Stayntouch PMS: Release Notes (v5.69)

Stayntouch PMS

Release Notes (v5.69)

Effective:

• 12 July 2023 for customers using https://pms.us.stayntouch.com
• 17 July 2023 for customers using https://pms.eu.stayntouch.com
• 19 July 2023 for customers using https://pms.stayntouch.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• IDeaS G3: Send Rates In Group Message Without Taxes & Add-On Revenue From PMS To IDeaS 
• TravelClick/iHotelier: Exclude Tourist Tax From Reservation & Rate Messages
• Stayntouch IBE Enhancements (Applicable To Stayntouch IBE Customers Only)
• European Legal Requirements: Deposit Invoice Enhancements

Product Enhancements

IDeaS G3: Send Rates In Group Message Without Taxes & Add-On Revenue From PMS To IDeaS 

Hotels with an IDeaS G3 integration can now upload the group rates in group messages from Stayntouch PMS to IDeaS G3 without tax and add-on revenue. We deduct add-ons defined with a POST TYPE of Nightly. Please contact Customer Support to have this functionality enabled.

TravelClick/iHotelier: Exclude Tourist Tax From Reservation & Rate Messages

Hotels with a TravelClick/iHotelier integration can now choose to exclude tourist tax from messages uploaded from Stayntouch PMS to iHotelier by enabling the DO NOT SEND TOURIST TAX toggle from Settings > Integrations > Central Reservation System > iHotelier > Feature Settings. This allows hotels with city tax to define the city tax as tourist tax instead of using add-ons for it.

Please note, only taxes defined as a charge code type of TOURIST TAX will be excluded. 

Stayntouch IBE Enhancements (Applicable To Stayntouch IBE Customers Only)

We’ve made the following new enhancements to Stayntouch IBE:

1. Promo Code Application:
   • Users can apply promo codes in the search page.
   • The sidebar now displays information related to applied promo codes and group codes.
   • Rates that have a promo code applied will show at a reduced price with the slashed through original price next to it.

2. UI Enhancements:
   • The upper banner image has been removed, resulting in a cleaner user interface.
   • The sidebar section for filters and sorting remains visible while scrolling.

3. Improved Login Process:
   • M-link has been removed, simplifying the login process for guests.
   • Faster page loading times provide a smoother user experience.

4. Destination Fee Display:
   • Destination fee is now supported as a separate line item.
   • The fee is calculated per night and per room, providing accurate pricing information. Please contact Customer Support to activate this feature.

5. Webhook Integration:
   • Integrated webhooks for immediate updates of rates and descriptions from the Property Management System (PMS) to Stayntouch IBE.
   • Ensured real-time reflection of rate and description changes in the IBE site whenever updated in Stayntouch PMS.

European Legal Requirements : Deposit Invoice Enhancements (Applicable To Specific Customers Using Deposit Invoices In Europe)

We’ve made enhancements to deposit invoices to align with European legal requirements for generating deposit invoices and keeping deposit invoice charges on their own dedicated deposit bill.

Please note, deposit invoices must be enabled by Stayntouch Admin. Please contact Customer Support to have deposit invoices enabled for your property.

Overview

The deposit invoice functionality requires changes to align the functionality with financial legal requirements specified for deposit invoices.

• Deposit invoices must have a sequence number allocated (folio or unique deposit invoice number sequence).
• Any “copy of” deposit invoices must be marked as a “copy of”.
• The deposit bill functionality allows users to keep deposit transactions separate from normal financial transactions.

Deposit Invoice Setup

To streamline the deposit invoice functionality, we’ve hidden the dropdown option for DEPOSIT CHARGE CODE to be linked to standard charge code types.

Stayntouch PMS does not use the standard charge codes with the linked deposit charge codes as the trigger to post the deposit charge codes upon the first deposit payment made to the reservation. We’ve also removed the deposit charge code type from the standard charge code setup CHARGE CODE TYPE.

Moreover, we’ve added a new section under Settings > Financials called Deposit Invoice Charge Code Setup, where hotels can link their deposit charge code. This charge code will be the default, as deposit charge code types cannot be changed.

The deposit charge code with its linked taxes will still need to be configured from Settings > Financials > Charge Codes as a DEPOSITCHARGE CODE TYPE, but once it is linked from Settings > Financials > Deposit Invoice Charge Code Setup, that charge code will not be available for any other purposes.

Note: This section is available when the deposit invoice functionality is enabled for the property.

Deposit Invoice Billing

From the Guest Bill screen, we’ve added a deposit bill type. Deposit bills will only be used for deposit charges and payments, and they will only be created when the deposit invoice functionality is enabled. There is no limitation to the number of deposit bills that can be created for a reservation. The deposit bill will display at the end of the list of bills on the Guest Bill screen.

Deposit type charges codes will be posted only to deposit bill types and be locked at the time of the deposit payment—these transactions and payments cannot be moved to normal bills. The deposit credit will move to Bill #1 when the reservation is checked in—assuming Bill #1 has not been closed; if Bill #1 has been closed, then it will move to Bill #2, etc.

Lock bill functionality must be enabled for the property when using deposit invoice functionality. The deposit bill will be locked when a user posts the payment and the deposit charge code to the same value of the payment, resulting in a zero-balance bill.

Once the deposit bill is automatically closed, the next deposit and its charges will be posted to Deposit Bill #2, etc.

When a user posts the deposit charge code to the same value of the payment using the deposit charge code linked from Settings > Financials > Deposit Invoice Charge Code Setup, it will result in a zero-balance deposit bill, which will then lock the bill and generate the final deposit invoice.

As soon as the deposit bill is locked, and the reservation is still due-in, Stayntouch PMS will automatically create the next deposit bill.

Deposit bill locking will occur automatically for each bill when the deposit is taken and the contra deposit charges are raised. The deposit bill will not be open, as the legal deposit invoice was generated. 

This functionality will employ the same invoice number sequence (folio) as standard bills; however, we’ve added a unique deposit invoice sequence number setup from Stayntouch Admin settings that will be used for the deposit invoices. Please note, this must be done by Stayntouch Admin, so please contact Customer Support to configure this. Once configured, the deposit invoice number sequence will be displayed on the deposit invoices and not the folio number sequence.

Deposit Invoice Charge Logic

The deposit type charge code linked with the taxes required from Settings > Financials > Deposit Invoice Charge Code Setup must be configured from Settings > Financials > Charge Codes as a DEPOSIT CHARGE CODE TYPE.

Linking the deposit type charge code from Settings > Financials > Deposit Invoice Charge Code Setup will then use this charge code to generate the deposit type charges on reservations.

Example: When a user posts a deposit payment with a value of 1,000 Euros, and the deposit type charge code linked to the deposit charge code setup is DEP10, it will then have the following charges on the deposit bill.

The bill balance will be zero, and the user will automatically be forced to close the invoice and generate the deposit invoice, which will result in a locked bill.

Upon confirmation, the deposit invoice will be generated with either the folio number or the unique deposit invoice number. This deposit invoice will be called Deposit Invoice, and any reprints will be Copy of Deposit Invoice (if the copy counter is on, it will follow the number of copies logic). The deposit bill will then be locked. Stayntouch PMS will then automatically create a new deposit bill, which can be used for the next deposit payment and will follow the same logic as above.

Deposit Void

Locked deposit bills can be voided and voided and reposted like standard bills.

When a bill is locked, and the user needs to refund the deposit or they made a mistake, then the user can use the void functionality. The void logic for deposit bills is exactly the same as the existing void logic and will repost the charges on the bill in the voided bill.

Voided Bill Example

Void Deposit Bill Example

Refund Deposit Bill Example

This will also result in a zero-balance invoice, and the user will be able to print the deposit invoice and lock the bill.

Deposit Bill Rules

• Only deposit type charge codes and deposit payments can exist on a deposit bill.
• You cannot split charges or split payments on a deposit bill type, as the invoice was generated at the time of deposit payment.

Deposit Reports

When the deposit invoice functionality is enabled, an additional filter will appear on the Deposit Balance Summary Report that allows users to choose to EXCLUDE DEPOSIT CHARGES. The objective of this filter is to provide the hotel with a report that shows only the deposit payments, so they can see the status of their actual deposits on hand.

Deposit Charge Codes – Journal

Deposit charge codes remain within the DEPOSIT BALANCE ledger from Financials > Journal > SUMMARY and are reversed from the DEPOSIT BALANCE ledger once a reservation has checked in. The summary of all deposit type charges on all deposit bills must be posted in the active guest bill at check-in as a single deposit type charge using the same charge code but with additional reference text (e.g., deposit charges moved at check-in).

Example Guest Bill 1

Please note, when a deposit bill is locked, Stayntouch PMS will not show the payment on the Guest Bill, but it will instead post the counter deposit charge onto the Guest Bill as a credit.

Moreover, if a reservation has more than one deposit bill with deposit charges, when the reservation checks in, Stayntouch PMS will post each deposit credit of all the deposit charges and post in the Guest Bill with the description, “Deposit charge moved at check-in.”

Deposit/Guest Ledger

The deposit type charge code posted on the Guest Bill will show a reference text deposit charge moved at check-in. Deposit payments will be moved from the deposit ledger to the guest ledger. Please note, these transactions will not be shown on the Guest Bill.