Housekeeping Tasks – creating, scheduling, and managing automated cleaning activities in RMS.
Overview
A Housekeeping Task is the activity or job required to clean, maintain, or service an Area when using Housekeeping in RMS.
Tasks can be allocated to a Property, Category, Area, Rate Type, Derived Rate Type, or Rate Type Property Rule to automatically schedule housekeeping requirements on a reservation. The housekeeping schedule on the reservation is determined by the Housekeeping Task Hierarchy when multiple layers of Housekeeping Tasks have been setup.
Housekeeping schedules on a reservation can be manually adjusted with tasks added or removed, and when they are scheduled, being altered on an ad hoc basis.
Information
The task frequency includes a wide range of options to determine the behaviour and scheduling of tasks on reservations.
Frequency options include:
Reservation length of stay criteria and alterations.
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Scheduling behaviour for when the ordinary task schedule falls on:
The reservation arrival date.
The reservation departure date.
A specific day of the week.
Additional task options include:
Defining a task as a Departure Clean.
Requiring a Linen Change.
Requiring Inspection.
Requiring a Departure Block.
Setting the time required to complete the task.
Departure Clean
A Departure Clean sets the task as a full clean occurring after reservation check-out.
Tasks set as a Departure Clean will show as a Hold Over Departure Clean when the task is not completed on the same day the reservation departed. Hold Over Departure Clean provides oversight and management of vacant Areas that have gone the longest without housekeeping attendance since a reservation checked out, and will be indicated on the Housekeeper Roster and Housekeepers Report.
Departure Block
Departure Block is an optional feature that can be enabled in the Housekeeping setup and applied to any task set as a Departure Clean. The Departure Block will create a maintenance reservation in the Area on reservation check-out for the defined length of time to prevent new same-day arrival reservations from being created in an Area when housekeeping is not able or available to complete the departure tasks the same day as the reservation checks out.
Linen Changes
Tasks set as requiring a Linen Change will be indicated on the Housekeepers Report and in the Staff Portal to notify staff that new linen is required as part of task completion. Linen Change tasks will also display the calculated Linen using the Bed Configuration and/or number of guests on the reservation, based on the Housekeeping, Linen, and Bed Configuration setup.
Time Allocation
Time Allocation defines the maximum length of time a task is expected to take to complete and can be used when allocating a task to Housekeepers on the Housekeeper Roster.
Using the Time Allocation, Housekeeper Roster, and Staff Portal functions provides oversight of staff performance and productivity in completing allocated tasks. The Staff Portal includes real-time tracking of task completion by housekeeping staff with access that can be viewed on the Housekeeping Productivity Report.
Prerequisites
The following setup is required before creating a Housekeeping Task:
- Housekeeping Setup.
- Linen (Optional).
- Bed Configurations (Optional).
- Housekeeping Time Unit System Label (Optional).
- Category/Area Setup.
Setup
- Navigate to Setup > Housekeeping > Tasks.
- Select the Add icon.
- Enter a Task Description.
- Select the checkbox This Task Requires a Linen Change (Optional).
- Select the checkbox This Task Requires a Departure Clean (Optional).
- Select the checkbox This Task Requires an Inspection (Optional).
- Navigate to the Frequency tab.
- Select the checkbox Apply if No of Nights Fall Between and enter the length of stay (Optional).
- Enter the Number of Days to Begin After (Optional).
- Select the checkbox Include Task on the Day (Optional).
- Select the Frequency.
- Select the Frequency Options.
- Navigate to the Time Allocation tab.
- Enter the Time Allocation Per Category.
- Select Save/Exit.
Housekeeping Task Hierarchy
Housekeeping Tasks can be setup on multiple layers to provide maximum flexibility.
Check the Housekeeping Task Hierarchy to see which setup would be the best for your Property.
Category / Area Housekeeping Setup for New Tasks
When you create new Housekeeping Tasks, make sure they are also allocated in your Category or Area Housekeeping setup so they can be utilised on reservations.
For properties (mainly Enterprise Properties) where some existing tasks are already marked as Allocated:
Navigate to Setup > Category/Area.
Edit the relevant Category
Select Area (if required).
Select Housekeeping.
Check which tasks are marked as Allocated.
Ensure your new task is also marked as Allocated wherever required so it is included in the housekeeping schedule.
This ensures new tasks are correctly scheduled on reservations based on your Housekeeping Task Hierarchy and Category/Area housekeeping setup.
Task Options
The following options are available on a Housekeeping Task.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Requires a Linen Change | Indicates that linen is required to complete the task and will populate the linen numbers on the Housekeepers Report and in the Staff Portal. |
| Requires a Departure Clean | Indicates the task is a full clean of a vacant Area and will track as a Hold Over Departure Clean if the task is not completed the same day as reservation check-out. |
| Requires an Inspection | Sets the Area Status to Inspection when the task is marked completed on the Clean Screen or in the Staff Portal. |
| Time Allocation | Defines the maximum expected time to complete the task for each Category and includes the period for the Departure Block when the task is a Departure Clean and the Departure Block is enabled in the Housekeeping setup. Is used to track productivity on the Housekeeping Productivity Report when used with the Staff Portal. |
Task Frequency Options
The following scheduling options are available on a Housekeeping Task.
| Task Frequency | Description |
|---|---|
| Apply if Number of Nights Falls Between | The Housekeeping Task will only be scheduled if the reservation length of stay is between the range entered. |
| Begin After | The task will only be scheduled after the entered number of days have passed on the reservation. |
| Include Task On The Day | Includes the day set as the Begin After in the schedule. |
| Frequency | Determines the scheduling of the task with options for On The, On Average Every, Every First, Every Last, Every Set Ordinal Number day or day of the week on a reservation. |
| Frequency Behavior | Determines when the task will be scheduled when the ordinary schedule falls on the reservation arrival date, reservation departure date, set day of the week, or Housekeeping Holiday Date. |
Task Frequency Examples
The following examples are some of the ways the task frequency options can be used to automate the scheduling of a Housekeeping Task.
Daily Task
The task will be scheduled for every reservation stay date except the arrival date and departure date.
This task can be changed to only apply every day if the reservation length of stay is less than or more than a certain value, using the frequency options.
Task Every X Days
The task will be scheduled every second reservation stay date except the arrival date and departure date.
This task will only apply to reservations with a length of stay between seven and twenty-eight days.
This task will also only begin to schedule after two days have passed with the reservation in-house and includes the second reservation stay date in the schedule.
Task On Average Every X Days
The task will be scheduled on average every third day based on the reservation length of stay.
Task on the First, Last or Other Ordinal Day of the Week
The task will be scheduled once on the first Monday of the reservation, regardless of the reservation's length of stay.
Weekly Task
The task will be scheduled once per week on the set day of the week, regardless of the reservation's length of stay.
Every X Weeks
The task will be scheduled once every second week on the set day of the week, regardless of the reservation's length of stay.
On Average Every X Weeks
The task below will be scheduled on average every second week on the set day of the week for the duration of the reservation.
On Arrival Date
The task will be scheduled to occur on the reservation arrival date.
On Departure Date
The task below will be scheduled to occur on the reservation departure date.
Additional Information
Only a Category setup as Include on Housekeepers Report will appear for time allocation.
Enterprise databases can setup time allocation per Property to share the same task between multiple Properties.
Housekeeping Task Allocation will automate the scheduling of tasks on a reservation.
Skip Housekeeping Task Allocation if the task will only be manually added to the reservation housekeeping schedule.
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