Tutorial Reception

Tutorial: Reception

Welcome to the user manual for the hotel software in the reception area. This excerpt from the manual provides you with a brief guide to using the software, particularly regarding the creation of reservations, invoices, and check-in/check-out. The goal is to facilitate your use of the software and to provide you with all necessary information to ensure smooth operations at the reception.

Target Audience

This guide is intended for hotel reception staff who work with the hotel software. This includes front desk agents, managers, and other individuals responsible for managing reservations, guest information, and invoices. Prior experience with computer systems is beneficial but not strictly required.

Main Feature

The central feature of the hotel software is the room journal, which provides an overview of all room reservations, occupancy, and hotel status. The software allows for easy navigation between different functions to make reservations, check guests in and out, and manage invoices. The intuitive user interface enables staff to quickly access important information and perform actions.

Application

To use the hotel software effectively, follow the steps below for each function.

Navigation in the room journal is done via the "Week back" and "Week forward" buttons, which allow you to move the timeline and view occupancy for the previous or next week. Select the desired year and month using the corresponding combo boxes or adjust the booking date directly.

To edit a reservation, select a room by double-clicking on the corresponding entry in the room journal table. The most important functions are clearly summarized in the main menu of the room journal and include Hotel Status (Dashboard), Guest List, Waiting List, Occupancy, Open Invoices, Room Rates, Reservation Search, and other functions.

Navigation in the Room Journal (Timeline)

Navigation in the room journal is done through the following steps:

  • Week back / Week forward:
    Use these buttons to shift the timeline and display the occupancy for the previous or next week.
  • Select year and month:
    Use the combo boxes to set the desired year and month.
  • Change booking date:
    Click the "Change booking date" button to set the room journal to a specific date.
  • Edit reservation:
    Select a room by double-clicking on the corresponding table entry in the room journal to edit the reservation.

Information in the Room Journal

The following information is displayed in the room journal:

  •          Today's Date
  •          Booking Date
  •          Calendar Week
  •          Weekday
  •          Room Name
  •          Room Category
  •          Room Number
  •          Room Status: Available, reserved, or occupied.
  •          Additional Information: Wheelchair accessibility, pet allowance, etc.

Occupancy Symbols

The occupancy symbols provide information about the status of the rooms:

  •          R: Reserved
  •          B: Occupied
  •          O: Check-out
  •          Additional Symbols: For various types of organizers or special booking conditions.

Hotel Software Functions

The hotel software functions are accessible via specific symbols in the room journal. A double-click on a room/day column opens the reservation window.

General Controls

  •          Print: Buttons for printing the journal or specific reports.
  •          Status Displays: Instant information about room occupancy and reservations. Moving the cursor over a room automatically opens an information window with key details.

The Room Journal

Zimmerjournal mit Tooltip Reservierungsinformation

The room journal is the central program for the reception area. The following actions can be performed here:

  • ·         Reserve rooms
  • ·         Check guests in and out
  • ·         View statistical data
  • ·         Manage tables in restaurants

Menu Options in the Room Journal:

  •          Dashboard: Overview of the status for the selected day.
  •          Guest List: Display of all guests in the hotel for the selected day.
  •          Waiting List Q-Room: Marking guests when occupancy is full.
  •          Interrupt: Automatic or manual interruptions for long-stay guests.
  •          Room Rates: Display and editing of room rates.
  •          Available Rooms: Display of available rooms.
  •          Reservation Search: Quick navigation to existing reservations.
  •          Guest Information: Search for guests and their stays.
  •          Registration Form: Preparation of registration forms to comply with legal requirements.
  •          Catering List: Display of catering for the selected day.
  •          Cleaning List: Support for cleaning staff.
  •          Open Invoices: Overview of outstanding invoices. 

Room Reservations

To make a reservation, follow these steps:

Reservation Window Fields:

    •          Departure: Check-in and check-out dates.
    •          Status: Displays room status with occupancy icons.
    •          Adults/Children: Number of adults and children in the room.
    •          Organizer: Name of the organizer, if applicable.
    •          Room: Selected room number.
    •          Room Category: Selection of room category.

Guest Information Entry:

    • 1.     Click the corresponding field under "Occupancy".
    • 2.     Choose between:
    •          Address full-text search
    •          Address selection
    •          Enter address
    • 1.     Confirm your selection.

Guest Check-in:

·         Click the "STATUS" ICON or the button and follow the instructions.

Deleting Guest Occupancy:

·         Set the occupancy entry to 0 and update the guest address.

Reservation Window Buttons

  •          Mark Tourist Tax: Record tourist tax.
  •          Book Special Offer: Select and book special offers.
  •          Display Room Information: Information for the housekeeping department. 
  •          Send SMS: Send an SMS to the guest.
  •          Info: Access the guest information window.
  •          Catering: Access the guest catering window.
  •          Print Invoice Copy: Print current invoice.
  •          Print PDF Invoice Copy: Print current invoice as PDF.
  •          Checkin/Checkout: Toggle room occupancy status.
  •          Undo: Revert room occupancy status.
  •          Print Registration Form: Print the registration form

Menu Options

  •          Change Arrival Date: Adjustments for changed travel plans.
  •          Cancel: Cancellation of reservations.
  •          Print Invoice: Print invoices.
  •          Change Payment Method: Change the payment method of an invoice.
  •          Reservation: Print, email, or fax reservations.
  •          Addresses: Enter and manage addresses.
  •          Park: Park reservations to free up rooms.
  •          Send Journal: Overview of sent emails and faxes.
  •          Additional Services & Fees: Add fees or services.
  •           Available Rooms: Display available rooms.
  •           Guest Transfer: Room change for multiple occupancy: A guest can easily be rebooked into another room during an event.
  •           Room Move: Easy transfer to another room if the originally booked room needs to be rebooked.
  •           Swap Rooms: Simple function for swapping rooms, for example, if guests exchange rooms during an event.
  •           Share Room Costs: Multiple occupancy invoice per guest.
  •           Guest Account: Display of all open guest invoices.
  • Print Invoice: Print invoices.
  •           Send Invoices: Send e-invoices (X-invoice and Hybrid as PDF).

 Additional Functions

    • ·         No Show
    • ·         Split Invoice

Example

Suppose a guest wants to reserve a room. Proceed as follows:

  1. Open the room journal and navigate to the desired date.
  2. Click on the corresponding room/day column to open the reservation window.
  3. Enter the required guest information (adults, children, room number, etc.).
  4. Click "Checkin/Checkout" to check in the guest.
  5. If necessary, print the registration form or reservation confirmation.

Advantages

Using the hotel software offers several advantages:

  • Efficiency: Quick access to all relevant information and functions.
  • Clarity: Clear presentation of hotel status and room occupancies.
  • Flexibility: Real-time adjustment of reservations and room rates.
  • Legal Certainty: Support in fulfilling reporting obligations according to the Federal Registration Act.
  • Additional Functions: Option to manage additional services and fees.

Error Description and Solution

Despite the user-friendliness of the software, errors can occasionally occur. Here are some common problems and solutions:

  • Problem: The room journal shows no available rooms.
  • Solution: Check the filter settings and ensure the correct date is selected.
  • Problem: Error when entering guest information.
  • Solution: Ensure that all required fields are filled in correctly and no invalid data has been entered.
  • Problem: The software does not respond to input.
  • Solution: Check your internet connection or restart the software.

Summary

The hotel software for the reception area is a powerful tool that helps reception staff efficiently manage reservations, check guests in and out, and create invoices. With a clear user interface and comprehensive functions, the software provides a central point of contact for all tasks in the reception area. For questions or problems, you can consult the error description and solutions in this manual or contact technical support.