Creating a Document Template

Created by Alex Savchuk, Modified on Fri, Mar 15 at 7:05 PM by Alex Savchuk

Document templates are blueprints for communication with your guests. You can set up emails for guests, messages for your reservation agents, and even emails to alert you when a reservation is booked online. These templates are merged with reservation data allowing for each letter or email to be printed and sent with custom information.

To Create a new Document click on the Setup Module and select Document Template. Click on New Document.

1. Start by giving this document a Document Name - This is how the document will appear in the list of all document templates. Guests will not see this, but you should be able to recognize the document from this.

2. Give the Document a Description - This is useful to differentiate this document from others

3. Update the E-mail Subject - this subject will be used for all scheduled e-mail only

4. Click to assign the document a Default Template - Naming a document as a default will mean it will be the standard for that document type. Typically your Main Confirmation Letter will be your Default Template, any additional templates will not.

5. Click Associate Sources - Sources define the place the reservation originates. This way you can have unique documents for innCenter, booking engine(s) or GDS reservations

6. Click Associate Properties - You can assign which properties get the document your building.

7. Click Associate Functions - Functions are the type of document you can create:

Confirmation Email - if you are planning to email this document - this is the one you would select whether it is a confirmation letter or not.
Confirmation Letter
Confirmation Message
Guest Form Footer
Guest Registration Form
Guest Statement

Document Templates can be left to be ONLY sent Manually by leaving the Trigger to OFF.

If you wish to automate these you have three TRIGGERS you can select; ON, BEFORE and AFTER. Depending on which EVENT you select to go with the TRIGGER determines when the Email automatically gets sent. Here are you EVENTS:

Reserved
Confirmed
Cancelled
Guaranteed
In-House
Departed
On Hold
No Show
Cancelled
Quote
Arrival Date
Departure Date
Date Change
Rate Change
Room Change

If you are creating/editing your Default Confirmation Letter please visit INVENTORY >> DISTRIBUTION to see how your reservations will be coming in - RESERVED, CONFIRMED, GUARANTEED. You may add multiple functions if you need to include all three.

Within the FUNCTION you are also able to add a Guest Registration Card or a Guest Statement.

Click Save on the bottom of the screen.

Once you have the parameters set for the document, click the content tab to add the content you need in the document. In the content tab there's an editor that allow you to enter text and change its formatting, just like writing an email or a word document. As well, you can click to HTML button to bring up an editor that you can input HTML to add pictures and custom formatting to your documents.

The most important piece is the Custom Fields Section. Here you can add mail merge fields that will populate with your guest's and your properties information.

If you wish to edit how of a custom fields will display in your email it is important to highlight the custom field text and the <<>> symbols that accompany the custom field. The top example will NOT make those changes to the text, you MUST include the "<< >>" in the items highlighted to by formatted.