Overview
The rates screen allows users to control costs/prices that are associated to the service. Unlike supplier services that have specific start and end dates, the supplier rates screen allows users to add multiple rate periods. This gives users the ability to control the cost/price depending on the book and departure dates.
The structure of suppliers, services and rates would look something like the below.
Similar to Supplier Services, users can access the supplier rates by using either the tab options, by selecting the navigation icon or by using the right click option.
Rates Overview
Date and Rate Period Management:
Similar to supplier services, users have the ability control both the departure dates on the supplier rates as well as the book dates. This type of flexibility allows users to enter different rate periods depending on the contract with the supplier.
For example, a supplier may provide a customer a contract with different rate periods for travel during the summer months as well as over the holiday period. The system gives users the opportunity to enter multiple dates as well as enter multiple rate periods.
Users do not need to manually key in the different rate periods. Instead, users can right click and copy as new the original rate which will automatically generate the rate periods.
Rates From and To Dates
The beginning and end date of the period in which these rates are applicable.
Begin Book From and To Dates
The beginning booking date of the period in which these rates are applicable. If both booking dates are left blank, rates will be applicable for all booking dates.
Weekdays
Similar to the supplier services screen, users can control the days of the week the rate is applicable for, the applicable arrival day, as well as the days of the week passengers must stay over in order to receive the rate.
For example, if a rate is only applicable for Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday, users can either enter a numerical value or they can select Monday– Sunday in the drop down.
If passengers are required to stay over Saturday and Sunday to receive the rate, users can either enter a numerical value.
Lastly, if the first day of arrival for the passengers must be a Monday, users can either enter a numerical value or select the day of the week from the drop down.
Days of the week to which these rates apply. 1=Sun, 2=Mon, 3=Tue, 4=Wed, 5=Thu, 6=Fri, 7=Sat. A blank field means service is provided all days of the week. There should be no commas between the days! Ex: 1245
Arrival Days
In some cases, during a specific period, a supplier will limit the days on which a passenger may arrive.
Entering Costs and Prices
Users can enter the supplier costs or supplier prices in the rates screen. After users access the supplier rates screen from supplier services, the desigs will automatically pull over.
If costs are entered in the supplier rates, when that service is priced through reservations, a mark-up is also applied which is pulled from the pricing profile.
If a price is entered into the supplier rates, then no mark-up is applied. The values entered into the supplier rates screen are calculated as per person/per night.
If users are adding values to the child rates under the supplier rates screen, then the child ages must also be accounted for.
Example
In the screen shot below, children that are age 2 and under are at $0.00 cost. Children that range from 3-12 are $20.00 per person per night. Children that range from 13-15 are $40.00 per person per night.
Note: If a desig is entered into the Supplier Services screen, but there is no rate entered into the Supplier Rates screen, the service may still be priced when shop through reservations. If this is the case and no rates are entered, the service will be priced as "free". Users need to make sure that they are entering all rates into this screen if desigs are created.
Cost
Cost amount to be paid to the supplier. If entering Cost + ##% it will add that percentage to the cost. Ex: 100+10% would set the cost to 110
Tax (Cost Tax)
The tax amount to be paid to the supplier. Is computed using the Cost Tax Rate field.
Price
Commissionable price to the customer (unless MaxComm=0). If you are doing package pricing and List Package pricing, leave this field empty. In doing so, Softrip pricing engine will set the price of the service based on the Product Pricing Profile markup and or Dates and Prices set in the Product.
Price Tax
Commissionable price to the customer (unless MaxComm=0). The tax entered in this section, will reflect on the reservation during the shop process.
VAT Code
In some cases during a specific period, a supplier will limit the days on which a passenger may arrive.
Child Age
Child rates apply based on the age of the child. These costs are only applicable for Per Person services that can fit more than one person (Hotels, Cruise, M1-4 Transfers, etc.). These should only be loaded if the Cost of the Child is different than the cost of an Adult. Enter an age for which the following rates will apply. Only enter one number (this will be the max age for this range. Ex: If 3 is entered in the first ChildAge box, that rate will apply to 0-3. If 7 is then entered in the second ChildAge box, that second rate will apply to 4-7 years old. And then, if 11 is entered in the third ChildAge box, that rate will apply to 8-11 years old.
Free with Adult
If loaded as a single number, that number indicates the number of free children when booked with at least one adult. If loaded as a comma-separated list, indicates the index of free children in a room.
Example
"2" - First two children are free
"1" - First child is free
"0,2" - Second child is free. First child pays child rate, children after the second one pay child rate
"2,3" - Second and third child are free. First child pays child rate, children after the third one pay child rate
Comments and Message/Cost Code
When entering rates, users can enter special “comments." These are typically additional notes about the rate that is being entered and is for internal notes only.
The message/cost codes are intended for packages/tours.
If there are any supplier promotions or discounted rates that apply to the supplier, when the contract is delivered to the operator for packages and tours, those discounts and promotions are already included in the rates.
When users enter these rates into the supplier rates screen, they can enter the message/cost code so that when any reservation is booked during that time period and is receiving that discounted rate, it is reported to the supplier accordingly.
Note:
There is also an opportunity to add discounted rates under the Supplier Promotions screen.
Voucher Notes:
Voucher notes specific to this rate period. This text will be APPENDED to the service's voucher notes.
Rate Types
The type of Rate that this record is. Actual = All costs and prices are the actual negotiated rates. Estimated = All costs and prices are estimated and not confirmed.
Cost Currency (Cost Curr.)
The Currency that the Costs should be loaded in. Note: Prices should be loaded in the Selling currency!
Must Stay Over
When the supplier requires that the passenger stay over specific nights, enter the days of the week required. Ex: (67) indicates that the passenger must stay over Friday and Saturday. 67, without (), indicates that the client must stay over Friday OR Saturday in order to get these rates.
Passenger Ranges (Pax Range)
Users can enter passenger ranges under the Pax Range field. This option defines the valid passenger range that the rates are valid for. Entering the range from 11-15 on a service rate level instructs the system that the specific rate is valid for anywhere between 11 to 15 passengers. If no range is entered, the rate will be valid for any number of passengers. This functionality is typically used for groups and tours; however, passenger rangers and rates can also be controlled under “product management."
Commission Values
The Softrip system provides users with the ability to set commission values in a variety of areas. These commission values are applicable when paying commissions to customers (travel agents).
The areas in Softrip where commission values can be controlled are Marketing Commissions, Product Pricing Profiles and Product Supplier Rates. The lowest commission value will be applied if multiple commission values exist.
Example
Softrip travel agency has a commission value set to 15% for all services under Marketing Commissions.
The Las Vegas hotel list has a 12% Max commission value applied to the pricing profile.
The Standard room under the Harry’s Hotel in Las Vegas has a 5% max commission value set under Supplier Rates.
If Softrip Travel Agency creates a booking for the Harry’s Hotel in Las Vegas for a Standard room, the commission value on that line item will be 5%.
If Softrip Travel Agency creates a booking for Harrys’ Hotel in Las Vegas for a Suite room, the commission value on that line item will be 12%.
If Softrip Travel Agency creates a booking for a destination that is not Las Vegas, the commission value will be 15% for all services on the booking.
Additional Fees
In addition to entering supplier costs or prices, users have the capability to enter additional values such as fees per night and taxes per night that will be added when items are priced and bookings are created.
One Time Fee Per Room (1-Time Fee/Rm)
Applicable to hotel services only. When the service is calculated for the entire stay, the value entered here will be added as a one time fee to the entire price. Users also have the option to add a one time fee per room to the cost and to the price by entering 3/5 ($3 for cost, $5 for price).
One Time Fee Per Person (1-Time Fee/Pers)
Applicable to hotel services only. When computing the price for the entire stay, a one time per person fee will be added to the entire price. Similar to the one time fee per room, users have the option to add additional values to the cost and price by entering the format 4/8 ($4 for cost, $5 for price).
Maximum Commission Percentage (Max. Comm %)
This can set a limit on the maximum commission paid on this rate. A 0 or Blank field would default to the clients commission structure. A (-1) will render the service non-commissionable.
Minimum Night Required (Min Night Req)
At certain periods of the year, supplier may require a minimum stay. Enter number of nights required.
Fees Per Night
Applicable to hotel services only. The fee per night will be calculated after the markup value is applied from the product pricing profiles.
Users have a few input options in order to control the pricing output.
Example
Enter 15 to add $15 to the price only.
Enter 15/20 to add $15 to the cost, $20 to the price.
Enter PR15 only if the service is set to price as per person and the fee is a nightly rate.
Setting PR15 ensures that even though the service is set to per person, $15 is applied to the nightly price.
Taxes Per Night (Tax/Night)
A yes or no value only, will tax the per night fee, pulling the tax value entered under the cost and price tax rates.
Cost and Price Tax Rate Formulas
Below is an overview of how the formulas users will use to enter the cost and price tax rates.
Cost Tax Rate/Price Tax Rate Fields
Tax may be entered as a formula to be computed from the cost field or can be entered as a total amount.
Example
Users can enter 15% to indicate that the cost tax rate is 15% of the cost value. Users can also combine a percentage value with a whole number. For example, 15 indicates $15 tax, 15% indicates 15% of the cost, 15%+10 indicates 15% of the cost + $10.
This will is used to calculate the tax on the gross cost. If users want the formula to calculate from the Net cost, enter “N” before the formula.
Example
N15% to calculate 15% tax from the net cost value.
If users want the tax added to the cost field under Supplier Rates, enter C=C+[TaxFormula] to add the calculated tax to the cost. Ex: C=C+7% calculates 7% on the cost and adds it to all cost fields.
Note: The same formula can be used for both the Cost Tax Rate field and the Price Tax Rate fields.
Cost Tax Rate:
Tax may be entered as a formula to be computed from the cost field or just an amount. Enter ##% to indicate a percentage of the cost. May be followed by a +## to add an additional amount. Ex: 15 indicates $15 tax, 15% indicates 15% of the cost, 15%+10 indicates 15% of the cost + $10. This will be used to calculate the tax on the Cost. NOTE: Enter "N:" before the formula to calculate off of the Net Cost (Cost * SupplierCommPer), or "G:" to calculate off of the Gross cost. If none is entered, the Gross cost will be used by default. ADD THE TAX TO COST FIELD: Enter the formula C=C+[TaxFormula] to add the calculated tax to the cost. Ex: C=C+7% calculates 7% on the cost and adds it to all cost fields.
Tax/Night
Tax the Per Night Fee? (Y/N).
Price Tax Rate
Tax may be entered as a formula to be computed from the price field or just an amount. Enter ##% to indicate a percentage of the price. May be followed by a +## to add an additional amount. Ex: 15 indicates $15 tax, 15% indicates 15% of the price, 15%+10 indicates 15% of the price + $10. This will be used to calculate the tax on the Price.
Fee/Night
HTL Services only - When computing the price for the entire stay, a nightly fee may be added. Amount may be entered in 2 formats: 1- Enter Cost/Price (Ex: 15/20 indicates add $15 to cost and $20 to price), 2 - Enter Price (ex: 20 indicates add $20 to price only). Additions to price occur AFTER markup. If your Service is priced as Per Person and the fee is Nightly, enter PR: before your amount to price the fee as Per Night.
Supplier Commission Percentage (Sup. Com. Per)
The percentage that is used to calculate the Net cost (if empty, the costs entered below are the Net costs). If you want the system to still store the cost entered below as the gross cost enter G before the number (ex: G10%) to tell the system not to calculate a net cost on this service. NOTE: By default the system will not apply this percentage to the taxes. In order to tell the system to apply this commission to the taxes add +TAX to the end of the number.
Free Quantity (Free Quant.)
A formula identifying the Frees being received from the Supplier. Format should look like this: 20P-1AA,40P-2AA (meaning 1 half-twin free in 20 passengers or 2 half-twin free in 40 passengers); 10R-1AA, 20R-2AA (meaning 1 half-twin free in 10 rooms, or 2 half-twin free in 20 rooms).
Free Nights
HTL Services only - A formula identifying the Free Nights promotion. The formula shows what to do in each duration. Ex: 4-1,7-4/7 indicates that for a 4 night stay, the 1st night rate will be free, 7 night stay will see the 4th and the 7th night free. 4(67)-1 indicates that if the client checks in on Friday or Saturday and stays 4 nights, the 1st night will be free. NOTE: If you get 1 free in 3 nights and also 2 free in 6 nights, these both must be loaded (i.e. 3-1,6-1/2). If the taxes must still be charged for the Free Night, you may enter the formula as follows: 4-1+TAX (1 free night when booking 4 nights but still charge for the tax on the free night). NOTE: If the free only applies when the required number of nights falls within the Rate Period, you may use ^PD at the end of the formula. In other words, if you get 1 night free when booking 4 nights, but all 4 nights must be within the rate period you can use 4-1^PD.