When good eForms go bad:

Please use the emergency pre-printed generic folio / registration forms supplied with each eForms order for operation until you can solve the issue you are experiencing.

This paper is in a case marked "EMERGENCY PAPER, NO CHARGE" which is a little taller and not as deep as the registration key-packet paper. One box of this paper is shipped with EVERY new eForms order at no cost.

Did you just get Refreshed with all new equipment? If you have SmartBOXes, you don't need anything from us. If you had "chips" installed inside your old printer then you will need to purchase SmartBOXes. In either case, you may need to Install the e-Forms fonts (although they are supposed to be installed automatically now) and if you use the legal sized Registration Key-Packet stock, you will need to configure your system to use that layout (OnQ2 and OnQ5 do it differently) and configure your printer (especially the IBM IP 1222 or 1422) to use the correct trays.

Did you just have a printer replaced or serviced? You probably need to check for the eForms device to make sure it was moved to the new printer. If you use the legal sized Registration Key-Packet stock, you will need to configure your printer (especially the IBM IP 1222 or 1422) to use the correct trays.

Did you just have a workstation rebuilt? That workstation may need to be configured to use eForms and if you use the legal sized Registration Key-Packet stock, you will need to configure your system to use that layout (OnQ2 and OnQ5 do it differently)

Did you just migrate from OnQ2 to OnQ5? Please see the OnQ5 support page here

Need to change some text on the eForm such as the USA today from 50 to 75 cents or add a debit disclaimer? Mark up the changes on a sample and fax it to us at 951-587-9744. We will mock up the changes, tally the costs and send a proof / quote for approval. It would be great if you could include your Inncode, Contact Name and eMail address.

Forms printing totally black? We have seen a few Hampton Inns where the Express Checkout is printing black, please contact David Vega for an eForms update to correct this problem.

Did Electronic Forms (Registrations only) stop working on each workstation after the workstation was restarted?

The Folio or Receipt prints just fine, but the registration prints only the guest information and not the logo at the top or the signature box. If you have checked the printer assignments (see box at right) and they appear correct, it may be an incorrect setting in your PMS system.
 

1. Click on Start / Programs / System 21 / Database Maintenance. Log in. You may need a managers password for access.

2. Select Hotel Defaults by double clicking

3. Select Receipt Printing by double clicking.

4. Un-check the box that says "Print pre-reg and check out forms using VB"
 
Note: "If this box was checked, you will need to close and re-start System 21 on each workstation."
 
Some properties have experienced very slow printing of Conformation Letters when this box is not checked and have been told by Hilton support to check the box in order to speed that up. Unfortunately, checking this box disables electronic forms. You may need to switch this back and forth depending on what you need to get done at the moment. Since the setting is only read by the workstation when the front desk program is first started, you can set the option, close and re-open frontdesk, and turn off this option (so others will not lose e-forms if they restart) and continue to use your station to print conformation letters until you restart. This should not be an issue for properties with modern computer systems.
 

Electronic Forms stop working (both receipts and registrations) at one or more workstations (or all workstations after a Refresh).

Start here: Configure OnQ / System 21 to use the new printer at http://www.efplus.com/techref/app/pms/system21/cd294/sys21conf.htm. Follow the directions (carefully, step by step) and click on the links as indicated.
 

Room number prints "upside down" on inside of Reg key packet:

Electronic Forms are working but after folding the key packet, the room number printed on the inside left flap is upside down and backwards.

The eforms font called "EFPlus Upsidedn" is missing. For detailed instructions see:
http://www.efplus.com/techref/app/pms/system21/cd210/fontinst.htm
Short Version: First download the newest efps21d.pcm file from
http://www.efplus.com/sendhifilen.asp?version=&file=efps21d.pcm.
and save it to a floppy disk in the A: Drive. Then find the efplus printer under Start / Settings / Printers (or in Windows XP Start / Printers and Faxes) and use the right mouse button to click on it then left click on Properties in the menu that pops up. Now go to the Configure tab on the right hand side and click on the Configure button inside that tab. Select EFPlus eForms on the left and verify that Upsidedn is not in the list at the right. Click the Remove button and click on Ok to close the list. Now click on the Configure button again (the left side should be empty) and click on Add then browse to the efps21d.pcm file (on the A: drive or the server's Reports share) then click on that file and click Open. You should see EFPlus eForms on the left again, and if you click on it, you should find the Upsidedn font at the bottom of the list on the right. Click on Ok and then on Ok again then close the printer list. Try printing a registration again. If that doesn't work please contact support.
 

IBM InfoPrint 1222 Tray Selection Setup for Registration Keypacket Stock

First, click here to activate the Reg/Key tray setting program When asked, tell the computer to open the file (no need to save it) Next, tell the computer to "install" or run this from it's current location. A black window with white letters will appear and ask you to “Click any key to continue” The program will run and you will be returned to the instruction screen.
A configuration page should print. Verify that the following settings have changed in the PAPER MENU section:

1. Paper Source should be MP Feeder
2. Configure MP (just above the PAPER TEXTURE subsection) should be Cassette

If the printer still doesn't pull key packets from the bottom tray, you may need to do the "reset to factory defaults" sequence at:
http://www.efplus.com/ibm1222.htm#factory
 

HP LaserJet 2300 tray select operation for Registration Keypacket Stock

The 2300 has a front panel were you can select PAPER HANDLING and then set the paper size of each tray. From then on, when the printer is asked to print a page of a given size, it will pull from the tray you have selected on that menu.
 

HP LaserJet 2100/2200 Tray Selection Setup for Registration Keypacket Stock

The HPLJ 2100/2200 printers don't automatically figure out what tray to pull the Registration / Keypacket stock from. We have "hard coded" the reg-keypacket form to pull from the bottom tray. If you are using a legal sized reg/keypack stock, load it in the lower tray after expanding the tray by squeezing the blue button on the back of the tray and pulling. Load the form face down with the top of the page towards the front of the tray.
 

Multiple copies of one registration keypacket print when only one was requested.

It can be helpful to not assign the printer to be used when printing registrations so that the report is first previewed on the screen when checking a guest in, and then if the registration has already been printed, the printout can be canceled, thereby saving keypacket stock.
 
Unfortunately, systems that use Crystal Reports (including System 21) can become confused when no printer is initially available because it expects to find a printer that supports the larger legal size of the reg/keypacket form. Crystal Reports comes to believe that it must print the legal sized report on letter sized stock and will start printing multiple pages (numbered) for the same record. You must Configure System 21 to use the EFPlus HPLJ4n printer
 
The same effect occurs when the tray sizes have been assigned in the "NT Forms" tab of the printer driver configuration. In the case of Crystal Reports the tray must be set inside the .RPT file and NOT in the NT Forms Tab. Click on Start / Settings / Printers, right click on the EFPlus HPLJ4n printer and click Properties. Select the NT Forms tab. Click the "Clear All" button then click "Ok" to close the dialog
 
Right click on the driver again, and select Document Defaults then change the "Quick set" to Factory defaults. Click Ok to close the dialog.
 
Restart the machine.
 

Printing Registrations at Group Check-In

When doing a group check in, and specifying that you want the registrations printed at the same time, the registration is printed on blank paper rather than on the reg-keypacket.

System 21 actually doesn't print a registration when you ask it to print registrations as a part of a group check in...
...it prints receipts. To print registrations for a group, you can to do it when you are auto assigning rooms or from the group rooms list.
 

Printing Statements

The electronic form option for Statements is designed to work with the Accounts Receivable section of System 21. Click on Start / Programs / System 21 / Accounts Receivable or, from the front desk program, select the Other Options menu and choose Accounts Receivable. Highlight the company you wish to print statements for. Next, select Print / Statement or press the Print button and select Net or Detail and other options as needed. If the options you see are for Net Transactions or All Transactions, then you are in posting detail rather than statement printing. eForms are NOT currently supported for the Posting Detail data that becomes available after you double click on the company. This would be the ARNETINV.RPT file
 
Receipts are not statements and will print with a column for Amount and the word "folio" down one side when printed at the front desk and will print as an express check out (or zip out) with "Thank You" down the side when printed from the back office. Statements (again, from the Accounts Receivable system) will print with the heading "Statement" and will show columns for charges, payments and balance at the right side of the form.
 
If you are on System 21 version 2.10, your netstmt.rpt and detstmt.rpt files may be damaged. Look for a period after the balance amount printed just above the detail area on the right side. If there is no period, contact the help desk and request that the damaged files be replaced. Otherwise, move on to advanced troubleshooting and try to print a blank statement from Wordpad using the EFPlus NetStmt31 font.
 

System 21 doesn't print all registrations during pre-reg

Go into the Guest listing, Guest / Batch Print Pre-reg, select guest status and check Include all previously batched.

Adding a temporary check in message to the registration.

A little known option is available to add a message to each registration in the lower left corner of the registration slip. The text of the message is setup in DataBase Maintenance under Hotel Defaults / Receipt Printing / Pre reg information text:
 

Registration always prints even for guests whose reg cards have already been printed (pre-reg'd Hilton Honors members, etc...)

Under Start / Programs / Hilton... / Database Maintenance (you may need a manager to log in) / Hotel Defaults / Receipt Printing, Turn OFF (un check) "Always print pre-reg cards at check in".
 

Printer won't print at all... print jobs are not backed up, they just disappear:

Pull out the printer and check the cables and the light on the SmartBOX (if it is flashing red, press the black button to clear it to green. The eForms images have been lost, contact us for a reload.)

Trying to print registration at a property that uses the registration keypacket results in message "Print engine error printing eForms registration: Out of memory" on the workstation screen

This has been caused at some properties by incorrect setting of the printer driver. Under Start / Settings / Printers (or Printers and Faxes) find the printer with "...lj 4n" in its name (this may be "Hilton HP LJ 4n" or "EFPlus.com HPLJ4n") and use the right mouse button to click on it. Select Properties from the bottom of the pop-up menu. On the "NT Forms" tab, press the "Clear All" button, then close the dialog with the "Ok" button.

If the incorrect settings on the NT Forms tab were as a result of trying to get the keypacket stock for registrations and plain paper for folios, to pull from two different places, please review the settings for the specific printer model from
http://www.efplus.com/support.htm

SmartBOX stops working

In general, the SmartBOX can easily be eliminated as a source of trouble: bypass it by connecting the cable from the workstation directly to the printer or the cable that goes to the printer. If the printer begins to print the data correctly, without the eForm, then the problem was most likely related to the SmartBOX. If not, something else was causing the problem.
 
To power cycle the SmartBOX: Disconnect all cables, including the AC adapter, ensure the light on the BOX goes completely out, then plug the AC adapter back in. The AC adapter IS required for the SmartBOX. The light should be orange for 5 seconds then turn green. Reconnect the printer cables and try again.

Technical Support is available from our offices at 1-888-337-2776 during normal business hours. Emergency support is available after hours by calling James Newton's Cell Phone at 1-951-634-9492. Fax samples to 951-587-9744.

Advanced troubleshooting:

http://www.efplus.com/techref/language/pcl/efntws40t.htm