The process section is where the VR Management user updates reservations as time goes on. (Figure 44a) You will likely find yourself in reservation processing frequently. This is where you do everything from confirming and canceling reservations, to checking in and out, to recording additional charges. Only the process choices available for the current reservation status are shown. In figure 11, note that the check in option is not available, this is because the reservation status is shown as delinquent. The activities are:
| • | Confirm |
| • | Housekeeping |
| • | Check in |
| • | Check out |
| • | Add Charges / Extra |
| • | Remove Extra |
| • | Record Payment |
| • | Record Refund |
| • | Change |
| • | Cancel |
| • | Uncancel |
Figure 44a
Confirm (figure 44b)
Figure 44b
Every new reservation starts out as a “Pending” reservation. It is up to you to determine what makes a reservation confirmed. Some property managers confirm a reservation as soon as they have spoken to the guest, others when payment is processed or received, and others when the reservation is a certain length of time away. Use this function to change the reservation from any unconfirmed status to confirmed. Only a confirmed reservation may be checked in. Check the Confirm Reservation box. If there is a payment to be recorded click yes and then the Continue button. If yes was selected, the Record Payment screen will open, otherwise the user will be prompted to create a Confirmation Letter if one has not been made previously. If a Confirmation Letter already exists, the user will see a message that the update has been processed.
Housekeeping (Figure 44c)
Figure 44c
A guest may only be checked into a unit that has been marked as cleaned and ready. The choice to mark the unit inspected or not inspected does not interfere with checking in a guest, it is for the users records. Marking the Unit Ready here will change the status of the unit in VR Listings, so be sure that is in fact unoccupied before checking this box. The user may also generate a workorder from this screen.
Check In (Figure 44d)
Figure 44d
The Check In screen displays the expected arrival date (the arrival in the reservation) and an option to record a different date and time as the check in. If the user does not change the actual date on this screen, the check in will be recorded as the current date and time, not the expected date. The user may add check in notes, such as part of the party will be arriving later, the guest requested extra keys, or whatever may be appropriate. Any Extras that were ordered with the reservation will appear as well as any quick notes previously added to the reservation. The reservation total and the amount paid are also displayed, along with an option to record a payment at the time of check in. If a welcome letter had not been previously created, the user will be given the option of creating one after the continue button has been clicked.
Check Out (Figure44e)
Figure 44e
Like the Check In screen, the check out screen displays the expected departure and an option to change the expected time to the actual time. This screen gives an option to Adjust the Reservation clearing any remaining days, which will make the unit available for another reservation to be booked for any remaining time. This screen also gives the options of recording a payment, refund, or creating a workorder for the unit. After the Check Out has been processed, the unit status will change from occupied to waiting for cleaning. The next guest can not be checked in until the unit has been marked clean and ready for a new reservation in Housekeeping (Figure 13). See also Configuration > System Options.
Add Charge / Extra (Figure 44f)
Figure 44f
The Add Charge option is where a charge for something is added after the original reservation has been made. This option is available until the reservation has been concluded, or canceled. First the user determines if the charge is for one of the items in the drop down menu at “Charge For:” if it is not for an item on the list, the user may choose “Other” and add a brief description in the box to the right. In the following example, the guest has requested extra keys, and we are going to add $10 to the deposit for the keys. We have selected “KEYS” from the drop down menu (Figure 44g) and the category “Deposit” from the second drop down menu (Figure 44h).
Figure 44g
Figure 44h
Next we add 10.00 to the amount box. Since this is a deposit, we will not charge tax (check your local policy), we can change the date the charge was incurred from the current date and click on the continue button. (Figure 44i) A message that the change has been processed will appear. The charge will be added to the payment schedule in the reservation.
Figure 44i
Remove Extra
This function will remove any extra charges previously applied. In our example above, let us now assume that when the guests found out there would be an additional deposit for the extra keys, they decided that they didn't need them. (Figure 44j) Select the item to remove from the drop down menu (Keys). The charges associated with this item will populate automatically. Click continue and the payment schedule will be adjusted accordingly.
Figure 44j
Record Payment (Figure 44k)
Figure 44k
Recording a payment is easy In the VR Management program. Simply enter the amount of the payment, the type of payment, and the Transaction number in the appropriate boxes and click continue. The payment schedule is displayed so that the user can see what the payment should be, but the payment does not populate as the guest may not send the exact amount due for every payment. After the payment is processed, it will be reflected on the reservation View / Print summary (Figure 10) which many companies use as a funds transmittal to their accounting department. The system will prompt the user to create a payment letter as the payment is processed. Remember, although the system does record payments and perform some simple calculations, it is not an accounting system. All accounting functions should be performed in PROMAS. The VR Management System is like a electronic post-it note for money – nothing actually happens with the money, but the details are recorded so you can look them up. The PROMAS accounting system numbers are the authoritative numbers for any reservation.
Change
The Change function allows the user to do many things. (Figure 44l) Initially, you can change the check in and check out dates, the number of guests in the party, the discount rate, and the source very easily. The user may also change the unit assigned to the reservation, however the amount paid must be $0 to move a guest from one unit to another. The process would be to refund any funds paid, move the guest, and then make a payment for the reservation after it has been moved to the new unit. This is done to prevent any possibility of funds being applied to the wrong owner after the guest has been moved.
If the amount due is different after the changes are applied, a message will appear to warn the user of that fact. (Figure 44m) Click on Cancel to apply the old rate, or on OK to apply the new calculated rate. Either way the user may still adjust the rate charged for the reservation.
Figure 44l
Figure 44m
On the next screen (Figure 44n), the user may record the guests specific requests. The “Transfer to” option is a Master Level function. It is used when a VR Listing has been transferred to another license within the group of licenses, and the reservations with that listing also need to be transferred to the second license. Note that workorders etc. will not transfer to the second license with the reservation or listing. Guests and owners involved with the reservations and listings, will need to be imported from PROMAS by syncing the two systems after the necessary changes have been made to the profiles in PROMAS.
Click Continue to complete the change.
Figure 44n
Cancel (Figure 44o)
Figure 44o
Use the cancel reservation process instead of deleting a reservation in most cases. Canceled reservations remain in history, to maintain a complete record of your business.
Uncancel (Figure 44p)
Figure 44p
Uncancel is a Master Level function. It is to be used with extreme caution. This process will restore a canceled reservation to its original state, regardless of any other condition. It's purpose is to restore a reservation canceled by mistake, or for some other purpose such as recording a refund. Since it will completely restore the canceled reservation, it can create a “double booking” for a unit in the VR Management System.