What's New in OPERA > V5.0.04.01
V5.0.04.01
The following gives a brief description of New Features introduced in OPERA.
An enhancement was made to the Queue Reservations screen (QRESV) which is available when the Application Function QUEUE ROOMS in the ROOMS MANAGEMENT Group is active.
This new enhancement introduces a Block Code field to the Search area along with a Block Code column to the grid. The new Block Code search field will be helpful filtering the grid and prioritizing the Queue. The Block Code column and search field will display when one or both BLOCK Group Application Functions BUSINESS BLOCK or QUICK BUSINESS BLOCK are active.
On the Cashiering Billing screen, width for all the columns can now be increased or decreased by dragging the right side of the column. An exception is that the Reference column cannot not be reduced than its default width.
For Example, In quad view with 8 windows , window 1 and window 5 exactly overlap with each other, so when increasing or decreasing column widths for any column in either of these windows will reflect in the other one.
This enhancement introduces the ability to default a Housekeeping Status for Rooms that are checked out as Day Use. The default can be defined in the new Setting DEFAULT DAY USE ROOM STATUS which is available in the ROOMS MANAGEMENT Group. When the Room’s current Status is ‘Clean’ or ‘Inspected’ then the Status will change to the one defined in the new Setting after the check out is completed. The options for the Setting are Dirty, Pickup (when PICKUP STATUS Function is active), Clean and Inspected (when INSPECTED STATUS Function is active). When the Setting is left blank the Check Out Agent will continue to see the Room Status screen in order to pick the Status themselves.
With this enhancement OPERA has added the ability to search Profiles by Tax ID number on the Profile Search screen (PRSRC_00). When entering a value into the TAX ID field on the Profile search screen, OPERA will return Profiles with that value in the Tax ID field or the Tax ID2 field on the Profile. The Tax ID field can be hidden/unhidden on the Profile Search screen via the Menu and Screen Design component. This enhancement is also available for ORS for properties with an active ORS license.
OPERA is introducing a new report that shows a current snapshot of the property’s Guest Balances. The new report is called Guest Balance Snapshot (guest_balance_snapshot) and is part of the Financial Reports Group. It will show records for all Reservations with an open balance. The following columns are shown: Room Number, Name, Persons, Adults, Children, Arrival Date, Departure Date, Debit, Credit, Balance, Non-Room Revenue, Payment Method, Reservation Status, Rate Code, Rate and Nationality. With a check box and open Comment section for each record the report can be used for any type of audit if needed. The report can be scheduled via the Report Scheduler and it can be added to the End of Day Reports. The report will show the information for the time it is run and it cannot be run for any date/time in the past or future. Postings made on the current Business Date against Reservations arriving on a future date will only show on the report after the EOD for the current Business Date has been completed.
OPERA is introducing new report Watermark functionality. Users will be able to efficiently add Watermarks to individual reports, report groups or all reports. The new functionality is being controlled by the new Application Parameter REPORT WATERMARK in the GENERAL group.
A new parameter called Arrivals With Deposit Balance has been introduced in End of Day group.
When activated, this parameter will execute an additional procedure in the End of Day process to check if there are any arrivals that have not yet checked in and have a deposit balance, if found OPERA will stop the End of Day. Such reservation will need to be then checked in or deposit balance be made zero in order to continue with the End of Day.
OPERA is introducing the new Room Activity Report (room_activity) with the Reservation 29 (RES29) parameter form. The report shows user activity associated with certain rooms. The report shows the following columns: Room No., Action Type, Date, Time, User, Action Description and Confirmation No. The following Action Types are captured on the report: Check In, Check Out, Discrepant, Key Create, Key Delete, Key Duplicate, Key Moved, One Shot Key, Reinstate, Return from OOO/OOS, Reverse Check Out, Room Assign, Room Move, Status Change. The report can be filtered by Date, Time, Room Number and/or User and it can be sorted by Room Number, User, Action Type or Date.
When the RATES->RATE CODE POSTING RHYTHM application parameter is active, a new check box is available on the More Tab of the Rate Setup (RTSETUP) screen for Repeat. When configuring a new Posting Rhythm, once the Nights field is populated the Repeat check box will be enabled and selected by default. When selected, Posting Rhythm functionality will work as it does today. When unchecked, the rate will not post (or post a discounted amount based on the type of Posting Rhythm) only on the night defined. For example, if the Posting Rhythm is configured to not post every 2 nights and the check box is not selected, a reservation created for 5 nights will not post the rate amount only on the 2nd night of the stay.
A new Cashiering parameter "Consume Allowance when No Post and Post Stay Flag" has been introduced. It is available only when Rates -> Advanced Packages function is active. When both are active, a new check box "Valid until C/O EOD" will be available for an allowance package on the package header. It will be available in PMS as well as ORS so that the status of the new check box will be exchanged.
For checked out reservations, the package allowance on the date of departure for any package with "Valid until C/O EOD" check box checked, will remain available until the End of Day of departure date. This will allow consumption of such package past check out as long as the reservation has Post Stay privilege or is checked out with Open Folio. If No Post flag is also checked in addition to Post Stay / Open Folio, Postings against allowance from interface will be accepted only upto the allowance value as no overage will be posted. Postings against allowance manually by a user will be accepted above the allowance value as overage will be posted.
If reservation has Post Stay privilege or is checked out with Open Folio and No Post flag is not checked, then postings against allowance either by interface or manually by a user will be accepted above the allowance value as overage will be posted.
For the checked out reservations with allowance until End of Day, the Package Profit / Loss will be generated during the End of Day.
For in house reservations, activating this parameter will allow postings against the allowance even if a reservation has No Post flag checked essentially overriding the No Post flag. Postings against allowance from interface will be accepted only upto the allowance value as no overage will be posted. Postings against allowance manually by a user will be accepted above the allowance value as overage will be posted. If No Post flag is not checked, then postings against allowance either by interface or manually by a user will be accepted above the allowance value as overage will be posted as normal without this new parameter.
If any allowance package associated with a reservation has "Valid until C/O EOD" checked then the Allowance column will be in Cyan color.
The Posting History record that consumes against the allowance or posted overriding No post flag will have an additional text as NO POST -> Y or Post Stay -> Y.
Please note that When a POS check / interface posting is posted with multiple transaction line items that refer to multiple transaction codes in OPERA, in order for OPERA to accept the entire check and post against allowance for a reservation with No Post flag, all the transaction codes on the check must have an allowance in OPERA either individually or setup as alternates. If the total of all the postings from POS on one check exceed the available allowance, OPERA will reject the entire posting from IFC even if one of the transaction codes has an allowance. So essentially this will behave as all or none process where OPERA will accept the entire check and consume allowance or reject an entire check as no Overage can be posted to a reservation with No Post flag when posting is from Interface.
A change was made to the ‘A/R Activity – All Types’ report (aractivity.rep) using parameter form General 1 (GEN1). The report can now be filtered by ‘Activity Type’.
A change was made to the Wake-up Calls screen (IFC_WAKE). A ‘Due Out’ column has been added which will be populated with an ‘X’ when the guest is due out on the date that was entered into the Search area of the screen. This column will assist in efficiently recognizing departing guests to be able to thank them for their stay, wish them a safe trip home and ask them to come stay again in the future.
A new application setting MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OPEN BUSINESS DATES under End Of Day group has been introduced. It is available only when Income Audit function is off.
The value specified determines the number of business dates that can remain Open without completing the "Print Final Reports" process of End of Day.
Valid value for the setting is an integer between 1 and 365, it can also be left blank / null.
When the application parameter RATES->RATE CODE POSTING RHYTHM is active, a new posting rhythm for Post Discounted Rate Every X Nights. When selected, a field for Discount Rate and % checkbox are available. The Amount entered in the Discount Rate field will be discounted off the configured Rate Amount. If the checkbox is selected, the discount amount is a percentage off the rate rather than a flat amount. The number entered in the Post Every Nights field will determine the nights the discounted rate is applied.
With this enhancement additional Merge Codes were added to the Address Format component of OPERA. It is now possible to set up the Address Format so that Folios for Reservations with a Contact Profile attached that have a Relationship with the Company/Travel Agent/Source Profile that is also attached to the Reservation will print with the Company/Travel Agent/Source Profile Name as part of the Address.
For this new functionality to be available the PROFILES Group Function RELATIONSHIPS has to be active.
Existing Batch Folios functionality that generates Advance Bill for in-house reservations via "Folios for Guests Departing Tomorrow" and "All guests" options has been enhanced. Existing functionality automatically posts the room & tax fixed charges for the current business date only the same way as Advance Bill settlement option from billing screen, however additionally an ability to decide if the folio should be printed or not has been added.
For the 2 options mentioned above, when Advance Bill option is selected, the Post and Post All buttons are made available with the grid that lists the applicable reservations. A Previous button allows to go to previous screen.
The Print Folio check box is dependent on the Folio Printing setting, if setting is NO, the check box is unchecked and available, if Yes, then it is checked and available, if Always, then it is checked and disabled.
A new Statistics by Length of Stay report is available in OPERA.
The new Statistics by Length of Stay DAY/MTD/YTD report (sales_tiered_stats3 with FOR9) resembles the Statistics by Length of Stay (sales_tiered_stats2 with FOR9) with the addition of a new ‘Year to Date’ section along with new ‘% of Occupancy’ and ‘% of Revenue’ columns.
The ‘% of Occupancy’ and ‘% of Revenue’ values are also calculated in the Grand Total section of the report.
The Length of Stay Tiers default to 1-4, 5-11, 12-29, and 30+ days, but can be changed when the Application Function RATE TIERS in the RATES group is active.
OPERA is introducing an enhancement to the Item Inventory functionality. With the new Application Parameter ALLOW INVENTORY ITEMS OUTSIDE OF STAY DATES in the RESERVATIONS group, OPERA allows users to attach items before during and after the actual stay dates. Changes to the Item configuration screen will give the user the ability to mark an item as ‘Outside of Stay Dates’ which then opens up the item to be attached outside of stay dates as long as one night overlaps with the guest’s stay. This new functionality can also be combined with the existing Fixed Charges functionality (when the Application Function FIXED CHARGES in the CASHIERING group is active) in order to charge for the added item via the item configuration screen. Another addition to the Item configuration screen (when the new Application Parameter is active) is the ‘Default Duration’ field. With this new field the item can be given a default duration and OPERA will then automatically populate the end date of the item when it is being added. Item Inventory functionality is available when the Application Function ITEM INVENTORY in the RESERVATIONS group is active.
This enhancement introduced the ‘All’ and ‘None’ buttons to the Room Assignment (RMBLK) screen. Selecting ‘All’ will mark all records in the grid with an ‘X’ and selecting ‘None’ will remove the ‘X’ from all records currently marked with it.
A change was made to the Reservation Booking Pace report (reservation_pace). The ‘Room Revenue’ columns have been renamed to ‘Net Rm. Revenue’ and the time frame for which data is stored was increased from 12 months to 14 months in the past.
Four new messages have been added to the Popup Blockers functionality in OPERA. Now resorts can choose to hide the following messages with a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ default:
The messages display when creating, editing and moving Itinerary Reservations. Itinerary Reservation functionality is available with an active Cross Selling or ORS license and when the ITINERARY RESERVATION Parameter is active.
A change was made to the 3 Dashboard screens (RESV_XPRESS, RESV_XPRESS2 and RESV_XPRESS3 which are accessible by selecting Ctrl+F4) and the OVOS Dashboard (OVOS_DASHBOARD, Ownership Menu Item). Fields for the number of Adults and Children on the reservation were added to the Reservation section of the screens. This will give a quick overview of the number of persons in the room. Users can set the version of the Dashboard screen to use with the DASHBOARD LAYOUT VIEW Application Setting in the GENERAL Group. The OVOS Dashboard is available for properties with an active OVOS (OPERA Vacation Ownership) license.
OPERA is introducing a new Application Parameter along with a new Permission in the RESERVATIONS groups. The new setting RESTRICT GUEST PROFILE LINK UPDATE will make the new Permission GUEST PROFILE LINK UPDATE available. When the Permission is granted there are no changes to current functionality. When the Permission is revoked, then the user is prevented from changing the Individual Profile that is linked to the Reservation (as the Reservation Name Profile) after the Reservation is checked in and the first End of Day has been processed. To prevent the linkage change, all search areas on the Profile screen will be grayed out.
OPERA is introducing a new Housekeeping Task Sheet Style. Task Sheet 11 will display the following columns in portrait format: Room No., Room Status, Credits, Reservation Status, Arrival, Departure, Adult, Children, Tasks/Room Instructions. Along with the columns each task sheet will also have the Task Sheet Details at the top and Task Sheet Totals at the bottom. Task Sheet 11 also has a total section on the last page with totals for all Task Sheets.
OPERA is introducing new Global Alert Field Options and Filter Conditions. “Date of Birth of the Individual Profile” will be newly available as a Field option to filter by in PMS. With this new field option and a new functionality that lets the user base their filter on the current business date alerts can be set up to display an alert when the guest’s birthday is around the current business date. For properties with an active OCIS license the following new Fields for Filter Conditions are being introduced: Member Join Date, First Membership Upgrade YN, Total Number of available Points, Points expiring this year, Number of nights at a property (based on the logged in property) and Number of nights last 365 days (based on all properties within the OCIS setup). Information for some of these new alerts is retrieved from the OCIS Stay Stats.
Opera is also introducing a new Application Setting in the RESERVATIONS group. JOIN ALERTS is now available and when activated all Global and Reservation Alerts will show by Alert Type in one screen. When inactive each Alert will show in its own screen one after the other as it does today. ALERT functionality is available when the Application Function ALERTS in the RESERVATIONS group is active.
Added the Doorcard field to the XML Export of the Readerboard EXP IFC Type. A checkbox is available in IFC Configuration to be ticked to include or not include the Doorcard field for the event in the XML Export format.
A 90 second timeout was added to the Payment Application in a tokenized environment that will automatically close the Payment Application if it has been idle for that time period.
In an integrated environment (ORS or SFA active licenses), when the application parameter Blocks>Mutual Control is active, a new Control LOV is available that replaces the Control Centrally check box. The Control LOV not only provides selections for Property or Central control of the business block, but also for Both. When Both is selected, the business block is open for edit on both the property and central levels. See Business Block Rooms Tab for more details.
The VIEW ONLY access to externally locked business blocks is now also available on property level. When a user has the permission BLOCKS - EDIT LOCKED BLOCKS granted, double clicking on the VIEW ONLY lamps will now allow edit access to an externally controlled business block on property level.
Please note, that catering information on the block header and event information are excluded from VIEW ONLY override edit access, and will always remain with the entity in control of the business block (in order to protect function space inventory).
It now possible to assign rooms to reservations from ORS and SFA for properties that are live in the same schema as ORS/SFA. The ‘Room’ field is enabled on the Reservation screen (RSEDIT) and on the Group Rooming List screen (GRRMLIST).
It is now possible to copy contract templates for the Merge Contract (REP_CONT_MERGE) between properties.
When editing a Master Allocation or a Master Block, a new option ‘Master Info’ is now available on the Business Block Statistics screen (GRSUMM1). This screen will show a summary of all Blocked Rooms, Picked-Up Rooms, Available Rooms, and Picked-Up # of Persons for each day of the Master. A total summary as well as a summary by room type are displayed. In the lower section of the screens, the same data is displayed, separated by sub-block, or sub-allocation.
Please note: only physical reservation pick-up will appear as pick-up for the master- allocation. Rooms that have been allocated from the master allocation to a sub-allocation will still appear as available on the master allocation.
When linked to a webProposal system sprint 2.9 or higher, OPERA S&C now provides the functionality to initiate Transient webProposals from the Activity module of S&C. Transient webProposals allow for the creation of webProposals without a physical business block having to be created, and can be used to target non-group customers, to send rate offers and other details. In OPERA, the application parameter BLOCKS - WEBPROPOSAL VERSION must be set to VERSION4 when linked to a webProposal Sprint 2.9 or higher system. If VERSION4 is active, another new application parameter, ACTIVITY - TRANSIENT WEBPROPOSAL is available. Activate this parameter in order to make Transient webProposal functionality available.
Staff needing access to Transient webProposals from OPERA must be granted application permission ACTIVITY - WEBPROPOSAL TRANSIENT.
One or several activity types for use with Transient webProposals should be created, with the 'webProposal' flag checked. Only activities that are created as 'To Do's' with the specifically created activity types will allow access to the webProposal button after the activity is saved.
To get access to the Transient webProposal module from OPERA, create a new activity as a 'To Do'. Use an activity type that has the 'webProposal' flag checked. Make sure that a contact with email address is attached to the activity.
Once the activity is saved, click on the webProp button to access Transient webProposals. (Please see eCommerce documentation for details on the operation and functionality within the webProposal application).
After the Transient webProposal has been saved and sent, a hyperlink will be available on the activity screen to open and view the transient webProposal from the activity, without having to open the webProposal application.
The Room and Catering Revenue Pace (BI) report displays room and event revenue by Stay Period for the requested Production Period. It also displays On the Books forecast revenue for the same Stay Period with a comparison to OBI Budgeted Revenue, Same Time Last Year (STLY), and Actual Last Year (ACTLY) figures. This report gives a clear breakdown between New Definite Revenue, Cancel Revenue, Reval Revenue (up or down changes to business blocks and events already in a definite status) and Slippage Revenue (up or down changes to business blocks and events while in an Actual status).
The Group Room Pace BI Report reports on group room nights and room revenue for the Production Period, Same Time Last Year, Actual Last Year and On the Books by Stay Period. The report is sorted by Stay Year and grouped by Total, Catering Only Y (Sales) and Catering Only N (Catering). This report gives a clear breakdown between New Definite Room Nights, Cancel Room Nights, Reval Room Nights (up or down changes to business blocks already in a definite status) and Slippage Room Nights (up or down changes to business blocks while in an Actual status).
The Catering Progress Report reports on group catering revenue for selected revenue types and can be run by Production Period or On the Books and includes a Variance to the Budgeted figures. When run for OTB, the report also includes either Same Time Last Year, Month, Week or Yesterday values. This report may be grouped by Stay Month, Market, Meal Type or Event Types and has many filtering options including business blocks with the Catering Only check box = Y or the Catering Only check box = N.
The Sales Manager Month End Progress Report reports on group room nights and revenue as well as catering revenue by selected revenue type and On the Books by Stay Period. The report is grouped by Stay Period and Owner and has many filtering options including business blocks with the Catering Only check box = Y or the Catering Only check box = N. This report gives a clear breakdown between New Definite Room Nights and Revenue, Cancel Room Nights and Revenue, Reval Room Nights and Revenue (up or down changes to business blocks and events already in a definite status) and Slippage Room Nights and Revenue (up or down changes to business blocks and events while in an Actual status) as well as Variances to Production or Arrival Goals.
With the OBI Cloud enhancement, users can now export data from each property and build cubes in the Cloud. This enables the smooth deployment of OBI in the Cloud for new properties. Once OBI is deployed in the Cloud, OBI users will access a Cloud URL to view their Dashboards and reports.
To enable OBI Cloud functionality, local Datamart and Dimensional tables are created in the OBI database and data is uploaded to these tables from PMS/ORS. Using the OPERA Export module, the data is posted to an OXI Servlet, which the Servlet will then populate into the local OBI Datamart and Dimensional tables. This allows OBI cubes to be built in an environment that is completely isolated from OPERA data.
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The Advanced Daily Rate behaves like a regular Daily Rate with the exception that its Rate Details are populated by indicating the Daily Base Rate for each date instead of manually typing its rate amounts. Reservations assigned the Advanced Daily Rate code will have multiple rate amounts assigned automatically and the rate amounts can vary per night. Rate amounts will be inserted into the reservation based on the Daily Rate level available for that particular night.
The Advanced Daily Rate configuration process first involves setting up the "Advanced Daily Base Rate." Each Advanced Daily Base rate will be configured as a separate rate level. Using the Advanced Daily Base rate, you can configure as many rate levels as needed. When the Advanced Daily Rate is configured, it will use these Advanced Daily Base rate levels as its base rates.
Next, you will configure the "Advanced Daily Rate." When selecting the Advanced Daily Rate's Rate Detail tab, the Daily Rate Entry screen opens. On the Daily Rate Entry screen, you will set up the rate details for this rate code by selecting a date range and applying an Advanced Daily Base rate (level) for each date.
Membership Award Payment screen
Membership Award Payment screen - Export Info. Tab (tab displayed when the "FT AWARD DYNAMIC" award type is selected.)
Membership Award Payment screen - Custom Export Info. Tab (tab displayed when the "FT AWARD DYNAMIC" award type is selected.)
(Displayed when the "FT AWARD DYNAMIC" award type is selected.)
Note: The FT AWARD DYNAMIC award is issued to members when they purchase items from an online store. To learn how to issue this award type, see the "Issuing the FT AWARD DYNAMIC Award Type" Show Me below.
The Export Info tab shows the member's details for the award issue, such as the member's name, company, phone number and addresses.
(Displayed when the "FT AWARD DYNAMIC" award type is selected.)
The fields on the Custom Export Info tab are completely user defined. For this tab, you can configure custom fields for entering the details of the item being purchased.
Note: The fields under this tab are user defined and configured in OPERA under the ORS>Setup>System Configuration>Profile>Memberships>Award Design Screen.