Functions included in Charts Property Management Software

Administration Room Module

Hotels always needs a facility for making accounting adjustments, recording restaurant cash sales and other adjustments, without doing the transactions in a real room which would effect the Hotel's availability. The Administration Room module overcomes this problem. A special internal room type is created called Admin Room. This allows the Hotel to use these in a wide variety of ways without having any overall affect on occupancy statistics, yet it allows the same financial flexibility as normal rooms. Typical uses for Admin rooms are tracing calls of admin extensions, cash sales in restaurants, local business restaurant accounts and management meals.

Extended Housekeeping Module

The extended housekeeping module provides for additional service codes. These service codes can be different requirements placed on the Housekeeping department dependent either on the type of room, duration of stay or even classification of guest. A Hotel may program a VIP service, suite service or even a budget service.

Each of these can have different job tasks and different frequencies of jobs. A Hotel has the ability to specify times required to perform the service types, not only for each room type, but for every individual room.

From this specific information, task reports can be generated to show the projected times required to perform the various services. The housekeeping function can therefore be monitored and optimised by using these reports as guidelines and comparing them with actual times, leading to an increase in productivity.

For example, if you have serviced apartments or a special VIP service for your regular guests you are able to estimate the time it will take to service the apartments depending on the occupancy and number of VIPs. This assists in the staffing levels that would be required on a daily basis.

Rosters could be generated from the information provided. The task report could also provide valuable information for forecasting staff required for future dates. The task report may also be used to detect unproductive personnel in the housekeeping department. The overall purpose of the Extended housekeeping module is to increase productivity and efficiency.

Extended Data Entry Module

The Extended Data Entry module allows the entry of an extra 16 lines or a total of 128 fields of information about a reservation. With this facility a detailed specialised date entry screen can be constructed for the Hotel. Specific information which is most important to the Hotel may be entered and subsequently extracted in various reports. Any of the data entry fields can be defined by the management as compulsory so that they cannot be bypassed. This can be configured to each Hotels needs such as arrival/departure times, wake up calls, VIP status, flight details and airport pick up times.

As information contained in each of these fields can be easily extracted in various reports, this provides an extremely powerful information collection and reporting tool.

Typical reports are:

A hotel can generate reports that are specific to their requirements. The Extended Data Entry module can be utilised to produce individual reports with very detailed information contained in them.

Enquiries Module

How many times does the reservation staff in a Hotel wish they had recorded the telephone number of Mr Jones who was enquiring about a reservation? How often does the slip of paper with Mr Smith's details get lost?

The Enquiries Module allows for the entry of a complete record of any potential room sale into the system. The details from the enquiry are entered into Charts in the same way as a reservation. The enquiry remains open until it is converted into a confirmed reservation. Alternatively, it can be closed once a reason given as to why the enquiry was not converted to a booking.

This allows access to specific and documented information on why certain room sales were not successful. From this information, a hotel can develop policies and procedures for increasing the number of enquiries into sales.

The module is designed so that an enquiry reservation can be transferred into a confirmed booking, without the need to take down the clients details again. This feature does not only save time, but it provides a much more personalised service to the hotels clientele.

Because the details of the enquiry are already in the system, any staff member has all the relevant information already available to them for follow up. This makes the overall process more professional and personalised from the customers point of view, and assists in the marketing effort of the Hotel.

Wait List Module

The Wait List module is a time saving tool that can streamline the busiest reservation department. When occupancy is at its highest, potential reservations can be entered into the system, just as a normal reservation would be. There is no longer the need for manual requests the hotel is expecting 100% occupancy. This will lead to improvement in occupancy, as there are accessible records of clients wishing to stay.

There is no limit to the number of wait list reservations that can be loaded into the system. The wait list reservations do not have any effect on the room availability forecast. If rooms become available, the wait list can easily become a confirmed reservation. There is no need to input the information a second time.

Once there is availability on a particular date, the wait list reservations will be printed during night audit. This will enable the hotel to decide which reservation will become a confirmed booking. Basis for this decision may range from the client being a regular guest to highest room rate or length of stay. The overall effect, however, will be the optimisation of occupancy and higher revenue potential. The reservation system will be far more efficient, with improved customer service for the potential client.

Foreign Exchange Module

The Foreign Exchange Module allows fast and accurate transactions to be done in up to 32 different currencies. Guests will now be able to settle their accounts in their own currency as easily as they would be if settling at a hotel in their own country. Correct figures for change in local currency, rate and the amount are displayed on the screen, thus minimising human error.

The guests' foreign currency transactions are made simple through the use of this module. The cashier is able to issue the guest with a receipt clearly showing the full details of the foreign currency transaction such as foreign currency amount, the conversion rate and new amount.

The hotel is able to set up its own exchange rates, giving it much more control over the profit level of currency exchange. Statistics are kept on the value of different currencies exchanged.

Marketing Module

The Marketing module is designed to meet the genuine need of Hotels for strategic information on their clientele. The module provides detailed profile information on Guests and Companies. This information goes into such detail as total revenue breakdown, room nights, dates of last ten stays, cancellations, no-shows and specific information such as the guests favourite room.

Many reports are included with this module, most popular being the Top Performance reports. A Hotel can view their top 10 Companies or the top 100 Guests, top 20 Travel Agencies and top 5 Debtors. The information from these reports is an excellent marketing tool for increasing repeat business.

Many more reports are included which can be used for export to external data bases. If a Hotel wishes to do a mail out to past guests through a data base program, the information can be transferred without the need of re-entering all the details. The module enables more target marketing, yet reduces the time required for this.

Marketing and time saving are not the only benefits that come from this module. The Room Performance Report provides statistics on every room in the Hotel. A Hotel can monitor which rooms are being sold more, which are being left unsold and whether the wear and tear on a particular room is justified. The marketing module is vital for any strategic planning hotel.

Report Generator Module

The Report Generator module provides all the necessary tools for the software user to design their own set of specific reports from the powerful CHARTS database. Whether a redesign of stationery is required or an in-house list showing the car registration number, the task of incorporating these changes is made easy.

Specialised reports may be designed by the hotels own staff without the need to access the program source code.

Telephonist and Message

The telephonist module provides a flexible window into past and future reservations allowing a quick check whether a particular guest is in house, has checked out or is due to arrive. Using this option the telephone operator or Concierge can quickly check details of a guest and take or read a message.

The message system allows up to 16 different message definitions, such as guest or personnel messages. A message signal will be displayed, until the message has been acknowledged and it may also be printed, if a guest requires a hard copy.

If the message is a personnel type, a date can be inserted so that it will appear on that specific date. Personnel messages, which are for the purpose of transferring information to staff such as rate changes or special requests to be carried out can be set to appear on a specific date thus allowing them to be actioned.

Once a personnel message has been read, actioned and no longer required, it will be purged automatically during night audit process. The Telephonist and message module is essential if the automatic wake up facility is to be utilised by the PABX system.

Groups Module

The Groups Module simplifies and streamlines the work that is necessary when multiple rooms are booked for one reservation. Group reservations are entered into the system in the same way that an individual reservation is made. Once the master reservation is created, all other tasks are completed through the Group Menu.

The names of the individual group members can be allocated and changed individually. There is also the option to mass update group details, so that it becomes unnecessary to review every group member. Rooms can be pre allocated - this ensures that a group can be located in a specific part of the hotel, keeping all the members together.

A group can be checked in automatically or each group member can be checked in individually. This is very useful if the group members are arriving at various times during the day. Creating a master account for the group is made easy with the very powerful cross charging option (charges such as room charges can be automatically sent to one room account, thus simplifying billing and charge back).

The Group Module provides overall more control for Hotel staff when dealing with a large number of people. The time necessary for group handling is decreased by the use of the system. This allows staff more time to provide guests with a professional and personalised service.

Packages Module

A package is a product sold by a Hotel that consists of multiple components. Some of these components may be breakfast, champagne on arrival, limousine from the airport, chocolates and dinner in the restaurant.

The Charts Package module is designed so that only one charge is posted to the guests account, yet at the same time, all the components are automatically distributed to the various revenue departments. This eliminates the need for any extra posting or paper reminders.

There is an unlimited number of packages that can be created. Each package can consist of up to four different costing structures, which means that different components can be posted automatically on different days of the package. Packages can be set up in the system for specific periods in the year and /or for a particular duration.

A package may be combined with a normal rate code resulting in additional flexibility. As an example the Hotel may have a special package that only covers the weekends, which is cheaper than the guests' corporate rate. If the guest is staying for two weeks the system can post the corporate rate during the week, then automatically post the package rate during the weekend, and then return to posting the corporate rate.

Detailed statistics are held on the packages allowing for easy planning of new packages based on past performance.

Allotments Module

The Allotments module is specific for those Hotels that deal with contracted rooms for Travel Agents, Airlines or Wholesalers. The module seizes the number of rooms allocated to the allotment so that they cannot be sold to any other client. It is possible to specify a release back date, so that if the operator has not made reservations for all the rooms held in the allotment within a particular period before arrival, the rooms can then be sold to the public. The release back process is fully automatic.

The Allotment module is a guarantee that rooms are held for the prime business sources of the Hotel. It eliminates the problem of a Hotel being unable to reserve rooms for their contract business due to over booking. Room availability can be viewed with or without the inclusion of Allotment seizures.

A major advantage of this module is that it contains detailed and factual information on each allotment. The number of cancellations and no-show reservations are displayed for each individual allotment. Statistics for total number of allocated rooms actually sold, as well as a total breakdown of revenue statistics on each allotment are available for different reports periods.

By having this accurate information on each allotment, negotiations for future contracts with operators can be based on past proven performance. A hotel is therefore able to renegotiate contracts so that the outcome will be to the benefit of the hotel.

Extended Room Module

The Extended Room Module is an excellent addition to any larger Hotel. The module provides 26 different room types and up to 1000 rooms. The Hotel can therefore be very specific on their description of the various types of rooms in their establishment.

The module also provides 32 room attributes that can add to the description of each room. An attribute can be anything from an ocean view, spa bath, mini-bar, to a non-smoking room. Room attributes allow the staff to meet the guest request without having to remember the finer details of every room. The Extended Room module will increase customer service as there is more information available to the reception staff.

Extended Rate Matrix Module

The Extended Rate Matrix module allows for the use of many flexible rate combinations. This module is a must for Hotels needing the flexibility and the variety of rates which may be defined and then automatically called up as needed. Planning is an integral part of the module, as it can be strategically used for yield management.

Yield management embraces the notion that the rate charged will depend primarily on specific market demand for a particular date. Rates may be adjusted in response to the level of rooms booked for future arrival dates. The Extended Rate Matrix module enables a Hotel to program their rates five years ahead.

These rates allow for automatic and accurate quoting of prices for future bookings. Adjustments can be made for specific dates, depending on the demand forecasts. The module provides 32 rate codes, 26 rate profiles and 36 rate periods. This module provides the tool for extensive forward planning and automated rate control giving thousands of rate combinations.