White Holds

White Holds are functions not yet attached to a particular Group booking, and are a temporary hold on the space involved. These are tentative or prospective bookings that are used to show someone is interested in using your facility or rooms on a specific date. White Holds are used with the Function Book and can be placed on the calendar to show that someone is interested in using the room at that particular time, or to indicate that a particular room may be reserved at a later date, however a White Hold does NOT prevent the space being reserved by someone else (is a lesser hold than a definite or tentative hold). A White Hold can be subsequently attached to a Group booking as a function, or can be removed and replaced by a different function at any time.

Generating a White Hold is very similar to generating a Function, and the White Hold Screen appears very similar to the Function Screen. The White Hold command in the Sales and Catering Module Menu opens the White Hold screen.

If your Property does not currently have our Sales and Catering Module and you are interested in adding it, please contact us at  Sales@SkywareSystems.com.

 

Note: A White Hold may be added DIRECTLY to the Function book USING the Function book screen, by DOUBLE CLICKING on the appropriate time slot. This opens the White Hold screen and will allow you to add a White Hold to that time slot, if desired. Using the Function Book to add the White Hold is recommended as it allows you to see if there is currently a White Hold or other Function scheduled for the desired space/time, preventing any potential double booking. (Multiple White Holds can be placed for the same space/time as they are a temporary and tentative hold only).

 

 

The Sales and Catering Menu may be reached either directly from the Quick Menu, or by using the Full Menu and selecting Sales and Catering => from the Other section.

1. Select Sales and Catering => from the Quick Menu (left side of screen).

Quick Menu with Sales and Catering command selected

OR

2. Select Sales and Catering => from the Other section of the Full Menu,

Click the icon on the left for the Full menu.

Full Menu Icon

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

Full Menu Table

Select Sales and Catering => from the Other section.

Other Section of the Full Menu with Sales and Catering command selected

This will display the Sales and Catering menu in a tabular form, with four sections, Selling Tools, Groups, Sales Reports and Catering Reports.

Sales and Catering Menu screen

The White Holds command is in the Selling Tools section.

Selling Tools section of Sales and Catering menu with White Holds command selected

 

When selected the White Holds screen will open.

White Holds screen example

The White Holds screen display is split into two frames, with the left side of the screen listing any already configured White Holds for the Property and the right side containing the fields you need to complete in order to add or edit a White Hold for the Property.

Note: HISTORICAL White Holds (those scheduled for the past) cannot be altered. To edit a White Hold it MUST be scheduled for some time in the future.

Opening this screen from the Function Book assumes that you are adding a NEW White Hold.

 

All required fields for generating a White Hold are included on the General tab of the White Holds screen, which is the tab automatically displayed when reaching the screen, and your Function Types, Function Rooms and Function Room Setups choices are generated using the Sales and Catering Configuration Menu. You may edit these to suit your Property at any time if you have the appropriate access/authorization.

 

 

Your options include the following:

Generate a new entry:

Click the New Generate New Entry button button from the toolbar to add a new White Hold record.

Complete the fields described below.

OR:

Select an existing White Hold from the list on the left, and click the Replicate Replicate Current Entry button button from the toolbar. Then change the field information as described below.

Edit the current selection:

Change the field information described below.

 

 

White Holds screen general tab example

Function Name: You MUST name your White Hold. It is suggested that this be as simple as possible, whilst still conveying all needed information. This name will automatically become the Function name if the White Hold is attached to a booking.

This field is required.

Status: You may set the status of your White Hold, choosing between Active or Canceled.

It is assumed that if you are creating a White Hold, the status will be active, and this is the default option. However, you CAN change this option to canceled, allowing you subsequently to remove a created White Hold WITHOUT DELETING it. This would mean that it could be re-instated at a later date if desired.

 

Function Date/Time section:

It is REQUIRED that you complete the start and end DATE of the White Hold, with year, month and date, as well as the start and end TIME of the White Hold, with hours and minutes, AM or PM.

Span: You may choose between Inclusive or Daily.

Inclusive means that the White Hold covers the WHOLE time covered in the specified Date span. Daily will include only the hours picked on the Dates span.

This field is required.

OK to move: This check box may be checked or unchecked. If checked, the White Hold may be moved from the room currently assigned to another, if needed. By default this box is checked. Do NOT check this box if the White Hold MUST be held in the assigned room only.

Note: IF you entered the White Holds screen via the Function Book, the fields in this section will have been AUTOMATICALLY completed - the time and date of the time slot selected. You may however change it here if desired.

 

Function Attributes section:

Function Type: This is a drop-down menu of the Function Types available, select one.

This field is required.

People: You may enter the estimated number of people attending this White Hold, if known.

Covers: Number of chargeable covers for this White Hold. Enter a number if known.

Note: If this Group Block has a package attached to it, the cost (cover) may already be included there - in which case, you do not need to complete this field.

GTD: Number of guaranteed attendees. Enter a number if known.

Set For: Number of people to set up for. Enter a number if known.

Setup Style: This refers to how the furniture in the room is arranged (table positions etc). You will select from the drop-down menu of configured options.

This field is required.

Function Room: You MUST select a space for the White Hold to be held in. Again, You will select from the drop-down menu of configured options.

This field is required.

Your choice will be dependent on how many people will be attending the Function, the chosen set up and the size of your rooms at your Property.

Setup and Breakdown (in minutes): These fields refer to how long it will take you or your staff to prepare the room for the White Hold Function, and how long it will take to return it to its previous condition once the Function is complete.

These figures can be assigned to a particular Setup Style in your Sales and Catering area, in which case the number will be automatically entered when the Setup Style is selected, but you may change them to anything you desire here (including 0).

Menu: Select a menu from the configured choices if a menu is needed for this White Hold. If not, leave blank.

 

Forecast Revenue section:

This section is important for REPORTING in your Skyware system, not in the actual set up of the White Hold.

Food, Beverage, AV, Rent, Setup and Misc all have fields which may be completed with estimates on how much will be charged for each category.

 

Actual Revenue section:

Rent: This is the charge for the room used for the White Hold. If it is covered in the Package charge, leave as 0.

 

Once you have completed the information in the General tab you should click the SAVE button in the local tool bar.

This will save the White Hold that you have just created and display it in the section on the left. The additional tabs will also now become live for this White Hold. These tabs allow you to specify the details of the equipment and contents of the room that may be added for the White Hold (so are important if known, but not critical in creating the White Hold), with their relevant charges. You may now edit the White Hold further or leave the screen.

Once generated, White Holds can be subsequently converted into Functions attached to specific Groups using the Functions tab in the Group Folio.

(The White Hold button on the Functions tab allows you to convert any Functions that are currently entered as White Holds in Skyware Systems into actual Functions attached to this Group. It will open a pop-up window called "Fast Pick for Converting White Hold(s)" listing all those available for you to select from).

 

If you choose to edit the White Hold further, you can select any of the additional tabs on the White Hold screen to do so.

Note: You may click ANY White Hold on the left to show the details on the right, and (as long as the time/date has not yet passed), edit the White Hold further.

 

 

Setup tab for White Holds screenFast Pick pop up window for Functions screen Set up tab

The Setup tab allows you to add the furniture used in the set up of the room (tables etc), with a Fast Pick option listing the available options and their price - you can see how many are available, and enter the desired numbers to use. Select everything you wish to add in the Fast Pick screen before clicking the orange button Save and Exit to close the Fast Pick window and return to the tab, which will now list the added Setup items. The items available here may be configured using the Setup Inventory Items command in the Sales and Catering Configuration Menu.

Setup tab with item added

Note: Using the Add button opens the "Setup Inventory Items for..." screen, which also allows you to add Inventory Items to the White Hold. This screen allows you to enter only one item type at a time, but also allows changes to be made to the information associated with the item (such as the description or price for this item) for this White Hold ONLY.

 

 

White Holds screen Beverages tabFast Pick pop up window for Functions screen Beverages tab

The Beverage tab allows you to specify what beverages may be available/provided by your Property with the room, with a Fast Pick for Beverage option listing those available to add (with the price per unit on the right). Select everything you wish to add in the Fast Pick screen before clicking the orange button Save and Exit to close the Fast Pick window and return to the tab, which will now list the added Beverage items. The items available here may be configured using the Beverage Inventory Items command in the Sales and Catering Configuration Menu.

White Holds screen Beverage tab with beverage items added

Note: Using the Add button opens the "Beverage Inventory Items for..." screen, which also allows you to add Inventory Items to the White Hold. This screen allows you to enter only one item type at a time, but also allows changes to be made to the information associated with the item (such as the description or price for this item) for this White Hold ONLY.

 

 

White Hold Screen with Audio Visual tab openFast Pick pop up window for Functions screen Audio Visual tab

The Audio Visual tab allows you to specify what audio visual equipment may be provided from your Property with the room, such as a microphone or projector, with a Fast Pick option listing those available to add and their price. Select everything you wish to add in the Fast Pick screen before clicking the orange button Save and Exit to close the Fast Pick window and return to the tab, which will now list the added Audio Visual items. The items available here may be configured using the Audio Visual Inventory Items command in the Sales and Catering Configuration Menu.

White Hold screen Audio Visual tab with items added

Note: Using the Add button opens the "Audio Visual Inventory Items for..." screen, which also allows you to add Inventory Items to the White Hold. This screen allows you to enter only one item type at a time, but also allows changes to be made to the information associated with the item (such as the description or price for this item) for this White Hold ONLY.

 

 

White Holds screen Miscellaneous tabFast Pick pop up window for Functions screen Miscellaneous tab

The Miscellaneous tab allows you to specify additional miscellaneous equipment that may be provided with the room, such as a dance floor, with a Fast Pick option listing those available to add and their price. Select everything you wish to add in the Fast Pick screen before clicking the orange button Save and Exit to close the Fast Pick window and return to the tab, which will now list the added Miscellaneous items. The items available here may be configured using the Miscellaneous Inventory Items command in the Sales and Catering Configuration Menu.

White Hold screen Miscellaneous tab with items added

Note: Using the Add button opens the "Audio Visual Inventory Items for..." screen, which also allows you to add Inventory Items to the White Hold. This screen allows you to enter only one item type at a time, but also allows changes to be made to the information associated with the item (such as the description or price for this item) for this White Hold ONLY.

 

 

Comments tab for White Holds example

The Comment tab allows you to add any comments that are White Hold specific, in two separate sections.

Comments in the Comments section will appear when the BEO is accessed.

Comments in the Staff Comments section will only be seen on Internal Reports; these comments will not be seen on the BEO.

 

Be sure to SAVE any changes you make to these tabs before leaving the White Holds screen.

View the White Hold in the Function Book by clicking on the Function Book button in the local tool bar.

 

 

To REMOVE a White Hold from the Function Book, you will need to edit the Status field in the General tab.

Status: You may set the status of your White Hold, choosing between Active or Canceled.

It is assumed that if you are creating a White Hold, the status will be active, and this is the default option. However, you CAN change this option to cancelled, allowing you to remove a created White Hold WITHOUT DELETING it. This would mean that it could be re-instated at a later date if desired.

Select Cancelled. The screen will refresh automatically, and a new field will be seen.

White Hold with Canceled status selected and new Reason field displayed

Reason: Enter the reason for the cancellation of this White Hold.

This field is required.

Save the changes.

Note: If you attempt to save without completing the Reason field you will receive both a pop up error notification, and an error message on the White Hold screen.

White Hold cancel error pop up. White Hold cancel error message example

You MUST complete the Reason field to continue.

 

Once the Status has been changed, the White Hold entry will still be visible on the left side of the White Hold screen. This allows it to be subsequently re-instated if desired (by editing the status field back to Active once more). However it will no longer be displayed in the Function Book at the specified time/date.

 

Date Updated June 15, 2021