Download - AUTOMATED NIGHT AUDIT - Hotel Property … · AUTOMATED NIGHT AUDIT Close Day Process – MSI CloudPM v5.4 MSI Solutions Abstract The hotel night audit is …

AUTOMATED NIGHT AUDIT Close Day Process – MSI CloudPM v5.4

MSISolutionswww.msisolutions.com

AbstractThehotelnightauditisadailyreviewofguestaccounttransactionsrecordedagainstAccounting

Code(orDepartmentCode)transactions.Theroutinehelpsguaranteetheaccuracy,reliabilityandthoroughnessoffrontofficeaccounting.

ThesystemprocessalsoclosesonebusinessdayandstartsanotherintheCloudPMsoftware

system.ThisnewfeatureforCloudPMv5.4istoautomatethisprocessbasedonlocalclock-time,wheretheCloseDayprocessesintheCloudPMsystemrunwithoutintervention

AutomaticCloseDay(NightAudit)FeatureSetCloudPM v5.4 | March 13, 2017

MSISolutions7600N.15thSt.-Phoenix,AZ85020-www.msisolutions.com

2

AutomatedCloseDay-SummaryThehotel night audit is a daily reviewof guest account transactions recorded against Accounting Code (orDepartmentCode)transactions.Theroutinehelpsguaranteetheaccuracy,reliabilityandthoroughnessoffrontofficeaccounting.ThesystemprocessalsoclosesonebusinessdayandstartsanotherintheCloudPMsoftwaresystem.ThisnewfeatureforCloudPMv5.4istoautomatethisprocessbasedonlocalclock-time,wheretheCloseDayprocessesintheCloudPMsystemrunwithoutintervention,unlesserrorsoccur.

A) FunctionTheautomatedprocesswillincludethefollowingfunctions;eachstepmayexperienceerrorsorfailures–somestepsrequireahalttheCloseDayprocess,whereotherswillrequirenotification(reporting)only:

DatabaseBackup–backupofpropertydatabaseatthecommencementoftheCloseDaystart.ThisisstartedwhentheCloseDaycommendisselectedduringamanualCloseDay/Audit.CheckforIn-HouseGueststhatareDUEOUT-Scheduleddepartureswillbeautomaticallyextendedforonebusinessday;ifpayingbycreditcardandauthorizationisrequired,thoseguestfolioswillauto-authorizefortheextradate.Notes:

o In-Houseguestsduetocheckoutwillbeauto-extendedby1dayonly,usingtherateusedonthelastnightoftheguest'stay

§ AuthorizationforCC-payingguestsauto-extendedwillbeauthorizedforthe1additionalnight

ShiftClosea. ClosebyShift–ifashiftisopen,systemwillauto-closethecurrentshiftb. ClosebyCashier–Itispossiblethatmultiplecashiershaveopenshifts;CloudPMwillneedto

closeallopencashiershifts

FailureMode:Interventionrequired(Critical);thisisafailurethatwillstoptheauditprocess,andwillrollbacktothepre-auditstate.PostRoom&Tax–Autopostroom,roomtax,packageitems,specialrequests,andapplicablesalestaxesAuthorizationIncreaseReport–Configurable;ifenabled–thereportmustidentifyguestsrequiringauthorizationstocoverthecurrentbusinessdate.Ifenabled,theauthorizationprocessforeachin-houseguestaccountpayingbycreditcardwillrunautomatically.FailureMode:Notification;LoginCloseDayActivityReport



3

AuditPhases1. Phase1–RoomStatus/Maintenance/OccupancyTracking2. Phase2-FlagNo-ShowReservations3. Phase3-BuildDailyStatistics(Reports)4. Phase4-CheckinGroupMasters+Auto-ReleaseGroupBlocks5. Phase5-PurgeInterfaceevents;HouseAccounts,Cache,PMSEvents

Phase6–UpdateBusinessDate

AuditReportsNightAuditReportsarecreatedbasedonConfiguredNightAuditReportsinGMFunctions

SendCreditCardBatch–SettlementwillgeneratePre-SettlementReportbasedonbatchtotals,identifyexceptionsthatcouldnotbeprocessed,andtransmit/settlethebatch.

Note:TheBatchSettlementReportwillbeaddedtotheNightAuditReportswhenauto-settled

Generate(new)“CloseDayActivityReport”:

o AttheconclusionofallautomatedCloseDayevents,auserpromptshouldindicatethatthereportiscompetewithoptionstoview(inreportviewer)orPrint.

o TheCloseDayExceptionReportisavailabletoberetrievedforpast-dates.o ReportIncludes:

a) ListofShiftsAuto-Closed;ordenotesthatnoshiftswereopenatthetimeCloseDaystarts

b) Posted:Room,RoomTax,SpecialRequest,andPackagecharges;orlistexceptionsoferrorsexist.

>IncludeissueswithRatesorAmenityItemsc) DailyBackup–Completewithtechnicalwarningsornotificationsifthereareerrorsd) AuthorizationIncreaseReport–Listofguestsauthorizedduringwithindicatorof

success,decline,orfailuretoauthorizee) GuestsDueOut–Listingofguestaccounts/roomsauto-extendedf) CloseDayProcess–listonlyerrorsgeneratedbythesystemduringaudit,ifapplicableg) ReportExceptions–listanyexceptionsorerrorsrelatedtoreportcreatingifvalidation

canbeperformedoncompletedreportseth) CreditCardBatch–Denotestatusofbatch(es)attemptedtoSettle



4

B) UserInterfaceChanges-Configuration

Configuration:GMFunctionsàPropertySettingsàConfigureNightAudit(SeeFigure1)NOTE:Theformer“AuditReportsSetup”pageisreplacedbyautilitywithexpandedfunction,andisre-titled“ConfigureNightAudit.”Thepage/utilitystillstillincludetheauditreportselectionandDay-Usecalculationoptions,andwillalsoincludesettingsforconfiguringtheautomatedCloseDayfunction,asnecessary.

TopSection• Toolbar

o Commands§ Save–Activewhenchangesaremadeonthescreen§ Cancel–Activewhenchangesaremade§ Refresh–Reloadspagetoshowlatestsaveddata

• NightAuditSettings–sectionheader• IncludeDay-UserRoomsinOccupancyStatistics• UseAutomaticCloseDay–Checkbox

.o SetCloseDayStartTime–StartTime(localtoproperty,adjustedfortimezonerecordedinGM

FunctionsàPropertySettingsàHotelInformation)§ Format=HH:MM:AM/PM–Fieldisrequired;CloudPMcannotsavetheUse

AutomaticCloseDaysettingswithoutthestarttimedataenteredandvalid.

o AuthorizationIncreaseReport–Selection:§ UseAuthorizationIncreasetocalculateadditionalauthorizationforin-houseaccounts

andautomaticallyobtainneededauthorization(Default:Checked=True)• AuthorizationsarecalculatedandautomaticallyobtainedwithoutPMSuser

interaction,usingcalculated&requestedauthorizations• UIdisplay-None

§ DonotautomaticallyauthorizecreditcardsduringCloseDayprocess.(AuthorizationIncreasereporting/authfunctionisbypassed)

o Due-OutGuests–PerFigure1,usersareinstructedthatdue-outguestsin-houseatthetimeofCloseDaywillbeauto-extendedbyonebusinessday.

§ Guestwillbeextended(sameroom)usingtheratelastused(lastnightofscheduledstay)

• Ifaweekly/monthlyrate,andtheguestisextendedbyonedaybutdoesnotqualifyfortheweekly/monthyrate,therateconfiguredfor“extradates”willbeused

• Ifnoextradayratesareconfiguredforthisscenario,thedefaultRACKratewillbeusedfortheauto-extendedstaynight

• Ifanyotherscenarioarisesthatcausesasituationwherenologicalratecanbeappliedtotheauto-extendednight,thePMSdefaultRACKratewillbeused



5

o CreditCardBatch–BatchwillbecreatedandcheckedtomatchdailytotalsfromtheCPMDailyActivityReportforeachcardtype.Paymentsmustbecheckedtoensurethatsufficientauthorizationshavebeenobtained.Ifthiscriteriaismet,thebatchwillbeauto-settledwiththemerchantprocessor;SeeFigure1(Verbiage)

o Notifications–Link(icon)andexplanationisprovidedforconfiguringnotificationsforauditalertsand/orfailuresintheCloudPMMessagemanager;SeeFigure1

1. CloseDayFailureMessage:[PROPCODE]:CloudPMNightAuditcouldnotbecompletedusingtheautomatedCloseDayfeature.Task(s)notcompleted:--------Allthatapplyfromthebelowlistmaybeincluded---------

• ShiftClose• DatabaseBackup• Guestsdue-outarein-house• CloseDayPhaseXnotcompleted(X=anysubsetof1,2,3,4,5thatapplies)

2. Non-CriticalErrorNotification:[PROPCODE]:CloudPMNightAuditreportedthefollowingerror(s)duringtheautomatedCloseDayprocess;AttentionRequired:--------Allthatapplyfromthebelowlistmaybeincluded---------

• PostRoom&Tax:OneorMoreAccountscouldnotbeposted• AuthorizationIncreaseReportfailedtocomplete• NightAuditReportsfailedtocreateduringCloseDay

3. CreditCardBatchFailure:

--------Message–AllinstancesofBatchfailuretosend---------

"TheCreditCardBatchcouldnotbetransmittedduringCloseDay.PleaseusetheCloudPaySettlementutilitytofixanypossibleproblemsandtransmitusingtheSettlementutility."



6

GMFunctionsàPropertySettingsàConfigureNightAuditCommandButtons:Save,Cancel,Refresh(Top/BottomToolbars)NOTE:Save/Cancelbuttonsonpagetoolbarsareenabledwhenanyeditorcontrolsarechangedinthesectionimmediatelybelowthetoolbar

Figure1



7

BottomSection

NightAuditReportsSetupTheexistinggridfrompreviousCloudPMversionsforsettinguptheNightAuditReportSetwillcontinuetobeusedforconfiguringAuditReportpropertiesinCloudPMv5.4+FuturereleasesmayallowforadditionalconfigurationofNightAuditreportingparametersandproperties.

• Title=“NightAuditReportsSetup”

• Toolbaro Commands

§ Save–Activewhenchangesaremadeonthescreen§ Cancel–Activewhenchangesaremade§ Refresh–Reloadspagetoshowlatestsaveddata

• Grido Columns

§ IncludeinAuditReports–Checkboxcolumn,usedtoselectreportstobeincludedinarchivedreports;defaultselection–All

• Exception:DailyActivityReportandManagersReportaremarked“Included”andwillalwaysbeselected

§ ReportName–Columnisread-only,showingallpermanentNightAuditReports:

Figure2



8

C) UserInterfaceChanges:CloseDayisIn-Progress&Post-AuditNotifications

CloudPMdoesnotpreventauserfromlogginginwhenCloseDayisin-progress,howeveranewshiftmaynotbeopeneduntilCloseDayiscomplete,whichpreventsanypostingactivityduringtheCloseDayfunction(asallShiftsmustbeclosedpriortostartingtheCloseDayfunction).Notification:UserattemptstoOpenShiftwhenCloseDayisin-progress

• Open/CloseShiftbyShiftNumber–TheOpenShiftcommandbuttonisdisabledwhentheAuditStatusisReadytoStartorwhenitisprocessing.OnceCloseDayiscomplete,theOpenShiftcommandisenabled.Figure3showsthattheOpenShiftcommandisdisabledfromthepointinwhichtheAuditStatusismovedto“ReadytoStart”throughthecompletionoftheCloseDayprocess.

Figure3



9

• Open/CloseShiftbyCashier–Inadditiontomaintainingthebusinessrulesaroundnotopeningashift

duringauditasnotedintheprevioussection,atLoginauserisprompted(ifflaggedtodosoinShiftCloseSettings)toopenashiftiftheuserdoesnothaveaCashierShiftopen.IfauserattemptstoopenaCashiershiftduringtheCloseDayprocess,CloudPMwillrespondwithanotificationthatashiftcouldnotbeopened(Figure4).

Figure4



10

Notification:CloseDayActivityLog(Post-Audit)andSuccessNotification• WhentheCloseDayprocessiscompleteasuccessnotificationmustdisplayif:

§ AnyWorkstationsareactivewiththeCloudPMUIrunning§ ForthefirstlogintoCloudPMattheconclusionofthenightaudit/CloseDayprocess

Thenotificationwillshowthatthebusinessdateassuccessfullyrolledoverandwillprovideanoptionshowshowthedetailofprocessescompleted.AnoptionwillexisttodisplaytheCloseDayActivityLog.SuccessNotification:AutomatedCloseDay:=>UseasNotification,notsystemprompt.LinktoReportfromthenotificationwithoutusingapop-up

Figure5



11

Notification:CloseDayActivityLog(Post-Audit)andFailureNotification

• WhentheCloseDayprocessiscomplete,CloudPMwillproduceareportcalledtheCloseDayAuditLog.Thiswilldetailactivitycompletedandexceptions.Exceptionscouldbeminorthatdonotrequireuserintervention,butwillalsoincludecriticalfailuressuchasCloseDaynotbeingtobecompleted,oraCreditCardbatchthatfailedtotransmittoaprocessor.

• CloudPMwillneedtoalsoprovideaclearUIAlert(outsideofPMSnotificationsandtheemail/text

notificationsexplainedinsectionC)(Configuration)whenCloseDayfailstocomplete,andtheCloudPMsystemhasbeenunabletochangetothenextbusinessday,asthisimpactshoteloperations(Housekeeping,checkout,checkin,etc.).

CloseDayFailure–CloudPMAlertLogin–Post-CloseDaywithfailuretocompleteCloseDay–

o WhenaloginattemptismadeafteraCloseDayprocesshasfailed(failingtoadvancethebusinessdate),theuserwillbeshownapop-upmessageuponloginindicatingthatuserand/orinterventionisrequiredandthatthebusinessdatehasfailedtoadvance.

§ AnyWorkstationsareactivewiththeCloudPMUIrunningThepop-upwillindicatethefailureandprovideacommandbuttonthatwillopentheCloudDayActivityLog.Text: [SeeFigure6]

“TheCloseBusinessDayprocess(NightAudit)didnotcompleteforthepreviousdate.ThecurrentBusinessDateintheCloudPMsystemis[MM/DD/YYYY].

HousekeepingRoomStatusandRoom/Taxpostingmaynotbeupdated.OpentheCloseDayActivityLogfortroubleshooting.”

• TheCloudPMscreen(allviews)willhaveabandacrossthetopofthepage,movingtheCloudPMUIdownbytheheightoftheband,whichwillserveasanoticethatthecurrentdayisstillonthepreviousdate,whichisimportanttopropertystafftobeawarethatroomstatues(Housekeeping)maybeoutdated,andthatin-houseguestscheckingoutmayneedtohaveroomchargescheckedtoensurethatbalancesarecorrect,amongotherconsiderations.

• OnceCloseDayhasbeensuccessfulforthecurrentbusinessdate,theUIalertswillnolongerdisplay;

theCloudPMUIcomponentswillthenmaintaina“normal”appearance.[SeeFigure5]



12

General:CloseDayFailureMode[SeeFigure6–CloudPMAuto-CloseDayFailureMode]FailureNotification:AutomatedCloseDay:

Figure6-CloudPMAuto-CloseDayFailureMode



13

D) CloseDayActivityReportTheCloseDayActivityReportwillbegeneratedeachtimetheAuditisrunforsystemsflaggedtousetheAuto-CloseDayfeatures,includinganyinstancewhenCloseDayisrunmanually.

• TheselectioninPropertySettingstoactivatetheauto-closedayfeatureswillalsoactivatethisreport.• ReportwillbeincludedintheNightAuditReportSetautomaticallywhenasystemisutilizingAuto-

CloseDayfeatures.

Reportcontents

• Header: ToIncludedate/timestamp,Propertyname,PropertyCode,CloseDaymethod(Auto/Manual)

• ActivityLog: Reportssuccess/failureofAuditfunctions,listinganyexceptionsthatoccurduringthe

CloseDayprocess,andcriticalfailuresthatwouldhalttheCloseDayprocess:

Process:

CheckCurrentBusinessDate

VerfityAuditnotin-progress

AllShiftsClosed

NoDueOutGuestsExist

VerfiyPreviousAuditReportsarenotrunning

PostRoom&Tax

PostSpecialRequests

NoReportsfromPreviousAuditin-progress



14

DatabaseBackup

Phase1 VerifyRoomStatusesarecorrect

SetDirtyRooms

ReturnMaintenanceRoomstoInventory

SetMaintenanceRoomsoutofInventory

Phase2 FlagNoShowReservations

Process/PostPackageCharges

Phase3 UpdateDailyAccountingActivityTables

UpdateDailyStatisticsTables

Phase4 Check-InGroupsarrivingnextbusinessday

ReleaseGroupBlocksasneeded

Phase5 PurgeAccountingCodessetfordeletion(notin-use)

PurgeAccountingGroupssetfordeletion

PurgeOldStayChangeLog;Changesolderthan90daysaredeletedifreservationischecked-out,cancelled,orno-show

Phase6 RebuildAvailabilityTables

PurgeCityLedgerAccounts(basedonsettings)

DeleteInterfaceprocessedevents



15

DeletePMSevents

DeleteCRScacherecords

PurgeHouseAccounts

DeleteBWLookupTables

DeleteVPLookupTables

DeleteoldTass,Notificaitons,andGeneralMessages

CreatenewNotifications

PurgeBWCRSOverbookingTables

PurgeCRSMessageLog

UpdateBusinessDate

GenerateSelectedNightAuditReports

EmailReportssetforAuto-Email

BalanceCreditCardBatch–Failureresultinginnotification

TransmitCreditCardBatch-Failureresultinginnotification

GenerateCloudPaySettlmentReport-

[SeeFigures7-8–SampleCloseDayActivityLog]



16

SampleReport: CloseDayActivityLog

Page1of2

Figure7



17

SampleReport: CloseDayActivityLog(Continued)

Page2of2

Figure8

Icons: Success:

Warning:

Failure:



18

E) RunningNightAuditManually–OverrideAutomatedCloseDayShouldtheneedarisetoruntheCloseBusinessDay/NightAuditfunctionmanually–priortothescheduled(automated)time,thisispermitted.

• TherearenorestrictiononclosingshiftswithorwithouttheAutoCloseDayfeatureenabled,permittingthisnecessarysteptobecompletedpriortoCloseDay,ifbeingrunmanually

• PostRoomandTaxisnotrestrictedfrombeingrunpriortotheCloseBusinessDayprocess;ifthisisrunmultipletimes,postingsareonlymadetoaccountsthathavenotbeenauto-postedforthecurrentbusinessdate

• IfausermanuallyselectsCloseBusinessDay,theDialogshowninFigure9woulddisplay.Thisinformstheuserthatauditwillberunmanuallyiftheyproceed(“Yes”),cancellingtheauto-schedulednightauditforthat(current)businessdate.

Figure9



19

Security&Permissions:OverrideRunningaCloseBusinessDayprocessmanuallywillrequireuserrightswhenAutomaticCloseDayisconfigured.Auserthatisnotassignedrightstomanuallycloseabusinessdatewillrequireasecurityoverride.Ifasecurityoverrideisrequired(seesectionbelow,RunningCloseDaymanuallywhenCloudPMisconfiguredforautomatedNightAudit),theCloudPMuserwillbepromptedtoenteravaliduser/passwordofauserthatisgrantedthepermissiontoCloseBusinessDaymanually.

Figure10-CloseBusinessDaymanually-CloudPMOverrideprompt

RunningCloseDaymanuallywhenCloudPMisconfiguredforautomatedNightAuditAnewpermissionhasbeenaddedtoCloudPM[GMFunctionsàSecurity&PermissionsàSecurityRolesàPermissions]called“CloseDay–Manual,”whichischecked,permitstheuserorRoletorunaCloseBusinessDay(nightaudit)inCloudPMmanually,whichwillremovethescheduledautomatedCloseBusinessDayprocessforthebusinessdateclosedbyaManualaudit.(Figure11)



20

Figure11

• This“permission”isuncheckedforallusersinitially• Aswillallpermissions,thepermissionmaybeassignedtoaSecurityRole(group)oruser.• Thepermissionwillappearasenabledonlywhenthe“UseAutomaticCloseDay”flagissetintheNight

AuditConfigurationinGMFunctionsàPropertySettingsàConfigureNightAudit.• IftheAutomaticCloseDayflagisnotset,thepermissionmaybehiddentouserswhenviewing

Permissions.