Creating a Block

When creating a block, you are presented with two or three panels to complete: Block Definition, Room Details, and Catering Details.

Note:

The Catering Details panel is available when the Simple Events or Catering Events OPERA Control is active.

After entering the preliminary information in these panels and saving the block, you can proceed to add more details through Block Presentation.

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Creating a Block

1. From the OPERA Cloud menu, select Bookings, select Blocks, and then select Manage Block.

2. Click Create Block and enter the following details:

   Note:

   Click I Want to . . . to create a Master Block or Master Allocation.

   1. Block Definition Panel

      1. Property: Enter or select the property.

      2. Account: Select a sales account (company, travel agent, or source) to link to the block.

         1. The Account magnifier opens the Quick Profile Search screen where you can search for a Company, Travel Agent, and related Contact Profiles to associate with the Block. Or, you can select I Want to . . . and create a new profile. See Creating a Sales Account Profile.

         2. Search results display account profiles and account contacts. After selecting an account, click Select Account Only or click Select Account and Contact. If you select Account and Contact, the system auto fills the Account field and the Contact field on the Create Block screen.

         3. While on the Quick Profile Search screen, you can add a contact to an account by clicking the Account Actions ellipsis and selecting Create Linked Contact. Click Save and Select on the Create Linked Profile screen to auto populate the selected account and the newly created contact in the relevant fields on the Create Block screen.

      3. Synchronize: Enabled for a Master Block. Select the check box to update sub blocks details automatically when a change is made to the master block details. When the Synchronize Master Sub Blocks OPERA Control is active, this is selected by default (available when the Master Sub Blocks OPERA Control is active).

      4. Start Date: Enter or select the start date for the Block; this may vary from reservation arrival date if Events occur on the day prior. Field is blank when the Blank Business Block Start Date OPERA Control is active.

      5. Nights: Enter the number of nights for the block. The Maximum Number of Block Days OPERA Control determines the maximum value that can be entered.

      6. End Date: If you enter a number of nights in the Nights field, OPERA Cloud automatically updates the End Date.

      7. Block Name: Enter a block name; field auto fills from your Account field selection.

      8. Sub Block Code. Enter a sub block code. Enabled for a Master Block (available when the Master Sub Blocks OPERA Control is active).

      9. Block Code: Enter a Block Code. After Block Name and Block Dates fields are populated, the Block Code field auto generates. The Block code must be unique when the Unique Block Code OPERA Control is active. Block code format is determined by the Block Code Generation Pattern OPERA Control.

      10. Block Status: Select a Block Status from the list . Field defaults based on Default New Block Status OPERA Control.

      11. Market: Select a market from the list; used for statistical purposes.

      12. Source: Select a source code from the list; used for statistical purposes.

      13. Reservation Type: Select the Reservation Type from the list. The Res Type affects how the individual reservations are made.

          1. If the selected Block Status is Non-Deduct, only Non-Deduct Reservation Types are available.

          2. If the selected Block Status is Deduct, only Deduct Reservation Types are available.

          3. If the Block Status is configured with a default Res Type, the default Res Type is automatically populated when you select the Status Code.

      14. Inventory Control: Select an Inventory Control value from the list. Options available are determined by the Elastic Block OPERA Control; a default value can be set using the Default Value for Inventory Control OPERA Control. 

          1. Non Elastic prohibits you from extending a guest from the Allotment for a room type within the Block or selecting another room type outside the block.

          2. Elastic allows you to extend a guest who is a part of the block room allotment to a future date even if rooms are not available in the Allotment for a future date.

          3. Sell Limit enables you to define a set number of rooms per room type that can be borrowed from house availability after the total rooms within the block are picked up.

          4. Refer to Non-Elastic, Elastic, Sell Limits, and Shoulder Dates.

      15. Block Owner: Select a sales owner. You can search for blocks assigned to a specific sales owner. Available when the Owner OPERA Control is active.

      16. Decision Date: Enter or select a date when the group organizer must make a decision to proceed with booking.

      17. Followup Date: Enter or select a follow-up date for this block. This date could be used to confirm room requirements or confirm block status.

      18. Trace Code: Select an Activity Trace Code o specify the standard Activities to be created for this block.  (Available when the Auto Traces OPERA Control is active). For more information, see About Sales Activities Auto Traces

      19. Catering Only: Select the check box if the Block is for Events only (no guest room allotment is required).

          1. When the Catering Only OPERA Control is active and this check box is selected the Room Details section is hidden on the Create Block screen and the Save and Go To Grid button is disabled. The check box is used in reports to identify Events-only blocks.

          2. When the Catering Only OPERA Control is inactive and the check box is checked the Room Details panel and Save and Go To Grid button remain available.

      20. Origin: Select a booking origin from the list to identify where this block originated; used for statistical purposes.

      21. Type: Select a block type from the list to categorize the block for reporting purposes. Available when the Business Block Type OPERA Control is active.

   2. Room Details Panel

      1. Room Owner: Select a sales owner responsible for the Rooms (accommodation) portion of the block. Available when the Owner OPERA Control is active .

      2. Rate Code: Select a rate code from the list. You can select multiple rate codes when the Multi Block Rates OPERA Controls is active. The field is mandatory when the Rate Code Mandatory Block Header OPERA Controls is activate. When profiles linked to the block have negotiated rates selected, these rate codes are listed by default. Select the All Rates Codes option to display all rate codes.

      3. Currency: Displays the rate code currency. Available when the Ability to Quote Rates in Foreign Currencies OPERA Control is active.

      4. Print Rate: Defaults from the rate code select for the block; this becomes the default Print Rate setting for all reservations created for the block. See Group Rooming Lists.

      5. Suppress Rate: Defaults from the rate code select for the block when selected the rate will displayed strike-through to indicate the price should not be quoted to any caller. Available when the Suppress Rate OPERA Control is active.

      6. Cutoff Date: Enter or select a cutoff date. Rooms not picked up by this date are returned to inventory . This field is only accessible if the Cutoff Days field is empty or 0. Available when the Cutoff OPERA Control is active.

      7. Cutoff Days: Enter a value indicating a "rolling" cutoff days cycle. Instead of fixing one date to release all available rooms for the block, the value in Cutoff Days is used to release one night at a time. This field is only editable if the Cutoff Date field is empty. Available when the Cutoff OPERA Control is active.

      8. Persons Per Room: Enter the average number of persons per room.

      9. 

         When the Quick Room Grid OPERA Control is active you will see additional fields to populate the initial room grid:

         1. Room Type/Room Pool: Select a room type or room pool from the list. (Room Pool is available when the Room Pool OPERA Control is active) .

            Note:

            When Rate Code is selected for block:

            1. The Room Pools that have at least one Room Type with rate details for the selected rate code, appear in Room Pool list.

            2. When the Room Pools are not configured, only the room types that have rate details for the selected rate code appear in the Room Type list.

         2. Number of Rooms: Enter the number of rooms for the selected room type or room pool.

         3. Rate Amount: Enter price per night for the selected room type or room pool, this field is enabled when no rate code has been selected for the block.

         Note:

         When the Occupancy Split Per Room Type OPERA Control is active you will see fields for Occupancy 1, Rate 1, Occupancy 2, Rate 2 to enter the number of rooms and rate amount for single and double occupancy levels.

   3. Catering (Events) Details Panel

      Note:

      The Catering Details Panel is available when the Simple Events or Catering Events OPERA Control is active.

      1. Catering Owner: Select a sales owner responsible for the Events. Available when the Owner OPERA Control is active

      2. Catering Status: Select an initial status for catering events associated with the block. Field is enabled when the Use single Block status for Rooms and Catering OPERA Control is inactive.

      3. Event Attendees: Enter the expected number of attendees. Each time a new event is created for this Block, the value in this field will be the default in the Attendees field. The field becomes mandatory after you populate the Catering Status field. Updating the Event Attendees field activates the Save and Create Event, the Save and Add Template, and the Save and Add Catering Package buttons.

      4. Onsite Name: Enter the client's in-house representative name or contact who will be at the event.

      5. Function Type: Enter the type of event. For example, Trade Show, Meeting, or Annual Convention.

      6. Post As: Enter name/information about the event for posting outside the function space or on a reader board.

3. Click Save or

   1. Click Save and Manage Block to open Block Presentation and add more details.

   2. Click Save and Go To Room Grid to open the Room & Rate Grid where you can allocate rooms and rates for the block dates.

   These additional actions are available when the Catering Events OPERA Control is active

   1. Save and Create Event – opens the Create Event screen where you can attach events and sub events to the block.

   2. Save and Add Template – opens the Select Catering Templates screen where you can select templates containing Item and Menu resources configured for events.

   3. Save and Add Catering Package – opens the Select Catering Packages screen where you can select packages containing Items and Menu resources for events. Packages also provide pricing.