Reservations


Counter Menu -> Reservations Menu -> Reservations

A reservation is useful for recording an equipment booking for a future date.
By entering reservations, equipment can be scheduled to be available on the date that it is needed and booking conflicts can be avoided.
A bookings schedule (product requirements) is maintained so that availability of equipment on any date can be determined.

During the reservation entry, delivery, pickup, or 'Will Call' requirement can also be recorded per the Divisional Delivery/Pickup Parameters.
Scheduling can then be controlled using the Delivery/Pickup Dispatch.

Event management processing can be used to decide reservation dates and calculate event rates.
This processing can be activated in the Company Rate Parameters.

The Counter Worksheet can be used to enter a reservation for equipment rentals and sales.
Use this Reservation program when entering a new reservation where the default Reservation # needs to be over-typed, or to change an existing reservation.

The ability to over-type the document number is controlled by the "Allow Custom Document#" flag for the document type defined in Last Used Transactions.

The reservation entry is similar in format to Contracts.
The main differences between the contract entry and the reservation entry are:

ENTERING THE RESERVATION

The customer billing information can be entered on the left portion of the header screen, and the shipping information can be entered on the right portion.
The fields in the Reservation header are similar to the Counter Worksheet Header.
The options accessible in the window on the Additional field of the Reservation header include:

Refer to Reservation Details for details on entering the product details.

Refer to Reservation Summary and Totals for details on completing the reservation, including adding services, deposits, taxes, and payment.


DEPOSITS & REMINDERS
While taking the reservation an advance deposit can be taken from the customer to hold the reservation. This increases current cash flow, and ensures that the customer is serious about the reservation.
If this deposit has not yet been collected, the deposit amount required and the date it is required, print on the Reservation.
When the equipment is returned, the deposit is applied against the final invoice.

If the reservation requires a deposit, settings in the Company Contract Parameters can require that the customer pay any Security Deposit on rental equipment and/or the Deposit total based on the rental charge estimate and the "Deposit Multiplier%" defined in the Division Contract Parameters.

If the reservation was taken over the phone, requesting a deposit ensures that the customer comes to your store, providing a second sales opportunity. Often when the customer comes into the showroom, the store displays give new ideas to the customer.
If the reservation is taken over the phone, the customer can be told that the deposit is required by a specific date. Use Reservation Deposits Reminder List to track when the deposit is due.
Use Log Reservation Deposit Reminder Calls to note when the customer was called and set the next call date if the deposit is not made.


SECURITY
The Record Clerk Accessing Reservation setting in the Company Security Parameters can be set to prompt the operator for a clerk code when an existing reservation is accessed.
A note or comment can also be entered about the nature of the changes being made to the reservation.
The clerk code and the notes are tracked in Clerk Document Access Log.

The Rental Quote also respects the separate Company Security Parameters to Prompt for Clerk flag.

An override setting in the Company Security Parameters can be set to either prevent reserving rental equipment when none is available at that location, or instead to allow the quantity over-ride after the warning of insufficient quantity available.
A further parameter can be set to prompt the operator for a reason code when the product reservation quantity is over-ridden.

Field Access Security:
Additional role security can be set to restrict certain actions in document entry by field as defined for the operator in Security Role Permissions.
This security feature can be used to control the operator's ability to over-ride field values include discount percents, dates/times, quantities, rates, price, and terms.


CONVERTING THE RESERVATION TO A CONTRACT
When the date of the reservation draws near, the reservation is converted into a contract using Convert Reservations. All information on the reservation is retained on the contract.
The conversion program provides the option to make last minute changes and additions, and add deposits. The contract becomes the hard copy which the customer signs. It is often used for the Delivery copy as well.

To identify which reservations need converting, use Reservations Report to create a list.
Reservations can be converted a day or two in advance in order to prepare the orders for delivery or customer pickup.
Use the Reservation Pick List to help prepare the orders.

Once the reservation is converted to a contract, if the reservation is not required any longer it can be deleted so that only outstanding reservations are left in the system.
Reservations can be saved if they apply to repeat events.
If filled reservations have been deleted, review the customer's old contracts to determine what the customer requested last time.


WHEN EQUIPMENT IS RETURNED
When the equipment is returned, the invoice for the charges is generated using Rental Return.
Any shortages or breakages can be added to the end of the Rental Return invoice, or if the shortages or breakages are determined afterwards, a separate invoice can be issued using Miscellaneous Invoices.
The invoices created are posted with same Daily Close programs as other invoices.

AUTO PURGE OF OLD RESERVATIONS
If a reservation is taken for a customer who fails to appear on the required date, the reservation remains outstanding until it is deleted using Delete A Single Reservation or until it is automatically purged.

Old reservations can be set to automatically purge after the reservation reaches a specified over due days. e.g. 30 or 60 or 90 days overdue.
The auto purge is executed by the job RSRH98A when setup in the Automated Job Scheduling to delete eligible old reservations according to the "Auto Purge Days" set in the Company Reservation Parameters.
An audit record is written to the Delete Log for RSRH98A to track purged reservations.

If the value for the "Auto Purge Days" prompt is left at zero or blank, the overdue or expired reservations will not be automatically deleted and this will then have to be done manually.

Note: Any Reservations with an outstanding deposit will not be purged.

ACTIONS:
Additional actions provided by buttons on the Reservations screen include:

Finished?
Click ACCEPT to access the convert program, or CANCEL to abort.

Topic Keyword: RSRH01
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