Group Back Office Overview
Managing Groups
Group Back Office Screen Overview
Overview
Once a group shell is created, users must add components and pricing to the group in order to generate a quote letter and create child reservations. This setup and management process is handled within the Product subsystem.
In the Product module, users will:
First, build the services associated with the group
Then, use the left-hand navigation menu to manage key elements, including:
Pricing
Communication Timing
Inventory
Passenger Imports
And more
This structured approach ensures the group is fully configured for quoting, booking, and operations.
In order to enter the components into the group, users will need to first access the group in reservations. From there, select "Operations” → Manage Your Group
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, transfers, optional tours, entrance fees, tour guides/managers, cars, meals, or more.
Note: Prior to building components into a group, users must first have the suppliers built. Review the suppliers article for more information.
Users have several options for building services into a group, depending on their workflow and the data available:
Add Services Directly from the Grid
Select the “+” icon and enter the service details directly into the grid.Select Components from an Existing Product
Use the navigation bar on the left to pull in pre-defined components from another Product.Select from Existing Suppliers and Services
Also available via the left-hand navigation, this option allows users to choose from services already built in the Product subsystem.This search method is especially helpful when looking for specific service types, such as all sightseeing tours available in a particular 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
The Optional Supplemental Summary allows users to review the costs of any optional services associated with the group. If services and rates have already been entered in the Product subsystem, those existing rates will automatically display in this section.
Users also have the ability to edit these rates directly within the Optional Supplemental Summary screen, providing flexibility to adjust pricing as needed during the quoting or planning process.
Commission Summary
The Commission Summary screen allows users to control and update commission values for a custom group. Entering commission values here gives users the flexibility to apply group-specific commission rates that differ from standard or default settings. This ensures accurate financial tracking and proper compensation configuration for each unique 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 the 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.
Transition to Operations
Transition to Operations is typically the last process to be done before a Group is ready to be put on sale after Services and Pricing have been built. This process will do two main things:
Create a Tour ID
This is will be used to link Reservations to the Tour for organizing and reporting on, such as sending Supplier Messages or generating Rooming Lists
Create an Inventory Management Item
This will build an Inventory Service and allocate inventory specific to the Tour rather than Hotel inventory
This process can only be done if the Group Status is anything besides “Internal” or “Active” .
If the Group Status is already set to “Internal” or “Active” it can be changed to “Loading”, “Pending, or “Checked” and then this process can be done.
Active Pax
Can be left blank or set to a single number (e.g.,
10)For Divisible services, this number is used as the default divisible value unless overridden in the individual Service Detail record.
For non-divisible services, this number determines:
Which rate record to apply, based on PaxRange values
The minimum PaxRange used when calculating prices
Market Code
Select the Market Code associated with the product.
You can either:
Begin typing the code to auto-populate, or
Open the search grid to browse and select from existing codes
Status
Controls the booking availability of the group:
Active – Both external and internal users can book the group
Internal – Only internal users can book the group
Loading, Pending, or Checked - No users can book this group
Tour ID
A unique identifier assigned to a specific package or set of packages
Used to track and manage tour logistics such as:
Departure dates
Itineraries
Pricing
Availability
Tour Offset
Only used if this group is sharing inventory with another group that has overlapping travel dates
Ensures proper coordination of shared space between groups
Inventory
Defines the amount of inventory allocated to this group
When set, the system will automatically:
Create the INV (Inventory) service
Generate a corresponding Block Allotment using the specified inventory details
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 itinerary, 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.
Export the existing passengers from the passenger management screen
Update the passenger names
Do not delete the contact ID
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 / Tour Request Messages
The Tour Messages and Tour Request Messages sections redirect users to the Operations Messages screen. From there, users can generate and send rooming lists to suppliers for the group.
For more information, refer to the [Operations Messages article].
Mass Change Transfers
Selecting Mass Change Transfers directs users to the Confirm Reservations screen. This allows users to manage and update transfer services across multiple reservations within the group.
Mass Add/Remove Optionals
The Mass Add/Delete Optionals feature enables users to manage optional tours across all reservations in the group. From this screen, users can add or remove sightseeing tour options in bulk for each reservation number, streamlining optional service updates.
Product Events
To configure communication timing for the group, users must access the Product Events screen. This screen allows users to define communication timing based on:
Specific suppliers
Individual services
Overall service types within the group
Setting up Product Events ensures timely and automated communication of rooming lists to suppliers.
Product History
The Product History screen provides a detailed history of changes made to the group. It replicates the history view found in the Product module and shows a record of items that have been added, deleted, or replaced.
Users can also select specific line items in this view and apply mass changes to related child bookings, offering efficient update capabilities across multiple reservations.
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.