Rate Manager: Frequently Asked Questions

Modified on: Tue, 26 Sep, 2023 at 1:27 PM

Applies to:          Stayntouch PMS          

Rate Manager: Frequently Asked Questions


Topics Include:

  1. What is the purpose of the Rate Manager tool in Stayntouch PMS?
  2. I already configured my rates from the Stayntouch PMS Settings page – why would I use Stayntouch PMS’s Rate Manager?
  3. How do I access dates in the future? I need to look over next year’s rates.
  4. Why don’t I see any rates?
  5. I created a new rate. Why don't I see it in the Rate Manager?
  6. What’s the best way to manage rates from this page?
  7. There are letters beside my rate. What do they mean?
  8. How can I can quickly apply a restriction to specific date range? 
  9. How do I change the price of my rates from the Rate Manger? 




1. What is the purpose of the Rate Manager tool in Stayntouch PMS? 


Great question! The Rate Manager is the main page where you will manage the rates at your property. Use the Rate Manager to set rate restrictions, increase or decrease the rate’s amount, as well as review the rate’s open/closed status for a date or date range. The Rate Manager is a centralized location for controlling rate availability, restrictions, and the rate’s price for a specific timeframe. 


2. I already configured my rates from the Stayntouch PMS Settings page – why would I use Stayntouch PMS’s Rate Manager?  


Think of rate management in Stayntouch PMS as a two-step process. The first step requires you to create your rate from the Settings page (Settings > Rates). The settings page allows you to build the structure of the rate - including setting the rate’s average price and when the rate is available for a certain time period (days, weeks, months, etc.). Then, you will actively manage the rate from the Rate Manager page (Revenue Management > Rate Manager).


Trying to manage all your rates from the Settings page is not only inefficient, but it doesn’t provide you with a sweeping view of rate activity for your property. With the Rate Manager, you can view a date range (much like a calendar), and fine-tune each rate’s particular features, such as availability, restrictions, and price details.  


3. How do I access dates in the future? I need to look over next year’s rates.


From the Rate Manager page, you can view different date ranges by accessing the FILTER OPTIONS menu on the left hand side of the page. With this filter, you can also opt to:

  • Order rates by amount or alphabetically.
  • Filter by an individual rate.
  • View all rates, all room types, or look for a certain rate type. 


4. Why don’t I see any rates?


If you’ve set a particular date/date range and selected the green Show Rates button, then all of the “active” rates at your property should appear on the rate grid. However, if instead of seeing multiple rates and their rate amounts, you see the message NO RATE across the page, then you may have hit a small snag.


Not to worry; this occasionally happens when a property has not yet configured a rate for the selected time period. This can happen if you are trying to look at a rate in the future and didn’t realize that during rate creation, you only set the rate for the span of a year. For example: If you created a rate for January 2025 – December 2025, but you're trying to manage the rate in January 2026.   


Solution: To resolve this, log into Stayntouch PMS and go to Settings > Rates > Rates and make adjustments to the calendar section for the rate you’d like to manage (or create a new rate for the date range you’re interested in managing).


Note: You cannot manage rates in the past, so if you’ve set your date range to dates in the past, you will not be able to make changes to the rate grid.


5. I created a new rate. Why don't I see it in the Rate Manager?


If you are using custom sequences, upon creating a rate from Settings > Rates > Rates, you must add it to a rate sequence from Settings > Rates > Rate Sequence > EDIT CUSTOM SEQUENCE > MANAGE RATES > Move Rate to Rates in Sequence. Once you add it to the sequence, it will appear in the Rate Manager.




 

6. What’s the best way to manage rates from this page? 


From the left hand column on the page, you will notice a running list of all the rates currently active at your property. The rate’s amount will also display for selection on the rate grid. From this left hand column, you may click the orange chevron arrows beside the rate to reveal the room types assigned to the given rate. To set rate restrictions or adjust a rate’s price, click the rate’s amount on the rate grid (e.g., 330.00). A popup window will appear that allows you to control the rate’s price, restrictions, as well as setting a specific date range for the changes you’d like to make.


You'll also notice a Rate Editor within the Rate Manager. To access the Rate Editor, click the left-facing chevron arrows next to a rate in the Rate Manager to pull up that rate and begin editing. 


 

You’ll then see a purple button at the top of the screen that says PRESS ⌘ + E FOR RATE EDITOR (for Mac) or PRESS CTRL + E FOR RATE EDITOR (for PC). You can either use your keyboard to enter that function, or you can click the purple button. 


 

This will open a new screen that you can navigate through using the arrow keys on your keyboard or a mouse. By default, the top left cell will be selected when this screen is opened. The current cell and the appropriate date and room type will be highlighted. 


 

You can only update one cell at a time. When you’ve entered a new value in a cell, you can click the tab key on your keyboard to move horizontally to the next cell, or you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate up and down or left and right. Leaving the cell will automatically save the updated value.




Users can navigate and change values using a keyboard. Here is an overview of how to use your keyboard to navigate through the Rate Editor:

  1. Pressing tab or moves you one cell to the right.
  2. Pressing shift + tab or moves you one cell to the left.
  3. Pressing return or moves you to the same cell in the row below.
  4. Pressing shift+ return or ↑ moves you to the same cell in the row above.
  5. Pressing esc or the CLOSE EDITOR button closes the Rate Editor.
  6. Pressing ⌘ + ? (for Mac) or CTRL + ? (for PC) opens keyboard shortcuts. You can also click the gray button that says ⌘? OPEN KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS (for Mac) or CTRL? OPEN KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS (for PC) to pull up a list of keyboard shortcuts.




7. There are letters beside my rate. What do they mean? 


Base Rate:

When a rate shows the "B" symbol next to it, then you are looking at a base rate (This is also referred to as a “parent” rate. Base rates are standalone rates that were NOT created from existing rates, which are commonly referred to as based on/child rates).



8. How can I can quickly apply a restriction to a specific date range?


- Simple! Use the FILTER OPTIONS on the left hand side of the page to configure the date rate and additional settings. 

- Your filter settings will vary based on your selection.


A. As always, you need to specify the DATE RANGE with which you will be working. 

B. Choose to order the rates by Lowest Rate, Highest Rate, Alphabetical A-> Z, Alphabetical Z -> A, or Custom Sequence. 

C. With the SHOW setting, choose to generate a list of RATES, RATE TYPES, or ROOM TYPES.

D. Configure the FILTER INDIVIDUAL RATES section based on your preferences.

E. Lastly, select the green button SHOW ALL RATES.



- Once the Rate Manager loads, you can select the area directly below a date along the top of the page. 

- This will result in the restrictions being applied to every rate below this section.



- For this example, we’ll choose to apply a restriction to all the rates starting on Wednesday, September 27 and ending on Monday, October 2. To do this, click the box directly below the start date that you want your restriction to start on. 



- The restriction popup window will then appear. 

- Set a restriction by toggling ON the restriction(s) that you’d like to apply to the rate.



- Additional prompts will appear if more information is needed. 

- For example, because we are setting a 2-day minimum stay until October 2, we need to enter a 2 in the space provided and then select SET.



- Next, check the box beside APPLY RESTRICTIONS.



IMPORTANTYou MUST check the box beside the APPLY RESTRICTIONS box. If you do not check this box, your restriction(s) won’t update.


- With the FOR EVERY section, you can apply a restriction to days of the week (or use the select all button). 

- With the UNTIL dropdown menu, choose a date that indicates WHEN the restriction will no longer be effective.



- Lastly, click SET.



- And you’re done! The specific "restriction" icon will appear in the cell(s) where the restriction has been applied. 

- In our example, the icon is a blue "2" for the 2-day Minimum Length of Stay restriction.



Tips: 


(1) You will notice a running list along the bottom of the Rate Manager page that lists various restrictions and their corresponding icons.



(2) When booking a reservation in Stayntouch PMS, if the restriction requirements are NOT met and there are no other rates available for selection, the following message will appear on the Room & Rates page: "No Availability. Please select to Show Restrictions or change Room Type selection."



(3) You will need to choose Show Restrictions to see the closed rates and any restrictions. Just like with the Rate Manager, the same restriction icons appear beside the rate.



(4) The Book restricted room & rate permission allows users to book a reservation despite restrictions.



(5) When this permission is assigned, there are NO additional prompts notifying the user of restrictions during booking. The user will be allowed to proceed with confirming the reservation. This is because the icons already inform the user that there is a restriction effective for the rate.


9. How do I change a rate’s price from the Rate Manager?


- From the Rate Manager, price adjustments must happen to the rate at the room type level.

- To begin, first configure the room filter to display RATES.



- Select one set of orange arrows beside the specific rate you’d like to manage. 

- As you will note, the orange chevron arrows appear for selection beside every rate (as indicated in the screenshot below). 

- These orange chevron arrows will reveal the room types associated with the rate.



- Next, choose a room type below the ALL ROOM TYPES column. 



- Then, select the orange chevron arrow beside the room type to reveal all the rooming information. 

- This will reveal the price adjustment popup menu.




- OR you can reach the price adjustment popup menu by selecting a specific cell on the grid.



- This popup is divided into several sections that control specific settings: 

  • RESTRICTIONS: Apply a restriction to the rate. Refer to Question 8 (above) for more information.
  • ADJUST PRICE: You have the option to adjust pricing for the room type (or for extra adults/children).
  • REPEAT ON DATES: Use this section to ensure the new price is reflected across certain days of the week (or every day of the week with the SELECT ALL button).



IMPORTANT: After you’ve made any price adjustments, you MUST check the box beside the APPLY PRICE box. If you do not check this box, your changes won’t update.



- Specify a date below the UNTIL space. This will determine when the price adjustment will no longer apply. 

- Then, choose SET at the bottom of the popup window.



- And you’re done! Pride adjustments are noted with a golden star on the rate grid.

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