Carroll Business Systems, Inc. employs one of the premier Micros Fidelio Xpress installation specialists in North America. We can provide the following services:

 

 

The FidelioXpress Front Desk Management System (FDM) is a full-featured property management system designed specifically for smaller to mid-size independent and chain hotels. The FidelioXpress FDM utilizes Windows NT, Windows 98 and Windows 95 and operates on the MICROS PCWS or on any Windows compatible desktop PC.

The FidelioXpress FDM System automates property management operations such as room reservations, room assignments, guest check-in and check-out, and other front desk activities. It can improve the accuracy of charge posting and balancing guest accounts. It can confirm reservations over the Internet and provide information key to making critical operational decisions.

 

• System Architecture
• Hardware Configuration
• Application Software
  • Reservations
  • Front Desk
  • Rooms
  • Cashier
  • Night Audit
  • Setup
  • Reports
  • Back Office
• System Integration and Interfaces

 

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System Architecture

 

• The network topology is 10BaseT ethernet.
• The server environment operates on a Windows NT platform.
• The client environment operates on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT platforms.
• The database is Sybase SQL Anywhere.
• The Application software provides eight standard modules:
• Reservations
• Front Desk
• Cashier
• Housekeeping
• Night Audit
• Reports
• System Setup
• Back Office

 

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Hardware Configuration

The FidelioXpress FDM System offers two hardware configuration options. The Windows NT PCWS stand-alone server and the Windows NT PC server with Windows 95 and Windows 98 clients.

Windows NT Standalone Server Server (PCWS or Desktop PC) Keyboard Mouse Printer Backup Device Microsoft Word 2000

Windows NT PC Server with Windows 95/98 Clients

Server

 

• PCWS or Desktop PC
• Keyboard
• Hard Disk Drive
• Mouse
• Printer
• Network Hub (10BaseT)
• Backup Device
• Microsoft Word 2000

 

Client

 

• PCWS(s) or Desktop PC(s)
• Keyboard
• Hard Disk Drive
• Mouse (if desired)
• Printer(s) (if desired)

 

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Application Software

The FDM System software is very flexible and is designed to allow customization. There are a number of package options available. The foundation software provides access to eight standard modules. The functionality of each is defined below.

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Reservations

The Reservations module is used to create and manage guest reservations, both making the reservations and maintaining the reservations for individuals as well as groups. The Reservations module includes the following features:

 

• The ability to tailor reservations for single or multiple rooms to meet the needs of any guest.
• The ability to code the sold out days and days on which any room types are sold out in different colors.
• The selection of arrival and departure dates from a graphical calendar.
• The quick location of an existing guest reservation, with the ability to search by Guest Name, Company, Group ID, IATA Number, Confirmation Number and Starting and Ending Dates.
• The ability to quickly display Room Availability up to 14 days of information at a time, by simply selecting a date.
• The ability to attach profile information for an individual, company, group or travel agent to each reservation.
• The ability to attach guest messages to each reservation to be delivered to the guest upon arrival.
• The automatic calculation of rates based on room type, rate code, arrival date, and the number of adults and children.
• The ability to create group blocks and rooming lists for standard groups, tour series and allotments.
• The ability to create special group rates.
• The ability to use the Rooming List feature for rapid reservation pick-up.
• The ability to pre-assign rooms to guests when making a reservation or at any time, using a graphical tape chart.
• The ability to define a "share with" reservation.
• The confirmation of a reservation confirmation via e-mail, fax or internet.
• The ability to post an advance deposit on a room.
• The ability to enter "remarks" which are visible upon reservation retrieval.
• The ability to reserve and track availability of service items such as rollaways, cribs and refrigerators.

 

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Front Desk

The Front Desk Module provides the ability to manage guest registration. The following features/functions are included in the Front Desk module:

 

• MICROS "Smart Check-in" allows the fastest possible retrieval of arriving guests - simply swiping the guests credit card pulls up the reservation.
• The simple location of guest information for viewing, modification, or check-in procedures.
• The ability to edit the record of a checked-in guest with the in-house option, or search, view, and modify the guest profile.
• The use of a graphical room layout to see detailed location and status information.
• The ability to list all guests for the current day, regardless of status, and get quick access to guest messaging functions via the Telephone Tree function.
• The ability to track all guest activity for the length of their stay.
• The ability to print registration cards on the fly.
• The attachment of individual, group, company or travel agent information to each folio.
• The attachment of guest messages to an in-house guest.
• The ability to automatically transfer to city ledger at check-out.
• The ability to create an incidentals folio.
• The ability to easily perform room moves.

 

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Rooms

The Rooms module allows you to manage the hotel's rooms and floor plan. Following are some of the functions performed by this module:

 

• The display of hotel floor plan layout a single floor/wing at a time.
• Changing the display of the floor plan to show housekeeping, front desk, or specific room status.
• Providing real-time room status information for both housekeeping and front desk for all modules.
• The definition of status text and color codes by the user.
• Quickly changes floors/wings using scroll buttons.
• Reducing or enlarging the floor plan using Zoom buttons.
• The scheduling of rooms for future maintenance.
• The automatic adjustment of room inventory.
• The ability to schedule linen change in long term stayovers.
• The ability to track discrepant room status.

 

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Cashier

The Cashier module is used to manage guest folios and perform check-out procedures. Following are some of the functions that can be performed with the Cashier module:

 

• The ability to quickly add incidental folios and move charges between folios with one touch.
• The location of any guest by room number or name.
• The management of all aspects of the guest folio from the Cashier Window, including debits, credits, adjustments, transfers and voids.
• The viewing or printing of folio detail or summary information, adding incidental folios, and performing the check-out function.
• The ability to quickly perform a check-out.
• The attachment of unlimited folios to each guest.
• The assignment of revenue types by user.
• The combination of any or all revenue types on one folio, or the creation of a different folio for each.
• Viewing only the departments to which the folio applies on the posting screen.
• Viewing transfer to and from folios side-by-side on the same screen.
• Printing folios at any time before, during or after check-out with four print options - detail, summary, department summary, and department date/summary.
• Providing fully customizable folios using Microsoft Word.
• The direct posting to individual or group folios, or house accounts.
• The addition of memos or comments to posting, adjustments, and voids.
• The ability to perform a Fast group check-out.
• The adjustment of previous day postings on active folios.
• Voiding current day postings on active folios, with appropriate privileges.
• Checking out guest folios individually or all at once.
• Setting up posting keys for preset amounts.
• Performing postings, adjustment voids, and transfers on closed folios, without checking the guest back in.
• The ability to post and track sales of miscellaneous items such as stamps, sundries, t-shirts, etc.
• The ability to exchange foreign currency.

 

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Night Audit

The Night Audit module is used to balance the day's activity and complete the hotel's accounting functions for the day. Following are some of the features/functions included in the Night Audit module:

 

• The ability to perform routine tasks of posting room charges, changing non-guaranteed rooms reservations to no-shows, and changing the status of guaranteed no-shows with one touch.
• The automatic backup of data to optical disk.
• The ability to rebuild room availability in the event of a system failure.
• Direct access to the Reports module from Night Audit.
• The ability for the auditor to view a scrolled display of processing steps.
• The automatic posting of service charges like garage fees, crib fees, etc.
• The automatic posting of finance and recurring charges.
• The automatic change of room status to out of order, if scheduled.
• The ability to automatically set the housekeeping status of occupied rooms to dirty.
• The batch printing of registration cards.
• The ability to process no show reservations with deposit payments.
• The ability to print customized reports automatically.
• The ability to archive permanent history.
• The ability to perform close out without a system shut down - other users may perform any task while the audit is running.

 

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Setup

The Setup module is used to define the system settings. These settings allow for customization. Following are some of the key features/functions of this module:

 

• The ability to specify mandatory fields for required information and add custom information and forms.
• The customization of the market, source and rate codes and the definition of text for field selections.
• The customization of color codes.
• The designation of system access in relation to job function using unique user ID's and passwords for each employee.
• The inclusion of all software key codes in this module, including Foundation level, the ID codes for each software interface being used.
• The ability to set up system accounting to include departments, payment/currency types, tax rates, and house accounts.
• The ability to use house accounts to charge items that cannot be charged to the guest or for which no folio is required.
• The ability to specify rate codes, room rates, and rate availability.
• Complete multiple language support, with translations completed into German, Spanish, Italian and French.
• The restriction of rate availability by date range, date of the week, or minimum stay.
• The creation and maintenance of profiles for individuals, groups, companies, or travel agents.
• The ability to define phone extensions for each room, including multiple phone extensions for a single room.
• The ability to display all message prompts and screen text in the local language.
• The definition of foreign currency exchange rates.
• The creation of a list of all room features available throughout the hotel and attachment to specific room types and rooms.
• The ability to customize the reservations calendar with user-defined text for holidays, special events and reminders.
• The ability to set the length of time to retain guest folios and profiles for history.
• The ability to define request codes to anticipate the special needs of your guests. The codes can represent requests that are either chargeable or complimentary.
• The ability to create an inventory of service items, such as rollaways, cribs and refrigerators. The availability of these items is also tracked.
• The ability to use a mix of standard and user defined housekeeping codes.
• The ability to set up your printing environment and send specific reports to specific printers.

 

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Reports

The Reporting module allows access to all system reports. Reports can be customized through the use of filters. Reporting is available in the following modules:

 

• Front desk
• Reservations
• Groups
• Deposits
• System Setups
• Rates
• Audit
• Housekeeping
• Back Office
• Travel Agent

 

The Reporting module allows for the creation and customization of multiple Marketing Letters and Mailing Labels.

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Back Office

The Back Office module provides an integrated system for managing the hotel's financial and statistical information. The Back Office module can perform the following functions:

 

• Receivables
• Posting/Transfers
• Billing
• Close Period
• Aging Report
• Statements
• Daily Journal
• Reminder Letters (Dunning Letters)
• Account Setup
• History
• Guest stays listed by guest, company, group, travel agent and room number.
• Revenue totals shown by guest, company, group, travel agent, and room number.
• Guest stay may be selected and a folio reprinted.
• Folios are archived to optical disk after 90 days.
• Travel Agent
• Payable accounts may be setup for travel agents
• The night Audit process automatically posts commissions to payable accounts.
• This version of the software accommodates checks to be posted as manual checks. In a future version, the system will support printing travel agent checks and managing the payables system.

 

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Systems Integration and Interfaces

Faxing Confirmation Letters - Mail.Com Software

The FidelioXpress System now includes integration with the Mail.Com system (formerly NetMoves), providing the ability to send individual and group confirmations via internet fax. Mail.Com provides internet document delivery services, allowing you to use your existing internet connection to deliver documents more quickly. The FidelioXpress system passes the confirmation message to the Mail.Com system, which then sends it to the specified fax number.

For more information or to register as a user, click here.

Credit Authorization and Settlement - Southern DataComm

As with all CA/EDC applications, there are two primary functions - authorization and settlement. The FidelioXpress FDM System interacts with different components of Southern DataComm's Protobase® application to provide each of the following authorization functions:

 

• Guests Use Credit Cards To Pay At Check-In
• Guests Check-Out Using The Same Card Used At Check-In
• Guests Check-Out Using A Different Payment Method Than Used At Check-In
• Guests Exceed Credit Limit During Their Stay
• Guests Use A Credit Card To Make An Advance Payment Against A Reservation (Advanced Deposit)

 

The FidelioXpress FDM System utilizes the ProtoBase® Administrator (PBAdmin) for all settlement functions. At night audit, all settlement transactions are sent from the FidelioXpress FDM System to PBAdmin for batch settlement. PBAdmin is more than just a settlement tool. It also provides a complete historical record of past transactions allowing the property to easily research and resolve disputed credit card charges.

For more information about Southern DataComm's services, you may visit their web site at www.protobase.com.

VingCard® Door Locking System

VingCard® Incorporated, the leading manufacturer of electronic door locks in the world, was the first company to manufacture electronic locks, and continues to be the most successful.

The specific VingCard® application that is integrated with the FidelioXpress FDM System is a new door locking application that is compatible with existing door locks from previous VingCard® applications, thus allowing a hotel to convert to a new system at the front desk without retrofitting their door locks.

For more information on VingCard® Door Locking Systems, you may visit their web site at www.vingcard.com.

Connection to External Hotel Systems - Lodging Link II

MICROS is pleased to announce the use of an external card developed by Comtrol Corporation's Hospitality Products Division. This card, the Interchange Thin Server, is enclosed in a metal case. It is an intelligent card with on-board memory and provides the ability for the FidelioXpress FDM System to connect to many external hotel systems using a single message-based interface. It is external and intelligent, keeping the server CPU from having to handle all of these communications. It also allows the server to work with fewer serial ports - instead of one for each interface, only an ethernet connection to the Interchange Thin Server is needed. Its configuration makes interfaces easy to install and troubleshoot.

For more information on Comtrol Corporation's Hospitality Products Division and the Interchange Thin Server product, you may visit their web site at http://hpd.comtrol.com.

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08-2004