COMPUTER APPLICATION IN FRONT OFFICE

Front Office the most important department of the hotel where guest comes in contact with the hotel
first.
Computer system consists of 3 interrelated and interdependent components namely- hardware
- software
- users.
Computer Application in Front Office Operations replacing manual, mechanical work or use of
electricdevices.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PMS)
- a generic term used to describe the application of computer hardware and software in managing
theinterface of various departments of a hotel.
Examples of PMS:
01. Fidelio
02. PMS
03. IDS PMS
04. Innfront
05. Visual Oui
06. CLS
07. Opera
Interface with other softwares
1. Energy Management System (EMS)
2. Human Resource System (HRS)
3. Material Management System (MMS)
4. Accounting System
5. Point Of Sale System.
CENTRALISED RESERVATION SYSTEM (CRS)
- a computerized reservation system for a chain or group of hotels to enablethem to sell their rooms
effectively.
- The hotels, their sales offices and Central Reservation Offices are linked through a CRS for an effective
and real time management of room inventory.
- It is primarily a Wide Area Network.
Examples of CRS:

1. Opera
2. MARSHA
03. Taj Central Reservation System
04. Leading Hotels of the World
05. Utell
06. Best Western Hotels
07. Welcomnet
08. Holiday Inn Worldwide
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS)
- computer-based systems linked globally through satellites, which are used forhotel reservations, airline
reservations and other travel arrangements.
- Usually, the GDS terminals are with travel Agents. The travel agents may belinked to the GDS through a
dial-up mode or a lease line.
- All the GDS mentioned below are linked to one-another through a parentsatellite
Examples of GDS:
01. Apollo
02. Gemini
03. Galileo
04. Sabre
05. System One
06. Worldspan
07. Amadeus
08. Axess
09. Abacus
10. Infini
11. Fantasia
The relation between the three systems is as under
Hotel Sales Office/ CRO Travel Agent
-- --SELECTION OF PMS
The steps involved in selection of a Property Management System are:
STEP 1: Identification of Need
Firstly an analysis is done to determine whether there is a need of computerized system or not.
The following steps are followed in this process:
a. Selection of a team comprising the representation from all the departmentsat all levels from all the
shifts to analyse the needs. .

b. Analyse the flow of guests through the visit to the hotel i.e. an analysis ofthe guest cycle.
c. Analyse the flow of information from other departments to the frontoffice e.g. billing information,
room status information etc.
d. Anlyse the administrative paper work produced in other departments.
e. Evaluate the needs that have been identified in terms of importance.
f. Combine the needs to determine the desired applications.
STEP 2: Software Selection
- today, software is available in modules to cater to different areas in a hotel.
- based on requirement, as deduced from the needs analysis in step 1, a hotelmay go in for the entire PMS
or parts thereof.
- proper software selection is very important, as it involves a ,heavy investment.
- configured or customized as per the need of the hotel.
STEP 3: Hardware Selection
- the hardware should be selected to run the needed software.
- the basic factors to consider here are the Processor speed, Disc drives, I/O Port forconnecting peripheral
devices & for networking, Monitors/ touch screens, Keyboards,Printers, Modems and Supplies: paper,
forms, ribbons, ink, toner, cartridge, floppies,
DA T, CD-RW etc.
The other factors to be kept on mind while selecting the hardware are:
a. Positioning of hardware: based on the workflow analysis done during needsanalysis.
b. How does it benefit the guest, who will operate it, who all will requireaccess to the system at that
position.
c. Climatic condition: whether air-conditioning required/not esp. in back-of-the-houseareas.
d. Ergonomics: psychological & physiological effect of computers on people.
STEP 4:OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
01. Vendor Claims: Claims made by the supplier. One must inquire about the product from thecurrent
users of the same; whether they are satisfied using the system, problems faced bythem in using the
system.

2. Installation plans: Proper planning of installation is essential for maintaining guestservices & employee
morale. One must have a complete plan laid out for installation ofhardware & cabling in different areas of
the hotel; also, who shall be installing thehardware & who shall be installing cables.
03. Training: Classroom & on-the-job training provided by vendor or not. If yes, charged orinclusive.
Whether training module has been provided or not. Documentation of procedures.
04. Back-up power sources: Provision of UPS.
05. Maintenance agreement: The cost of repair & replacement of hardware & software.Emergency
services.
STEP 5: FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
- the decision regarding purchase or rental of a PMS since heavy investment cantie-up the cash flow of an
organization.
- Also, if cost benefits are not realistically projected, profits may be difficult to comeby.
- analyse the savings in terms of overtime paid to the employees, losses due tolate charges, cost of
marketing database collection, wastage of energy.
- advantages of outright purchase, discount for full payment in cash, financecharges, depreciation.
- advantages of lease: continuance of cash flow, application of lease paymentsto purchase price, tax
advantages of leasing etc.
PMS APPLICATIONS
The modules of an ideal PMS are as follows:
Reservations
1. Guest data
2. Room inventory
3. Deposits
4. Special requests
5. Blocking
6. Arrivals
7. Departures
8. VIP
9. Projected occupancy
10. Travel agents
11. Guest messages

12. Reports
Registration
1. Reservations
2. Guest Data
3. Room inventory
4. Room status
5. Security
6. Reports
7. Self check-in
Room status
1. Room inventory
2. Availability
3. Reports
Posting
1. Point of sale
2. Room
3. Tax
4. Transfer
5. Adjustments
6. Paid out
7. Miscellaneous charges
8. Phone
9. Display folio
10. Reports
Call Accounting
1. Guest information
2. Employee information
3. Post charges
4. Messages
5. Wake-up calls
6. Reports
Checkout
1. Folio
2. Adjustments

3. Cashier
4. Back office transfer
5. Reports
6. Guest History
Night Audit
1. Guest charges
2. Department totals
3. City ledger
4. Cashier
5. Financial reports
6. Housekeeping
Inquiries! Reports
1. Reservations
2. Registrations
3. Checkouts
4. Housekeeping
5. Credit balances
Back Office
1. Accounts payable
2. Accounts receivable
3. Payroll
4. Budgets
5. General ledger
6. Reports
Housekeeping
1. Room availability
2. Personnel assignments
3. Analysis
4. Housekeeper's report
5. Equipment supplies inventory
6. Maintenance requests
Food and Beverage
1. Point of sale
2. Posting
3. Cashier reports

4. Food/beverage inventory
5. Recipes
6. Sales control
7. Sales production analysis
8. Labour analysis
Maintenance
1. Review work orde, 2. Status, 3. Cost/ labour analysis
4. Inventory, 5. Repair cost analysis
6. Energy usage analysis, 7. Guest room power start
Security
1. Keys, 2. Fire alarm
3. Burglar alarm, 4. Security code transactions
Marketing_ and sales
1. Guest history, 2. Word-processing, 3. Client file
4. Banquet files, 5. Desktop publishing
6. Reports, 7. Travel agencies
Personnel
1. Employee file, 2. Job control list
3. Word processing, 4. Analysis
5. Reports
Electronic Mail
1. Security codes, 2. Mail, 3. Hard copy
Time clock
1. Security codes, 2. Personal identification number, 3. In, 4. Out, 5. Analysis, 6. Reports
Examples of PMS
The ShawMan PMS is an integrated Front Office Management Software that can host multiple
propertiesand handle guest reservations simultaneously across many units including an integrated webbasedreservation agent and auto confirmation manager.ShawMan's PMS plugs into an Integrated
Telephone Call Management System that supports a host ofEPABX interfaces and also seamlessly
connects to ShawMan POS, MMS and CRM Systems to completethe application needs of the boarding &
lodging Industry.The ShawMan Hotel Centre is a unique and powerful interface design that handles
registration, cashiering,and night audit functions, treating guests and rooms as two manageable objects
and supports right clickquick task launch of forms and reports, undo and redo, eraser and task history to

effortlessly customize thedesktop for each user and department to manage a slew of jobs undertaken daily
by the attendants,supervisors and managers both at the Front Desk and back office.A three tier client
middle server architecture allows business processes and rules to be easily defined andmodified such as
customer profiles, multiple rate codes, meal plans, guest history, room inventory, housekeeping and more.
Several MIS outputs to choose from for quick and accurate reporting in the form ofstatements, flash
reports, chasers and audit trails and a query that allows users to design their own customreports.
FIDELIO is one of the worlds best selling front office systems, and it is the system of choice for
HiltonInternational, Inter Continental, Mandarin Oriental, Forte, CIGA and many other chains and
independentsaround the globe.Fidelio created the original electronic room rack. Complete, graphical plan
illustrations of each floor allowyour front office staff to monitor and control the occupancy of every room
in the building. Using a system oftwelve different colour codes, the status of each room is visible at a
glance either currently, or at somefuture date. Yellow indicates a room is clean and vacant, blue is
dirty and arrival expected, and so on.Reservations data can also be shown in tabulated form to give an
overall occupancy picture for anyspecified day.For group bookings, from the most complex convention to
airline allotments, the group and blockmanagement functions handles it all. Master billing, split rates,
staggered arrivals, package plans, grouphistory, room type control, block forecasts and traces they all
help to optimize group business, without thetime consuming paperwork.As well as handling room
management, FIDELIO Front Office maintains all guests accounts, and offersnumerous other facilities
such as mailing, word processing, and customized printout of confirmation letters,guest messages and
other documents.