Tutorial Reception

Tutorial: Front Desk / Reception

Welcome to the user manual for the hotel software for the reception area. This manual provides comprehensive instructions on how to use the software, particularly concerning offer creation, reservations, invoice management, and bookings. The aim is to simplify software operation and provide all necessary information to ensure a smooth workflow at the reception desk.

Target Audience

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

Key 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 easy navigation between various 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 "Previous Week" and "Next Week" buttons, which allow you to shift the timeline and view occupancy for the previous or next week. Select the desired year and month using the corresponding comboboxes, 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, Guest List, Waiting List, Room Rates, Reservation Search, and other functions.

Navigation in the Room Journal (Timeline)

Navigation in the room journal is performed using the following steps:

• Previous Week / Next Week:
  Use these buttons to shift the timeline and display the occupancy for the previous or next week.
• Select Year and Month:
  Use the comboboxes 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
•          Day of the Week
•          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 room status:

•          R: Reserved
•          O: Occupied
•          C: 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: Immediate information about room occupancy and reservations.

The Room Journal

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 restaurant tables

Menu Options in the Room Journal:

•          Hotel Status: Overview of the status for the selected day.
•          Guest List: Displays all guests in the hotel for the selected day.
•          Q-Room Waiting List: Guest waiting list when fully booked.
•          Interrupt: Automatic or manual interruptions for long-stay guests.
•          Room Rates: Display and edit 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 meet legal requirements.
•          Meal Plan List: Display of meals for the selected day.
•          Cleaning List: Support for cleaning staff.
•          Open Invoices: Overview of outstanding invoices. 

Reserving Rooms

To make a reservation, follow these steps:

Reservation Window Fields:

• •          Departure: Check-in and check-out dates.
  •          Status: Displays room status with occupancy symbols.
  •          Adults/Children: Number of adults and children in the room.
  •          Organizer: Name of the organizer, if applicable.

Entering guest information:

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

Checking in the guest:

·         Click the "STATUS" ICON or 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: Recording of tourist tax.
•          Book special offer: Selection and booking of special offers.
•          Show room information: Information for the housekeeping department. 
•          Send SMS: Send an SMS to the guest.
•          Info: Access the guest information window.
•          Board: Access the guest board window.
•          Print invoice copy: Print current invoice.
•          Print PDF invoice copy: Print current invoice as PDF.
•          Check-in/Check-out: Change room occupancy status.
•          Back: 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.
•          Sent journal: Overview of sent emails and faxes.
•          Additional services & fees: Add fees or services.
•          Free rooms: Display of available rooms.
•          Exchange room: Function to change rooms.
•          Guest account: Display of all open invoices for the guest.
•          Send invoices: Send invoices as PDF.

 Additional functions

·         No Show

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 on "Check-in/Check-out" to check in the guest.
5. If necessary, print the registration form or the reservation confirmation.

Advantages

Using the hotel software offers several advantages:

• Efficiency: Quick access to all relevant information and functions.
• Clarity: Clear display of hotel status and room occupancy.
• 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 all required fields are filled in correctly and no invalid data has been entered.
•          Problem: The software does not respond to input.
•          Solution: Check the internet connection or restart the software.

Summary

The hotel software in 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, refer to the error description and solutions in this manual or contact technical support.Formularb