Information about using Deposits within RMS and the hierarchy of usage.

Overview

Deposits can be set up in RMS to obtain payment as security for a guest's reservation. The options include when deposits should be due and how they should be calculated. 

Deposit rules can be setup on a Rate Type to apply anytime that Rate Type is used.

Deposits can be setup on a Rate Type, Derived Rate Type, Rate Type Property Rules, and Rate Tables in addition to the Online Deposit rules used by the RMS Booking Engine.

Hierarchy

The deposit rule used on a reservation is determined by where the deposit rules are configured on the Rate setup and whether the Rate Type is using its own deposit rules, using the following hierarchy:

At the Rate Type level, RMS reads either the deposit rules on the Rate Type or the deposit rules on the Rate Table. The Rate Table is not a separate level that overrides the Rate Type: the two are alternatives, and the Use Deposit checkbox on the Rate Type decides which of them applies.

Reservation

If a reservation already has a deposit saved (for example, it was calculated earlier and stored on the booking), RMS will use that amount and will not recalculate the deposit from the rate setup.

Mixed Rate Reservations

• On Mixed Rate reservations, RMS compares the deposit amounts from the applicable Rate Types in the hierarchy above and applies the highest deposit value.

• A deposit rule set on a Derived Rate Type only applies if no deposit rule is set on:

  • the Rate Type used on the reservation, or

  • The Derived From Rate Type is linked to that Derived Rate Type.

Rate Table Deposits and the Use Deposit Checkbox

Every Rate Type has a Use Deposit checkbox that controls whether RMS uses the rate-level deposit rules in the hierarchy above, or the deposit rules configured on the Rate Table.

To find it, go to Charts > Rate Manager > Rates > Rate Types, select the Rate Type, select Edit, then select the Deposits tab. The Use Deposit checkbox sits at the top of the Deposit sub-tab.

The setting applies to the whole Rate Type. It is not a way to override a Rate Type deposit for one Rate Table or one Rate Period while leaving the Rate Type deposit in place elsewhere. If Use Deposit is not ticked, every Rate Table used by that Rate Type needs its own deposit rules, otherwise reservations on that rate will have no deposit.

Because a Rate Table is built per category and per Rate Period, Rate Table deposits are the way to vary a deposit by room type or by season. Rate-level deposit rules apply to the Rate Type as a whole.

Deposits on RMS Booking Engine reservations

For reservations made through the RMS Booking Engine, the Online Deposit rule configured in Online Options is read first. Where that rule is set to use the Rate Type deposit, RMS then works down through the Rate Type deposit rules and the Rate Table deposit rules. If no deposit rule is found at any level, the Booking Engine requests full payment.

When to Activate

The option selected for 'When to Activate' will determine the criteria for the Deposit Amount entered to apply to a newly created reservation.

• Rate Type Deposit
• Derived Rate Deposit
• Rate Table Deposit

No. of Days Prior to Arrival

The No. of Days Prior to Arrival options use the lead time of how far in advance the reservation is created to determine the deposit amount required.

Multiple tiers can be setup to accommodate different requirements for reservations made far in advance or close to arrival.

Length of Stay

The Length of Stay option bases the deposit amount on the length of stay on the reservation.

Used with the available 'When to Pay' options, a deposit can be setup to secure long-term reservations that calculate and apply differently to short stay reservations using the same rate setup.

Arriving On

The Arriving On option bases the deposit amount on the day of the week the reservation will be arriving on.

Used with the available 'When to Pay' options, a deposit can be setup to secure reservations for popular arrival days of the week, eg, Friday, with an alternate deposit for quieter arrival days using the same rate setup.

Night of the Week

The Night of the Week option bases the deposit amount on the days of the week the reservation will be staying.

Deposits based on the Night of the Week can be used to secure a different deposit for popular stay days, eg, Friday & Saturday, with an alternate deposit for less popular stay days using the same rate setup.

Amount to Charge

The Amount to Charge will determine the Deposit Amount applied to a reservation using the 'When to Activate' criteria.

• Rate Type Deposit
• Derived Rate Deposit
• Rate Table Deposit

Amount/Percentage of Total Rate

A Deposit Amount set with a combination of either a flat amount or a percentage will apply the higher value as the deposit amount on a reservation.

Combining a flat amount with a percentage sets a minimum value of deposit required (the flat amount), with the percentage of the Total Rate used as the Deposit Amount when it is the higher of the two.

A Deposit Amount with a combination of $100 or 50% on a reservation where the Total Rate is $250 would set the Deposit Amount as $175, whilst a reservation with the Total Rate as $175 would set the Deposit Amount to $100.

First Night

A Deposit Amount set for the First Night will calculate the deposit amount due using the rate amount for the first stay date on a reservation.

Used with one of the available 'When to Activate' options, the First Night deposit option can be used to secure partial payment on a short stay reservation.

Per Week or Part Thereof

A Deposit Amount will be calculated using the amount entered multiplied by the number of weeks on the reservation.

The Per Week or Part Thereof option secures payment for longer-term reservations based on the number of weeks the guest will be staying.

When to Pay

The option selected under When to Pay determines the Deposit Due Date applied to a reservation.

• Rate Type Deposit
• Derived Rate Deposit
• Rate Table Deposit

From Reservation Date Made

The Deposit Due Date will be set to the entered number of days after the reservation is created.

Prior to Arrival

The Deposit Due Date will be set to the entered number of days prior to the Arrive Date on the reservation.

Second Deposit

Second Deposits can be used to obtain additional payment for a reservation prior to the guest's arrival when an initial deposit is not set to full payment.

The Second Deposit can be setup with an amount and due date separate from the one set on the initial deposit.

• Second Deposit Required
• Rate Type Second Deposit
• Derived Rate Second Deposit
• Rate Table Second Deposit