In this article we show how to use the Tape Chart in your PMS. It is a visual display of reservations that appear in your PMS that have had room numbers pre-assigned.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Reservations that do not have a pre-assigned room number will not appear on the Tape Chart and therefore the Tape Chart should never be used to determine room availability. The F12 Inventory Calendar should always be used to determine availability, not the Tape Chart.
If you right click anywhere on the Tape Chart several Menu Options will appear. One of those Menu Options is “Legend”. The Legend shows you what all the different colours represent on the Tape Chart.
Along the top of the Tape Chart are display options:
These buttons allow you to zoom in & zoom out on the Tape Chart. The Reset button will return the Tape Chart to the default size.
The Sort By allows you select the order in which you wish your Tape Chart to display. Room sorts numerically by Room Number, Room Type sorts alphabetically by Room Type and Custom Sort Order sorts based on the Sort Order you have set for your Room Inventory under System Configuration -> Room Inventory.
These buttons allow you to skip to a past or future date. NOTE: The Tape Chart automatically displays 1 month of information so the “Prev” and “Next” buttons move you ahead or behind one month at a time.
allows you to refresh your Tape Chart so it is always displaying the most up to date information.
The bottom of the Tape Chart displays reservation information for a selected reservation.
If you click on one of the bubbles above for a specific guest reservation, you will see the Room #, Res ID, Arrival Date, Nights and Guest Name populate below.
If you were to click the “Show Details” box, the Guest Info & Folio tab would then appear at the bottom of the screen. To exit out of this screen, simply uncheck the “Show Details” box.
You may perform various reservation functions while in the Tape Chart.
1) New Reservation – you may create a new reservation by right-clicking on an empty space on the Tape Chart and selecting “New Reservation”. For example, if you wanted to make a reservation for Room 209 arriving on Wednesday, June 3rd, you would right click on the box located at this intersection and select “New Reservation”. Another option would be to click on the box located at this intersection and then click the “New Res” button at the top of your screen.
The New Reservation screen will then appear with the Arrival Date & Room Number pre-assigned to the reservation.
2) Modifying a Reservation – you may modify any reservation located on the Tape Chart by right clicking on the desired reservation & selecting “Modify Reservation”
3) Check In a Reservation – you may check in a reservation directly from the Tape Chart by right clicking on a reservation that is scheduled to arrive today and selecting “Check In”
4) Check Out a Reservation – you may check out a reservation directly from the Tape Chart by right clicking on an In House reservation and selecting “Check-Out”
5) Cancel a Reservation - you may modify any reservation located on the Tape Chart by right clicking on the desired reservation & selecting “Cancel Reservation”. NOTE: Once a reservation is cancelled is will disappear from the Tape Chart because it will no longer have an assigned room number (and the Tape Chart only shows reservations with assigned room numbers)
6) Print Reports – you may print a Guest Folio (In House and Checked-out Reservations only), Registration Card or Reservation Report by right clicking on the desired reservation and selecting one of the print options below. You also have the option to click on the desired reservation and select one of the print buttons at the top of your screen.
7) Add Guest Information – you have an option to add Guest Notes, Reservation Notes or a Guest Share directly from the Tape Chart by right clicking on the desired reservation and selecting applicable option below.
8) Release Room Number – you can release a pre-assigned room number from a reservation by right clicking on the reservation and selecting “Release Room”. NOTE: Once the room number is unassigned the reservation will disappear from the Tape Chart because it will no longer have a pre-assigned room number (and the Tape Chart only shows reservations with assigned room numbers)
