Enhancements

Documents

Day by Day Itinerary (Multiple Documents)

The day by day itinerary section of documents (used in Travel Documents and Reservation Quote) has been updated to have clearer information or more content/information based on the service type. The changes made are outlined below.

All Services

• Guests section

  • If a passenger is a child, add the age in () after the name

    • Ex: John Doe (10 yrs)

  • This will be the age at time of departure

Air

• For each flight itinerary/PNR

  • Show Total Passenger quantity

  • If reservation status is not “O”, show passenger names

• Show Cabin Class

  • This will show on the overall flight, similar to how it does for the reservation system

• Time format

  • Fix the times to be in AM/PM format without seconds

• Assigned Seats

  • Add this to each individual leg

  • Will show “Not yet assigned” if nothing is available yet

Hotels

• Accommodation Type

  • The Supplier Name will be removed from this as it displays above this

Transfers

• If times are provided, display them on the page

• This will be applicable to both pickup and dropoff details

• Will be in format of [PickupLocation] @ [PickupTime] or [DropoffLocation] @ [DropoffTime]

  • Pick Up: JFK-CUN - B6 - 1495 @ 3:50PM

  • Drop Off: The ABC Hotel @ 5:30PM

Why it’s important:

These changes are needed to be more clear and concise to passengers about the service they are receiving or who is assigned to each service.

Who it affects:

• Anyone using the Next Documents

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Air Services

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Transfers

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Hotels / All

Reservation Quote Letter

The Next version of the reservation quote letter has been updated to now have 2 versions. There will be a Customer version and a Passenger version, similar to what the Invoice has available. This will allow for sending a quote letter to both the travel agent (showing commission) or the passenger (no commission). This has been added to both the “view” and the “send” of the documents.

Why it’s important:

It’s important to hide any commission from the passengers to help keep the privacy of the travel agent and the agreement they have with the tour operator.

Who it affects:

• Anyone using the Next version of documents

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Groups

Invite Guests to send as BCC

The invite guests screen within the Group Summary has been updated to send emails differently. If there are multiple email addresses entered on this screen, they will all now be emailed as a “BCC” email address. We have also now removed the checkbox for “send a copy to myself” and will always send the copy to the logged in user, BCC’ing the addresses entered.

Why it’s important:

This is for security purposes. In some cases of a group, not all passengers or guests being invited know each other. Rather than allowing all of these guests to see everyone’s email addresses, this allows for everyone to be independent and not expose other guest email addresses.

Who it affects:

• Groups Next users that use the Invite Guests process

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Product

Supplier Promotions Validation Change

The Supplier Promotions screen will no longer validate that a ServiceID exists within the Softrip system. This change had to be done due to external interface services (HBSI, SynXis, etc.) needing the ability to have promotion records associated to them for things like Inclusion Mapping and/or Value Added promotions.

Why it’s important:

This is needed for these 3rd party external interfaces to allow for entering promotions against these services, which are not built within Softrip, to not prevent the user from entering these promotions.

Who it affects:

• All Operators

  • Noticeable with operators using Supplier Promotions

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Reservations Next

Setting to require additional fields with air

A new Default ID called AIRREQUIREDFIELD is now available to give operators the ability to require additional passenger fields only when booking air. This will now allow for requiring a limited amount of information to make a land only reservation, but require additional fields that the airlines might require when booking air (Gender, Date of Birth, etc.).

Why it’s important:

This allows to require less information from the passengers to make just a land only reservation, which may result in more sales. In some cases, passengers or travel agents don’t want to supply an overabundance of information to make a reservation and requiring too many fields in all cases may turn them away from completing the reservation.

Who it affects:

• Reservations Next operators that book air

How to set up:

To set this up, there are a few steps that you can take.

1. Set up your normal required fields that you would like to require in all cases

   1. This can be done in the System Settings screen under Reservation Settings → Required Fields for Contacts & Passengers

   2. These would be the fields you want to require to make a land only reservation

2. Set the required fields for both Lead Passenger and Secondary Passengers

3. Navigate to System Settings → All Defaults in the System Settings screen

4. Add a new record to the system

   1. Default ID = AIRREQUIREDFIELD

   2. Value = comma-separated list of fields that you would like to require when booking air

      1. These are additional fields to be added on to the required fields you just set up for passengers

      2. These will only be required if the reservation has air

5. NOTE: In a future release, this default will be available to be changed within the Required Fields for Contacts & Passengers screen to reduce the amount of screens needed

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Force Option status for Non-Refundable Services

2 new settings were introduced that will inform the system to create a reservation as Option status (Reservation Status = O) if no payment has been made AND the reservation has at least 1 non-refundable service. This can happen if either an interface API service comes back as non-refundable or if an internally loaded Softrip service has been marked as non-refundable.

Why it’s important:

If no payment has been made to cover the price of the non-refundable service, we don’t want to confirm the service with the Supplier yet. Otherwise, if no payment has been collected from the passenger and then they cancel, the tour operator may be on the hook for the cost of that service and paying the Supplier. Adding this restriction means that we will not confirm the service(s) until the conversion process has been run AND money has been taken on the reservation.

Who it affects:

• Reservations Next operators who deal with non-refundable hotels and/or services

How to set up:

There are 2 defaults that can be done that affect this. Only 1 is specific to non-refundable services, the other is specific to a date period in which the reservation will always be Option unless payment is provided.

1. Default ID = ForceOptionIfNR

   1. If the Value of this default is set to “Y” AND a non-refundable service is booked AND no payment is provided

      1. Set the reservation’s status to “O” (option/saved itinerary)

      2. This will not confirm or hold inventory on the services and require the user to go through the conversion process to apply payment

   2. If the conversion process is started but payment is still not provided, the system will keep the status as “O” until payment is actually received

2. Default ID = ForceOptionDepDate

   1. Value = number of days prior to departure to force a status of “O” (option/saved itinerary)

      1. Ex: If the value is set to 30 AND a reservation is made with departure date < 30 days from the current date AND no payment is provided

         1. Set the reservation’s status to “O” (option/saved itinerary)

         2. This will not confirm or hold inventory on the services and require the user to go through the conversion process to apply payment

   2. If the conversion process is started but payment is still not provided, the system will keep the status as “O” until payment is actually received

   3. NOTE: This default will work regardless of the non-refundable/refundable status of services. This is solely on the departure date being booked

Return all Rate Codes for Interface/Connected services

We have added the ability to return all rate codes for interface API’s like HBSI, SynXis, and Dingus (similar to what HotelBeds allows). In the past, for each room category, only 1 rate code would be able to be returned (either by mapping it based on the type of shop or returning the cheapest rate code available). There is now the ability to configure the system to return all rate codes in the system. This can be done using a default setting (see below).

This list could potentially be very long. Due to this, there is also a setting in the system to determine how many services/rate codes to display initially and allow for a “View More” button to show the rest of the list.

Why it’s important:

This allows for the ability to view all different rate codes that are returned from the interface and loaded by the hotels. If there are different inclusions for specific rate codes, this allows the user to book the rate code and the inclusions they are looking to have on the trip.

Who it affects:

• Reservations Next operators who use HBSI, SynXis, or Dingus interfaces

How to set up:

To turn on the ability to return all rate codes, please follow the steps below. If this setting is not turned on, the default functionality will be to look at the mapped rate codes per shop type (land only or land & air) or return only the cheapest available rate code per room category.

• In System Settings screen, navigate to System Settings → All Defaults

• Add a new Default

  • Default ID = ReturnAllRateCodesForInterfaces

  • Value = comma-separated list of interfaces to return all rate codes for. This can also be specific per brand if needed

    • DEFAULT=HBSI,SYN,DINGUS

      • This will show all rate codes for all brands and all 3 interfaces

    • DEFAULT=N;BRAND1=HBSI,SYN;BRAND2=HBSI

      • By default, we will not return all rate codes

      • Brand 1 will return all rate codes for both HBSI and SYN

      • Brand 2 will return all rates codes for just HBSI

To restrict the number of rooms/services to return in the vacation builder initial shop, please follow the steps below

• In System Settings screen, navigate to System Settings → All Defaults

• Add a new Default

  • Default ID = FITMAXROOMS

  • Value = integer for the number of rooms to initially show on the screen

    • 3 = only the first 3 rooms will display

    • 10 = only the first 10 rooms will display

    • etc.

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Allow Supplier Promotions on Interface/Connected services

The system will now allow the ability to apply a supplier promotion that affects the selling price of the interface/connected services. In the past, only VADD types have been available to apply as a value-added type of promotion. The promotion type FLAT will now also be supported. This promotion type only affects the selling price and so does not cause an issue with the booking in to the interface as the Cost will stay the same. This is subtracted from the price AFTER the markup process has completed and is on the full price of the room (not per person or per night).

Why it’s important:

This new promotion type will allow for the tour operator to either run their own promotion on specific suppliers based on the promotion filters available or to pass on any type of promotion that the supplier themselves are running. This will allow the operator to remain more competitive.

Who it affects:

• Anyone using Reservation Next and Interface/Connected services (HotelBeds, HBSI, SynXis, Dingus)

How to set up:

This works like any other supplier promotion that you would create for an internally loaded Softrip service. Pre-requisites are that you know the SupplierID and ServiceID of the specific rooms where the promotion will apply.

The only wildcard supported is a “*” in the ServiceID to say that the promotion applies to all services under the given Supplier.

• Go to Product → Suppliers → Supplier Promotions

• Add a new promotion

• Select the Promo Type FLAT

• Enter a Promo Amount for the value to subtract from the price

  • NOTE: The system always does a subtraction of this amount.

  • Entering 100 will subtract from the price

  • Entering -100 will actually add to the price

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Additional Services Mapping

We have now added the ability to map additional services to a specific ServiceID or Promotion ID. The additional services section within vacation builder shows any non-hotel services that are associated with the same plan within the Product List for that destination. There is now the ability to map those services to only be applicable if the user selects a specific service OR a specific promotion ID has been applied.

Note that a promotion ID will take precedence, meaning if the service is mapped to a promotion ID AND a service ID, then the mapped service will only be applicable if both the promotion and service are selected.

Why it’s important:

This now allows for additional services (like a welcome dinner, meal plan, meet and greet, etc) to only be available to select (or be required) based on specific room categories and/or supplier promotions being selected. This gives more control and flexibility to the tour operator to only provide services as outlined by the supplier if necessary.

Who it affects:

• Anyone using Reservations Next for Dynamic Packaging

How to set up:

These are mapped within the Product Detail setup in the AdditionalData field of a service. These tags below should be added to the additional service.

• Go to Product → Products / Tours → Products

• Find a List Product to manage (a Hotel List)

• Look for any non-hotel services within the list

• Edit that item and update the AdditionalData / Additional Info.

  • Apply if a specific service is selected

    • Add Tag called ApplyToService

    • This can hold a single ServiceID or a comma-separated list of ServiceID’s that the service is only applicable for

    • No wildcards are supported in this

  • Apply if a specific promotion is selected/applied

    • Add Tag called ApplyToPromo

    • This can hold a single PromotionID or a comma-separated list of PromotionID’s that the service is only applicable for

    • No wildcards are supported in this

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View Details Link

A “View Details” link has been added to the vacation builder shop results, cart, and the edit item screen. This will now give details of the services shopped and will be available to both internal and external users. Some tabs will only be available for certain users (either by type or based on a security checkpoint). The details of what each tab displays is outlined below.

Any tab that does not have any information available will be hidden from the user.

Inclusions

• If this is an interface/external hotel

  • This information will pull from the Inclusion Mappings coming from the Supplier Promotions

• If this is an internally loaded hotel

  • The data here will pull from the ItinDescription field within the Supplier Services setup

• The data will allow for HTML formatting to make it easier to read if necessary

• If there are no inclusions loaded (or itin description), the tab will not display

Terms

• This tab will display the text based cancellation terms that come from the SupplierCancelTerms rule area

• If there are no terms loaded for this service, the tab will not display

Cost Detail

• This tab to only display if the user has checkpoint R199 (View Cost Detail)

• This will include the Cost Detail and Costing Log together

• If an interface/external hotel, the Costing Log will include much of the data directly from the interface already

• If this is an internally loaded hotel, the Costing Log will show the internal pricing engine’s process of calculating the cost/price/promotions

Internal Notes

• This tab will only display for the Internal user type

• The information will come from the Supplier Amenities under Amenity Type INTERNALNOTE

• This will allow for HTML formatting to make it easier to read

• If no internal notes are loaded for the service, the tab will not display

Why it’s important:

This will give the users, especially the internal sales staff, much more detail about each service including pricing breakdown, supplier terms, inclusions, etc.

Who it affects:

• Anyone using Reservations Next

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Resolved

Accounting

• Fixed issue in Checks Register to have the Disbursement Letter email make use of the rules DOCFROM-DISBLETTER

• Resolved issue in Pay Suppliers screen where the To Pay amounts were changing if multiple rows were checked off to be paid at once

• Fixed issue where reversing transactions was not updating reservations to correctly show that the payment had been voided

• Updated Pay Suppliers screen to now have an “Original Local Cost” column (previously Cost Adjustments) which will display the cost of the service before any changes/adjustments were made

Calendar / General

• Updated multiple areas that pull internal user information to be more restrictive in the information being pulled for security purposes

Groups

• Resolved issue for FIT Group import passenger process not respecting different check in and check out dates

• Fixed issue of departure dates & prices being removed when copying an existing product in to a group

• Updated the Move Funds process to show Gross Due instead of Net Due

• Fixed issue of shop services into group not working when a manual item has been added to the parent reservation

Operations

• Fixed issue with Send from Email App in messaging to open in a new tab in the case of using a web-based email client

• Updated technical itinerary section of the Tour Series screen to not enable editing buttons if the user does not have the correct security checkpoints

• Updated Manifest Search popup to not have menu options for edit, delete, and copy as new to reduce confusion (NOTE: This applies to all search popups within the system)

Product

• Fixed Suppliers, Services, and Rates screen to make use of the Add/Edit/Delete security checkpoints to hide these options to make it clear the user does not have these permissions

• Fixed time zone issue with the Air Markups screen exporting with the incorrect date

Reservations Next

• Fixed 3rd party hotel interface book commands to correctly book within the interface

• Fixed multiple minor issues regarding the travel agent registration process

• Resolved issue of duplicate departure dates showing on the package landing page when multiple book date ranges are used

• Updated the system settings menu options so that if the Passengers option is not available for the given user type, then the passenger names will also not be linkable to the passenger page

• Updated rule area’s ALLOWTOSAVEITINERARY and RESERVATIONCARTDISCLAIMER to use all rule filters to determine when the rule applies to a reservation

• Updated air shop with Sabre to correctly pull and parse the baggage allowance to display in the air shop results

• Fixed issue with vacation builder not using the Airport Code when different from the city code when shopping for air

• Fixed option booking conversion process to allow for the Skip Payment button to be available based on security checkpoints (mimicking the new reservation process)

• Resolved issue of the QUOTE-TERMS rule not using the ShowOnWeb filter for the landing page

• Fixed issue of DefaultID BookAdjustAirDep not correctly adjusting the air dates based on the air offset in the default landing page