Automatic Reconciliation

Automatic Reconciliation - (AIB)

AIB is short for Automated Inventory Balancing.

To get to Automated Inventory Balancing: go to OXI and Select Inventory Balance>Automatic Reconciliation. Or in OPERA, go to Miscellaneous> Automated Reconciliation. Automated resync of inventory where OXI acts as gathering tool for OPERA and External system bookings and allotments. Comparison of the two systems is then done. Any updated data is sent to the respective systems and undelivered bookings and allotments are forwarded to the receiving systems. In the event that inventory cannot be balanced automatically there is the manual delivery methods still provided for user intervention. Reservation inventory can still be balanced via the Reservation Comparison utility. It is still available to user when the AIB maximum of ‘3’ requests have been met for the day. (This functionality is currently in use by IHG for the Holidex OXI.)

There are two request types:

Automated nightly request during Night Audit
Starting with the current business date
For 30 or 90 days out, specified by AIB parameter NA REQUEST
Manual request through the AIB main screen
Starting with any date within the 30 days booking window
For 30 days maximum request out

The AIB screen displays list of current and past status for any request done for the last 7 days. Any requests prior to that will have been removed. Details for Bookings and Allotments are available for review.

Note: If AIB is not going to be used by client for any reason where Balancing cannot be done then set AIB parameter DAILY REQUESTS ALLOWED = 0. Save the value.

Note: When on Group or Individual detail tabs

Any record that is successfully processed cannot be selected for manual intervention.
- Records displayed with radio buttons OPERA/Process
- Records displayed with radio buttons Either/Either
Any record that did not successfully process will be available for manual intervention.
- Records displayed with radio buttons Holidex/Review
Group records display header and details separately, check details below each group to verify if they require attention.
- Records displayed with radio buttons Holidex/Review

Manual AIB activation

Step 1> To start AIB manually

Start Date is default to current business date of hotel
Enter how many days; max of 30. End Date is auto-populated
Select START key.
Each AIB request is given unique 'Proc. ID' number.

Fields

Property. Pick-list option available in a multi-property setup, otherwise will default to property configured

Process Status. Filter available to display only by column #2 Process Status

Interface. Filter by type of interface. Defaults to Holidex.

Date. Filter by Calendar date

Remarks. Display of statistics for Block Requests and Errors from any Failed AIB request

Start Date. Calendar pick for AIB request. Defaults to current business date

Days. Manual entry field for amount of days that the AIB request is for from the Date Requested. Minimum request of 1 to maximum request of 30.

End Date. Auto populated field when Start Date and amount of Days are entered

Text. Light blue text will display ‘Response Success’ based on the highlighted record on the screen.

Columns

Column Name	Purpose
Proc. Id	Unique Identifier for each AIB request. All linked messages will be the same ID number. AIB main screen uses this a main default, the most recent on top.
Process Status	After request has been made, status will update as responses on data have returned from External and compare functionality is completed
Process Start	Date and Timestamp for each request is logged.
Process End	Date and Timestamp for each request finish is logged
Action Type	Type of request message is given for Block or Reservation.
Msg. Rcv	Value = Y or N, to confirm if external response is received.
User Name	Name will always display as interface ‘HOLIDEX’
Machine	NA
Terminal	Machine name where request was called from
Request Start	Request Start date from request
Request End	Request End date as specified by amount of day (i.e. 1-30)
Response Start	NA
Response End	NA
Property	Name of Property request was requested for
Module	Name will always display as AIB-SYNC- REQUEST as in Message Status screen
Interface ID	Name will always display as ‘HOLIDEX’
Total Resp	Amount of responses recorded for the request
User ID	User ID is the interface, not the user who requested

Step 2> Response Success or Request Failed

Failure or success for each request will be updated on AIB’s main screen. AIB main screen does not automatically refresh itself.

Select REFRESH to see latest status.

Step 3> Accessing/Viewing AIB data details

Select the DETAILS key

AIB Details screen will be empty upon entry: (from Group tab default)
Use the Search engine fields to filter details, select SEARCH key.
Any compared data will be displayed. (i.e. example from Groups tab)
Viewing any Record that was compared, highlight and select REVIEW key.

Details Screen

-Data-	Holidex Column	OPERA Column
Block Code	Axx	Axx
Begin Date	dd-mmm-yy	dd-mmm-yy
End Date	dd-mmm-yy	dd-mmm-yy
Timestamp	(Date of action)
Action Taken	UL = Upload, DL = Download, EX = External Compare
Action Status	Compared, Upload, Download
Action Description	Description of the action will be in text format

AIB Comparison Points

Comparison points:

On PMS Side	On Holidex Side
Rate Code	Rate Category
Group Block Code	Convention/Group Code
Room Type	Room Type
Arrival Date	Arrival Date
Number of Nights	Number of Nights
Segment Number	Segment Number
CRS Confirmation Number	CRS Confirmation Number

An exception is made for Group bookings, as it is possible that Groups can be created without a Rate Code in PMS and sent to the Holidex PLUS system. When that happens only the Rate Amount for deduct Room Types will be sent to Holidex.

Balancing Logic:

OPERA status	Holidex status	Action
No booking	Reserved booking	AIB sends request for Reservation for OPERA
No booking	Cancelled	No action
Reserved booking – no CRS #	No booking	AIB will send Reservation to Holidex
Reserved booking – with CRS #	No booking	Comparison done – goes to Discrepancy Report, user intervention required to balance
Reserved booking – with CRS #	Cancelled	Dates/Timestamp compared – latest Timestamp; if in OPERA – booking will be sent to Holidex; or if in Holidex – booking will be requested send to OPERA
Cancelled	Reserved booking	Comparison done - latest Timestamp; if in OPERA – booking will be sent to Holidex; or if in Holidex – booking will be requested send to OPERA
Cancelled	No booking	No action
Reserved booking - stay data does not match CRS segment no matches	Reserved booking - stay data does not match CRS segment no matches	Dates/Timestamp compared – latest Timestamp; if in OPERA – booking will be sent to Holidex; or if in Holidex – booking will be requested send to OPERA
Reserved booking – stay data does not match CRS segment no is lower than in Holidex	Reserved booking – stay data does not match CRS segment no is higher than in OPERA	Dates/Timestamp compared – latest Timestamp; if in OPERA – booking will be sent to Holidex; or if in Holidex – booking will be requested send to OPERA
Reserved booking – not linked to Group code Group not in OPERA	Reserved booking – linked to Group code Group in Holidex	Comparison done – goes to Discrepancy Report, user intervention required
Reserved booking – linked to Group code Group in OPERA	Reserved booking – not linked to Group code Group in Holidex	Comparison done- goes to Discrepancy Report, user intervention required
In House – Departure date is greater than current business date	No booking	(When any discrepancy is found) Shall be sent to Holidex*
In House – Departure date is equal to current business date	No booking	(When any discrepancy is found) Shall be sent to Holidex*
In House – Stay data does not match	Reserved booking	(When any discrepancy is found) Shall be sent to Holidex*
In House – Stay data does match	Reserved booking – Departure date is greater than OPERA	(When any discrepancy is found) Shall be sent to Holidex*
In House	Cancelled	(When any discrepancy is found) Shall be sent to Holidex.*
In House – (early check-out) Guest did early check-out	Reserved booking – Guest departure date is matching departure in OPERA PMS	(Although is discrepant after an checkout has been done in OPERA PMS. Departure date is the same.) Exception – to the In House upload rule. No upload will be sent, as both systems are correct.
Checked Out – Stay data does not match	Reserved booking	AIB will send Reservation to Holidex. (If booking is not resolved on OPERA Checked Out date, then any AIB request after that business will still send an Update Message that will be status ‘FAILED’ and Holidex Error “ERR DATE” since it’s departure date is not past. This means; to resolve the discrepancy will have to be manually done in Holidex PLUS system.)
Checked Out – Stay data does match	Reserved booking	No action. (Inventory is in balance.)
Group Block - No Reservations	No Group Block	AIB will do Full Upload to Holidex. (AIB Exceptions Report will record this action. There will be request to verify no duplication in the date range of the AIB request.)
No Group Block	Group Block- No Reservations	AIB will do Full Compare and request download of Group. Block will be sent down to populate OPERA. (AIB Exceptions Report will record this action. There will be request to verify no duplication in the date range of the AIB request.)

*For any In House booking in OPERA, where a discrepancy is found, will always be uploaded to Holidex system. Even if the external system has the latest timestamp; as the timestamp for comparison is disregarded.