General Charge Codes

• This is an overview of a basic charge code setup.
• Some fields require entering codes or numbers of items that must be set up first, such as General Ledger accounts, tax codes, and AM Report information.
• Some charge codes have specific instructions such as Room Charges, 'Clearing' Codes, etc.

Enter charge code: This is where you enter the code for a new or existing code.

• To look up an existing code, you can type a question mark (?) in the Enter charge code field and press <enter> or click the magnifying glass. If the code already exists, the screen will display "EXISTING CHARGE".
• Each code may be up to four (4) alphanumeric characters. CASE MATTERS ("B" is not the same as "b".)  This allows you an additional 26 characters.
• No charge code may be the same as a payment code. 
• Specific charge codes are pre-defined and coded into the system. You may use those codes only as designated and must use them as described. See list of required, restricted, and suggest codes at the bottom of this page.

1. Description: Up to 30 characters.  The description prints on reports and on folios. 

5. Fixed amount: Optional fixed dollar amount for this charge.
   • A fixed amount is required for all Auto-Post charges as well as flat room taxes or fees (rather than percentage taxes), such as resort service fees.
   • A fixed amount may be applied to any charge code.
   • Note: The user will not be able to override the fixed amount.  If you require that option, then create a charge code for the fixed amount and a charge code for the variable amount.  Example: Charge code PK for Parking where the user would insert the amount when posting, and charge code PK25 for Parking at $25 which will post $25.
6. Tax codes: Enter the tax code (set up in Tax Codes) that will apply to this charge. For non-taxable items, leave this field blank.
   • Must be RT* (a code beginning with RT) or ST* (a code beginning with ST).
   • ST* taxes will apply to all charges EXCEPT room charges and POS charges.
   • RT* taxes will apply ONLY to room charges. Note: For RT* taxes, you must also fill in the tax information in the "Tax Codes" button at the bottom of the screen. See Room Taxes applied to Room Charge.
   • POS taxes are defined separately and are discussed under POS Revenue Codes.
7. AM Report line no:  determines where this line item will print on the AM Report and Daily Report. See AM Report Line Settings for details.
8. AM Report Format (opt): Used only for AM Report Headings and AM Report Total Lines. This field should be left blank for all other codes, including codes for all true charges.
9. AM Rep Summary target: (Optional) This is the summary total line number that this item is targeted to. This is how it works: your AM Report might have a heading line, Restaurant, with charge codes for Restaurant Food, Restaurant Wine, and Restaurant Liquor, followed by a total line for Total Restaurant.  Then your AM Report might have a heading line, Lounge, with charge codes for Lounge Food, Lounge Wine, and Lounge Liquor, followed by a total line for Total Lounge.  You might want a summary target for Total Food, Total Wine and Total Liquor.  Each of these "summary totals" (Total Food, Total Wine, etc.) will need a charge code with an AM Report line number in Field 7. Then insert that line number into Field 9 (AM Rep Summary target) for the charge codes which should be included in that summary total.
10. Print items?: determines how this charge will print on the AM Report. (This does NOT determine whether they print or not. Any charge code with an AM Report line number will print on the AM Report Any charge code with a blank AM Report line number will not print on the AM Report.)
    • Enter Y to print the number of items and average.
    • Enter N to print neither the number of items nor the average.
    • Enter I to print items only without average.
    • If left blank, this field will default to print number of items and average.
11. Display item?: Determines whether or not this charge code will display on the Post Charges/Payments (Post Folio) screen.
    • Y (or left blank) = item will display on the Post Charges/Payments screen.
    • N = will not display on the Post Charges/Payments screen. This commonly is done with manager-level codes.
    • All POS charges (if using Execu/Touch POS) should be N, as these charge codes should not be used at Front Desk.
12. Allow comment entry?:  Y allows the user to add a comment when posting this charge code.  N disallows a comment to be entered, and populates the field with the charge code description. Default is Y.
13. Include in deposit?: This is typically set to N for all charge codes except REF (see List of Codes). Y will include this charge code in the "Bank Deposit" section on the Cashier Report.
14. Auto post? (Y/N): Set to Y if this charge should post automatically when "Post Room and Tax" is run from the Night Audit menu. Example: Parking Fees.
    • See Auto-Post Charges for instructions.
    • Use your down-arrow key rather than pressing Enter to leave this field; otherwise, the auto-post window will open.
15. Tax exempt codes-opt: are optional RC* (room charge) codes that may be used instead of RCTE for "Room Charge Tax Exempt". When "Post Room and Tax" is run at night audit, room charges for tax exempt guests will post with this code instead of RC*. Example: You may designate one code, such as RCFX, for full exemption, and another code, such as RCPX, for partial exemption. The entire amount of room charges will post under either RCFX or RCPX instead of RC*.  See Room Charge Setup.  
16. Optional usage code: There are 3 optional settings:  W sets this code as an amenity for WebRes®.  N will exclude this charge from "Total Revenue" on the Report Generator. Q will prompt for quantity when this charge code is selected at Post Charges/Payments (Post Folio).
17. Travl Agcy commission: Y will make this charge subject to travel agency commission. N will exclude this charge from travel agency commission. P will make this charge subject to travel agency commission only for packages.

AM Report Line Settings

• Below is an example of an AM Report. The column on the left lists the hotel charge codes, as well as heading lines and total lines.
• Where the items appear on the AM Report (and Daily Report) is determined by the AM Report settings in the Charge Code setup.
• Each section should have a heading, followed by charges (income or liabilities), followed by a total or (subtotal). This will allow you to view Room Charges and their total, Restaurant Charges and their total, etc.
• It is a good idea to plan out the order in which the charge codes, headings, and total lines will appear on the AM Report and Daily Report.
• You should carefully consider the range of numbers used for each section so that it can accommodate the heading, charges, and totals. You should also leave some numbers open for future use.
  Example: If the heading ("ROOMS") is line 5, and the total ("TOTAL ROOMS") is line 98, then all charge codes that should sum into "TOTAL ROOMS" (such as RC* and RT*) will be assigned lines that fall between 6 and 97.
• Items with assigned AM Report line numbers will print in sequential order, skipping any unused numbers. Items without an assigned AM Report line number will not print.
• Heading lines and Total lines will be set up as Charge Codes. See setup instructions: AM Report Headings and AM Report Total Lines.

When you finish setting up charge codes (or while you are in the middle of setting them up,) you can go to Manager/Setup > Print Charge Codes in AM Report Sequence. This will let you know if something should be moved (by reassigning a line number) or if more than one code share the same line number. Codes without an assigned line number will appear at the top of this report but will not print on the AM and Daily Reports. See example report below:

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These are the lines that print on your AM Report as section headings, such as "ROOMS" and "RESTAURANT."  Read AM Report Line Settings first.

Enter charge code: This is where you enter the code for the heading. Typically, hotels use H (for heading) followed by a "section" number, such as 0 or 01. For example: H0 for ROOMS, H1 for FOOD & BEVERAGE, H2 for SPA, and so on.

1. Description: Up to 30 characters. The description is what prints on reports and on folios. This will be the heading name, such as ROOMS.

7. AM Report line no: determines where this heading will print on the AM Report and Daily Report. See AM Report Line Settings for details.
8. AM Report Format (opt): should be C for heading (comment) on the AM Report.

11. Display item?: Should be set to N so that this charge code will not display on the Post Charges/Payments (Post Folio) screen.

14. Auto post? (Y/N): Leave blank. Use your down-arrow key rather than pressing Enter to leave this field; otherwise, the auto-post window will open.

AM Report Total Lines

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These are the lines that print on your AM Report as section totals, such as "TOTAL ROOMS" and "TOTAL RESTAURANT." Read AM Report Line Settings first.

Enter charge code: This is where you enter the code for the Total line. Typically, hotels use T (for Total) followed by a "section" number such as 0 or 01. For example, T01 for TOTAL ROOMS, T02 for TOTAL RESTAURANT, T03 for TOTAL SPA, and so on.

1. Description: Up to 30 characters. The description is what prints on reports and on folios. This will be the total name, such as TOTAL ROOMS.

7. AM Report line no: determines where this total line will print on the AM Report and Daily Report. See AM Report Line Settings for details.
8. AM Report Format (opt): Options: Z (zero total); 1 (subtotal); 2, 3, or 4 (intermediate totals); S (Summary)
9. AM Report Summary Target: Leave blank
10. Print items?: determines how this charge will print on the AM Report. (This does NOT determine whether they print or not. Any charge code with an AM Report line number will print on the AM Report Any charge code with a blank AM Report line number will not print on the AM Report.)
    • Enter Y to print the number of items and average.
    • Enter N to print neither the number of items nor the average.
    • Enter I to print items only without average.
    • If left blank, this field will default to print number of items and average.
11. Display item?: Should be set to N.

14. Auto post? (Y/N): Leave blank. Use your down-arrow key rather than pressing Enter to leave this field; otherwise, the auto-post window will open.

Auto-post Charge Codes (Pet Fee, Parking Fee, etc.)

Auto-post charge codes are used to post specific charges automatically when "Post Room and Tax" is run from the Night Audit menu. These are separate from room and tax charges and package inclusions.

• Examples of auto-post charges are pet fees, parking fees, and key deposits.
• Auto-post charges may post nightly, or first night only.
• Charge fee per guest or per room
• Post to primary or secondary folio.
• Option to select a quantity at check-in.
• The price can be a percentage of room rate.
• Note: You can create up to 20 Auto-post Charge Codes, you may only select 10 per guest.

Auto-post Charge Code Setup

• Go to Charge Code Setup and enter a code for your new auto-post charge.
• See General Charge Codes for explanation of fields 1-4, 6-13, and 15-17.
• 5. Fixed Amount: You must enter an amount in this field. The charge will not auto-post if there is no "fixed amount."
  The number you enter here will be a dollar amount unless you answer Y to "Price is a percent?" in the AUTOPOST SETUP window.
• 14. Auto post? Y/N: Enter a Y and press <enter>.
  
  


• The AUTOPOST SETUP window will open.
  
  

1. Default at check-in (Y/N): This determines what default displays on the auto-post window that pops up at check-in after you have entered everything and hit Save.
   
   This is an example of the popup at check-in:
   
   
   
   Auto-post codes that have Enter quantity? set to N, will display a checkbox.
   If Default at check-in is set to Y, the box will be checked.
   If Default at check-in is set to N, the box will be unchecked.
   
   Auto-post codes that have Enter quantity? set to Y, will display a number selection box.
   If Default at check-in is set to Y, the number will default to 1.
   If Default at check-in is set to N, the number will default to 0 (zero).
   
   In the screenshot above, the Parking Fee is set to Y, and the Pet Fee is set to N.
   
   Charges that apply to most (or all) guests can be set to Y, and charges that apply less often can be set to N. This saves time at check-in, since the user can simply press <enter> if the defaults apply to the guest.
2. Charge per guest?:  Y will charge per person. N will charge per room.
3. Charge each night?:  Y will charge each night.  N will charge first night only.
4. Enter quantity?:  Y allows for entering a quantity when the auto-post window pops up at check-in. You may type the number in the box or use the up/down arrows next to the box. N does not allow entering a quantity and simply displays a checkbox.
   
   
5. Price is percent?:  Allows for the "Fixed amount" to be a percentage of the room rate. Y="fixed amount" is a percentage, N="fixed amount" is a dollar amount.
   If you answer Y, enter the percentage as a whole number in the Fixed amount field on the Charge Code Setup screen. For 15% you would enter 15.
6. Sequence (1-20): This determines the order in which each item displays at check-in.
   Each auto-post code should have a unique sequence number between 1 and 20. You can skip numbers, allowing codes to be inserted at a later time.
   Once you designate a sequence number do NOT change it.
   Note that although you can create up to 20 auto-post codes, you may only select up to 10 per guest.

• When you exit the AUTOPOST SETUP window, you will return to field 14 (Auto post? Y/N) of the Charge Code Setup.
  Use your down-arrow or tab key on your keyboard (rather than pressing <enter>) to leave this field; otherwise, the AUTOPOST SETUP window will reopen.
  
  

• When you have finished with the charge code setup, select Yes to save it.

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