Navigating on the Availability Calendar      
 


Before creating a quotation/reservation, the user can navigate through the calendar to view availability and select their preferred travel dates. The availability calendar displays accommodation unit (room) availability for a 21-day period. Room numbers available are displayed within the cell for users who have access control set to allowing room numbers, some users can be limited to seeing white and red cells (indicating availability or full) on the calendar (room number rules are setup in the Access Control module). Some cells may also display an asterisk, this indicates that provisional reservations are taken into account in calculating the availability for the accommodation unit on the calendar



       

 

The calendar displays 21 days availability; the first day displayed on the calendar is set as the start date. To change the start date on the calendar:

  • To change the start date of the calendar, enter the respective date in the date fields, by clicking the day and month drop downs and entering the year in the year field, then click Go to refresh the calendar with the respective start date
  • Click the calendar pop-up icon, from the calendar pop-up, select a date by clicking on the respective date link, the selected date is displayed in the Start date fields and the calendar will be refreshed with the new date as the first date displayed on the calendar
  • The forward and back arrows on the date header will scroll the calendar 10 days at a time

    Notes:
    • External and public users cannot display the availability calendar in the past
    • The calendar displays 30 years ahead
    • If the user enters an invalid date e.g. 31 Feb 2003, the system will adjust the date

Applying a date filter
     

       

 

External and public users are allocated different rate types, internal users have access to all rate types. The rate type selected will display a standard rate for the accommodation units and will determine what currency the quotation/reservation is created in. Rate types are setup on the Property-Rates tab in the Property module

  • Click the Rate type drop down menu to apply a rate type (only rate types allocated to external/public users are displayed in the drop down)
  • Selecting a new rate will refresh the calendar with the new rate type displayed in the Rate column
    • The rate column displays a standard occupancy rate i.e. the rate type applied (on the Property-Rates tab) based on the standard occupancies created on the Accommodation unit

      Notes:
      • The rate column updates as the rate type is selected· A quotation is based on the rate type and currency selected from here· Once an itinerary is started, the rate type cannot be changed (i.e. the itinerary must be created based on the same rate type) – to change the rate type the itinerary must be cleared
      • Where the rate type has not been setup for a selected property or accommodation unit the rate is displayed as TBA (To Be Advised), any quotation created with a TBA value has not total provided (the Total is also flagged as TBA)

What does it mean when a rate shows as TBA?
TBA (To be advised) means that the accommodation unit has not been setup with the selected rate type. Total amount for quotations created when the rate is TBA remain as TBA

What will happen when a rate changes on the calendar?
When a rate change occurs on the calendar, the first rate type displays as normal, different rates then display in shades of grey on the accommodation row (the calendar displays a maximum of three variations within the 21 day availability display).
When the user creates an itinerary item that spans different rate types, the system checks what default rule should be applied (this rule is applied on the defaults table)

 

Applying a rate filter
     


       

 

On initial entry to the calendar all properties are displayed, users can change the properties displayed on the calendar by clicking the Property filter and selecting new properties to be displayed

 

Property filter
     


       

 

The availability calendar defaults to displaying availability based on the number of accommodation units (rooms) at the resort less the number of units allocated to confirmed and provisional reservations for the selected day. Where a unit includes reservations that are provisional, the cell will include an asterisk.

Provisionals are reservations that are not guaranteed or are pending for final confirmation, the user may want to view the calendar excluding provisionals. The principal can determine if users can display availability on the calendar with and without provisional reservations, this is setup on the default table.

Depending on the rule setup on the default table, users have access to including or excluding provisionals by checking or removing the check on the ‘Include provisionals’ checkbox. Clicking this checkbox will refresh the calendar with the respective rule applied.

 

Show/hide provisionals
     


       

 

The date header displays:

  • The month and year viewed on the calendar (the first date displayed on the calendar is set by the Date Filter selected by the user)
  • The arrows displayed on the left and right of the date will scroll the user 10 days to the left or right of the calendar

 

Working with the Date Header
     


       

 

Within a date cell, a specific property/accommodation type’s availability is displayed. The number of rooms available on the calendar can be restricted on the user’s access control group, this means that different users can see different values.

  • The month and year viewed on the calendar (the first date displayed on the calendar is set by the Date Filter selected by the user)

 

Viewing Number of rooms available
     


       

 

This area displays availability (as setup for the user in their access control group). This area can also be used to create an itinerary item by clicking and dragging over the respective cells.

 

Availability display area
     


       

 

For users who are not comfortable with clicking and dragging on selected dates in the availability display area, the user can click the Create an Itinerary Item button, which will open the Room numbers pop-up, from where the user can select the property/accommodation type and the required arrival and departure date.


 

Add/Create Itinerary button
     


       

 

The legend is a Resrequest legend that explains the colours and symbols used on the availability calendar. The legend can be accessed by clicking the Legend button.

 

View Legend Button
     


       

 

Booking Info displays booking notes setup in the Customisation module. These notes can be displayed by clicking the Booking Notes button.

 

Booking Info Button
     


       

 

Property is the location, camp or site where guests can be accommodated. Property can be setup in the Property module, the name displayed here is the allocated property name. On hover-over of the property label, any notes set up on the Property-Notes tab are displayed.

Notes:
· Properties displayed to users can be limited on their access group.
· Properties consist of multiple accommodation types.

 

Property Column
     


       

 

Accommodation type is the type of room/accommodation guests stay in, for example single, double or chalet, bungalow or hotel. Accommodation types setup in the property module are displayed here. On hover-over of the accommodation type label, any notes set up on the Accommodation unit are displayed. Properties and accommodation units that are displayed to users on the calendars can be limited by their access group.

 

Accommodation Type Column
     


       

 

Resrequest enables different rate types to be allocated. A currency is linked to a rate type. Rate type are setup by the principal and can be allocated to selected users, this means that users only have access to the rate type allocated to them. Users can change the calendar to a new rate type by selecting from the Rate Type drop down menu.

 

Rate type Column
     


       

 

This menu is only displayed to internal users. The agent contact for a reservation is recorded based on the user logged on. When a reservation is created from the public calendar the agent is set to ‘Direct’. When a reservation is created by an internal user, an agent can be selected from the Agent drop down menu. Where an agent commission is allocated on the agent record, the commission will be calculated for the agent.

To select an agent, click the Search button to the right of the agent name.
Rates allocated to the agent are displayed by clicking the Rates button to the right of the Agent Search button

 

Agent
     


       

 

A contact person can also be allocated to a reservation, click the Search button to the left of the contact field and select a contact from the pop-up.

Create a new contact by entering their details in the Add a new contact section and click Add to add the contact and allocate him/her to the reservation. If an agent is allocated to the reservation the contact will be linked to the agent

 

Contact person
     


       

 

Once the user adds an itinerary item, the itinerary summary is displayed at the bottom of the calendar. If optional services are allocated to an itinerary the optional services are displayed in brackets after the accommodation.

 

Itinerary display