Easy InnKeeping Reservation Software - Working Behind the Scenes

 In 2012, we have been upgrading some very key and core functions in Easy InnKeeping. As with any important event like parties, weddings or banquets; there is a lot of work that goes behind the scenes.  Nobody sees the kitchen where many are hard at work for many hours, but all appreciate the meal when it’s served!  To make Easy InnKeeping work smoothly for you in 2012, our development team has put many hours into some key pieces of your software.

 We want to take this time to let you know what has been happening ‘behind the scenes.’

 UTC – Universal Time Coordinate!

As Easy InnKeeping has continued to expand to various time zones, and continents; it became vital to provide more flexibility in various date formats and to allow each property to define their particular time zone in the system.

 If you use Online Reservations, please be SURE to define your time zone, and check-in and check-out times in Easy InnKeeping.

 Time Zone in Easy InnKeeping

 To assign your Time Zone go to the menu Features>>Option Settings. In the new section Date & TimeZone Settings, please select the time zone of your locality and save.

 Option Settings

Account Code Standards

 Another function growing in use is the ability to create ‘account codes.’  Properties have great flexibility in creating these ‘account codes’ for meals and beverages, amenities, vacation tours or packages, gift shop items and much, much more.  As more properties began to create custom account codes, some inconsistencies surfaced.  In March of 2012, our development team standardized the way account codes are categorized and stored in the database.

 The account code update was not even visible to our clients, but a few properties with custom codes, may have noticed this change and were instructed to conform their categories to the new standards.  Overall, the standardization provides for more consistency and accuracy and was well worth the effort! 

 Taking Rooms and Rates out of Active Inventory

 For some seasonal properties or condo management companies, rental units can be moved in and out of their availability calendar.   Now Easy InnKeeping offers an easy way to temporarily remove a room, without deleting its reservation history.

 Unit Active/Inactive

The Unit module is enhanced with the option of designating a unit to be Active or Inactive based on the needs of the property.

 When option “No” selected and saved then the unit will become Inactive.

Inactive units will not appear in the reservation screens for new bookings.

  7.8 Upgrade Completed March 31

§  Account Code Standardization

§  UTC implemented for Online Reservations

§  New Condo Management Reports

§  Designating Units and Rates as ‘Active’ or ‘Inactive’

 Coming Soon – Variable Taxes

 During the first week of May, some of our properties noticed a change in tax calculations as a new ‘variable tax’ feature was being tested.  By the end of May the changes will move from our test system to Easy InnKeeping. For most of our client properties, the ‘variable tax’ will have no effect on their existing tax structure.  “Variable taxes” will allow properties with various locations and tax requirements to manage all their units within one Easy InnKeeping login.

Stay informed about Easy InnKeeping updates!

Find us on Facebook or LinkedIn

Contact Us Monday-Friday, 9-5 CST.

• Customer Support 713-981-5300 (press 2)
• support@gracesoft.com

Click on LiveHelp from your software or from our web site Reservation Software

Can Social Media Help You Get More Hotel Reservations?

There’s no doubt about it. These days a small business has to be aware of the role the internet, and all the various social media sites on the internet, plays in successfully marketing the business. But I know first- hand that navigating through the maze of information and how-to’s can be overwhelming.

Less than a year ago, I was strictly on the social and personal side of social media sites but recently I jumped feet first into helping GraceSoft/Easy InnKeeping’s Marketing Department. Now I’m trying to learn how sites likeFacebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter can be used not just for marketing a small business, but also how they can be used to expand the level of customer relations our company has with the properties that use our product.

Fortunately for me, there’s HubSpot to the rescue. Not only do they make things like creating a blog on the company website really easy and manageable, but HubSpot continually offers a wealth of understandable information on everything from how to write a good blog article to how to set up company social media sites to how to get that blog article onto those company media sites. If you’re not a HubSpot user, there’s still a ton of information out there on how to use social media. Social Media Examiner, for instance, is an easy to read blog with some great articles. That’s one I follow on Google+. I also routinely check out marketing articles on the news feed on LinkedIn. I’m learning a lot, and hopefully some of what I’ve learned will be helpful to you, too.

So, what are some of the first things a small business can do about making their presence known on the social media sites? 

• Decide who your target audience is.

We’re a B2B (business to business) company here, so the social media site that works best for us may not be the same as someone who manages a B2C (business to consumer) property. Our target audience is not only our clients who use Easy InnKeeping as their property management software but also other properties who are interested in finding out more about hotel reservation software. Who is it that you want to connect with?

• Figure out what it is you want to share.

Do you want to show pictures and create a more interactive place where guests can share their experiences of their stays at your hotel or B&B?  Are you trying to attract more business travelers? Do you specialize in creating weddings that women dream of? The answers would be - take a look at Facebook; try setting up a business page on LinkedIn; and check out one of the newest social media sites, Pinterest.

• Be realistic about how much time and effort you have to spend on social media.

While it might seem really nice to have a presence on as many sites as you can, if you can’t keep up with updating all of them regularly, you could send more of a negative message to guests and potential guests than a positive one. It’s okay to try out the different ones, to see which sites work best for you. But once you figure that out, if you concentrate on just a few sites where you get the most guest interaction, that’s where you'll get the most return for your time and effort.

Hotel Reservation Software - Why go web-based?

While its staying power is a testament to the development and quality of the desktop version of Easy Innkeeping, technology and software development moves at a rapid pace. So it was no surprise that many users of Easy Innkeeping 3.2 or 4.0 discovered that their old software was not completely compatible with Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 7.  A big surprise though, too many of those customers when they called to find out about upgrading, was finding out that Easy Innkeeping is now in the cloud, aka web-based.

What are the advantages of upgrading from an old desk-top version to the web-based?

First and foremost, your data is secure. It is backed up regularly, and is accessible from more than one computer. Grace offers the web-based version of EasyInnkeeping hosted on its secure and reliable servers. You don’t need to be concerned about the old software being incompatible with current operating systems. You also don’t have to worry about losing your data when an old computer crashes and can’t be revived.  Benefits to the online Easy Innkeeping include remote access, easy maintenance and monthly payment plans. Updates are automatically included, as they are released.  

What’s different about Easy Innkeeping as cloud-based hotel management software?

In keeping up with client needs, there have been many new developments with the reservation software since version 4.0. Menus and screens have been redesigned to be more user-friendly.  The look of the Monthly Calendar has gone from this:

To This:

The process of entering guest and reservation information has been streamlined. Instead of entering guest information first, then creating a reservation for them, guest information is now saved directly from the reservation screens.

Perhaps even more exciting are the additional modules and features that have been added to Easy Innkeeping. What we call our Sales & Marketing module is actually a fully integrated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management system. The tools for email marketing are built in. There's no need for a separate program or guest contact database like Constant Contact.

Other innovations since EIK 4.0 include the additions of more reports (many created specifically because of client requests), the Condo module for condo and vacation rental property management companies, and GDS interface.

So why switch?

If your existing desktop version is still working, you’re probably wondering why you should consider switching to the current web-based version. All I can say is that computers and technology have a shelf-life. For users of older versions of Easy Innkeeping, we can typically retrieve and transfer your data from a working computer with an internet connection to a new web-based Easy Innkeeping account. So don't wait until your old computer crashes, you get the blue screen of death, and your files and database are lost forever before you realize that upgrading to the newest version of Easy Innkeeping is what you really need to do.

Hotel Online Reservation Software has Proved to be a Boon not Only for Travelers but Also for the Hospitality Industry as a Whole.

EasyInnKeeping is increasingly popular vacation rental management software for condo rentals, penthouse, and apartment and vacation rentals. The Condo version is designed for managing individually owned units rented on a short term and/or long term basis (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly).

The perfect solution for multiple owned properties within a single location, this condo management software includes end-of-the-month accounting reports of owner commissions and revenues. Maintenance fees are assigned to each owner and included in condominium management software reports and statements.

If you need condo rental software that provides remote access, Easy Innkeeping is a great solution. Managers, board members and owners can login from anywhere that provides internet access and view reports and reservations. This condo software provides an easy-to-use interface for adding reservations, checking in guests and processing payments

Reservation form opens when you click on the room and arrival date

·      Quick Reservation provides one-screen entry for guest info, dates, room, rate, discounts and payment

·          Print a bill, send a letter, or check-in guest with “one click” using the quick link menu

EasyInnKeeping Hotel, Motel and resort reservation software. Designed to help you manage your reservations, analyze your marketing and financial data, and interface with a real-time online reservation software system for web site bookings. In addition, the hotel software will allow you to set up different security levels for you staff, provides you with Audit Reports, and allow you to connect from any computer with internet access.

In comparison with other software for hotels, we pride ourselves on our products’ easy-to-use interface. You will find yourself spending less time learning our software and training staff; and more time enjoying the benefits of using EasyInnkeeping. With our free online training services, your management and staff can make effective use of your hotel software to manage your guests, housekeeping and reservations.

Manage your Online Reservations Interface allows your guests to view your reservations online through and receive online reservations directly into your reservation software system. Accept online reservations from your website 24 hours/day!

The Easy Innkeeping ASP also interfaces with Inn Link’s CRS, which provides access to thousands of internet booking sites such as Travelocity, Hotwire and Orbitz as well as 250,000 travel agents worldwide. Electronic distribution to travel agents and travel sites through Easy Inn Keeping’s easy to use database.

Many managers and innkeepers use the mobile interface to look up today’s check-ins from their smart phones, laptops or anywhere with a secure internet connection.

Mobile interface for the hotel software includes the following features:


• Today’s check-ins, departures and calendar search

• Reservation form for entering new reservations

• Sales contact database and email feature


EasyInnKeeping maximizes your marketing potential by providing integration with several internet marketing options:

Global Distribution System (GDS) interface promotes your property on thousands of internet booking sites such as Travelocity, Hotwire and Orbitz as well as 250,000 travel agents worldwide. A powerful channel to increase your exposure and sell more rooms to a wider market. After initial training and setup, bookings are managed automatically through EasyInnKeeping

Easy WebRez module allows guests to book from your own property’s web site for a simple monthly price. This feature is included with all web-based reservation software purchases

Universal date format displays the arrival and departure dates that can be easily understood by guests booking from any nation in the world.


Credit card validation is provided for a wider range of credit cards used also in Asia and Europe. 

Smart Reservation Software with Effective Online hotel booking Engine

Nowadays in commercial organization, they are not a traveler and a householder, then needs the assistance for hotel booking across the world, for convenient, and hassle-free accommodation during travels. To cover all those requirements there is a need for hotel reservation software will take care of the activities involved in appropriate hotel reservations and management ensures satisfaction of all concerned, namely, the user, organizer and the hotel booking software system. Hotel Software has all features needed to run your hotel, property management software (PMS) application, and motel, resort, Inns and guest house businesses. Hotel Software offers a functional integration of reservations, guest history, reception/ front desk, Call Accounting, Sales Ledger, and Reporting modules.

We have a friendly B2B user interface that highlights all the essential features such that while booking hotel a customer won’t need to search for anything without finding the answer. The graphically designed GUI interface with color codes and audio and video presentations helps in the booking process. Different types of effortlessly configurable hotel software package are available in the market place. No issue whether you are working in a small or mid-sized hotel or a resort, choosing the appropriate hotel reservation software assists you to get more customers. Manual hotel reservation is error inclined. It also helps you to tracking consumers. A lot of businesses offer you online hotel booking software program at cost-effective.

Online Hotel booking is accounting software designed to create check in, out information and booking reports. Hotel booking engine handles accurate transactions and mathematical calculations in predictable manner. In this hotel software also allows the hotel room availability to be seamlessly integrated on the hotel’s website. So, the clients are manually uploading the room occupancies or using some tricky webpage code to input the data, online hotel booking software consequently makes the work for you! The online booking packages also have an unlimited account for “point-of-sale” terminals whether it can be used for process flow payment and customer data’s  and  info database in other areas of services of the hotel. It’s also assisting you to find particular room information’s or customer details using customer id or the particular room id. It also provides the features to load database from any location and save database backup in any specified folder as per your needs.

Hotel booking software package can be acquired and place in a desktop that is part of a network. Hotel software program should be capable of supporting many computers in a network. It’s really useful for TCP/IP to facilitate website-based mostly reservation. It’s user friendly with GUI interface. It’s a  stable apps for executes conveniently in Windows 98, ME, XP, Vista, Windows 2003 Server  and other latest versions of operating system.

The first thing you need to know before buying reservation software and its usage. Then, you need to aware of your hotel software in mind whether you want to use an online platform whether you working for online bookings process. The important aspect is that there’re a reservation software suite is available at very affordable prices. On the other hand, Hotel Reservation Software suites are available in flexible as well as the customized manner.

Reservation Software for Hotels

When you opt for using reservation software for your enterprise purpose, it is quite important to check the security properties. Enterprise info is a secret and confidential matter so you will need software that can recognize your security concerns. In the marketplace, there are some software’s that supply privacy policies to give a secure environment for your business matters. It ensures that your information will not leak anywhere else without your permission.

The Merits of Reservation Software for Hotels – Hotel Management Systems

With its growing popularity and the higher fee of incorporation in companies, lots of visits are turning out to be far more aware of on-line reserving computer software. Remarkably ample, even so, there are even now numerous people who recognize very tiny about this daily life transforming advancement that is taking area in the 21st century and advantages.

Nowadays we visit for Hospitality industry or management, one of the basic implementation that the customer feel is to be booking the hotel lodgings and the whole thing other amenities that he or she needs in order to make use of. In previous, the process of booking hotels was in the written format with pen and form when it was quite clumsy and there must be used many scenarios where the regulars used to be room booking software unhappy because of the miscommunication and uncertainty will be happening on hotel booking.

  

The privacy of citizen was also dislocated for reservation other associated benefits. But this scenario has amended effectively with accommodation ordering practices. Area booking rules is software that needs in order to set up in your computer and access the indispensable figures and it gets renewed each time. It has to be finished the facts keeping simple and at the same time there are no possibilities of miscommunication with it.

Once somebody requests you, for ordering this software is reasonable enough to register the points and renew accordingly and when you journey back and regulation you can search out the whole lot in room booking system appropriate book. Reservation Software manner means not only benefit from uses in the hotel ordering but also can be fruitfully make use of in motels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, inns, lodges and guest apartments. 

The healthy point is if you want the staffs in order to know about the room ordering rank you can smooth take printout. For example a person has booked lodgings in your hotel along with breakfast and dinner on target days. What you need to accomplish is just take a print out of the questionnaire and produce it to the individual someone who operates it. He can carry on doing his work resourcefully without disturbing the guests. Expediency is assured with room booking system housing reserving organization.

Typically, hotel reservation software package program, as its name implies that was intended for producing online booking. Nonetheless, the surprising innovations of enterprise in the 21st century have been developed to offer you extra services that make more than-the-counter easy booking. Additional services consist of the storage of tracking items, sales & marketing aspects management of workers’ salaries, enhanced monitoring and keeping up with the needs of industry.

This article will address only some of the positive aspects of the on the internet reserving technique and the reasons for its prevalent popularity.