Managing Groups

Group Back Office Screen Overview

Overview

Once a group shell is created, users will need to add components and pricing to the group in order to create the quote letter and create child reservations.  Managing the group in this way can be handled in the product subsystem.  In product, users will build their services first, and then they will utilize the options on the left hand navigation menu to manage pricing, communication timing, inventory, import passenger names, and more.   

In order to enter the components into the group, users will need to first access the group in reservations.  From there, select "group management."  

Group Management Tab

Group Management Screen

Group Management Process

Creating and Adding Services

Once a group shell is accessed, users will need to build services into the group.  Examples of these services can be hotels, tranfers, optional tours, entrance fees, tour guides/managers, cars, meals, or more.  

There are a few different avenues that users have to build services into a group. 

• Build the services directly from the grid by selecting the "+" sign and entering the details directly into the grid.

• Select components from an existing product using the navigation bar on the left.

• Select from existing suppliers and services already built in product using the navigation bar on the left.  

  • This search option is particularly beneficial if users are searching for a specific service type such as search for all sight seeing tours that are offered under a specific destination.  

Below is an overview overview of each of these options.  

Selecting services from an existing Product

Selecting services from the Grid

Selecting services from Navigation Menu

Group Product Navigation

Once a group is accessed in Product, there are a variety of options available for users to manage a group under the left side navigation menu.  Below is an overall breakdown of these options.  

Defining Navigation Options

Service Costing

There are four different costing areas that can be reviewed, and updated.  

Cost Summary-  The Cost Summary provides users with the option to update the total land, total air, and total land and air per masks and per passenger ranges.

Note:  If users add free rules under the edit header option, then each passenger range will appear under the cost summary.  This provides users with the flexibility of controlling and editing the total price for each passenger range.  

Optional Supplemental Summary- Users can review the cost of any of the optionals that are on the group.  If services and rates already exist and have been previoulsy entered into product, then the existing rates will display under the optional supplement summary section.  Users can also edit these rates in this screen.  

Commission Summary- Users can control and update the commission values under the commission summary screen.  Adding the commission values on this screen provides users with the flexibility of adding a specific commission value that is applicable only to that particular custom group.  

Services Summary- The services summary provides a high level overview of the services on the group, the dates, and the cities of the services.  Users will not use this screen to edit information.  

Pricing Profile

The pricing profile controls the mark-up value that should be applied to the costs of the services on th group.  

Note:  The mark-up value that should be applied can also be entered into the cost summary section.  However, users can enter additional filters and details into the pricing profile.  For example, the pricing profile screen gives users the capability of controlling the mark-up value against certain service types, departure dates, brands, supplier ID's, and service ID's.  

Departure Dates and Prices

The departure dates and prices will display the prices that are entered and calculated under the Cost Summary screen.  Users can use this screen to see a breakdown of child rates, and control an air allowance on the group.  

Air Info

If airfare will be offered on the group then users will add the air contracts under the "air info" section. 

Main Air Segment

Additional Air Segment

Air Contracts

Block Air Management-  Selecting this option will direct users to the block air management screen in Operations.  

Transtion to Operations

Selecting transition to operations will update the group status to "active" or "internal", allowing users to create child reservations.

CMS

Selecting CMS will direct users to the CMS subsystem.

Note:  This is only an option for the Enterprise application.  Please contact Softrip Support for questions.  

Tasks

Users can create and manage tasks directly from the groups screen.  This can be helpful if there are tasks that may need a follow-up, or if a users needs to follow-up with the contact or passenger.  

Preview Web Page

Users can preview the the product page by selecting "preview web page."  Here, users can verify the daily itienerary, the departure dates and prices, and the package highlights.  

Inventory

Once the space is confirmed with the suppliers for the group, users can build the inventory for the group.  

Tour Series-  Users should use the tour series option when building inventory if the group is using inventory from an existing tour.  To use this, users would be depleting the already existing inventory on the tour itself.  

Custom Inventory- Users would use the "custom inventory" option if they are building a completely custom group and they are not sharing inventory with an existing tour.

Note:  Users will need to assign a block type and code to the service in order to build custom inventory.  To add a block type and block code to a service, right click and select the line item from the service costing grid, select edit, and enter the details at the bottom of the grid.  

Passenger Management

Users can view the list of passengers and their associated reservations by selecting the passenger management screen.  This list will display the child reservations associated to the parent booking.  

Import Passengers- Users can choose to import passengers using the import passenger screen.  This import process is supported by importing a CSV file.  By importing passengers, child reservations will be automatically created. 

Note:  Users can also use the passenger management screen to update passenger names.  For example, users may import a CSV file with the passenger names that equal "Fake/Name" as the first and last name to hold the child reservations for all passengers.  As the passengers confirm their space, users can import a new CSV file and update the passenger names.

In the above scenario, it is important to follow the below steps.

1. Export the existing passengers from the passenger management screen

2. Update the passeger names

Do not delete the contact ID

1. Import the updated CSV file again

By keeping the existing contact ID in tact, the passenger names will be updated when the CSV file is imported the second time.  

Operations

Assign Shares- Selecting "assign shares" will direct users to the assign shares screen in Operations.  

Note:  Users will need to first state "Y" under the assign shares option in the header in order to allow shares.  Users will be able to assign shares to any customer has selected "yes" to a share option when creating a reservation.  

Messages-  Selecting the messages screen will direct users to the Operations History  screen.  Here, users will be able to view revision history as well as any messages sent from Softrip on that particular group.  For more details on the Operations Messages screen, view the Operations History article.  

Tour Messages and Tour Request Messages-  The tour messages and tour request messages section will direct users to the Operations Messages screen.  Here, users can run messages on the group and send a rooming list ot the supplier.  For more details on the Operations Messages screen, view the Operations Messages article.  

Mass Change Transfers-  Selecting the message change transfers option will direct users to the confirm reservations screen.  

Mass Add/Remove Optionals-  Users can select the mass add/delete optionals to manage each reservation number and the optional tours that exist on the group.  By selecting this screen, users can add or remove the sight seeing tour options at once. 

Product Events-  To set-up the communication timing on the group, users must access the product events screen.  Here, users can set-up the communication timing based on the suppliers, services, or overall service types on the group.  Setting up product events supports the ability to communicate rooming lists to the suppliers on the group.  For more information on product events and communicating the the vendors view the Vendor Communications/Product Events article and the Operations Messages article. 

Product History-  Selecting the product history option allows users to view the history record of that particular product.  This screen is a replica of the history screen in product.  This screen provides a summary of items that were added, deleted, or replaced on the particular group.  Users can also select the line items and apply mass changes to the child bookings from this screen.

Tour Accounting

Payment Distribution-  The payment distribution will direct users to the accounting application.  This will allow users to enter payments to the group booking and waterfall funds down to the child bookings related to the parent group.

View Tour PNL Report-  Selecting the "view tour PNL report" will display the Profit and Loss report on the group.