Front Office Computer Applications, PMS and Other Interfaces, BHMCT Notes

Front Office Computer Applications PMS
Astro Motive Astrology by Astrologer Dr. C K Singh

Front Office Computer Applications, PMS and Other Interfaces, Front Office, BHMCT Notes, Rooms Management Software, Guest Account Management Software

Rooms Management Software

Rooms management software maintains current information on the status of rooms, provides information on room rates, assists in room assignment during registration, and helps front office personnel coordinate guest services. A rooms management module can also be used to provide rapid access to room availability data during certain aspects of the reservation process. This information can be especially useful in short-term reservation confirmation and rooms revenue forecasting. Since the rooms management module has replaced most traditional front office equipment, it is often a major area of consideration when a hotel is selecting one property management system over another.

Rooms management software can provide front desk employees with a summary of each room’s status. For example, a front desk employee may enter a room number at a front office terminal, and the current status of the room will be displayed on the terminal’s screen. Once the room ahs been cleaned and readied for occupancy, the housekeeping staff can communicate the room’s updated status by means of a device located in the housekeeping department, or, in some cases, through the guestroom telephone. With a property management system, changes in room status can be instantaneously communicated to the front office system. In addition, front desk agents can enter a guest’s specific requests into the system to find a room that meets his or her needs. For example, an agent can request information on all vacant and clean rooms facing the golf course that have king-size beds. Some rooms management systems also feature maintenance and special-request dispatch capabilities. For example, a room with an air conditioning problem or needing extra towels can be recorded through the property management system and a hotel engineer or housekeeper can be dispatched to fulfill the request. Astro Motive Astrology by Astrologer Dr. C K Singh

Rooms management software also assists the reservations function. When rooms are being temporarily taken out of inventory for maintenance or cleaning the number of available rooms in the reservation office is automatically reduced. This helps control future room inventory and ensure that all guests have rooms ready when they arrive. Front Office Computer Applications

Guest Account Management Software

Guest account management software increases the hotel’s control over guest accounts and significantly modifies the front office audit routine. Guest accounts are maintained electronically, thereby eliminating the need for folio cards, folio trays, and account posting machines. The guest accounting module monitors predetermined guest credit limits and provides flexibility through multiple folio formats. At check-out, previously approved outstanding account balances may be automatically transferred to an appropriate back office accounts receivable file for subsequent billing and collection. Account management capabilities represent major benefits of a property management system. For example, a credit manager in a large convention hotel can monitor the credit limits of all guests and report all accounts that are approaching or have exceeded their limits. Front Office Computer Applications

When the hotel’s revenue outlets are connected to the front office system, remote point-of-sale terminals can communicate guest charges to the property management system. These charges will be automatically posted to appropriate electronic guest folios. Automatic posting procedures are intended to improve efficiency while reducing the number of late charges (charges posted to a guest account after the guest has checked out of the hotel).

General Management Software

General management software cannot operate independently of other front office software packages. General management applications tend to be report-generating packages that depend on data collected through reservations management, rooms management, and guest account management programs. For example, general management software may be able to generate a report showing the day’s expected arrivals and the number of rooms available for occupancy – a combination of reservations and rooms management data. In addition to generating reports, the general management module serves as the natural link between front and back office system interface applications. Front Office Computer Applications

Back Office Interfaces

A comprehensive property management system will involve integrating the hotel’s front and back office areas. Although separate front and back office software packages can operate independently of one another, integrated systems offer the hotel a full range of control over a variety of operational areas. Such areas include room sales, telephone call accounting, payroll, and account analysis. An integrated system cannot produce complete financial statements unless all the required data are stored in an accessible database. Many reports generated by the back office system depend on the front office system’s collection of data. Most property management system vendors offer several back office application modules. Four popular back office applications are: Front Office Computer Applications

General ledger accounting software, consisting of accounts receivable and accounts payable application packages. Accounts receivable software monitors guest accounts and account billing and collection when integrated with the front office guest accounting module. Accounts payable software tracks hotel purchases and helps the hotel maintain sufficient cash flow to satisfy its debts. Front Office Computer Applications

Human resources software may include payroll accounting, personnel record-keeping, and labor scheduling. Payroll accounting includes time and attendance records, pay distribution, and tax withholdings. Personnel records include withholding and deductions, labor history, and job performance evaluations. Labor scheduling involves tracking employee skills and availability in relation to the hotel’s staffing requirements. Astro Motive Astrology by Astrologer Dr. C K Singh

Financial reporting software enables the hotel to develop a chart of accounts to help in producing balance sheets, income statements, and transactional analysis reports.

Inventory control software monitors stocking levels, purchase ordering, and stock rotation. Additional computations include inventory usage, variance, valuation, and extensions.

A point-of sale (POS) system allows guest account transactions to be quickly transmitted from remote revenue centers to the property management system for automatic posting to electronic folios. Front Office Computer Applications

A call accounting system (CAS) directs, prices, and tracks guestroom telephone use for pricing and automatic posting to electronic folios.

An electronic locking system (ELS) typically interfaces with the rooms management module to provide enhanced guest security and service.

An energy management system (EMS) automatically controls the temperature, humidity, and air movement in public spaces and guestrooms through a rooms management interface. Astro Motive Astrology by Astrologer Dr. C K Singh

System Interfaces

A variety of property management system Interface applications are available in an automated environment.

Non-Guest-Operator-Interface. Common interfaces that are not initiated by guest activity include: Front Office Computer Applications

An EMS is a computer-based control system designed to automatically manage the operation of mechanical equipment in a lodging property. An EMS interfaced to a property management system offers a number of opportunities for energy control. For example, assume 50-percent occupancy is forecasted for tonight at a 300-room hotel. Minimizing the hotel’s energy consumption on this night becomes a factor in determining which rooms to sell. One approach would be to assign guests only to the lower floors and significantly reduce the energy demands of rooms on the upper floors. By interfacing an EMS to a front office rooms management system, it is possible to automatically control room assignments and achieve desired energy cost savings. Front Office Computer Applications

Guest-Operated Interfaces. Hotels can provide automated conveniences and services by installing a variety of guest-operated devices. In some properties, guests may inquire about in-house events and local activities through automated information kiosks in public areas, or through the television or a portable communication device in their guestrooms. Connecting a printer to an information terminal enables guests to print out customized information.

Guests can review their folios and complete the check-out process from the comfort and privacy of their guestrooms. In-room televisions or other communication devices interfaced with a guest accounting module enable guests to simultaneously access folio data and to approve and settle their accounts by selecting a pre-approved method of settlement. Guestroom telephones interfaced with the property management system may also be used for this purpose. In-room specialty devices linked to external information services allow guests to access e-mail, Internet Web sites, transportation schedules, local restaurant and entertainment guides, stock market reports, news and sports updates, shopping catalogs, and video games. Front Office Computer Applications

An in-room entertainment system can be interfaced with a front office accounting module or can function as an independent system. In-room entertainment systems allow guests to access various forms of entertainment through their guestroom televisions. If there is a charge for the service, such as a pay-per-view movie, a video game, or Internet access, the charge can be automatically calculated and posted to the guest’s electronic folio. To keep guests from inadvertently tuning to a pay channel, the television is usually preset to a non-pay channel or preview channel. Incorporating a preview channel can significantly reduce the number of guest disputes about the validity of pay TV or movie charges. In-room entertainment systems may even require the guest to dial an in-house department to request that the adult-content channel be activated. In addition, a preview channel provides the hotel with advertising opportunities. The preview channel can display information about the hotel’s facilities. The hotel can also sell advertising for local attractions, thereby creating a new revenue source. Astro Motive Astrology by Astrologer Dr. C K Singh