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Reservation Management System
Support Documentation
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Introduction
The PreBook application has been specifically designed and developed as a solution for Guesthouses, Lodges, Hotels,
Caravan parks and Holiday resorts or any entity that provides accommodation for rent. It provides extremely user-friendly
interfaces enabling you to easily make, view and manage reservations, invoice the client and manage reports.
All data including client details, contact details, reservation details, invoice details, accounting transactions and information is
stored in its database. With the click of a button reports can be generated using this data. The architecture of this application
simplifies the making and receiving of real-time 24/7 online reservations and bookings.
Once registered with PreBook all your data will be synchronised with a central portal and your facility’s profile will be
updated automatically. This function will allow any member of the public, travel agent or any other entity the ability to
view your accommodations detailed profile, room availability and be able to make reservations/bookings directly with
you as accommodation provider.
General Functions
* Manage reservations/bookings
* Receive real-time 24/7 online reservations/bookings
* Produce management and financial reports
* Manage your own real-time online profile and availability on the web (Web-Portal) from your front desk
* The ability to make reservations/bookings for your clients at other locations, for car hires and so on earning you commission (additional stream of income)
When the PreBook application opens, the user will be prompted for a username and password. The default with all administration rights and permissions will be:
Username: admin
Password: admin
Once the user is logged into the system, the relevant options can be customized according to the access rights and permissions of the user.
Fig. 1 - Login
Users can be created and edited by selecting from the file menu - Options - Security - User Maintenance - Fig. 1.1.
Fig. 1.1 - Security Menu
The list screen with all users will be displayed. From here users can be added, edited and deleted. For each user a security level can be specified - Fig. 1.2.
Fig. 1.2 - Users listing
Adding a user: To add a user click on Add (The same applies for the Edit and Delete options)
Fig. 1.3 - Adding a user
The security levels can be defined against the drop down task list. To view and define these tasks and set security levels choose
from the file menu - Options - Security - Level Maintenance. The drop down list, with all pre-defined tasks, will be displayed from
where the tasks can be selected for each user - Fig. 1.4.
Fig. 1.4 - Security Level
Changing security levels: To change a task's security level, click on Task - Edit. The level can be changed - Fig. 1.5.
Fig. 1.5 - Security Level change
Accommodation entities are the rooms, penthouses, stands, flats, units, etc. which are rented out to a customer at a rate for a specific period.
Any entity of accommodation can be added, removed or edited. A description of up to 465 accommodation entities can be specified and default
rates set for each. All accommodation entities specified will then be displayed in the Reservation View screen - Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 - Reservations view
Important Notes on the reservation view screen:
* Place the mouse pointer on the calendar day numbers on the top of the reservation screen - the day of the week will appear
* Weekend days are indicated by squares with a black border
* Place the mouse pointer on a reserved reservation - the client name will appear
* Place the mouse pointer on the room number and left-click - the room description, default rates and other information will appear for that room
* To view or edit information for a reservation, place mouse pointer on the reservation and right-click, choose View Reservation from the pop-up
menu to view, make alterations and other functions; alternatively double left-click on the reservation.
* The colour scheme of the status indicators Available, Reserved, Confirmed, Arrived, Checked Out, Start and End may be altered by double-clicking
with the mouse pointer on the appropriate blocks at the bottom of the screen.
* After a reservation Start and End date are selected, click on Make Reservation
* When the number of rooms exceeds 15, additional Accommodation Batch buttons will appear to be selected for each new batch of 15 rooms.
* To make a group booking – Select the Start/End date for the first room and tick Group Reservation box. Select the appropriate rooms for that booking.
Managing Accommodation entities
* Accommodation entities can be added, edited and deleted from your accommodation tables.
* To view all accommodation select View - Accommodation. Or select the Accommodation icon on the toolbar.
* The screen will be displayed - Fig. 3 - from where you add, edit or delete these items.
* To add an item, click on Add button.
* To edit or delete an item, select the row in the table and then click Option button.
* Another screen will appear - Fig. 4 - where you edit the details.
Fig. 3
Accommodation Types can be specified and linked to each room to ease maintenance - next 3 Figures
Should no Type be linked to a room – the default rates as specified for the room shall then be used?
The facilities and images/photo are specified to each room-type and synchronised with the profile and the rest of the portal information on the web-page.
Fig. 4
Rates and classification of an entity
Default rates can be specified here:
* Per Person Per Night (PPPN) for Adults
* Per Person Per Night (PPPN) for Children
* Per Person Per Night (PPPN) for Infants
* Per Room or Per Sight (PR/S)
Classification of entity:
These defaults are automatically pulled through for this entity. These default rates may be overwritten at the time of making the reservation.
To make a reservation, click on Bookings on the toolbar.
The screen - Fig. 5 will appear - all reservations are made here.
Fig. 5
This interface gives you an overall view of all reservation made and all available accommodation for the selected period.
The green blocks indicate available accommodation.
The yellow blocks indicate reserved accommodation.
To make a reservation, double-click on a blue block to indicate start date. The blue block will change to a green block with an S indicating a start date has been selected.
Repeat the above to select an End date. Note: The End date must be in the same row and after the Start date and not overlapping another reservation.
If the reservation is for one day/night double-click on the same green block. The letters S|E inside the green block will appear to indicate Start and End date.
All blocks for the selected period will turn yellow indicating the reservation.
In case you select the incorrect block, double-click on the block again to cancel the selection. The green block will then disappear.
Should the reservation span more than one month or overflow from one month to another, select the
Start date and use the navigation buttons on the top to scroll
to the desired month and select an
End date.
Note: Alternatively a Start and End date can be selected from the two drop-down boxes at the bottom right of the screen.
After selecting the desired period for the reservation, click Make Reservation at the bottom right.
The following screen will appear. Fill in the reservation information and details - Fig. 6.
Fig. 6
On the next screen all relevant information will be captured. Select the Confirmed box to confirm reservation.
Only the period, already selected, and the contact-person details are needed to make the reservation.
NB: To Select/Add/Search
a contact, click on the Magnifying glass - Fig.6. When selecting a contact click on the name of the contact
in the grid, then choose
Select the contact details will be pulled through to the reservation screen - Fig.7.
Note: The contact person might be the client or another person making the reservation. The client details must be specified on the Details screen
All other information can be completed later.
Click the Quotation button to generate a quotation.
A quotation preview will be generated
Click the Add Reservation button to make the reservation.
Reservation status:
* Confirmed - indicates the reservation has been confirmed. The reservation can be confirmed any time.
* Arrived - indicates the client has arrived. This status can only be present or past tense not future.
* Checked out - indicates the client has checked out. The Checked Out status will apply once the invoice is raised.
* Cancelled - indicates the reservation is cancelled. Cancellations are done once a transaction has been initiated, a Deposit, an Arrival.
If no transaction the reservation must be deleted.
* Deleted - indicates the reservation has been deleted. A reservation may be deleted when no transactions have occurred.
Reservations tab
The first reservation screen contains the immediate information that must be captured. This includes the reservation period, times of arrival and departure,
contact-persons’ details and the status of the reservation.
NB: To Select/Add/Search a contact, click on the
Binoculars button - Fig. 6. When selecting a contact, click the name of the contact in the grid then choose
Select, the contact details will be pulled through to the reservation screen - Fig.7.
Existing contact names can be selected and new contact names added and edited. This is convenient where one contact person regularly makes reservations - Binoculars image - Fig.6.)
Fig. 7
In the case of a large database a more specific search can be done on a contact.
To search for a contact, click on the column header to be searched - complete the search criteria - click the Search button.
The search results will then appear in the table.
To select a contact person, click on the contacts name - click
Select or double click on client’s row. The reservation-screen will then re-appear
with the selected contact-persons’ details.
The Guest Details tab contains the information of the client - Fig. 8
The client can be private or a company. Select one of the option buttons - Private or Company
To Select/Add/Search a client, click on the Magnifying glass - Fig.8.
When selecting a client - click on the client in the grid - click Select. The client details will be pulled through to the reservation screen - Fig.10.
This is convenient where one client visits regularly.
Fig. 8
In the case of a large database a more specific search can be done on a client.
To search for a client, click on the column header to be searched - complete the search criteria - click the Search button.
The search results will then appear in the table.
To select a client, click on the clients name - click Select or double click on client’s row. The reservation-screen will then re-appear with the selected clients details.
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Note: In the case where the client is a person staying under a company name, then the client can be specified as a person representing the company - Fig.10.
This is to extinguish different invoices and clients under the same company name.
Note:
In the case where the
client is a person staying under a company name,
then the client can be specified
as a person that represents the company like in Fig.10. This is to
distinguish different
invoices and clients under the same company name.
In the Arrangements tab you can specify the pick-up and drop-off details - Fig.11.
Click on the check boxes to fill in the relevant information.
Fig. 11
Rates are specified in two ways: Per Person per Night & Per Room/site
The Rate option buttons can be selected to change between these two options.
* Per person per night:
This option requires you specify the number of persons and the rate multiplied by nights.
This option requires nights multiplied by the rate.
* Per room or site:
This option only requires only the rate x nights.
Default rates are pulled through as specified in the Room Set-up. If no default rates are specified, then the default will be Zero.
The default rates can be changed or altered at any time by typing in the preferred rate in the drop-down box..
Where a deposit is required, the deposit amount must be entered in the
Deposit Paid section. Indicate with the Deposit Paid
check box when paid - click Issue Receipt.
When the receipt is issued a transaction has taken place, the client's account will be credited with the amount and the
Deposits Received Account will be debited with the amount.
Fig. 12
Wait for PED Device to
initialize and follow on screen instructions, on successful transaction
a receipt will be initialized or
on failure a on screen message with
reason for unsuccessful transaction will be displayed.
Select Account by clicking on Binoculars
Select Method of payment as Credit-Card
Fill in credit card holder details and click on transact
On success a receipt will be displayed
Charges tabAdditional Charges - dinners, breakfast, parking, bar tabs, phone calls, etc. can be specified here to be displayed and added to the invoice - Fig. 13.
For each item specify if VAT should be added.
To add a charge, select the Charges tab and click on the Add Charge. Edit the amount and other details in the grid.
Fig. 13
Here all costs accrued by the client will be displayed on the invoice - Fig.14
A pro-forma invoice can be printed by clicking Pro-Forma -
Print. Should there be any mistakes, then they should be rectified by using
the
Debit/Credit Notes tab in the accounting option.
Note: Ensure the Pro-forma Invoice is correct before the next step (Raising Invoice)
Fig. 14.1
Once the client accepts the Pro-forma Invoice and any alterations have been completed then create an invoice by clicking Raise Invoice. All transactions will then appear on the client's account.
A warning will then appear to confirm your action. DO NOT Raise Invoice prior to confirming all charges and details are correct.
Fig. 14.2
Preview the invoice before printing.
Change the view size by selecting Zoom option.
Click Print to print invoice.
You can export the invoice (see Reporting for exporting and saving functions) to html or plain text to save it elsewhere or mail it to the client.
Fig. 15
Any additional notes or arrangements are specified here for future reference. E.g. Champagne & flowers in the room!
Fig. 16
Reservation confirmation letter
A confirmation of reservation letter can be faxed or mailed to the client (see Reporting for exporting and saving functions).
To generate the Confirmation Letter click Confirm. A preview will appear from where you can print to a fax or export as an html file to mail to the recipient - Fig. 17.2
Additional word document containing a map or image can be added to the letter of confirmation, and the deposit required % can be specified - Fig. 17.1
Fig. 17.1.
Fig. 17.2. Example of a confirmation letter
To view or edit reservations:
To view or edit reservations - done from two interfaces:
1. From the reservations screen, right-click on the reservation you want to view or edit, select the View Reservation option from the pop-up menu. Click on Bookings in the left menu frame or Bookings from the toolbar to display the Reservations screen - Fig. 18
2. Alternatively double-click on the reservation you want to view.
Fig. 18
The chosen reservation opens showing details that can be edited or viewed.
From the reservations listing and search screen select View Reservations from the view menu or click on Arrivals on the left menu frame or from the toolbar.
The screen as in Fig. 19 will appear.
To quickly narrow the search to the desired reservation, select the where box and choose the field from the drop-down box, fill in the search criteria and click Search.
Note:
The search results appear in the table.
If the Search between dates option is selected, the search will include all reservations between the specified dates.
To select a reservation, select the row and click Select, or double-click on the row. The reservation-screen will appear with the selected reservation details to be viewed or edited.
Fig. 19.1
Account Types
There are 3 different types of accounts in the system – Client Accounts, System Accounts & General Accounts.
• Client Accounts
1. Private Account - for individuals, these accounts are created when the customer is entered into the database.
2. Company Account - for companies, these accounts are created when the company is entered into the database.
• System Accounts
1. Accommodation - for all accommodation monies received, this account will be generated when an invoice is raised.
2. Deposits Received - for all deposits received, this account will be generated when a receipt is issued for the deposit.
3. Payments Received - for all payments received, this account will be generated when a receipt is issued for the payment.
4. VAT - for all VAT transactions, this account will be generated when an invoice is raised.
5. Cancellation Fees - for amounts not refunded to the client, this account will be generated when a reservation is cancelled and a deposit has been made to that account.
• General Accounts
General Accounts are for additional charges to the client's account; these accounts will be generated when an invoice is raised.
Note: Other additional General Accounts can be added to the system.
The default General Accounts are as follow:
1. Bar Tab
2. Breakfast
3. Dinner
4. Laundry
5. Lunch
6. Other
7. Parking
8. Phone calls
9. Travel/Transport
For an example see – Transaction processing and accounting
Some standard reports have been included in the final product. However reports could be customized as per client to suit their individual needs.
Different types of standard reports can be obtained by selecting the Reports option on the left Option screen. (Fig. 20)
- Occupational Report. (Fig. 21)
- Reservations Screen Printable Report. (Fig. 22.1)
- Financial Reports (Accommodation, Deposits Received, Payments Received, General, VAT, Cancellation Fees, Dt/Ct Notes) for the selected period. See Fig. 22.2-22.4.
These reports can be emailed by clicking on the email button in the toolbar once the report is displayed.
Fig. 20.
Fig. 21.
Fig. 22.1.
Fig. 22.2
Fig. 22.3.
Fig. 22.4.
Reports can be saved by clicking on the File - Save Option or by clicking on the stiffy/floppy picture in the toolbar.
Exporting options of Reports to PDF (Portable document format - Can be opened in applications like Acrobat Reader), RTF (Rich text format - Can be opened in any word processing application like MS-Word), HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language format can be opened in any browser like Internet Explorer) is available from the toolbar or the File menu as well. (Fig. 23)
For example:
To email a report to someone, you would have to export the report to HTML format and mail it as an attachment to the recipient or just click on the email report button in the tool bar.
Fig. 23.
After a report has been saved, it can be opened by selecting the File - Open option from the menu bar. (Fig. 24)
Fig. 24.
The file can then be selected from the dialog box as in Fig. 25.
Only reports with the .rdf extensions (RDF formats) can be opened in the Report-viewer. This is files that have been saved by choosing the save option.
Note: Files that have been exported to PDF, RTF and HTML formats will not be viewed by the viewer.
Fig. 25.
Setting the options on reports to print Letterheads or not could be set in the menu bar Options - Reports settings. (Fig. 26)
The choices are to either print the letterheads or not and if the option of printing the letterheads is selected, then choices on what reports to be printed on are available.
A path could be specified here as well for where to get your logo to be placed on your Letterheads.
Fig. 26.
Configuration settings and options
Some configuration settings can be altered by selecting the Options option at the menu bar.
VAT settings, invoice starting no's, etc. can be set here.
Fig. 27.
My Details (All your details can be specified and altered here - Fig. 28.), Reports (All reporting features - Fig. 26.), Configuration Settings (Application paths and VAT rules - Fig. 29) and Backup Database (To back-up your database to the specified path as in Fig. 29).
Fig. 27.
Registering and My Details online
After
specifying all detail and profile description here, one can register online to receive
reservations from the Portal and have a live presence with
an updated profile. These
details are also used to provide the details on all letterheads for all documentation.
After registration your profile can be viewed on the ImInAfrica.com web-site.
When credits are low one can obtain further credits either online after registration or by calling the PreBook Office.
Fig. 28.
VAT Rules can be specified
here. If you are registered for VAT the Registered for VAT check box should be selected.
Else a 0% VAT rate will
be used on the invoices. If the VAT Rate changes, can it
be altered here with relevant dates of implementation. Here you specify if VAT will
be inclusive or exclusive.
VAT settings, invoice starting no's, etc. can be set here.
Fig. 29.
As comments and suggestions are gathered from a wide client database, software maintenance and enhancements are unpreventable.
Newer or later versions and updates will be distributed to all existing clients of current and earlier versions of the software.
These updates will alays be available from our website at: http://www.prebook.net
Should you experience any difficulties or issues, contact us (Contact details at
http://www.prebook.net or send an
email to mailto:support@prebook.net
Technical support and update downloads will be made available from our website: http://www.prebook.net
As any other software application there are some minimum requirements for the software to run smoothly.
The program was designed to be displayed at 600 x 800 resolution or 1024 x 768.
To make sure this is set up
right. Go to My Computer, Control Panel, Display, choose settings tab and set the
Screen area setting to
800 x 600 and choose 24 bit or highest for colours and apply
your settings
Pentium I or higher
32 MB of Ram
CD-Rom Drive
VGA Screen display (At least 600x800 resolution)
(Should you experience
any difficulties contact us (Contact details at http://www.prebook.net or send an
email with a screen dump
of the error message to mailto:support@prebook.net)