Scheduled Checkout

The Scheduled Checkout feature allows automatic checkout of the guest at a specified time. This feature is available when the Cashiering > Scheduled Checkout application function is set to Y and the Checkout Processor is active. It is very important to be sure that the General > Database Time Zone Region application setting and the property's time zone are set correctly.

Note: Even though a specific time can be set for the scheduled checkout to occur, this does not necessarily mean that the scheduled check out will automatically occur at this time. Scheduled Checkout Processor in OPERA will by default run every 15 minutes to check out the reservations that have been set for a scheduled check out and fall within that specific 15 minute interval.

The Cashiering > Scheduled Checkout Room Status application setting is used to specify the housekeeping room status that will be assigned to a guest's room when the guest is checked out via scheduled checkout. The default setting is Dirty.

Scheduled Checkout Requirements

There are two ways scheduled checkout may be applied to a reservation.

By using the Privileges screen Scheduled Checkout option. (The Privileges screen is available by selecting the Options button from the Reservation screen or from the Billing screen. From the options menu, select the Privileges button.) When it is anticipated that there will be no charges at all made to a folio (as distinct from a zero balance on the folio), this feature may be used to schedule an automatic checkout on the departure date. This approach may be appropriate, for example, when all charges for the stay are to be routed to a PM reservation or to another guest's folio. Select the Scheduled Checkout check box on the Privileges screen and enter the time when the guest is to be automatically checked out. The reservation status will automatically change to Checked Out at that time. Be aware, however, that if any charges are made to the folio, even if a payment is applied and the balance is zero, automatic scheduled checkout will not take place. (In this case, the Status column on the Scheduled Checkout Guest Search screen will be PENDING and the reservation status will be Due Out.) In this case, the guest can be checked out manually from the Billing screen; at that time, scheduled checkout can be applied to the reservation by using the next method.
During the checkout process by opting for Scheduled Checkout following selection of the Settlement Early Departure button or the Check Out button from the Billing screen. In this case, there are two requirements.
- A folio must have been generated for the reservation. This will always be the case when the Scheduled Checkout option is reached by selecting the Check Out button or the Settlement Early Departure button from the reservation Billing screen. Using the Payment button will not generate a folio and for this reason cannot be used to enable scheduled checkout.
- In addition, the folio must have a zero balance. (If there is a non- zero balance, automatic scheduled checkout will not take place at the specified time. The Status column on the Scheduled Checkout Guest Search screen will be PENDING, and the reservation status will be Due Out.)

If these requirements are met, the guest's reservation status will automatically change to Checked Out at the specified checkout time on the departure date. See Using Scheduled Checkout During the Checkout Process, below, for details.

Scheduled Checkout Guest Search Screen

Select Cashiering > Scheduled Checkout to display the Scheduled Checkout Guest Search screen. This screen lists all guests having a scheduled checkout time (past or future) on the current business date, who have not yet checked out. If the checkout time shown is in the past, this means that the balance on the guest's folio was not zero at the scheduled time and the guest was not automatically checked out.

If the guest's balance is zero, you may use the Check Out button to immediately check the selected guest out. Otherwise, select the Billing button to display the Billing screen for the highlighted guest.

Search Criteria

Room. Enter the guest's room number or first part of the guest's room number. Specific room numbers can be entered, separated by a comma, to be searched for. For example, if a user wants to search for Rooms 1001 and 1008, then the user would enter 1001, 1008 and select the Search button to return only those two rooms.

Name. Enter the guest's last name or partial name.

Group. Enter the group name or partial group name to search for guests who are part of a group.

Company. Enter the name of the company or travel agent profile associated with the guest's reservation.

Party. Enter the party name or partial party name to search for guests who are part of a party.

Block. Enter the room block name or partial room block name to search for guests who are part of a room block allotment.

Reservation Status. Select the check boxes for the reservation statuses you want to use as a filter.

Note: To identify only those reservations that are checked out with an open folio, select the Open Folio reservation status check box (see Advanced Search Criteria, below).

Check Out Time From. Enter a beginning time to display records for reservations having a scheduled check out time at or after the specified time. You may also enter a Check Out To time to display records for all reservations having a scheduled checkout time during the From/To period.

Check Out Time To. Enter an end time to display records for reservations having a scheduled check out time at or before the specified time. You may also enter a Check Out From time to display records for all reservations having a scheduled checkout time during the From/To period.

Advanced Search Criteria

Note: The Advanced button is available only if the Cashiering > Pre Stay Charges and/or the Cashiering > Post Stay Charges applications function is set to Y, or if the Cashiering > Noshow and Cancellation Postings application function is set to Y.

Res. Type. Select the down arrow to choose reservation types.

Arrival. Reservation arrival date range.

From. Start of arrival date range.
To. End of arrival date range.

Departure. Reservation departure date range.

From. Start of reservation departure date range.
To. End of reservation departure date range.

Reservation Status. Select the check boxes for the reservation statuses you want to use as a filter. The default is Stayovers and Due Outs. The Open Balance check box can be used to show reservations with a balance.

Note: To identify reservations that are checked out with an open folio, select the Open Folio reservation status check box. (Open Folio is available only if the Cashiering > Open Folio application parameter is set to Y.)

Note: If the Cashiering > Pre Stay Charges application function is set to Y, you may search for reservations having pre-stay charges by using the reservation arrival date (Arr. From and Arr. To fields). The Pre-Stay indicator lamp displays when these reservations are highlighted. See Pre Stay and Post Stay Charging Rules and Privileges for details.

Open Balance. Select this check box to view reservations with an open balance.

Fields

Room. Guest's room number.

Name. Guest's last name, first name; or the name of the group, company, agent, source. An asterisk preceding the name indicates that the guest is sharing.

Alt Name. If the General > Extended Byte application parameter is set to Y, multiple-byte character sets may be used to enter names in native languages that require extended-byte (for example, Chinese). If the profile includes a double-byte name, it appears in this field.

Time. Scheduled checkout time. You may change this scheduled time by selecting the Billing button to access the guest Billing screen, then choosing the Reservation option. The scheduled checkout time may be changed by editing the C/O Time field on the Reservation screen More Fields tab.

Note: Even though a specific time can be set for the scheduled checkout to occur, this does not necessarily mean that the scheduled will automatically occur at this time. A procedure is run in OPERA every 15 minutes to check out the reservations that have been set for a scheduled check out and fall within that specific 15 minute interval.

Arrival. Arrival date on the guest's reservation.

Departure. Departure date on the guest's reservation.

Balance. Current balance due for the guest.

Note: Only reservations having a zero balance can be automatically checked out using scheduled checkout.

Company. Company profile with which this guest reservation is associated.

Group. Group with which this guest reservation is associated.

Block Code. Block allotment with which this guest is associated.

Source. Source profile with which this guest reservation is associated.

Status. Scheduled checkout status. If PENDING appears here, the reservation's scheduled checkout time has passed and the reservation was not automatically checked out. This may be because there is a non-zero balance or a folio has not been generated for the reservation. You must go to the reservation Billing screen to check the guest out. (See Scheduled Checkout Requirements, above.)

Using Scheduled Checkout During the Checkout Process

When the Cashiering > Scheduled Checkout application function is set to Y, a prompt appears during guest checkout after all Billing screen windows are settled and the guest has a zero balance, and after all folios have been printed. The prompt allows you to continue with a standard checkout or to schedule the guest for automatically checked out.

Select Continue to continue checking the guest out without using scheduled checkout. The reservation status will be changed immediately to Checked Out.

Select the Schedule button to schedule the reservation for automatic checkout at a future time on the current date. Enter the future time when the guest should be automatically checked out. The time must be entered using the time format specified for the property in Property Details in Configuration. If a checkout time was already specified on the guest's reservation, that time appears on this screen. You can change the time. Select OK to schedule the checkout. The reservation remains Due Out until the scheduled checkout time. At that time the reservation status changes automatically to Checked Out. Select Close to leave the screen without scheduling the checkout. The guest is immediately checked out and the reservation status changes to Checked Out.

Scheduled Checkout for Sharers

If you apply scheduled check out to any reservation that has sharers, you are prompted to check out the sharing reservations as well. Check out for sharers is handled individually for each sharing reservation. You may apply separate scheduled check out times to each sharing reservation, immediately check out any of the sharers, or perform no check outs for sharers.