Checking-out a guest

Use the Check Out screen to complete the guest check-out process. Frequently guests must settle their account during checkout, and thus you must enter payment information and generate payment authorizations for the account. The Check Out screen enables you to complete the related activities such as settling the guest account, generating receipts, deliver messages at departure.

The Payer field is enabled when invoicing is active. When tax invoicing is active and the folio is settled separately, you can invoice the folio separately and requires a payer. You can generate separate tax invoices for each different folio, based on the following rules:

  • Folios with un-invoiced charges are invoiced.
  • The Accounting folio is never invoiced.
  • The A/R folio is always invoiced separately. The folio balance is not considered. The invoice payer is A/R, which is specified in the Folio Details section.
  • If a folio has a payer specified in the Folio Details section, and has a zero balance, the folio is invoiced separately. The payer in folio settlement is used as the invoice payer.
  • If a payer is not specified in the folio details, and has a zero balance, the folio is invoiced separately. The invoice payer is the guest.
  • When a cash settlement is made, the total folio amount is rounded based on the value specified in the property parameter POSTROUNDINGDIFFERENCE.
  • If the remaining folios have a combined zero balance, the folios are invoiced together. The invoice payer is the guest.
Note: For guest folios with no outstanding balances, the Check Out screen includes a rapid check-out feature through which you can right-click and update fields to auto-settle the accounts receivable for the guest folio during the check-out process. See Checking-out a guest using rapid check-out.

As you move through each phase of the check-out process using the buttons on the left side of the page, a is displayed by the system to indicate that a step is complete, enabling you to move on to the next step. Based on your system configuration, you must complete all required steps in the check-out workflow before the Check Out button is enabled to complete the guest departure.

The indicates that messages have been added on the guest registration. When messages on the account have not been delivered or cancelled on the guest reservation, you cannot check-out the guest. You must complete or cancel messages before continuing with the check-out process. See Managing guest messages during check-in and check-out.

For pending invoices in a folio, if the Separate Tax Invoice check box is selected on the Tax Invoice Configuration screen, the tax invoices are generated separately for each folio.

When the guest checks-out, you can print the selected invoices or send to a device, only if the property parameter SIGNATURECAPTUREINVOICE is selected.

  • The invoices are printed based on the report parameters specified in the property parameter TAXINO.
  • The invoice is printed or sent to device after completion of e-invoicing or Fiscalization or post payment process.

To check-out a guest:

  1. Select Front Desk > Check-Out.
  2. On the List View tab, double-click the guest stay record to work with. The guest stay Record View tab is displayed. Information regarding the guest is displayed in the header of the Guest Details, Check-Out Details, and the Folio and Settlement Details sections, such as the Lifetime Revenue generated by the guest, the total number of nights the guest has stayed in the hotel, room and rate plan, and most importantly the Folio Balance. Icons are also displayed to indicate special status for the guest, such as Guest is a VIP. Hovering over an icon or folio information with the mouse displays details regarding their meaning.
    Note: This screen applies the VVIP functionality for disabling the VVIP guests details if the user is not VVIP authorized. See VVIP functionality.
  3. In the Guest Details section, specify the information that you require. See additional information about these fields:
    E-mail Type
    Select whether the guest e-mail is alternate or primary.
    Auto Email Folio
    Select this checkbox to automatically email the folio to the guest when the folio is generated. If Auto Email Folio is checked, E-mail Address is required.
    Tax Id
    Specify the guest's tax identification number.
    Note: Tax invoicing features are enabled or disabled for properties based on the setting of the TAXINV property parameter. See Property parameters for information on TAXINV. See Tax invoices for information on tax invoicing features.
    Guest Image
    The guest image that is defaulted for the selected profile ID from the Guest Profile screen.
  4. Verify the information in the Check-Out Details and Folio Details sections. If the guest account has an outstanding balance, the balance information is displayed as the Folio Balance in the Folio Details section.
  5. In the Settlement Details section, specify this information:
    Settlement Type
    Specify the settlement type for the guest folio. Depending on the selected settlement type, certain fields within the Settlement Details section are enabled, disabled, and required; for example, if the settlement type is credit, then you must specifying values for the credit card fields.
    Save to Profile
    If this check box is selected, the settlement information is saved to the Billing Profiles tab of the Guest Profile screen.
    Activate Reader
    Alternatively, click Activate Reader if you have the electronic payment processing interface implemented at the property.

    Refer to Processing a chip and pin payment card.

    A/R Account
    Specify the accounts receivable for the guest settlement. This field is available only when the folio is set to Accounts Receivable. If the settlement type is Direct Billing, then A/R Account is required. When you post a direct bill settlement to an account and the install parameter ARBATCH = NO, the system posts the direct bill charge directly to the AR Account. The value of the property parameter TAXINV also impacts the settlement process.

    See Working with folios.

    Billing Reference
    Specify the billing reference for the settlement.
    Originating Booking System
    The name of the external booking system for the OTA (Online Travel Agency) to directly bill the charges.
    Note: You must specify this value if Require Originating Confirmation Number check box is selected for the A/R Account on Property A/R Account screen.
    Originating Confirmation Number
    The confirmation number of the booking system to which the A/R account is configured.
    Note: The application defaults this value.
  6. In the Additional Details section, specify the information that you require. See additional information about these fields:
    Alternate First Name
    Specify an alternate first name of the guest.
    Alternate Middle Name
    Specify an alternate middle name of the guest.
    Alternate Last Name
    Specify an alternate last name of the guest.
    Alternate Title
    Specify an alternate title of the guest.
    Alternate Suffix
    Specify an alternate suffix of the guest.
    NRG
    If this checkbox is selected, the guest is identified as Non Registered Guest for the Hotel. The guest is checked in with the prefix NRG.
    Note: 
    • If this checkbox is cleared, the NRG prefix is removed from the Guest profile (name caption).
    • The information related to this guest is not disclosed at any given point of time.
    • The application displays a confirmation message for accessing the NRG guest.
    ID Number
    Specify the number of identification document provided.
    Note: This value is masked if the value of the property parameter MASKPASSPORTIDNUMBER is set to ID.
    Service
    Specify the branch of the armed forces to which the guest belongs to. For example, Air Force, Navy, Army and so on. This field is used by US Military only.
    Rank
    Specify the rank of the guest. This field is used by US Military only.
    Pay Grade
    Specify the pay grade of the guest. This field is used by US Military only.
    Rating
    Specify the guest rating. The guests are limited to room types within their rating. This field is used by US Military only.
  7. Click Save Record.
  8. Click Folio to edit the guest folio as necessary. The Folio window is displayed, from which you add records, make corrections or adjustments, transfer, or remove records from the original account to a separate account.

    Refer to Working with folios.

  9. Click Payment Authorization to authorize a credit card payment as necessary. The Payment Card Authorization window is displayed, enabling you to authorize a credit card for the payment of the guest folio.

    Refer to Payment card authorizations.

  10. Click Print Receipt to print a receipt for the guest. A window is displayed, enabling you to export, print, or export the receipt to data feed.
  11. Click Print. The Print window is displayed. Specify the printer to which to print the receipt and click OK.
    Note: You can also export the receipt as a file or export the receipt to a data feed. You can export the receipt in any of the following file types: XML file with report data, CSV (comma delimited), PDF, MHTML (web archive), Excel, TIFF file, or Word.
  12. Click Messages. The Messages window is displayed, which enables you to add messages, internal action requests, wake up call requests, and other types of messages for a guest reservation.
  13. Specify the information that you require.

    See Maintaining guest messages .

  14. Click Notes.
  15. Specify the information that you require.

    See Maintaining guest notes.

  16. Click Edit Guest Stay if you need to enter or update information on the guest reservation or complete tasks related to the guest reservation that cannot be performed on the Check Out form. The Guest Stay form is displayed.
    Refer to Guest Stay.
  17. Click Check Out.
    Note: 
    • During the Check-out process for a non-virtual room, the Day Use Status window is displayed wherein you can set the Room Status and the Service Type. This window is displayed only if:
      • The property parameter DYUSERSSRVCTYP is selected.
      • The number of nights is equal to zero.
    • During the check-out, a confirmation message is displayed to post the stamp duty for the tax invoice if the property parameter ITALYSTAMPDUTY includes a value and the invoice amount is equal to or exceeds the threshold.
    • During the check-out process for a virtual room, the Room Status is set to Clean and the Service Type is set to None.
    • When you select a guest account and click the CheckOut/Activate Reader option, a confirmation message is displayed before the transfer of pending deposits to guest ledger for an account with:
      • BLOCKDEPOSITTRNSTOGUESTLEDGER property parameter set to a value other than Empty, Fully and FullyAutoCRDT and
      • a destination folio pre-defined
      • folio with pending invoice
      • a deposit that is not transferred to a folio, is not refunded, corrected or forfeited.

      When you click Yes, the deposit gets transferred to Guest Ledger and the balance is updated.

    • If the account has more than one folio with pending invoice and a destination folio is not defined for the deposit, the Folio Wizard screen is displayed wherein you can select the folio for the deposit transfer. For iPad users, an error message is displayed and the check-out process stops.
    • For iPad users, you can search, sort and view a reservation using the External Reference Number.
    • If ITALYSTAMPDUTY property parameter is configured, the deposit transfer process must be performed prior to the Stamp Duty calculation.
    • If the FOLRECT installation parameter is set to YES, then a window to print a receipt for the guest folio is automatically displayed. Print the receipt as necessary.
    • If the Key Vendor Direct Interface check box is enabled on the Room Key Configuration screen, a confirmation message is displayed when the guest is checked out prior to the End Date.
    1. If the guest account has no outstanding balance, the guest is checked out.
    2. If the guest account has an outstanding balance, a message is displayed in the message bar indicating that a payment (cash or check) will be posted to the account, prompting you to receive payment and whether you wish to continue. Click Yes.
    3. If the Settlement Type is a credit card, and the credit card details have been automatically populated from the guest reservation, the card is authorized for the payment of the outstanding balance and the guest is checked out.
    4. If the Settlement Type is a direct billing, the A/R folio is settled and the guest is checked out.
    5. If the Settlement Type is a gift card, the gift card is authorized for the payment of the outstanding balance and the guest is checked out.
    6. If tax invoicing is active, tax invoices are automatically generated during check out. When generating the tax invoices, a separate tax invoice is generated for accounts receivable and all other folios are grouped together on another tax invoice. For accounts receivable, the payer is A/R. For all other invoices, the guest is the payer.
      Note: If there is no Tax Id is associated with any of the transactions other than the accounting folio, the tax invoice generation process will fail and an error message is displayed. You can complete the invoicing process on the Tax Invoice screen.
      Note:  If Auto Email Folio is selected, the folio email will include tax invoices as an attachment.
    Note: If the FORCETAXINVONPAYMENT property parameter check box is selected, you must post the payment using the Post Payment option on the Tax Invoicing tab. During the check-out process, the application displays an error message if the folio balance is more than zero for the Pending Invoices.