UPDATE PROCEDURES AND ENHANCEMENT LIST FOR
System 21^® CODE UPDATE
2.09.xx to 02.10.xx

MANAGER: Please read this update document in its entirety.

NIGHT AUDITOR: Please read this before you begin!

• The process to update to this new code will be done in two stages: your real “live” hotel database will be updated during the night audit on the first night. On the second night, your training hotel databases will be updated. Some important notes to consider BEFORE the update:
• Even though this update does not delete Guided Tour scores, it is always a good practice to print them before each update.
• The update will automatically refresh your Training and Night Audit/Housekeeping hotels. This will wipe out any work that trainees have done so far in their workbooks (Front Desk Workbook Part 1, Night Audit Workbook, Housekeeping Workbook and Accounts Receivable Workbook).
• The Practice hotel will need to be refreshed right after the release and this will wipe out any work done in Workbook 2 and the Management Workbook.
• You will NOT be able to access any of the training hotels (databases) during the one day between updates. If you have urgent need to do training on that day, see the note at the end of the update procedures.

To complete the update, follow these steps:

1. During the update, System 21^® CANNOT be used on any workstation. When the update is complete, a message will appear to tell you it has been completed.
2. Go to another workstation and print the Downtime Reports. The system will be down for the Close Out process plus an additional 1 to 2 hours for the update, so you will need the reports in order to operate during that time without the computer. The update time is approximate and varies, depending on the size of the property and the hardware configuration.
3. Once the Downtime Reports have printed, you should exit from System 21^® on ALL workstations, except the workstation where Night Audit is being performed. On that workstation, you should leave Night Audit open, but exit from the Front Desk screen.
4. Make sure today’s back-up tape is inserted in the back-up unit. This will be critical for a successful update.
5. Proceed with the Night Audit as normal. When you start the Close Out, you will get a “For Your Information” message box telling you that the update will occur at the end of Close Out.
6. When Close Out has completed a message box will appear, giving the option to start the update or to delay it another day. Click on the YES button to start the update.
7. Another message appears reminding you to insert your backup tape. Click on the OK button.
8. After the “Close Out has successfully completed” message appears, click on OK again and it will then return to the Night Audit screen.
9. Exit from the Night Audit screen.
10. Now go to each workstation (including the Night Audit one) and start the System 21^® Front Desk program. This will automatically launch an update of that workstation, which will take 10-15 minutes. It is very important to update every workstation NOW, rather than during the day when it might be needed to take care of a guest. Don’t forget about workstations in the Back Office or Manager’s Office.
11. Your live database update is completed. You can now finish your night audit tasks as normal. During tomorrow’s night audit you will do the next steps.

On the night FOLLOWING the live database update:

12. On the next night, the system will give you a new message when you start the Close Out. This “For Your Information” message is to inform you that the training databases will be updated at the end of Close Out.
13. It will not be necessary to exit all workstations from the system.
14. At the end of Close Out, another message will appear asking if you wish to perform the training update. Click on the YES button.
15. This part of the update will take about 2 hours, but you WILL be able to access System 21^® on any other workstation. Be prepared for it to move very slowly, however, during the update.
16. Once you get the update complete message, you can return to normal operations.

MANAGER: If you urgently need to do training during the day after the initial live database update, you can update the Training databases at anytime during the day instead of waiting until the night audit does it automatically. On a back office workstation, exit from System 21^®, then double-click on the desktop icon that says “System 21^® Server Update”. This will not affect your normal operations, other than to make the system run very slow for 2 hours. You would want to do this during a slow time of day when there is not much activity on the system. For this reason, we suggest you wait and let the night audit perform the update automatically.

START SYSTEM 21 - WINDOWS XP WORKSTATION
If you have Windows XP on your workstations, the Start menu may list programs in a different order now. To see your entire list of programs, click on the expand arrow.

When the full list is displayed, you can move System 21 to the top of the list so it is easy to locate in the future. Point your mouse to System 21 and right click on that menu item. While holding the right mouse button down, drag the System 21 item to the top of the list.

FRONT DESK

Electronic Forms - The following forms are provided in System 21 for Electronic Forms Plus:

• Registration Card KeyPackets
• Guest Folios
• Express Checkout and Zip-Out Check-Out® Folios
• AR Statements
• AR Invoices
• Collection Letters
  

Printer Assignment - A Registration Card/Key Packet option is available on the Printer Assignment screen. You will need to assign a printer for the Reg Card/Key Packet printer on each workstation if you use the registration card/key packet supplied by Electronic Forms Plus.

On the Guest Listing screen menu, select Reports>>Reports List>>File>>Printer Assignments. Then select RegCard/KeyPacket from the Printer Groups list. Select the printer you will use from the Printers list.

After the update, if you have questions or concerns about Electronic Forms, contact James Newton or Ted Wright.

Phone: 888-337-2776
http://www.efplus.com

The Point of Sale Interface – The posting completion message will no longer be the “Posting OK” message. The new message display will be Room # Last Name/First Initial or House Account # House Account Name.

Key Lock Interface - The Key Lock interface is now an integral part of the System 21 application, rather than a separate application on the workstation.

Important Note: Keys cannot be made on your System 21 workstation during night audit. They must be made manually while audit is in progress. If you do not know how to make keys manually, please contact your keylock vendor for instructions.

CRM : CUSTOMER REALLY MATTERS

The CRM enhancements described below may not all be available in the initial beta version of code. Some will be included in an update you will receive later in the beta process.

CRM Messaging  (Welcome, Service Recovery, Solicit)

A CRM file, which contains information about all HHonors guests, non-HHonors guests who have stayed four or more nights in our hotels (4+ stayers), and Airline Miles Only (AMO) guests will be downloaded nightly into System 21. This file will allow System21 to display the appropriate CRM messages and display the HHonors point balance on the guest record (luggage tag) screen. The CRM messages will be displayed in a pop-up window for reservations arriving today.

CRM Luggage Tag Enhancements

The luggage tag section of the Guest Record screen will display the point balance for HHonors guests.  Note that the information about past guest stays will no longer be displayed.

CRM Receipt Message for Best Guests (HHonors member, +4 Stayers and Airline Miles Only guests)

• Folio message information in the CRM file will be printed on guests' receipts. If there is no folio message in the file for a guest, no message will be printed.
• Printing of the folio message will not be optional; this feature may not be turned off.
• The messages will print for all receipts for the primary guest. Once the primary guest has departed, the folio message will not print for any remaining shares.
• The folio message will print on all express checkout and Zip-Out checkout receipts as well.
• Folio Messages will not print on House Account or Group Master receipts.

Best Guest Report

The HHonors Arrivals Report has been renamed the Best Guest Report.

In addition to listing HHonors guests, the report will include 4+ Stayers and Airline Miles Only guests. Best Guest will print in the HHonors number field on the report for non-HHonors Best Guests.

HOUSEKEEPING

Linen Reuse Program

A new enhancement has been added in housekeeping to facilitate the Linen Reuse program from within System 21. The frequency for linens to be changed in occupied rooms is set in the System 21 Database.  A new change linen indicator column has been added to the Attendant Assignment sheet labeled “CHG LIN”, this column will display either a “Y” or “N” for each room listed on the report based upon the database selection.

Rules for the Change Linen indicator

The change linen indicator will be “Y” if at the time of the report:

• The room is a Checkout
• The room is a Due Out
• The room is a stay over and the number of days since check in or the last linen change is equal to the change linen frequency setting.

The change linen indicator for other rooms will be “N”

To change the number of days for the Change Linen Frequency

1. From the Start Menu, select Programs>System 21>Database Maintenance.
2. On the Database Maintenance screen, double-click on the Hotel Defaults folder.
3. Double click on the Housekeeping folder.
4. On the Editor Housekeeping screen in the Change Linens Frequency text box enter a number from 1 – 99.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

AR Purge

• The purge process has been modified so AR will remain in balance after purging. If AR is out of balance, purge cannot be performed.
• All transactions posted in AR (payments, allowances and transfer transactions) must be at least 30 days old to be eligible for purging.
• An option to purge eligible transactions from an individual account has been added.  The purge of an individual account will purge transactions only, it will not delete the account.
• An account master option will allow all transactions to be purged from a closed account while retaining account information.  This prevents the account from being deleted when batch purge is performed.
• If a purge has not been performed for 90 days or more, a purge reminder message will display when a user with purge privileges logs into AR.
• When a user opens the posting detail view of an account containing 2,000 or more transactions, a purge reminder message will display.
• When multiple debits with different dates are invoiced together or reduced to $0 with one payment or applied credit, none of the transactions can be deleted until all of them meet the age requirement.  Then the payment, allowance or credit item will be deleted in addition to the transactions it references.  These transactions are related, so they must all meet the criteria before any of them can be deleted.
• AR purge is limited to the number of transaction records that can be processed in less than an hour, from start to finish. 

REPORTS

Future Group Sold Reports: The Future Group Sold Reports will report the actual rooms sold that are associated with a group master in System 21.  There is a Future Group Sold Summary Report, Future Group, Sold Detail by Date Report, and Future Group Sold Detail by Group Report.

The data contained in the Future Group Sold Summary report will include:

• Group Code for each active group within the month reported.
• Group Name for each active group within the month reported.
• Total Sold, the total number of rooms sold that are associated with the specific group master for the month reported.
• Room Revenue, the total of the room revenue (forecasted based on initial room rate) that would be posted if all sold rooms actually stay.
• Room Counts by Date will show the number of rooms associated with each specific group for each day that is currently sold.
• Total Month Group counts, this will calculate the total Rooms Sold, Total Room Revenue, and Total Rooms Sold by day.

The data contained in the Future Group Sold Detail reports will include:

• Group Code – for each active group within the date parameters selected.
• Group Name – for each active group within the date parameters selected.
• Date – the date being reported in the mm/dd/yy format.
• Count-Room Type – the number of rooms sold and the room type for that count.

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