Create and manage group allotments – RMS Help Center

How to create and manage group allotments in RMS, including guaranteed and non-guaranteed inventory, rate access, and Booking Engine integration.

Overview

A Group is a named allotment used for a Company, Travel Agent, or Guests travelling together on a Master reservation.

The allotment of inventory can be set at a Property, Category, or Area level with access to set rates and a unique code to enter and book on the RMS Booking Engine.

Allotment Types:

Property allotments reserve inventory for the named group at the nominated property without limitations on the category or area booked.
Category allotments limit the named group to a set number of inventory within the specified categories only.
Area allotment reserves specific areas that are only to be used by the named group.

✎ Please Note: Allotments for Interconnecting Areas are only supported when using the Area Allotment Type. Property and Category allotments do not include Interconnecting Areas in the reserved inventory.

More Information

Groups can be used to create and manage inventory allotments for guests travelling together as part of the same event or tour group.

They can be guaranteed or non-guaranteed with access to specific rates.
A guaranteed allotment will preserve the entered inventory for consumption by the named group until the prescribed release back period opens up any unused allotments to unrestricted use.

Groups include multiple features to define the entities that can consume the reserved inventory and automate specific reservation details for the named group.

Contacts can be added to streamline and simplify correspondence with the business.

The Contact field can be displayed on the Reservation screen using Field Maintenance, allowing you to select an associated Contact for the reservation.

Contacts can also be included as merge fields in Form Letters to create tailored correspondence.

Key Features

Guaranteed or non-guaranteed inventory allotment at a Property, Category or Area level.
Restricted access to rates.
Group status to define access to reservations.
Access to the group allotment and rates using an RMS Booking Engine promotional code.

✎ Please Note: RMS is highly configurable. Some Terminology, User Access & Permissions, Images, Labels, and Functions used in these articles may differ from your setup. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Guide: How to Create a Group Allotment

Step 1: Create the Group

Navigate to Reservations > Groups.
Select the Add icon.
Enter Group Description (optional: Contact Details).
Select the Save icon

✎ Please Note: Enterprise clients must assign a Property before saving.

Step 2: Assign Access

Select Group Access > Apply/Exit.

Step 3: Add Properties

Go to the Properties tab > Add icon.
Select a Property > Allocate > Apply/Exit.

Step 4: Create Allotments

Navigate to the Allotments tab > Add icon.
Set From Date and To Date (optional: Set Permanently).
Optional: Tick the Guaranteed checkbox.
Select Allotment Type (Property, Category, or Area).
Optional settings:
Enter Description (used as promotional code on RMS Booking Engine).
Select Group Status (Proposal, Definite, Provisional).
Optional: Add Discount and Discount Reason.
Set Release Option (Release Date or Days Before Release).
Optional: Exclude days using Days of the Week checkboxes.
Enter Inventory Allotment (use Grid View for date-specific allotments).

Step 5: Assign Rates

Navigate to the Rate Assignment tab.
Select Rate Type > Allocate > Save/Exit.

Step 6: Optional Tabs

Navigate to the Company tab (restrict group access to selected companies)
Navigate to Marketing/Extras tab (add booking source, market segment, colour coding)
Navigate to the Travel Agent tab (assign travel agents and choose Allocate)
Navigate to the Wholesaler tab (assign wholesalers and choose Allocate)

★ Tip: Guaranteed Allotments (deduct) is an option that overrides the standard Guaranteed Allotments logic. This feature will ensure that the Guaranteed allotments you set against a Travel Agent or Group will not be affected by property overbooking.

The allotments will be available to the agent or group until they either release back or are used by the agent themselves.

Further Information

Groups include the following tabs and options to set up and manage additional information, allotments, and reservation details for the named group:

Top Tool Bar:

On the Top Tool Bar of the Group Setup:

Account

The Group account can be used to charge cancellation fees, no-show penalties, or incidental charges. However, it cannot be used to issue Accounts Receivable (A/R) invoices on behalf of the group.

✎ Please Note: If you require A/R functionality, you'll need to set up a Company and associate it to the Group to enable invoicing and proper account management.

Credit Card Token

A Group can be set up with its own Credit Card Tokens when using a payment gateway in RMS. Group tokens will become available on the reservation account when this Group is selected.

Opportunities

The Opportunities icon can be used to add the Group to the Sales Lead Module.

Opportunities or Sales Lead window in RMS showing the group added to the Sales Lead Module with fields for lead status and follow up details.

Side Menu

Allotments

Group allotments reserve inventory for the named group and can be set at a property, category, or area level.

Property allotments reserve inventory for the named group at the nominated property without limitations on the category or area booked.
Category allotments limit the named group to a set number of inventory within the specified categories only.
Area allotment reserves specific areas that are only to be used by the named group.

Multiple allotments can be created for the same-named group with different or overlapping date ranges or set permanently.

The inventory allotment can be guaranteed or non-guaranteed to the group, with guaranteed allotments preserving the entered inventory values to only be consumed by the named group until the designated release back period. On release, any unused inventory from a guaranteed allotment will be available for unrestricted use in RMS.

Guaranteed allotments can be set up so that allotments assigned to an Agent or Group will remain unaffected by property overbooking. The allotments will stay available to the Agent or Group until they are either released back or utilised by the Agent.

Path: Setup > Property Options > Property Information > select Property > Edit
Options Tab > select Guaranteed (deduct) allotments available until released or used.

The release back on an allotment determines how close to the reservation arrival the inventory will be held for the named group and when any unused inventory from the allotment will be returned to unrestricted use.

Each allotment can be assigned access to different rates, with the option to include requirements that will automatically be added to the reservation when this 'Group' allotment is used. Allotments can also be limited to only the prescribed inventory, with no access to 'house availability' for the named group.

The Allotment Description entered for each allotment on a 'Group' can be used as a promotional code on the RMS Booking Engine to enable online booking of reserved inventory for the named group.

Reservations will only be deducted from the prescribed inventory allotment when the 'Group' and Allotment Association are selected on the reservation. The Allotment Association on the reservation determines which of the group's allotments the reservation contributes to and enables more advanced group allotment management in RMS.

Allotments can be set up to Do Not Allow Reservations Outside Allotment. This means that the Group can only make reservations within the date range of the Allotment. If the option remains unticked, then the Group can make reservations outside of the Allotment dates.

Company

A 'Group' can be set up only to be accessible to one or more selected companies.
When a company is assigned to a 'Group', the allotment and group features will only become available for reservation selection when the allocated company is selected.
The company allocation is at the 'Group' level and will enable that company access to any of the allotments set up on the named group.

Documents

Record keeping of external documents, including purchase orders, invoices, or correspondence, can be saved and recorded on the group's Documents tab.
Each 'Received In' record on the 'Documents' tab includes a date and time selection, activity, note, and attachment. Marketing/Extras

Additional 'Group' details that will apply to the reservation when the group is selected include:

Booking Source
Market Segment
City Master
Competition Master
Industry Master
Colour selection to represent reservations belonging to this named group on the Booking Chart.

Group

The Group tab includes the key details for the named Group, including contact information.
These details can be used to determine who is responsible for the named group or the point of contact outside of individual reservations.

Notes

The Notes tab enables recording reservation and billing notes for the named group that can be set per property.
These notes will be visible on the 'Group' and in the reservation notes when this 'Group' is selected on the reservation or any correspondence where these merge fields are used.

Properties

Enterprise customers must define which property or properties a named group is used by, in addition to any allotments, using the Advanced Property Selection on the 'Properties' tab.

Trace

A group trace is an internal or intra-departmental note that can be tracked and managed on the 'Group' or To Do Chart and is used to communicate or delegate tasks to a Department.
Traces can be added to the 'Group' for a specific department or user with a notification sent in the Message Centre, which can include a due date or be set with a repeat frequency for recurring tasks.
A group trace can be viewed and managed on the 'Trace' tab of the 'Group' or on the To Do Chart and marked as 'Completed'.

Travel Agent

A 'Group' can be set up only to be accessible to one or more selected travel agents.
When a travel agent is assigned to a 'Group', the allotment and group features will only become available for reservation selection when the allocated travel agent is selected.
The travel agent allocation is at the 'Group' level and will enable that company access to any of the allotments set up on the named group.

Wholesaler

A 'Group' can be set up only to be accessible to one or more selected travel agents set up as the type of 'Wholesaler'.
When a travel agent is assigned to a 'Group', the allotment and group features will only become available for reservation selection when the allocated travel agent is selected.
The travel agent allocation is at the 'Group' level and will enable that company access to any of the allotments set up on the named group.