|
|
|
Creating and Editing Business Blocks in SFA
In SFA, to create a Business Block, access Business Management > Business Block from the main menu. Select New from the Business Block Search screen. Alternatively, you may use the Business Block button on an Account or Contact screen. You may also create a Business Block directly from a Potential. Business Blocks in SFA can have a room grid and F&B Agenda records attached. They serve as a template for lead creation.
Note: Changes made to business blocks can be viewed on the Block Changes User Activity Log (Business Management > Blocks > Options > Changes) and the User Activity Log (Miscellaneous > User Activity Log).
Note: Offset functionality is not available for lead masters or leads on the Business Block - SFA screen. Once the lead is converted to a block, offsets can be applied to the block from the Business Block Rooms Tab (available when the Blocks > BUSINESS BLOCK OFFSETS function is set to Y and the user has the Blocks > BLOCK OFFSET EDIT permission granted).
When creating master/sub blocks in SFA or ORS, it is not possible to select multiple properties, unless the master and the sub properties are live in the central schema. When a local property is selected as master, remote properties will be excluded from the property LOV for selection of sub block properties. When a remote property has been selected as master, the Property selection field is completely disabled.
For Example:
In an environment with the following configuration:
ORS - central schema
Hotel 1 - live in central schema
Hotel 2 - live in central schema
Hotel 3 - remote property in schema X
Hotel 4 - remote property in schema X
Hotel 5 - remote property in schema Y
A master is created in Hotel 1. The only possible property selections for subs would then be Hotel 1 and Hotel 2 because they are live in the same schema.
A master is created in Hotel 3. No property selection is possible, because Hotel 3 is not live in the central schema. The same would be true of Hotel 4 and Hotel 5.
The SFA Business Block screen can have the following main sections:
Note: To create a new business block, use the Business Block Search screen.
Important! Some of the Functions described in this section are parameter or license code dependent and might not display consistently for each Business Block created.
Lead Hist (Lead History). Select this option to launch the Lead History Screen. From here it is possible to view existing Lead History; this can include Competitor History (if maintained). Booking history is definable by the number of Records to send and whether or not to also send revenue.
Alt Dates (Alternate Dates). When the application function Blocks > Alternate Dates is active, SFA can suggest Alternate Booking Dates using this option. See Alternate Dates for Leads for further details.
Note: Copying a booking with Alternate Dates will NOT copy the alternate dates. Additionally, when alternate dates exist for a lead, a lamp will display on the lead and when the lead is highlighted in the Lead (Receive) screen. Click on the lamp to access to the alternate dates directly.
Resync (Resynchronize). (Available when an OXI interface is present). Use this option to synchronize individual block reservations to one or multiple OXI Interfaces directly from the Business Block Reservation screen. When selected, this option displays the Interface IDs screen. Only active OXI Interfaces are available for selection from this screen. Select the available OXI Interface to sync the current record to, then select OK. Once the record has completed synchronization with OXI, a message displays verifying that the message was sent to OXI. See OXI Resync for OPMS for more details.
Oxi (OXI). This button will only display for those properties where the OXI Interface Configuration Parameter OXI BLOCKS > SPECIFIC BLOCK EXCHANGE Is set to Y, in which case it is possible to decide, on a block-by-block basis, which external interfaces will a block be processed to (and whether it will be exchanged at all). If set to N, all blocks are sent to all available interfaces.
CRS Guar (CRS Guarantee). (Available when the OXI interface OPX_BWI OPERA Xchange 2-way for BWI is present). Use this option to synchronize individual block reservations to one or multiple OXI Interfaces directly from the Business Block Reservation screen. When selected, this option displays the Interface IDs screen. Only active OXI Interfaces are available for selection from this screen.
Access E... (Block Access Exclusion). This option allows a user to indicate whether or not CROs will be able to book reservations against the block. This feature is permission driven and is only available when the OPR<version number>ORS license is active, or when the OPP_MHOT Multi-property PMS add-on license is active.
Activities. (Available when the OPS/OPC<version number> Sales and Catering license is active, or when the OPF<version number> Sales Force Automation license is active.) Go to the Activity Search screen.
Sell Msg (Sell Message). Available only when the OPR<version number> ORS license is active, or when the PMS OPP_MHT2 Multi-Property Cross-Reservations add-on license is active, use this option to help your reservation agents secure a booking during a customer query. See Sell Messages for further details.
Resv (Reservation List Screen). (Available when business block status is Definite.) Create a posting master and go to the Room List screen where you may make reservations for this business block.
Grid. Go to the Room Grid configuration for the Business Block. The room grid will be copied from the original booking to all leads on lead creation. It cannot be changed on the lead itself. The only exception is the option to update the lead rates on the grid in the receiving property and sending those changes back to SFA.
Events. Display the Event Search screen for the highlighted business block where events associated with the block are listed. A message notifies you if no events exist for the block. (See Searching for an Event for details.)
Agenda. Create a Meeting Agenda associated with this Business Block, or, if a Meeting Agenda already exists, view and edit the agenda. Like the room grid, the agenda will be copied from the original booking to all leads on the lead creation. It cannot be changed on the lead itself.
Leads. This will take you to the Leads Add/Edit screen. Existing leads are displayed here and new leads can be added. Lead sending and re-sending is also part of the functionality of this module.
Reports. Display the OPERA Reports screen where you may select from a list of reports which are related to business blocks.
Notes. Display the Business Block Notes screen showing any notes that have been entered for this block. (See Business Block Notes for details.)
Options. Go to the Options screen.
Once a business block has been created and leads have been sent, changes to the master booking are not passed on to the lead recipients (in the form of updated leads) except under the following conditions. In these cases, existing leads can be regenerated.
When changes are made in these cases, a series of two prompts will guide you through the lead regeneration process. The first prompt will ask you to verify (Yes/No) whether or not to regenerate the selected Lead. After having answered Yes to the prompt that leads will be regenerated, an additional prompt will appear only if the Lead to be resent is of a status LSL (LOST) and is transmitted via email to those properties that receive email leads. Answer Yes to regenerate an email for the LSL Lead. Answer No and the email will not be generated or sent. For data leads, LSL status updates are always sent in order to keep lead/booking statuses in sync between SFA and remote properties.
Leads are generally locked for editing and a View Only lamp will display on the bottom of the Business Block screen to indicate that the Lead cannot be updated. However, if the user has the permission Blocks > Edit Locked Blocks assigned, a single click on the View Only Lamp will unlock the Lead for editing, provided the Lead does not have a communication method of DATA selected. The two exceptions to updating non-DATA Leads are that changes of dates are not allowed, nor will a change of status to open for pickup (DEF) enable the Reservations button.
The Unlock Blocks And Leads permission allows the user granted this permission to unlock blocks and leads that are locked on both central and remote property level from the central screens. Any user who has this permission granted can do the following key sequence on a locked block or lead: Hold down the CNTRL key and then double click on the External Locked lamp that appears at the bottom of the business block screen. Depending on if this action is done on a block or on a lead, a message will appear "Do you want to Unlock Block / Lead?" When YES is selected, the following will happen.
Note: When creating a business block in SFA via Meeting Rooms on the Web (when the S&C/OWS license code Webservices Sales & Catering WCS_<version number> or Webservices Conference Center WCC_<version number> is active) using CreateBlock, MeetingCreateEvent, MeetingCreatePackageEvent, or MeetingRoomCopyBlock,the business block will be locked in SFA and unlocked in the business block property.
For a direct block:
The lock is released on the central side. The property side remains locked. However, Central can then pass the control of the block to the property by unchecking the Control Centrally flag.
For a lead that has not yet been confirmed (lead status is still PEL):
If the application parameter Leads > Allow Lead Update On Property is set to Y, the control is given to the remote property, and the lead is locked in central.
If the application parameter Leads > Allow Lead Update On Property is set to N, the control is given to Central/SFA, and the lead is locked at the property level.
Only selected fields and areas can be edited and updated on a lead, even by the side that has control over the lead (e.g., owner, rates, agenda records, but not business block header details, room block, and so on).
For a lead that has been confirmed (CFL):
If the application parameter Leads > Maintain Control Centrally After Cfl is set to N, the control is given to the remote property, and the lead/block is locked in central. The unlock process for this type of lead/block will also resend the conversion instructions from lead to block and all related processes.
If the application parameter Leads > Maintain Control Centrally After Cfl is set to Y, the control is given to central/SFA, and the lead/block is locked in the remote property. The unlock process for this type of lead / block will send the conversion instructions from lead to block and all related processes to the remote property though.
This is mainly a utility function and should only be used when both sides of a block are locked. For generic override of the external lock on the ORS side, the VIEW ONLY override should still be used, for a one-off update.
Note: The UNLOCK functionality is only available on Central/SFA level.
See Also
