Stayntouch PMS Stayntouch PMS Restart Guide
Index
Stayntouch Support
OUR HELPDESK PORTAL
Stayntouch’s Helpdesk portal is a centralized location for you to open, track, and respond to support requests—or tickets. Each ticket is assigned its own unique case number that allows you to track the ticket’s progress and view closed issues. You can create a Helpdesk account yourself following the steps below:
Navigate to https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home.
Select the Sign Up button in the upper right corner of the page.
(Note: If you attempt to create a new ticket without logging in first, Helpdesk will prompt you to log in/sign up.)
Begin by entering your name and email address.
Next, enter the captcha code exactly as it appears.
Click Register.
Now, log into your email account.
Locate the email from Helpdesk.
Click on the URL provided in the body of the email.
A new window will open, prompting you to create a password for your account.
Your Helpdesk account has been activated once you assign a password to your account.
Save your username and password somewhere secure, and you're done!
Alternatively, please contact your CSM or implementations@stayntouch.com to get your Stayntouch Helpdesk login.
Please view this video for assistance in getting started with Helpdesk.
In most cases, submitting a support ticket in Helpdesk will be the main channel used by you and your team to ask questions, problems, or issues. This method renders the fastest responses from our Support Team.
Please also see the following links for details outlining logging into Helpdesk for the first time, how to log a ticket, and checking the status on an open ticket through the customer web portal.
CONTACT OUR SUPPORT TEAM
Support calls are directed to our Support Engineers located around the globe. Our highly-trained, knowledgeable Support Engineers will respond to your request as quickly as possible.
Unless you are experiencing a *Priority 1 (P1) issue (which should be called-in immediately to our support line), we recommend submitting a Helpdesk support request before calling the support number below. This will help our team with documenting issues and will allow for a more comprehensive follow-up.
Stayntouch Support Reception: +1 301-563-9473
Helpdesk Support: https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home
Note: It’s our top priority to respond to support requests as quickly as possible. We will do our best to assist you during your initial outreach; however, some issues may require supplemental research or additional team members’ assistance (i.e., Product Experts, Implementations Specialists, Development Team, etc.).
HOW TO SUBMIT A SUPPORT TICKET
To open a ticket via our web portal, simply select the following link: https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home, select create a new ticket, and follow the steps outlined below:
Registered Email Address Only: This field will pre-populate with your login email address. Please do not change.
Add CC: Click the Add CC link to include additional email addresses if desired.
Your First and Last Name: Enter your first and last name in this field.
Hotel Name: Enter the name of the hotel experiencing the issue.
Subject: Include a brief but descriptive title for the ticket.
What Section Do You Need Support: Indicate the section for which you need support. Select from one of the following:
Front Desk
Groups
Revenue Management
Housekeeping
Financials
Actions Managers
Reports
Settings and Configuration
Integrations
Priority: Select the urgency of your issue/request. Please choose the most appropriate option to receive the most efficient response.
*Priority 1: Critical
The platform is down, cannot access the system*.
Customer cannot check a guest in or out or book a reservation.
Customer cannot access the system.
Priority 2: High
Guests cannot check in or out from Stayntouch Guest Mobility.
Certain actions and data fields in Stayntouch PMS are not functional.
Priority 3: Low
Informational cases.
Reporting.
Enhancement requests.
Feature Request/Customization
Requests for new features or customizations.
Description: In the description space of your ticket, please be as detailed as possible. The more information you provide, the better we can respond to and resolve your tickets. Helpdesk’s simple ticket support system allows you to include links and images right in the body of the ticket.
Best Telephone Number to Reach You About This Issue: Enter a phone number for us to contact you if necessary.
Don’t Forget to Follow-Up
After you’ve submitted a support request in Helpdesk, it is not uncommon for a Stayntouch team member to follow-up with additional questions regarding your support request (i.e., what time the issue was noted, verification of intended functionality, the reservation’s confirmation number, etc.). Your timely response will enable us to provide more efficient support.
BEFORE YOU CALL
Determine if the problem is a Priority 1 (P1) issue. A P1 issue is a rare situation where Stayntouch is experiencing an unplanned system outage OR when check-ins/check-outs are disabled in Stayntouch PMS. While both P1 and P2 issues are treated as issues requiring “urgent action”, please report P1 level issues immediately to Stayntouch’s support team at +1 301-563-9473.
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT A TICKET
Verify that the problem is actually related to Stayntouch’s software. Problems can arise as the result of third party vendors, interfaces, or network/connectivity issues. Begin by verifying that the problem is not the result of issues associated with another vendor. Stayntouch Support does not provide support for non-Stayntouch products, but we will do our best to work with you and the third party to quickly resolve these issues.
Check if an update is required. If you are working from an older version of our app, you may need to upgrade the version of the software you are using.
Attempt to reproduce the problem. Take a moment to recreate the issue. Reproducing the issue allows you to confirm that the problem can be recreated and is also an opportunity for you to take screenshots of the potential issue. Please share the screenshots you gather when submitting your support ticket, so our team can use them as a point of reference when investigating the issue.
Collect as much information as possible. Details, details, details. The more information you can share with us, the better. If you can determine when the issue first began, share the reservation’s confirmation number (when applicable), and/or tell us what you believe to be the scenario’s expected behavior, and we will be much better equipped to respond to the problem.
Review all relevant documentation. Lastly, do take a moment to check for a solution or answer in our Knowledge Base. We have helpful guides and videos that may assist you in a pinch.
KNOWLEDGE BASE
For us to provide you with the most up-to-date, accessible support, we are pleased to introduce you to our Knowledge Base (located in Helpdesk). This resource allows you to view and search a repository of knowledge about all things Stayntouch PMS and Stayntouch Guest Mobility/Kiosk, including tips, how-to guides, helpful videos, and release notes. Please check this site for the latest and most current information regarding your product-related questions.
To review our comprehensive Client Care Support Guide, click here.
Operational Checklist
FRONT OFFICE
When reacquainting yourself with Front Office operations in Stayntouch PMS, we recommend following the steps highlighted below.
Re-activate/update passwords for all users who will need access to the system.
Create new users as needed.
Update permissions if necessary. Please ensure you assign no more than one user role per user. That one role should include all permissions the user needs. Combining roles will cause errors when the user attempts to log in.
Ensure the Stayntouch PMS is displaying the current date.
You can roll the date manually after adjusting settings in Hotel Configuration.
In the event EOD needs to be caught up for more than one or two days, please open a support ticket.
Once caught up, ensure your house is balanced and determine if you have OTB reservations during the re-opening period.
Run the following reports to ensure you have the next several weeks’ worth of bookings in your line of sight:
Arrivals Report – This report provides all pertinent guest/reservation information for the selected date range.
Forecast Report or Business on the Books Report – These reports provide reservations, arrival, departure, and % of OCC for the selected date range.
Inspect the Actions Manager for outstanding tasks that may need to be addressed prior to arrival/during an upcoming stay.
If you will no longer be utilizing automatic EOD processing, set up your property to manually run EOD.
You can configure this setting from Settings > Hotel & Staff > Settings & Parameters.
Ensure the EMAIL RECIPIENT FOR EOD REPORTS field has a valid email address or belongs to the appropriate team member.
Ensure any previously scheduled reports (downtime reports) are scheduled to be sent to the appropriate team members again.
Review stationery and update any policies/terms and conditions/general hotel information in your confirmation and cancellation letters.
HOUSEKEEPING
Please be sure to review the steps outlined below to refamiliarize yourself with Housekeeping operations in Stayntouch PMS.
Ensure that all Housekeeping users are active, have updated passwords, and are assigned the appropriate permissions.
Examine current room statuses and verify they are accurate.
Run the following reports to assist with checking room status:
Vacant Rooms Report – This report shows “dropped rooms”, or rooms that were left vacant overnight. In addition, this report can be populated for the number of days vacant, which allows for a review of rooms by those left dormant the longest.
Rooms OOO/OOS Report – This report shows a list of rooms that are or will be OOO/OOS for a selected date range.
Place rooms back in order/service as needed from Housekeeping > Rooms Status.
Update room cleanliness, as well, if any adjustments need to be made.
You can reference the Housekeeping > Task Management area, as well, to check for any outstanding Housekeeping tasks that need to be completed.
If rooms need to be assigned, run through the room assignment process to create worksheets for Housekeeping.
If you need to update Housekeeping tasks, you can do so from Settings > Rooms > Task Management.
Be sure to update any sections in use and apply to the appropriate users to those sections.
If you need to deactivate specific tasks, such as stayover clean, you can do so from the Task Management area, as well, by switching the toggle ON.
FINANCIALS
Make sure to review the steps outlined below to refamiliarize yourself with Financials in Stayntouch PMS.
Ensure that all Accounting users are active, have updated passwords, and are assigned the appropriate permissions.
Create any special charge codes, groups, etc. that you will need during reopening.
Verify journals match closing balances.
You can view journal postings for a specific date range by selecting REVENUE or PAYMENTS to view a fixed period of transactions.
If there are imbalances that cannot be corrected manually, please open a support ticket.
Run the following reports to view any changes/charges/payments that might have posted during closure:
A/R Aging Report – This report provides pertinent details/balances owed for A/R accounts.
Daily Transactions Report – This report displays all transactions for a reservation or account on a given day. This may need to be run for several days individually.
Daily Payments Report – This report displays all payments on a reservation or account for a given day. This may need to be run for several days individually.
Guest Balance Report – This report provides details on outstanding balances for accounts.
Ensure any previously scheduled reports/scheduled exports/custom exports are scheduled to be sent to the appropriate team members again.
Verify any Back Office Exports are put into place if deactivated. If you need interface assistance, please open a support ticket.
Update deposit rules to reflect current policies.
Verify tax rates are accurate.
Verify item inventory and pricing are accurate.
View any open cashiers and ensure they are accurate/closed as needed from Front Desk > Cashier.
REVENUE MANAGEMENT
Ensure rate sets are extended out to the appropriate end date. Add additional sets so you are bookable into the future as needed.
If you are creating new rates coming out of closure, and they should be sold on your website/distributed to channels, be sure to map these rates to your CRS from Settings > Rates > Channel Managers.
Once you’ve selected a Channel Manager, select your CRS provider.
Click + ADD NEW.
Type in the name of a rate you have created and select the correct rate from the dropdown menu.
Select room types that are applicable to the rate you’ve selected.
Click SAVE CHANGES.
Ensure the rates you want to sell are properly opened and available to book by using the Rate Manager.
Check all restrictions in place are correct or removed as necessary (i.e., minimum LOS, closures, stay throughs, etc.).
Confirm you have returned rooms from OOO/OOS from Housekeeping > Room Status.
Check the availability calendar to verify you are selling the accurate number of rooms on any given date in the near future.
Yield your rates using the Rate Manager. Update pricing as needed, either up or down on both a room type level and house level.
Verify rates are flowing correctly to your CRS and that you have parity across channels.
Ensure that as new bookings come through, all necessary data is flowing down from your PMS. If not, please open a support ticket with both your CRS provider and Stayntouch.
STATIONERY
Navigate to Settings > Hotel & Staff > Stationery.
Update your logos/hotel photos if you have new/updated imagery.
Add/update any new terms of check-in or guidelines for staying at the hotel. Assign those terms and conditions to the various guest touch points (i.e., confirmation letter, Stayntouch Guest Mobility/Kiosk, Stayntouch PMS check-in, registration card, etc.).
If you’d like to incorporate text about new measures your hotel is taking in response to COVID-19, we recommend adding this text to your hotel’s stationery (i.e., terms and conditions, confirmation/cancellation letters, payment receipts, etc.).
If you’ve recently added Stayntouch Guest Mobility/Kiosk, be sure to allocate terms and conditions.
Each section can use a different iteration of your terms and conditions. Create as many as needed.
Reactivate SEND CONFIRMATION LETTER if you’ve turned this feature off while your hotel was closed.
Update/add any social media accounts you previously had listed.
Ensure that the information being provided in the body text of your confirmation letters is still accurate. Update the signature, as well, if the GM/team has changed.
Reactivate SHOW REG. CARD PRINT BUTTON if you’ve deactivated this while closed.
With invoices, ensure the logo you are using is up-to-date and any body text is now accurate based on current operations.
Send yourself test invoices, confirmations, cancellations, etc. in order to verify things look the way you intended.
Integrations
GENERAL
Compare ARI and ensure parity between Stayntouch PMS and your CRS.
If needed, run full resyncs of ARI from your CRS.
Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Central Reservation System.
From there, select the proper CRS. You should see a screen that looks similar to the screenshot below.
The CRS sync utility is a great tool for pushing out all ARI for a specific date range. There are a few things to note about this tool:
You can run a sync for any time period for up to 30 days at a time.
You cannot run a sync for the same dates within 3 hours of each other.
For example, if you run a sync of rates for January 15 – February 14 and immediately tried to run a sync of inventory for January 1–30, it would not allow you to run the second sync for another 3 hours.
You can run a sync of multiple items for the same timeframe all at once.
For example, you can run a sync for January 1–30 for rates, inventory, and restrictions to ensure complete ARI sync.
LIGHTSPEED POS INTEGRATIONS
In order to test Lightspeed POS integration, simply post a charge to a room number from Lightspeed and ensure the charge is posted in Stayntouch PMS. Please note, this informaton is for Lightspeed L-Series.
Below are a few articles to help you refamiliarize yourself with Lightspeed POS:
DIRECT KEY INTEGRATIONS
Complete the below steps to test direct key integrations:
Check in a guest.
Attempt to make a key.
Attempt to make multiple keys at once.
Check to make sure the key works on the room.
For more information about direct key integrations, see our complete guide.
COMTROL
Verify there have been no changes made to your network that require reconnecting interfaces. If there have been changes, you may need to reach out to Stayntouch support for assistance in reappointing the Comtrol Interface PC/Server to the on-property interfaces for connectivity.
Ensure firewall rules have not changed and that the Comtrol Interface PC/Server can communicate with our cloud IP addresses on Port 32768:
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 107.20.88.165
- 18.204.122.217
- 18.235.212.108
- 35.175.41.146
- 52.0.227.64
- 54.144.36.255
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.eu.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 3.122.11.225
- 3.122.153.217
- 3.122.160.30
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.us.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 54.225.198.118
- 34.200.153.180
- 34.193.10.117
- 52.21.10.221
Locate the Comtrol Interface PC/Server and ensure it is powered on. If powered on, we recommend rebooting it, and if there are any pending Windows updates, it may be a good idea to run these now.
On the Comtrol Interface PC/Server, ensure that both the Rover Interface Controller (RIC) service and LLPTS service are running as shown here.
Perform a test "transaction" for each of your on-property interfaces by cutting a key, posting a charge to a room, or checking in a test reservation to ensure the name populates on the telephone, for example. This will depend on which interfaces are in use at your property.
We have a document on our Knowledge Base explaining how to manage any changes in mappings that may be required. This is based on changes to outlets and revenue centers that may have occurred since your hotel was last operational.
DELPHI
Verify there have been no changes made to your network, specifically regarding your Delphi Interface PC/Server. If there have been any changes, you may need to review firewall rules to allow proper traffic as per below.
Ensure the Delphi Interface PC/Server can communicate with our cloud IP addresses:
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 107.20.88.165
- 18.204.122.217
- 18.235.212.108
- 35.175.41.146
- 52.0.227.64
- 54.144.36.255
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.eu.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 3.122.11.225
- 3.122.153.217
- 3.122.160.30
Please find below a list of Stayntouch IP addresses (for customers logging into the PMS with the https://pms.us.stayntouch.com/ link), which will need to be granted access to the interface PC (also referred to as the Comtrol PC).
- 54.225.198.118
- 34.200.153.180
- 34.193.10.117
- 52.21.10.221
Locate the Delphi Interface PC/Server and ensure it is powered on.
On the Delphi Interface PC/Server, ensure the NWS service is running.
At this point, we should have inbound communication from Delphi to Stayntouch PMS. If there are any issues with this, please reach out to Stayntouch support—as well as Amadeus support, who can assist with troubleshooting.
Please note, if your NWS services have been offline for some time, your historic pick up may not be accurate. If you wish, you may open a support ticket, and we can have this updated for you.
YOUR PAYMENT DEVICES AT THE FRONT DESK
If you are working with an iPad, we recommend you pair it with either an iCMP device to perform credit card swipes and key creation or an MagTek iDynamo device to perform credit card swipes. The below articles explain how to complete connection with these devices.
If, however, you are working with a desktop computer, we recommend you first install the Rover Service File. The Rover Service File is required to be installed on any workstation (Windows/Mac) where users are required to process credit cards using an EMV terminal or MagTek device. Both the Windows and Mac files can be found here. Once the service has been installed, it is important to log into Stayntouch PMS on the workstation as a Hotel Admin user, which will prompt you with a workstation creation screen. To add a workstation, refer to this article. You can then connect the desktop to a MagTek Dynamag device to perform credit card swipes using a USB connector.
If you need assistance installing the Rover Service File, please contact Customer Support.
Stayntouch Guest Mobility
STAYNTOUCH GUEST MOBILITY CHECK-IN
Please note, guests can only complete pre-check-in if they have a valid email address on their reservation.
If you have deactivated Stayntouch Guest Mobility mobile check-in, upon reactivating, we recommend completing a configuration refresh. Many of the settings can be simply toggled ON or OFF. The initial two primary settings are SEND EMAIL CHECK-IN ALERT and PRE-CHECK-IN ONLY (see below).
Please ignore any settings related to Zest App.
For a full list of Stayntouch Guest Mobility check-in configuration settings, including key configuration, please click here.
This video demonstrates the Stayntouch Guest Mobility check-in flow.
STAYNTOUCH GUEST MOBILITY CHECK-OUT
For a full list of Stayntouch Guest Mobility check-in configuration settings, including key configuration, please click here.
Please note, only room type exclusions are a part of the Stayntouch Guest Mobility check-out settings. There are no exclusions for rate code or block codes.
ADD-ONS & UPSELL
Many hotels have decided to offer add-ons and upsells to guests during the Stayntouch Guest Mobility and Stayntouch Guest Kiosk process as a means of promoting contactless interactions.
For instructions about configuring add-ons and upsells, please see this article.
Stayntouch Guest Kiosk
STAYNTOUCH GUEST KIOSK SETUP
To leverage contactless interactions, hotels may also choose to activate Stayntouch Guest Kiosk. To utilize Stayntouch Guest Kiosk, you MUST have an iPad utilizing the Stayntouch App (which can be downloaded here in the App Store).
Please note, we recommend an iPad Pro with the latest iOS version for best functionality.
Prior to configuring the settings, you must name your iPads when logging in for the first time. When a user with admin credentials logs in for the first time, they will be prompted with an ADD NEW WORKSTATION screen. Please enter a WORKSTATION ID in correspondence with that iPad workstation name. For example, “Kiosk iPad 1”.
If key encoders and EMV terminals are already in place, you can map them now, as well. If encoders and EMV terminals are not set up prior to naming the iPad workstation, you can see instructions here for linking the terminals to the iPad.
For properties that utilize iPads, we recommend an accessibility feature from iOS called Guided Access. Guided Access allows you to lock a particular application within the iPad and prevents users from migrating out of the selected application to another iPad application. A great example is preventing guests from using the iPad camera app when using the iPad for Stayntouch Guest Kiosk check-in. To set up Guided Access, please see this article.
For complete instructions on setting up Stayntouch Guest Kiosk, please see the following articles:
LANGUAGE DOCUMENTS & MODIFICATIONS
During the Stayntouch Guest Kiosk setup process, hotels can control what guests see while utilizing Stayntouch Guest Kiosk. There are editable language documents that can be uploaded and modified to control the visual aspect of Stayntouch Guest Kiosk. To view instructions about how to modify these documents, please see this article.
Stayntouch also offers multi language support. If you choose to use languages other than English, please refer to this article.
For a complete demonstration of the Stayntouch Guest Kiosk flow, please see this video.