How to Set Up and Post Charges for guest Electrical Usage

Charging for the electricity your guests use when in residence at your facility may now be performed easily using Skyware. This function must first be enabled (via generating an electrical posting type for the charges and defining the amount per Kilo Watt hour (KWh) to be assessed), then subsequently a single screen is all that is required to enter the meter readings for the individual rooms or sites and post usage or update the price. The Electric Meter Entry screen allows you to post the charge directly, and Skyware will also update the usage on the Room Definition screen automatically. Any electrical charges posted here will subsequently be shown on the Posting Screen and Statement screen.

 

 

To allow the charging for electrical usage to take place, you will need to create a posting type for use as the default electric posting type. This is done via the Post Type Maintenance screen, where you will create the posting type, select it as the default electric posting type, and enter the desired amount to be charged per Kwh.

 

 

Click the icon on the left for the Full Menu.

Full Menu Icon OR Full Menu option when viewed using the modern light look of Skyware

This will display the Full menu in a tabular form, with four sections, Registration, Status, Cashier and Other.

Full Menu Table OR Full Menu popup version seen in Modern Light look of Skyware

Select Other => from the Other section. This will display the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu, which has four sections, Other List 1, Other List 2, Documents and Web.

Other Front Desk Tasks Menu OR Other Front Desk Tasks Menu in the NEW look for Skyware

Select Managers Screen => from the Other List 2 section. This will display the Managers Commands screen. The Managers Commands screen has two sections, Managers Configuration and Managers Configuration.

Manager's Commands Menu OR Managers commands menu in the NEW look for Skyware

OR: Select Manager's Screen => from the Quick Menu on the left side of the screen, to be taken directly to the Managers Commands menu.

Quick Menu with Manager's Screen option selected OR Quick Menu with Manager's Screen option selected, NEW look

 

The Manager's Command screen menu has two sections, Manager's Configuration and Manager's Maintenance.

Manager's Commands Menu Screen OR Managers commands menu in the NEW look for Skyware

Select Configuration => from the Managers Configuration section to be taken to the Property and System Configuration screen. The list of property configuration options are divided into four sections, which are Required Configuration, Optional Configuration, Locales/Dates and Sub-Systems.

Property and System Configuraion Menu OR Property and System Configuration Menu in the NEW look for Skyware

(Alternately, you may also be able to select Configuration => directly from the Quick Menu, if the menu has been set up to include the Configuration option).

 

Select Posting Types from the Required Configuration section.

Required Configuration section of the Property and System Configuration menu, with Posting Types option selected OR Required Configuration section of the Property and System Configuration menu with the Posting Types command selected, NEW look for Skyware

 

The Post Type Maintenance screen display is split into two frames, with the left side of the screen listing the Post Types already defined and the right side containing the fields you need to complete in order to add or edit the configuration for a Post Type. Any changes made on the right, once saved, will be updated in the listings to the left.

Posting Types Maintenance screen example

By Default, the General tab will be open when you arrive at the Post Types Maintenance screen. The large majority of the required information is located on this tab, in three sections. If you are a multi-Property user of Skyware Systems, there will be another tab available, the Multi-Property tab.

Note: For the purposes of creating an electric charge posting type, if you are a multi-property user, you should enable the "This posting type is available to all properties?" option to allow the posting type to be used everywhere.

 

 

Note: If needed, more details on generating a posting type may be seen on the Posting Types (Posting Codes) Help Topic.

 

Click the New Generate New Entry button button from the toolbar to add a new Posting Type.

Schematic of opening a new blank post type with the three sections where information is needed for generating an electrical charge posting type shown, NEW look for Skyware

When generating a posting type such as the electric charge posting type, required fields are shown in RED.

 

 

Posting Type General tab top section (section 1) example, information on the Posting Type

Fields important for generating the electric charge posting type: 

 

Post Type #: This is the number assigned to the Posting Type.

List Order: This is the order the Posting Types will be displayed in the interface. (This option is not required, but may help in finding the electric charge posting type on the screen subsequently).

Inactive?: This box may be checked or unchecked. By default it is unchecked. When creating the electric charge posting type, it should remain so.

It should only be checked if the Posting Type is no longer in use.

Department: This is a drop-down menu of available Posting Type Departments, as defined by your property. Select one.

If the Department you require is not available, you may edit your configuration, see Posting Type Departments for more information.

Payment Type: Payment type of Posting (required for Deposit or Payment). This is not required for the electric charge posting type, unless your property specifies how the charges for electricity are to be paid (for example you may choose cash only).

Short Name: This is the Posting Type Short Name, and this is how the Posting Type will appear on the guest’s folio. Enter the name you wish the electric charge posting type to be known by (for example, ELECTRIC).

Long Name: This is  the long name of the Posting Type, and is a more detailed description of the Posting Type. This form appears on some reports. (For example, electric charge in KWh).

Category: This is a drop-down menu of available Categories for the Posting Type. Select one. It is suggested that you select the option "Revenue".

 

Further options in this section of the Posting Type Maintenance screen are probably not relevant to the electric charge posting type. However, if in the Payment Type option you have selected credit card for this posting type, you must use the drop-down menu for the Credit Card Type to select a type from the options available .

 

 

Post Type Maintenance screen General tab - How the Posting Type is used section example, NEW look for Skyware

This boxed section contains various questions that help define how your Posting Type is used.

 

For the electric charge posting type, the first option, Checked = Charge (+), Unchecked = Credit (-) should be selected. (This box may be checked or unchecked. By default it is unchecked. You should check it).

General tab section 2 of the Post Type Maintenance screen with the Checked = Charge (+), Unchecked = Credit (-) option selected, NEW look for Skyware

 

You can also add any Posting Type Taxes in this section. Once attached, tax will automatically post in addition to the charge of the post type.

Note: This option is ONLY available AFTER the posting type has been saved. Prior to the posting type being saved for the first time, the "Add" button will not be shown.

General tab section 2 of the Post Type Maintenance screen with the Posting Type Taxes section and ADd button highlighted, NEW look for Skyware

Click on the "Add" button to be taken to the Posting Type Taxes screen where you can select from the available tax types to add to the posting type.

 

 

Posting Type Definitions section (section 3) on General tab, NEW look for Skyware

This boxed section contains various questions that help define your posting types, and set up the default posting type for many situations. (You should have a posting type for each default to allow the charges to be posted correctly). When generating the electric charge posting type, it should be selected as the Default Electric posting type. You should also enter the amount that will be charged per KWh of electricity used in the Amount per KWh field.

 

Posting Type Definitions section (section 3) on General tab with default electric posting type option checked and amount per KWh entered, NEW look for Skyware

Note: By default, the Amount per KWh field is set at 0.00. This must be changed otherwise any electrical charges calculated will always be 0. This number will be displayed on and used in the Electric Meter Entry screen, where the calculations for electric usage charges are performed and posted. (It may also be changed on the Electric Meter Entry screen; doing so will override the number set here and update it automatically, meaning you do not have to change it in both places).

 

 

 

Posting charges for electrical usage occurs via the Electric Meter Entry screen. This screen may be reached using the Electric Meter Entry command found on the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu, or it may be reached by selecting the Electric Meter Entry option on the Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room # screen, reached via the Night Audit Menu.

 

 

Click the icon on the left for the Full menu.

Full Menu Icon OR Full Menu option when viewed using the modern light look of Skyware

This will display the Full menu in a tabular form, with four sections, Registration, Status, Cashier and Other.

Full Menu Table OR Full Menu popup version seen in Modern Light look of Skyware

From the Other Section, select Other =>. This will display the This will display the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu, which has four sections, Other List 1, Other List 2, Documents and Web.

Other Front Desk Tasks Menu OR Other (Front Desk Tasks) Menu display in the Modern Light version of Skyware

Select the Electric Meter Entry command from the Other List 2 section.

Other List 2 section of the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu with Electric Meter Entry command selected, NEW look for Skyware

 

OR

 

 

Depending on your Skyware Systems set-up, you may or may not have a quick menu option for Night Audit.

If you can, Select Night Audit from the Quick Menu on the left side of the screen, then click Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room #

 

Full Menu

 

Click the icon on the left for the Full menu.

Full Menu Icon OR Full Menu option when viewed using the modern light look of Skyware

This will display the Full menu in a tabular form, with four sections, Registration, Status, Cashier and Other.

Full Menu Table OR Full Menu popup version seen in Modern Light look of Skyware

From the Other Section, select Other =>. This will display the This will display the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu, which has four sections, Other List 1, Other List 2, Documents and Web.

Other Front Desk Tasks Menu OR Other (Front Desk Tasks) Menu display in the Modern Light version of Skyware

Select Night Audit => from the Other List 2 section of the Other Front Desk Tasks Menu. This will display the Night Audit Menu, which has two sections, Night Audit List 1 and Night Audit List 2.

Night Audit menu OR Night Audit Menu, shown in the NEW look for Skyware

 

Select the Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room # command from the Night Audit List 2 section of the Night Audit Menu.

Night Audit List 2 section of the Night Audit Menu with Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room number option selected OR Night Audit List 2 section of the Night Audit Menu, with the MAnually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room number command selected, shown in the NEW look for Skyware

 

When you click on the Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room # command, the screen will open.

Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room number screen, shown in the NEW look for Skyware

You will need to select the Revenue Posting Type option set as the default electric charge posting type (in this case ELECTRIC) to display the Electric Meter Entry screen.

Schematic of selecting the electric charging post type on the Manually Enter Phone (or other) Revenue by Room # screen

 

Once selected, the Electric Meter Entry screen will be shown.

Electric Meter Entry screen example, NEW look for Skyware

Number of Lines to display: The Electric Meter Entry screen by default shows 10 lines for use, but this may be changed at any point using this field. Simply adjust the number to show as many or as few lines as you wish. Each line should be used for a separate room or site number. Your lines are displayed in a grid form, labeled by number (1-10 by default).

Amount per KWh: This field information by default is taken from the posting type information, but may be manually altered here.

Note: If it IS altered here, the information on the Post Type Maintenance screen will be automatically updated with the new value.

Revenue Posting Type: This is a drop-down menu of your available revenue type options. For the Electric Meter Entry screen to be displayed, this MUST be selected as the default electric charge posting type.

 

Below the selection options the screen is displayed in grid form, with three columns, Room #, Previous KWh and Current KWh. Each line of the grid is labeled by number (1-10 by default). Information is inputted manually into this grid, then when the Post the Revenue button is clicked, the charges are calculated automatically for you using the inputted information and posted to the relevant guest folio.

 

 

Room #: The first column is for the room or site number. Enter the appropriate room or site number.

Previous KWh: This number is automatically completed for you when you enter the room or site number. You may however also enter a value manually.

Note: The value automatically entered here is retrieved by Skyware from the Room Definition screen for the specific room or site number (taken from the "Last KWh Reading" field on the General tab, which shows the last KWh reading entered for the room. This number will subsequently be updated on the Room Definition screen with the value entered into the Current KWh column when the room has charges posted to it for guest electricity usage).

Current KWh: This number must be entered manually. Type in the current meter reading for the room or site number.

Schematic of the step by step process of entering information into the columns on the Electric MEter Entry screen

Repeat for as many rooms or sites as desired.

 

When ready, click the "Post the Revenue" button seen below the grid. Skyware will automatically calculate the number of KWh used (subtracting the value in the previous KWh column from the current KWh column) then the charges for the used KWh (multiplying the number of KWh used by the value in the Amount per KWh field), and post the amount to the guest folio.

Electric Meter Entry screen with the Post the Revenue button highlighted

 

Once the revenue has been posted, a message informing you of this will appear with the amount posted, and the entry in the grid will be removed.

Electric Metere Entry screen after a successful posting of charges to a room

 

Charges posted here may be viewed on the statement section (section 3) of the Posting Screen and Statement for the guest folio.

Statement showing the posted electric charge for the guest staying in room 105

 

 

Posting charges for the guest electrical usage should be a simple process. HOWEVER, if an error occurs and revenue cannot be posted for some reason (such as the designated room or site number does not have a guest checked in), after the "Post the Revenue" button is clicked the grid entry will NOT be removed and an error message will be shown, indicating what the problem is.

Electric Meter Entry screen showing error message after attempted posting of revenue

The grid line entry is not removed to allow you to know which room or site number is the issue so you may attempt to correct the problem and continue on to a successful posting.

 

If the error is that the entered room or site number itself does not exist, the screen will not even wait until you try to post the charge to let you know - as the "Previous KWh" column entry is retrieved automatically by Skyware, if the room or site number is not found in the list of defined rooms, the column will display the word ERROR instead of a value.

Electric Meter Entry screen with non-existing room number error shown

 

Date Updated April 16, 2024