinction between taxable and tax free guests on the Country Statistics by Day report (stat_countrybyday).
TRANSPORTATION
Properties can set up information for the transportation services that are available at and nearby the property. This information then becomes available on the guest’s reservation.
Reservations Settings
CASHIERING PROMPT/FLOW AT CHECK IN
This setting determines the cashiering flow that users follow when prompted at Check In completion.
CHECK IN TIME
This setting determines the system’s default check in time used to default to confirmation letters and registration cards.
CHECK OUT TIME
This setting determines the system’s default check out time used to default to confirmation letters and registration cards.
DEFAULT PACKAGES
This setting defines the package elements posted during End of Day if the reservation has no rate code.
DEPOSIT RESERVATION TYPE
Default reservation type for deposit payments.
MAX NUMBER OF NIGHTS
This setting defines the maximum number of nights that a reservation can be booked. If a guest wants to book longer than the maximum number of nights, a message will appear stating that the reservation is over the limit on the number of nights.
PURGE CONFIRMATION LETTERS
This setting defines the Purge Confirmation Letters value used to determine how long confirmation letters created for guest reservations will be stored in the Opera database. The default is 180 days. This means that the customized confirmation letter will remain in the database 180 days following guest check out. Other options are 90 days and 365 days. Leave the setting blank to keep confirmation letters indefinitely.
RESERVATION FLOW
This setting allows the user to determine the reservation flow.
RESERVATION TYPE
This setting allows the hotel to pre-set a default reservation type. Usually the reservation type defaulted by the hotel requires a credit card entry.
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Reservations with reservation type selected in the parameter will not be automatically no showed during End of Day. Instead the arrival date will be automatically extended to the next day until departure day.
ROOM DISPLAY ORDER
This setting determines whether vacant rooms are sold from the lowest number to the highest or from the highest number to the lowest.
ROOM LIMIT PER RESERVATION
This setting determines the Maximum Number of Rooms Sold per Reservation. For example, if the hotel has determined that any multiple reservations over 10 rooms must be booked as a group, the room limit should be set at 9. This will keep the agents from booking more than the allotted number of rooms for transient guests.
PALM CHECK IN RECEIPT MESSAGE
This setting defines the message printed on the Palm Check-in Receipt. The default is “Enjoy your stay!”
PALM CHECK OUT RECEIPT MESSAGE
This setting defines the message printed on the Palm Check-out Receipt. The default is “Have a nice day!”
9.2.16 Rooms Management
Rooms Management Functions
ATTENDANT POINTS
This function allows the housekeeping department to track attendant points either for an incentive program or for housekeeping credits. Generally used by hotels that pay per rooms cleaned or credits earned rather than per hour.
DISCREPANT ROOMS
This function allows the hotel to track discrepant rooms to verify front office status. With the use of discrepant rooms, the housekeepers dial down both the Housekeeping status (clean or dirty) and the front office status (vacant, occupied). If there is a mismatch between the housekeeper’s front office status and the front office, a room discrepancy is created. These discrepancies must be resolved each night to avoid errors in posting.
FACILITY MANAGEMENT
This feature allows the user to activate the facility management functionality.
GUEST SERVICE STATUS
This function activates the guest service status functionality used without an interface or in conjunction with an interface.
HOUSE ASSIGNMENT
This function activates the ability to take rooms off the vacant room list without putting them out of order. It may also be used to indicate a special service that has been performed on a vacant room such as turndown or a Murphy bed made up. The front desk agent can see on the Vacant Room Search which rooms are available with these services.
INSPECTED STATUS
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional housekeeping status is visible to indicate the housekeeper has cleaned as well as that an inspector followed up. If this function is activated, the front office will not be able to check a guest into a clean room, but may only check a guest into an inspected room. This function requires that an inspector verify the status for every room and every day.
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MAINTENANCE
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to track room maintenance requests.
OUT OF ORDER
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to place out of order used to take rooms off line for deep cleaning or renovation. The reports subtract these rooms from occupancy and availability numbers.
OUT OF SERVICE
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to make rooms unavailable for use without affecting the inventory functionality.
PICKUP STATUS
Set this function to “Y” to activate an additional housekeeping status named Pickup. This status indicates that a housekeeper may need to go to a room to tidy but not perform a full clean.
QUEUE ROOMS
This function allows the property to use the queue rooms’ functionality. At times, guests arrive before their selected room or a room of their chosen room type is available for assignment. The resulting “backlog” can cause confusion at the front desk and, worst of all, guest dissatisfaction unless the situation is handled equitably and expeditiously. The Opera Queue Rooms feature helps the hotel to manage room assignments fairly and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts.
ROOM HISTORY
This function allows the user to search for a particular room over a range of dates to view the guests who have stayed in that room. It is generally used to locate a guest to return a found item from the room. From this screen, the housekeeper has access to the guest profile for contact information to return the lost item.
SELL LIMITS
This function activates the ability to set overbooking limits for the hotel. If users are restricted from overbooking the hotel, sell limits allow management to set an artificial inventory, which will allow the hotel to be overbooked in a controlled manner.
SIMPLE TASK SHEET
This function activates the housekeeping task sheets used to easily divide by section only. This is the simplest way to create housekeeping task sheets. These task sheets can be printed and sent to the floors with the housekeepers. If the hotel does turn down, this option does not contain all the information needed. If Rooms Management>Task Assignments is active then Rooms Management>Simple Task Sheets is not available.
TASK ASSIGNMENT
This function activates the housekeeping task sheets used to divide by section, by floor or divide evenly among the existing housekeepers. If the hotel provides turndown service, this is the method required to generate housekeeping task sheets. If Rooms Management>Simple Task Sheets is active then Rooms Management>Task Assignments is not available.
Rooms Management Parameters
DELETE REQUESTS OVER 60 DAYS
Automatically delete Resolved Maintenance Requests which are greater than 60 Days.
HOUSEKEEPING SECTIONS
If this parameter is activated it will allow the property to work with sections when generating task sheets/assignments.
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LEAST USED ROOMS
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If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the vacant rooms search screen will display the least used rooms first. If this parameter is set to “N”, then the vacant room search screen will display rooms in ascending numerical order.
TASKSHEET COMPLETION
This parameter allows the hotel to keep track of the completion of task sheets by Housekeeping Attendants.
UPDATE ROOM STATUS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then every room changes to Dirty during the night audit regardless of whether it had been clean and vacant the day before. If it is set to “N”, then only the occupied rooms will be changed to Dirty at the audit. All other rooms will maintain the housekeeping status from the previous day.
Rooms Management Settings
DEFAULT TASKSHEET TYPE
This setting defaults to a task sheet type.
HOUSEKEEPING CREDITS
This setting allows the hotel to use credit assignments for the housekeeping department. Housekeeping credits can be defined at the room number level for Stayover, Due Out, and Pickup (if function is active) amounts.
9.3 System Configuration
The System Configuration menu contains setup options for standard modules as well as add-on modules which are governed by additional license codes. Your system depends on your property's requirements and license code agreements. Select the System Configuration option to open the Opera System Configuration program.
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Chapter 10 End of Day Sequence
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Chapter 10 End of Day Sequence
The End of Day Sequence must run every night to update the system’s business date to the current day. Following the change in business date, procedures run to finalize the day’s business and reports generate for balancing the hotel. If the Income Audit feature is active, the End of Day Sequence updates the system’s business date and prints preliminary reports for the Income Auditor to use for balancing the following day. Once the system is financially balanced, the Income Auditor must complete the End of Day Sequence and close the business date.
To Run the End of Day Sequence (without Income Audit): o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Night Audit. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and select Login.
o o o
o
o
The Night Audit sequence appears on the left of the End of Day Routine. Each item must complete for the Night Audit to finalize. Select Start to begin. NO SHOWS: o No Show reservations for the current day appear as arrivals not checked in to the hotel. To process these reservations as No Show statistics, select Close and continue. DUE OUTS: o All Due Out reservations display as departures not checked out of the hotel. Resolve Due Outs by either extending the guest stay or settling the account. o To check out a Due Out, select Billing. To extend the Due Out, select Res. • From the Billing screen, check the guest out by selecting the Check Out button. • From the Reservation screen, add one more night to the guest’s stay and select OK to save. o Once all departures clear, select Close to continue with closing the cashier. CLOSE CASHIER: o Answer “Yes” to close the Night Audit Cashier. The Night Audit Cashier must close to continue the audit. o Verify all charges and payments and select OK.
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Verify any cash or checks to drop and select OK. Answer “Yes” to continue and close the cashier. Answer “Yes” to print the cashier report. Select OK to continue. Answer “Yes” to close any open cashiers. This closes the cashiers, but does not register a drop for them. NOTES AND WEATHER: o Enter Notes about any significant business details. These notes appear on the cover page of the Night Audit Report pack. o Press OK to continue. A broadcast message appears and disables users from running an active Opera session while the business day changes.
NOTE: At this point, the business date changes and users and log back into the system. o o o o Room and Tax postings begin automatically. Night Audit procedures run following Room and Tax postings. Night Audit Reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence and close the business date.
To Run the End of Day Sequence (with Income Audit):
Follow the steps below to complete an end of day routine using the Income Audit feature. o o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Night Audit. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and click the drop down arrow next to the Business Date field. Choose the business date to complete the End of Day Routine and select OK.
NOTE: Opera allows a maximum of five business dates open at any given time. o o o The Night Audit sequence appears on the left of the End of Day Routine. Each item must complete for the Night Audit to finalize. Select Start to begin. NO SHOWS: o No Show reservations for the current day appear as arrivals not checked in to the hotel. To process these reservations as No Show statistics, select Close and continue. DUE OUTS: o All Due Out reservations display as departures not checked out of the hotel. Resolve Due Outs by either extending the guest stay or settling the account. o To check out a Due Out, select Billing. To extend the Due Out, select Res. • From the Billing screen, check the guest out by selecting the Check Out button. • From the Reservation screen, add one more night to the guest’s stay and select OK to save. o Once all departures clear, select Close to continue with closing the cashier. CLOSE CASHIER: o Answer “Yes” to close the Night Audit Cashier. The Night Audit Cashier must close to continue the audit. o Verify all charges and payments and select OK. o Verify any cash or checks to drop and select OK. o Answer “Yes” to continue and close the cashier.
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o
o
Answer “Yes” to print the cashier report. Select OK to continue. Answer “Yes” to close any open cashiers. This closes the cashiers, but does not register a drop for them. NOTES AND WEATHER: o Enter Notes about any significant business details. These notes appear on the cover page of the Night Audit Report pack. o Press OK to continue. A broadcast message appears and disables users from running an active Opera session while the business day changes. o o o
NOTE: At this point, the business date changes and users and log back into the system. o o o o Room and Tax postings begin automatically. Interim Night Audit procedures run following Room and Tax postings. Interim Night Audit Reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence.
Once the income audit is complete, use the following steps to close the business date. o o o o o o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Income Audit. Select the business date to close. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and select OK to begin. Select Start to begin the audit’s final procedures. Final Night Audit procedures run. Final Night Audit reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following the procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence and close the business date.
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A VISUAL REFERENCE GUIDE
Copyright © 2005 MICROS Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 1 Getting Started
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CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED............................................................................................ 6 1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.2 LOG IN TO OPERA ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.3 USING OPERA WINDOWS ............................................................................................................. 7 1.4 USING OPERA KEYBOARD COMMANDS ........................................................................................ 8 1.5 USING HELP ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5.1 To Use Help ........................................................................................................................ 9 1.5.2 To Use the Table of Contents .................................................................................... 11 1.5.3 To Use the Index............................................................................................................ 12 1.5.4 To Use Search ................................................................................................................. 13 1.5.5 Help Screen Information ............................................................................................. 14 1.6 CLOSING OPERA .......................................................................................................................... 15
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CHAPTER 2 RESERVATIONS................................................................................................. 16 2.1 NEW RESERVATION ..................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.1 Reservation Flow ............................................................................................................ 16 2.1.2 Rate Query Screen ........................................................................................................ 16 2.1.3 Reservation Screen ....................................................................................................... 21 2.1.4 More Fields Tab............................................................................................................... 30 2.1.5 Reservation Options...................................................................................................... 32 2.2 UPDATE RESERVATION ................................................................................................................ 40 2.3 WAITLIST ..................................................................................................................................... 43 2.4 BLOCKS ........................................................................................................................................ 44 2.4.1 Business Block Search ................................................................................................. 45 2.4.2 Quick Business Block .................................................................................................... 57 2.4.3 Inquiry................................................................................................................................ 60 2.5 PROFILES ...................................................................................................................................... 62 2.5.1 Profile Search .................................................................................................................. 63 2.5.2 Company Profiles ........................................................................................................... 71 2.5.3 Travel Agent Profiles..................................................................................................... 73 2.5.4 Source Profiles ................................................................................................................ 75 2.5.5 Group Profiles .................................................................................................................. 77 2.5.6 Contact Profiles............................................................................................................... 79 2.6 ROOM PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 82 2.7 FLOOR PLAN ................................................................................................................................. 83 2.8 CONFIRMATION ............................................................................................................................ 84 2.9 CALENDAR OPTION ...................................................................................................................... 85
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CHAPTER 3 FRONT DESK ....................................................................................................... 87 3.1 ARRIVALS ..................................................................................................................................... 87 3.1.1 Advanced Search............................................................................................................ 88 3.1.2 Walk In............................................................................................................................... 90 3.1.3 Check In ................................................................................................................................ 90 3.1.4 Cancel/Reinstate ................................................................................................................ 90 3.2 QUEUE RESERVATIONS ............................................................................................................... 93 3.3 IN-HOUSE GUESTS ..................................................................................................................... 97 3.4 ACCOUNTS ................................................................................................................................... 98 3.5 ROOM BLOCKING ......................................................................................................................... 99 3.6 MESSAGES ................................................................................................................................. 101 3.6.1 Send Messages ............................................................................................................. 102 3.6.2 Display Messages ......................................................................................................... 103 3.7 TRACES ....................................................................................................................................... 103
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CHAPTER 4 CASHIERING..................................................................................................... 105 4.1 BILLING ...................................................................................................................................... 105 4.1.1 Button Options .............................................................................................................. 105 4.1.2 Right-Click Options...................................................................................................... 110 4.2 FAST POSTING ............................................................................................................................... 112 4.3 CASHIER FUNCTIONS..................................................................................................................... 114 4.3.1 Batch Folios ........................................................................................................................ 114 4.3.2 Batch Postings............................................................................................................... 116 4.3.3 Cashier Reports ............................................................................................................ 117 4.3.4 Cashier Status............................................................................................................... 117 4.3.5 Check Exchange ........................................................................................................... 118 4.3.6 Currency Calculator..................................................................................................... 119 4.3.7 Currency Exchange ..................................................................................................... 121 4.3.8 Exchange Rate .............................................................................................................. 122 4.3.9 Folio History ................................................................................................................... 124 4.3.10 General Cashier.............................................................................................................. 126 4.3.11 Journal.............................................................................................................................. 127 4.3.12 Petty Cash....................................................................................................................... 128 4.3.13 Receipt History.............................................................................................................. 129 4.3.14 Deposit/Cancellation ................................................................................................... 130 4.4 CLOSE CASHIER......................................................................................................................... 133 4.5 PASSERBY ................................................................................................................................... 136 4.6 QUICK CHECK OUT ................................................................................................................... 138 4.7 CREDIT CARDS .......................................................................................................................... 139 4.7.1 Settlements .................................................................................................................... 139 4.7.2 Authorization ..................................................................................................................... 140
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CHAPTER 5 ROOMS MANAGEMENT ................................................................................ 141 5.1 HOUSEKEEPING .......................................................................................................................... 141 5.1.1 Housekeeping Management..................................................................................... 141 5.1.2 Queue Rooms ................................................................................................................ 143 5.1.3 House Assignment ....................................................................................................... 144 5.1.4 Discrepant Rooms........................................................................................................ 146 5.1.5 Attendant Points........................................................................................................... 147 5.1.6 Task Assignment .......................................................................................................... 148 5.1.7 Facility Forecast............................................................................................................ 151 5.2 OUT OF ORDER/OUT OF SERVICE............................................................................................ 151 5.3 ROOM HISTORY ......................................................................................................................... 153 5.4 SELL LIMITS ............................................................................................................................... 154 5.5 OCCUPANCY GRAPH................................................................................................................... 156 5.6 MAINTENANCE............................................................................................................................ 156
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CHAPTER 6 ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ............................................................................ 159 6.1 ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................................... 159 6.2 TRANSFER F/O DATA ................................................................................................................ 163 6.3 CREDIT CARDS .......................................................................................................................... 165 6.4 RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................. 166 6.5 AR MAILINGS ............................................................................................................................ 167 6.5.1 Batch Statements ........................................................................................................ 167 6.5.2 Mailing History .............................................................................................................. 169 6.5.3 Reminder Letters.......................................................................................................... 170 6.5.4 Traces ............................................................................................................................... 171
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CHAPTER 7 COMMISSION HANDLING ......................................................................... 173 7.1 PAYMENT PROCESSING ............................................................................................................. 173 7.1.1 By Account...................................................................................................................... 173 7.1.2 By Agent.......................................................................................................................... 176 7.2 PAYMENT ACTIVITY .................................................................................................................... 176 7.2.1 Register............................................................................................................................ 176 7.2.2 Reprint Checks .............................................................................................................. 177 7.3 RESEARCH .................................................................................................................................. 178
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CHAPTER 8 MISCELLANEOUS............................................................................................ 180 8.1 REPORTS .................................................................................................................................... 180 8.2 INTERFACES ............................................................................................................................... 181 8.2.1 Interface Sub Menu..................................................................................................... 181 8.2.2 Wake Up Calls ............................................................................................................... 182 8.3 SHOW QUICK KEYS ................................................................................................................... 183 8.3.1 Opera Help (F1)............................................................................................................ 183 8.3.2 Occupancy Graph (Shift + F1)................................................................................ 183 8.3.3 Opera Help (CTRL + F1)............................................................................................ 184 8.3.4 Control Panel (Shift + F2) ........................................................................................ 185 8.3.5 Detailed Availability (CTRL + F2)........................................................................... 187 8.3.6 Room Search (F3)........................................................................................................ 188 8.3.7 House Status (Shift + F3) ........................................................................................ 188 8.3.8 Room Plan (CTRL + F3)............................................................................................. 191 8.3.9 Inquiry (Shift + F4)..................................................................................................... 192 8.3.10 Dashboard (CTRL + F4)............................................................................................. 195 8.3.11 Rate Information (F5) ................................................................................................ 196 8.3.12 Quick Book (Shift F7) ................................................................................................. 196 8.3.13 New Reservation (F7)................................................................................................. 196 8.3.14 Telephone Book (Shift + F7) ................................................................................... 197 8.3.15 Telephone Operator (CTRL + F8) .......................................................................... 197 8.3.16 Logout (F8)..................................................................................................................... 200 8.3.17 IFC Menu (Shift + F8) ................................................................................................ 200 8.3.18 Maximum Availability (CTRL + F8)........................................................................ 201 8.3.19 DIARY (SHIFT+F9) ...................................................................................................... 202 8.4 CHANGE PASSWORD ................................................................................................................. 202 8.5 DATA EXTRACTION .................................................................................................................... 203 8.6 AWARDS ..................................................................................................................................... 205 8.7 PROMOTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 206 8.8 ENROLLMENT .............................................................................................................................. 208 8.9 PRINT TASKS ............................................................................................................................. 208 8.10 USER ACTIVITY LOG.................................................................................................................. 210 8.11 FILE DOWNLOAD ....................................................................................................................... 212 8.12 REGISTRATION CARDS .............................................................................................................. 212
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CHAPTER 9 SETUP ................................................................................................................... 214 9.1 USER CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................. 214 9.2 APPLICATION SETTINGS ............................................................................................................ 219 9.2.1 AR....................................................................................................................................... 220 9.2.2 Blocks ............................................................................................................................... 223 9.2.3 Cashiering ....................................................................................................................... 227 9.2.4 Commission.................................................................................................................... 233
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9.2.5 End of Day ...................................................................................................................... 234 9.2.6 Exports............................................................................................................................. 235 9.2.7 Front Desk ...................................................................................................................... 236 9.2.8 General............................................................................................................................. 236 9.2.9 IFC ..................................................................................................................................... 238 9.2.10 Membership.................................................................................................................... 240 9.2.11 Multi- Property .............................................................................................................. 240 9.2.12 OWS .................................................................................................................................. 241 9.2.13 Profiles ............................................................................................................................. 241 9.2.14 Rates................................................................................................................................. 244 9.2.15 Reservations .................................................................................................................. 246 9.2.16 Rooms Management ................................................................................................... 250 9.3 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ......................................................................................................... 252 10 CHAPTER 10 END OF DAY SEQUENCE ...................................................................... 253
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.1 Introduction
As you use this guide, it is important to understand that Opera is extremely customizable. There are a number of functions to customize in the Property Management System (PMS), depending on the operational decisions of each hotel. This guide displays all possible functionality in the PMS. Your screens may display information in a different order or may not display some of the functionality mentioned here if the management decision was not to activate it. This section of the manual explains how to: Log into Opera Use the Opera Menu Windows Navigate through the Menu Windows using the mouse or the keyboard Access and use the Help Menus Use the Table of Contents for the Help Screens Use the Index to search for Help Topics Use the Search to locate Help Topics Close out of Opera
1.2 Log In to Opera
The Login screen provides access to the main screen of the Property Management System. Steps to Log In: o o Double click Opera on the desktop. When the Web Page opens, click on PMS to open Opera.
o o o Or o
Enter your user name as assigned by your administrator. Enter your password as assigned by your administrator. Select Login to initiate the login process verifying your user name, password, and property login.
Select Exit Button to close the screen and leave the Opera application.
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1.3 Using Opera Windows
Once in the Opera application, it is easy to navigate through the screens.
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1.4 Using Opera Keyboard Commands
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It’s possible to navigate through Opera primarily using keyboard commands.
To selection a button using the keyboard, hold down the [Alt] key and press the underlined letter on the corresponding button that you wish to select. In any screen, selecting OK will both save and close the active screen, Save will save any work done but keep the active screen open, and Close will close out of the screen with the option not to save changes.
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1.5 Using Help 1.5.1 To Use Help
To access the help screens, select the Menu Option for Help from the top of the screen.
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You may also press the [F1] key on the keyboard to access the help screens.
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1.5.2 To Use the Table of Contents
Search through the Table of Contents on the left side of the screen to locate the general topic. Select the folder icon to the left of the topic to open subtopics. Continue searching until the requested information displays.
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1.5.3 To Use the Index
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Type the first few letters of the topic in the search field. Select the topic to display the help message.
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1.5.4 To Use Search
The search field allows the user to locate instructions for specific functions in Opera. Use the search to locate the function and click it with the mouse.
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Once the Help information has been located, it will display on the screen. Any item displayed in blue letters and underlined will open additional information on the topic.
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1.6 Closing Opera
To close out of Opera at the end of a session, either use the Exit menu option at the top of the screen or double click the large Exit to the left.
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Chapter 2 Reservations
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Chapter 2 Reservations
This section of the manual explains the Reservation module of the Opera PMS system. Using the reservations module you can enter a new reservation, search, view and modify an existing reservation, enter and maintain group room allotments and rooming lists, generate guest confirmation letters individually or in batches, maintain a wait list and enter and update guest profile information.
2.1 New Reservation
When creating a new reservation, it is common to check both rate and room availability before reserving a room for a guest. To create a new reservation, select “Reservation” from the menu options at the top of the screen then “New Reservation” from the functions on the left.
2.1.1 Reservation Flow
The Reservations>Reservation Flow application setting allows you to customize the reservation process. Select from any of these options to control which screen appears when the user makes a new reservation: • Calendar – Display the Property Calendar screen first. Select the start date and end date for the reservation. (The default start date is today’s business date.) The Reservation screen appears, with the arrival and departure dates pre-filled. Calendar/Grid – Display the Property Calendar screen first. Select the start date and end date for the reservation. Following a prompt to select number of adults, the Rate Query Details screen appears. Select the rate for the reservation before proceeding to the Reservation screen. Direct – Go directly to the Reservations screen. Rate Query – Go directly to the Rate Query screen where you may enter the arrival and departure dates, number of persons, etc. From there the system moves to the Rate Query Details screen and finally the Reservation screen once a rate selection occurs. Room/Plan/Grid - The Room Plan screen provides a view of the occupancy and the availability of rooms over a period of time. In addition, the Room Plan offers you direct access to many of the most-used screens in Opera, and a shortcut to a variety of options such as moving guests to other rooms without having to access the Reservation menu, checking in guests, and creating shares.
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2.1.2 Rate Query Screen
If your property’s Reservation feature begins with the Rate Query screen, the first step in making a new reservation is to check availability. Availability varies depending on the dates of the guest’s stay and other parameters such as number of persons, room requirements and company, travel agent, and source affiliations. As the starting point for making a new reservation, the Rate Query screen is a flexible tool for searching availability based on a wide variety of search criteria. From the main menu, select Reservations>New Reservation to display the Rate Query screen. (You may also access this screen by selecting Scope on the Rate Query Details screen, or by pressing the [F5] key from anywhere in Opera.) You can query rates by any or all options on the Rate Query screen. This screen filters information so you can display only those rates that match your needs. For instance, if you want to display the rates available for an arrival date of July 1, 2005, for one adult with one room then select those values on this screen. The available rates that meet these criteria will display on the
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Rate Query Details screen when you select OK. (In addition, information you enter on the Rate Query screen pre-populates fields on the Reservation screen, once you have selected a rate for a reservation.)
Arrival: The calendar date on which the guest will check in to the hotel. Nights: The number of nights that the guest will stay in the hotel. Departure: The calendar date on which the guest will check out of the hotel. Adults: The number of adults who will be staying in the room. In many hotels, rates calculate depending on the number of adults. Therefore, it is important to enter the correct number of adults to quote the exact rate. Children: The number of children in the hotel’s first range of ages who will be staying in the room. In some hotels, the rates calculate based on the number of adults and/or children, so it is important to enter the correct number to quote the exact rate. Rates are also configurable based on the ages of the children in the room. No. of Rooms: The number of rooms required. If more than one room is required, it is important to enter the total needed to be sure that there is availability for all needed rooms. Name: If the guest has stayed at the hotel in the past and has a profile on record, entering the guest name here can speed the reservation process. Block: If the guest will be arriving as a group member, this field will be necessary to locate the specific group for an availability check on the group allotment rather than on the house inventory. Member Type: If the guest is a member of a frequent flyer program or has a hotel loyalty program number in their profile, this field helps to locate the guest quickly.
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Member No.: The member number is unique and use of this field locates the profile immediately if the guest previously stayed at the hotel. Company: If the guest is traveling for business, use of this field may help to locate the company’s negotiated rates. CORP No.: The corporate number is a unique identifying number for company profiles and can help to locate the right company profile quickly. Agent: If a travel agent is making the booking, attaching the correct agent profile during the availability check may help to locate negotiated rates, and will set the reservation for commission processing. IATA No.: Since the IATA number is unique; using this field to search will locate the exact travel agent more quickly. Source: Source profiles are useful for a number of reasons in a hotel. Searching for a specific source profile may help in paying commissions on a reservation or in locating an Accounts Receivable number for billing or for locating a negotiated rate. Source No.: Source number is a unique number assigned to a source profile and can help to locate the correct source profile more quickly. Show Rates Closed: Check this box to see closed rates on the grid. The default setting is to view only rates that are open and available. Show Rates Day Use: If the reservation is for “day use” (arrival and departure on the same day), checking this box will help to locate rates set up specifically for “day use” purposes. Show Rates Pseudo: If the hotel assigns rates to non-inventory rooms, such as parlors, condominiums or marina slips check this box to view rates for these room types. Pseudo rooms do not display availability, only rates. Show Rates Best Available: If the hotel is using the Best Available Rates functionality, checking this box will display the configured best available rates for each Room Type. Rate Class: Entering a choice in this field, i.e. if the search is only for Discount Rates or Rack Rates, causes only those rate codes attached to the rate class to display on the rate query screen. Rate Category: Entering a choice in this field, i.e. if only wholesale or holiday rates are selected, causes only those rate codes attached to the rate category to display on the rate query screen. Features: To search for rooms that have a particular feature, such as a balcony or a Jacuzzi, enter in this field to filter out rooms that do not contain the requested feature. Rate Code: To search for only one specific rate code, enter that code in this field. Packages: To locate rates, which may include a particular package option such as breakfast or parking, select this option. Promotions: To search for rates that are available for hotel or corporate promotions, the name of the promotion will generate a search for attached rate codes. Incl Non Deduct: Check the box include non-deduct rooms in room counts shown on the Rate Query Details screen.
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Enter all query information and select OK to proceed to the Rate Query Details.
The grid displays the rates for each rate code/room type combination. Rates given are for the dates of the stay and number of persons selected in the Rate Query screen. (You may control the display by using the Query search criteria.) Rate Codes appear on the left, Room Types appear across the top of the grid. To locate the rate for a particular room type, select the room type then the rate code. The Rate is at the intersection of the Rate Code and Room Type; just follow the associated column and row.
Screen Conventions
Include Overbooking: The figures shown in this row indicate the number of actual rooms in the hotel PLUS the number of rooms in each room type that have been approved by management for overbooking. Physical Inventory: The actual number of rooms available in each room type with no overbooking included. Yellow Highlighting: Rates highlight in yellow when the selected rate code involves multiple rates that may result in a rate change during the period of the guest’s stay (for example, if the rate for Friday through Sunday is $150 while the rate for Monday through Thursday is $350). When you select a rate code having multiple rates, a message advises you to review the Multiple Rate Codes screen to determine the effect of the rate changes on the guest. To do so, right-click in the Rate field on the Reservation screen and select “Multiple Rate Codes”. Negotiated Rates: Immediately to the right of the currency column is the negotiated rates column. The following codes may appear in this column, depending on the types of profiles attached to the query. o o C = Company profile attached to the query has negotiated rates. I = Individual profile attached to the query has negotiated rates.
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T = Travel Agent profile attached to the query has negotiated rates. S = Source profile attached to the query has negotiated rates.
Package Rates: "Pkg.” appears next to the negotiated rate column when a package exists for that rate code. Click on “Pkg.” to see package details. Overbooked Rates: Rates shown in red are overbooked. Depending on your permissions, you may select the rate even though it is overbooked.
Query Options
Average Rate: Display single-night rates. (This is the default) Total Rates: If the guest is staying more than one night, display total rates for the number of nights the guest is staying. For example, if the 1-night rate is $250 and the guest is staying 3 nights, the rate shown is $750. Best Available: Select this check box to include the Best Available Rates in the display. The property determines up to 25 rate codes to take into consideration when calculating the best available rate for a reservation. (Available when the Rates>Best Available Rates application function is set to “Y”.) Negotiated: Display negotiated rates attached to the profile of the individual guest, company, travel agent, group or source. If the profile has one or more negotiated rates attached, and the rates apply to the arrival date of the reservation, this check box checks by default and the display shows only the negotiated rates. To show other rates, uncheck this check box. Use the Neg. Rates option in Profile options to attach a negotiated rate to a profile. Promotions: Selecting this radio button displays all rates that are available for hotel or corporate promotions. Day Use: Selecting this radio button displays all rates configured for day use (arrival and departure on the same day). Rate codes may be configured as Day Use when they are set up (System Configuration>Rate Codes>Rate). Closed: Select this radio button to display currently closed rates.
Rate Query Details Buttons
Hurdle: When Opera interfaces with a yield management system, certain rates may not meet the specified hurdle rate for the dates of the reservation queried. Those rates are unavailable and Opera indicates this by the letter H on the Rate Query Details grid. If your user permissions include OVERRIDE RATECODE, the Hurdle button will be active. Highlight the H and select this button to see and, optionally select, the rate. Item Inventory: Use the Item Inventory screen to manage inventory items attached to a reservation. Wait List: Record a waitlisted reservation when the desired rate is not available and notify the prospective guest if the rate becomes available. When you select this button, the Waitlist screen appears. (You can also access the Waitlist screen by selecting Waitlist from Reservation Options.) Rate Info: View more information concerning the cost components of this rate, including room cost, taxes and charges for associated package elements. Analyze: Rate Restrictions placed on the rate code or room type. Rate restrictions include rates closed completely, or closed to arrival. They may also include rates that have a minimum length of stay or a maximum length of stay. This screen shows availability of the selected rate code for the next ten days into the future. Long Info: Additional information regarding the rate code, configurable by the hotel. Generally, long info will include free-form text with in-depth explanations of the rate code and its restrictions.
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This information is entered and edited from the Rate Setup screen (System Configuration>Rate Classification>Rate Codes). Turnaways: If the prospective guest decides not to make the reservation, select this button to display the Turnaways screen. (This button is available only if the Reservations>Turnaways application parameter is set to “Y”.) Reasons for not completing this reservation might include property full, rate too high, or suitable room type not available. OK: Selecting this option will take the user to the reservation screen to complete the reservation. All information selected to this point (guest name, number of nights, arrival date, rate code, room type, etc) will be carried to the reservation screen. Scope: Selecting this will return the user to the Rate Query Grid with the original query intact. Close: Selecting this will return the user to the Rate Query Grid and will reset the query to the default settings.
2.1.3 Reservation Screen
The Reservation screen holds information from the guest profile as well as stay information. The screen is generally exactly the same during the reservation phase, the arrival/check in phase and the in-house phase of the guest stay. The Reservation screen consists of the following sections: Header: Information about the guest and the guest’s company, travel agent, group and membership affiliations. A button links you directly to the guest’s Profile screen where complete guest demographics are stored. Detail: Particulars about the guest’s stay, including arrival and departure dates, room and rate information, payment method, credit cards, and packages. More Fields: Additional information such as transportation requirements. These fields are customizable for each property. Options in this section can control whether transactions post on the guest folio in the Billing screen, whether the guest may use video check out, and check out time. This section appears when the Reservations> Reservations More Fields application parameter is set to “Y” (this is the default). Indicator Lamps: Lamps (indicators or notations) may appear in the lower part of the screen to alert you about information that pertains to the reservation.
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Profile Information on the Reservation screen:
Name: This is the last name of the guest from the profile. If you type a name in this field, a search generates for matching profiles based on the entries in the Name and First Name fields. First Name: The first name of the guest from the profile. If you type a name in this field, a search generates for matching profiles based on the entries in the Name and First Name fields. Title: The guest’s title as entered in the profile. An entry in this field will populate in the profile as a permanent record. The greetings sort based on the language selected. This title addresses the guest in written correspondence. Knowing the courtesy title the guest prefers is also useful when you are dealing with the guest in person. Country: The country field as entered in the guest’s address in the profile. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate the profile as a permanent record. Language: The guest’s language as registered on the profile. Select the down arrow to open the Languages list of values and choose the guest’s preferred correspondence language. A default language for confirmation letters, folios, and guest mailings for your property establishes during configuration. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate in the profile as a permanent record. VIP: The VIP level for the guest. Take extra care when entering this field as it populates in the guest’s profile as a permanent record. Select the down arrow to open the VIP list of values. Phone: The Guest’s Home telephone number as registered in the profile. If you make an entry in this field, it becomes a permanent profile record. Member Type: A frequent flyer type or hotel loyalty type. Entering membership information on a reservation will generate membership or frequent flyer point calculations. (By selecting the membership organization here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the organization display when you perform a rate query for this reservation.)
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Member No.: The unique identifying frequent flyer or loyalty club membership number. Member Lvl.: The level of membership the guest has reached. The membership information configured by each hotel and may vary from property to property. Agent: Select the down arrow to display travel agent profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the travel agent that is associated with this reservation. Some properties pay a commission to travel agents based on the reservations they generate. In addition, by selecting the travel agent here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the travel agent display when performing a rate query for this reservation. Company: Select the down arrow to display company profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the company that is associated with this reservation. By selecting the company here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the company display when you performing a rate query for this reservation. Group: Select the down arrow to display group profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the group associated with this reservation. Source: When the Profiles>Source application function is set to “Y”, select the down arrow to display source profiles in the Profile Search screen. Choose the source associated with this reservation. (By selecting the source here, you ensure that any negotiated rates for the source display when you performing a rate query for this reservation.) Contact: Select the down arrow to open the Billing Contacts screen. This screen displays all profiles defined as having a relationship with any of the company, travel agent, group or source profiles attached to the reservation. Select a maximum of two contact profiles – a reservation contact and/or a billing contact. If the contact has no relationship and is new, select New to create a new or select an existing contact and select their relationship. Note: Only one billing contact and one reservation contact is allowed for each reservation. You can select the same contact to be both reservation contact and billing contact if necessary. If you select two different contacts, the Contact field is highlights in yellow. Statistical information gathers on contact profiles that link as reservation contacts. Historical and future stay records are also available for reservation contacts. No statistical or stay information is collected for billing contacts.
Reservation Details
The main part of the Reservation screen contains particulars about the guest’s stay, including arrival and departure dates, room and rate information, payment method, credit cards, and packages. If the guest’s stay covers multiple days, certain elements of the reservation, such as rate code and rate, may not remain the same for the entire stay. If information varies over the length of the stay, the field highlights in yellow. Note: Your property has the option of using the Opera Screen Painter feature to add fields to the Reservation screen. Therefore, your screen display may not exactly match the description of the standard display provided in this help topic.
Stay Information on the Reservation screen:
Arrival: Use the calendar tool or manually type in the date to select the arrival year, month and day. The weekday name displays next to the date selected. The default is today’s date. The date you select cannot be a past date. (If the Reservations >Blank Arrival Date application
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parameter is set to “Y”, the Arrival Date field will be blank rather than defaulting to today’s date. You must manually enter an arrival date.) Note: You may enter +1, +2 … to advance or -1, -2 … to back-up the arrival and/or departure date by 1 day, 2 days, etc. Use ++1 or --1 to advance or back up by a week. Use +++1 or ---1 to advance or back up by a month. Departure: The Departure Date field entry changes according to the entries in the Arrival Date and Nights fields. The default is the next business date. Use the calendar tool or manually type in the date to select the departure year, month and day. The weekday name displays next to the date selected. Note: If the External Activities Scheduler license code (OPX_CONC) is active, and one or more activities attach to the reservation, a message advises you if a change in departure date causes an activity to fall outside of the dates of the stay. Nights: The number of nights the guest is staying. The default is 1. Changing the number in this field automatically changes the departure date. Conversely, changing the departure date automatically changes the number in this field. You may adjust the number by typing + or – in the field. The total number of nights displays next to the number entered. Enter 0 (zero) to reserve a day use room. The text Day Use displays next to the 0 entry. Adults: The number of adult guests in the room for this reservation. Opera calculates the room rate based on this number. The field defaults to 1. Note: Zero may appear here if the reservation is for one or more children who will be staying in their own room (unaccompanied by an adult). Child: The number of minor guests in the room (the age for children will vary from hotel to hotel. Consult management to find out the official age range for children). This field defaults to zero. If rates have been configured based on varying ages of the children, selecting the arrow to the right of the field will allow the user to see how many children in each age range are expected. Select Ellipsis button to see the number of children in each age group (e.g., Child 1-3 years, Child 4-12 years, Child 13+ years). No. of Rooms: The number of rooms required for the guest. The field defaults to 1. If, for example, the guest requires 2 rooms, enter 2 in this field. All rooms will be of the same room type. Alternatively, if the guest requires more than one room, you may use Add On. With Add On, this reservation duplicates, but you can change the room type for the second (duplicate) reservation. The number of rooms entered here subtracts from availability. Note: When adding-on a reservation to a single reservation with multiple rooms, the message “Do you want the Add On reservation to be for X rooms?” is displayed. If you select No, an Add On reservation creates for only one room. If you select Yes, an Add On reservation creates for the number of rooms in the original reservation. Xbed: The extra beds required in the room. This may affect the room rate, depending on the configuration of the hotel’s rate codes. Cribs: The number of cribs required in the room. This may affect the room rate, depending on the configuration of the hotel’s rate codes. Room Type: Select the down arrow to display the Room Types list of values (e.g., deluxe double, deluxe king, standard double, etc.). Choose a room type from the list. The room type
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automatically populates when you select a rate code and room type from the Rate Query screen (see Rate Code, below). Note: Once the reservation saves and a confirmation number generates, the number of rooms entered in the Number of Rooms field deducts from the property’s inventory of this room type (provided the Reservation Type acts as “Deduct from Inventory”). RTC (Room Type Charged). This field will generate the room rate. When the Reservations>Room Type to Charge application parameter is set to “Y”, this field is displayed. If the Room Type field and the Room Type Charged (RTC) fields differ, the guest checks into the Room Type room, but the system only charges for the RTC room. This is the most efficient way to upgrade a guest. Room: The actual room number the guest will occupy. In the reservation, this field indicates the pre-blocked room the guest occupies. In the Arrival screen, this field indicates the room that the guest checks into. In the In-House screen, this field indicates the room the guest is occupying. Select the down arrow to display the Available Rooms Search screen. The screen displays room numbers for the selected room type, along with room features, floor number, reservation status and current housekeeping status associated with each. You may search to identify inspected rooms, smoking and non-smoking rooms, and rooms with specific features such as a particular view. Rate Code: Select the down arrow to open the Rate Query screen. Choose a rate code and room type for this reservation. For new reservations, a default rate code appears here if it is set by the Reservations>Default Rate Code application parameter. When you select a rate code and room type from the Rate Query screen, the room type populates the Room Type filed, the rate code populates the Rate Code field, and the rate populates the Rate field. Whether a deposit is required or a cancellation penalty applies may be determined by the reservation type and/or rate code. Fixed Rate: If a change occurs on the rate, but not to the rate code, it is necessary to use this Fixed Rate feature to keep the rate from returning to its configured amount whenever accessing this screen. When the Reservations>Fixed Rate application function is set to “Y”, this field is displayed and fixed rate functionality is enabled. Note: For multiple night stays, you may set a fixed rate for one or more individual nights by selecting the ellipsis button next to the Rate field in order to display the Multiple Rate Codes screen. Edit the rate amount for those dates on which you desire to set a fixed rate. Rate: The dollar amount charged for the Room Type requested (or Room to Charge if an upgrade occurs). The currency code to the left of the field shows the currency in which the rate displays. The rate automatically populates when you select a rate code and room type. (You may select values for the Rate Code and Room Type fields individually, or you may select a rate from the Rate Query screen, in which case the Room Type, Rate Code and Rate are populated.) The Rate field highlights in yellow when the selected rate code involves a rate change during the period of the guest’s stay. For example, assume the rate for the Friday through Sunday period is $150 while the rate for the period Monday through Thursday is $350. If the guest is staying for 5 nights, the Rate field highlights in yellow. Select ellipsis and choose Multiple Rate Codes to check the rates that will apply during the guest’s stay. Packages: Select the down arrow to display the Packages screen. This screen lists any packages associated with the reservation, either attributable to the rate code that has been selected or added separately to the reservation. When a package is part of the rate code, the package price may be exclusive or inclusive. Exclusive packages are not included in the rate. When an exclusive package is associated with the reservation, a separate amount appears under the Rate field showing the combined rate plus packages price. In addition, the package code
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displays in the Packages field and inclusive packages are those included in the rate. You may use the Packages screen to change whether a package is inclusive or exclusive. Block Code: If the guest is a member of a group, the block code is the linking information for this reservation to the group. From this screen you may search for the block; from the list of room types available for each night of the block you may then select the room type for the reservation. Use the down arrow to display the Block Search screen. Arrival Time: In the reservation phase, the Arrival Time indicates the expected arrival of the guest. When the guest checks in, the system will enter the actual check-in time for historical purposes. Res. Type: The Reservation Type indicates the guarantee method, whether by 6 PM hold, credit card hold, company hold, etc., and also indicates whether or not the rooms associated with this reservation deducts from inventory and availability. For new reservations, a default reservation type appears here if it is set by the Reservations>Reservation Type application setting. Opera stores availability information by reservation type; you can see how many of the expected arrivals are guaranteed for a 6 PM check-in, guaranteed for a late check-in by credit card, nonguaranteed, etc. Whether a deposit is required or a cancellation penalty applies may be determined by the reservation type and/or rate code. Market: The market code breaks down all room revenue associated with this reservation for accounting and statistical purposes. This field collects information for statistical reports. Generally the Market Code attaches to the Rate Code and should not adjust. Source: Information regarding the source of the reservation (or how the booking came to the property) indicates in the Source field. Some examples might be GDS, Walk In, Sales Office, Referral from Sister Property, or any other appropriate entry. This field collects information for statistical reports. Origin: Generally used in hotels using GDS or CRS. Choose a category of business channel (e.g., central reservations office, GDS members) from which this reservation originated. Cross reference reservation origins with reservation sources for statistical purposes (for example, to see how many guests made a reservation via GDS solicited by a direct mail promotion). Payment: The method of payment used to guarantee this reservation. This is usually a required field. Select the down arrow to display the Payment Methods list of values. Choose a payment method (e.g., Visa, Master Card, American Express, cash, check, direct bill) from the list. When you collect an advanced deposit, accept a payment, or check out this guest, Opera automatically defaults to this payment method. When the Reservations>Payment Types Per Window application function is set to “Y”, multiple payment methods can be made for a reservation. If more than one method is applied, the background of the Payment Method field will be yellow and an ellipsis button displays beside the down arrow. Select the ellipsis button to view or edit the Payment Methods screen (See Multiple Payment Methods for details). If you select a credit card payment method, Opera prompts you whether you wish to add the credit card number to the guest’s profile. If you select "Yes", the credit card number you enter in the Credit Card No field and the expiration date you enter in the Exp. Date field will be stored in the guest’s profile and will be available when the guest makes reservations in the future. The Profiles>Profile Credit Card application function controls whether or not you are prompted to add the credit card information from the profile. When the IFC>CC Number Not Mandatory For Reservation application parameter is set to “Y”, a credit card number and expiration date are not mandatory when making or changing a reservation with a credit card payment method, nor is a credit card number required when checking the guest in or while the guest is in-house. In addition, when this option is set, no credit authorization performs at check in or by end of day routines.
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Note: When the guest chooses to pay by credit card, you may skip the Payment field and go directly to the Credit Card No. field to enter the credit card number. Opera will automatically select the appropriate payment method. Credit Card Number: Enter the guest’s credit card number in this field. This field is mandatory if you select a credit card payment method in the Payment field. When the guest makes a payment at check out, the payment method defaults to the credit card number on the reservation. (The guest can select a different credit card number or a different payment method altogether.) Should the guest choose to pay by credit card at check out, only the last 4 digits of the credit card number display; the remainder of the numbers mask with X’s. Expiration Date: The expiration date as listed on the credit card. CRS Res. Number: The confirmation number from a central reservation system, if applicable. Depending on the CRS, this number may be auto-populated when the reservation originates from a central reservation system. Approval Code: Once the guest has checked in with a credit card, the system will send out for bank approval of funds. The approval code returned will be viewable on the reservations screen. This field is not editable, only viewable. Approval Amount: The amount of money approved by the bank for this guest’s stay. Suite With: The room number for rooms connected to the room identified in the Room field, if applicable. Confirmation: Select this check box to prepare a Confirmation Letter via fax, email, or print for a new reservation. This box is automatically checked if the Reservations>Confirmation Letter application parameter is set to “Y”. For new reservations, the Confirmation check box on the Reservation screen is editable. If the user selects the check box (or if it is selected by default via the Reservation>Confirmation Letter application parameter), the Confirmation screen automatically appears for the user to request to send the confirmation letter. When a reservation is updated, the reservation screen will show a grayed-out Confirmation check box, either checked (if a confirmation letter was requested) or unchecked (if a confirmation letter was not requested), as appropriate. If no confirmation letter generated, the Confirmation button from the Reservation Options menu accesses the Confirmation screen and requests a confirmation letter. When the user returns to the Reservation screen, the Confirmation check box, notice the selected check box is gray. When a guest cancels their reservation, a confirmation letter can now send to them. Guest Balance: The amount of money the guest currently owes. In the case of a deposit, a negative sign will indicate a credit balance. Disc. Amt./%: Enter an amount (in the first field) and/or a percentage (in the second field) to reflect a discount on the rate. The Rate field is adjusted by the amount and/or percentage entered. If both an amount and percentage exists, the percentage discount calculates first, and the discount amount subtracts from the adjusted rate. (A negative amount and/or negative percentage apply to the rate.) For example if the rate is $300 and you enter an amount of $50 and 10%, the rate adjusts to $220. (300-30)-50=220. Note: When a rate code is assigned to the reservation, the Discount Amount, Discount %, and Discount Reason fields are available if the Discount check box is selected on the Rate Setup screen’s Rate Header tab (System Configuration>Rate Management>Rate Classification>Rate Code). If the Discount check box remains unselected, you may not edit these fields. If a reservation exists with a discount applied, and you select a new rate which does not support discounts, the discount amount and/or percentage values remove and the applicable fields gray out. For multi-rate reservations, the rate code on the arrival date determines whether a discount
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Reason: If you offer a discount amount or discount percentage, enter a reason in this field. Choose a Reason from a pre-configured list entered by hotel management. Specials: Select the down arrow to display the list of Feature Code Values. Check one, multiple, or all special requests (e.g., foam pillows, crib, rollaway, extra towels) from the list. If you select any specials, Opera prompts you to indicate whether you wish to add these to the guest’s profile for this property. Comments: Select the down arrow to display the Reservation Comments screen. Use this screen to enter new comments and to review all comments associated with this reservation. If one or more reservation comments are associated with this reservation, the Comments lamp appears in the lower left section of the Reservation screen. The most recently entered comment appears in this field. There are three types of comments: Reservation Comments – these comments appear at any time this reservation is accessed prior to the guest’s arrival. In-House Comments – these comments appear once the guest checks into the hotel. Cashiering Comments – these comments appear in the guest folio screen, not on the reservation screen. Note: When creating a new reservation, if Reservation-type comments exist on the guest’s profile and the Profiles>Reservation Comments application parameter is set to “Y”, the system will automatically copy the comments to the new reservation. Delete comments if you do not wish to keep them on the reservation. Promotions: When the Membership>Promotions Module application parameter is set to “Y”, this field is displayed. Select the down arrow to display the Promotions list. Promotions (e.g., Fall Holiday, Super bowl Sunday, Buy One Get One Free) that are currently available display on this screen. Select one, multiple or all promotions from the available promotions list. Item Inv.: Inventory items (for example, extra beds, cribs, recreational equipment, audio-visual hardware, and so on) attach to a reservation through a package or through the rate code. If so, the items display in this field. You may also attach inventory items to the reservation manually. To do so, select the down arrow to open the Item Inventory screen. This field is available when the Reservations>Item Inventory application function is set to “Y”. Certain items may have traces associated with them when configured. If so, the traces automatically attach to the reservation. Along the bottom of the screen the following view-only information displays: Created By: this is the Opera user ID that created this reservation On: The date this reservation generated. Updated By: The user who last updated the reservation On: The date that the reservation last updated.
Refresh Rates and Multiple Rates
When you right click with the mouse on the ellipsis button next to the Rate field, an options menu appears.
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Refresh Rates: Select this option to make sure you are displaying the most current rate information, particularly when you are updating an existing reservation. For example, if the rate amount changes from $100 to $150, new reservations books at the new rate of $150. However, if you wish to update an existing reservation made before the rate change, you would use this option to refresh the rate to reflect the current amount. Not only rate amounts, but other rate code details, such as changes to packages associated with the rate code, refresh as well. Multiple Rate Codes: Select this option to see the Multiple Rate Codes screen. This screen shows the individual rates for each night of the guest’s stay. Yellow highlighting indicates that there is a rate change over the course of the stay. (Rate codes may change over the course of the guest’s stay. For example, a guest traveling on business may spend the first two nights of his or her stay at a corporate rate. If the guest decides to stay an extra night for personal reasons, he or she may change to a rack rate for the final night; in this scenario, multiple rate codes will apply to the stay.)
To Enter Multiple Rates on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o Select the gray box to the right of the Rate field and select Multiple Rate Code to view details. Highlight the desired date for a Rate Code change and select Edit. Select the drop down arrow next to Rate Code to view availability for alternate Rate Codes for the selected date. Select an available Rate Code for the same Room Type reserved and select Res. to return the selection to the reservation. Select "Yes" to update the Market Code. Select "Yes" to update the Source Code. Note the newly changed Rate Code and Rate Amount for the Daily Element of Multiple Rate Codes. Select OK to save changes.
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Note the newly changed Rate Code that indicates a rate change in effect by the yellow highlight. Select OK to save changes and return to the main reservation. Select OK to respond to the warning message. Note the yellow highlight in the Rate Code, Rate, Market, and Source fields indicating that each of these categories will change during the duration of the guest’s stay. The displayed fields always default to the arrival date’s rate elements. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation.
2.1.4 More Fields Tab
From the Reservation screen it is possible to access a secondary screen that holds additional reservation information. To do so, select More Fields directly above the Arrival Date field.
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The More Fields Screen The More Fields screen contains posting, tax and transportation information. It is also a screen customizable for a hotel or company, so it may appear quite different in each hotel. If the screen varies from the below configuration, hotel management will explain the use of the More Fields screen.
No Post: This field checks automatically depending on the form of payment in the reservation. If the form of payment is cash or check, the hotel generally requests that no automatic postings post to a guest’s account unless a substantial deposit exists on the room. If the No Post field is checked, the telephone interface will not be activated for out-going calls, the restaurants will not be able to post restaurant checks to room charge, movies will not be activated and any other interfaces that post charges. Print Rate: If this box is checked, the rate prints on any confirmation letters or registration cards. Some rate codes are configured Do Not Print automatically, particularly in the case of wholesale rates. Check this field for individual reservations as well. Video Check Out: If you allow the guest to use video check out, check this field. Like No Post, this field activates depending on the payment method. If the guest has sufficient credit at the desk, and if you collect a credit card at check in, the Video Check Out option activates. Generally, do no allow this option with cash or check payment types. C/O Time: This field indicates the guest’s check out time. Make an entry in this field while the reservation is in reserved or in-house status; however the system overwrites it with the actual checkout time at the guest’s departure. This will register the actual check out time in history. Tax Type: If the guest is exempt from some or all taxes, setting the tax type in the reservation determines which taxes, if any, post to the guest’s folios. Exempt No.: If the guest is tax exempt, accounting generally requires a tax-exempt number from the exempt organization. Enter that number in this field. Pickup Req’d: If the guest requires transport from the airport, train station, bus terminal or shipping port, a yes indicator in this field will generate information on a transport report.
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Transport Type: The Transport Type indicates the type of transportation that the guest will require, whether it is shuttle, taxi, limousine or any other type of transport provided or organized by the hotel for arrival. Arrival Date: The date the guest will arrive at the city. Pickup Time: The time to pick the guest up at the station. Drop off Req’d: If the guest requires transport to the airport, train station, bus terminal or shipping port, a yes indicator in this field will generate information on a transport report. Transport Type: The Transport Type indicates the type of transportation that the guest will require, whether it is shuttle, taxi, limousine or any other type of transport provided or organized by the hotel for departure. Departure Date: The date the guest will depart from the city. Drop off Time: The time to drop the guest off at the station.
2.1.5 Reservation Options
The Options button from the Reservation screen contains a large number of functions to customize a reservation for a guest. Options are available from the Reservation screen or from the Reservation Search screen.
Accompanying: This option adds a guest to a reservation without opening a folio or allowing separate billing for the guest. To use this option, Select Attach and either locate or create a profile for the accompanying guest. This profile will remain on file in the hotel; however, the accompanying guest will not have a separate folio while in the hotel. Use this instead of the Shares function if very simple shares situations exist. Add On: This option creates a copy of the guest reservation. Selecting Add On will create a new reservation with all the same attributes as the original. Some uses for Add On reservations are to create a second reservation for the same arrival and departure dates very easily. Once
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created, the guest’s profile changes to another. Another use for an Add On reservation is to create a reservation for the same guest for the future. Once the Add On reservation creates, the arrival date changes and the reservation is complete
To Create an Add On Reservation: o o o o o From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. From the Reservation Options, select Add On. Select "Yes" to create the Add On. Make any necessary modifications to the new reservation; select OK to save changes and receive a new confirmation number. Select OK to the confirmation number message; the new reservation window will close.
Agent/Company: This option attaches additional profiles to the reservation. Travel Agent, Company, Group or Source profiles can be located and attached using this feature. There is no difference on the reservation if the profiles are attached using Agent/Company than if they were attached to the main Reservation screen. When setting up charge routing, access to additional profiles is quicker from this option. Alerts: Alerts generate messages to appear at various times in the life of the reservation. Configure alerts for a pre-blocked room to appear every time you access the reservation prior to check in to warn users not to change the room blocked. Configure another alert to appear at check in to locate the Front Office Manager for a VIP arrival, or to collect a voucher needed at check in. Also, configure an alert at check out to remind users to collect safety-deposit-box keys.
To Add an Alert to a Reservation: o o o o o o o o From either the Reservations Search Results screen or the In-House Guest Search results screen, locate the desired reservation or guest. Highlight the guest and select Options. Select Alerts. Select New to add a new Alert. Click on the drop down arrow to select the Code. Highlight the appropriate Alert and select OK. Click on the drop down arrow to highlight and select the Area or department for the Alert message to display on the reservation. Check-In alerts display when the Front Desk accesses the arrival; Checkout alerts display when the Cashier accesses a due-out guest folio; Reservation alerts display when accessing the record in Reservations. Select Save to save the Alert. Be sure to save changes to the reservation before exiting.
o o
Billing: This option appears once the guest checks in and allows the user to access the guest folio while working with the reservation. All normal functions of the Billing screen are available by accessing this option, depending on user rights. Changes: Any updates or changes made to a guest reservation are logged and available for view. Each change to the reservation tracks as well as the agent making the change, the time and the date. This option helps to track history of information on a guest reservation. Confirmation: From this option, send confirmation letters to the guest or to any other profile attached to the reservation. Depending on the configuration of the hotel’s network, the confirmation letters may be printed, faxed or emailed. Also, customize for an individual from this option.
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From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Select Confirmation from the Reservation Options. Highlight the Conf. Name to send and select OK. Click on the drop down arrow next to Address, Email, or Fax to select from available directory information. Highlight the appropriate address to deliver the Confirmation to and select OK. If you need an alternate address, email, or fax, highlight the New Address, New Email, or New Fax line to initiate the creation of new directory information. Place an “X” in the field under the preferred delivery method, and select Send. Print jobs send to the workstation’s designated printer for Confirmations; Fax and Email open the appropriate programs for delivery. Note the Successful Status for the printed Confirmation. Select Close to return to Reservation Options, then Close to return to the main reservation. An alternate way to initiate the printing of a Confirmation Letter is to check the Confirmation box when creating a new reservation. Once a Confirmation Number is given, the Confirmation screen will automatically appear.
Credit Cards: Make changes or updates to the credit card authorization information from here. When Opera installs in an existing hotel, entering the manual authorization information from the previous system makes the guest’s check out go much more smoothly. The hotel also has a default calculation for authorizing credit cards, generally the number of nights multiplied by the rate plus either a flat sum or a percentage for taxes and incidentals. There are occasions when this calculation will over-authorize a card, so the option to manually change the expected authorization is included here. Finally, if a guest bill exceeds the amount pre-authorized, obtain additional authorization using this option. Delete: The Delete option will delete the reservation entirely from the database. Do no use this option to replace the cancel option, and is generally controlled through User Rights. Deposit: The Deposit option posts an advance deposit on a guest’s reservation. The deposit option may also post a deposit request schedule or to post a deposit payment on the reservation. The deposit request schedule most often applies to large group posting master deposits, but is also for individual reservations as well. If a deposit schedule rule exists on the rate code or the guarantee type on the reservation, the deposit request enters on the reservation automatically, otherwise enter a deposit request manually.
To Enter a Manual Deposit Request: o o o o o Select Deposit on the Options screen of a reservation. Select New to enter a Deposit Request. By clicking on the drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and select OK. Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $149.00 would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o Select Post Deposit to post a collected advance deposit. Log into your Cashier by entering your Password; select Login. Click on the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK.
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o
Fixed Charges: The Fixed Charges option is used to pre-set automatic postings on a reservation. These charges post immediately after the Room and Tax postings during the End of Day (Night Audit) Sequence. Some examples of fixed charges might be extra bed charges, parking charges, refrigerator rentals or any other charge that automatically posted on a nightly basis. Fixed charges can also post on a weekly or monthly basis as well, and as a result can post weekly or monthly rental fees.
To Enter Fixed Charges: o o o o o o o From a Reservation Options, select Fixed Charges. Select New to enter a fixed charge. Dates will default to original reservation dates of stay. Highlight the desired Transaction Code for the Fixed Charge and select OK. Complete the Amount, Quantity, as well as posting frequency and select OK to save. Select Close to return to the Options menu. Select Close from the Options menu to return to the main Reservation or Reservation Search screen; be sure to save changes before exiting.
History: Find information on previous guest stays in the Reservations Options screen. Access Guest History stored in the profile either through the profile or through a reservation. The stay info screen displays arrival and departure dates from previous stays, as well as folio history for this guest printable from this screen. The Revenue screen displays all accumulated revenue divided into the hotel’s configured revenue buckets. Locator: Locators alert all users to a guest’s location for transferring telephone calls or for quick access. Use Locators if a guest will be out of the room, but wishes to have calls transferred to a different location in the hotel. Also, use Locators if a guest’s room is not ready at check in and the guest will need to be located once the room is ready.
To Enter a Locator on a Guest’s Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From a completed reservation, select Options in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Locators only apply to guests arriving on the current day or checked in guests. Select Locator. Select New to enter a new locator. Enter the Begin Date for the locator and the End Date for the locator. Enter the Begin Time and End Time for the locator. On the right side of the screen, highlight the location the guest will be. Enter that text in the space at the bottom of the screen, if needed. Select Save when finished.
Messages: Enter text messages on a guest’s reservation. In most hotels, this will activate the message light on the telephone in a guest’s room indicating that a message is waiting. Once you deliver a message to a guest, it must be marked as received to inactivate the message lamp in the room.
To Enter a Text Message for a Guest: o o o o Select Messages. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then select the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save.
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Once the return Phone No. exists, press the [Tab] key to move the message information into the text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Select "Yes" to send the message to the guest. This will turn the message light on in the guest room. To print the message for delivery to the guest room, select Print on the highlighted message. Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. Note the Message lamp on the reservation screen indicating that a message is waiting for delivery. To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select Received. This will turn off the message light in the guest room. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
Package Option: The Package Option is a tool for front desk users and managers to research how much a guest consumed of a package element. Package elements such as breakfast have an upper limit to the amount of money a guest may consume. Above that pre-determined allowance, any further charges will post on the guest’s bill. The package option displays the allowance amount, the amount consumed by the guest and the overage, which posts on the guest bill. Each day the package element is valid displays separately. Party: Entering more than one room on a reservation creates party reservations. A reservation with multiple rooms and a single confirmation number can split to multiple rooms and multiple confirmation numbers. Once split, party reservations are located by selecting the original name on the reservation. All party reservations, regardless of the name on the reservation at check in display when a searching by Party name.
To Create Party Reservations: o o o o o o o o o o o o o The initial reservation must have more than one room entered in the No. of Rooms field. From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight the primary reservation to begin the party, and select Options. Select Party. To split a multiple-room reservation into two separate reservations within the party, highlight the reservation and select Split. Select "Yes" to copy payment details from the original reservation to all split reservations; select No to enter a unique payment for all split reservations. Select Join Party to join guests into a party with this guest. Search for a guest to join the party by entering the Guest Name and pressing the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Once the guest is located, highlight the reservation and click Select. Note the newly joined guest to the Party and either select Join Party to continue adding additional guests, or OK to save changes. To change a guest from one party to another, highlight the desired reservation and select Chg. Party. Select the new Party for the reservation to belong to and select OK. Once all additions complete the Party, select OK to save changes. Note the “PARTY: Name” indicating the selected guest belongs to a party of reservations. Use this to locate all party reservations together from a Reservations Search screen.
Rate Info: Rate Info displays the breakdown of room charge, tax and any package elements that are included in the guest’s rate. This information displays in the local currency, but changes to display in any currency for which the hotel has an exchange rate configured.
To Display Rate Information:
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o o o o o o o
From the Reservation Search Results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select Rate Info. Note the daily breakdown of Room Revenue, Tax, Package Summary, and the Total for each day. The Grand Total estimated for the entire reserved stay is located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. To view transaction details for a specific date, highlight the date and select Details. Daily Rate Details indicates the exact estimate of transactions to post to the guest folio including totals for revenue and non-revenue postings. Be sure to save any changes to the reservation before exiting.
Register Card: Registration Cards print for a guest at check in or prior to arrival. A registration card can print for a guest at any time from the moment the reservation exists until the day the guest checks out.
To Print a Registration Card: o o o o o From the Reservation Search screen, locate the desired reservation and highlight; select Options. Select Register Card. Place an “X” next to the type of Registration Card to print; select Print. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation. Unless you pre-assign a room number for the guest, the Room Number field will be blank on the registration card.
Room Move: The Room Move option is only available after the guest checks into the room. Prior to check in, selecting a different room number in the Room field on the reservation can easily change a pre-blocked room. After check in, use Room Move as the housekeeping status must update and all guest information must transfer automatically to the new room number.
To Move a Guest to Another Room After Check In: o o o o o o o o o o From the In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired room and select Options. Select Room Move. Click on the drop down arrow next to Move to Room field. The room number that appears is the current room number occupied. Choose an alternate room from the Available Rooms Search screen and select OK to save. Select OK to save the Room Move. Depending on your hotel’s policy, select the return Housekeeping status for the initial room. Generally, if the guest has not arrived, give the room the most available status (i.e. Inspected or Clean). If the guest arrived and occupied the room for a short length of time, use the Pickup status. If the guest occupied the room for a longer length of time, use the Dirty status. Close from the Reservation Options and note the newly changed Room number for the guest.
Routing: Setting up charge routing can be a great time-saver when checking out a guest. If charges are routed correctly, guest complaints at the desk may be prevented and a much faster check out time. Charges can be automatically separated on a guest’s folio, or can be moved off the guest’s folio altogether to a posting master or another guest room.
To Enter Charge Routing Instructions on a Reservation:
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From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select Routing. Select to setup a new routing instruction. To route charges from one room to another, select Room Routing; indicate whether the instructions apply for the Entire Stay or Other Dates (i.e. partial dates). Click on the drop down arrow to select the Route to Room to route charges to. Select the transaction codes to route by marking them with an “X” and choose Select. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. To save the Routing Instructions, select OK. Note the newly created Routing Instructions for this guest. Select Close to return to the reservation and be sure to save changes before exiting. To set up routing of charges from one folio window to another, select the Window Routing option and dates. Enter the Guest Name or Room Number and press the [Tab] key to initiate a search. Highlight the desired guest and select OK. Select the transaction codes to route by marking them with an “X” and click Select. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. Select the Window No. in which the routed charges should appear. To route charges to another profile name (i.e. a Company Profile), select the drop down arrow next to the Route to Name field. Highlight the available Profile name to route charges to and select OK. If no additional profile name exists on the reservation, the Profile Search Screen will appear allowing the search of an existing profile or the creation of a new one. Once complete, select OK to save changes.
Shares: Sharing rooms is a common occurrence in a hotel, however it can be tricky to separate out charges and be sure that we charge each guest the proper amount. It can also be a difficult situation if the guests arrive or depart on different days.
To Create a Shared Reservation: o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, locate the desired reservation and select Options. Select Shares from the Reservation Options screen. Note the existing reservation information and select Combine. Select From Profile and select the drop down arrow to select the profile name to share. Search for an existing profile, or create a New Profile if one does not exist. Once you choose the profile, select OK to submit the new name for sharing. Select OK to confirm combining the two guest names on the reservation. Select "Yes" to copy payment details from the primary reservation to the share-with reservation. Select No if a method of payment will be unique for the share-with reservation. Note the two profile names on the reservation and their Nightly Rate Details. (Each guest pays full rate for one room). To indicate the primary guest as paying full rate on the reservation and the share-with paying zero, highlight the paying guest and select Entire. Note that the second guest name is now a zero rate and the primary guest is paying full rate. To resume the status of both guests paying full rate, select Full. To evenly split the rate between all guests, select Split. Note the Share Amt. evenly split between both guests. Once you decide the rate structure, select OK to save changes. Note the original reservation now indicates a Share with guest name and Share lamp.
o o o o o o o o
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o
To Combine Two Existing Reservations in a Share: o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, locate the desired reservation and select Options. Select Shares from the Reservation Options screen. Note the existing reservation information and select Combine. Select From Reservation and click on the drop down arrow to select the reservation to share. Search for the existing reservation combine by entering Guest Name and pressing the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Once you find the reservation, highlight it and click Select to combine the two reservations into one sharing reservation. Select OK to complete the joining of the two reservations to share. Both reservations retain their existing Opera confirmation number and are searchable by either number. Those hotels with a CRS will generally send a cancellation to the reservation that is not primary. Note the two profile names on the reservation and their Share Amt. (paying full rate for one room). To indicate the primary guest as paying full rate on the reservation and the share-with paying zero, highlight the paying guest and select Entire. Note that the second guest name is now a zero rate and the primary guest is paying full rate. To resume the status of both guests paying full rate, select Full. To evenly split the rate between all guests, select Split. Note the Share Amt. evenly split between both guests.
o o o o o o
To Break a Shared Reservation: o o o From the Reservation Search results screen, highlight one of the sharing reservations and click on the Share lamp in the lower left-hand corner Select Break Shr. to separate the reservations. Select OK to check the turndown status. (This is a reminder that if a turndown request exists on a share room reservation, it is best to address the separate reservations at this point for that feature.) Note the primary reservation is no longer sharing with any guest. Select OK to save changes The second reservation is now with a reservation status with an individual room of its own and a unique Opera confirmation number. For hotels with a CRS, a new confirmation number generates for the second reservation.
o o o
Traces: Traces placed on a guest reservation print on daily trace reports for hotel management. They are an excellent way to automatically communicate between departments to handle special guest requests or instructions. Traces communicate the need for direct bill authorization, transportation to or from the airport, VIP amenities or room features or special housekeeping touches.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select Traces. Select New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send Enter any additional instructions or manual trace information in the Text field.
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Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All will complete all traces and resolve for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
Wait List: In an overbooked situation for the hotel for a date or range of dates, reservations placed on wait list continue to generate a confirmation number, but the guest does not have a guaranteed room. Wait listed reservations will not figure into availability figures and are not considered to be deducted from inventory. Managing wait-listed reservations includes being able to prioritize the reservations returning to reserved status, and canceling reservations that will not be able to be placed.
To Create a Reservation For the Wait List: o o o o o o o o o Once the reservation is complete, a confirmation number will appear. This should not be given to the guest will indicate that the reservation will be ready for them upon arrival. Select Options from the main Reservation screen. Select Wait List. Enter the Wait List Reason. Enter the Wait List Priority for this reservation. Enter the guest’s Telephone Number for future reference. If any further information is required, type that information in the space at the bottom of the screen. The reservation is now on the wait list. Moving reservations off the wait list and back to reserved status will be covered in section 2-3
Wake Up Call: To set, views, and delete wake up calls, for one or more individual rooms or for blocks of rooms, select the Wake Up Call option from the Reservation Options menu. This option is available only for checked in guests.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select the Wake Up Call option. To set a single wake up call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date and To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a wake up call for every member of a group, use the option Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in the Block Name field, begin and end date for the calls and the time. Select Set to continue. To view all current wake up calls entered in the PMS, select View Wake Up Calls. Enter any filter criteria needed and select View. All current Wake Up calls display. To print a list for manual calls, select Print.
2.2 Update Reservation
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Reservation Search
The Reservation Search screen provides a wide variety of options to locate existing reservations. The most common search fields are the guest name or confirmation number, but many more options are available.
Use any of the search fields to locate the reservation and select Search. o Only type the first few letters in a field to generate a search. o If only know a portion of the name, using the “%” sign before the letters generates a partial name search. For instance, if the name Johnson is to be located, typing “%son” will locate all names that include the letters “son” in the name. o In any field with an arrow to the right, place the cursor in the field and press [F9] to open.
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New: The New button will begin a new reservation. All normal procedures follow – the Rate Query screen appears first, followed by the Rate Grid and the Reservations screen. Check In: This option will check in the guest verifying only the room number and the method of payment. Use this when checking in posting masters or internal house accounts but not when checking in hotel guests. Edit checks in hotel guests and the entire Reservation screen displays; verbally verify all stay information with the guest for accuracy. Cancel: If the guest has called to cancel the reservation, this option will initiate the cancellation. The room returns to available inventory and a cancellation number generates. Once the reservation cancels this button reads Reinstate and reinstates the reservation if needed.
To Cancel a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations, then Update Reservation. Enter search criteria (i.e. Last Name, Conf. No) and select Search or Advanced for more search criteria. Highlight the reservation and select Cancel. Click on the drop down arrow to select from a list of Cancellation Reason choices. Highlight the appropriate Cancellation Reason and select OK. You may complete the cancellation by adding any additional pertinent details in the white text box; select OK to finish. An Opera Cancellation Number generates; select OK to exit. If a CRS is the main reservation database, a CRS generated cancellation number will appear. Note the CANCELLED status on the reservation.
To Reinstate a Cancelled Reservation:
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o o o
To reinstate a cancelled reservation, simply select Reinstate. When reinstating, the main Reservation screen will appear allowing any changes to accommodation or guest information; once complete, select OK to save changes. Reinstated reservations do not generate a new Opera Confirmation Number but typically generate a new, unique CRS number.
Profile: The Profile button offers access to the guest profile for updating or viewing information. See section 2-6 for complete information regarding guest profiles. Options: All reservation options are accessible from the Reservation Search screen. See section 2.1.5 for complete information on all reservation options. Edit: The Edit option displays the complete reservation screen and allows access to all information for updates. See Section 2.1.2 for a complete discussion of all the fields on the reservation screen. Search: The Search option will refresh the Reservation Search screen for the next reservation search.
2.3 Waitlist
The Wait List feature is optional for hotels, and helps to manage reservations created and set aside to wait for availability. Once a reservation places on the wait list, a reason for placement on the wait list and a priority for return to reservation status accompany the reservation. From the wait list function, a front office manager is able to view reservations, profiles and information to make informed decisions as to which reservations to return first. A cancel function is also included if the reservations must be canceled rather than returned to reserved status.
Search
The Wait List Search screen provides a number of options to locate waitlisted reservations.
Name: Locate the guest by typing in the guest’s last name.
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Reasons: To search for reservations that were waitlisted for a specific waitlist reason, select the down arrow to choose the waitlist reason. Date: Entering a date in this field will locate all waitlisted reservations whose stay dates cross the entered date. This means that the date field will locate any reservation that will be an arrival, stay-over or due out on the date entered. Rate Code: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific rate code, select the down arrow to choose the rate code. Priority: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific waitlist priority, select the down arrow to choose the waitlist priority. Room Type: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific room type, select the down arrow to choose the room type. Market Code: If you wish to search for waitlisted reservations that have a specific market code, select the down arrow to choose the market code. Company: The Company, if any, attached to the reservation. Agent: The travel agent, if any, attached to the reservation. Source: When PMS, ORS, or other Opera applications are integrated, the name of the application from which the reservation was submitted. Group: The group name if the guest belongs to a group. Phone: The primary phone number specified for the guest whose profile exists on the reservation. VIP: The guest's VIP status. Profile: This button will access the guest’s profile. This can be useful when checking previous guest stays, profile notes or VIP status of the guest in order to make a determination as to which reservations should return to reserved status first. Details: View and edit the Waitlist details screen. Options: Displays only those options applicable to a waitlist reservation. Resv.: View and edit the reservation details. View: This button will access the guest’s reservation information. This can be useful when checking current stay information such as rate, discounts, reservation comments, and membership status or market code. Accept Res: Using this option will reverse the reservation to reserved status and remove it from the wait list. Before moving this reservation, the reservation screen displays so that you can enter any changes to rate or room type. Cancel: This option will cancel the reservation and remove it from the wait list.
2.4 Blocks
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All Group Business in Opera is created, maintained and updated using the Business Block Options. Depending on the needs of each hotel, one or more of the options may be available. Options such as the Quick Business Block or Business Block Search activate if the parameter is set in system configuration.
2.4.1 Business Block Search
The Business Block Search screen locates existing business blocks for view or update. There are a wide number of search options available. All of the fields in the yellow-bordered area locate specific group blocks.
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To create a new business block, select New on the Business Block search screen and fill out the information needed to set up the account.
Acct/Com: Attaches company profiles to a Business Block Header. When doing this, the Company profile appears on each reservation made with this block and the reservation statistics for the company include all room nights and revenue from each reservation on the block. It is also possible with a company profile attached to use the negotiated rate for the company, and if the company has approved direct billing, any charges from the group bill out on an Accounts Receivable statement. Agent: Attaches Travel Agent profile to a Business Block Header. When doing this and a commissionable rate attaches to the group and all reservations generate travel agent commissions. Source: Attaches Source profile to a Business Block Header. When doing this the Source profile attaches to every reservation in the group. The source profile sometimes pays commission to a company that not normally considered a travel agent. Group: A Group profile is required to work with the Business Block Header. The Group Profile creates the reservation for the posting master, which automatically creates prior to any reservations made. Contact: Attaches Company contact profiles to a Business Block Header. The Company Contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Company contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information.
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Contact: Attaches Travel agent contact profile to a Business Block Header. The Travel agent contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Travel agent contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Name: The official name of the group. Start Date: The first date for offering the group rate. Nights: The number of nights for offering the group rate. End Date: The official departure date for the group. Status: The status is generally dependant on the status of the group contract. The status determines whether reservations can book for the group and whether the (unreserved) allotted rooms count in the hotel’s availability or not. A group in inquiry starting status would not allow reservations for pickup and any rooms allotted for the group will not deduct from hotel inventory counts. A Tentative group may not allow pickup, but may deduct allotted rooms from inventory. A Definite group will allow pickup and all allotted rooms (reserved and un-reserved) will be deducted from inventory counts. Market: The Market Code defines where the room revenue generated by this group will be booked on a market code report. Market Codes divide room revenue into statistically useful categories for tracking the types of business that are using the hotel. Source: The Source field indicates where the business generated. Some examples of Source codes are: GDS, Sales Office, Sister Property, CRO, Repeat, etc. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Block Code: The Block Code is the unique identifying code for this group. The block code links all group reservations together. Res. Type: The Res. Type determines the guarantee status of the group and links to the Status Code. Rate Code: If the group rate structure follows a standardized rate code, enter that code on the Block Header and the rates default based on the original configuration of the rate code. If this field is blank, it will be possible to build rates per room type per day for each individual group. Packages: If a package element is to be included for all members of the group, enter it on the Block Header and it applies to every reservation. Print Rate: If the Print Rate box is checked, the rate will be visible for the guest. This becomes the default setting for all reservations picked up from this block. Elastic Block: If the Elastic Block box is checked, the group can pick up more than the allotted rooms and can book the group rate before and after the start and end date. If the Elastic Block box is not checked, it will not be possible to book more than the allotted rooms per day and it will not be possible to extend the days for the group easily. If a group exists as non-elastic, make it elastic on the day of arrival as it is not possible to separate a shared reservation if there are no additional rooms in the block and the front desk may be handicapped at check in. Suppress Rt.: If the Suppress Rt. box is checked, the rate will not be visible to the user. The message "Display of rate amount is prohibited for this rate code" appears.
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Cutoff Date: Entering a date in this field will set the date that all allotted rooms that have not been picked up will be given back to house inventory. The cutoff procedure can be set to be automatic during the End of Day sequence, or can be a manual operation based on a report of blocks and their cutoff dates. A cutoff date will return all rooms for all days of the group at one time. Cutoff Days: Cutoff Days allow for a rolling cutoff. For a 3 day group for instance, 7 cutoff days would cut off all unused rooms from the first day of the group 7 days out. The next day, all unused rooms from the second day of the group cut off and so on. Follow Up Date: used for the hotel’s account manager to contact the group coordinator for further information. Decision Date: This field registers the date by which the group must make a final decision to hold the group at the hotel. After this date, if there is no decision, the allotted rooms can release back into general inventory. Trace Code: If the hotel requires follow up on the group, a trace code reminder can enter in this field for a later date. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account.
Catering Details
Status: A drop down list used to specify the status of the Catering section of the booking. Attendees: The maximum number of attendees at any given time during this stay. Guaranteed: Select this check box to note that the number in the Attendees field is the minimum guaranteed by the client. When this field is marked it affects the Event screen. Information Board: Copied from the name of the booking. This field is editable and will accept all characters for example, Micros Systems - 2003 Conference. This information identifies this event in the Function Agenda and provides information for door cards and electronic information boards. Follow Up Date: A date field with a calendar attached. A Catering Manager or Coordinator may want to use this field to systematically follow up on this Event Group. Decision Date: A date field with a calendar attached. Indicates the date by which the client has agreed to make a decision on the booking. A Catering Manager or Coordinator may want to use this field to systematically show when Event Groups must make a decision. Function Type: A free typing field where you can define in more detail the type of function this is. Contract No: A numeric only field. Enter any other code identifier this Business Block may have (External Contract Number, Guest Referral Number). Onsite Name: A free typing field. Enter the name of the client's in-house representative or contact on the day of the event. This may be the same as the primary contact on the Business Block or it may be an alternate contact. This field will appear on the Banquet Event Order at a later stage.
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Owner: This is the Catering Manager who is operationally responsible, or credited for the Catering Revenue.
Details
Resv. Method: Select an option to indicate how the individual reservations (Individual Call In, Rooming List) for this Business Block are organized. Rooming List Due: The date when the Rooming List is due. This field attaches to a calendar. Arrival Time: Enter the approximate check in time for the group into this field. Departure Time: Enter the approximate check out time for the group into this field. Porterage Included: Select this box if the room rate quoted includes any porterage cost. If you mark the check box then the following price will disappear from the screen. Price: If you do not mark the Porterage Included check box, then there is an additional price per person for porterage. Fill in this field with a value. Breakfast Included: Select this check box if the room rate quoted includes any breakfast. If you mark the check box then the following price will disappear from the screen. Price: If you do not mark the Breakfast Included check box, then there is an additional price per person for breakfast. Fill in this field with a value. Breakfast Description: If you wish to note the exact breakfast that is included or offered as an extra, type this information here. Commission %: Indicate what percentage of this Business Block is eligible for commission.
More
The More function is for all user definable fields that are created from Screen Painter and supports additional booking information customized for the particular installation.
Cancel
The Cancel function allows the user to cancel rooms or catering events for the given reservation. Enter a reason and a comment for future reservations.
Edit
Use the Edit button on the Business Search screen to open the highlighted business block for Editing or Update.
Options
Select Options to display additional functions that edit or update the highlighted Business Block.
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Add PM: This will add an additional Posting Master to the group for billing purposes, select this option. Changes: Changes displays tracks all functions performed on the Business Block Header. These changes include cutoff information, changes to grids, changes to dates, market codes, source codes or any other changes to fields. Production Changes tracks all availability changes made to the number of room nights allotted and the associated revenue as well as any changes to the group’s status. Copy: If a group will have more than one business block, it can save time to copy an existing block. Use Copy to create a new business block exactly like the original. It will be possible to enter a new start date and select a new block code, but all other information is from the first business block.
To Copy a Business Block: o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, select Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block, highlight the block name; click Options. Select Copy. Enter the New Start Date and the New Block Code. The new block has the same name as the original. Alter the name of the new block and any other differences from the original. Copied blocks retain a “Pending” or “Initial” status until the user indicates that it is “Definite” or “Open for Pickup”.
Delete: This option will delete the entire group. It is controlled by User Rights. It is not possible to delete a group with active reservations. Deposit: Deposits for groups are usually on the group’s primary posting master. All charges paid for by the deposit have routing set up to the posting master to balance the credit with charges. Because deposits for groups can be quite large depending on the hotel’s policy, you may enter a schedule for payment.
To Manually Enter a Deposit Request: o o o o From the Business Block Search screen highlight the reservation and select Options. Select New to enter a Deposit Request. By clicking on the drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and click OK.
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o
Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $ 149.00 entered would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o o Select Post Deposit to post a collected advance deposit. Log into your Cashier by entering your Password; select Login. Click on the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and click OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK. Select OK to complete posting the advance deposit.
Cutoff: Allotted rooms for a group that do have reservations by a certain date or number of days prior to the group’s arrival can be released back to house inventory for pickup by other group or individual reservations. To release all unused allotments at one time, the cutoff function is used. You can cut off rooms for an individual block or for all blocks at one time.
To Manually Cut Off Group Room Allotments: o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight the block name; select Options. Click Cutoff to release the unused rooms in this block. Any confirmed reservations remain reserved. Select Yes to Cutoff all the rooms in this block. The Available column now shows zero rooms and a Manual Cutoff lamp appears at the bottom of the screen. Select Save to confirm then Close to exit screen.
Notes: To enter notes on a group, enter the type of note to file and type the text in the large white box at the bottom of the screen. A Notes lamp appears on the group so any user may view and react to the notes on the group. Item inventory: Use the Item Inventory screen to manage inventory items attached to a reservation. Shift Date: Before a Business Block is open for pickup, it is possible to shift the dates for the block if needed. Use the button Shift Date to do so. Simply enter the new start date and select OK. The system will check to be sure the allotted rooms are available, and the block date will then shift. Statistics: This option displays information regarding the number of rooms for each room type that picked up each day and the number of guests arriving for each room type each day. Restrictions: This screen shows the restrictions that have been set up for that specific business block and for what specific room type(s) by date. These restrictions apply to blocks that have or do not have a rate code attached to them. Cust Tour Series: Use this option to create multiple occurrences of the group. With the Custom Tour Series, all information on the block will copy except for the arrival date and the block code. Tour Series: This option allows the user to quickly create a number of recurring groups on a 1, 2, 3 or 4-week basis. The groups must all start on the same day of the week and must arrive on a regular schedule.
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Refr. Rates: If a rate code has been changed or updated on the block header, this option will refresh the rate information. If the new rate should apply to existing reservations, the Refresh Rates option will update all reservations. Traces: This option allows users to communicate with other internal departments such as Front Office or Housekeeping to leave reminders regarding the group’s reservations. Resv.: From the main Business Block screen, the button marked Resv. opens to the individual reservations associated with a particular group. In this area, you can create and update Rooming lists, Routing instructions for some or all members of a group, pre-block or check-in rooms and cancel reservations.
New: Create a new reservation with this group. Edit: Edit the highlighted reservation. Options: The options button on this screen will display the same list of Reservation Options as found in the reservation screen. The options available for an individual reservation are the same as those available for a reservation within a group. For a full description of all of the options available, refer to Section 2-1. Profile: Profile will display the profile of the guest on the highlighted reservation. Check In: If the arrival date on the reservation is the same as the current date, check in will take the user to the quick check in function. Search: To locate a particular group guest reservation, use the search options. Cancel: This option will allow the user to cancel the highlighted reservation. If the highlighted reservation is the Posting Master, the option will allow you to cancel just the posting master or to cancel the entire group.
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Group Options: These options include Rooming List, Check In Group, Room Assign, Room Status, Statistics, New Post Master, Delete, Print Keys, and Print Registration Cards.
Rooming List: Enter a list of guest reservations for a group.
To Enter a Group Rooming List: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Group Reservations Screen, select Group Options. Select Rooming List. On the Rooming List screen, the default entry creates New reservations. The first reservation has the group profile name; change to the first name on the list. If the system is to check existing profiles for matches to prevent duplicates, select the option to Check Guest Profile. Continue entering all guest Names, Titles, Arrival Date, Departure Date and Room Types. Use the down arrow on the keyboard to move to the next line. To Share two guests on a rooming list, mark the first guest with an “X”. Select whether to share the rate Even, Full or if one person will pay the full rate (Zero); select Share. Mark the sharing guest with an “X” and select Stop. Shared guests have an asterisk by their Name and the rate information appears in the white space in the center of the screen. Continue entering all names on the rooming list. It is a good idea to Save every 5 names. A saved reservation has a confirmation number; reservations without a confirmation number did not save. Note that all reservations on this rooming list saved with confirmation numbers.
Check In Group: Automatically check in all pre-blocked group reservations. The arrival date for the reservations must be the current business date.
To Check In a Group: o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Check In Group.
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Select whether to check guests into Clean Rooms Only or pre-check them in to dirty or pickup rooms as well. Rooms to check-in must be pre-blocked prior to accessing Check In Group. Select whether to Print Keys through the key interface or not. Select whether to Print Registration Cards for guests or not. Select Check In when ready. Select OK to the successful completion message. Check In information displays in the white details window. Select Close to return to Group Options.
Room Assign: Pre-Block Group rooms based on the needs or special requests of the group.
To Pre-Block Rooms for a Group: o o o o o o o o o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Room Assign. Enter the Arrival Date for pre-blocking, and a Room Type if applicable. If all reservations are pre-blocked, select All Dates and leave the Room Type field blank. Enter any specific room Features, Smoking preferences or Floors if applicable. Check to Include Due Out Rooms and Out of Service Rooms if applicable. Select Save when finished. Select OK to the successful completion of the auto-block. Note the details of the blocking in the white window. Any reservations unable to block will also appear here as “unassigned.” Note the newly pre-blocked rooms for the group.
Room Status: This option displays the housekeeping status for all pre-blocked rooms arriving on the current business date. It can be used to view all rooms prior to the group’s arrival. Print Registration Card: This option can be used to pre-print registration cards for an arriving group.
To Print Group Registration Cards: o o o o o o From the Group Reservation screen, select Group Options. Select Print Registration Cards. Registration cards can be printed for only guests due in on the current day, guests who have already been checked in, or all guests arriving today or in the future for this group. Select the option that applies and click Print. Select the appropriate sort criteria. Guest Name prints alphabetically, Room Class prints according to room type and Room prints in room number order. Select OK when ready to print.
New Post Master: If charges for group billing are need to be in more than eight separate folio windows, a second Posting Master will be required to satisfy the group’s billing needs. This option will automatically create additional posting masters for the group as needed. Delete: This option will delete the entire group. It is controlled by User Rights. Cut Keys: If a working key interface is in use by the hotel, it is possible to pre-print all group room keys for pre-blocked rooms using this option.
To Cut Keys for a Group Arrival: o o o From the Group Reservations screen, select Group Options. Select Cut Keys. Select either to print keys automatically for each pre-blocked group member, or to have a Yes/No prompt for each key.
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Grid
The Room Grid is where all rooms for the group are allotted and is located on the bottom left of the screen as a scroll down window. There are several possible grids for each Business Block: o Original Grid: This is the first grid allotted for the group. The original grid allotments begin while the business block is still in a tentative status. The original grid will no longer be available to update once the group is definite. This grid then becomes a benchmark against which to compare actual totals. o Current Grid: This grid appears once the group has been turned Definite and shows all rooms both picked up and allotted. o Available Grid: This grid displays the number of rooms allotted but not picked up in each room type each day. o Pickup Grid: This grid displays the number of rooms picked up in each room type each day. o Pickup Percentage: This grid displays the percentage of rooms picked up in each room type each day. o Changes to Original: This grid displays any difference between the Original Grid and the Current Grid. o Released: This grid displays any rooms that washed back to inventory or cut off. o Contract Grid: This grid does not affect availability and is to enter the precise number of rooms per room type designated on the contract. This grid is for a comparison to pickup and released grids for reporting purposes. o 1 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 1 person for each room type for each day. o 2 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 2 persons for each room type for each day. o 3 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 3 persons for each room type for each day. o 4 Person Rate: This grid displays the rates for 4 persons for each room type for each day.
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Wash: This option allows the user to release rooms by a set number or by a percentage back to house inventory.
To Wash Rooms From a Business Block: o o o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight block name; select Edit. Select Wash to decrease block inventory. Verify the Date Range or days of week to decrease inventory. Select to wash rooms By Value or By Percentage and enter the value or percentage of rooms to decrease. Select the Room Types to wash. The only choices available are Room Types that have more than 0 rooms blocked. Select OK to accept. Select Yes to decrease block inventory The newly washed inventory displays in the grid.
Range: This option is for allocating the number of rooms for each room type for each day as well as to enter the rates for 1, 2, 3 or 4 people if a rate code is not on the Block Header.
To Allocate Rooms to a Business Block: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu, go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block, and highlight the block name and click Edit. Select Grid to modify the number of rooms held for this block. The Room Grid displays in an Original view until the block changes to a pickup status. Notice all other views are “ghosted out” at this stage. Once the status of the block is definite, the view changed to Current. Select Range to modify the rooms and/or rates. The Date Range defaults to the start/end dates of the block. You may modify this field to change the date range of the block. Select the Room Types with an “X” to modify. The values ranged apply per Room Type and per Night. If a Rate Code is on the header, rates will not appear on this screen and you will only need to enter the rooms. If no Rate Code exists on the header, you will need to enter Rates. Rate 1 is the rate for one-person occupancy; Rate 2 is the rate for two person occupancy, and so on. Remember that Rates are for all Room Types selected. Be sure to select similarly priced Room Types. Once you enter the rates, select OK to save changes. Select Yes to modify the Rooms Grid for the Business Block. Rates are now viewable by selecting the appropriate Rate (i.e. 1 Person Rate, 2 Person Rate, etc). To offer additional flexibility with the group’s inventory, select Range to modify the grid. Enter zero number of rooms for all the other room types. If there is no Rate Code in the header, enter the Rates as well. Select OK and then Yes to modify the grid. In the Original view, all Room Types display counts whether holding rooms or not In the Rate view, the rates to quote display, if there were rooms available in general inventory display.
Priorities: In a hotel with a large number of room types, it may be helpful to reorder the room types for the purposes of reading the grids more easily. The priorities button allows the user to order the room types on the grid in a more useful sequence.
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To Enter Room Priorities on a Room Grid: o o o o o o o From the Reservations menu go to Blocks and select Business Block. Search for the Business Block and highlight the block name; select Edit. Select Room Grid. Select Priorities. Select Yes to see minimum available rooms. Room Types display in default order sequenced in System Configuration. Click on the line for the Room Type that is the 1st in sequence for this group block, and then click on the 2nd and so forth; the numbers automatically populate in the Pr. No column. Select Sort to rearrange the sequence order. Select OK to accept the changed sequence order Notice the newly prioritized rooms displayed in the order chosen.
o o o
Res: Any reservations attached to this Block Header will display and can be edited or updated if needed. Details: House availability and all details concerning a room type on a particular day display.
2.4.2 Quick Business Block
The Quick Business Block offers an alternative to the full Business Block for hotels that may have simpler group needs. The Quick Business Block contains all the system-required fields for creating a Business Block, but the screens are more streamlined and easy to use. The Quick Business Block is available to use in addition to the full Business Block or instead of the full Business Block. The Quick Business Block Search screen is simpler and easier to use.
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Search: The Quick Business Block Search screen locates existing business blocks for view or update. There are a number of search options available. All of the fields in the yellow-bordered area are available to locate a specific group block. New: To create a new business block, select the New button on the Business Block search screen. There are several steps to creating a New Business Block.
Acct/Comp: A company profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Company profile will appear on each reservation made with this block and the reservation statistics for the company will include all room nights and revenue from each reservation on the block. It is also possible with a company profile attached to use the negotiated rate for the company, and if the company has approval for direct bill, billing of the charges from the group could be through Accounts Receivable. Agent: A Travel Agent profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. If a commissionable rate is set on the group, all reservations may generate travel agent commission. Group: A Group Profile is attachable to a Quick Block Header. This particular group profile will be on every reservation in the block. Contact: A Company contact profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Company contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The Company contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Contact: A Travel agent contact profile may is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Travel agent contact profile generally belongs to the person with the group who is the primary intermediary with the hotel. The contact profile contains information and mailing addresses for this person, as it might be different from the group address and telephone information. Source: A Source profile is attachable to a Business Block Header. The Source profile will be on every reservation in the group. The source profile sometimes is for paying commission to a company that is not normally a travel agent. Name: The official name of the group, as will be posted in the hotel. Start Date: The first date that the group rate is available.
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Nights: The number of nights the group rate is available. End Date: The official departure date for the group. Block Code: The Block Code is the unique identifying code for this group. The block code links all group reservations together. Status: The status is generally dependant on the status of the group contract. The status determines whether anyone can make reservations for the group and whether the (unreserved) allotted rooms in the hotel’s availability or not. A group in starting status would not allow reservations and any rooms allotted for the group will not deduct from hotel inventory counts. A Tentative group may not allow pickup, but may deduct allotted rooms from inventory. A Definite group will allow pickup and all allotted rooms (reserved and un-reserved) will be deducted from inventory counts. Res. Type: The Res. Type determines the guarantee status of the group and links to the Status Code. Rate Code: If the group rate structure will follow a standardized rate code that code can be entered on the Block Header and the rates will be defaulted based on the original configuration of the rate code. If this field is blank, it will be possible to build rates per room type per day for each individual group. Cutoff Date: Entering a date in this field will set the date that all allotted rooms that have not been picked up will be given back to house inventory. The cutoff procedure can be set to be automatic during the End of Day sequence, or can be a manual operation based on a report of blocks and their cutoff dates. A cutoff date will return all rooms for all days of the group at one time. Cutoff Days: Cutoff Days allow for a rolling cutoff. For a 3 day group for instance, 7 cutoff days would cut off all unused rooms from the first day of the group 7 days out. The next day, all unused rooms from the second day of the group will cut off and so on. Market: The Market Code defines where the room revenue generated by this group will be booked on a market code report. Market Codes divide room revenue into statistically useful categories for tracking the types of business that are using the hotel. Source: The Source field indicates where the business came from. Some examples of Source codes are: GDS, Sales Office, Sister Property, CRO, Repeat, etc. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Elastic Block: If the Elastic Block box is checked, the group will be to reserve more than the allotted rooms and will be able to book the group rate before and after the start and end date. If the Elastic Block box is not checked, it will not be possible to book more than the allotted rooms per day and it will not be possible to extend the days for the group easily.
To Use the Quick Block Functionality: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations and Blocks. Select Quick Business Block. To create a new Business Block, select New. Enter the Name of the group, the Start Date, number of Nights and End Date. The Block Code defaults to the hotel’s format for block codes in the Application Settings.
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The Status defaults to the beginning group status and the Res Type defaults based on the Status. Enter a Rate Code if necessary and determine whether the block is elastic or non-elastic. Enter the Cutoff Date or Cutoff Days, the Market code and Source code. Select Save when finished. All other group functions are available from this screen.
Edit: Use the Edit button to open the highlighted business block for Editing or Update.
2.4.3 Inquiry
The Inquiry function allows a user to search for availability for potential group business for a single date or multiple dates. It’s possible to search for availability by room type or by general house inventory. The Quick Business Block function is available for easy entry of group information.
Acct/Comp: Attach an Account or Company profile during the Inquiry process. This may assist in attaching negotiated rates if included on the profile. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Agent: Attach a Travel Agent profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Source: Attach a Source profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked.
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Contact: Attach a Company contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any Company profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a Travel agent contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any travel agent profile attached during the Inquiry process will transfer automatically to a Business Block if the group is booked. Start Date: The date that the group rate is available. # Nights: The total number of nights the group rate will be offered. End Date: The date that the group rate will no longer be available. Alternate Dates: If the primary date is unavailable, the group contact may have additional dates for consideration. Range From: The first date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to begin the group. To: The last date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to book the group. # Nights Stay: The total number of nights the group will expect to be in house. Arrival Day: For a range of days, the days of the week that the group can be booked to begin. Rooms per day: The number of rooms that will be required per day. The system will check availability on this figure, so it should be close or equal to the maximum number of rooms required on the highest occupancy night. Rate Code: If a rate code is present, the Inquiry function will check availability of the rate code during the requested dates. Room Types: Enter specific room types to inquire for availability. %: If the % sign is checked, the system will look for this percentage of the rooms per day in the room type associated. If the % sign is not checked, the system will search for a number of rooms in the associated room type. Availability: Using this button will access the availability screen that will display which dates have availability and which do not.
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Inquiry: Go back to the Inquiry Process screen, where you can see in detail exactly what criteria you are searching for. This also gives you an opportunity to make any changes and re-process the inquiry. Ctrl Panel: The Front Office Control Panel where you will be able to see a more general picture of the movement within the hotel. Det Availability: The Detailed Availability screen shows in detail the exact Room Type Availability, Room Type Occupancy, Blocks and Turnaways. This is a vital tool to ensure that a Sales Manager gets the whole picture of the movement within the hotel before committing to any contracts. Bus. Block: If the group will be booked, this button will access a new business block for information entry. Reset: If you use the Inquiry function to search for a different group or set of criteria, the Reset button will return the Inquiry screen to its default settings.
2.5 Profiles
Profiles are the main building block in Opera. Each guest reserving a room at the hotel must have a profile. Even after the guest departs the hotel, the profile remains in Opera for the next reservation. As more information about the guest is available to the hotel, the profile updates as well. A profile keeps track of the guest’s special requests and preferences, as well as address and contact information. You may keep extensive text notes for a guest as well as credit card information, membership numbers and any negotiated rates the guest may be eligible to receive.
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Profiles can be quite extensive for regular guests and help to achieve the guest’s expectations for each and every visit. In addition to individual guest profiles, there are other types as well. Each company that does business with the hotel also has a company profile in the system. Company profiles track the number of guest stays as well as revenue that the company has booked at the hotel. If a company has a negotiated rate, it can be booked for a guest by attaching that company’s profile to the guest reservation. Company profiles may have direct billing through accounting, and in this case the company profile information is available to create the A/R account. Travel Agent profiles provide tracking for commission payment information. Each travel agent profile tracks the percentage commission that agent should receive for booking rooms, as well as the address information for sending the check once a commission is ready to be paid. A hotel uses Source profiles for various reasons. It may be a requirement to track business from other than a company profile, as in the case of a Chamber of Commerce recommendation or employee referrals. Source profiles can also calculate commission records to keep group or wholesale commission records separate from actual travel agents. Group profiles are required for all group reservations. This profile must be present on a Business Block before being able to make reservations for the group. In the case of a Standard Group, the group profile pulls all reservations together in place of the block code in the Business Block or Quick Business Block. Contact profiles are optional for hotels and generally are useful when a large amount of group business takes place at the hotel. Contact profiles assist with tracking individual meeting planners and organizers and the amount of business that each meeting planner brings to the hotel.
2.5.1 Profile Search
To search for a profile, select the Profiles option from the Reservations menu. Name: To locate a specific profile, type the first few letters of the guest’s last name in this field. All profiles that start with those letters will display.
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First Name: To locate a guest more specifically, it may be helpful to enter the guest’s first name in this field to narrow the search. For instance, if the guest’s last name is Alexander, a large number of profiles may return from a last name search. If the guest’s name is James Alexander, typing in the first name will reduce the total number of profiles returned. View By: To search for only one particular type of profile, select the type under View By. City/Postal Code: This field is available to further locate a specific guest. For instance, if John Smith is calling, a search by First and Last Name may return a large number of profiles. Looking for John Smith from Little Rock may reduce the number of profiles returned. Mem. Type: If the guest has a membership number, this number is unique and searching by the membership type and number together will return the one guest in the system with that number. Member No. Used in connection with the Membership Type field, a search for this information will return the one guest in the system with this number. Keyword: Keywords on a profile are available to assist in looking up profiles by acronyms or commonly used names. For instance, AAA will probably be in the system as American Automobile Association, and will not be able to be located by typing AAA in the Name field. If the keyword AAA is on the profile, it is possible to locate the profile using this search field. It is a customizable search field for users. It is possible to use keywords to enter A/R numbers as well if that is a search that is common. Communications: Enter Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow the faxing of confirmation letters or A/R statements. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow emailing of confirmation letters directly from Opera. Client ID: The client ID number is available to search for the specific profile. IATA No.: The IATA number is unique and exists to locate a specific travel agent, as many travel agents have the same name, particularly if they are part of a large consortium. Corporate ID.: The Corporate ID number is available in a profile to assist in locating a particular company.
To Search for a Profile: o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations button; then select Profiles. Choose the type of profile you are searching for in the View By field. Enter search criteria in any field(s) surrounded by the yellow line and press the [Tab] key to initiate your search; highlight the line for the selected profile and select Profile to view details. The more criteria entered, the fewer results displayed. For a partial search, enter partial criteria and press [Tab] to initiate the search. Double-click on profile line to view details.
o o o
Enrollment
If the hotel has a 2-way Central Reservations Interface and membership enrollment is active, it is possible to enroll a new guest in the hotel’s membership program directly from the profile.
To Enroll a Guest in a Membership Program: o o From the Profile Search Screen, select a profile and select Enrollment. If a profile already has a Membership attached, this button will be gray
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o o o o
o o o o
Any guest information that exists on the profile automatically populates to the Guest Enrollment; select OK once completed. Required fields have BOLD field descriptions and highlighted fields. If the guest prefers to receive airline mileage rather than loyalty program points, enter the Alliance Code and Number. If the guest prefers to let the system generate a membership number, leave the Number field blank next to Program. If the guest prefers to select a number, the number must be nine (9) numeric digits. Employee ID automatically populates based on User Profile. Select Yes or No to print the Enrollment summary once complete. This summary acts as a temporary card for the newly enrolled guest. Select Enrollment to proceed. Note the confirmed Enrollment in the Membership tab.
Lookup
This field requires a two-way interface that will support the functionality. It looks up a guest from a large bank of profiles kept at a Central Reservations System.
Resv.
To use the highlighted profile to begin a reservation, select this option.
Edit
To view or update the highlighted profile select this option.
New Profile
To create a new profile, select this option. Below is a screen showing an individual profile.
Last Name: The last name of the guest as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field is present throughout the program to locate the guest, it is very important that
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it spelling is correct. Notice that the Last Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. First / Middle: The first and middle names of the guest. Language / Title: The guest’s native language. The local language will default in this field, but if the guest is more comfortable using another language, some PBX systems are able to read this field to set voice mail instructions in the guest’s language. This field will activate the appropriate language for the guest’s printed information, in a hotel where multiple languages to print folios, registration cards and reports are used. The title indicates how the guest prefers to being addressed and will also be used on printed letters. Address: The street address of the guest. Enter an address directly in this field, and will become the guest’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the guest’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the guest’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the guest’s primary address. Entering the State and Postal Cd, automatically generate the city. Salutation: The opening salutation on any mail correspondence to the guest. The information here will be defaulted from the title field, but is updatable if the guest, for instance, would like to have letters addressed to him by his first name only. VIP: If the guest has a VIP status at the hotel, enter that information here. Reports run based on this field for VIP’s arriving or in-house. Housekeeping can also clean rooms based on this VIP status if required. Nationality: The guest’s nationality. Check to be sure that your hotel uses this field as some hotels do not like to use it. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the guest’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios configuration supports it, both the local currency and the guest’s home currency will print on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate exists for the guest’s home currency. Mail Action: If the hotel sends out mailing information, the mailing actions may be setup to put a guest on a particular mailing list, such as Christmas Card list or Travel Agent Promotional mailings. Mailing List: This check box indicates whether a guest would like to be on a mailing list or not. If the box is marked “N”, the guest will not be on any mailing list from the hotel. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, enter that information in the keyword field so that it is available to locate the profile from the search screen. Date of Birth: Some hotels keep this information for mailing birthday cards. Passport: If the hotel must register a passport number, either by hotel policy or country requirement, enter it in this field. Communications: Enter Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, and Email Addresses here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow the faxing
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of confirmation letters or A/R statements. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow emailing of confirmation letters directly from Opera. Active: Selecting this option will activate or deactivate a profile. Contact: If this guest is a contact for a group or company, checking this box will create a contact profile for this guest. The contact profile is attachable to groups or reservations as needed. History: If this guest’s profile information should be in history even if there is a period of no activity, check this option. This field defaults the profile to save in history automatically. Notes: Enter notes about a guest here. Most of these notes are on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to move to every reservation made by this guest. In this way, guest’s special requirements are available at any time. Search: Locate another existing guest profile.
Options
The Options menu contains arrays of buttons to select further access to many of the major features supported by the Opera profiles.
Attachment: This screen allows selecting and creating files for mail-merges or for other purposes. Changes: All changes made to a profile are registered and tracked for research purposes. Credit Cards: Many guests prefer that once the hotel has their credit card number it may be on file for ease of use in making future reservations. The Credit Card option allows all credit cards to register on the guest’s profile.
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To Add a Credit Card to a Profile: o o o o o o o o o o o
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From the Profile Search screen, highlight the desired profile; double-click or choose Profile to view details. Select Options. Select Credit Card. Select New to add a new credit card. Click on the drop arrow to choose the appropriate credit Card Type. Select the credit Card Type and select OK. Enter the Credit Card Number and Expiration Date to complete; select Save. The sequence is the order that this credit card will appear for payment if there are multiple credit cards on the profile. Note the newly added credit card. Either select Close to return to the profile, or New to add another credit card. Be sure to select OK on the main profile screen to save your changes to the profile.
Delete: To delete this profile, select this button. It is not possible to delete a profile with active reservations. Enrollment: If the hotel has a 2-way Central Reservations Interface and membership enrollment is available, it is possible to enroll a new guest in the hotel’s membership program directly from the profile.
To Enroll a Guest in a Membership Program: o o o o o o From the Profile Search Screen, select a profile and select Enrollment. If a profile already has a Membership attached, this button will be gray Any guest information that exists on the profile automatically populates to the Guest Enrollment; select OK once completed. Required fields have BOLD field descriptions and highlighted fields. If the guest prefers to receive airline mileage rather than loyalty program points, enter Alliance Code and Number. If the guest prefers to let the system generate a membership number, leave the Number field blank next to Program. If the guest prefers to select a number, the number must be nine (9) numeric digits. Employee ID automatically populates based on User Profile Select Yes or No to print the Enrollment summary once complete. This summary acts as a temporary card for the newly enrolled guest. Select Enrollment to proceed. Note the confirmed Enrollment in the Membership tab.
o o o o
Future: All future reservations for this guest are on this tab. Depending on user rights, any future reservation is accessible the guest’s profile. History: All previous reservations, no-shows, cancellations and current in-house information are in the history tab. It is possible to view Year To Date information on total revenue produced by the guest as well as accumulated membership points. Finally, from the history tab, any previous folio information is viewable and printable. Memberships: Many hotel chains offer loyalty club points for frequent guest stays, and it can be very complicated to calculate the points accumulated manually. Entering membership information in the guest’s profile can help to automatically calculate points each time the guest stays at the hotel.
To Attach Membership Information to a Profile:
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o o o o o o o o
From the Profile Search screen, select an Individual Profile, select Options and choose Membership. Select New to add a new membership record. Select the drop down arrow to the right of Type and Level to select the appropriate Member Type and Level. Highlight the appropriate Membership Type and select OK. Highlight the appropriate Membership Level and select OK. Complete the remaining membership information and select OK to save. Note the newly added Membership record and Close to return to the Individual Profile. Save changes on the Individual Profile by selecting OK.
Merge: If more than one profile for a single guest exists, it is possible to merge the profiles together to combine the statistical information and revenues.
To Merge Profiles: o o o o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, enter search criteria for multiple profiles to merge; press the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Highlight the profile with the correct information to save and select Profile to view details. Select Options in the lower, right-hand corner. Select Merge. Re-enter the search criteria for the duplicate profile; press the [Tab] key to initiate the search. Highlight the duplicate profile; click OK to begin the Merge. Review information on the duplicate profile with the original profile; select Merge to combine the two. Merge Status will display during the merge process. All guest information will merge including Statistics, History, Commissions, Preferences, Credit Cards, Relationships, Future Reservations, and Memberships. Once the Merge is successful, select OK to return to the main profile.
Negotiated Rates: If a hotel has negotiated a discounted rate with an individual or company, that rate should be in the profile. Each time you create a new reservation, as long as the profile is accessible for the rate query, only the negotiated rates will return. This function is fundamental in ensuring that the negotiated rates are available at all times and prevents callbacks and adjustments to room rates. Notes: In this section, record extensive notes about a guest. Most of these notes are on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to move to every reservation made by this guest. In this way, guest’s special requirements can be accessible at any time. Preferences: Preferences indicate a guest’s permanent requests. For instance, if a guest is allergic to cigarette smoke, entering a non-smoking preference in the profile will restrict the system from assigning a smoking room for the guest at check in. Each hotel configures its own set of preferences and should take care not to enter too many preferences in the profile, as many are one-time requests.
To Add Guest Preferences to a Profile: o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the profile; select Profile or double-click on the profile line for details. Select Options. Select Preferences. Select New to add a preference. Select a Preference Group then choose OK. Select all applicable preferences by placing an “X” in the field to the left of each. Select OK.
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Note the newly added preferences in the preference window. Select Close to return to the Individual Profile and select OK to save changes.
Relationship: In some cases, profiles link to each other for viewing purposes. This is a relationship between profiles. If a husband and wife each have their own profiles, the relationship feature can link them together. If a guest is an employee of a particular company, that relationship can be between the guest and the company profile.
To Set Up Relationships on a Profile: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the profile to relate and highlight the profile line; double-click the profile line or select Profile to view details. Select Options. Select Relationship. Select New to create a new Relationship. Highlight the appropriate Relationship, and then select OK. From the Profile Search, locate the appropriate profile for the relationship; highlight the profile and click OK. Note the newly added Relationship; select Close to return to the main profile screen. Be sure to save changes on the main profile screen before exiting. To view the Company Profile containing the relationship, return to the Profile Search screen and locate the company. Select the Relationship tab. Note that the Individual has a “+” next to it indicating a relationship; double-click on the line to expand for details. Note the Individual Profile previously related to this Company Profile; to display Contact information, select Display. Note the Individual Profile is now a contact for the Company Profile. To add a new relationship from the Company Profile, return to the Account Relations view and highlight the profile type to relate; select New. Select the drop down arrow to establish the Relationship to add. Highlight the appropriate Relationship Type and select OK. Note the Relationship chosen and select OK. Type in an Account Name and press the [Tab] key to initiate your search. Place an “X” to the left of the account to be related and select OK. Note the new Company Subsidiary Account Relationship; select Close to return to the main profile screen. Be sure to save changes from the main profile screen before exiting.
New
To create a new profile, select this button.
To Create an Individual Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Individual profile and choose OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, click on the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, click on the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, and then select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to Individual Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
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More Fields
In addition to the main screen of the profile, there are tabs across the top of the screen that will allow entry of additional specific information. Each hotel generally customizes the More Fields tab, so fields on this screen will vary. Check with hotel management for an explanation of the fields on the More Fields screen.
Stats and Info
This tab is for display and indicates the amount of business that the guest has done in the hotel or in the case of multi-property, combined for all hotels. The total room revenue, other revenue, number of nights, number of no-show or cancelled reservations also displays. Use the Stats and Info Tab to create and store the Accounts Receivable Number for all profile types and to restrict billing and reservations for any profile type. On the Company profile screen, there are fields to enter the Company’s Tax ID number, as well as any default billing instructions. On a Travel Agent or Source Profile, the More Fields screen also carries the Commission Code and Commission Percent for paying commissions.
To Set Restrictions on Profiles: o o o o o From the Profile Search screen, locate the desired profile; double-click or select Profile to view details. Select the Stats and Info tab. Select Restriction and write a text Rule; select OK to save. Be sure to save changes once returned to the main profile screen. Note the results of a Restriction when attaching a profile to a reservation.
Contact
If an individual profile creates as a contact, a second profile generates as a contact type. This tab will access the contact profile information, which may be different from the individual information.
2.5.2 Company Profiles
Company profiles attach to reservations to track the amount of business in revenue and room nights a company is producing for the hotel. This information can help in negotiating rates and contracts every year. A company profile also attaches if your accounting department approves the company for direct billing and an A/R number exists on the profile. Finally, a company profiles with negotiated rates attach to rate queries for reservations to only view the negotiated rate for that company.
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Account: The name of the company as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. Since we use this field throughout the program to locate the company, it is very important that you correctly spell entries in the field. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the company. Enter an address in this field for the company's permanent mailing and contact address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the company’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the company’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the company’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: Enter the hotel’s Sales Territories here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, enter that information in the keyword field to locate the profile from the search screen. Type: This field determines whether the profile is a company, travel agent or source type. These three profile types have very similar screens, but slightly different potential functionality so it is important to save profiles using the correct type.
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A/R No: If you accounting department approves this company for direct bill, an A/R number exists on the profile. That number displays in this field but you can not edit this field. Corp ID #: Enter corporate ID numbers in this field for additional search criteria. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the company’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios allow multiple currencies, both the local currency and the company’s home currency print on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the company’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Company Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Company profile and click OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to Individual Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.3 Travel Agent Profiles
Travel Agent profiles are helpful to calculate commissions due to agencies for booking rooms at the hotel. Travel agencies expect payment for each reservation, so an agency profile must be attached.
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Account: The name of the agency as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the travel agent, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the travel agent. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the travel agent’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the travel agent’s primary address. City: The city for the travel agent’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the travel agent’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Agency has a familiar name or acronym, that information can be entered in the keyword field so that it can be used to locate the profile from the search screen. Type: This field determines whether the profile is a company, travel agent or source type. These three profile types have very similar screens, but slightly different potential functionality so it is important that it is saved as the correct type.
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A/R Number: If this travel agent has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field. IATA Number: This is a unique identifying number that validates a Travel Agency. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the travel agent’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the travel agent’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the travel agent’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Travel Agent Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Travel Agent profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.4 Source Profiles
Hotels sometimes track information that does not readily fall into Travel Agent, Company or Group categories using source profiles. Source profiles can be configured to generate commission payments and are sometimes used to pay wholesalers that are not regular travel agents. They can also be used to pay commission on groups, or to track business recommended by Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus or employees.
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Account: The name of the source as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the source, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Account label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Address: The street address of the source. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the source’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the source’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the source’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the source’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. Keyword: If the Account has a familiar name or acronym, that information can be entered in the keyword field so that it can be used to locate the profile from the search screen. A/R Number: If this source has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field.
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IATA Number: This is a unique identifying number that validates a Travel Agency. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the source’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the source’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the source’s home currency. Active: Selecting this option will activate or inactivate a profile. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera. negotiated a discounted rate with an agent or company, that rate will be kept in the profile. Each time a new reservation is created, as long as the profile is accessed for the rate query, only the negotiated rates will be returned. This function is fundamental in ensuring that the negotiated rates are used at all times and prevents callbacks and adjustments to room rates.
To Create a Source Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Source profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.5 Group Profiles
Group profiles are required for any business block and contain permanent information relating to the group. They are used to create the posting masters used by the group for billing as well.
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Group Name: The name of the group as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the group, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Group Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. Language: The group’s native language. The local language will default in this field, but if the group is more comfortable using another language, some PBX systems are able to read this field to set voice mail instructions in the group’s language. In a hotel where multiple languages are used to print folios, registration cards and reports, this field will activate the appropriate language for the guest’s printed information as well. Any entry in the group profile will default to every guest in the group when creating a rooming list. Address: The street address of the group. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the group’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the group’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the group’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the group’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. VIP: If the group has a VIP status at the hotel, that information should be entered here. Reports are run based on this field for VIP’s arriving or in-house. Housekeeping can also clean rooms based on this VIP status if required. A VIP status entered on a group profile will default to EVERY member of the group.
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Acct. Contact: The name of the person with the group who is the primary contact. This field does not have anything to do with a contact profile, and is generally only used in a hotel that has opted not to use Contact Profiles. Account Type: This is a configurable field by the hotel and indicates what type of business this group will give the hotel. Ref. Curr.: If the hotel has the capability of printing guest bills in 2 currencies, it is possible to enter the group’s home currency in this field. If this is different from the local currency and the folios are configured to do so, both the local currency and the source’s home currency will be printed on the folio. This also assumes that an exchange rate has been configured for the group’s home currency. History: Select this check box to save this profile from being purged Notes: In this section, extensive notes can be taken about a group. Most of these notes are kept on the profile only, but Reservation Notes have the ability to be moved to every reservation made by this group. In this way, special requirements can be accessed at any time.
To Create a Group Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Group profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
2.5.6 Contact Profiles
Contact profiles are the only optional profile type in Opera and are generally used in large group hotels. With the Opera Sales and Catering interface, contact profiles are required. Contact profiles keep all pertinent information regarding the group or company main intermediary and are used to track the amount of business that one meeting planner books at a hotel.
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Last Name: The name of the contact as it will appear on registration cards, folios, confirmation letters and reports. It is important throughout the program, and especially in the profile to enter the information exactly as it should appear on printed documents, with proper capital and small letters. As this field will be used throughout the program to locate the contact, it is very important that it is also spelled correctly. Notice that the Last Name label is in bold text. This indicates that the system requires an entry in this field to save this profile. First / Middle: The contact’s first and middle names. Position / Dept.: The contact’s position within the company and the department that he/she works for. Language: The guest’s language as registered on the profile. Select the down arrow to open the Languages list of values and choose the guest’s preferred correspondence language. A default language for confirmation letters, folios, and guest mailings was established for your property during set up. An entry in this field from the reservation screen will populate the profile as a permanent record. Title: The guest’s title as entered in the profile. An entry in this field will populate the profile as a permanent record. The greetings are sorted based on the language selected. This title may be used to address the guest in written correspondence. Knowing the courtesy title the guest prefers is also useful when you are dealing with the guest in person. Envelope Greeting: How the contact’s name should appear on an envelope. An example might be Attn: John Smith. Salutation: The opening salutation on any mail correspondence to the guest. The information here will be defaulted from the title field, but may be updated if the guest would like to have letters addressed to him by his first name only, for instance.
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Address: The street address of the contact. An address may be entered directly in this field, and will become the contact’s primary address. It is possible to enter additional addresses by opening the arrow to the right of this field. City: The city for the contact’s primary address. Postal Cd. / Ext.: The Zip Code and 4-digit extension for the contact’s primary address. Country / State: The country and state for the contact’s primary address. The postal code and country in combination will default the state. Owner: The owner indicates the property staff member (usually a Sales Manager) who is operationally responsible or credited with the rooms revenue for the group account. Territory: The hotel’s Sales Territories can be entered here. This will help in reporting productivity by territory. A/R Number: If this contact has been approved for direct bill, an A/R number will be given to the profile. That number is displayed, but not changed in this field. Birth Date: The contact’s birthday, possibly used to send birthday cards. Communications: Telephone Numbers, Web Sites, Mobile Phone Numbers, Email Addresses can all be entered here. If the hotel has a fax interface, entering a fax number here will allow confirmation letters or A/R statements to be faxed directly. If the hotel has an email interface, entering an email address here will allow confirmation letters to be emailed directly from Opera.
To Create a Contact Profile: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations; then, select Profiles. Select New Profile. Select Contact profile and OK. Enter desired fields and select OK to save changes. To add multiple addresses or telephone numbers, select the Ellipsis button. Required fields have a BOLD field description. To add/edit an address, select the Ellipsis button; then choose New or Edit. Enter all desired fields, select OK to save; select Close from the Multiple Address screen to return to the Profile. Required fields have a BOLD field description. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for Communications (telephone numbers).
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The room plan is a tool for organizing pre-blocked rooms to maximize hotel availability. In the room plan, all in-house and pre-blocked rooms are displayed in a calendar function so that a week at a time can be viewed. In this way, pre-blocked reservations can be moved to arrive on rooms that are set for departure the same day so that rooms do not go unused due to poor management in pre-blocking.
From the room plan screen, there are a number of possibilities to maximize the room pre-blocks. Edit: Navigates directly to the Reservations screen to display the reservation for this guest. Room Block: Use this option to check if there are expected allotments for this room type on this date. Check In: Use this quick check in option to check in the arriving reservation. The arrival date must be the current date. Options: Display the Reservation Options menu for this reservation. OOO/ OOS: Use this option to place this room out of order or out of service. Calendar: Use this option to see what events are influencing business at the hotel.
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2.7 Floor Plan
The floor plan function displays all rooms in the hotel in relation to each other floor by floor. From the floor plan it is possible to view the housekeeping status of every room, as well as whether it is occupied, vacant, due to arrive or due to depart. Any reservation may be opened and edited from the floor plan as long as the user has the appropriate user rights to do so. The Floor plan only displays housekeeping and front office status for rooms for the current date.
The housekeeping and front office statuses of the rooms appear in a grid at the bottom of the screen. The codes are as follows: o CL - Clean o DI - Dirty o PU – Pick Up o IP - Inspected o OO/OS – Out of Order/Out of Service o OC - Occupied o VA -Vacant o DN – Departure Not Paid (Due Out) o AE – Arrival Expected (Pre-Blocked Due In) The rooms themselves reflect the colors associated with both the housekeeping and front office statuses. Double-clicking on any room with an OC, DN or AE code will display the reservation information.
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Confirmation letters can be printed, faxed or emailed immediately upon making a reservation, or a hotel can choose to pre-set confirmation letters for batch printing later. In this section we will explain the batch confirmation function.
The default view for this screen is to see all reservations not yet checked in. To see only those reservations with confirmation letters pending, it’s important to check the box in the center of the screen marked “Pending Only”. This will display all confirmation letters that have been marked for batch sending. Print All: To select all confirmations letters that have been pre-set to print, select this option and all printed confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will print. Print None: To unselect all confirmation letters for print, select this button. All selected printed confirmation letters will be unmarked. Fax All: To select all confirmation letters that have been pre-set to be faxed, select this option and all fax confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will be faxed to the attached fax number. A working fax interface is required for this to work. Fax None: To unselect all confirmation letters for fax, select this button. All selected fax confirmation letters will be unmarked. Email All: To select all confirmation letters that have been pre-set to be emailed, select this option and all email confirmation letters will be marked to send. Once they are marked, select the Send button and all confirmation letters will be emailed to the attached email address. A working email interface is required for this to work. Email None: To unselect all confirmation letters for email, select this button. All selected email confirmation letters will be unmarked.
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Attach: To attach a confirmation letter to any reservation, or to update the confirmation letter for a reservation, select Attach and the confirmation letter screen for the highlighted reservation will display. Send: Once all confirmation letters to be sent are marked, select Send to produce the letters. Print confirmation letters will be printed for postal mailing, fax confirmation letters will be directed to the guest’s fax number and email confirmation letters will be sent as Adobe Acrobat attachments to emails sent to the guest’s email address.
2.9 Calendar Option
When the Application Setting Reservations>Reservation Flow is set to Display the Property Calendar screen first the following screen will appear. Select the start date (by clicking once on the arrival date) and end date (by clicking once on the departure date) for the reservation. (The default start date is today’s business date.) The Rate Query screen appears, with the arrival and departure dates pre-filled. If you click twice on the departure date, the Detailed Availability screen appears.
Legend: The Legend displays the color square boxes that indicate their associated day types on the calendar. The day type description displays at the bottom of the grid when the cursor is placed on the date. Edit: add a new event or day type to the property calendar.
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From Date: The begin date for a defined event or day type. To Date: The end date for a defined event or day type. Day Type: The description for the day type. Event: The description for the event. Days of the Week Check Boxes: Day(s) of the week this event or day type is in effect.
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The Front Desk menu contains all the functionality needed to work with the current day’s business. Arrivals, Guests in House, House Accounts, Guest Messaging, Room Blocking and House Status information are all available from the Front Desk menu.
3.1 Arrivals
From the Arrivals screen, all arriving guest’s reservations can be accessed and edited. This is also the screen for checking in guests as well as for walking in guests arriving with no reservations.
Search: To locate an arriving guest reservation, use any of the fields in the yellow-bordered boxes. The most common search fields are Name (which locates the guest’s last name by matching the last name on the profile) and Conf No, which is a uniquely generated number in Opera. Once the search criteria have been entered, select the Search button to activate a search for arrivals. If no search criterion is entered, the Arrivals dialog box appears displaying the expected arrivals for today’s date. The expected arrivals are listed in alphabetical order of the guest names. Advanced: If the normal search fields are not able to locate the arriving guest, using the Advanced button will open the bottom portion of the screen for more search options. See section 3.1.1 for further details. Walk In: If a guest does not have a previous reservation, the Walk In feature may be used. This feature follows the complete reservation cycle such as searching for availability, attaching a profile, creating the reservation and check in the guest as one function. No reservations found. If search criteria is entered and there are no expected arrivals that match what has been specified, a confirmation dialog box appears asking if you want to search all
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properties (if running in a multi property environment), search for all reservations, search other arrival dates, or perform a walk in.
3.1.1 Advanced Search
Room Type: To choose the room type specified on the reservation. Stay On: The date on which guests are, or will be in-house. Select the calendar icon to display the calendar screen. Choose the date on which you wish to search. This option searches for reservations for guests who are, or will be in-house on the selected date. Room No: The room number assigned on the reservation. Market Code: To choose the market code specified on the reservation. Res Type: To choose the reservation type specified on the reservation. Source Code: To choose the source code specified on the reservation. Rate Code: To choose the rate code specified on the reservation. Country: To choose the guest's country. City: The guest's city Cancel No: The reservation cancellation number. Conf. Letter: Search by a letter type for reservations for guests receiving that letter.
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Promotions: Promotions (e.g., Fall Holiday, Superbowl Sunday and Buy One Get One Free) that are currently available are displayed on this screen. Select one, multiple, or all promotions from the available promotions list. Arrival Time From/To: Define the arrival time range (on the arrival date) you wish to search. For example, if you wished to find all guests who arrived between 4:00 PM and 6:00 p.m. Rate From/To: The range of the rate amounts for the reservation. Deposit Date: The date on which the reservation deposit is due. This option is to search for reservations having a deposit due on the selected date. Deposit From/To: The range of the deposit amounts required by the reservation. VIP: To search by VIP level. Created On: To search for the date in which the reservation was created. Created By: To search by the Opera User who created the reservation. Search Type: If you wish to search for reservations having a specific reservation status, select the appropriate radio button: • • • • • • • • General: Search for reservations regardless of reservation status. This is the default. Cancellation: Search for cancelled reservations. Day Use: Search for Day Use reservations. Checked Out: Search for Checked Out reservations. Due In: Search for Due In reservations. Due Out: Search for Due Out reservations. No Shows: Search for No Show reservations. Complimentary: Search for reservations with complimentary as a rate code.
Mass Cancellation. This button is available to allow cancellation of all listed reservations belonging to guests who have not yet checked in. Partial String Match: One or more letters that appear anywhere in the term you are searching for. Partial Condition Match. Select this check box if you wish to perform a search based on a match in any one or more of the criteria you specify.
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3.1.2 Walk In
This option directs the user through the process of making a new reservation and checking a guest into the hotel. The Walk In function first checks availability, allows a profile to be attached, displays the Reservation screen and checks the guest in once all information has been entered.
To Walk a Guest Into the Hotel: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Select Walk In. Complete the Rate Query including all accommodation information and guest profile; select OK. Select an available Rate Code and Room Type then select Res. Select an available Room Number for the guest or let the system auto-assign one. Make sure the Source is “Walk In” and enter the guest’s Payment information. Once all reservation and in-house guest information is complete, select OK. Answer Yes to continue the check-in. Answer Yes to print a Registration Card. Select OK to the guest being checked in successfully. Answer OK to the Confirmation Number notice.
3.1.3 Check In
This option is meant to be a Quick Check In, and should not be used for standard guest check in. The Quick Check In button verifies only room number and form of payment and does not give the desk clerk the opportunity to verify all other information with the guest. This option should be used to pre-check in guests, or to check in posting masters and house accounts.
To Use the Quick Check In Option: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Enter the guest Name or Conf No. and select Search. Highlight the appropriate reservation, verify the accommodation information with the guest, and select the Check In button. Room Number is auto-assigned based on the reserved room type; to make an alternate selection select the drop down arrow next to Room. Method of Payment defaults from the reservation guarantee; to make an alternate selection or prompt the swiping of the card, select the drop down arrow next to Method of Payment. Once Room and Payment information are correct, select OK to save the check-in. Answer Yes to print a Registration Card. Select OK to the successful check-in message.
o o o
3.1.4 Cancel/Reinstate
To cancel an existing reservation, select this option. Enter a cancellation reason and a unique cancellation number will be given. This cancellation number may be used to locate this reservation information in the future. The reservation status is changed from expected to cancelled. Note: If the guest has a deposit, you cannot cancel the reservation with this option. It must be cancelled through the Cashiering program.
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To Cancel a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Reservations, then Update Reservation. Enter search criteria (i.e. Last Name, Conf. No) and select Search or Advanced for more search criteria. Highlight the correct reservation and select Cancel. Select from the drop down arrow a list of Cancellation Reason choices. Highlight and select the appropriate Cancellation Reason from drop down arrow and select OK. You may complete the cancellation by adding any additional pertinent details in the text box; select OK to finish. An Opera Cancellation Number is generated; select OK to exit. If a CRS is the main reservation database, a CRS generated cancellation number appears. Note the CANCELLED status on the reservation.
To Reinstate a Cancelled Reservation: o o o Select Reinstate. When reinstating, the main Reservation screen appears allowing any changes to accommodation or guest information; once complete, select OK to save changes. Reinstated reservations do not generate a new Opera Confirmation Number but typically generate a new, unique CRS number.
Reg. Card
To print a registration card at any time, select this option. Registration cards may be printed from the time the reservation is made until the guest’s departure date.
Profile
Select this option to access the guest’s profile.
Options:
Select this function to access all reservations options. All reservations options are in Section 2.1.5.
Edit:
To access the reservation for check in, select Edit. This is the best way to check in a guest.
To Check in a Guest with a Credit Card: o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and select Arrivals. Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. To change the form of payment to credit card from the original reservation form of payment, select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field. Choose the given Payment Method and select OK. If a credit card is available on file for the guest’s Individual Profile but not being used as a form of payment, select Cancel.
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Even if this credit card is being used, it is suggested to Cancel; this will prompt the Credit Card interface to ask for the card to be swiped. Answering Yes to attaching the credit card to the guest’s profile keeps the newly swiped card on record for future use. Answering No only keeps the newly swiped card for this particular record only. Note the newly swiped credit card information. With a Room assigned and a collected Payment, select OK to check the guest into the hotel. Answer Yes to check the guest in. Opera verifies the Room and Method of Payment again allowing another opportunity to make any changes; if not, select OK. To change either, select from the drop down arrow next to the field and make the change. Decide whether to print a registration card and answer accordingly. Select OK to close the successful check in message. If a credit card already exists on the reservation as Payment for guarantee, to change the payment method, choose from the Payment field and delete the payment. This is suggested even if the Payment remains the same to invoke the swiping of the credit card. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment to select the given credit card. Choose the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. Again, Cancel from using the Available Credit Card from the guest profile. Note the newly swiped credit card as the Method of Payment and select OK to complete the check in. If the PMS system is connected to interfaces it prompts the key card intrface for the keys. A change of payment may be performed yet again here as well.
To Check In a Guest with Cash: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals. Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. Select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field to choose the form of payment. Highlight Cash and select OK. Select OK to save and check in the guest. Select Yes to Check In the guest. Select Yes to print a registration card or No to print at a later time. Answering Yes to posting a payment allows the direct posting of the cash payment. Answering No does not post a payment and must be posted manually. If this parameter is not applicable for your hotel, follow instructions to post the cash payment manually. Enter your User Password to login to your Cashier and select Login. Enter the Amount of cash to post and indicate any additional number of Copies of payment receipts to print; select Post to complete. Payment Code for Cash is the default. Be sure to select OK to save changes before exiting. To verify the cash payment as posted, note the Guest Balance on the reservation screen; to manually post the cash payment, select the Options button. Select Billing from the Reservation Options. Enter your Password to login to your Cashier and select Login Select the Payment button from the guest folio window.
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o
Enter the Amount of cash to post and indicate an additional number of Copies of payment receipts to print; select Post to complete. Payment Code for Cash is the default for form of payment on the reservation. Note the posted cash payment on the guest folio and Close from the billing window; Close from the Reservations Options. Be sure to save changes before exiting the reservation.
o o o
To Check In a Guest with Direct Bill: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Arrivals Enter search criteria (i.e. Name or Conf. No.) and select Search. Highlight the desired arrival and select Edit to display full reservation details. Use the Tab key to move from field to field while verifying all accommodation information. Once the cursor enters the Room field, Opera automatically assigns the first clean and vacant room available that meets the Rm. Type request. Alternative suggestions are listed in the lower left-hand portion of the screen and may be manually chosen by typing in the Room field. Select from the drop down arrow next to the Payment field to select the form of payment Highlight the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. Check that a Company, Travel Agent or Source profile exists on the reservation for Direct Billing purposes. This company must have an active AR account to accept Direct Bill charges. Select OK to save and check in the guest. Select Yes to Check In the guest. Select Yes to print a registration card. Respond OK to the guest’s successful check in. Be sure to Close and Save changes before exiting the reservation. To ensure Routing of charges is setup properly for direct billing, from the Main Menu, select Front Desk and then Arrivals. Enter Name criteria and select Search. Highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select the Routing button from the Reservation Options menu. If the Company/Travel Agent or Source has default folio instructions, answering Yes applies them to this in-house guest. Note the newly added Routing instructions for this guest. To create additional routing, select New. If default folio instructions do not exist for the company select New and proceed with creating them. Close from Routing and Close from the Reservations Options; be sure to save changes to the reservation before exiting.
3.2 Queue Reservations
At times a guest may arrive before the requested room type is available for assignment, using this feature helps to manage room assignment, and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts. Note: A reservation can be placed into the queue only if the reservation is not checked in and the guest’s arrival date equals the property business date.
When attempting to check in guests before their accommodations are available — for example, if the assigned room is still occupied or all rooms of the desired room type are dirty — the Queue Reservations message appears asking to put the reservation into a check-in queue. Select Yes to place the reservation in queue.
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For reservations currently in queue, the Queue button on the Reservation Options menu shows the queue position for the reservation and allows removing the reservation from the queue. Select Yes to remove the reservation from the queue. The queue time is always listed in Hours and minutes.
To locate specific reservations, enter your filter criteria and select the Search button. Name: Enter all or the first part of the guest's last name. First Name: Enter all or the first part of the guest's first name. Room Type: Select the down arrow to choose a room type.
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Room: Select the down arrow to choose the room number. .
Search Results Grid
The following fields are available for each reservation in the queue. Select a column header to resort the queue by that field. #: Priority number. Q-Time: Hours and minutes the reservation has been in queue. Room: Room number, if assigned. Room Type: Room type assigned to the reservation. FO Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the front office status of the room (e.g., Vacant, Occupied). Room Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the housekeeping room status (e.g., Dirty, Pick Up, Clean). Name: Guest's name. VIP: Guest's VIP status.
Function Buttons
Check In: Check in the highlighted reservation. The payment screen appears. Priority: Manually change the queue position of the highlighted reservation. Resv: Displays the reservation screen for the highlighted reservation. Details: Displays the Rooms Edit screen for the guest's room. Available when a room number is assigned to the guest. Statistics: Displays a detailed view of the current reservations in queue. Report: Prepare the Queue Reservations report.
Queue Reservations Statistics
The Queue Reservations Statistics screen appears when the Statistics button on the Queue Reservations screen is selected.
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At the top of the screen the following information is shown: Current: Average time a reservation has been in queue for all reservations in the current queue. Actual: Average time a reservation was actually in queue before being checked-in based on those reservations that have been placed on queue during the current business date. This screen shows the room type, the description of the room type, and the number of reservations in queue for that room type. Beneath the grid is the total number of rooms in queue.
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3.3 In-House Guests
The In-House Guests function locates all guests checked in to the hotel at the current time. From this screen, all reservations options are available, as well as several options that are only available to checked in guests. The In-House Guests search screen looks much like all other reservations search screens with the addition of the Room No. field as a search possibility.
Search:
Once all search criteria have been entered selecting Search locates all in-house guests that fit the search options.
Advanced:
If an in-house guest cannot be located by the first few options, selecting Advanced opens up the bottom portion of the screen for more search options.
New:
To create new reservations from this screen see information in Chapter 2.1.1.
Cancel C/I:
To cancel the check in and return the reservation to arrival status, select this option. Cancel Check In does not cancel the reservation entirely, but only reverses the reservation from checked in to reserved/arrival status for later check in. It is not possible to cancel a check in if charges have been posted to a guest’s folio. It is also not possible to cancel a check in if a deposit had been placed on the reservation as it is transferred to the guest’s folio as a credit balance once the guest is checked in.
To Cancel A Check In: o o o From the In-House Guests search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Cancel C/I. Only guests that arrived today are eligible for Cancel C/I. Answer Yes to proceed with the cancellation.
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Answering Yes to blocking the room leaves the assigned room number blocked on the reservation. Answering No removes the assignment from the reservation and the room becomes available to general inventory. Depending on your hotel’s policy, select the Housekeeping status for the room. (Generally, if the guest has not arrived, the room would be given the most available status (i.e. Inspected or Clean)). (If the guest arrived and occupied the room for a short length of time, a Pickup status is suggested.) (If the guest occupied the room for a longer length of time, a Dirty status is suggested). Once the Cancel C/I is complete, the reservation returns to a Due-In reservation status.
Profile
Select this option to access the guest’s profile to view or edit.
Options
To access all reservation options select this button. All reservations options are explained in detail in section 2.1.5.
Edit
To open the Reservation screen to view or edit, select this option. .
3.4 Accounts
Hotels use Posting Masters and House Accounts to post charges for banquets or to adjust disputed amounts. Posting Masters and House Accounts are handled like regular guest reservations but are assigned a different set of room numbers to differentiate them. Because Posting Masters are used so frequently, it is useful to have a quick and easy way to create them and check them in.
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Name: The name of the group or account, or the last name of the guest if a posting master is being made for a guest. First Name: The first name of the guest if a posting master is being made for a guest. Date From: The date on which the posting master should be checked in as an arrival so that charges may be posted on it. Date to: The date on which the posting master should be checked out as a departure once the balance is zero and the charges have been resolved. Room Type: The posting master room type. Most hotels use the PM room type, but some hotels may have configured more than one type of posting room. Be sure to check for the proper room type at your hotel. Room: The number of the posting room. Usually posting rooms are numbered between 9000 and 9999, check with your hotel to be sure that you know which numbers you should be using. Rate Code: Select the down arrow to choose a rate code for the account. Market Code: The market code is important as it is used to categorize the revenue that is posted on this account. Because posting masters are used for everything from banquet functions to disputed charges, be sure that you know which market code should be used for your posting master. Source Code: The source code indicates where the business was generated. If the business is banquets or catering the source code is different than if the account is being created for house use.
To Create a House Account or Posting Master: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Front Desk and Accounts. Enter a Name (last) and optional First Name and press the Tab key. If an existing profile match is found, a duplicate will not be created. Enter the Account dates. Accounts are allowed to arrive and depart on the same date. Highlight the PM Room Type and select OK. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room Type. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room to choose a PM room number. Search for a room. Highlight an available PM room number and select OK. Choose from the drop down arrow next to Rate Code. Choose the appropriate Market Code and select OK. Choose from the drop down arrow next to Source. Select the appropriate Source Code and click OK. Select OK to check-in the PM Account. Answer Yes to check-in the guest (PM). Select OK on the successful check-in message.
3.5 Room Blocking
Front Office Management often uses a tool to pre-block some or all of the day’s arrivals into rooms. When working with large group check-ins, pre-blocking rooms can speed the check-in process at the desk. If there are a large number of special room requests or VIP arrivals, preblocking rooms can help eliminate last minute rushing to prepare rooms.
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Search Criterion Date: The date prompted in this field always defaults to the current business date. If you want to assign rooms for a future date, enter the date here. Name: Enter the guest's last name associated with reservation to search for a specific reservation. Room Type: Select the down arrow to display the Room Types list of values (e.g., deluxe double, deluxe king, standard double, etc.). Choose a room type from the list. Group. Enter a group name to narrow the search for reservations with a specific group profile attached. Room Features: Search for all reservations that have this particular room features attached to the profile. Select one or more room features from the list of values. Res. Type: Search for all reservations that have a specific reservation type. Select a reservation type from the list of values. Block: Select a block code to search for reservations with a block code attached. Select from the list of values. Specials: Search for all reservations that have this particular specials attached to the reservation. Select one or more specials from the list of values. Smoking: Use this to search for all reservations that have a specific smoking preference attached to the reservation. Select a smoking preference from the list of values.
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VIP: Select the down arrow to display the VIP list of values (e.g., management guest, repeat guest, etc.). Choose a VIP type from the list.
Advanced Search
Company: Displays a specific company profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Source: Displays source profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Features: Displays specific room features associated with the selected guest's reservation. Group: Displays group profile associated with the selected guest's reservation. Agent: Displays travel agent name associated with selected guest's reservation. Preferred Room: Displays the preferred room number associated with the selected guest's reservation.
Function Buttons
Block: Use this button to access the vacant room list to assign a room for the highlighted reservation. Unblock: Use this button to eliminate the pre-blocked room from the highlighted reservation. Auto: Use this option to pre-block all arrivals for the day. The system looks for preferences in both the profile and the reservation and locates rooms that suit the guest. Profile: Use this option to access the guest profile for information that may assist in locating a room for the guest. Res.: Use this option to access the guest reservation for update or view. Check In: Use this option to check in the guest. Like the Quick Check In option in section 3.1.3 in the arrivals screen, this option verifies only the room number and the form of payment.
3.6 Messages
Guest messages can be left individually on each guest reservation, or can be left as batch messages for larger sets of guests.
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3.6.1 Send Messages
Messages can be sent in batches to guests with similar characteristics on their reservations. Once any one of the following options is selected, there are further filter screens that will assist in narrowing down the number of guests receiving the message .
Guests Arriving Today: All guests with the current date as the arrival date on the reservation. Guests Arriving Tomorrow: All guests with tomorrow as the arrival date on the reservation. Guests Departing Today: All guests with today as the departure date on the reservation. Guests Departing Tomorrow: All guests with tomorrow as the departure date on the reservation. Guests In House: All guests with a Reservation Type “CHECKED IN or DUE OUT”. Guests In House Tomorrow: All Guests reserved to arrive tomorrow, as well as today’s stay over guests. Group Guests: Guests from specific groups can be sorted out to receive messages.
To Leave a Text Message for a Group Guests: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Opera screen, select Front Desk and Messages. Select Send Messages. Select the group of guests that will receive the batch message. Enter any additional filter criteria needed. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then select the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save. Once the return Phone No. is entered, press the [Tab] key to move the message information into the text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Answer Yes to send the message to the guests. This will turn the message light on in the guest rooms of the selected group.
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o o o o o
To print the message for delivery to a guest room, select Print on the highlighted message. Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. A Message lamp on this group in-house indicates that a message is waiting to be delivered. To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select the Received button. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
3.6.2 Display Messages
Displays messages and the status of the message.
The Display Messages options include the following: Not Received: Displays only those messages in the system that have not been received. Received: Displays all messages marked as received other than video received. Printed: Displays only those messages that have been printed. Lamp on: Displays only those messages that have been saved and not received. All saved messages automatically turn on the message lamp for those telephone systems with an interface to Opera. Video Sent: Displays only those messages sent for video display. This function is available for those video systems with an interface to Opera. Video Received: Displays only those messages received by video display. This function is available for those video systems with an interface to Opera. All Messages: Displays all messages in the system, both received and not received.
3.7 Traces
Traces can be left on an individual reservation as a reminder to perform a special function for the guest or to be sure that guest requests are communicated to other departments. Leaving a trace on an individual reservation was explained in Section 2.1.5. In this section, we’ll explain locating and resolving open traces for all reservations from one screen.
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New: To create a new trace for the highlighted guest, select New. Traces for guests not already listed here must be created in the reservation itself. Resolve: Once the action has been completed, the trace is marked resolved, indicating that no further action must be taken. If a trace has been entered to be tracked for more than one day, each day will have to be marked as resolved individually. Edit: To update information on an existing trace, select Edit. Any information on the trace can be changed or updated. Delete: To delete a trace from the database, select Delete. This is not a recommended manner of resolving traces, as all history information about this trace will also be deleted. The Delete option is controlled by User Rights.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Reservation Search or In-House Guest Search results screen, highlight the desired guest and select Options. Select the Traces option. Select on New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send. Any additional instructions or manual trace information should be entered in the Text field. Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To Resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All completes all traces and resolves for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
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The Cashiering menu offers a number of options to work with in-house guest folios, check out guests, and process other cashiering requirements such as check cashing, fast posting, currency exchange and research.
4.1 Billing
The billing screen contains all detail on the guest’s folio and allows access for editing, transferring charges, adjustments, folio printing and guest check out. This screen is the primary billing screen and users should be very familiar and comfortable with it.
4.1.1 Button Options
In addition to the right click menu, there are a number of options displayed on the screen that provide access to additional folio functionality.
Balance: The total amount due from all eight windows of the guest’s folio. Status: The statuses of the reservation, whether it is checked in, checked out, due out or walk in. Arrival: The arrival date as entered on the reservation. Depart: The departure date as entered on the reservation. Company: The name of a company profile attached to the reservation.
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Group: The name of a group profile attached to the reservation. Rate Code: The rate code on the reservation. Rate: The dollar amount of the rate on the reservation.
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Window Name: The name of the person or company responsible for the charges in this folio window. This is set up through the routing function on the reservation. Window Balance: The balance of charges in this window only. The sum of all windows will total the Balance in the upper left corner of the screen.
Select All
Use this button to mark all charges in the highlighted window. This can be done to save time when transferring a large number of charges from one window to another or from one folio to another.
Post
Use this button to post charges or adjustments manually on this guest’s folio.
To Post a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Cashiering and Billing. Enter your user Password for the Cashier Login and select Login to continue. Search for the guest. Highlight the desired guest and Select the room. Select Post to add a manual posting. Select from the drop down arrow a Code for selecting the transaction code to post. Find and highlight the appropriate Transaction Code and select OK. Enter the charge Price, Quantity, Detail on Check No, Supplement, Reference and Window to post the charge to. Select Post to complete the transaction. Close from the posting window to return to the folio. Notice the newly posted charge to the guest folio. Close from the billing window to prevent further postings.
Edit
Use this option to edit reference or supplement information on a charge so that the explanation prints on the guest folio and on reports pertaining to charges.
To Edit a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o From the Billing screen, highlight the desired room and click Select. Highlight the charge to be edited, and either double-click the charge or select Edit. Note the current Price of the charge. Edit the price to the correct amount and select OK to save. This may only be performed on a manual posting from the same business date (i.e. no interface postings or charges applied on a previous business date). Note the newly edited posting. Select Close to exit the billing screen and prevent further postings. This depends on user rights if the user is given the permission from the Management to be allowed to edit a charge on a guest Folio.
Folio
Preview: Use this option to preview the guest’s highlighted folio window on screen without printing.
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Print Folio: Use this option to print the highlighted folio window. Folio Style: This option allows the user to change the folio style for printing the highlighted folio window. Select the folio style from one of 19 styles configured in the system.
Options:
A number of cashiering and reservations options are available from the folio screen. Agent/Company: Use this option to attach additional profiles to the reservation. Travel Agent, Company, Group or Source profiles can be located and attached using this feature. There is no difference on the reservation if the profiles are attached using Agent/Company than if they were attached to the main reservation screen. When setting up charge routing, access to additional profiles is quicker from this option. Billing Summary: This screen displays a side-by-side comparison of the guest's comped and charged transactions. Credit Cards: Displays the credit cards used for payment throughout the guest's stay. You can access this option if you are using the credit card interface. When you select this option, Opera offers you the following choices: Manual Approval, Authorization Rule, and Additional Authorization. Disable/Enable Phone: This option either enables telephone numbers dialed to be printed on the guest folio or restricts the printing of the telephone numbers. Fixed Charges: The Fixed Charges option is used to pre-set automatic postings on a reservation. These charges post immediately after the Room and Tax postings during the End of Day (Night Audit) Sequence. Some examples of fixed charges are extra bed charges, parking charges, refrigerator rentals or any other charge that might be automatically added on a nightly basis. Fixed charges can also be entered to post on a weekly or monthly basis as well, and as a result can be used to post weekly or monthly rental fees.
To Enter Fixed Charges: o o o o o o o o From the Billing screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Choose the Fixed Charges option. Select New. Name, Dates and Nights will default to original reservation dates of stay. Select the desired Transaction Code for the Fixed Charge. Complete the Amount, Quantity and select OK to save. Note the newly entered Fixed Charges and select Close to return to the Options menu. Select Close from the Options menu to return to the main Reservation or Reservation Search screen; be sure to save changes before exiting.
Folio History: A copy of each folio is stored for the guest at the time they check out, when an AR invoice is created, or when a passer by folio is generated. From the Folio History screen, folios can be reviewed on-screen and printed in any of the available folio styles. Package Options: The Package Option is a tool for front desk users and managers to research how much of a package element has been consumed. Package elements such as breakfast have an upper limit to the amount of money a guest may consume. Above that pre-determined allowance, any further charges post on the guest’s bill. The package option displays the allowance amount, the amount consumed by the guest and the overage, which posts on the guest bill. Each day the package element is valid it is displayed separately.
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Phone Details: This option accesses the details of telephone calls posted to the guest room. This displays the time of the call, number of minutes, number dialed and total posted amount. Post Rate Code: Manually post room and tax. Posting History: In the Posting History option, all postings made to the folio as well as any changes or adjustments to those charges are displayed. Profile: Use this function to access the guest profile for update or view information. See section 2-5 for complete information regarding guest profiles. Reservation: The Reservation option displays the complete reservation screen and allows all information to be accessed and updated. See Section 2.1.5 for a complete discussion of all the fields on the reservation screen. Routing: Setting up charge routing can be a great time-saver when checking out a guest. If charges are routed correctly, there are fewer guest complaints at the desk and a much faster check out time. Charges can be automatically separated on a guest’s folio, or can be moved off the guest’s folio completely to a posting master or another guest room.
To Enter Charge Routing Instructions on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing results screen, highlight the desired reservation and select Options. Select the Routing. Choose to setup a New routing instruction. To route charges from one room to another, select Room Routing; indicate whether the instructions apply for the Entire Stay or Other Dates (i.e. partial dates). To route charges to a room, select the room number from the Route to Room drop down arrow. Enter the Guest Name or Room Number and press the Tab key to initiate a search. Highlight the desired guest and select OK. Select the drop down arrow next to Transaction Code to use a pre-defined grouping of transaction codes (i.e. all F&B charges). If routing an individual transaction code, select the code by placing an “X” next to the transaction code. Once the transaction code selected appears at the bottom of the screen, select OK to save. If selecting a pre-defined grouping of billing instructions, place an “X” to the left of the category and select OK to save. To save the Routing Instructions, select OK. Note the newly created Routing Instructions for this guest. Be sure to save the changes before selecting Close. To set up routing of charges from one folio window to another, select the Window Routing option and dates. To route charges to another profile name (i.e. a Company Profile), select from the drop down arrow next to the Name field. Highlight the available Profile name to route charges to and select OK. o If no additional profile name exists on the reservation, the Profile Search Screen appears allowing the search of an existing profile or the creation of a new one. Select from the drop down arrow next to Transaction Code to use a pre-defined grouping of transaction codes (i.e. all F&B charges). After selecting the transaction codes to route, select the folio window for the charges to be routed to using the drop down arrow next to Window No. Once complete, select OK to save changes.
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Payment:
Use this button to post a payment to the guest’s folio without checking the guest out of the hotel. It is not possible to post a direct bill payment from this option. A direct bill payment may only be made when checking out a guest.
To Post a Payment to a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest and click Select. Select Payment. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code the form of payment. The default Payment Code is the listed form of payment on the reservation; to change, select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code. Highlight the Payment Type and select OK. Enter the Amount of the payment and select Post. The amount always defaults to the folio window balance. If the payment is for a different amount, make the applicable change. Note the newly posted payment. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further charges from posting on this folio.
Settlement/Check Out:
Use this option to check a guest out of the hotel. The button reads “Settlement” if the departure date is in the future and “Check Out” if the departure date is the current date.
To Check Out a Guest to Credit Card: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Cashiering and Billing. Enter your user Password and select Login. Highlight the desired guest to check out and click Select. The default Payment Code is the listed form of payment on the reservation; to change, select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code. The default Amount is the folio balance; if the payment amount differs, enter the Amount. Select Post to post the payment; if additional authorization is required, the credit card interface obtains it at this point. Once a payment receipt and guest folio print, notice the posted credit card payment and the change in guest Status to Checked Out. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings.
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To Check Out a Guest to Direct Bill: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest to check out and click Select. It is necessary that a second folio window exists with a Company Name attached; note the company label on folio window two. To check that a valid AR account exists for this company, select Options. Select Agent/Company from the Billing Options. Select from the drop down arrow next to Company Profile. Ensure the company selected has a valid AR No. Select OK to exit; Close from the Profile screen and Close from the Billing Options. To proceed, select on the Check out button. For folio window one, enter the correct form of payment and Post the payment to settle the folio window. Answer Yes to continue with folio window 2. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to change to Direct Bill. Select the Direct Bill Payment Type and select OK to save. Ensure the Amount to settle to Direct Bill is correct and select Post. Note the newly posted Direct Bill Payment and the change in guest Status to Checked Out.
4.1.2 Right-Click Options
From the billing screen, there are a number of button options displayed at the bottom of the screen. In addition to these buttons, a full menu of options is available by using the right-click on the mouse. The right-click options are discussed below.
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Transfer to Window
The highlighted charge or group of charges is moved to the selected window using this option.
Add New Window
Up to 8 folio windows can be opened for each guest. Use this option to open additional windows.
Delete Window
To delete the highest numbered window, select this option. It is not possible to delete a window with transactions attached.
Screen View
To view each folio window as a full screen, select Full, to view two windows on one screen select Split, and to view four windows on one screen select Quad.
View Summarized Transactions/View detailed Transactions
These options will toggle based on which option was selected prior. It displays on screen only, one line per transaction code per day for easier viewing.
Delete Transaction
This option is managed by User Rights, and deletes a posted transaction. This deletion is tracked through posting history and in a Night Audit report as well. Only current day transactions may be deleted, and a reason for deletion is required.
Split Transaction:
Use this button to split one charge into two smaller charges. This is useful if a portion of a charge is to be adjusted or transferred.
To Split a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the appropriate guest and click Select to view the folio. Highlight the charge to be split, right-click and choose the Split option. Select to split the posting either by Amount or Percentage and enter the value. Select OK to save. Note the newly split charge on the guest folio. Click Close to exit the folio and prevent further postings.
Adjust Transaction:
Use this button to allow the system to adjust a charge to its internally configured adjustment code. This button is only used for charges posted automatically by Opera or by an interface, and only by charges posted prior to the current date.
To Adjust a Charge on a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search results screen, highlight the desired guest room and click Select. Place an “X” next to the charge to be adjusted, right click and select Adjustment. Only charges that were posted on a previous business date may be adjusted. Choose the Adjust Selected Posting option to adjust an individual posting. The Adjust Selected by Trn. Codes option adjusts multiple postings with the same transaction code. The Adjust by Check No. option adjusts interface postings by Check No. Select an Amount or Percentage of the price of the charge to adjust and enter the amount; next, select from the drop down arrow next to Reason Code. Select the appropriate Reason Code and select OK to save. Enter any additional Reason Text regarding the adjustment and select OK to save. Select OK to the adjustment message. Note the newly adjusted posting.
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Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings.
Transfer Transaction:
Use this button to transfer charges to or from another guest folio.
To Transfer Postings To or From a Guest Folio: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Billing search screen, highlight the desired guest and click Select. Highlight the charge to be transferred, right click and select Transfer. Select to Transfer TO another Room. Transfer FROM another Room allows postings from another room to be transferred to this folio. Transfer FROM List of Rooms allows postings from a list of rooms to be transferred to this folio. Select All Marked Postings to transfer; select from the drop down arrow next to Room to select the room to send the charges to. Input the Room or Name, press the Tab key to initiate the search, highlight the guest and click Select. Note the visual display of the transfer, and select Transfer to complete. Answer OK to the charge transfer message. Note the transferred charge from the guest folio. Select Close to exit the billing window to prevent further postings to this folio. Alternately, right-click in the folio window and select to Add Guest View. Enter Room or Name, press Tab key to initiate search, highlight guest record, and click Select. Note the newly added guest view. Using the mouse, click and drag the charge down to the second guest folio. Note the newly transferred charge back on the original folio. Select Close to exit the billing window and prevent further postings to this folio.
Add Guest View
To open and display a second guest folio for comparison or transfer, select Add Guest View. The second guest folio is chosen from the list of in-house guest folios, and can be opened at the same time as the current folio.
Remove Guest View
This option closes the folio that is currently viewable on screen if more than one folio is open.
Next Guest
If more than one guest folio is open, this option moves the user to the next open folio.
Previous Guest
If more than one guest folio is open, this option moves the user to the previous open folio.
POS Check Details
If the hotel has an advanced POS interface with the restaurants, it is possible to view and print the restaurant check detail from the folio window using this option.
4.2 Fast Posting
Fast Posting allows a number of charges to be posted to different guest rooms without having to access each guest folio individually. Some common uses for fast posting are: posting laundry charges, posting parking charges, posting valet or bellman charges, and so on. Notice in the bottom left corner that a running total of charges is displayed. This assists if the list that is being entered also has a total at the bottom. The totals can then be compared for accuracy.
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Room/Name: The folio can be located by typing the guest’s room number in the Room/Name field. It can also be located by typing in the first few letters of the guest’s last name in the Room/Name field. Code: The transaction code for posting can be located by typing in the number of the code, or by typing in the first few letters in the description of the code. Opening the arrow to the right of the field and searching through all codes configured in the system can also locate the correct transaction code. Description: The description attached to the transaction code. Amount: The amount of money to be charged the guest for the particular transaction. Qty.: The number of charges that should be put on the guest folio. For example one charge with a quantity of two could be entered, resulting in one line item on the guest’s folio with twice the amount of the charge. If the quantity was four, the one line item would be four times the amount of the charge. Window: The folio window on which the charge will appear. Check No.: Check Number is used if the POS interface will support check numbers in Opera. If an additional charge is added to a restaurant bill at the front desk, entering the check number will cause that charge to roll up into one line item with all other charges on that check number. Supplement: The Supplement field may or may not print on the guest’s folio. A supplement may include information as to why the charge is being posted manually, or additional information about the charge. Reference: The reference information will print on the guest bill. This field is primarily for guest reference, and should be spelled correctly.
To Use the Fast Posting Function: o o From the Cashiering menu, select Fast Posting. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen.
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Enter the Room Number or Partial Name or select from the drop down arrow to search for in-house guests. Search for the guest by any of the fields displayed. Typically, search by last Name or Room Number. Highlight the appropriate choice and click Select. Enter the Transaction Code of the posting (i.e. Flowers) or select from the drop down arrow to search for the correct code. Search for the appropriate Transaction Code by typing a few letters in the “find” field. o o To search by Code, type to the left of the % sign (i.e. 21%). To search by Description, type to the right of the % sign (i.e. %flower).
o o o o o
Select Find to activate the search and display any partial matches display. Highlight the appropriate selection and select OK. Select the Amount, Quantity, Window, Check No, Supplement or Reference. Select Post to proceed to the next line and continue entering charges for other transactions and/or guests. Once all the charges have been entered, select Close to exit the screen and apply all charges to each guest’s folio.
4.3 Cashier Functions
The Cashier Functions button contains a number of different options that may or may not be used at your hotel. It is a good idea to become familiar with each of them. The Cashier Functions cover a wide range of additional information, such as Currency Exchange, Check Exchange, Folio History, Petty Cash Handling and Receipt History.
4.3.1 Batch Folios
Night Auditors routinely print folios for express checkouts to be delivered under the guest’s doors on the overnight. There are also times when it is a good idea to print every guest folio in house in preparation for possible down time. The Batch Folios option is used in either circumstance.
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Batch Folios can be printed for a number of reasons. The most common reason is for express check-out guests. Folios can be printed before or after the End of Day sequence. If printed before, selecting Folios for Guests Departing Tomorrow will pre-print room and tax charges expected to be posted during the audit. If printed after, actual room and tax charges will print. In the case of expected down time, printing folios for all guests will help the desk cope with a manual system.
To Print Express Check Out Folios: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Batch Folios from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. If printing folios before the Night Audit has rolled the business date, then select Folios for Guests Departing Tomorrow. If printing folios after the Night Audit has completed, select Folios for Guests Departing Today. Select Next to continue. In this example, folios are being printed before rolling the business date. To print charges as they appear after the Night Audit, select Advance Folio. Select Next to continue. If delivering folios to each guest room, select Room Number Order. Select Next to continue. If delivering folios to everyone in-house, select All Guests. If only delivering to specific guests, select All VIP and/or the appropriate VIP code to be included in this process. Select Next to continue. Select Only Credit Cards to exclude other payment methods (i.e. Cash, Check, etc) or select All Payment Methods to include all of them. Select Next to continue. Select Only Windows Billed to Guest. This will prevent printing of any Direct Bill folios. If the Reservation does not have Routing set up properly (i.e. Route to Name), this function will not exclude those folio windows. Select Next to continue. Select a Folio Style. To select all guests, select Print All. To select individual guests, place an “X” next to their name and select Print.
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4.3.2 Batch Postings
As part of contractual agreements, it can be common for hotels to negotiate a common charge to be posted to a large number of guest folios. One example can be a group that contracts a per person gratuity for baggage handling. Rather than posting this charge to each individual folio, or even posting this to a large group by fast posting, Batch Posting can be used as long as the charge is the same amount for everyone receiving it. For Batch Posting to be used correctly, the same transaction code and amount must be posted to every guest receiving the charge. It is possible to designate a list of rooms, or to post to every member of a group or everyone in house with the same travel agency. If the charge should be multiplied by the number of adults, and include today’s due out guests, that information can be indicated as well. If the charge should be posted regardless whether the folio is a guest folio or a posting master, that can be indicated here. Finally, if the charge should be posted even if the guest does not have a form of payment that will allow it, the No Post flag should be overridden.
To Enter Batch Postings: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select Batch Postings. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Enter the Trn. Code or select from the drop down arrow next to Trn Code to search for possible options. To search by description, type the first few letters to the right of the “%” sign and select Find to activate the search. The results of any codes containing that combination of letters displays. Highlight the appropriate Code and select OK. Enter the amount. Select from the drop down arrow next to Rooms to select the guests who should have this charge posted to their account. Search for guests using any of the fields in the yellow box in the bottom left corner of the screen. Select them by placing an “X” next to their room number. Once all relevant guests, Groups or Travel agent have an “X” next to their name, click Select to accept. Enter the Amount and Supplement information used to refer to the supplement section.
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o o o o
If the charge being applied is “per person”, make sure to also check the Multiply by Number of Adults checkbox. Select OK to apply charges. Select Yes to see the Posting Details. The new account balance displays for all guests selected. The “X’ in the OK column indicates the posting successfully applied to their folios.
4.3.3 Cashier Reports
When closing out for the day, each cashier must balance his or her work before dropping any cash and checks. To do so, the Cashier Reports should be printed for verification of the amount of cash, checks and credit cards that have been taken in. If the hotel handles foreign currency exchanges as well, the foreign currency totals can also be found on the cashier reports. These reports can be printed at any time during the shift (assuming the parameter for blind drop is not activated), and totals should be verified against actual cash, foreign currency and checks. Once the cashier is closed for the day, these reports are reset to zero and will begin again the next time that the cashier opens.
Cashier Reports are totaled by payment type. The Cash Report also contains a record of every posting that was made on the cashier’s password for the day.
4.3.4 Cashier Status
When a cashier logs into a cash-handling or reporting screen for the first time during a shift, a message appears asking if he or she would like to open the cashier. This is a requirement to open or view cash-handling areas. Once the cashier is open, all postings and payments begin to total for that cashier for the day. At the end of the shift, the cashier must balance all payments, make a drop and close the cashier in Opera. If this is not done, the cashier closes during the audit, but a drop is not registered. The following shift, the cashier will open again with the drop from the previous day registered as part of the opening cash totals. This can cause confusion for the cashier. The Cashier Status screen allows a manager or Night Auditor to see if any cashiers were left open. If not properly closed it creates problems when balancing the following day. The audit auto closes cashiers.
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The cashier number, status and cashier name appear as the times open and closed.
4.3.5 Check Exchange
If a hotel cashes checks for guests, using the check exchange function can help to keep the cashier totals straight at the end of the day. Since cashing a check does not increase or decrease the value of a cashier’s bank, the purpose of the check exchange is to register a decrease in the cash and a corresponding increase in check totals for counting out at the end of the day.
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Room No.: The room number of the registered guest cashing the check. Since most hotels do not cash checks for other than registered guests, this is a required field. Guest Name: The name of the guest cashing the check. Amount: The amount of the check. This is the amount that will be subtracted from the cashier’s cash total and added to the cashier’s check total for balancing. Text: The word “Check” defaults, but can be overwritten with any text needed. It’s a good idea to enter the name on the check if it is different from the guest’s name. Supplement: Usually the check number would be entered here for tracking purposes.
To Process a Check Exchange: o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Check Exchange from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select the in house guest from the drop down arrow next to Room No. Search for and highlight the appropriate guest; click Select. Enter the Amount of the check being exchanged. Enter the “Check #” in the Supplement line and select OK to complete the transaction. Select OK to verify the exchange was completed successfully.
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4.3.6 Currency Calculator
The currency calculator feature allows a user to calculate and view an exchange amount without actually processing the exchange. In Opera, there are six possible exchange rates for each currency, although it is unusual to use all six separately. Most hotels combine two or more exchange types using the same rate for all to keep the exchange feature manageable.
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Amount: The amount in the currency to be exchanged. If 50 Euro are being exchanged for dollars, the amount 50 would be entered in this field. Date: The date of the transaction. In a hotel that updates exchange rates for the next day, entering today’s date may give a different exchange rate than the same amount the following day. From Currency: The currency the guest is exchanging. Exchange Code. The type of exchange to take place. • • • • • • Cash - Exchanged currency to be used without regard for its ultimate application (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Check - Exchanged traveler's check to be used without regard for its ultimate application (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Settlement - Exchanged currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Forecast - Exchanged currency to be used for property revenue forecasting. Commissions - Exchanged currency to be used for travel agent commissions. Posting - Exchanged currency to be applied to posting transactions
To Currency: The currency the guest will receive in the exchange.
Calculation Results
Buy Rate: Currency exchange buy rate configured for the currency in the From Currency field. Buy Commission: Currency exchange buy commission percentage configured for the currency in the From Currency field. Calculated Amount: Amount of the exchange in the currency shown in the To Currency field.
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To Use the Currency Calculator: o o o o o o o o From the Main Opera menu, select Cashiering and Cashier Functions. Select Currency Calculator. Enter your password. Enter the amount of foreign currency the guest would like to calculate in the Amount field. Enter the type of foreign currency the guest would like to calculate in the From Currency field. Enter the type of currency the guest would like to receive in the To Currency field. The total amount of the currency to be exchanged will appear. Note: This function does NOT register the currency exchange with the cashier’s bank. This function is only a calculator to display currency exchange information. To complete an exchange and register it on a cashier’s totals, the currency exchange feature must be used.
4.3.7 Currency Exchange
To register a foreign currency exchange as part of the cashier’s totals, the Currency Exchange feature must be used. Any currency exchanged using this function is exchanged at the rate set up for Exchange in the Exchange Rate Setup function.
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Room No.: Most hotels exchange currency only for registered guests, the room number may be a required field based on the hotels procedures. Name: The name of the guest exchanging currency. Currency: The type of foreign currency being exchanged to local currency. Exchange Code: Allows the user to select the exchange rate to use. Amount: The amount of foreign currency being exchanged to local. Supplement: Any additional text required by hotel policy.
To Process a Foreign Currency Exchange: o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashiering Functions and select Currency Exchange from the sub-menu. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select from the drop down arrow next to Room No or Name to select the in house guest exchanging foreign currency. Highlight the appropriate guest and click Select. Select from the drop down arrow next to Currency Code to select from the list of foreign currencies accepted. Highlight the given currency and select OK. Enter the Amount being exchanged and press tab to calculate the exchange rate. The Exchange Rate Details displays the calculation used and the Local Amount due to the guest in the local currency. Select OK to pay out and generate a receipt. If more than one receipt is needed, enter the number of Copies to print.
4.3.8 Exchange Rate
If a hotel is using either the Currency Exchange feature or the Currency Calculator feature, or configuring rate codes or paying commissions in foreign currency, the Exchange Rates needs to be entered and updated often. The Exchange Rate feature is normally restricted to appropriate personnel through user rights and is where any updates to the exchange rates can be made.
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Currency: To localize a single currency for update, select that currency from the drop down menu accessed from the arrow to the right of the field. All: This displays all currency exchange rates listed above. Exchange Rate Usage Radio Buttons: Select the radio button that corresponds to the usage, or purpose, for which you want to see currency exchange rates. All current currency exchange rates for the selected usage will be displayed. • • • • • • All - Show exchange rates for all usages. This is the default. Exchange - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when performing a currency exchange (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Check - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when cashing traveler's checks. Settlement - Show exchange rates for currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Posting - Show exchange rates for currency to be applied to posting transactions. Commissions - Show exchange rates for currency to be used for travel agent commissions. (This option is available if the OPP COM Commission handling add-on license code is active.) Membership - Show exchange rates for currency to be used when calculating membership program benefits.
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Grid Fields
For each currency, the Exchange Rate screen grid provides the following information. Currency: Currency code.
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Code: Currency exchange code. The currency exchange codes are set up in System. Exch: Exchange rate for currency to be used when performing a currency exchange (sometimes called "over-the-counter" exchange). Chk: Exchange rate for currency to be used when cashing traveller's checks. Sett: Exchange rate for currency to be used in full or partial payment of the guest's bill. Post: Exchange rate for currency to be applied to posting transactions. Comm: Exchange rate for currency to be used for travel agent commissions. Buy Rate: The applicable exchange rate when buying currency, the usual exchange transaction. Date: The effective date for the exchange rate.
Currency Exchange rate buttons
Future: Select this option to see foreign currency exchange rates set for the future. Past: Select this option to review the foreign currency exchange rates from previous business dates. Delete: To delete a currency type from the list of approved currencies, select Delete. New: Select this option to enter a new currency for exchange. Edit: Use this option to update an exchange rate already in use. It is always a good idea to update currencies beginning on the next business day, as it can be confusing to settle foreign currency paid-outs if exchanges have been made both before and after a currency change.
To Enter or Update a Foreign Currency Exchange Rate: o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select Exchange Rates. To change the existing Exchange Rate, highlight the Currency code and select Edit. Select the Currency, Code, Begin Date and Buy Date then select OK.
4.3.9 Folio History
Guests frequently call the hotel for copies of folios. Many times they are looking for a copy of the folio printed in a different format from then one they were given at check out. In Folio History, all guest folios are able to be previewed or printed, and the folio style can be changed to reflect the guest’s needs. It is possible to reprint checked out guest folios, passerby folios and Accounting folios.
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Date: The date that the folio was checked out. Name: The last name of the guest. Folio No.: The folio number generated at check out. Some folios will have this number printed on them for referral, some will not. Whether the folio number is printed on the check or not, one is assigned to every folio. If the folio number is printed on the bill, the guest can refer to this number to locate that folio specifically as it is a unique number assigned to only one folio. First Name: The first name of the guest. Room: The room number of the guest at check out. If the guest’s folio was transferred to a Posting Master before being checked out, the posting master number will be the room number used to search. Search Filter check boxes: • Check Out: Select this radio button to view all folios for guests checked out of the hotel. This includes any folios paid for by cash, check or credit card. If a folio was closed using the Direct Bill payment code, it can not be located here. Direct Bill folios are only found by selecting AR. Passerby: Select this radio button to locate any folios that were checked out using the Passerby feature. AR: Select this radio button to view all folios closed to the Direct Bill payment code. These folios are billed to companies rather than guests, and should be located by searching for the company name, not the guest name. Video Checkout: Display folios for guests who used video checkout.
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Print Phone Details: If the guest would like to see telephone numbers dialed on the folio, check this box. If the phone numbers should not be printed, do not check this box.
Folio History Buttons: Folio: Displays the Folio Option Screen to preview or print folios for a specific date range and for a specific folio style.
To Reprint a Guest Folio from History: o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, select Cashier Functions and Folio History. Determine whether the folio is in the checked out guest list, the Accounting list or the Passerby list. Use any of the search fields to locate the guest. Past stays list in order of arrival date with the most recent listed at the top. Highlight the appropriate stay and select Folio. All windows for this stay list. Highlight the appropriate window and select Preview to display the folio or Print to reprint the folio. There are options for changing the Folio Style, printing Phone Details, etc.
4.3.10 General Cashier
For hotels that handle large cash transactions at the Front Desk, the General Cashier function can be used to register an increase or decrease in a cashier’s bank mid-shift. If a guest pays with a large amount of cash, it is a good idea to make a cash drop rather than keep that amount of money on hand. Rather than having the cashier total all transactions to balance prior to dropping the cash, the General Cashier function can be used to register the drop. This will decrease the amount of money to be dropped at the shift close. On the other hand, if the agent has made a large paid-out or currency exchange which has depleted the total cash on hand, an increase in cash can be necessary mid-shift to keep enough cash on hand for the agent to continue working. The General Cashier may register cash into the cashier’s bank, and this cash will then be included in the amount of cash to balance at the end of the shift.
Cash transactions can be registered as going To the General Cashier, in the case of a large cash payment that should be dropped immediately. A cash transaction can also be registered as coming From the General Cashier in the case of a large pay out or exchange that has depleted the total cash in a cashier’s drawer and must be replaced.
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To General Cashier: If cash or checks are being dropped (given to the General Cashier), then select this option. This decreases the amount of cash to balance for the cash drop at the end of the shift. From General Cashier: If cash, checks or foreign currency are being added to the cashier’s bank (From the General Cashier) select this option. This increases the amount of cash to balance at the end of the shift. Amount: The total amount of cash, checks or foreign currency that are being added to or taken from the cashier’s bank. Supplement: Free text information as to why the General Cashier function is used. Trn. Code: The transaction code indicates whether cash, check or other payments or paid outs are added or subtracted. Currency: The currency that is added or subtracted from the cashier’s bank.
To Use the General Cashier Function: o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, go to Cashier Functions and select General Cashier. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. To receive money, select From General Cashier. This amount is included in “cash received” when the Cashier is closed at the end of the shift. Select OK to accept. To make an early drop without closing your Cashier, select To General Cashier. This amount subtracts from the “cash received” total when the Cashier is closed at the end of the shift. Select OK to accept.
4.3.11 Journal
On occasion, it is necessary to research a cashier’s transactions to locate problems in balancing or in resolving guest questions. The Journal function offers a way to locate information about a specific cashier, transaction code or guest for the current day or previous days.
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Cashier No.: The identifying cashier number for locating transactions. Transaction Code(s): To research transactions on a particular payment type, enter that transaction code here to narrow down the results of the search. Arrangement Code: If Arrangement codes are used at the hotel, selecting an arrangement code gives a list of transactions posted to that arrangement code for the date range indicated. List of Rooms: If all transactions for one or more rooms are to be searched, enter the room number or numbers here. Ref. No: The Reference number refers to a POS check number and is used to locate specific transactions. Date From: The first date to begin looking for the transaction in question. Date To: The last date to begin looking for the transaction in question.
4.3.12 Petty Cash
The petty cash fund is used to pay cash for outside services that are not charged to a particular guest. Some examples of typical petty cash expenses include the purchase of newspapers and magazines for the hotel, postage costs, or taxi service. The petty cash fund is also used when money in payment for incidentals is received for incidental payments, for example when someone stops at the front desk and asks to buy a stamp. Petty cash is useful for tracking money paid out (paid-outs) and money received (paid-ins) which applies to the property in general and not to any guest's bill or folio.
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Paid / Received: To determine whether cash is being paid-out (Paid), or accepted (Received) in this transaction. Posting Text: This field shows the description of the Petty Cash Account that is selected in the grid. Amount: The amount paid out or received. This amount must always be positive. Transaction Code: To choose the transaction code for this petty cash transaction. Currency: The code for the type of currency used for this transaction. Supplement: Any supplemental information such as the reason for the transaction. Balance: To check the balance in a petty cash account, highlight the account on the Petty Cash screen and select Balance.
4.3.13 Receipt History
Receipts are created in Opera for a number of reasons – payment receipts, currency or check exchange receipts and paid out receipts are the most common. These receipts are generated when the transaction is made, but can be reprinted from history as well.
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From/To. The date the receipt was issued. If that date is unknown, it is a good idea to delete the current date default and search for all dates. Receipt No.: A receipt number is generated with each transaction. This receipt number may or may not be printed on the receipt itself, but is generated with the transaction regardless. Receipt Type: This describes the type of receipt being searched. Types of receipts are Check Exchange, Payment Receipt or Paid Out Receipt. Name: The last name of the guest on the transaction. First Name: The first name of the guest on the transaction. Search: Use this option to locate the receipt based on the search criteria entered. Print: Print the receipt to a local printer. Preview: Display the receipt on screen for viewing.
4.3.14 Deposit/Cancellation
The Deposit/Cancellation option is used to post an advance deposit on a guest’s reservation or to handle cancellation charges or penalties. In this section, we are able to post deposit requests or payments on more than one reservation easily.
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The Deposits and Cancellations radio buttons determine the basic features of the screen. By default, the screen opens with the Deposits radio button selected and is configured to show reservation deposits. Non Processed Only: This makes a distinction between Processed and Non Processed entries in the search results grid so reservations can be separated quickly. All Reservations: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all reservations that have not yet checked in, whether or not they require a deposit. Deposits Outstanding: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for any reservations where the deposit owed value is less than the deposit requested value. Deposits Paid: (When the Deposits radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for any reservation that has a deposit posted against it when the button is selected. All Cancelled Reservations: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all cancelled reservations, regardless of whether or not they have a cancellation rule attached. Cancellation Rule Attached: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) Select this radio button to search for all cancelled reservations that have a cancellation rule attached. (See Adding Cancellation Rules, below.) Arrival Date: To search for all reservations booked for arrival on or after a specific date. The default is today's date. Deposit Due Date: (When the Deposits radio button is selected) To search for all reservations having a deposit due on a specific date, select the down arrow to display the calendar and choose the date.
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Cancellation Date: (When the Cancellations radio button is selected.) To search for all reservations cancelled on a specific date, select the down arrow to display the calendar and choose the date. Name: To search for a reservation by name, enter the guest's last name or the group name. Company: To search for reservations associated with a company, enter the company name. Agent: To search for reservations associated with the travel agency. Confirmation No: To search by confirmation number. Reservation Type: To search by the reservation type. Payment Type: To search by the payment type. Users: To search for the user, enter the user id or select the down arrow to choose from a list of values for the user.
Reservation deposit search results grid and button
Conf No: The reservation confirmation number. Name: The name of the guest or posting master. To sort the reservations displayed in the grid alphabetically, click on the Name column label. Native Name: Alternate name of the guest displayed in the base language name or native name values. Arrival: The guest's arrival date. To sort the reservations displayed in the grid by date, select the Arrival column label. Departure: The guest's departure date. Requested: The amount of deposit requested. Paid: The amount of deposit that has been paid. Owed: The amount of deposit still owed (Deposit Requested - Deposit Paid). Status: The current status of the reservation. Processed: The indicator in this column shows whether the reservation has been processed (Y) or not processed (N). Deposit: Select the Deposit button to go to the Deposit & Cancellation screen for the reservation you have highlighted. The Deposits tab on this screen lets you view deposits currently required and deposits that have been paid. You may also set new deposit requirements, edit existing deposit requirements, delete deposit requirements, and post deposit payments.
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To Enter a Deposit Request: o o o o Select Cashiering, Cashiering Functions and Deposit/Cancellation. Select Deposit and enter Request. By selecting from drop down arrow next to Type, select the type of deposit requested. Complete the remaining Deposit Request information, and select OK. o Percentage input will reflect on the Deposit Amount requested (i.e. 50% of $149.00 would result in an actual Deposit Amount of $74.50).
To Enter a Deposit Payment: o o o o o o o o Select Cashiering, Cashiering Functions and Deposit/Cancellation. Select Deposit and enter Payment. Log into your Cashier by entering your User Password; select Login. Select from the arrow to select the Payment Method of the advance deposit. Select the appropriate Payment Method and select OK. After entering the Amount, click the arrow to select the Reservation Type. Highlight the appropriate Reservation Type and select OK. Select OK to complete posting the advance deposit.
4.4
Close Cashier
At the end of every shift, all users who have opened the cashier at the beginning of the shift must close the cashier at the end of the day. This ends the totaling of all payment transactions and allows the user to register a cash drop at the end. If this is not done, all cashiers will be closed automatically during the night audit, but any payments taken in are assumed to still be with the cashier and will be part of the opening bank the following shift. If the payment drop has been made, this can cause confusion for the cashier and make it difficult to balance the next day. Closing the cashier should be the very last thing done during the day and must be done every shift.
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Opening Balance Cash: The amount of cash registered in the cashier’s bank. This total comes from the amount listed as the cashier’s float plus any amount that may not have been registered as dropped on previous days. If a cashier has not closed the cashier properly, this amount can be incorrect and an adjustment must be made. To make the adjustment, register an actual cash drop that will include the opening balance overage. Opening Balance Check: The amount of checks registered in the cashier’s bank. This total comes from any check transactions from previous days that were not registered as dropped by the cashier. If a cashier has not closed the cashier properly, this amount will be incorrect and an adjustment must be made. To make the adjustment, register an actual check drop that will include the opening balance overage. Cash: This is the amount of cash that Opera has registered as having been taken in on the current shift. This total includes all cash taken as payments on the cashier’s user ID. Paid Out: This is the amount of cash that Opera has registered as having been paid out on the current shift. This total includes any transaction processed on a paid out transaction code as well as any check or currency exchange that has been made. Total Cash Drop: The total amount of cash that Opera calculates the cashier to have on hand. Total Cash Payments minus Total Cash Paid Outs equals Total Cash Drop. Actual Cash Drop: In this field, the user must type in exactly the amount of cash that is being dropped. This is the amount that will register on the cashier summary report and so will be matched to the actual drop envelope total. If there is a difference between the Total Cash Drop
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calculated by Opera and the Actual Cash Drop as entered by the cashier, an Over/Short will be registered. Checks: The total amount of payment taken by the cashier by using the check payment transaction code. Actual Check Drop: In this field, the user must type in exactly the amount of checks that are being dropped. This is the amount that will register on the cashier summary report and so will be matched to the actual drop envelope total. If there is a difference between the Checks amount calculated by Opera and the Actual Check Drop as entered by the cashier, an Over/Short will be registered. Expected Shift Drop: The total amount of cash and checks that Opera registers as being dropped. Shift Drop Over/Short: Any difference between the amount of cash and checks that Opera has calculated and the actual amount of cash and checks the cashier will drop. Foreign Currency: The currency type that has been calculated as being processed by this cashier. Opening: If any amount of the foreign currency is still registered from previous shifts as not having been dropped, this amount will register as the opening balance for that currency. From Today: Any amount of foreign currency that was taken in on the current shift. Shift Drop: The total of previous day’s foreign currency and the current day’s totals. This is the amount that the cashier will type in that is included in the shift drop envelope. Foreign Check Currency: The currency type that has been calculated as being processed by this cashier as checks. Opening: If any checks in the foreign currency are still registered from previous shifts as not having been dropped, this amount will register as the opening balance for that currency. Shift Drop: The total of previous day’s foreign currency checks and the current day’s totals. This is the amount that the cashier will type in that is included in the shift drop envelope.
To Close a Cashier: o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu, select Close Cashier. Enter your Password and click Login. All postings for the day display. This includes payments (i.e. Cash, Check, etc.) and revenue postings (i.e. Fax, Parking, Flowers, etc.) To view individual details for each charge Description, highlight the charge group and select Details. If the postings displayed are correct, select OK to continue closing the cashier. Displayed is all Cash received or Paid Out for the day. The expected shift drop is broken out into Total Cash Drop and Checks. Foreign Currency exchanges list separately on the bottom half of the screen and should be dropped along with local currency. If the Actual Cash and Actual Checks being dropped match the display, click OK; if they do not match what is calculated, enter the amount being dropped.
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Opera calculates any Shift Drop Over/Short or Due Back based on the Cashier’s Opening Balance. Verify the amount of cash/checks being placed in the envelope is accurate. If the Cash Drop amount is correct, select “Yes”. If the amount displayed is not correct, select “No” and then select Back to correct the mistaken postings before closing your cashier. Select “Yes” to print Cashier Reports. Select OK and the Cashier is now closed.
4.5
Passerby
Posting charges to a guest’s folio is a very easy matter, but if a non-guest would like to purchase an item or service at the front desk, it can be a lengthy matter to check in a posting master, post a charge and settle the bill. For this reason, the Passerby function exists to handle this situation. With the passerby function, Opera essentially becomes a cash register to process a posting and a payment without going through all the steps of creating a reservation and checking in a guest.
Name: Attach a profile for the guest making the transaction. Many hotels create a profile called “Passerby” or “Non-Guest” to track this type of revenue. Market Code: The market code in which the revenue is registered. Again, many hotels set up a market code for processing these transactions or lump them together in a House Account market code.
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Source Code: The source of business. If this is a group guest, it may be useful to track the source of this revenue, but again, many hotels have an internal account source of business code that would be used for this transaction. Room Class: The room class is generally a posting room or pseudo room rather than a regular room class such as Standard, Deluxe or Suite. The next screen is the same posting screen as that found in a guest’s folio. Any and all charges can be entered on this screen. Once the close button is pressed, the payment screen will appear and payment should be registered.
To Process a Passerby Transaction: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Cashiering menu select Passerby. Next, enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select Post to begin the charging process. Every Passerby requires a profile. Select from the drop down arrow next to Name to search for and select a profile. Type in a few letters of the guest’s last Name and press Tab to activate the search. Highlight the correct guest and select OK. Select the drop down arrow next to Room Class to select from the list. Highlight the appropriate Room Class and click OK. Note: Room Class for Passerby is typically Other or House Use. Select Post to begin entering transactions. Note: The Market Code and Source Code are automatically entered by the system. Enter the Transaction Code of the charge (i.e. fax, copy, etc). or select from the drop down arrow to search for the correct Code. Search for the code by typing a few letters of its description in the “Find” field to the right side of the “%” sign. Select Find to activate the search and any partial matches will display. Highlight the appropriate selection and select OK. Enter the Price per item and the Quantity of items. Select Post to proceed to the next line and continue entering charges remembering to Post after each charge. Once all the charges have been entered, select Close to proceed. Next, Opera expects a payment for the items posted in the previous screen. Select from the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to display choices.
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Highlight the Payment Type used and select OK. Typically, a Passerby guest pays Cash. Enter the Amount received and select Post to apply the payment. Note: If you select Close the payment will not apply and all the charges for this transaction will reverse. To view all Passerby postings for the current day, select Check Out. The top half of the screen shows the Passerby folios for the day. Notice there is only one folio for the guest “Passerby”. The bottom half of the screen shows the transactions (postings and payments) for the folio highlighted at the top.
4.6
Quick Check Out
In a hotel with a large amount of group business, the Quick Check Out option can help to efficiently check out members of a group that may already have left the hotel. From the Quick Check Out function, all of the day’s departures appear, and any guests with a zero balance bill (generally due to all charges having been routed elsewhere) may be checked out in one motion. As all departures for the day must be resolved for the audit to run, this function can help to focus attention on guests due out that may need to be checked out or extended.
Select All: This option opens a check out screen for every window of every due out guest in turn. It is possible to process the payments on each folio in turn. The default form of payment is the payment type listed in the guest’s reservation. Billing: This option takes the user to the guest folio screen where charges can be transferred, adjusted or payment made. C/O Zero: This option automatically checks out all due out reservations with zero balances. This is very useful when checking out a large group with all charges routed elsewhere. Select: This selects the highlighted reservation only for quick check out.
To Use the Quick Check Out Function: o From the Cashiering menu, select Quick Check Out.
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o o o o
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Enter your Password at the Cashier Login screen. Select the “C/O Zero” option to check out all guests with a zero folio balance. Caution: Be certain that all scheduled departures with a zero balance are confirmed by Housekeeping as departed before using this function! To check out a group of guests with a zero balance and not all departures with a zero balance, minimize the search results by Block, Group, Party or Company. Once the search results display only that group, select the “C/O Zero” to check out only those guests. To select an individual guest to check out without opening the folio window, place an “X” next to the Room Number and choose the Select button. A payment window prompts for settlement for the folio balance. If there are multiple folio windows, payment is required for each one before the check out is complete. For multiple guests, place an “X” next to each Room Number, choose Select and apply a payment for each folio for each room. To check out all due out guests, choose the Select All button and apply a payment to each folio window. To check out a group of guests and not all departures, minimize the search results by Block, Group, Party or Company. Once the search results display only that group, use the Select or Select All option to check out only those guests.
4.7
Credit Cards
4.7.1 Settlements
The settlement function is used if the property works with a credit card interface that includes batch settlement. The Credit Card Settlement feature allows viewing or modifying the credit card payment records waiting to be settled. This feature is also used to send the credit card records (as electronic files) to the central credit card processing agency for batch settlement.
Settle for Date: The date for which to process credit card settlements. Name: Type or part of the guest name. Folio No: The Folio number of the guest to search for. Room: The room number of the guest to search for.
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X: This column is used to select a credit card payment record for the settlement. Name: The name of the guest. Room: The room number of the guest. Folio No: The number of the folio which has the credit card number recorded. Window: The folio window number which has the credit card attached to. Credit Card: The number of the credit card used for the payment. Expiration: The expiration date of the credit card. Approval: The approval code received from the credit card company. Amount: The amount to be settled. A negative amount means there is a credit to the guest. Transaction Date: The date on which the transaction took place. Total Amount on Hold: The total amount of the credit card payment transaction not to be settled. This information is view only. Total Amount to be Settled: The total amount of the credit card transaction to be settled.
Edit a Credit Card
Highlight the reservation and select Edit to modify details of a credit card Credit Card: The credit card number for the highlighted transaction. This information is view only. Expiration: The expiration date for this credit card. Approval Code: The approval code given by the credit card company for the transaction covered by this payment. Amount: The settlement amount.
Settlement processing
Select Settle to select the record to be settled by the credit card company. After the transaction a message is displayed informing if the credit card settlement was successful or not.
4.7.2 Authorization
The authorization function is used to process credit card authorizations for checked in guest. Once the credit cards are processed the credit card authorization report can be viewed.
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In the Rooms Management section of the application are a number of functions designed to manage the physical rooms in the hotel. The most used option is Housekeeping, where room statuses can be updated, rooms can be put Out of Order or Out of Service, Housekeeping Task Assignment sheets are created and discrepant rooms are resolved. Also in the Rooms Management section is Room History for locating the owners of lost and found items, Sell Limits for setting over booking limits, the Occupancy Graph for a quick view of upcoming business and Maintenance for those hotels who use Opera to manage Maintenance requests.
5.1 Housekeeping
The Housekeeping module is used to manually update room statuses and to print room lists. Rooms can be viewed and sorted in a variety of ways, and can be updated easily. Housekeeping also holds information on discrepant rooms and is used to place rooms Out of Order or Out of Service as well. Housekeeping Task Sheets are created and printed on the Task Assignments tab.
5.1.1 Housekeeping Management
The Housekeeping Management screen is used to change the housekeeping status of a room manually. Various searches are also available to print a list of rooms.
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Room Status: This option allows the user to select the room statuses that will be viewed. The default setting is to view all rooms in all Housekeeping Statuses. If a list of Dirty rooms only should be viewed, clear all and check Dirty and the list of rooms will be displayed as requested. FO Status: This option allows the user to select the Front Office Statuses that will be viewed. The default setting is to view all rooms whether vacant or occupied. If a list of only vacant rooms should be viewed, uncheck the box marked “Occupied” and the list of rooms will be displayed as requested. Advanced: Use this option to open additional search criteria. With this option, it’s possible to sort the list by looking for rooms with the following statuses: Arrivals, Arrived, Stay Over, Due Out, Departed, Not Reserved, Reserved or Day Use. Select All: Use this option to automatically select all rooms for view. Clear All: Use this option to automatically clear all rooms from the current search.
Room Search Grid
Rm Type: A description of the room type for the highlighted room on the list. Room Status: The current Housekeeping status of the highlighted room. The housekeeping status can be manually updated by using the arrow to the right of the field to select the proper status for change. FO Status: The current front office status for a room. Reservation Status: The current reservation status for a room.
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Details: Displays configuration details for the highlighted room. Report: Displays the option to preview or to print the Housekeeping AM or PM reports. Statistics: This option will display the total number of clean rooms, dirty rooms, pickup rooms, out of order rooms, arrivals, departures, etc. This is the best screen to use to determine how many housekeepers will be needed to clean the rooms on the current day. Change: To change more than one room status at a time, select this option. Rooms can be entered as a list to be changed from dirty to clean, or can be changed as a range of rooms or by section.
To Update the Status of a Room: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping Management. Enter search criteria and select Search. Locate the room to change. Click the drop down arrow to the right of the Room Status field to display all Housekeeping options and highlight the appropriate status to change. Note the new status of the room.
5.1.2 Queue Rooms
At times a guest may arrive before the requested room type is available for assignment, using this feature helps to manage room assignment fairly, and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts.
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Room Type: To search by the room type. Room: To search by room number.
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Current: Average time a reservation has been in queue for all the reservations in the current queue. Actual: Average time a reservation has been in queue before being checked in. Total rooms in queue: Total number of rooms in queue
Search Results Grid
#: Priority number. Q-Time: Hours and minutes the reservation has been in queue. Room: Room number, if assigned. Room Type: Room type assigned to the reservation. FO Status: The Front Office status of the room. (i.e., Vacant or Occupied) Room Status: If a room is assigned to the reservation, the housekeeping room status (e.g., Dirty, Pick Up, Clean). Name: Guest's name. VIP: Guest's VIP status. Statistics: Displays a summary by housekeeping status of all rooms. Details: Displays the Rooms Edit screen for the guest's room. Available when a room number is assigned to the guest. Resv: Displays the Reservation screen for the highlighted reservation. Report: Prepare the Queue Reservations report
5.1.3 House Assignment
Hotels that perform turndown service in rooms often wish to turn down vacant rooms for arriving VIPs. Not all rooms in the hotel may be turned down, so it is helpful to indicate to the front desk which rooms are prepared for guest arrival. To do this, the House Assignment function is used. Another use for House Assignment is to hold back rooms from being pre-blocked at check in.
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General Assignment: A general assigned room will be removed from the vacant room list and will not auto block at check in. This room is not Out of Order or Out of Service, but is only able to be used if the room number is typed directly into the Room Number field. General Assigned rooms are normally kept by Front Office management, and are used to hold rooms back for possible VIP arrivals. Housekeeping Assignment: Housekeeping Assigned rooms will appear on the vacant room list along with the assignment reason code. This assignment type is used to indicate that something has been added to the room or a special service has been done with the room for arrivals. These rooms are not pre-blocked for anyone in particular, but are available at check in if needed. If a vacant room has been turned down for a VIP walk in, a reason code should be configured to indicate that. If a Murphy bed has been made up, or a sofa bed pulled out in anticipation of guest needs, that indication can be made on the room as a Housekeeping assignment. Unassigned: Displays all rooms currently not assigned as General or Housekeeping.
House Assignment Grid
The House Assignment screen shows the following information. X: Placing an “X” in this column selects the room to be assigned or unassigned. Room: Room number assigned to the room. Room Type: Room type assigned to the room. Rm. Status: Housekeeping status of the room. FO Status: Front Office status (e.g., Vacant, Occupied).
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Features: Room features. Type: Assignment type: Housekeeping (H) or General (G). Reason: Assignment reason code. Description: Assignment reason description.
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How to Use Housekeeping Assignment to indicate individual Turn Down Rooms with a special service request: o o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen select House Assignment. Locate the rooms that need to turn down for a special housekeeping service and mark them with an “X”. Select Assign. Select Housekeeping Assignment. Select the Reason. Select OK. This room now appears with a turn down indicator showing a special service added to the room. (For example: Sofa bed made up)
5.1.4 Discrepant Rooms
Most hotels use the telephone to dial in an updated Housekeeping status. When dialing in these codes, the housekeepers must dial in not only the clean status of the room, but also whether the room is occupied or vacant. When Housekeeping and the Front Office have different statuses, a Discrepant Room is created. These Discrepant Rooms must be physically checked each day by either Housekeeping or the Front Office to determine whether a guest is checked into the room or not. There are two types of Discrepant Rooms – Skips and Sleeps. In a Skip room, Housekeeping has dialed down that the room is vacant, but the Front Office has a guest checked into the room. Usually, this happens when the guest has used the Express Check Out option and has left the hotel, but the Front Office has not yet checked the guest out. The other type of discrepancy, a Sleep room, has Housekeeping dialing down the room as occupied, but the Front Desk does not have anyone checked into the room. Often, the Housekeeper has dialed the wrong code, but the room should be checked as if someone is actually occupying the room, that person must be checked in or another guest will be checked into the room. If a room is not checked in, Room and Tax will not post.
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Show: Select the types of discrepancies to view. It is possible to see Skips, Sleeps or Person Discrepancies. Floor: To view discrepancies on a particular floor, select that floor here. Room: To view a particular room, type the room number here. Billing: Displays the guest billing screen for a highlighted room. Resv: Displays the reservation search screen for a highlighted room. Details: Displays the detailed configuration for a room. Report: Allows previewing or printing the Housekeeping Discrepancy Report Save: Save any changes made to the discrepant room list.
To Update Discrepant Rooms: o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Room Discrepancies. Highlight the Discrepant Room to update. Click on the drop down arrow to the right of the Room Status field, the HK Status field or the HK Persons Field to change the status.
5.1.5 Attendant Points
If the Housekeeping Department has an incentive program and are giving prize points for housekeepers, the Attendant Points function will help to track points. It can also be used for hotels that pay housekeepers based on the number of rooms cleaned. In this case, each day when a housekeeper finishes the rooms, the total number of rooms can be entered in the system and a total can be kept on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
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Enter the start Date, End Date and the list of attendants in the Search Criteria Options.
Attendant Points Grid
Date: This is the date for which the room attendant has been rewarded points. Attendant ID: The code for the selected room attendant. Name: The proper name of the room attendant. Points: The number of points for the room attendant that day.
To assign points to an Attendant o o o o Select New. Enter the Date for which the room attendant is rewarded points. Select the appropriate Attendant ID. Enter the number of Points to record for the Attendant.
5.1.6 Task Assignment
Opera not only tracks the housekeeping status of every room in house, but can be used to create individual lists of rooms for housekeepers to clean every day. These lists, once created, can be kept in history for later research if necessary. Housekeeping Task Sheets can be created using a system of maximum credits, or can be separated into pre-determined sections or floors.
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Task Date: The date to search for Task Assignment sheets. By default the page will open to the current date, however it is possible to view a Task Assignment sheet from previous days as well. Task Code: The Task Code defines the final assignment sheets for any day. Only one set of Task Assignment Sheets will be kept for a Task Code on any day. If the Housekeeping department usually creates more than one set of Assignment Sheets (such as one for general cleaning and one for turndown) every day, and would like to have access to these sheets in history, then a task code must be created for every set of assignment sheets to be saved. Task Sheet: To view a specific task sheet, select from the Task Sheet list of values. Expanded: This button will access the details of the task assignment sheets, and will allow the user to move rooms from one housekeeping sheet to another. Report: Allows previewing or printing the Task Sheet report. New: Create a new task assignment sheet. Auto: Use this option to create the Housekeeping task sheets. Details: To display further details of the Task sheet. Delete: To delete a task sheet.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Section: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Section. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Check the Group by Section box and select either the AM/PM sections. Select the Task Code.
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Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. All rooms group by section with one additional task sheet containing rooms not assigned to specific Housekeepers.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Floor: o o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Floor. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Check the Group by Floor box. Select the Task Code. Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. All rooms group by floor with one additional task sheet containing rooms not assigned to specific Housekeepers.
To Create Housekeeping Task Assignments by Room Number: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management and Housekeeping. Select Task Assignment. Select the Task Code from the list of values to create task sheets. Select Auto to begin. Place an “X” next to each attendant that tasks are being assigned. Choose the option to Order Rooms By Room Number. Select the Room Status. Select the FO Status. Select the Task Code. Notice that the Total Attendants automatically populates based on the number of Attendants chosen in the top portion of the screen. Select OK. Task sheets are in room number order.
To Modify Task Sheets: o o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen, select Expanded. To move a room from one task sheet to another, mark the room with an “X”. Select Move. Enter the Task Sheet Number. Note the room moved from one task sheet to the other. Alternately, move a room by using the mouse to drag and drop rooms from one task sheet to another.
To Print Housekeeping Task Sheets: o o o o o From the main Housekeeping Screen select Task Assignment; select the Report. Select the Task Date From for the date to print. The default date is the current date. Select the Task Code Select the Task Sheet From and To for printing. Choose the Attendant for which the report is prepared for.
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Select the Report Style. Select whether to print Due Outs only, or whether to print or Show Guest Name on the sheets. Determine whether to Double Space the task sheets, Eject a Page per Section and indicate how many Copies to Print. Select Print.
5.1.7 Facility Forecast
The Facility Forecast screen is a function that provides detailed information about the hotels occupancy and needs in terms of housekeeping services. This is a useful tool to plan ahead inventory based on the expectations.
The Facility Forecast screen search criteria are Start Date and Facility Tasks. Start Date: The starting date for the facility forecast display. To view data for a new date, the start date can be entered manually or by using the calendar tool. Facility Tasks: Select from a multi-select task LOV (list of values) to search for one, several or all facility tasks. When the Facility Management menu item is selected, the same options are presented as when printing a report.
5.2 Out of Order/Out of Service
For various reasons, rooms must be taken off line and not sold on occasion. When this is needed, the room is placed Out of Order or Out of Service. Both statuses will take the room off line and will not allow guests to be checked into the room, but there is a difference between the two options. If a room is placed Out of Order, that room is no longer figured in the occupancy statistics of the hotel. For instance, if a hotel has 200 rooms and 10 rooms are put Out of Order, 100% occupancy will be figured on 190 rooms. If those same 10 rooms are put Out of Service, 100% occupancy is still figured on the original 200 rooms. When rooms are placed Out of Order, total available rooms will fluctuate. When rooms are placed Out of Service, total available rooms will remain constant at the hotel’s total.
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For Date: Select the date from the calendar field to check rooms that are out of order or out of service. The default date is the current date. Room: If a particular room is to be viewed, type that room number in this field. Out of Order: To search only for rooms placed out of order, select this option. Out of Service: To search only for rooms placed out of service, select this option. Out of Order/Service: To search for both out of order and out of service rooms, select both Out of Order and Out of Service. Details: Displays configuration details for the highlighted room. Resv: Displays the reservation for the highlighted room. Copy: To place additional rooms out of order or out of service for the same reasons and the same range of dates as the highlighted room, select Copy. This will copy the out of order/out of service details to additional rooms. New: To create a new out of order or out of service record, select New. Edit: To update out of order or out of service information on a particular room, select this option. Delete: To delete an out of order or out of service record, select Delete. The room will be returned to house inventory.
To Place a Room Out of Order/Out of Service: o o o From the Main Menu, select Rooms Management. Select Out of Order/Out of Service. Select New to place a room Out of Order or Out of Service.
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o o o o o o
Enter the room number in the Room List field or enter a range of rooms in the fields marked From Room and To Room. Select the date range this room will be Out of Order or Out of Service in the From Date and Through Date fields. Select either Out of Order or Out of Service in the Status field. In the Return Status field, select the Housekeeping status for the room when it returns to availability. Enter the Reason the room is Out of Order or Out of Service. Type in any additional Remarks about the status of the room and select OK.
5.3 Room History
Room History can help to locate the owner of a lost and found item. To see which guests have occupied a room in the past few weeks, select Rooms Management and Room History.
Search: Use the departure date and room number to locate the guests that have occupied a room since the date entered. The default date will be one month prior to the current date. Resv.: Displays the reservation for the highlighted room.
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Revenue: View information regarding the revenue spent by the guest. Profile: Access to the profile can be helpful to locate a telephone number or address for returning lost and found items. Folio: Folio History will allow a user with appropriate rights to preview or reprint the guest’s folio. Room History Search Screen Room: Displays the room number. Name: The last name of the guest. Arrival: To Display the arrival date. Departure: To display the departure date. A: Number of adults staying in the room. C: Number of children staying in the room. Rate Code: The Rate code for the reservation. Revenue: The current revenue. Rate: Displays the rate per nigh.t
5.4 Sell Limits
Also called Overbooking limits, sell limits can be set to allow the hotel to be overbooked in a controlled manner. It is possible to overbook the entire hotel, regardless of room type, or to set specific room type overbooking limits. If users are restricted from overbooking the hotel at all, then sell limits allows the user to sell more rooms than are in inventory, but not more than are set as sell limits.
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Physical: This button will display the physical numbers of rooms in each room type and room class. New: To set a new Sell Limit, select this button.
To Set Sell Limits: o o o o o o o o o o Select Rooms Management and Sell Limits. Select New. In the field marked From Date, enter the date that the sell limit will begin. In the field marked To Date, enter the last date that the sell limit will be in effect. If the sell limit will not apply to specific days of the week during the range of dates entered, uncheck the days of the week. If the sell limit is to be set on a room type, enter the Room Type. Select the Overbook Level. If overbooking by a percentage of rooms mark Percentage and enter that percentage number in the Overbook Level field. If overbooking by a number of rooms mark Number and enter that number in the Overbook Level field. Select OK.
Edit: To update or edit an existing sell limit, select this option. Delete: To delete a sell limit, select this option.
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5.5 Occupancy Graph
The Occupancy Graph is used to see upcoming confirmed business at a glance. A user can view the occupancy graph based on a particular room type, room class or the entire hotel. It might also show a week, a month or a number of weeks at a time. This graph can be printed for forecast meetings as well.
Start Date: The date to begin showing the occupancy. Room Type: The room type to display on the graph. Bar Display: To define which type of information to include on the graph Number of (Days/Weeks): To select whether the information displayed is by days or weeks and for how long. Grid Lines: To display grid lines on the graph. Percentage: To display the percentage of the number of rooms that corresponds to the bar’s components. Non Deducted: To include the non-deducted reservations in the graphs total.
5.6 Maintenance
For hotels that wish to process maintenance work orders through Opera, the Maintenance section allows for tasks to be entered and resolved by anyone with user right to do so.
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Room: The room assigned a repair or maintenance request. Type: The room type for this room. HK Status: The current room status determined by the Housekeeping Department. FO Status: The current Front Office status determined by the Front Ofice Department. Reason: The code used for the repair/maintenance request. Maintenance Remarks: Reference notes required to satisfy the repair/maintenance request. Last Change: Date of the last modification of the request. By: The originator of the repair/maintenance request. Resolved: A “Y” indicates the request as resolved. On Date: The date that the request was resolved. By: The employee who recorded the completion of this order. Show Options Show all: Displays all resolved and unresolved repair/maintenance requests. Resolved: Display only resolved repair/maintenance requests. Unresolved: Displays only unresolved repair/maintenance requests. Print: To print a list of tasks to be completed, use this option. New: To enter a new task, select New. This will open a screen to create and assign a new maintenance task.
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Edit: To update information on a scheduled task, select Edit. This will allow fields to be updated with current information. Delete: To eliminate a task from the database completely, select Delete. Resolve/Unresolve: When a maintenance request has been resolved this button turns into unresolve. When a maintenance request is still unresolved this button is says resolve.
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6.1 Account Maintenance
The Account Maintenance menu offers a wide variety of options such as creating new accounts, editing information on existing accounts, processing payments for an account, as well as printing statements and reminder letters. After selecting the Account Maintenance option, the AR Account Search screen displays.
Options: Select this feature to access functions on this account. o Aging: displays the current balance in each of the hotel’s defined aging buckets. o Notes: attaches notes to an AR account. o Future Res.: displays any future reservations arriving with this company or account. This is useful if the hotel is planning to restrict the billing status for an outstanding balance. o Post History: displays all postings (debits and credits) applied to the account. o Remarks: allows the entry of free-text remarks about this account. Information for agreed billing practices or special instructions traditionally list as remarks on the account. o Reminders: prints reminder letters for outstanding invoices on the account. Reminder letters print for specific billing cycles. A reminder letter generates based on the age of the oldest open invoice. o Profile: displays the account profile. o Statement: prints a statement for the highlighted account only. o Traces: applies an inter-department trace for tracking future actions. o Year View: displays debits and credits on this account for the past year. This is a good “at-a-glance” screen to determine the credit status of the account. Delete: deletes an A/R account. Deleting an A/R account will not delete the account profile, only the account information. All invoice history deletes as well. An account cannot be deleted if it has unpaid invoices, even if the account balance is zero, and cannot be deleted if the “Permanent Account” box in the Account setup screen is checked. New: creates a new A/R account. An A/R account usually begins with a company profile, although any profile type can have an AR number.
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Select: opens the account to for process payments or printing statements
To Create a New A/R Account: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, Select AR, then Account Maintenance. Enter your user Password and select Login. Select New from the AR Account Search screen. Search for an existing account (any profile type) and highlight the desired profile; select OK to continue. Alternately, if a profile does not exist for the account, select New Prof. to create a profile. Select on the drop down arrow next to the Account Type field to select from the list. Enter the assigned Account Number for the account and any pertinent contact information (i.e. address, phone, etc.)
NOTE: Account Number formats defined in System Configuration>Application o Settings must follow the specified format (i.e. numeric, alpha, and alpha-numeric). S e o Select a “Normal” status account if you allow Direct Bill payments to the account; select a “Restricted” status account if you do not allow Direct Bill payments. o Select OK to save the account. o Select Close to exit Account Maintenance. o o o o o o o o Alternately, from the Main Menu, select Reservations and Profiles. Search for an existing profile (any type) and select Profile to view details. If a profile does not exist for the new account, select New to create one. Select the More Fields tab. Click on the drop down arrow next to A/R No. to create a new account. Complete the account setup as described in the steps above and Save your changes. Close from the More Fields screen. Save and Close the profile.
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o o
Search: Use the Invoice No., Folio No., or Date fields to locate a specific invoice on this account. Compress: compresses two or more invoices into one line on the statement. It is possible to compress invoices, and to uncompress them on the same day. Once the night audit runs for that business date, compressed invoices can no longer be uncompressed and always print as one line on statements. It is possible to print each individual invoice’s detail on compressed invoices; however, it is not possible to present compressed invoices as two separate invoices on statements.
To Compress Invoices on an A/R Account: o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Account Maintenance. Enter your Password and select Login. Search for and highlight the desired account and choose Select. Place an “X” next to each invoice to compress and select Compress. Enter a Reference and Supplement as necessary and select OK.
Note the newly created invoice with a compressed balance of the previous invoices. The “+” sign to the left of the invoice date indicates compressed invoices. Click once on the “+” sign to expand the compressed invoices and show details. o o To uncompress invoices, simply right click on the compressed invoice and select Uncompress. Compressed invoices may only be uncompressed on the same business date.
Note that after invoices are uncompressed, they return to their original invoice state.
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To Adjust Charges on an A/R Invoice: o o o o o o o o o o o o
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From the Main Menu, select AR then Account Maintenance Enter your Password and select Login. Search for and highlight the desired account and choose Select. Highlight the invoice to adjust and select Details. Select the Adjust option. Click on the drop down arrow next to Trn. Code to select the Transaction Codes to adjust. Place an “X” next to all Transaction Codes to adjust and select OK. Enter the Begin Dt. and End Dt. for the adjustment. Select an Amount or Percentage to adjust and enter the value. Click on the drop down arrow next to Reason Code to enter a reason for the adjustment. Highlight the appropriate adjustment Reason and select OK. Enter any additional Reason Text for explanation of the adjustment and select OK to process. Note: the adjustment appears as a separate line item on the folio; if adjusting multiple dates on the invoice, one line item includes the adjustment for all dates.
o
Select Close to return to the Account Maintenance screen.
Details: displays postings or adds new postings to the invoice, edits transaction details, adjusts postings based on transaction codes, prints the invoice, or accesses the profile for the AR account. Edit: edits reference or supplement information on the invoice. New: creates an entirely new invoice. Pay: applies a payment to the highlighted invoice only.
To Apply Credit to an A/R Account: o o o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, highlight the desired account and choose Select. If a payment does not apply to a particular invoice but must apply to the total account balance, select Pay. Click on the drop down arrow next to Payment Code to select the type of payment. Enter the Amount of the payment and any Supplement Info. or Reference information. Select an Option to apply the credit: o To apply a credit to the entire account balance and not a specific invoice, select the Unallocated payment option. o To apply a credit to the oldest outstanding balances, select the Apply payment to oldest charges option. o For a credit applied to marked invoices (you must first place an “X” next to each invoice before applying the credit), select the Apply payment to marked charges option. o To apply different amounts of the credit to different invoices (i.e. $25 to one invoice and $75 to another), choose the Apply payment selectively option. Select Post to apply the credit to the account.
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To Reverse a Payment from and A/R Account: o o From the Account Maintenance screen, search for and highlight the desired account. Choose Select.
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Select “Payments Only” option in the search criteria to only view unapplied payments and highlight the desired payment to reverse. Right click the mouse and select the Reverse Payment option. Select Close to exit.
To Unapply a Payment to an A/R Invoice: o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, highlight the desired account and choose Select. Since paid invoices no longer have an open balance, change the search criteria to an All view. Place an “X” next to the payment and right click on the mouse; select the Unapply option. Notice that the invoice now returns to the Open view with a balance as well as the posted check amount. The account balance still reflects the check payment but the payment no longer applies to a specific invoice. To reverse this payment or transfer this to another account, refer to “Reverse a Payment on an Invoice” or “Transfer Payments to Another Account” sections of this chapter. Options: A variety of other functions are available for the A/R Account. o o o o o o o o Account Setup: update or display existing account information Aging: displays the current balance in each of the hotel’s defined aging buckets Folio History: access and reprint folios from history Future Reservation: displays future reservations for an account Notes: attaches notes to the AR account Pay History: displays all payments posted to this A/R account Post History: displays all postings for this A/R account Profile: accesses the company or account profile screen. Address and contact information entered on the profile applies to any correspondence sent to the account. If the billing address or contact information is different, enter that information in the Account Setup screen. Statement: prints a statement for this account only Traces: enters traces for tracking future actions on the account Transfer: transfers all or part of the highlighted invoice to another A/R account Year View: displays debits and credits on this account for the past year. This is a good “at-a-glance” screen to determine the credit status of the account.
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6.2 Transfer F/O Data
When a guest uses the direct bill payment method, charges to the guest's folio are processed by Night Audit and made available as invoices for transfer into Accounts Receivable either automatically or manually, based on the function set up in Setup>Application Settings.
Manual Transfer of Accruals to A/R
When a folio closes to direct bill in the front office, it transfers during the next Night Audit to the F/O Transfer Bin in the Accounts Receivable module. The purpose of this transfer bin is to allow Accounting to view each invoice ensuring that it transfers to the correct A/R account.
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Edit: changes the account number that the highlighted invoice transfers to. If the wrong account number was used to close this folio in the front office, this is the best opportunity to correct the billing mistake. Transfer: transfers correctly assigned folio invoices on accounts from the Guest Ledger to the Accounts Receivable ledger.
To Transfer Invoices from Front Office to A/R: o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Transfer F/O Data. To work with invoices from a particular business date only, enter search criteria in the Date fields. To view folio information for a particular invoice to transfer, highlight the invoice and select Details. To modify the account the invoice is applied to, highlight the invoice and select Edit. To transfer more than one invoice, place an “X” next to each invoice and select Transfer. The “Selected” balance deducts from the “Remaining” balance. Answer “Yes” if you are ready to transfer the invoices to the AR Ledger. To transfer all remaining invoices, select Transfer All. Answer “Yes” if you are ready to transfer the invoices to the AR Ledger. Select Close to exit.
Details: displays details of the charges on the A/R invoice. It is not possible to make adjustments from the F/O Transfer Bin. Transfer All: transfers all invoices at the same time. All invoices transfer from the Guest Ledger to their individual A/R accounts in the Accounts Receivable ledger. Print All: prints copies of all folio detail for the invoices.
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6.3 Credit Cards
For hotels that process credit cards through Accounts Receivable, this menu option is available as a transfer bin in the same way that the Front Office invoices are sent to a transfer bin prior to being moved to the A/R accounts. From the Credit Card transfer bin, cards batch and send to the processor as compressed lines on an individual statement. Transactions compress as one line per card per day, as that is how the credit card company will send the payments for the cards processed.
All: marks all credit card records for this credit card type for transfer. None: unselects all credit card records for this credit card type for transfer. Transfer: transfers all marked charges as one line item on the Credit card account. Each individual record lists as a single detail item on the A/R account. Print: prints a list of the marked credit card records. Print All: prints a list of all credit card records for this credit card type.
To Transfer Payments or Invoices to another Account: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Account Maintenance. Search for and highlight the desired account and press Select. Highlight the unallocated payment or invoice and right click the mouse. Select Options from the menu and Transfer. Search for and highlight the new account to apply the payment to and select OK. Answer “Yes” if you are sure you want to complete the transfer. Select Close to exit.
Transfer All: moves all records to the A/R statement as one line item. Again, this is most useful if all records are from the same business date.
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To Transfer Credit Cards to A/R Accounts: o o o o o o o o
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From the Main Menu, select AR and Credit Cards. Enter your Password and select Login. Select the individual payment records to transfer by placing and “X” next to each. Notice the Balance selected increases as you add records. To select all records displayed, choose the All option. To change the card type, click on the drop down arrow next to Credit Card. Highlight the desired card type and select OK. Once you select all records to transfer, select Transfer. Select Close to exit. In the AR Account Maintenance screen, notice the newly added invoice for that day’s c credit cards. One line item creates for the entire transferred balance.
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To see individual record details for that business date, select View to display the invoice details.
6.4 Research
Frequently, companies call the hotel with questions regarding A/R billing. It can be timeconsuming to research old invoices unless there is a way to access billing information in a manner consistent with the way that companies request the information.
Search Criteria Search: Because research primarily involves locating a specific invoice rather than an account, there are a number of search fields provided to locate an invoice from history. Invoice No.: If the person calling knows the invoice number, use this localized search as invoice numbers are unique. Folio No.: If the person calling has the front office folio number, use this localized search as folio numbers are also unique. Account No.: opens all current and paid invoices for that account. The system automatically deletes closed invoices after a defined number of days in Setup>Application Settings. If the number of days to purge zero balance invoices is 365 and the invoice in question is older than that, the invoice does not exist as that information purged when it became older than 365 days.
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Account Name: All invoices on a particular account can be located using the account name. Searching by account will bring up all current and all paid invoices for that account. The system will automatically delete closed invoices after a defined number of days. If the number of days to purge zero balance invoices is 365 and the invoice in question is older than that, it will not be located as that information has been purged. Name: locates an invoice by the guest’s last name Date: searches for invoices by the date transferred to the account Amount From: searches by dollar amount for all invoices above the specified value Amount To: searches by dollar amount for all invoices below the specified value Account: displays information related to an invoice or a payment Pay: applies payments to specific invoices Transfer: transfers invoices from one account to another account History: displays posting history for an invoice or payment View: displays an invoice’s folio details Edit: displays invoice details for editing and viewing
6.5 AR Mailings
The Accounting Department regularly sends out mailings in the form of “bulk” Statements and Reminder Letters. .
6.5.1 Batch Statements
Batch Statements send out to all active accounts on a schedule depending on hotel needs. Some send out statements on a weekly basis, some on a monthly basis. In any case, the Batch Statements function makes it easy to organize all invoices with unpaid balances that need statements delivered.
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Search: The key to printing batch statements is to organize the statements sent together. Use any of the search options provided to narrow the number of statements printed. Most hotels will not mail out a statement if the minimum balance is less than a dollar, or less than the price of a stamp. If bulk mailing is used, sorting the mailing by country and postal code helps when sending the statements out from the Post Office. In the Promotional Text field, a free-text appears on the bottom of each statement. Balance Forward From: lists invoices balanced forward to the AR ledger after a specified date. Balance Forward To: lists invoices balanced for to the AR ledger up to a specified date. Last Posted From: only displays invoices that posted on the account from a specified date. Last Posted To: only displays invoices that posted on the account up to a specified date. Print Zero Balance: prints zero balance folios only. Print Full Statement: selects all statements for printing, whether there is a balance or not. Print Folios: prints all folios detailed on each statement. Add Text: text that appears at the bottom of the statement.
To Print Batch Statements in Accounts Receivable: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Mailing. Select Batch Statements. Place an “X” next to each account to print statements and select to Print Full Statement. Change the display to view only Open Balances and prevent zero invoices from printing. Sort mailings to print in a particular order for ease in mailing. Add Text to customize the statements; enter number of Copies. Select Print to finish and print statements.
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Answer “Yes” to generate the statements for the selected accounts. Notice the “Completed” message and select Close to exit. To print statements for all open balances, select the All option.
6.5.2 Mailing History
Because a large amount of mailing generates from the Accounting office, access to mailing history can be helpful when researching information about an account. Mailing History consists of records for statements and reminder letters mailed to accounts.
Statement History
Use the search fields to locate the statement or statements in question, and select Print to reprint a statement from history.
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Locate the reminder letters in question, mark the ones to print with an “X”, and select Print.
6.5.3 Reminder Letters
Many hotels send out reminder letters to accounts that are overdue in payment. These reminder letters may be set up in cycles attached to the account type, and as the age of the invoices increases, the reminder letters may become increasingly more urgent. The system assigns a reminder letter based on the age of the oldest open invoice on the account. The aging buckets are determined by the property.
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From the Reminder Letter screen, you may view “All” accounts, only accounts with an “Open Balance” or just accounts with “No Balance”. Generate: generates reminder letters for marked accounts. This function locates the oldest open invoice on the account and generates the reminder letter associated with the age of that invoice. All: generates reminder letters for all accounts. This function locates the oldest open invoice on the account and generates the reminder letter associated with the age of that invoice.
To Print Batch Reminder Letters: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select AR and Mailing. Select Reminder Letters. Search for accounts that have outstanding balances by selecting the Open Balance option. To send reminders to a selection of accounts, place an “X” next to each account and select Generate. To send reminders to all with outstanding balances that are due reminders, select All. From the list of cycled reminders, place an “X” next to the accounts to send reminders, and select Print. To print all cycled reminders, select the All option. Select Close to exit.
6.5.4 Traces
Place traces on individual A/R Accounts as reminders to take some action with the account. Traces are useful in making sure that we complete action items, even if the account manager is out of the office for the day.
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Edit: displays an existing trace for changes. The text of the trace or the active date is changeable. Delete: deletes a trace. We recommend resolving traces rather than deleting, as a resolved trace remains in the account’s history, but a deleted trace deletes from the database entirely. Resolve: resolves traces indicating to others that no further action needed. Resolve All: marks all active traces as resolved items.
To Resolve A/R Traces: o o o o o o From the A/R Account Search screen, if an account has a Trace lamp, select the Options button. Select Traces. Alter the view of all traces to “Unresolved Traces”. Highlight the applicable trace, investigate and select Resolve; to complete all traces, select Resolve All. In the event of a mistake and to reverse a resolved trace, select Unresolve; Select Close to exit.
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Chapter 7 Commission Handling
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Chapter 7 Commission Handling
Tracking and paying Travel Agent Commissions can be a complex and time-consuming task. Opera maintains travel agent commission records and pays them by checks generated at the property or through an export sent to an outside agency.
7.1 Payment Processing
Commission Handling is tracked by travel agent accounts. If an account prefers payment in a specific currency, or if the hotel pays the same agency in different currencies, separate accounts will need to be set up. Accounts can also either pay by exports or by printed check. If some agencies are paid through a processing center and others are paid by checks produced on site, different accounts will need to be set up for these circumstances as well.
7.1.1 By Account
Commission Records are calculated at the time the guest checks out of the hotel. The records move to Commission Handling after the audit from the previous night for payment the following day. Commission Records belong to the account attached to the Travel Agent profile. To process all records in an account, select the option By Account.
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Profile: accesses the profile of the highlighted record. o If the upper portion of the screen is active, the profile is that of the highlighted Travel Agent. o If the lower portion of the screen is active, the profile is that of the guest. To properly process commissions, a complete agency address and IATA number are required. If either of these items is missing, access the Travel Agent profile for a telephone number to call the agency to complete the profile information. Hold/Rel.: places an agency or a commission record on hold. Place holds on all commission records for an agency or on a specific guest stay if there are questions about the validity of a commission record.
To Place a Commission Record on Hold: o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Highlight the commission record to hold and select the button marked Hold. A record on hold displays an “X” in the column marked “H”. The amount of money on hold appears in the center of the screen. This commission will not pay with the next check run unless the record releases from hold.
To Release a Commission Record from Hold: o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing.
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Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Highlight the commission record to release and select Rel.
Pay: processes and pays commissions. • If commissions pay by an export, the export file creates for the records selected. • If commissions pay by checks printed on property, checks print immediately following processing.
To Pay Commissions by Export: o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Once all records are ready to be paid, select Pay. Select a Departure Date Range if required. If the date fields are blank, all released commission records process for payment. Answer “Yes” to pay. Answer “Yes” to print the Pre-Payment report if required. Answer “Yes” if the Pre-Payment report should include held commission records.
To Pay Commissions by Check: o o o o o o o o o o o From the Main Menu, select Commissions and Payment Processing. Select By Account. Highlight the correct bank account and select OK. Once all records are ready for payment, select Pay. Select a Departure Date Range if required. If the date fields are blank, all released commission records process for payment. Answer “Yes” to pay. Answer “Yes” to print the Pre-Payment report if required. Be sure that the checks are not in the printer. Answer “Yes” if the Pre-Payment report should include held commission records. Select OK to continue or change the check number to match the checks in the printer. Replace the checks in the printer with plain paper and answer “Yes” to print the Check Summary Report. All commission records print on checks for the Travel Agents.
Edit: Edits commission payment details. Options: This feature applies only to individual reservation records highlighted at the bottom of the screen and are gray if the upper portion of the screen is active. Options include Folio Detail, Reservation Detail and Folio History. New: Adds new reservations for commission payment. AR: Places a commission record on “AR hold” if the travel agency has an outstanding balance in Accounts Receivable. Commissions will not pay until the A/R balance is settled. Reports: Previews or prints a report of all commission records transferred into Commission Handling by day, select this option. .
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On occasion, it may be useful to pay a commission check to a single agent rather than all the agencies in an account. To do so, select By Agent. Once the Agency is located, verify all the commission records and process the payment.
Highlight the individual account and select OK to open the commission processing screen; this opens the commission processing screen. See section 7.1.1 for complete instructions on processing and paying commission records from this point.
7.2 Payment Activity
Once payments process, view check history in the Register. It is possible to use the Register to mark checks as having been cleared, voided or not presented at the bank. This feature is helpful in researching or tracking commission checks and payments.
7.2.1 Register
The Register stores information on previously processed checks and that may need to be marked as Presented, Unpresented or Voided for reprocessing.
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Outstanding: checks sent to an agent, but not cleared by the hotel’s bank. Reconciled: checks presented and cleared by the hotel’s bank. Unpresented: checks get marked at this status after an extended period of time if they have not cleared the hotel’s bank. Void: checks that were printed, then voided and sent back for reprocessing. Void: voids all highlighted or marked checks. Records return to the processing screen for adjustment and repayment. Details: displays details for the individual guest stay that is commissionable. Edit: changes the check number assigned to a particular check. Print: prints a report on a series of checks.
7.2.2 Reprint Checks
If the hotel prints checks manually, a reprint option can be very useful. Printers can jam, checks print out of order; any number of things can require a new run of printed checks.
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First Check Number/Last Check Number. Enter the check number of the first check to print in the First Check Number field. If you are printing a continuous range of check numbers, enter the last check number to print in the Last Check Number field. If you are printing only one check, enter the same check number in both fields.
7.3 Research
Travel Agencies may call to find out information on expected commission checks. There are many reasons why a commission is not paid, and the research tool assists in locating the information needed.
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Search: Searches for guest record entered in the search criteria. Resv.: Displays details of the selected reservation. Profile: Displays guest’s profile on the commission record if necessary. It is possible to see reservations and folio history from the profile which is especially useful if the reservation cancelled or did not show. Comm.: Status information on the commission payment. The batch number, check number and date of payment display. Also, checks marked as cleared, voided or unpresented display here. This information can help track down and research the record in question.
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Chapter 8 Miscellaneous
Aside from the primary functions that Opera offers, there are a variety of miscellaneous functions that may also be used. Some of the following functions are dependant upon license codes and may not appear in every hotel.
8.1 Reports
Opera holds an enormous amount of data particularly regarding profile and reservation information. Hotels rely on the reports to operate the hotel and track statistics. The system holds over 250 reports that can be filtered to display relevant information. This section explains how to locate a report and how to filter that report to display the information desired.
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Search
To locate a specific report, it is easiest to separate out the reports by category. If an arrivals report is needed, select the Report Group “Arrival” and a much shorter list of reports will display. To locate a specific report, type either the Report Name or REP name (file name) in the Report field and select search. This will generate a search for the report. If the name of the report or file is not completely known, type a % in the field followed by a partial report name. This will generate a list of reports with that information contained somewhere in the report name. To search only by report name or REP name, check the appropriate box below the Report field before selecting the Search button.
Preview
Many times report information can be viewed on screen without printing out a long list of information. To view a report on screen, select the button for Preview. In most hotels, this will open the report using Adobe Acrobat. From preview, print the report using Adobe Acrobat or view and close without printing.
If a printed report is needed, selecting the Print button will allow the user to view and change the filter screen as needed, then automatically send the report to the printer. The report will not be displayed first in preview mode.
8.2 Interfaces
Your Opera system is most likely set up to interface with other computer systems, such as those for movie systems, restaurant systems, telephone systems and door locks. The interfaces as they are set up allow for charges to be entered in one system and automatically posted on the guest’s folio in Opera. It may be necessary for various reasons to access and make changes to the interfaces for a specific guest. Some of the reasons to access the interfaces are: o To create a new guest room key. o To stop interface charges from being allowed to post to a guest room due to a lack of valid credit on the part of the guest. o The guest might request that adult movie channels are barred from a room. o Wake Up Calls may be automatically set through the telephone system. There are many other reasons why the interfaces may need to be updated or changed for a guest. Please bear in mind that there are a large number of interfaces available, and each one has different requirements and different possibilities. Check with your manager to find out which interfaces are at your hotel and how they work.
8.2.1 Interface Sub Menu
The interface sub menu will display all other systems that are linked to Opera. Again, each interface will perform different functions. The options that are displayed for each interface will vary depending on its capabilities. This is information that is generally very property specific. Ask your manager to instruct you in the use of this function.
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8.2.2 Wake Up Calls
The Wake Up Call function can be interfaced with some PBX systems to make the Wake Up Call feature automatic. From any workstation a wake up call can be entered for a guest for a single day or for a range of days.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest o o o o o o o o o o o From Reservation Options select the Wake Up Call. To set a single Wake Up Call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date, To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for every member of a group, select Wake Up Call from Group Options and Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in the Block Name field, the From Date, To Date and the Time. Select Set to continue. To view all current Wake Up Calls entered in the PMS, select View Wake Up Calls from the Wake Up Calls menu.
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8.3 Show Quick Keys
The Quick Keys provide easy access to information on a variety of hotel statistics and current information. Quick keys are available from the Miscellaneous menu, but are also easily accessible from any screen in the application by using a combination of [function keys], [Ctrl] and [Alt]. Each Quick Key lists separately with its corresponding access combination.
8.3.1 Opera Help (F1)
Access the help screen by selecting the [F1] function key. All topics are available for search. Pressing the [F1] key from an Opera screen (such as the reservations screen) displays the Help topic for that screen. See Chapter 1 for a full explanation as to how to use the help screens.
8.3.2 Occupancy Graph (Shift + F1)
To see upcoming confirmed business at a glance use The Occupancy Graph. A user can view the occupancy graph based on a particular room type, room class or the entire hotel. It might also show a week, a month or a number of weeks at a time. This graph can be printed for forecast meetings as well.
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8.3.3 Opera Help (CTRL + F1)
This screen differs from the [F1] help; it displays information on using keyboard shortcuts. For those users who prefer to use the keyboard more often than the mouse, this list of navigation hints will be very helpful.
Keyboard navigation information displays on this screen; it is a good idea to become familiar with all the various ways to move from field to field or from screen to screen.
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8.3.4 Control Panel (Shift + F2)
The control panel gives an overview of occupancy, availability and other hotel statistics for seven days. It is also a highly interactive screen and allows access to group functionality for cutting off blocks and updating current availability statistics.
Total Physical Rooms: The total number of rooms in the hotel as validated by the license code: Out of Order: The total number of rooms that are in Out of Order status for the day. Inventory Rooms: The number of Total Physical Rooms minus the number of Out of Order rooms. Occupancy statistics use this number for calculation. Overbooking: The number of rooms available for making reservations above the Inventory rooms for the day. Sell Limits: The maximum number of rooms available to sell in the hotel. This number is the Inventory Rooms plus Overbooking. Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a deducted status that do not have a reservation. Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a deducted status that have a reservation. Total Deducted Rooms: The sum of the Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U plus Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U. Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a non-deducted status that are blocked, but do not have a reservation.
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Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms P/U: The number of rooms in blocks with a non-deducted status that are blocked and have a reservation. Total Non-Deducted Rooms: The sum of the Non-Deducted Blk. Rooms Not P/U plus NonDeducted Blk. Rooms P/U. Out of Service: The number of rooms in Out of Service status for the day. Available Physical Rooms: The number of Inventory Rooms minus the number of Out of Service rooms. These are the rooms that are potentially rentable for the day. Maximum Availability: The available rooms if none of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Minimum Availability: The available rooms if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Min. Occupancy %: The percentage of rooms occupied if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Max. Occupancy %: The percentage of rooms occupied if all of the rooms that are not picked up arrive. Total Rooms Reserved: Total number of rooms with actual reservations both deducted and non-deducted. Event: If an event has been configured for this date in the calendar function, the event will display here as a reference. Day Type: If a day type has been configured for this date in the calendar function, the day type will display here as a reference. Adults In-House: The total number of adults as counted from the reservations currently checked in house. Children In-House: The total number of children as counted from the reservations currently checked in house. People In-House: The total number of adults and children as counted from the reservations currently in house. Arrival Rooms: The number of rooms on reservations that have the highlighted date as the arrival date. Arrival Persons: The number of adults and children on reservations that have the highlighted date as the arrival date. Departure Rooms: The number of rooms on reservations that have the highlighted date as the departure date. Departure Persons: The number of adults and children on reservations that have the highlighted date as the departure date. Room Type Obkg: This is a Yes/No field and indicates whether or not sell limits by room type are configured.
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Day Rooms/Persons: The number of day use rooms and the total persons associated with those reservations. Waitlist Rooms/ Persons: The number of rooms on the waitlist for the highlighted day’s arrival and the total persons associated with those reservations. Turnaways: If the property records turned-away business with the Record Turnaways option. If this function is activated Opera will log this record as a normal turnaway and update the turnaway statistics at the same time.
8.3.5 Detailed Availability (CTRL + F2)
The detailed availability screen displays the available rooms by room type for a range of dates. This is a highly interactive screen with access to blocks, detailed room type availability and reservation type information.
Search: Change the search criteria in the yellow-bordered box and select the Search option to initiate a new search. Details: Displays the breakdown for the occupied rooms by reservation type. Turnaway: The Turnaway function is available for recording turned-away business. Blocks: Access to full block functionality. This allows a user to cut off blocks manually if necessary to update availability. Zoom: Displays details for the highlighted date only. Occupancy/Availability: Detailed information on the availability by room type.
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The Vacant Room Search screen displays in the reservation screen when searching for a room to pre-block on a reservation or at check in. This screen is available at any time by using the F3 key. Select the information for the search and select search. The vacant rooms that qualify all search criteria will appear at the bottom of the screen.
8.3.7 House Status (Shift + F3)
When managing rooms from the Front Office or Housekeeping, it can be very helpful to have a screen which displays current information on the housekeeping status of rooms, availability of rooms, arrivals, departures and stayovers. The House Status screen provides detailed information on the status of each room in the hotel, as well as each reservation that will affect the current day’s availability.
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Room Summary Total Hotel Rooms: The total number of rooms in the hotel as validated by the PMS license code. This number does not include any Posting Master or other House Account rooms. Out of Order: The number of rooms in Out of Order status. These rooms are not in the occupancy figures for the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Total Rooms to Sell: The total number of Hotel Rooms less any Out of Order rooms. This is the number of rooms used to calculate 100% occupancy for the current date. Out of Service: The number of rooms in Out of Service status. These rooms are in the occupancy figures for the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Activity Stayovers: The number of reservations that arrived before today and will be staying in the hotel tonight. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Departures Expected: The reservations made with the current date as the departure date that have not yet checked out of the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed.
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Departures Actual: The reservations that have already checked out of the hotel today. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Arrivals Expected: The reservations made with the current date as the arrival date that have not yet checked into the hotel. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Arrivals Actual: Reservations with the current date as an arrival date that are checked in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Extended Stays: Reservations checked into the hotel that extended the number of days on the reservation after check in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Early Departures: Reservations checked into the hotel that decreased the number of days on the reservation after check in. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Day Use Rooms: Reservations scheduled to both arrive and depart on the current date. These rooms are zero night rooms. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Walk Ins: Reservations made using the Walk In function. These guests arrived at the hotel without previous reservations and checked in to the hotel using the Walk In button. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the reservations listed. Complimentary and House Use Complimentary Arrivals: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Due In or Checked In, with a rate code marked as Complimentary. Stayovers: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked In, with a rate code marked as Complimentary. Departures: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-Out or Due Out and with a rate code marked as Complimentary. House Use Arrivals: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Reserved or Checked In, with a rate code marked as House Use. Stayovers: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-In, with a rate code marked as House Use. Departures: The number of rooms/persons/VIPs associated with reservations having a status of Checked-Out or Due Out and with a rate code marked as House Use End of Day Projection Min. Available Tonight: The minimum number of rooms available tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations. Max. Occupied Tonight: The maximum number of rooms occupied tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations. Max. % Occupied Tonight: The maximum percentage occupancy tonight if all non-deducted and group allotted rooms return actual reservations.
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Blocks Not Picked Up: The number of group allotted rooms that are not actual reservations. On the day of arrival, this number should be zero. It is not uncommon for this number to change throughout the day as the group checks in. Cancelled group reservations, shares combined during check in and shares split during check in will all affect this number. Check this frequently throughout the check in process to be sure that all rooms are properly cut off and returned to house inventory. Individuals: The number of rooms and persons who are in house on non-group reservations. Groups and Blocks: The number of rooms and persons who are in house with group reservations. Room Revenue: The total net room revenue based on Max. Occupied Tonight. Average Room Rate: Net average room revenue: Room Revenue / Max. Occupied Tonight. Housekeeping Room Status Inspected Rooms: The number of rooms both occupied and vacant which have an Inspected housekeeping status. Clean Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Clean status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Dirty Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Dirty status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Pickup: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold a Pickup status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Out of Order Rooms: The numbers of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold an Out of Order status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Out of Service Rooms: The number of rooms both vacant and occupied that currently hold an Out of Service status in Housekeeping. Use the arrow to the left of the field to view or update the rooms listed. Queue: The total number of rooms that are on queue status.
8.3.8 Room Plan (CTRL + F3)
The room plan is a tool for organizing pre-blocked rooms to maximize hotel availability. In the room plan, all in-house and pre-blocked rooms display in a calendar function so that a week at a time is viewable. Pre-blocked reservations can be moved to arrive in rooms that are set for departure the same day so that rooms do not go unused due to poor management in preblocking.
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From the room plan screen, there are a number of possibilities to maximize the room pre-blocks. New: To create a new reservation, highlight an empty cell and select this option. A new reservation may start from here in the same manner as through the main Reservations screen. Edit: To navigate directly to the Reservations screen to display the reservation for this guest. Room Block: Use this option to check if there are expected allotments for this room type on this date. Room Move: To room move the guest select the left mouse button on the block and drag the reservation to a vacant block representing a vacant room. Check In: Use this quick check in option to check in the arriving reservation. The arrival date must be the current date. Options: Displays reservation options see section 2.1.5. Out of Order/Service: Use this option to place this room out of order or out of service. Calendar: Displays the Property Calendar screen.
8.3.9 Inquiry (Shift + F4)
The Inquiry function allows a user to search for availability for potential group business for a single date or multiple dates. It’s possible to search for availability by room type or by general house inventory. Once a date is decided upon, the Quick Business Block function is used for easy entry of group information.
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Acct/Comp: Attach an Account or Company profile during the Inquiry process. This may assist in attaching negotiated rates if included on the profile. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Agent: Attach a Travel Agent profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Source: Attach a Source profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a company contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Contact: Attach a Travel agent contact profile during the Inquiry process. Any profile attached during the Inquiry process will be automatically transferred to a Business Block if the group is booked. Start Date: The date that the group rate will first be offered. # Nights: The total number of nights the group rate will be offered. End Date: The date that the group rate will no longer be offered.
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Alternate Dates 1, 2, 3: Additional dates that the group contact may be willing to begin the group if the primary date is unavailable. Range From: The first date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to begin the group. To: The last date in a range of dates that the contact may be willing to book the group. # Nights Stay: The total number of nights the group will expect to be in house. Arrival Day: For a range of days, the days of the week that the group can be booked to begin. Rooms per day: The number of rooms that will be required per day. The system will check availability on this figure, so it should be close or equal to the maximum number of rooms required on the highest occupancy night. Rate Code: If a rate code is entered here, the Inquiry function will check availability of the rate code during the requested dates. Room Types: To check availability of specific room types, enter the room type here. %: If the % sign is checked, the system will look for this percentage of the rooms per day in the room type associated. If the % sign is not checked, the system will search for a number of rooms in the associated room type. Availability: This button will access the availability screen that will display which dates have availability and which do not.
Bus. Block: If the group will be booked, this button will access a new business block for information entry. Reset: If the Inquiry function will be used to search for a different group or set of criteria, the Reset button will return the Inquiry screen to its default settings.
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8.3.10 Dashboard (CTRL + F4)
The Dashboard screen is a single view of essential data for the current business date from one source. From this one screen core activities such as making new reservations; locating, updating and canceling reservations; requesting and applying deposits; processing guest check ins and check outs; pre-allocating rooms; managing guest billing; running reports; working with housekeeping; and reviewing and referencing availability, day types, and house status for today or any future date can be handled. Guest names can be easily verified, whether they have checked in, and their room numbers. Volumes of other important information — such as guest profiles and stay histories — are available from the Dashboard, too.
Search Section: Can be used to perform full search capabilities with a standard or Advanced search option to locate all reservation expected, cancelled, walk in, checked in and due out for the current business date. Select Report to access and print reports. Select Housekeeping to verify or modify room statuses. Reservation Section: The “smart buttons” change to provide the access to features needed based on the status of the reservation. Profile Section: Allows the user to edit or add guest profiles directly from the dashboard. Additional Information: Red lamp buttons (such as Share, Comments, Preference, Profile Notes, and many more) display in this section for any options that apply to the current reservation that is highlighted/selected in the search section. Cashiering section: To view the billing section of the reservation that applies to the current reservation that is highlighted/selected in the search section. This option can be used to see the current balance, routing codes, payment methods and to perform convenient check outs.
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This quick key will begin the reservation process from the Rate Query screen. Press the [F5] key to access the package element setup as well as the rate availability screens. User rights control both of these screens to ensure only qualified users access this information. The Rate Query screen locates the rate and room type required to make a guest reservation.
Rates by Room Number/Type: Shows full rate code information including rate splitting for any particular rate code, room type or room number. Rate Query: Displays at a glance which rates are available for each room type on any given arrival date and number of persons. Rate Lookup: Shows full rate code information including rate splitting for any particular rate code, room type or room number. Package Elements: This option displays all available packages. Rate Availability Grid: Shows the availability of all rate codes given in a month. Item inventory: Shows the quantity of each item in inventory (green background) and the quantity available (white background) for any given date.
8.3.12 Quick Book (Shift F7)
To create a new Quick Business Block from the Quick Business Block Search screen, select the New button to display the Quick Business Block screen. To edit an existing business block, highlight your choice and select the Edit button. See section 2.4.2
8.3.13 New Reservation (F7)
When creating a new reservation, it is common to check both rate and room availability before reserving a room for a guest. To create a new reservation, press F7 and the system will follow the flow defined in the Application Setting Reservation>Reservation Flow. See section 2.1.1
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8.3.14 Telephone Book (Shift + F7)
The telephone book function allows the hotel to entered frequently used telephone numbers that will be accessible to all Opera users. Many hotels use this feature to enter administrative telephone extensions, taxi cab numbers, local restaurants or points of interest and any other business or service that may be called by the hotel frequently for guests.
The category is set to display a collection of telephone numbers that can be accessed and printed together. Notice that remarks can be entered for each entry. Directions to the business, hours of operation, dress code and any other information can be entered.
8.3.15 Telephone Operator (CTRL + F8)
The Telephone Operator screen was designed for use by PBX agents and provides access to all the information usually required by that department. From the Telephone Operator screen it’s possible to locate a guest room to transfer an incoming call, leave a message, set a locator or trace, or to enter a wake up call for a guest.
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All Guests: This option displays all guests arriving, in-house, departing, stayover, cancelled and No Show for the selected date. Arrivals: This option displays all guests listed as arrivals on the selected date. Stayovers: This option displays all guests listed as stayovers on the selected date. Departures: This option will display all guests departing on the selected date. Operator: This option, which is the default, will display all guests in house, arriving in the next 7 days as well as those that have departed in the past 3 days from the selected date.
Message:
This option displays all messages previously entered for a guest, both received and not received. A new message may be entered if needed.
To Enter a Text Message for a Guest: o o o o o o o o o Select the Messages option. Select New to create a new message. Input the caller’s Name, Title, and additional information, then click on the drop down arrow next to Message Text to select from pre-defined messages. Select the pre-defined message desired by highlighting, and select OK to save. Once the return Phone No. is entered, press the Tab key to move the message information into the white text box on the right. Enter any additional message text and select Save. Answer Yes to send the message to the guest. This will turn the message light on in the guest room. To print the message for delivery to the guest room, select Print on the highlighted message.
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o o o o o
Input the Number of copies and select OK to print. Note the Message lamp on this in-house guest indicating that a message is waiting to be delivered To mark a message as received by the guest, highlight the message and select the Received button. This will turn off the message light in the guest room. Note the Received message indication with date and time of delivery.
Locator:
This option allows the user to enter a locator for a guest.
To Enter a Locator on a Guest’s Reservation: o o o o o o o o o From the Telephone Operator screen select a reservation. Locators can only be placed for guests arriving on the current day or checked in. Select Locator. Select New to enter a new locator. Enter the Begin Date for the locator and the End Date for the locator. Enter the From Time and To Time for the locator. On the right side of the screen, highlight the location the guest will be. If more text is needed, enter that text in the white space at the bottom of the screen. Select OK when finished.
Profile:
The guest’s profile is available from this option, and may be viewed or updated based on user rights.
Res.:
This option will display reservation information for the selected guest and will allow the reservation to be edited based on user rights.
Trace:
Traces placed on a guest reservation print on daily trace reports for hotel management. They are an excellent way to automatically communicate between departments to handle special guest requests or instructions. Traces can be used to communicate the need for direct bill authorization, transportation to or from the airport, VIP amenities or room features or special housekeeping touches.
To Enter a Trace on a Reservation: o o o o o o o o o o o o From the Operator Screen. Select Trace. Select New to add a new Trace. Select the Department to send the trace to by placing an “X” to the left. If any Trace Texts exist for that department, you may highlight the text to send Enter any additional instructions or manual trace information in the white Text field. Select Save to save and create another trace; select OK to save and close. Note the Trace lamp on the reservation. To Resolve the trace, highlight the applicable trace and select Resolve. Resolve All will complete all traces and resolve for the entire record. Note the resolved trace with date and time stamps. Select Close to exit the Traces function.
Wk Up Call:
Guests will generally call the operator to enter wake up calls. This function allows wake up calls to be handled easily.
To Set a Wake Up Call for a Guest
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From the Operator screen Select the Wake Up Call option. To set a single Wake Up Call, select Date. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the Date and the Time for the wake up call. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for multiple days, select Daily. Select Next to continue. Enter the Room No(s), the From Date and To Date and the Time. Select Set when finished. To set a Wake Up Call for every member of a group, use Set Block Wake Up Calls. Enter the block code in Block Name, begin and end date for the calls and the time. Select Set to continue. To view all current Wake Up Calls entered in the PMS, select the option View Wake Up Calls. Enter any filter criteria needed and select View. All current wake up calls display. To print a list for manual calls, select Print.
8.3.16 Logout (F8)
This option is used if an agent will be leaving the workstation and will log out of Opera, but will not log out to the Windows screen. Another user may easily log in and begin working in Opera.
8.3.17
IFC Menu (Shift + F8)
The interface sub menu displays all other systems that are linked to Opera. Again, each interface performs different functions. The options that are displayed for each interface will vary depending on its capabilities. This is information that is generally very property specific. Ask your manager to instruct you in the use of this function.
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8.3.18 Maximum Availability (CTRL + F8)
The Maximum Availability screen will display the maximum number of rooms available in each room type over a range of dates. If a reservation or group is looking for multiple rooms over 3 nights, the maximum number of king rooms may be found on the second night, and the maximum number of doubles on the third. This screen will display the nights with the maximum number of rooms available per room type for the range of dates requested.
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8.3.19 DIARY (SHIFT+F9)
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This function can be used to view availability for function spaces and for PMS sleeping rooms that have been configured with the Can Be Meeting Room option selected in room type setup
8.4 Change Password
Passwords should be guarded and not given out for any reason as all activity happening on a user login is traced back through the User Name and Password. Some hotels will set the system to expire passwords automatically after a certain number of days, and a message will appear instructing each user to change the password. It’s always a good idea to change a password frequently as it is more difficult for others to gain access that way.
To change a password, enter the old password, then type the new password twice to be sure that the original spelling is correct.
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8.5 Data Extraction
It is possible to create labels and form letter mailings based on hotel-specific queries or to use this feature to assist in data cleanup, to quickly pull data into third-party spreadsheets, and to design queries that can be directly copied into data management programs like SQL Navigator. The Data Extraction feature is very intuitive and easy to use.
Data Extraction Query
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Step 1
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Select a Data Source: Select from the hard coded list of data sources available. Data sources include profile and reservation information.
Step 2 Select a Field for Filter Conditions: From the data source, select the primary field that will be used to sort out the desired guests. In the example above, we are going to sort by Contacts -> All Owner Codes. Step 3 Specify a Filter Condition: Determine the specific filter criteria to be used to sort data. In this case, we are looking only for the partially contains within (Multiple Values). Step 4 Apply the Filter condition: Once the filter condition has been set, select the Add button to add the filter condition to the query. Process: Select this option once all the filter conditions have been entered. The result will be the data needed. Save As: If this query is to be used again, the query can be saved by a name that makes sense to the user, such as “Today’s Arrivals with Email Addresses”. By doing this, the query can be called again in future. Save: This query will be saved by the name that is defaulted in the first field. This name can be changed prior to saving if desired.
Extract Results
To merge the Data Extract information into either an HTML file or a CSV file, the Extract Results tool will be used. Previously saved data extract files can be reprocessed at any time.
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8.6 Awards
Use Awards setup to store and manage various awards that can be given to members of a property or chain loyalty program. Guest awards allow you to create user-defined guest award types for a guest to use during a visit to the property. The awards are stored against the guest’s profile and history details after departure. The possibilities are endless, all resulting in the ability to monitor and evaluate award/promotion plans.
Instant Awards
With this option, the hotel can immediately grant an award and subtract the points from the guest’s total accumulated. The system will then return the number of points the guest has remaining.
Award Code: The hotel’s code for the specific award. Description: The long description of the specific award. Quantity: The number of awards that are being redeemed in this transaction. Points Required: The number of points required to redeem this particular award. Member Last Name: The guest’s last name. First Name: The guest’s first name. Current Balance: The current balance of points on the guest’s account before the award is granted.
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New Point Balance: The number of points on the guest’s account after the award has been granted.
Awards Lookup
This option is used to search for previously paid awards for a guest. Once the award has been paid and the points subtracted from the total, the record may be researched to satisfy guest questions.
Membership No.: To locate a specific guest record by membership number, use this field. Last Name: To locate a guest by last name. First Name: To locate a guest by first name. Award Order No.: To locate a record by awards order number. Award Processed Date: To view all awards processed on a specific date. Confirmation Number: To view awards processed for a specific reservation.
8.7 Promotions
Many hotels offer special seasonal promotions to increase business during slow months. To effectively market the promotion, it is normally given a name by which the guests will call to book the rate. A rate code may be attached to a promotion code so that when the guests call asking for the special promotion, the agent can search for the proper rate code by typing in the promotion code.
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Promotion Code: A unique code that is used to locate the promotion information in the system. Market Code: Promotions are generally attached to market codes for accurate revenue tracking. Category Code: A hotel-determined field that can be used to track certain promotions together for reporting purposes. Booking Start Date: The first date that the promotion will be available to book. Stay Start Date: The first date that a reservation may be booked to arrive. Check In Time: If the promotion has a check in time restriction, that information can be entered here. Instruction: If the promotion code is valid only under certain circumstances, enter those circumstances here. Some examples might be that a promotion requires a valid military ID or membership in AARP for a legitimate booking. Name: The long name of the promotion. Program Name: If the promotion is attached to another hotel program, that information can be entered here. Description: A long description of the category code. Booking End Date: The last date that the promotion will appear on the rate query screen for booking. Stay End Date: The last date that a guest may book this promotion.
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Check Out Time: If there is a restriction on check out time, it may be entered here.
8.8 Enrollment
This option is only available if the hotel has a working 2-way interface to the central reservations system and that interface is configured to allow instant enrollment in the hotel’s membership program. This allows the front desk agent to submit required information about the guest to the 2-way interface to immediately return a new membership number for use on the guest’s current stay. Please note that some external systems may require the Employee ID to validate and process incentive payments for eligible enrollments.
All items in bold text are required. The Alliance Code refers to an airline code. This is used if the hotel’s loyalty program may be paid in miles rather than points. The membership number is entered and the alliance code is also entered.
8.9 Print Tasks
For users with the proper user rights, it may be possible to change the printer that a workstation is using for a particular task. For instance, if all reports are set to print to a report printer, but that printer is not working, it may be necessary to redirect reports temporarily to another printer. Each of the Opera print tasks is listed separately. For those who will be changing print tasks, it is useful to become familiar with all the various print tasks and the types of files that will be affected by the changes. Each workstation will have its own set of print tasks. When setting up print tasks, the same printer can be used for a number of tasks. The reason that many of these items are separated is that some items may always be printed on plain paper, while some are printed 208
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on letterhead. Some printers may be set to carry unusually sized paper for guest messages or for registration cards.
AR_FOLIO: This print task assigns a printer to any invoice that is printed from the Accounts Receivable module from the Details button on the account. AR_RECEIPT: If a payment receipt is generated, this printer will be used to print the payment receipt for Accounts Receivable payments only. CASHIER_CLOSE_REP: This print task will be used to print the closing reports when performing the Close Cashier function. CHECK_PRINTER: This print task is used to print Travel Agent Checks. CHECK_XANGE: This print task is used to print a check payment receipt when doing a check exchange. CONF_LETTER: This printer task is used to print confirmation letters when the Print option is chosen. CONF_LETTER_EMAIL: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s email server. CONF_LETTER_FAX: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s fax server. DEFAULT_EMAIL: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s email server. DEFAULT_FAX: This printer task is set up to go to the hotel’s fax server. DEP_RECEIPTS: This printer task is used for printing receipts after a deposit payment has been made. FOREIGN_CURR_XANGE: This printer task is used for printing receipts after a foreign currency exchange transaction has been completed. GST_FOLIO: This printer task is used for printing all guest folios. GST_MSG: This printer task is used for printing all guest messages.
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HOUSEKEEPING: This printer task is used for printing housekeeping task sheets. INFO_FOLIO: If an information folio is printed prior to check out, this printer task will be used. LABELS: This print task determines which printer will be used to print labels from the mailing function. LIST_REPORTS: This print task determines where all reports except cashier closing reports will be printed. MAILINGS: This printer task is used to produce any mailings to guests in house that are batched and sent through the Mailings function. NA_REPORTS: This printer task is used to reprint Night Audit reports using the menu option Reprint NA Reports. PAIDOUTS: This printer task will produce all paid-out receipts. PASSER_FOLIO: This printer task will produce any folio generated by using the Passerby feature. REG_CARD: This printer task will be used to print registration cards. REMINDER: This printer task is used to print reminder letters for Accounts Receivable accounts. REMINDER_FAX: This printer task should be directed to the hotel’s fax server. STATEMENT: This printer task is used to print Accounts Receivable statements. STATEMENT_FAX: This printer task should be directed to the hotel’s fax server. TA_CHECKS: This printer task is used to print Travel Agent checks.
8.10 User Activity Log
The User Activity Log allows a user or manager to research past activity in the system. It is a way to look back into reservations, profiles, housekeeping, postings and accounting to try to resolve questions or issues.
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User: To find activity on a particular user, type the login name in User or select from the list of values by opening the drop down arrow to the right of the field. Date: To search for activity on a particular date or range of dates, select the beginning of the search period. To: To search for activity on a particular date or range of dates, select the end of the search period. Type: To select for a specific type of an activity. Text: Type a partial or whole string to search for in the log’s Descriptions Reservation: Locate any changes or updates made to a guest reservation screen. Posting: Locate any changes or updates made in the Billing screen. Housekeeping: Locate all Housekeeping changes. Commission: Locate all commission processing activity. Configuration: Locate any configuration changes. This would include parameter changes, transaction code changes or additions and new or updated rate codes. Credit Cards: Locate all information on credit card approvals, interface time-outs and nonapproved cards. Accts. Rec.: Locate any changes or updates made to A/R accounts.
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Profile: Locate any changes or updates made to any profile screen. Block: Locate any changes or updates made to a group or business block.
8.11 File Download
In a Thin Client environment, the File Download menu option is used to generate a file in a specific location (usually the Application Server) and then downloaded from that location.
There may be a large number of files on the server, so it is best to use the file name to search for the file. The file name was displayed when the file was generated. Locate the file needed and select the button to Download. A windows screen will appear and will allow the user to save the file at any location on the computer. Once the file is downloaded to the specified location, it may be located when creating an email to send the file off to a processing agency or corporate office.
8.12 Registration Cards
Some hotels pre-print registration cards for all arriving guests during the night audit or for large group arrivals. In this section, there is a batch printing option for registration cards to make this process easier.
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Use the search options to locate the set of guests to print the registration cards. Select View to see each card in Adobe Acrobat format and Print to automatically print all registration cards.
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User rights control all the options in Setup. It is generally assumed that the system supervisor(s) only will have access to make changes.
9.1 User Configuration
User Groups
Any new employee needing to use Opera will be set up as a User. Usually, a hotel will have a set of user groups created and a new user will be attached to one or more user groups.
Permission: Select this button to attach one or more permissions to the user group highlighted.
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Users: This option will display and allow selecting the users who will belong to the highlighted user group.
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New: Select New to create a new user group. All information in bold letters is required to create the user group. All other information is optional and is only visible when viewing this screen. It does not appear in reporting.
Edit: Select Edit to view or change information on an existing user group. This will allow you to change password information or update any other field that has changed. Delete: To delete a user group
Users New User
Every person that will be actively using Opera (setting up, configuring, and managing the system; and performing day-to-day operations) must be identified as an employee starting from the Employees screen. This option allows defining all the users of the system, such as giving them a user ID, assigning a default password, and, as needed, assigning a cashier number as well as defining their access permissions by assigning them to one or more user groups. In addition, users can disable login, set password expiry dates and allow grace logins. Login Name: Enter the user name required for the user to log in to Opera. Password: Enter the user password required for the user to log in to Opera. Always displays as asterisks. Confirm Password: Enter the user password required for the user to log in to Opera to verify the password typed earlier is correct. Disabled Until: Enter the date until which this user record is inactive. The system would prevent any attempts to use this login before that date.
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Disabled On: Enter the date on which this user record should become inactive. The system would prevent any attempts to use this login after that date. Cashier ID: Enter the cashier ID for any users that require access to financial postings. Employee Number: Enter the employee number if applicable. In some cases the employee number may be required for interfaces to an external system such as enrollment in a frequent stay program. Report Group: In some instances a user may have limited reporting needs. Selecting the user's default report group that would save them time when they access their reports. Pass Exp Days: Use this field to define the number of days for which the current password will be valid. Although the user may still change their password at any time, if left blank there will be no expiration date for the password.
Permission: Select this button to attach the user to a user group as well as add or remove individual permissions independent of the user group. Notes: Select this button to add notes to this user record, modify an existing note or remove a note from this user record.
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9.2 Application Settings
Application settings control the functionality and defaults assigned to the system. The use of functions, parameters, and settings allows a hotel to adapt Opera to specific needs. Do not change these settings without a complete understanding of the consequences. Many hotels have central reservations systems that require these settings to be on or off, and making changes may inactivate communication with a CRS. Changing default settings can have a direct impact on system reporting. Of course, the parameters are available for change if needed, but it is a good idea to know and understand any corporate requirements for settings and defaults as well as any interface or system requirements. Functions: govern menu-driven components and major procedural activities. When you activate a function, Opera displays a menu item available for selection. Parameters: define the characteristics of a process or procedure within a program function. When you activate a function, Opera will enhance, restrict, or eliminate a particular service. Settings: are default values. The user may override some of the values set as defaults from the "front end" Opera screens while others can only be changed from the Application Settings screen.
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9.2.1 AR
AR Functions
AR TRACES
Select “Y” to activate the ability to set traces on A/R accounts to follow up specific account activity. These traces are separate from the Reservations Traces used by the Front Office and other departments.
AUTO TRANSFER FOLIOS
Select “Y” to activate the automatic transfer for Front Office folios into AR. When the night audit runs, the system will automatically transfer all the folios settled to Direct Bill into the respective AR account. Select “N” to manually move these folios settled to Direct Bill through Transfer FO Data instead.
AR Parameters
AGE CREDITS
This parameter will age unallocated credits on an A/R account in the same way that debits are aged if it is marked as “Y”. If it is marked as “N”, unallocated credit totals will always appear in the current bin, no matter how long they have been on the account.
AR NUMBER MANDATORY
If this parameter is entered as “Y”, an A/R number is required on a folio window to send invoices to Accounts Receivable. If this parameter is set to “N”, it is possible to send invoices to Accounts Receivable without the A/R number. In that case, an A/R account must be created, but the A/R
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number is not mandatory. This will result in a number of A/R accounts that have no A/R number. The user may locate them by the Account Name instead.
AR USE DEBIT CREDIT
This parameter enables the A/R statement to always print all charges both debit and credit. This option will automatically default the statement to print zero balances in batch printing.
BALANCE FORWARD DATE
When printing statements, all invoices on the statement prior to the date of the last printing will appear as a one-line balance forward and all new invoices will print in detail. If the hotel is in the habit of regularly printing copies of the statement for internal use, this parameter may be in conflict with business practices.
CHECK INVOICES
In the A/R account, if an invoice is checked (marked with an “X”) for any reason, that check mark will remain on the invoice until unchecked by the user. If this parameter is set to “N”, the invoice will automatically be unchecked as soon as the user returns to the account screen.
CLOSE INVOICE
If this option is set to “Y”, once an invoice is closed there will be no further adjustments, postings or transfers allowed. This parameter is meant to address some country-specific requirements and may be too restrictive for countries not needing to use this. Once an invoice is closed, it is not possible to re-open it. The user may take no further action on a closed invoice except to pay it in part or in full.
CONSOLIDATE CC
When this parameter is set to “Y”, credit cards in the holding bin will automatically be compressed and moved to the A/R account with the night audit. If this parameter is set to “N”, this must be a manual procedure. Due to the nature of the way that Opera calculates credit card totals on the Trial Balance report, if the cards are consolidated on the day following the audit, the totals will appear as credits on the Guest Ledger on the day they are used to settle the bill, but will not appear as debits on the A/R ledger until they are compressed and transferred. This can cause confusion when balancing credit cards in Accounting.
NO MODIFY INVOICE
This option is very similar to Close Invoice; however once the invoice is generated there will be no modification of the invoice at all. A new invoice is required to make any adjustments.
SIMPLE REMINDER
When this parameter is set to “Y”, reminder letters produced for an invoice follow the aging buckets as defined in A/R configuration. If this parameter is set to “N”, it is possible to define different reminder letter schedules based on Account Type.
UNALLOCATED PAYMENT ON REMINDER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, any payment on the A/R account applied but not allocated to a particular invoice will appear on the A/R statement as an unallocated payment. If it is set to “N”, unallocated payments will not appear as single line items on the statement; however they will be included in the total due on the account.
AR Settings
ACCOUNT PICTURE
This setting defines a pre-determined template for creating A/R numbers. If this is left blank, new A/R accounts may be created using any alphanumeric system with no restrictions. If the template is set (for instance) to AAA-9999, then each new A/R account must follow the naming convention of three letters, followed by a dash, followed by four numbers. A clerk would not be able to use any other naming convention to create a new A/R account number.
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ADJUSTMENT TIME
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In many countries, there are laws that determine a certain period of time after which a user may no longer adjustment charges. This setting defines the amount of time limit for adjustments to occur. The options available are: after one day, after one week, after one month, after one year or unlimited if there is no time limit for adjustments.
AR FOLIO STYLE
The Folio Style automatically used when printing a Folio from AR
CREDIT CARD TRN CODE
This setting defines the transaction code used internally by the system when consolidating credit cards and moving them to the A/R account.
DATE FOR AGING
This setting determines at which point aging will begin on an invoice. o o Check Out Date: Select this to begin the aging on the date that the guest was checked out. AR Transfer Date: Select this to begin the aging on the date the invoice transfers from FO data to the AR account. This option is only applicable if the function AUTO TRANSFER FOLIOS is to “N”. Invoice Close Date: Select this to begin aging on the date that the invoice is closed. This last option is only applicable if the parameter AR CLOSE INVOICE is to “Y”.
o
DEFAULT ACCOUNT TYPE FOR REMINDERS
This setting defines the default account type used when printing a reminder letter if no cycle is defined for the specified account type.
DEFAULT COMPANY ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Company profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate on the account setup screen. If populated the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT GROUP ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Group profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using an Individual profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
DEFAULT MARKET CODE
This setting Defaults the Market Code for New Postings and New Invoice. This setting may be left blank, in which case it will be determined on a case-by-case basis or it may be populated, which will default an entry in the field that may be changed if needed.
DEFAULT SOURCE CODE
Default Source Code for New Postings and New Invoices. This setting may be left blank, in which case it will be determined on a case-by-case basis or it may be populated, which will default an entry in the field that may be changed if needed.
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DEFAULT TRAVEL AGENT ACCOUNT TYPE
When a user creates a new A/R account using a Travel Agent profile, this setting determines the default account type that will populate that field on the account setup screen. Once selected the default value will automatically populate, however, a user may change it if needed. If left blank, the user will determine the account type on a case-by-case basis.
GLOBAL CREDIT LIMIT
Enter a value to populate the credit limit field automatically when creating a new A/R account. The value entered in this setting will automatically populate to save time when creating an account. For an account requiring a different credit limit the user may easily changed it on a caseby-case basis. If left blank, the credit limit is always determined on a case-by-case basis.
MINIMUM REMINDER DAYS
This setting defines the number of days required between sending two reminder letters to the same account. In a situation where a hotel sends a reminder letter to an account on one day and the invoice falls into the next reminder cycle overnight then generating reminder letters the following day might produce a second letter to the same account. The hotel can determine the number of days that must pass before generating another reminder letter.
OLD BALANCE TRN CODE
This setting determines the transaction code used to post any balance forward totals entered from a previous system during an Opera conversion. This transaction code should never be used for any other purpose other than this one. An entry in this setting determines that the system will automatically use it in the Balance Forward process.
TYPEWRITER
Opera has a typewriter function that allows Accounting to alter the information on a statement in a way that the hotel would like to see it appear. Using the typewriter function does not affect any totals or balances on an A/R account, only the appearance of the statement. This setting determines the directory on the application server that will hold the statement file as it is being amended.
ZERO INVOICE PURGE DAYS
When an invoice is paid and has zero balance, it will remain in history for view or update. Holding a large number of invoices in history can make the accounts difficult to work with, so it is recommended that a number of days be set to purge the paid invoices. Once the invoice is purged, there will be no way to locate it in history, so it is recommended to set an appropriate number of days based on the amount of access to history needed by the hotel.
9.2.2 Blocks
Block Functions
BLOCK TRACES
This function activates a trace system used for group blocks only. Block Traces appear only when accessing block information and used to remind sales managers to follow up on group billing or contract information. If this parameter is set to “Y”, the ability to have separate trace functions for groups is allowed. If the parameter is set to “N”, the function is not available. These traces are separate from the Reservations Traces used by the Front Office and other departments.
BUSINESS BLOCK
This function activates the full business block screen and functionality. This parameter must be set to “Y” if Opera is interfaced with any external Sales and Catering system such as the Opera Sales and Catering system or Delphi. The full business block functionality allows a greater
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degree of complexity when entering block information. Without this parameter set to “Y”, the options are to use the Quick Booking function or the Standard Groups module or both. Activate all three options together or any combination of the functions.
DIARY
This function activates use and display of the Function Diary, a graphical calendar that enables limited event handling capabilities. Use the Function Diary to view all availability for PMS sleeping rooms and for function spaces. View the function room inventory by the hour, day, or week. This includes combination, sharing, individual and sleeping rooms which can sell as meeting rooms.
INQUIRY
This parameter activates the Inquiry function that allows a user to check availability for potential groups by checking a number of dates and variables. It will also move directly into a booking screen. This is a useful function if there are agents in the hotel who are likely to book a group while on the telephone with the contact. This function may not be required if the hotel has an external Sales and Catering system as groups would not be originally booked in Opera but would be booked in the S&C system.
QUICK BUSINESS BLOCK
This option allows the hotel to use a scaled down version of the business block screen. Only the primary required fields are given. This is a useful function for hotels that may not need the complexity of the full business block option but book groups regularly. The hotel may choose whether to use this function in addition to the full business block function or as an alternative to the Full Business Block.
SET BLOCK PICKUP RESTRICTIONS
This option allows setting Pickup Restrictions at the Block Level. When this function is set to “Y”, the Business Block Restrictions screen is available. Date restrictions can be set, but must be within the booking dates, no matter if the block reservation is elastic or non-elastic.
TOUR SERIES
The tour series option helps to duplicate a particular block reservation, which recurs on a regular basis. Tour Series would be used in scenarios such as having a contract with a travel agency to book rooms for a tour series where the group will need thirty rooms from Monday through Wednesday every two weeks for the entire year.
Block Parameters
ALIAS
This function allows the entry of a booking name alias for Business Blocks. When this parameter function is set to “Y” the user may enter an alias name for any block. The alias name may be used instead of the Business Block name when searching for a business block. This is helpful in cases where callers trying to book a group reservation may be referring to the same group different names.
AUTO ASSIGN SUB BLOCK CODES
When this parameter is “N”, the Tour Series option will be removed. Instead users would use the Custom Tour Series where the users manually assign the block codes. Set this parameter to “Y” to automatically generate the sub business block codes.
AUTOLOAD CONTRACT GRID
When the parameter is set to “Y”, the contract grid will be loaded automatically with the original grid information. Changes to the original grid will also apply to the contract grid until the Turn Off Autoload check box is selected from within the block.
BLANK BUSINESS BLOCK START DATE
When the parameter is set to “Y”, the arrival date for new business blocks will be blank by default so that the user must manually enter it.
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BLOCK DEPOSIT REQUIRED
When the parameter is set to “Y”, an advance deposit is required for any blocks with a reservation type of Deposit Required.
BLOCK RATE CODE MANDATORY
This parameter determines whether or not the rate code is a mandatory field for business blocks and reservations made against the block. If the parameter is set to “N”, then the hotel may create blocks without a rate code. This parameter works in conjunction with the DEFAULT GROUPS RATE CODE setting which is required for blocks without a rate code.
BUSINESS BLOCK TYPE
This parameter activates the Business Block Type field on Business Block and Quick Business Block screens. This feature allows users to attach a “category of business” designation to each booking. For example, they can identify the booking as a wedding, a tour, a conference, a meeting, a convention, and so on. For reporting purposes it is helpful to track this information.
CATERING
This parameter allows the hotel to create a block for catering events without holding rooms. When using the Sales and Catering module, a "Catering only" box is available to select.
CONFIRM BOOKING STATUS CHANGE
Display confirmation message for booking status change.
CUTOFF
If this parameter is set to “N” the only way to return rooms to inventory is to use the “Wash” function and manually return rooms not needed. If this parameter is set to “Y” then the ability to automatically return unused rooms to inventory will be accessible for each block. Cutoff by Date will release all unsold rooms in the block on a specified date. Cutoff by Days will release unsold rooms in the block one day at a time.
ELASTIC BLOCK
This parameter provides the ability to book additional rooms or room types not included in the block as well as group reservations outside of the block dates. When this parameter is set to “Y”, it will be possible to define a block as elastic. If the parameter is set to “N”, the elastic checkbox is not available in any block. A non-elastic block will restrict the hotel from breaking shared reservations after the rooms have been cut off and returned to inventory as the additional guest would then require an another room to be added to the block.
ENFORCE BLOCK CODE TEMPLATE LENGTH
When this parameter is set to “Y”, any block codes entered manually are evaluated against the template and only entries of the same length are valid. If used in conjunction with the parameter Blocks > Unique Block Code and the setting Blocks > Block Code Template, the block code will be automatically created for new blocks. If the block code exists already, the block code field will stay blank.
EXTENDED COPY OPTIONS
Activate this function to copy bookings with extended options.
MANDATORY ROOMINGLIST PROFILE SEARCH
This parameter determines if it is mandatory to search for an existing profile when creating a reservation via the Rooming List option in Groups. When this parameter is set to “Y”, a checkmark appears by default in the Check Guest Profile check box and the check box is unavailable (grayed out). In this situation, when you create a new reservation the Profile Search screen appears and you must search for and select an existing profile or create a new one in order to proceed. For hotels with a high instance of return group guests, this will minimize duplicated profiles and ensure accurate reporting. For hotels with a low instance of return group guests, this may be counter-productive as it requires an extra step for every reservation. This option overrides the Blocks > Profile Check in RoomingList parameter.
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OCCUPANCY SPLIT PER ROOM TYPE
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This parameter controls where the number of occupants per room type is to be set on the block grid. This allows for a more accurate forecast and the value in the "Pax per Room" will be ignored. It also determines whether rates for business blocks can be split by occupancy or not. When the parameter is set to “N”, room grids entered with only the total number of rooms of each room type and the forecasted revenues are based on single occupancy of all rooms. When the parameter is “Y”, room grids will be based on room type and occupancy. The number of rooms for each occupancy level must be entered separately. This will result in a more accurate forecasting of the number of persons arriving with a group as well as the total revenue in cases where the rooms are priced differently based on the number of people in the room.
PROFILE CHECK IN ROOMINGLIST
This parameter determines whether profiles entered into a rooming list will be checked against existing profiles or not, in an effort to minimize duplicate profiles in the database and accurately record history for each guest. When parameter is “Y”, the Check Guest Profile selects by default, but you may un-check it. When the box is checked the system automatically looks for a profile for the reservation name you enter. If none exists, and the system finds no possible duplicate, then a prompt asks if you want to create a new profile. To inactivate the profile search the user may uncheck the box. When this parameter is “N” the same check box will appear but will be unchecked by default instead. If the system does not find a profile match then a new profile is automatically created. If the system finds a profile match, it is automatically used.
RETURN BLOCK TO HOUSE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then rooms cut off from a business block will be returned to regular house inventory at the next night audit. If it is set to “N”, then the rooms will continue to be unallocated group rooms rather than unallocated house rooms.
SHIFT DATE
This parameter activates the Shift Date feature used to move a business block from one arrival date to a new arrival date. If there are any reservations or posting masters (PMs) attached to the business block, you will not be able to shift dates for the booking. You also are not able to use this function when the business block’s arrival date is prior to the current business date for the property.
UNIQUE BLOCK CODE
This parameter controls whether or not each business block must have a unique block code. Take care to understand the consequences of this parameter as changes to it may cause errors in some CRS interfaces. If this parameter is set to “N”, block codes may be duplicated as long as only one block is active at a time. If this parameter is set to “Y”, no duplicate block codes may be created. Whenever Opera automatically generates the block code and two block codes would be the same based on the default block code template that is set up, the system will add _01 to the second block code, _02 to the third and so on to create unique codes. Again, this may cause issues in a CRS interface or S&C interface, so care should be taken to understand the hotel’s needs.
Block Settings
BUSINESS BLOCK TEMPLATE
Many hotels have specific block template requirements due to a Sales and Catering interface or a Central Reservations Interface. This setting will create a default template for the block code for each hotel. For example, a template of DDMMYYAAA would mean that the block code created for new blocks would use the arrival day, month and year followed by the first three letters of the group name.
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COPY BLOCK NOTES
This setting determines whether or not the system will copy the Booking Notes by default when copying a group.
COPY BOOKING STATUS
To copy a block the newly created block must start at a pre-defined status code. This setting defines the default status code for a newly copied block.
DEFAULT NEW BLOCK STATUS
When building a new group block the status code is a required field. Each new block must begin with a non-deducted status code. This setting determines the default entry for each new group block.
EXTERNAL DEFAULT RES TYPES
When using an external Sales and Catering system, all reservations released from the Sales and Catering system to Opera must have a reservation type attached. This entry is the default reservation type for all reservations turned over to Opera from an external Sales and Catering system.
PROFILE PROMPT FOR BLOCKS
A group profile is created automatically based on the group name unless a specific group profile is attached. This setting determines the prompt to associate a profile to a business block if one has not been attached. o If the setting is set to “N” for None, the system will not remind the user to attach profiles to a business block. o If the setting is “P” for Prompt User, a message will appear stating that no profiles are attached to the block header but will allow the user to save the block without a company, source or agent profile attached. o If the setting is “R” for Required, then at least one company, source or agent profile must be attached to the group block to save the block header.
ROOMING LIST AUTOMATIC NAME
When a rooming list is automatically generated for a business block, this setting controls whether the new reservation profiles use the Group Profile Name or the Block Names. In either case, new reservations created through the rooming list use new profiles.
ROOMINGLIST RESERVATION METHODS
This setting determines which Reservation Methods allow the entry of the Rooming List Due Date. A user may select multiple reservation types. When left blank, the rooming list due date is not available in any blocks.
TOUR SERIES HANDLING
This setting determines if tour series should be performed as a simple copy or as sub-bookings.
NUMBER OF ROOMS PER DIARY PAGE
Determines the number of rooms to be displayed per diary page at a time.
9.2.3 Cashiering
Cashiering Functions
ADVANCED GENERATES
This function offers the ability to specify, at a group, subgroup, or transaction generate level, if and when generate postings (by the Room and Tax procedure in the End of Day routine) should be stopped. If this function is set to “Y”, the generates screen allows you to specify the length of stay, in days, after which the generate will stop posting. It also lets you determine how the adjustment for the generate rebate is to be handled.
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ARTICLES
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Articles are used to break down and collect statistics on specific types of postings that may be too detailed for reporting on a traditional transaction code report.
AUTHORIZE DIRECT BILL
This function allows a user to indicate that an authorized person has reviewed and approved particular reservation for direct billing. This is separate from allowing a user to actually set-up direct billing. In all cases an active A/R account is required in the profile displayed in the payment window. If the value is “Y”, when checking out an authorized reservation the user will be allowed to select the DB payment type and settle without any messages/warnings. If the reservation is not authorized, the user will still be allowed to select the DB payment type however when selecting the OK button to post, the message 'This reservation has not been authorized for Direct Bill. Do you want to continue?’ When a user selects “Yes”, the user log records an entry as they continue on to the checkout. When a user selects “No”, Opera will return to payment screen without recording an entry in the user log.
BATCH POSTING
This function activates the ability to use the Batch Posting feature. This feature is frequently used to post one charge to a list of guests. Some uses for batch posting are the ability to post a parking charge to a long list of guests in house, the ability to post a contracted luggage-handling charge to all guests in house with a particular group or the ability to post a fee to a list of guests.
BILLING SUMMARY
An additional Comp Accounting feature allows casino hosts to easily review and compare a sideby-side summary of the charged and comped components of guest transactions.
BUDGETS
Activates the budget functionality used to enter Room and/or Catering budgets for comparisons against actual and forecasted revenues on Opera reports.
CASHIER FOREIGN CURRENCY AMOUNTS
The ability to determine foreign currency amounts in a cashier's drawer.
CHECK EXCHANGE
Activates Cashiering/Cashier Functions/Check Exchange and associated user permissions.
DEPOSIT CANCELLATION
This function allows defining deposit and cancellation rules for rate codes and reservations.
DIRECT BILL BATCH FOLIOS
The purpose is to allow printing of batch folios for direct bill based on the direct bill batch type assigned to the guest and on when the direct bill batch folios were last printed.
FIXED CHARGES
This function activates the ability to use the Fixed Charges option in the reservations screen. This function allows the user to preset specific charges to post during the night audit.
FOLIO ARRANGEMENTS
Activates Folio Arrangement Functionality.
GENERAL CASHIER
This function activates the ability to use the General Cashier functionality. Used primarily for hotels doing a large amount of cash handling at the front desk and need the ability to add to add or subtract from the cashier’s bank during a shift while tracking the cash in hand.
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PASSERBY
This function activates the ability to make payments, postings, and produce a receipt in the system for a person not necessarily staying in the hotel. Passerby folios are used to post and pay charges for simple transactions done at the front desk for non-hotel guests.
PERIOD DEFINITION
This function allows a property to setup fiscal periods and years, and have key reports give information based on Fiscal and/or Calendar periods.
PERIOD FOLIOS
This function activates the ability to generate folios on a periodic basis (Weekly, Monthly etc).
PETTY CASH
This function activates the ability for the front desk user to perform paid outs and reimbursements to petty cash accounts from the front desk. The petty cash fund allows you to pay cash for outside services that are not charged to a particular guest. Petty cash is useful for tracking money paid out (paid-outs) and money received (paid-ins) which applies to the property in general and not to any guest’s bill or folio. The cash in and out is tracked as part of the cashier’s bank and will be part of the cashier’s totals at the end of the day.
ROUTING
This function activates the ability to route charges from one window or room to another for certain (or all) charges in a given period. If this function is set to “N” all charges must be transferred manually instead.
ROUTING LIMITS
This function activates limits which enables routing for Window, Room, and Comp routing. Routing instructions enhanced by imposing a limit on the total value of transactions routed.
TAX TYPES
This function activates the ability to calculate taxes on transaction codes based on either the guest’s profile tax type status or the reservation tax type status.
TRANSACTION USER GROUPS
Enables the functionality to choose transaction codes that may be posted manually by users belonging to the specified user group. By assigning specific transaction codes to each group you can control the transactions which may be posted by members of each group. If a user group has no transaction codes attached, members of the group cannot post.
Cashiering Parameters
ADDITIONAL FOLIO TEXT
Additional fields to show on the folio when entered on a guest reservation.
ADJUSTMENT AS NEGATIVE
This parameter determines the characteristics of adjustments. When set to “Y”, adjustments are always negative. When set to “N”, the user must enter the negative value to reduce the amount of the guest folio.
ALLOW ROUTING OF TAX TRANSACTIONS
Allow the Selection of Tax Transaction Codes when setting Room Routing or Window Routing.
AR SETTLEMENT VISIBLE ON FOLIO
If this parameter is set to “Y”, a folio closed to the Direct Bill transaction code will display Direct Bill as a payment method that reduces the bill to zero when printed. If it is set to “N”, the folio shows a zero on the guest ledger but the printed folio will display the outstanding balance.
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AUTO TRANSFER GENERATES WITH MAIN
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If this parameter is set to “Y”, then transferring any transaction code will automatically transfer any taxes attached. If this parameter is set to “N”, then taxes must be transferred separately from the posting that generated them.
BLIND CASHIER DROP
If this option is set to “Y”, the cashier closure screen will not display the amount of cash and checks that the system has calculated the cashier to drop. The cashier will enter the amount of cash and checks in hand and make the drop. Any over/short will appear only on the Cashier Summary report printed with that night’s audit.
BYPASS CASHIER LOGIN
Bypass Cashier login after the first successful login for the user session.
CREDIT BILL
This function allows issuing a credit folio for a previously settled folio. This also creates additional search functionality within Opera.
DEFERRED TAXES
For hotels in countries that have VAT, setting this option to “Y” will defer the calculation of the taxes on the guest’s bill until the guest checks out. This will mean that information folios printed prior to check out will not have the VAT calculated.
FISCAL FOLIO PRINTING
Activating this function sends guest folios directly to a fiscal printer.
FISCAL PAYMENTS
This function activates Fiscal Payments.
FIX BILL NUMBER PER RESERVATION
This parameter assigns a bill number to all four windows of the guest’s folio so that a user can pull up all folio window totals in history by this bill number. This parameter cannot be activated if the parameter Cashiering>Fix Bill Number Per Window is set to “Y”.
FIX BILL NUMBER PER WINDOW
This parameter assigns a separate bill number to each of the four windows on a guest’s folio. Each window is located in history using a separate bill number. This parameter cannot be activated if the parameter Cashiering>Fix Bill Number Per Reservation is set to “Y”.
FOLIO COPY LEGEND
When printing multiple folios, the associated legend (e.g., Original, First Copy, Second Copy, etc.) will print on folio. Activating this parameter will add approximately 6-8 seconds per copy to the folio generation process.
FOLIO NO REPRINT
If activated, does not allow Reprint, Split, Transfer, Adjustments or Corrections for postings with Bill Numbers.
FOLIO NUMBER FOR DEPOSITS
This option will activate the folio number for a guest assigned at the time that a deposit posting occurs on the reservation. The system uses this folio number at check in.
FOLIO REVISION NUMBER
This parameter will assign a new internal revision number to a folio each time a correction occurs.
FOLIO STYLES
Use Folio Style options when printing folios.
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FOREIGN PAIDOUTS
This parameter activates the ability to perform paid outs in foreign currency. It is still possible to process currency exchanges with this parameter set to “N”. This parameter affects only the ability to use a paid out posting code on a guest folio to refund money in foreign currency.
GENERATE ZERO BILL
Allow user to print an Invoice that has a Zero Balance.
LOG TRANSACTION DETAILS
This function used for support purposes only. If activated the system records all Transaction Details into Log.
PHONE DETAILS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the telephone number for all posted telephone calls will print on the guest folio. If this parameter is set to “N”, telephone numbers will not print on the guest folio by default. In either case, it is possible to change the phone detail printing on an individual folio if needed.
PRINT REFERENCE ON FOLIO SYLE 18
When this parameter is set to “Y”, folio will print the reference field normally suppressed on folio style 18.
PROMPT FOR EXPENSE FOLIO UPON CHECKOUT
If this parameter is set to “Y” this parameter will activate a prompt with every guest checkout asking to print the expense folio. If activated, it will be necessary to configure expense folio buckets for the transaction code breakdown using the configuration screen under Setup>System Configuration>Cashiering>Folio and Revenue Buckets>Expense Folio. Without defining the transaction buckets the Expense Folio will display all zeros.
ROLLUP TRANSACTIONS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, all food and beverage charges with the same check number will appear on the folio screen as one line item while still providing the ability to see details if necessary. This parameter affects only the screen view for the user, but does not apply to a printed folio. To affect the printed folio, the user must define an appropriate folio style.
SELL FOREIGN CURRENCY
Allows a property to determine whether they wish to sell foreign currency as well as the more usual handling which is simply to buy foreign currency. That is, exchange foreign for local currency.
SUMMARIZE TAX
This parameter will summarize tax transaction codes on the folio.
VOID BILL
This parameter activates the ability to void a previously created folio. A bill may be voided only on the same business date as when it was created.
Cashiering Settings
ADVANCED DEPOSIT HANDLING
This setting defines the characteristics of extended deposit handling functionality. There are country requirements that determine the selection.
AR SETTLEMENT TRN CODE
This setting defines the single payment code in the system that will transfer folio balances to Accounts Receivable. Once this code is defined, it may only be used to transfer balances to A/R. Activate this code for Front Desk payments only.
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ARTICLE PROMPT
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Available when Articles application function is active. Select type of prompt when posting articles.
CASH SHIFT DROP
This setting defines the internal code that will total all cashier shift drops for cash. This code should NEVER be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process cash transactions. This code should be built but not activated on any ledger, as it should only be used internally.
CASH TRN CODE
This setting defines the default transaction code used for cash transactions.
CHECK EXCHANGE PAIDOUT TRN CODE
This setting defines the Paid Out Transaction Code used during Check Exchange.
CHECK SHIFT DROP
This setting defines the internal code that will total all cashier shift drops for checks. This code should never be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process check transactions. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
CHECK TRN CODE
This setting defines the single payment code that is used to process check payments. All payments made on this code will be used in the cashier closure routine to total check transactions. Activate for Deposit Payments, Front Desk Payments and A/R Payments as needed.
COPIES
This setting defines the number of copies of a guest folio that will print automatically. Generally this is set as one copy and any additional copies may be printed manually.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE PAIDOUT TRN CODE
This setting defines the internal code that is used to process check exchange transactions. This code should never be the same as any code used by the Front Desk to process check payments. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
DECIMAL CALCULATION
Number of decimals to maintain in the database for the calculation amount such as net amount, etc. pertaining to inclusive taxes/generates.
DEFAULT TAX TYPE
After defining the Tax Types this setting determines the tax type attached to all reservations by default. Generally this tax type is one that posts all taxes and would apply to the greatest number of incoming guests.
DEPOSIT LEDGER TRN CODE
This code defines the internal offsetting transaction code that will transfer deposit payments from the deposit ledger to the guest ledger when the guest checks in. This code is internal and should be built but not activated on any ledger.
FOLIO GENERATION
This setting determines the characteristics used to generate and print a guest folio.
FOLIO STYLE
This setting determines the default folio style used by the hotel. Based on the hotel’s configuration and needs this folio style may be different for each hotel. Once the default folio style is determined, manually change individual guest folio styles when needed.
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PACKAGE LOSS
This setting determines the default package loss transaction code. When building any package with an allowance, this package loss transaction code will default. It is possible to build additional package loss codes and change the code for individual package elements if needed.
PACKAGE PROFIT
This setting determines the default package profit transaction code. When building any package with an allowance, this package profit transaction code will default. It is possible to build additional package profit codes and change the code for individual package elements if needed.
PASSERBY MARKET CODE
This setting determines the default market code for Passerby transactions. It is possible to enter the default code to reduce the amount of time required to process the transaction at the desk. If needed, replace the default market code for an individual transaction.
PASSERBY SOURCE CODE
This setting determines the default source code for Passerby transactions. It is possible to enter the default code to reduce the amount of time required to process the transaction at the desk. If needed, replace the default source code for an individual transaction.
PRINT RECEIPT
This setting defines the characteristics of automatic printing of receipts. This setting affects the Deposit, Currency Exchange, Paid-Out and Payment receipts.
TAX TYPE CALCULATION
This setting determines whether tax types calculate based on the profile or reservation.
WARNING AMOUNT
This setting defines the amount of money on a manual posting that will generate a warning message for the cashier. The intent of this setting is to reduce the amount of adjustments made if a cashier neglects to enter a decimal point in the posting.
9.2.4 Commission
Commissions Parameters
AUTO CALCULATE VAT
If this function is set to “Y”, then VAT (Value Added Tax) will calculate on commissions paid. If it is set to “N”, the system will not calculate VAT on commissions.
AUTO PRINT REPORT BEFORE EFT PAYMENT
When the bank account is payment type of EFT, automatically print the eftpayment_post report before generating the EFT file.
EXPORT ISO CODE
Use ISO Code for exporting country information for Travel Agent.
INCLUDE ZERO COMISSIONS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, all commission records will include zero balances in commission processing. If it is set to “N”, only commission records with balances are processed.
PRE PAYMENT TO SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then it will be possible to pre-pay commissions to source profiles. If it is set to “N”, then source profiles may not be used for pre-payment of commissions.
PRE PRINTED CHECK NUMBERS
If the hotel is printing checks on site, rather than using the export feature to process commission payments, setting this parameter to “Y” will track check numbers based on the number of pages
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used. If this parameter is set to “Y” and a check is printed on more than one page, the system will include the second check in its count. If it is set to “N”, then each check will be assigned only one number regardless of the number of pages used to print a check.
SHOW CODE FOR SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y” the commission code will be visible on the source profile. If it is set to “N”, the commission code will not be visible on the profile.
STOP PROCESSING REASON CODES
If this parameter is set to “Y” it will be required to enter a reason for putting an agency or commission on payment hold. If it is set to “N”, it will be possible to put a commission record or agency on payment hold without indicating a reason.
TRANSFER COMISSIONABLE NO SHOWS AND CANCELS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then all no show and cancellation records with valid Travel Agent profiles attached will be sent to Commission Handling. If this parameter is set to “N”, then No Show and Cancelled reservations will not be sent to the processing area. Since No Shows and Cancellations generally produce zero balance records, it is not always advisable to process them as many companies charge per transaction regardless of commission generated.
TRANSFER SOURCE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then it will be possible to pay commissions to source profiles. If it is set to “N”, then source profiles may not be used for payment of commissions.
Commissions Settings
COMMISSION CODES TO NOT PROCESS
This setting defines which commission codes to not process in the commissions’ module. Any of the codes defined in this parameter setting and used either in a Travel Agent/Source or Rate Code will take priority over the other commission codes attached in the commission calculation hierarchy.
DEFAULT COMMISSION
This setting defines the standard percentage or dollar amount used to pay commissions in most cases.
DEFAULT PREPAID COMMISSION TRN CODE
This setting defines the transaction code used to process pre-paid commissions on reservations.
9.2.5 End of Day
End of Day Functions
INCOME AUDIT
This function activates the ability for the hotel to use the Income Audit feature which allows the accounting department to close the business day at a different time than the system date is closed. With this feature activated, it is possible to process adjustments on a previous date prior to closing the business date; up to 5 business dates may be open at one time.
End of Day Parameters
AUDIT
Activate this parameter to force the validation of transaction code totals during the night audit. If the value is set to “Y”, the night auditor will see a screen used to enter in system totals prior to running the end of day procedures and reports. This screen will allow the auditor to verify totals with the system prior to final postings and reports.
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AUDIT CHECK NUMBER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will automatically assign a check number to room and tax postings, allowing a rollup of all room and tax postings to a single line on the folio if used in conjunction with the folio style “Summary by Check Number”.
AUTO CLOSE CASHIERS
Automatically close any open cashiers during the End of Day Sequence.
AUTO CONTINUE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the audit will move automatically from one procedure to the next. If it is set to “N”, the auditor will have to manually continue the audit at each new procedure by selecting Yes to a screen saying, “Continue the End of Day sequence? “
AUTO NOSHOW ARRIVALS
This parameter automatically changes arrivals not checked into a No Show status.
COUNTRY STATISTICS CHECK
This parameter activates Country Check Feature to verify the profiles for all guests in house have an entry in the country field. This check allows the user to make an entry if none exists.
RESERVATION PACE
This parameter, when set to “Y” will populate a reservation booking pace report used with the Opera Sales and Catering system.
STATE STATISTICS CHECK
This parameter activates State Statistics check. The routine added to the End of Day procedures includes a check for missing and/or incomplete state information in profiles belonging to in house guests.
WEATHER NOTES
This parameter activates Weather Notes feature. The Weather and Notes option allows the entry of notes on the cover page of the Audit pack.
End of Day Settings
AUTO ROLL DATE MINUTES
This setting determines the number of minutes for Auto Roll Date message.
END OF DAY CASHIER
This setting determines the cashier ID for running the night audit. When a cashier logs in to run the audit, all postings of room and tax and fixed charges made during the processing of the night audit will appear on this night audit cashier ID rather than on the cashier’s own ID.
9.2.6 Exports
Exports Parameters
COUNTRY EXPORTS
Set this parameter to “Y” in any country that requires specific exports. Currently this parameter applies to Belgium only.
EXPORT ZIP IN NA
For hotels using export files created during the night audit, this feature will zip the files in the night audit sequence once created.
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Exports Settings
EXPORT CHARACTER SET
This setting activates the character set used to write export files.
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9.2.7 Front Desk
Front Desk Functions
HOTEL ACCOUNTS
This function activates the ability to create posting masters using the Accounts function. If this parameter is set to “N”, posting masters created using the standard reservations creation method.
LOCATORS
This function activates the ability to set locators for guests in the hotel. Used to ensure the guest receives telephone calls, messages and guests even they are not in the hotel room.
MESSAGES
This function activates the ability to leave text messages in Opera for a guest. If the hotel is using the video system to display guest messages, this feature must be activated.
9.2.8 General
General Functions
ALTERNATE NAME
The extended byte function allows the system to both store and display screens and data in Oriental language characters as well as in single byte characters.
DATA EXTRACTION
This function activates the ability of the user to create mailings for guests in house or to create group key packet labels.
EXTENSIONS
This function allows the hotel to assign extension numbers at check in. This function used only if the capability exists in the telephone system to assign separate extension numbers for accommodations with multiple guest rooms but a single entry door.
FILTER SEARCH
Activate filter option for search criteria.
IATA UPLOAD
If the hotel has purchased software to upload all existing IATA number information, this function must be set to “Y” to complete the upload.
LOGIN LANGUAGE
This function allows the user to set the language on the screen to the login language of the user.
MULTI CURRENCY
This function allows the hotel to configure rates in multiple currencies and to post those rates in multiple currencies. Configure an exchange rate type “posting” for each of the currencies.
OWNER
If this function is set to “Y”, then an owner must be entered on every company, source and travel agent profile in the system. The owner is the person in the hotel who is responsible for that account. If this function is set to “N” the owner field will not be displayed on any profile type.
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POTENTIAL
If this function is set to “Y” the Potential Functionality is active.
PROFILE LANGUAGE
This function allows the hotel to print folios and messages in the language listed in the guest’s profile. Use of this feature will require that all folios, room types, transaction codes, messages, confirmation letters and any other text must be configured in every language entered in the system.
RECENT USED RECORDS MENU
Switches the menu option on or off for recently used Accounts, Contacts, Profiles, Reservations, Events and Business Blocks.
ROOM CLASS
This function will activate the ability to sort report information by room class. Room Class reports can be run for Market Code statistics as well as forecast and occupancy figures.
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT
This function activates a tool for the synchronization of profile information between many databases.
General Parameters
APPLICATION CURTAIN
Setting this parameter to “Y” will display the Opera curtain in full whenever using Opera. If this parameter is set to “N”, the desktop will be under the Opera menu.
MASK CREDIT CARD NUMBER
Due to the increasingly stringent requirements for the protection of credit card information, this parameter affects several areas of Opera. When this parameter is set to “Y”, only the last 4 digits of the credit card number display and the expiration date will not display at all. The user can no longer view the full credit card number and expiration date on the Opera screens once entered and saved. This parameter will also mask the credit card number on reports including the registration card and user activity log.
POLICE INTERFACE
This function allows the hotel to interface directly with local police departments to verify guest information. This interface is used in countries where required by law.
REPORT GROUP ACCESS BY USER GROUP
This parameter allows for report group access defined by a user group.
General Settings
BASE LANGUAGE
This setting determines the default language for any new guest profile. It may be changed, but will originally default to this designated language.
COMPRESSION UTILITY
Zip Program Name. For AIX the command for ZIP and UNZIP are identical this should be set to pkzip25.
CURTAIN COLOR
This setting determines the color of the background in Opera. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to use different background colors to distinguish the training hotel from the production hotel. This is also true in a multi property environment where users may accidentally make a reservation in the wrong hotel if not clearly indicated.
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CURTAIN STYLE
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This setting determines the curtain style the hotel prefers to display for users. The available background curtains reflect various product uses. This style then displays over the curtain color selected in the application setting CURTAIN COLOR.
CUSTOMIZABLE REPORTS
This setting defines the location of the customizable reports files. It is not a good idea to change this location after it has been set.
DATA EXTRACTION FORMAT
Set the default format for data extraction files. The default value is CSV.1.
DECOMPRESSION UTILITY
Unzip program name to UNZIP the files. For AIX the command for ZIP and UNZIP are identical. This should be set to pkzip25.
DEFAULT REGISTRATION CARD
If the hotel has created more than one registration card, this setting defines the one that will print automatically by default at check in or when printing batch registration cards.
NUMBER OF GRACE LOGINS
This setting defines the number of grace logins so that the user has several chances to change the password before it expires. A message displays each time the user logs in telling them how many more times they may log in before the password will expire.
ORACLE LISTENER PORT
Only a DBA or qualified technical support agent may change this setting.
POLICE INTERFACE TIMER
The setting defines the interval of time (in minutes) between two automated police export/import.
PROPERTY TAX ID
This setting identifies the property the tax ID number which prints on A/R statements if required by the hotel.
REPORT APPLICATION SERVER NAME
This setting determines the name of the application server that generates and emails reports from the database used by OWS.
TOOLBAR STYLE
This setting determines the Tool Bar Style used by the Property.
WEEKEND DAYS
This setting identifies the days of the week designated as weekend days by the hotel. Some screens display weekends differently to clarify the information displayed. Also, rates can be configured to change on weekend days.
DATABASE TIME ZONE REGION
This setting identifies the Time Zone Region where the Database server is physically located. System Date will be considered in the specified time zone region.
9.2.9 IFC
IFC Functions
CC IFC
To display credit card authorization messages, activate this function.
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IFC Parameters
ALWAYS SWIPE CC
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will ask to swipe a credit card when a user selects a credit card method of payment. This will work in conjunction with the workstation setup designated as credit card reader attached and the credit card interface active.
CC NUMBER NOT MADATORY FOR RESERVATIONS
Credit card number or expiration dates are not mandatory for making or changing a reservation with a credit card payment method, nor is a credit card number required when checking the guest in.
GIFT CARD
This parameter activates the gift cards functionality. An additional IFC Credit Card Type, SV (which stands for “stored value”), has been added to handle an increasingly popular variation on the credit card payment option — gift cards.
REQUEST CC SWIPE
This parameter activates a request to swipe a credit card at Check-in and Check-out if not previously done.
VIDEO CHECK OUT
This parameter activates the video check out functionality.
WAKE UP DELAY
This parameter determines the amount of time that will elapse before sending a second wake up call to a room that did not acknowledge a first wake up call.
CC TRACK 2
This parameter activates the ability to store Track2 Data for Credit Cards
IFC Settings
DEFAULT POSTING ROOM
This setting determines the posting master that will receive all buffered charges that cannot be posted on the appropriate rooms. This will generally occur if the interfaces have been off for some time and a guest has checked out of a room that has charges waiting to post. Any “orphaned” charges will be sent to the posting master defined here. Opera standard is to use PM 9500. Maintaining this standard will make support much more efficient in handling interface questions.
EXTERNAL TIMEOUT
This setting determines the timeout seconds for external interface tasks. General set by the installer and changing it may cause issues.
FLAGS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, it is possible to access the interface account settings from the PMS. If it is set to “N”, it is not possible to access the interface account settings from the PMS.
INTERFACE TIME OUT
Defines the amount of seconds after which the system/interface will timeout if no response has been received from a third party system.
PATH
This setting defines the directory path where the database resides. Generally set by the installer and changing it may cause issues.
PATH ID
This setting defines the Interface Path ID for the Resort.
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SETTLEMENT AUTHORIZATION CODE
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This application setting allows you to select which authorization code to send to the interface during settlement if multiple authorization codes exist. When more than one authorization obtained through the credit card interface is stored in the system, the last authorization code or the original authorization code may be required at settlement.
VIDEO CHECK OUT PRINTER
This setting determines the printer that used to print folios generated by guests using the video checkout feature.
VIDEO CHECK OUT START TIME
This setting determines the time of day that video check out may begin. Time is set on a 24-hour clock and should be set to begin after the night audit has finished to be sure that all postings for room and tax charges are completed.
VIDEO CHECK OUT STOP TIME
This setting determines the time of day that video check out will end. After this time, a guest must go to the front desk to check out.
9.2.10 Membership
Membership Functions
AWARDS
This function allows the hotel to track and distribute awards points accumulated by using the membership module.
ENROLLMENT
This function activates the ability to directly enroll a guest in a membership program immediately. It requires an active 2-way interface with the enrolling program.
LOOKUP
This function activates the ability to look up a guest’s point accruals immediately on line. It requires an active 2-way interface with the enrolling program.
Membership Parameters
OCIS MEMBERSHIP CONFIGURATION
This parameter enables the system to set up for OCIS memberships.
Membership Settings
ENROLLMENT TYPE
Specify the types of enrollments available through Opera. Hard coded options include LOYALTY, GAMING, and ACTIVITIES. Available if ENROLLMENT function setting is Y.
9.2.11 Multi- Property
Multi-Property Parameters
ENDSCRIPT
Enable/Disable End Script functionality on Selling screen.
PROFILE SCREEN
Visible/Invisible Profile Button on Cross selling screen.
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SELL MESSAGES
This parameter will enable the ability to display Sell messages in the cross selling screen. Messages may display generically or for a particular property and can also be linked to specific rate codes, room types or blocks.
SPEED SEARCH
Enable/Disable Speed Search on Cross selling Define Search screen
9.2.12 OWS
OWS Parameters
EXTERNAL_RESERVATION_MEMBER_PTS
This parameter value set to “Y”, inserts the number of points of a guest earns per night and then sends via an external member system in reservation daily elements.
OWS Settings
FETCH_RESERVATION
This setting allows the Opera Web Suite Engine to retrieve reservation for either all reservations, regardless of entry point or for only created through OWS.
9.2.13 Profiles
Profiles Functions
ACCOUNT OVERVIEW
Activate the overview of accounts, business blocks and reservations functionality for account profiles.
ADDRESS CLEANSING
Whenever profile address is created or changed this function validates address by Invoking external address cleansing interface.
CONTACTS
This function activates the ability to use a sixth profile type called Contacts. This profile type used in conjunction with the Company, Travel Agent, Group and Source profiles identifies the individual who is the primary contact with the hotel. The contact profile can be used to track statistics on a particular booking agent or person. In addition to reservations, this function will also activate the Contact field on the Business Block and Quick Business Block screens.
FILE ATTACHMENTS
This function activates the Attachments to Profiles Functionality for any property that wants to attach outside documents to profiles within Opera.
FUTURE
This function activates the ability to view future reservations for Profiles. This functionality activates the Future screen in all profile types.
HISTORY
This function activates the ability to view past reservations for Profiles. This functionality activates the History screen in all profile types.
IATA COMP TYPE
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional field will appear in the Company, Travel Agent and Source profiles. This field called Type allows the user to select from the list of values provided.
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INCOGNITO
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This function activates the Incognito functionality used when celebrity guests would like to stay under an alternative name.
KEYWORD
Activate the ability to enter keywords into profiles. These keywords used as an additional hotelspecific search field may help find specific profiles when the name is not specific enough to allow a user to discern the correct choice.
PRIVACY
This function activates the Profile Privacy. If the property allows a guest to choose rather they want to receive promotional information, mailings, etc.
PROFILE CREDIT CARD
This function activates the ability for the hotel to keep credit card information on file in a guest’s profile. While it is accessible for every future reservation, it is also available for view to every Opera user with user rights to view this information.
PROFILE REQUESTS
The Profile Requests feature allows the user to request email or print (mail) information products. Some examples include brochures, event fliers and rate cards which the guest may receive via email or print. The Profile Requests screen shows the profile requests submitted and allows the user to make new requests. The feature also allows the user to see when the request was processed, and to send requests again if necessary.
PROFILE REVENUE BUCKETS
Display revenue bucket details from the Profile history screen. This display will allow the user to see the total revenue each guest has produced based on hotel defined revenue buckets.
QUICK ADDRESS
If the hotel has purchased third-party software called QAS, this function allows Opera to use its address database to accurately enter a large amount of address information. This program is mostly used in European properties.
RELATIONSHIPS
This function allows setting up affiliations between a guest and a company, travel agency, group, or source. A relationship is sometimes used to qualify a guest for a special rate and can be made between profiles that allows for rates to be shared or for financial and statistical reporting. A common relationship would be a parent and subsidiary company. Information gathered for both profiles separately provides the option of reporting together.
SALES INFORMATION
This function defines certain sales information on company and source profiles, such as Market Code, Source Code, etc (Note: This is for informational use only unless the Sales & Catering module is turned on. There is no independent reporting on these screens in PMS).
SOURCE
Source profiles can generate commission payments. Source profiles can also track business recommended by Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus or Secretary Clubs or pay commission on groups and wholesalers that are not regular travel agents.
STATISTICS
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional tab in the profiles screen will appear. This tab will display statistics from previous guest stays. In a multi-property environment with shared profiles, the statistics tab will indicate information collected system-wide, not just in the user’s hotel.
VIP
This function activates the configuration and display of VIP status throughout the application.
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Profiles Parameters
PROFILE MORE FIELDS
This parameter allows to active the more fields tab on Profiles
RESERVATION COMMENTS
Activate this parameter to enable the ability to transfer all reservation comments entered into the profile to each new reservation for that guest. If the function is set to “N”, then reservation comments will be visible only in the profile comments field.
SHOW FUTURE RESERVATIONS
Activate this parameter to enable the ability to display future reservations for each individual profile in the Profile Search as well as Options. If this function is set to “N”, future reservations still display in Options but not Profile Search.
ALLOW DUPLICATE IATA
Activating this parameter allows merging duplicate IATA numbers for Travel Agent and Source profiles.
AUTO GENERATE CLIENT ID
Activate this parameter to generate unique ID numbers for Individual profiles.
IATA YN
Activate this parameter to validate IATA numbers entered in the Travel Agent or Source profiles.
Profiles Settings
ADDRESS TYPE TO COPY FROM ACCOUNT TO CONTACT
When creating a contact for a company, this setting determines the address type that will default to the contact profile. Generally, a contact profile carries the business address as the primary address.
COMPANY ADDRESS TYPE
This setting determines the default address type used to create the primary address for a company profile. The company profile is generally defaulted to a business address.
COMPANY PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for a company profile. The company profile is generally defaulted to a business telephone number.
DEFAULT MEMBERSHIP TYPE
This setting determines the default membership type that will populate profile search fields. If this setting is left blank, the user must enter a membership type each time to locate a specific guest by member number. If it is populated, it will automatically appear in the field each time, and may be changed.
EMPLOYEE DEFAULT PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for a new employee profile. The employee profile is generally defaulted to a home telephone number.
INDIVIDUAL PHONE TYPE
This setting determines the default telephone type used to create the primary telephone number for an individual profile. The individual profile is generally defaulted to a business telephone number.
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PHONE TYPE TO COPY FROM ACCOUNT TO CONTACT
When creating a contact profile for a company, this setting determines the phone type that will default to the contact profile. Generally, a contact profile carries the business phone as the primary phone type.
PURGE DAYS
This setting determines the number of days that a guest profile has no activity before the system will automatically purge it in the night audit sequence. To purge, the profile must not be marked for “History” and must not have any future reservations attached.
9.2.14 Rates
Rates Functions
ADVANCE RATE RESTRICTION
Activating this function will enable the user to set rate restrictions and rate strategies in Opera.
ADVANCED PACKAGES
This application function allows properties to restrict the setup, and ultimately the complexity, of basic package configuration. Without this function active, users will not see the package configuration attributes for Overage, Alternate Transaction Codes, Profit, Loss, Post Next Day and Validation.
BASE RATES
Activate this function to enable the ability to copy a rate and its details for a new rate as well as increasing or decreasing the new rate by a percentage or a flat amount. This feature allows you to associate one rate code with another. Whenever a change occurs in the associated rate, all the room type/rate elements of the related rate codes reflect the change based on the defined calculation rules.
BEST AVAILABLE RATES
The feature displays best available rates by room type for a specific date range. Each property can determine the (up to 25) rate codes to take into consideration when calculating the best available rate (BAR) for a reservation.
DAY TYPES
Activate Day Type functionality by setting the value to “Y”.
GLOBAL RATE UPDATE
Activate global rate update functionality.
NEGOTIATED RATES
Setting this function to “Y” will allow the user to set up and use the negotiated rates function. This function allows the user to attach rate codes to a company profile and then if needed take the rate codes off the general rate query screen unless that company profile is included in the rate search.
PROMOTIONS
This is a way to put together a limited availability sales promotion including start and end dates, rate and market codes, arrival and departure times, and additional information, and make them accessible to sell in one easy package which, when chosen, populates the reservation accordingly.
RATE SEASONS
This function allows the hotel to pre-set ranges of dates during which the rates will change. This can help in configuring a long list of rate codes.
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RATE TIERS
Activate the Rate Tier Functionality. This allows configuration of Length of Stay Tiers and Rate Details by defined Lengths of Stay.
RATES BY DEFINED BUCKETS
Rate Details can be configured by three user defined buckets. The labels for the Buckets are user defined in Application Settings (RATE Group).
SURPRESS RATE
This feature is used to activate the suppress rate functionality.
Rates Parameters
BASE RATE EXTRA PERSON CALCULATION
This parameter indicates if the base rate calculation should be applied to extra adult and extra child amount.
DISTRIBUTABLE RATES
In a multi property hotel, this parameter enables the distribution of rates across properties.
HIDE PROMOTION RATES
This parameter allows the user to hide rate codes attached to Promotions in the Rate Query/Sales screen unless selecting the specific Promotion Code.
SET RATE CATEGORY RESTRICTIONS
This parameter allows the user to set rate restrictions at the rate category level.
SET RATE CODE RESTRICTIONS
This parameter allows the user to set rate restrictions at the rate code level.
SHOW ADD SEPARATE LINK PKGS TO RATES ON RATE QUERY
This parameter allows the user to display in the Rate Query packages configured to be Add Rate Separate Line.
Rates Settings
BEST AVAILABLE RATE TYPE
When Best Available Rates (BAR) are configured, the best rates available for a room type within a specified date range appear for a property on rate query and rate availability screens. Best Available Rates display either by Day or by LOS. This setting defines the method for this hotel. By Day: The Best Available Rate will be determined based on Day. Configure up to 25 Rate Codes per day for consideration of the Best Available Rate. The Rate Query will return up to 4 Rate Amounts per Room type for the Best Available Rate. By LOS: The Best Available Rate will be determined based on the Length of Stay. Create only one Rate Code per Length of Stay per Day as the Best Available Rate. The Rate Query will only display 1 Rate Amount per Room type as the Best Available Rate.
DEFAULT PACKAGE TRN CODE
This setting determines the transaction code used to post package rates on the folio. Package rates are composed of more than one transaction code; normally room revenue plus food, beverage or other revenue. The package posting transaction code set up in configuration must belong to a “Wrapper” transaction group.
DEFAULT TRN CODE
This setting determines the default transaction code used to create rate codes. When no rate code exists on reservations and blocks this is the transaction code used for forecasting purposes.
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If the hotel only uses one room charge transaction code, this is normally the default transaction code for posting.
RESTRICTION TYPES
This setting determines restriction types that can be set for the Property in the Rate Availability and Rate Strategy screens.
9.2.15 Reservations
Reservations Functions
ACCOMPANYING GUEST
This function allows the user to attach a profile to a reservation indicating that a guest is in house, but will not assign a folio to the accompanying guest as with a sharing guest.
ADD ON
This function allows the hotel to create copies of reservations. The Add On feature is used most often to create a copy of a guest reservation for a future stay. It requires much less time to create a copy than to create a new reservation. Once created, the arrival date and number of nights can be changed to reflect the new reservation information.
ALERTS
This function allows the user to enter messages to appear on screen during one of three points in the reservation cycle. The messages are specific to the reservation they were entered on. An alert can be configured to appear during the reservation phase at check in or at check out.
CALLER INFORMATION
Display Caller Information History within the Caller Info Reservation Option. This function would only show information received from a central system and/or received from the F7 Cross Reservation process.
CLOSING SCRIPT
This function activates the ability for the system to produce a closing script immediately following the confirmation number for every new reservation. The closing script can be customized to the needs of the hotel.
COMPONENT GROUPS
This function allows the user to activate the component Groups functionality. The Groups module is generally used to make reservations for five or more guests who have some features in common- e.g. they are all from the same company and are arriving on approximately the same dates or they are all member of an organized tour, etc. This module is specifically designed to manage reservations with various similar needs. Component groups are often thought of as groups within a group- one ‘umbrella’ block, which has components, or multiple different groups profile reservations, associated with it.
FIXED RATES
This function activates the ability for a user to overwrite the rate on a rate code and enter another dollar amount. If this is set to “N”, then adjust the rate using the Discount fields instead.
GENERIC ROOM TYPE
This functionality allows the user to create reservations for generic room types.
ITEM INVENTORY
The Item Inventory feature within Opera enables inventory items to be associated to both reservations and blocks, and at the same time to provide a simple forecast and analysis screen of the items defined. Items can include any equipment, products, supplies, or services that can be rented or sold to guests, or to catering customers as part of a catered function. Items can range from extra beds and cribs to flipcharts, irons, bicycles, flipcharts, and bartenders. Once items are
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defined they can then be attached separately to a reservation, attached to a block, or alternatively, attached to a package code.
PARTY
This function allows multiple room reservations to be created, and once separated will allow the user to locate all the related reservations at one time for billing or viewing purposes.
PAYMENT TYPES PER WINDOW
In the event that a guest wants to use more than one method of payment for their reservation, Opera allows this functionality by activating this function.
RESERVATION CONTACT
If the contact profile type is used, this option will allow the user to view the contact profile name on the reservation screen.
RESERVATION TRACES
This function activates the ability for the user to enter departmental reminders about a reservation. Traces may be generated about a reservation from the point the reservation is made until the day the reservation is due to check out.
SHARES
This function activates the full share functionality. Shares can be created by combining existing reservations or by copying reservations and using a second guest profile. Shared reservations each have their own reservation, their own confirmation number and their own folio. This is unlike the Accompanying Guest function that does not create an additional reservation, confirmation number or folio, but does register a second guest in the room.
SMS CONFIRMATIONS
This functionality activates the ability to send a confirmation message to a mobile device using Short Message Service (SMS) when this functionality is set to “Y”.
TURNAWAYS
This function activates the use of turnaway reasons which allows the hotel to record statistical information related to turned away business. When this function is set to “Y”, every search of the rate query screen will produce either a reservation or a turnaway.
WAITLIST
This function activates the ability for the hotel to maintain a waitlist in Opera. The reservations on the waitlist do not deduct rooms from inventory. Users may cancel or move back to the reservation list as needed.
WAKEUP CALLS
This function allows the user to set up wake up calls that when interfaced with some PBX systems make the Wake Up Call automatic. If not interfaced, the Wake Up Calls may be printed and used to manually call the guests at their appropriate times. Wake Up Calls for a guest are entered from any workstation for a single day or range of days.
Reservations Parameters
AUTO DEPOSIT SCREEN
This parameter activates the deposit screen on new reservations with existing deposit schedules will automatically appear when the user saves the reservation.
BLANK ARRIVAL DATE
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the arrival date in the rate query screen will be blank, requiring the user to type in the correct date. If it is set to “N”, the default arrival date will default to the system date which may results in reservations errors if the users have a tendency to ignore fields that are automatically populated.
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CC SWIPER ATTACHED BY DEFAULT
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If credit card swipes will be attached to any computer in the system, this parameter must be set to “Y”. If there will not be any credit card swipes attached to any computer in the system, this parameter must be set to “N”.
CHECK RESTRICTIONS ON CHECK OUT
If this parameter is set to “Y”, the system will validate any length of stay restrictions at check out. For example, if a guest books a rate that has a 3 day minimum length of stay, but chooses to check out a day early, the system will deliver a message that the length of stay restrictions has not been met. This would allow the user to enter any fees associated with an early checkout on that rate.
CONFIRMATION LETTER
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then a confirmation letter will be required with every reservation. If it is set to “N”, then confirmation letters will be optional.
DEFAULT NON DEDUCT CHECK BOX
Default Non Deduct Check Box on Availability screens where separation between Non Deduct and Deduct Rooms is available.
EXCLUDE RATE FROM AUTH BASED ON ROUTING
Exclude Rate from authorization if the source payee name in routing instructions is not the same as the target and transaction code for accommodation exists in the routing instruction code.
MARKET MAIN GROUP
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then both the market group and the market code display in the list of values on the reservation screen. If it is set to “N”, then only the market code displays in the list of values on the reservation screen.
METHOD OF PAYMENT MANDATORY
When this parameter is set to”Y”, then the method of payment field within the reservation will be mandatory. When this parameter is N, it will be possible to save a reservation without a valid method of payment entered in the reservation.
PRIMARY SHARE
Allow the user to designate one sharer as the primary sharer.
PRINT REGISTRATION AT CHECKIN
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then a registration card automatically prints at check in. If it is set to “N”, then a registration card only prints manually. If printed manually, registration cards may print before or after check in as well as in a batch printing of registration cards.
PROFILE SEARCH PRIOR TO THE NEW RESERVATION
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the system will automatically search for a guest profile before beginning a reservation. If it is set to “N”, the system will search for a guest profile based on the entry in the last name and first name fields on the reservation. If there is no match in the system, a new profile will be created automatically.
RATE CODE MANDATORY
If this parameter is set to “Y”, a rate code is mandatory for all non-group reservations. If this parameter is set to “N”, it will be possible to make a reservation without a corresponding rate code.
RESERVATION MORE FIELDS
This parameter activates more fields tab on reservations.
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RESERVATION ROOM FEATURES
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then room features are available for reservations even if not entered on the profile. If this parameter is set to “N”, then room features are only available on a guest profile and will default to every reservation made by this guest.
ROOM TYPE TO CHARGE
This parameter activates the use of the RTC field in the reservation. It allows the system to place the guest in one room type but charge for another room type on the same rate code. This is generally the way that hotels are able to upgrade the guest using the same rate code.
TAX FREE GUESTS
Allow the user to make a distinction between taxable and tax free guests on the Country Statistics by Day report (stat_countrybyday).
TRANSPORTATION
Properties can set up information for the transportation services that are available at and nearby the property. This information then becomes available on the guest’s reservation.
Reservations Settings
CASHIERING PROMPT/FLOW AT CHECK IN
This setting determines the cashiering flow that users follow when prompted at Check In completion.
CHECK IN TIME
This setting determines the system’s default check in time used to default to confirmation letters and registration cards.
CHECK OUT TIME
This setting determines the system’s default check out time used to default to confirmation letters and registration cards.
DEFAULT PACKAGES
This setting defines the package elements posted during End of Day if the reservation has no rate code.
DEPOSIT RESERVATION TYPE
Default reservation type for deposit payments.
MAX NUMBER OF NIGHTS
This setting defines the maximum number of nights that a reservation can be booked. If a guest wants to book longer than the maximum number of nights, a message will appear stating that the reservation is over the limit on the number of nights.
PURGE CONFIRMATION LETTERS
This setting defines the Purge Confirmation Letters value used to determine how long confirmation letters created for guest reservations will be stored in the Opera database. The default is 180 days. This means that the customized confirmation letter will remain in the database 180 days following guest check out. Other options are 90 days and 365 days. Leave the setting blank to keep confirmation letters indefinitely.
RESERVATION FLOW
This setting allows the user to determine the reservation flow.
RESERVATION TYPE
This setting allows the hotel to pre-set a default reservation type. Usually the reservation type defaulted by the hotel requires a credit card entry.
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ROLLING NOSHOW
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Reservations with reservation type selected in the parameter will not be automatically no showed during End of Day. Instead the arrival date will be automatically extended to the next day until departure day.
ROOM DISPLAY ORDER
This setting determines whether vacant rooms are sold from the lowest number to the highest or from the highest number to the lowest.
ROOM LIMIT PER RESERVATION
This setting determines the Maximum Number of Rooms Sold per Reservation. For example, if the hotel has determined that any multiple reservations over 10 rooms must be booked as a group, the room limit should be set at 9. This will keep the agents from booking more than the allotted number of rooms for transient guests.
PALM CHECK IN RECEIPT MESSAGE
This setting defines the message printed on the Palm Check-in Receipt. The default is “Enjoy your stay!”
PALM CHECK OUT RECEIPT MESSAGE
This setting defines the message printed on the Palm Check-out Receipt. The default is “Have a nice day!”
9.2.16 Rooms Management
Rooms Management Functions
ATTENDANT POINTS
This function allows the housekeeping department to track attendant points either for an incentive program or for housekeeping credits. Generally used by hotels that pay per rooms cleaned or credits earned rather than per hour.
DISCREPANT ROOMS
This function allows the hotel to track discrepant rooms to verify front office status. With the use of discrepant rooms, the housekeepers dial down both the Housekeeping status (clean or dirty) and the front office status (vacant, occupied). If there is a mismatch between the housekeeper’s front office status and the front office, a room discrepancy is created. These discrepancies must be resolved each night to avoid errors in posting.
FACILITY MANAGEMENT
This feature allows the user to activate the facility management functionality.
GUEST SERVICE STATUS
This function activates the guest service status functionality used without an interface or in conjunction with an interface.
HOUSE ASSIGNMENT
This function activates the ability to take rooms off the vacant room list without putting them out of order. It may also be used to indicate a special service that has been performed on a vacant room such as turndown or a Murphy bed made up. The front desk agent can see on the Vacant Room Search which rooms are available with these services.
INSPECTED STATUS
If this function is set to “Y”, an additional housekeeping status is visible to indicate the housekeeper has cleaned as well as that an inspector followed up. If this function is activated, the front office will not be able to check a guest into a clean room, but may only check a guest into an inspected room. This function requires that an inspector verify the status for every room and every day.
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MAINTENANCE
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to track room maintenance requests.
OUT OF ORDER
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to place out of order used to take rooms off line for deep cleaning or renovation. The reports subtract these rooms from occupancy and availability numbers.
OUT OF SERVICE
Set this function to “Y” to activate the ability to make rooms unavailable for use without affecting the inventory functionality.
PICKUP STATUS
Set this function to “Y” to activate an additional housekeeping status named Pickup. This status indicates that a housekeeper may need to go to a room to tidy but not perform a full clean.
QUEUE ROOMS
This function allows the property to use the queue rooms’ functionality. At times, guests arrive before their selected room or a room of their chosen room type is available for assignment. The resulting “backlog” can cause confusion at the front desk and, worst of all, guest dissatisfaction unless the situation is handled equitably and expeditiously. The Opera Queue Rooms feature helps the hotel to manage room assignments fairly and get guests into their rooms faster by coordinating front desk and housekeeping efforts.
ROOM HISTORY
This function allows the user to search for a particular room over a range of dates to view the guests who have stayed in that room. It is generally used to locate a guest to return a found item from the room. From this screen, the housekeeper has access to the guest profile for contact information to return the lost item.
SELL LIMITS
This function activates the ability to set overbooking limits for the hotel. If users are restricted from overbooking the hotel, sell limits allow management to set an artificial inventory, which will allow the hotel to be overbooked in a controlled manner.
SIMPLE TASK SHEET
This function activates the housekeeping task sheets used to easily divide by section only. This is the simplest way to create housekeeping task sheets. These task sheets can be printed and sent to the floors with the housekeepers. If the hotel does turn down, this option does not contain all the information needed. If Rooms Management>Task Assignments is active then Rooms Management>Simple Task Sheets is not available.
TASK ASSIGNMENT
This function activates the housekeeping task sheets used to divide by section, by floor or divide evenly among the existing housekeepers. If the hotel provides turndown service, this is the method required to generate housekeeping task sheets. If Rooms Management>Simple Task Sheets is active then Rooms Management>Task Assignments is not available.
Rooms Management Parameters
DELETE REQUESTS OVER 60 DAYS
Automatically delete Resolved Maintenance Requests which are greater than 60 Days.
HOUSEKEEPING SECTIONS
If this parameter is activated it will allow the property to work with sections when generating task sheets/assignments.
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LEAST USED ROOMS
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If this parameter is set to “Y”, then the vacant rooms search screen will display the least used rooms first. If this parameter is set to “N”, then the vacant room search screen will display rooms in ascending numerical order.
TASKSHEET COMPLETION
This parameter allows the hotel to keep track of the completion of task sheets by Housekeeping Attendants.
UPDATE ROOM STATUS
If this parameter is set to “Y”, then every room changes to Dirty during the night audit regardless of whether it had been clean and vacant the day before. If it is set to “N”, then only the occupied rooms will be changed to Dirty at the audit. All other rooms will maintain the housekeeping status from the previous day.
Rooms Management Settings
DEFAULT TASKSHEET TYPE
This setting defaults to a task sheet type.
HOUSEKEEPING CREDITS
This setting allows the hotel to use credit assignments for the housekeeping department. Housekeeping credits can be defined at the room number level for Stayover, Due Out, and Pickup (if function is active) amounts.
9.3 System Configuration
The System Configuration menu contains setup options for standard modules as well as add-on modules which are governed by additional license codes. Your system depends on your property's requirements and license code agreements. Select the System Configuration option to open the Opera System Configuration program.
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Chapter 10 End of Day Sequence
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Chapter 10 End of Day Sequence
The End of Day Sequence must run every night to update the system’s business date to the current day. Following the change in business date, procedures run to finalize the day’s business and reports generate for balancing the hotel. If the Income Audit feature is active, the End of Day Sequence updates the system’s business date and prints preliminary reports for the Income Auditor to use for balancing the following day. Once the system is financially balanced, the Income Auditor must complete the End of Day Sequence and close the business date.
To Run the End of Day Sequence (without Income Audit): o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Night Audit. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and select Login.
o o o
o
o
The Night Audit sequence appears on the left of the End of Day Routine. Each item must complete for the Night Audit to finalize. Select Start to begin. NO SHOWS: o No Show reservations for the current day appear as arrivals not checked in to the hotel. To process these reservations as No Show statistics, select Close and continue. DUE OUTS: o All Due Out reservations display as departures not checked out of the hotel. Resolve Due Outs by either extending the guest stay or settling the account. o To check out a Due Out, select Billing. To extend the Due Out, select Res. • From the Billing screen, check the guest out by selecting the Check Out button. • From the Reservation screen, add one more night to the guest’s stay and select OK to save. o Once all departures clear, select Close to continue with closing the cashier. CLOSE CASHIER: o Answer “Yes” to close the Night Audit Cashier. The Night Audit Cashier must close to continue the audit. o Verify all charges and payments and select OK.
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o
o
Verify any cash or checks to drop and select OK. Answer “Yes” to continue and close the cashier. Answer “Yes” to print the cashier report. Select OK to continue. Answer “Yes” to close any open cashiers. This closes the cashiers, but does not register a drop for them. NOTES AND WEATHER: o Enter Notes about any significant business details. These notes appear on the cover page of the Night Audit Report pack. o Press OK to continue. A broadcast message appears and disables users from running an active Opera session while the business day changes.
NOTE: At this point, the business date changes and users and log back into the system. o o o o Room and Tax postings begin automatically. Night Audit procedures run following Room and Tax postings. Night Audit Reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence and close the business date.
To Run the End of Day Sequence (with Income Audit):
Follow the steps below to complete an end of day routine using the Income Audit feature. o o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Night Audit. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and click the drop down arrow next to the Business Date field. Choose the business date to complete the End of Day Routine and select OK.
NOTE: Opera allows a maximum of five business dates open at any given time. o o o The Night Audit sequence appears on the left of the End of Day Routine. Each item must complete for the Night Audit to finalize. Select Start to begin. NO SHOWS: o No Show reservations for the current day appear as arrivals not checked in to the hotel. To process these reservations as No Show statistics, select Close and continue. DUE OUTS: o All Due Out reservations display as departures not checked out of the hotel. Resolve Due Outs by either extending the guest stay or settling the account. o To check out a Due Out, select Billing. To extend the Due Out, select Res. • From the Billing screen, check the guest out by selecting the Check Out button. • From the Reservation screen, add one more night to the guest’s stay and select OK to save. o Once all departures clear, select Close to continue with closing the cashier. CLOSE CASHIER: o Answer “Yes” to close the Night Audit Cashier. The Night Audit Cashier must close to continue the audit. o Verify all charges and payments and select OK. o Verify any cash or checks to drop and select OK. o Answer “Yes” to continue and close the cashier.
o
o
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o
o
Answer “Yes” to print the cashier report. Select OK to continue. Answer “Yes” to close any open cashiers. This closes the cashiers, but does not register a drop for them. NOTES AND WEATHER: o Enter Notes about any significant business details. These notes appear on the cover page of the Night Audit Report pack. o Press OK to continue. A broadcast message appears and disables users from running an active Opera session while the business day changes. o o o
NOTE: At this point, the business date changes and users and log back into the system. o o o o Room and Tax postings begin automatically. Interim Night Audit procedures run following Room and Tax postings. Interim Night Audit Reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence.
Once the income audit is complete, use the following steps to close the business date. o o o o o o o o From the Opera Application screen, select the menu option for End of Day. Select the Income Audit. Select the business date to close. Enter the Auditor’s User Name and Password and select OK to begin. Select Start to begin the audit’s final procedures. Final Night Audit procedures run. Final Night Audit reports print to the designated audit printer automatically following the procedures. Select OK to complete the Night Audit Sequence and close the business date.
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