Applying an agent role to a contact means that the contact is recognised as an agent that can be linked to reservations for tracking purposes or that can receive commission for reservations generated by them.
The agent form allows setup of agent commission, agent type (this is linked to the Agent Type Code Table where codes, such as account structures, can be created and allocated to the agent from this form) and agent notes.
An agent is usually an organisation (agency) that can have multiple individual users (external consultants) linked to them (by an Agent relationship), these users will have the agent attributes applied to them, for example: commission on reservations, information that is displayed to them (data restrictions on reports, finds and reservations)
To apply an agent role to a contact click the Agent role checkbox (the contact record will be saved and the agent pop-up opened)
A contact with an agent relationship cannot have an agent role applied as the attributes of the agent role will conflict
Agent attributes
Commission
Commission the agent derives from reservations
This value is stored as a percentage
Payment plan
The payment plan allocated to this agent
Payment plans listed here are setup on the Payment Plans code table
Notes
A free format notes area for any general notes to be captured for the agent
Rate type
Agents can be allocated specific rate types (rate types are setup on the Rate type code table and are allocated to properties in the Property module). On access to the calendar the agent can select what rate type to capture the reservation in by selecting the rate type from the drop down menu
Based on the agent role this user is linked to, they have access to the European and USD rate type setup in the Rate Type code table
To allocate a rate type, first save the Agent role (click on the Save toolbar button), then select the rate type from the drop down menu and click the Add button - it will be added to the rate type list
When the agent role has been saved, multiple rate types can be allocated to an agent by selecting the rate type from the menu and click Add
To remove a rate type, click the delete button next to the rate type
Users
New users can be created from the agent role with an Agent relationship automatically created, existing users (that are not agents and do not have an agent relationship) can be linked to the agent and existing users linked to the agent can be removed
To manage users linked to the agent (add new, add a link or remove linked users) click the Setup Users button on the agent pop-up (the Setup Users button is displayed when the pop-up is in edit mode)
'Users' setup for the current agent
From the Users window new users can be created and linked to the agent, existing users (without an Agent Relationship) can be linked to this agent and users (already linked the agent) can be removed from the agent
Functions on the Link Users window
Add User
Add User will create a new user-contact record, with an Agent Relationship link to the selected agent
Enter a last name and first name for the new contact and click the Add User button (refer to the User role for detailed information on setting up user-contacts)
The new contact is created on click of 'Add User'
The system then opens the standard user role window - enter details the same as when applying a user role from the contact form
Functions on the User Details pop-up
Edit
This button is not available as the role has not yet been created
Save
Save will save the user role and keep the window open for editing
Save and Close will save the role and close the window
The email notification window will open - at this point a user email can be sent to the contact, alternatively it can be sent from the contact record at a later stage (refer to the User role for detailed information on processing the user email)
Save and Close
Save and Close will save the role and close the window
The email notification window will open
Delete Role
This button is not available as the role has not yet been created
Exit
Clicking Exit will close the User window without applying the user role to the new contact (the contact will remain on the system)
Once a user is added, the user list is updated with the new user and his/her summary information
Select User
Clicking select users will open the Select Record window with a list of existing system users that are not allocated to an agent
Select the user/s to be added to the agent by placing a tick in the checkbox to the left of the respective user/s
Click the Add User button to allocate the users to the agent (this will close the pop-up and update the Link User window)
Click Exit to close the Select User window without applying any changes
Remove Link
To remove the link, click the Remove Link button on the Link User window
The remove link confirmation will open
Exit
Exit will close the Link User window and update the Agent pop-up
Functions on the Agent pop-up
Edit
Once the agent role is created, to edit the agent attributes, click the Agent link on the main contact form
From the Agent pop-up click the Edit button on the toolbar (users with Contact: Update and Management access control have edit rights)
The Setup Users button and the Add/Delete rate type buttons are only available when in edit mode
The agent record is saved when Setup Users and Rate types are updated
Apply the necessary changes and click Save or Save and Close to update the agent record
Save
Update changes made to the agent role and keep the Agent pop-up open
Save and Close
Update changes made to the agent role, close the Agent pop-up and (when required) update the main contact form
Delete Role
Delete role will remove the agent role
If the agent has not been used in the system, the agent role will be removed
If the agent has been allocated in the system, the role will be marked as 'Inactive', this means that the agent is no longer available to be allocated to new reservations, but the details will still be kept on the system for reporting purposes
When the Agent is marked as Inactive, the Agent role displayed on the main contact form is shown as a white, italicised link
Clicking the Agent pop-up will open the agent role window (with the previous settings), except the agent role is shown as 'Inactive'. The Status will be displayed as 'Inactive', to reactivate the agent (i.e. return the status to 'Active'), change the Status indicator to Active by selecting it from the drop down
Change the inactive role to active by selecting from the Status drop down
Exit
Clicking exit will close the window and return to the main contact form
If any changes have been made the Save Changes window will open
