Group Back Office Overview

Owned by Oz Akman
Last updated: Nov 04, 2024 by Anthony Pepe
7 min read

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.  

Note:  Prior to building components into a group, users must first have the suppliers built.  Review the suppliers article for more information.  

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 previously 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.  

 

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” .

 

  • Active Pax: Can be left blank or a single number (10). This number will be used as the Divisible number for all Divisible services of this Product (if not overridden by that Services Detail record). For non-divisible services, this number will be used to determine which rate record to use based on the PaxRange values in the Rates. This is also the Min. number of the PaxRange to use when calculating Prices.

  • Market Code: Select the market code that is associated with the product. Either begin typing the market code, or expand the search grid to search for a Market code.

  • Status: This will change the Group Status from either Loading, Pending, or Checked to:

    • Active - External and Internal users will be able to book this Group

    • Internal - Only Internal users will be able to book this Group

  • Tour ID: This is a unique identification number or code assigned to a specific package(s). It helps in tracking, organizing, and managing the details and logistics of a particular tour, such as departure dates, itinerary, pricing, and availability.

  • Tour Offset - Only to be used if this Group is sharing inventory with another Group that has overlapping travel dates

  • Inventory - The amount of Inventory that will be allocated for this Group. The system will automatically build the INV Service and Block Allotment using this menu

CMS

Selecting CMS will direct users to the CMS subsystem.

 

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.

 

 

 

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. 

 

Operations

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

 

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.