Set-up procedures:
First, in Setup menu, General Information, Modules tab; tick Housekeeping to activate this module.
If this module has been already activated from Version 8.10, some schedules may already be entered.
Housekeeping is set up by selecting topics indicated below from the Ancillary Setup menu in the upper tool bar.
Linen: Setup Drop Down > Linen
Set up a list of linen items here if you wish to have RMS show linen requirements against rooms on the Housekeepers report. Linen is attached to bed configuration allowing the system to automatically calculate the Linen requirements for you depending on the number/size of beds in the area.
Select Add to enter linen items.
Enter the specific Linen Requirement E.g. Double Sheet; then choose Save & Next.
Bed Configuration: Setup Drop Down > Bed Configuration
This information is required to calculate linen requirements. Add to the list of Bed Configuration and assign the number for each linen item by typing a number over the zero in the Bed configuration box as shown below.
E.g. a Double bed may have 2 double sheet's 2 pillow slips and 2 towels at each linen change
Housekeeping Holidays: Setup Drop Down > Housekeeping Holidays
These are specific dates during the year that Housekeepers do not work. These could be Public Holidays or special event days.
It is possible to set Housekeeping tasks to be automatically re-scheduled away from days which are Housekeeper Holidays. You can select to perform a Task on the day prior, the day following or even on a Housekeeping Holiday.
Establish Housekeeper Holidays by selecting Add and entering a description and the date/s.
Housekeeper Tasks: Setup Drop Down > Housekeeper Tasks
These are the types of services you wish to perform. E.g. Departure Clean, Service Check, Linen Change etc.
RMS will have copied your Housekeeping Frequency as Tasks; If Housekeeping was activated in Version 8.10.
Click Add to bring up this screen to enter in more Tasks.
There is no limit to the number of Tasks you can enter.
Description:
Add your name for Task here.
E.g. Departure Clean
Daily Service
Mid Stay Service
Pre Check Arrival
This Task Requires a Linen Change:
When this option is selected, RMS will calculate the linen required and include the quantities needed for each linen item on the Housekeepers Report each time this Task is scheduled, provided you have set up Linen and Bed Configuration as described above.
This Task is a Departure Clean:
When this option is selected, RMS will indicate each room which is departing by adding (Out) in the notes field on the Housekeeper Report and extends the frequency table by 5 days to allow departure tasks to be deferred.
Frequency:
Establish when the Task is to be included on the Housekeepers Report by combining choices from the three columns in the frequency table.
1. Every - represents that this schedule becomes active exactly after that period of time.
E.g. For a task to be performed daily, select Every (Day)
For a Task to be performed every second day, select Every 2nd (Day)
For a task to be performed every third Monday, select Every 3rd Monday
Please note that in choosing Every, the reservation will appear on the Housekeeping Report after the number of days chosen. eg Every 3 Days. If you have a reservation in for 4 days, this Task will appear the day before departure.
2. On Average Every - the system will "best fit" the total number of occurrences of this schedule within the period of this reservation.
E.g. If you chose to perform the schedule Average Every 5 days and the reservation was staying 6 nights, RMS would calculate that there is a need for 1 occurrence of this schedule and fit that occurrence neatly between the arrival and departure date. In this case after 3 days; therefore more evenly spacing the occurrence of the schedule during the stay.
3. On The - select 'on the' when a task has a particular occurrence.
E.g.: If a Task is to be scheduled for the first Monday, select on The 1st Monday
If the Frequency Falls on a:
Tasks may be scheduled away from Arrival Date, Weekends, Housekeeping Holidays and Departure Date. The default selection for Weekends and Housekeeper Holidays is to perform the Task on the Day and the Arrival and Departure Date to be excluded but if the other options are selected, the Task will be rescheduled to appear on the Housekeeper report accordingly.
Cleaning Time Allocation:
Categories which have been selected to be included for Housekeeping will be listed in this box. The expected duration for the Task maybe added here to have it appear on the Housekeeper Report. If the Housekeeper Roster (see below) is to be used, each task must have a duration entered.
Various times for the Task may be set for particular categories to cater for variations caused by room layouts, access etc.
Housekeeping Task Cost: (Must be completed on the day of installing 8.11 if you have upgraded your RMS system from version 8.10)
The Housekeeping Task Cost is only for Owner/ Trust Accounting properties. This setup tells RMS how much to charge an owner for each Task completed. This area has superseded the EOM charges setup for the Linen/Service fees. Therefore, you need to delete any Linen/Service fees against each room. Setup > Category/Area > Area > EOM tab. Departure Fees MUST still be setup in EOM tab against each room.
Setup Drop Down > Housekeeping Task Cost
Simply highlight the relevant Task, highlight the relevant Categories (both the shift and ctrl shortcut work in this column), select the Sundry Charge applicable from the drop down selection, enter the amount you wish to charge (including tax) then save.
The Use Amount from Sundry option can be used in replacement of actually typing the amount in manually – with this setting when you change the amount for that sundry charge in the setup menu the charge for the task associated with change with it.
Allocating Housekeeper Tasks:
As Tasks are entered in Ancillary Setup Menu, Housekeeper Tasks, you then need to Allocate the tasks required.
The setup of housekeeping is determined using a tiered approach.
For example, when you make a reservation 4 things are checked
If there is a Housekeeping Task associated to the tariff table (applied to the reservation that you are making), it will be used in preference of everything else.
If there is no tariff table schedules setup, the system will look at the area housekeeping setup
If there is no area schedules setup, the system will look for the housekeeping setup on the category belonging to that reservation
If there is no setup on the category, the system will look at the general information housekeeping setup.
Therefore:
Tariff Table > Area > Category > General Information to locate what to do.
To Setup Housekeeping on Tariff Table:
In Setup > Tariff Tables > Highlight Tariff Table, click Edit, select Housekeeper Tab.
Highlight the Tasks you wish to use in the Available Tasks box and click on the right arrow to move them to the Allocated Tasks box.
To Setup Housekeeping on Category:
In Setup > Category/Area > Highlight Category, choose Category button and Edit. Choose Housekeeping Tab at top.
Move the Tasks to Allocated Tasks box and Default Bed Configuration for category using arrows as required.
To Setup Housekeeping on an Area:
In Setup > Category/Area > Highlight Category, choose Area button and Edit each area in turn. Choose Housekeeping Tab at top.
Move the Tasks to Allocated Tasks box and Default Bed Configuration for category using arrows as required.
To Setup Housekeeping in General Information:
In Setup > General Information > Housekeeping Tab
Highlight the Tasks you wish to use in the Available Tasks box and click on the right arrow to move them to the Allocated Tasks box.
To Set Housekeeping Schedules:
In Utility Menu > Set Housekeeping Schedules button.
This step should only be performed after you have completed your setup of tasks etc and you have upgraded from 8.10 to 8.11.
This utility will set the appropriate housekeeping schedule to each current and future reservation in your system.
Leave the selection in "All Current and Future Reservations" the choose "Create Schedules" – this process may take a few minutes to complete.
Housekeeping Schedule:
It is at the Housekeeping Schedule tab for each reservation that all the set up elements unite. The schedule shown is what has been selected at Property, Category, Area and Tariff Table. These areas can also be modified here at the individual reservation level.
The Ticks indicate tasks which will appear on the Housekeepers Report.
Attached Tasks:
Lists the tasks that are attached to the Schedule for this reservation.
Bed Configuration:
Show the system defaults Bed Configuration for this reservation; Modify by clicking on the Bedding and typing over the number.
Linen Required per Change:
Shows system defaults Linen required for this reservation; Modify by clicking on the Linen and typing over the number as required.
Housekeeper:
Notes for the housekeepers.
Refresh:
To force an update screen after changes made.
Add Task:
To add another Task to this Schedule from list of Available Tasks
Delete Task:
Highlight a Task in the Attached Task box (top left), then click on Delete task if that Task is no longer required for this reservation.
Reset to System Defaults:
Will reset the schedule to that established as your default settings and any changes made to this individual reservation will be cancelled.
Other Functions of the Housekeeping Tab:
Click on a yellow cell to leave a note, which will appear on the Housekeepers Report - only 10 characters have been allowed here.
You can delete a Task for a day by clicking on its Tick.
You can add a Task for a day by clicking on a blank cell
Their are five days shaded after departure which maybe used to re-schedule the departure clean. This is designed for properties where large numbers can depart on a day, making total servicing impossible.
Housekeeper Setup (optional): Setup Drop Down > Housekeepers
Optional element. It is required for hotels and other properties where each Housekeeper is assigned particular rooms to service each day.
Select Add
Enter each of the housekeepers name and address, phone numbers and email contacts. Enter any notes into the notes field required.
Minutes Available per day:
Enter the # of minutes that each housekeeper is available each day. This number is not variable on a daily basis.
Employee Type:
Enter the classification of the housekeeper's employment, E.g. Full Time, Casual.
Property:
This is for the Multiple Property module. You can allocate a particular Property to a specific Housekeeper
Housekeeper Roster (optional): Top Tool Bar > Clean Drop Down Arrow > Housekeeper Roster
Optional element - it is only relevant to those properties which allocate particular rooms to each Housekeeper for Cleaning. The Housekeepers Report can then also be printed for each individual Housekeeper.
Click Allocation.
Using the Filters, choose a Housekeeper, Site Grouping, Tasks from drop down arrow and click on Refresh to show Allocation.
Highlight a Task in the Tasks to be Allocated box and click on Add to move it to the Tasks Allocated to Housekeeper column on the right. The number of minutes previously set up against each task will display in the Req. (Min) column.
The yellow shaded area below the allocation screen will display a cumulative record of minutes available, allocated and remaining. Exit when allocation is complete.
The Housekeepers Report can also be printed for a particular Housekeepers Allocation.
Housekeepers Report:
The Housekeeper report has been revised to provide various format and display options. We suggest you try the options with your data and settle on a preferred format.
Maintenance rooms default to not show on the housekeepers report, however, we have included an option to show these rooms if you wish.
The Task appears against each room, guiding the Housekeeper.
Where a room is vacated and re-occupied in the same, names of both guests are shown, with associated Tasks. Notes will apply to the Arriving guest.
A past dated Housekeepers Report may be used for review and history. A future dated report will indicate Housekeeper levels which will require staffing.
Room counts and minutes are totaled for each grouping and for the whole property. Linen count and grand totals are provided at the property level