Deposit Settings

The Deposit Settings section allows users to define the different deposit policies that the property would like to enforce. The deposit settings include the following menus:

  • Deposit Policies

  • Auto-Collecting Deposit Dues

Deposit Policies

The Deposit Policies option enables users to define any payment that must be made when booking a reservation. For example, some properties require a one night’s stay deposit to hold a reservation.

Users can define the different deposit policies that the property would like to enforce. For example, set up a Full Deposit policy to require that a guest pays for the entire reservation at the time of booking. Deposit policies are linked to rate plans and enforced during the booking process.

Perform the following steps to create new deposit policy:

Navigate to Settings All Settings Policies & codes (under Reservations).

Scroll down or click Deposit Policies.

Click Add. The New Deposit Policy dialog box appears.

Refer the following table and fill in the fields to add a new deposit policy:

Field

Description

Policy is active

Enable the checkbox to activate the deposit policy.

Code

A unique code to identify the deposit policy while booking a reservation.

Name

The name of the deposit policy.

Description

The brief description about the deposit policy. Guests will see this description on their confirmation email.

Deposit Calculation

Include

Enable the checkboxes to add the following charges to deposit calculation.

  • Auto Recurring Fees - Auto recurring charges are included in the deposit amount to be collected.

  • Estimated Tax - Estimated taxes of the room rates, package components, and auto-recurring charges are included for the deposit calculation.

  • Add-Ons - The deposit amount calculated for the reservations will include the charges configured for the add-ons. This checkbox can be selected only when the Day/Nights and Percentage of Stay options are selected in Immediate (Charge by) and Scheduled (Deposit at the time of booking) policies.

Tax Classes

This label is displayed when the Estimated Tax checkbox is selected. All the inclusive and exclusive tax classes available for the property are shown in this section and selected by default. Users can deselect the tax classes that are not applicable for the deposit policy.

Immediate - Charge By

Day/Nights

Select Days/Nights option if this policy’s deposit amount is based on a specific number of nights for the reservation, and then type the total number of nights.

Percentage of stay

Select Percentage of stay option to specify the deposit amount in percentage based on a percentage of the entire stay.

Flat Fee

Select Flat fee option if the policy’s deposit amount is based on a flat amount and not associated with the length of stay, and then type the total dollar amount.

Per Guest

Select Per Guest option if the policy’s deposit amount is based on per guest associated with the reservation.

  • Per Adult - Enter the amount to be charged as a deposit per adult.

  • Per Child - Enter the amount to be charged as a deposit per child.

Scheduled - Deposit At The Time Of Booking

Day/Nights

Select Days/Nights option if this policy’s deposit amount is based on a specific number of nights for the reservation, and then type the total number of nights.

Percentage of stay

Select Percentage of stay option to specify the deposit amount in percentage based on a percentage of the entire stay.

Flat Fee

Select Flat fee option if the policy’s deposit amount is based on a flat amount and not associated with the length of stay, and then type the total dollar amount.

Per Guest

Select Per Guest option if the policy’s deposit amount is based on per guest associated with the reservation.

  • Per Adult - Enter the amount to be charged as a deposit per adult.

  • Per Child - Enter the amount to be charged as a deposit per child.

Scheduled - Remaining Deposit Schedule

Schedule

  • Before Arrival - Select this option, if the remaining deposit amount to be collected must be scheduled to be collected, before a configurable number of days, before the guest’s arrival at a property.

  • After Booking - Select this option, if the remaining deposit amount to be collected must be scheduled to be collected, after a configurable number of days, after the guest’s arrival at a property.

  • Upon Arrival - Select this option, if the remaining deposit amount to be collected must be scheduled to be collected on arrival of a guest at the property.

Days

Configure the number of days before or after the guest’s arrival the deposit amount must be collect.

Charge By

  • Entire Remaining Stay - Select this option if the entire remaining deposit amount must be collected before, after or upon arrival.

  • Percentage Of Stay - Select this option if you want to collect a percentage of the remaining deposit amount before, after, or upon arrival.

  • Day/Nights - Select this option if the remaining deposit amount must be collected a configurable number of days / nights before arrival, after booking, or upon arrival.

  • Flat Fee - Select this option if the remaining deposit amount must be a flat amount charged before arrival, after booking, or upon arrival.

  • Per Guest - Select this option if the remaining deposit amount is based on per guest associated with the reservation.

Charge

Configure the remaining deposit by entering any one of the following here: percentage of stay, or the number of nights or a flat amount or per guest.

+Add Schedule

Click the Add Schedule link to add more schedules to collect Remaining Deposit Schedules.

Send Deposit Due Email Notifications

Select the Send Deposit Due Email Notifications option to email deposit due notifications.

Days Before Scheduling Deposit Due Date

Enter the number of days before which the email must be sent to the guest to collect the deposit due amount.

Send Deposit Collection Success and Failure Notifications

Enable the Send Success/Failure Email Notification checkbox if you want guests to be informed about the status of the deposit amount collected.

Clear the Policy is active checkbox to inactivate it. If inactivated, any reservations using this policy retain it. When Flat Fee or Per Guest is selected, both Auto Recurring Charges and Estimated Tax checkbox gets disabled.

Choose how to apply the deposit charge.

Click Save. The deposit policy is created successfully.

Auto-Collecting Deposit Dues

Click on Auto Collect Deposit Due tab.

Enable Auto Collect at checkbox.

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Select the time to collect deposit automatically.

For example, if the time set for deposit collection is 10 AM and if the deposit due date is Jan 2, the deposit will be collected at 10 AM on Jan 2 based on the property time and date. By default, this flag is disabled.

Marking Deposit Policies as Non-Refundable

Stay allows users to mark payments and deposit amount paid by guests as non-refundable and restrict them from being refunded.

Feature Settings

  • Name: Non-Refundable Deposits/Payments

  • Value: Must be enabled

  • Comments: License is not required

Permissions

  • Stay_OverrideNonRefundablePaymentsandDeposits: This permission enables users to successfully refund a non-refundable payment/deposit.

  • Stay_ OverrideNonRefundable: This permission enables users to successfully override the cancellation fee and cancel the reservation.

Users can mark an immediate deposit policy as Non-Refundable by enabling the Non-Refundable flag that is present above the Charge By field in the Add/Edit Deposit Policy screen.

For a scheduled deposit policy, users can enable the Non-Refundable flag in the following sections:

  • Deposit At the Time of Booking: When enabled, the deposit amount collected when the reservation is booked is considered - non-refundable.

  • Remaining Deposit Schedule: Users can enable the flag present under the Non-Refundable column. By default, the Non-Refundable flag is present for the first schedule created. If users add multiple schedules, the flag is added to each schedule, requiring users to mark the preferred schedules as non-refundable. When reservations are booked using this scheduled deposit policy, the deposit amount collected from the schedules with the Non-Refundable flag enabled is considered as non refundable.

The Non-Refundable flag is also displayed on the following screens for the reservations created using the deposit policies that are marked as Non-Refundable:

  • Book a Reservation Screen: The Non-Refundable flag is displayed on the Deposit tab below the Deposit to Collect field and in the Remaining Deposit Schedule section. If required, users can disable the flag and mark the deposit amount or the required schedules as refundable during the reservation creation.

  • Collect Deposit Screen: The Non-Refundable flag is displayed on the Collect Deposit pop-up screen that appears when users click the Collect Deposit Due button on the Reservation screen. If required, users disable the flag and mark the deposit amount or the required schedules as refundable when collecting the deposit amount.

  • Batch Operations - Deposit Due: The Refundable/Non-Refundable column on the Deposit Due tab of the Batch Operations screen displays the following status for the deposit amount to be collected for the reservations:

    • Refundable: Displayed when the deposit amount to be collected can be refunded.

    • Non-Refundable: Displayed when the deposit amount to be collected is marked as Non-Refundable.

    • Varies: Displayed when there is a combination of Refundable and Non-Refundable deposit amounts to be collected for the reservation.

The Non-Refundable deposit amount collected is indicated by the Non-Refundable Deposit indicator in the folios.