Create an FIT Quote/Booking

The procedures in this topic describe the initial steps needed to create a new FITs Quote/Booking.

A booking can be entered as a quotation or as a confirmed live booking. This User Manual assumes that a Quotation booking status is selected and follows a procedure to convert the quotation into a booking.

For more information on booking status selection please see About the Create Booking Fields.

Create an FIT Booking - Insert New Booking

  1. This completed example shows an FIT booking named Robson Mr & Mrs K.

    NOTE: This particular example is a booking for one couple, needing one room, if additional pax are travelling additional room selection can occur here, or during a service line insert. Room configurations for pax travelling can be complex; the solution is to use the 'Other Configuration' this allows you to enter multiple rooms, topic Set Room Configurations describes scenarios, rules and procedures for handling alternative room configurations.

  2. Do not click Save just yet - continue with procedure Enter Pax Details.

    NOTE: If additional pax names are not known, the information can be inserted at a later date using the Pax Travelling menu.

  3. In this case, click the grey New Configuration button and continue with procedure Setup a Configuration During Service Insert.

 

There is an alternative search method that User Company's may have selected at the time of system setup. The system can be configured to search for product before inserting booking details such as pax names. If this configuration has been enabled a Product Search button will be available as well as the Insert New Booking button. Users will be required to complete a refined details screen, nominating the configuration of room types before selecting the product search requirements.

About the Create Booking Fields

Name

FITs has names at two levels. The top level is the Booking Name and this is used as the prime retrieval field when locating bookings. At the second level, within the booking, are passenger names assigned to Room 1, Room 2 etc.

The booking name and room name are quite often the same; e.g. Robson Mr and Mrs K. There will be instances where the booking name and room name(s) are not the same; e.g. as per the example booking with the booking name Henderson/Anderson Party. There are individual pax names of Henderson Mr/Mrs, Anderson Mr/Mrs and Master, and Hamilton Mr/Mrs.

NOTE: Booking Names are mandatory; Pax Names are optional.

If the booking name already exists, then subject to system settings, a warning may appear, or a password may be required to continue, or the entry of the name may be denied. If name entry is denied, the booking name has to be altered e.g. add a Period (.) after the passenger(s) name or initials.

Name Alias

The Name Alias field is an alternative name field to display a different name for the booking. Some Tourplan users may choose to use this field for messaging displaying an alternative language booking name.

Travel Date/Day

This is normally the date of the first service being provided. Some Tourplan user companies use different dates; e.g. date of departure from home country. If any date other than date of first service is to be used as the travel date, it is a decision taken by each user company.

The Travel Date can be altered using the Change Travel Date utility feature, but care should be taken as any financial transactions that already exist against the booking will not be updated.

Agent

This is the travel agent/wholesaler/end user etc that is making and paying for the booking. Select the agent from the drop-down list. Entering the first few characters of the agent code and clicking the drop-down will search from that point forward in the drop down list. If the agent is not listed, it will have to be created in the Debtors application.

NOTE: Clicking the Search button next to the agent name field will open a dialogue allowing a search on agent name etc.

NOTE: Dependant on system settings, a warning may display advising that the agent's credit limit is exceeded. Again, dependant on the settings, entry of the booking could be denied. These settings are user company specific.

Booking Status

The default initial booking status is displayed. This is defaulted from the Tourplan INI file and may be changed if required. This is determined by each user company’s procedures.

NOTE: This is the status of the Booking, and does not relate to the status of individual services. The Booking Status determines what actions can be taken with the booking; i.e. whether vouchers can be issued or invoices raised, allocations taken etc. The configuration of booking statuses in Code Setup determines the permit-able actions of each status.

Quotation: If a quotation status is selected Convert Quote, and Cancel Quote buttons will display and booking statuses are limited to other quotation statuses.

NOTE: Once the booking is converted to a live booking a full list of booking statuses will be available.

Confirmed: If a confirmed status is selected the booking assumes full booking workflow functionality, allowing users to request services, confirm services, take from allocation, process accounts transactions in a live booking.

Currency

The agent’s default sell currency, as set up in the Debtors application, is displayed. The currency may be changed for this booking by selecting an alternative currency from the drop-down list. Refer to the currency examples below.

NOTE: Only currencies which have been attached to the agent in Debtors will display in the drop down list.

NOTE: Currency rates between the Agent currency selected and the system currency (normally the currency of the country the system is domiciled in) must first be entered in the system currency exchange rate table.

Currency Subcode

If the Agent has a Currency Subcode attached to it, it will display here. It determines which (if any) of multiple exchange rates between the same currency pairs that is to be used. If the Subcode field is blank, it can be left blank, in which case the default currency rate will be used.

Branch

The default code is displayed if set up in the User’s settings. Otherwise, select the branch code for this booking from the drop-down list or by typing the code.

NOTE: The ‘Branch’ is used as the first two characters of the booking reference and can have a bearing on revenue and expense postings in the financials.

Department

The default code is displayed if set up in the User’s settings. Otherwise, select the department code for this booking from the drop-down list or by typing the code.

NOTE: The ‘Department’ is used as the second two characters of the booking reference and can also have a bearing on revenue and expense postings in the financials.

Once a Branch and Department have been selected and this screen exited, the Branch and Department should only be changed prior to any accounting transactions being entered against the booking. If accounting transactions have been entered, the Branch and/or Department should not be changed! System Administrators can complete a system wide code change which can occur from within the Code Change Application, this will change the Branch or Department code system wide for all bookings.

Reference

The system automatically creates a 6-digit reference number for this booking. The reference number is appended to the Branch and Department codes to form the full Booking Reference. The default value in this field cannot be changed.