Version 5 is not only a Desktop software upgrade, but an improvement in the entire BookingCenter system - from Property Management to Central Reservations to Global Distribution. Learn about the benefits that Version 5 provides below:

The BookingCenter Desktop Property Management System

• Live Update enables IMMEDIATE updating of the BookingCenter Central Reservation Service (CRS) of any change in room availability. This is an improved feature over the 'Update Every Hour' and assures that availability is constantly in sync down to the second! *Note - we recommend a DSL/Cable or other broadband network connection to use this feature.
  
  
• Improved Backup process within BookingCenter makes automated or manual backups of the BookingCenter datafile easier to a hard disk or remote disk. BookingCenter also now offers two new backup options:
  • For customers with current Support Contracts, our new 'remote backup' allows BookingCenter customers to .zip and save datafiles on our servers every night, reducing reliance on local backup and assuring BookingCenter has the current data to support you should the need arrive.
    
    
  • For customers who have their own remote servers that can be accessed via FTP from their property, our new 'remote backup' allows a customer to .zip and save datafiles on their own remote servers every night, reducing their reliance on local backup.
    
    
• Major revisions and layout changes to the Daily Reports, Financial Reporting, and Occupancy Report sections. Specific reporting examples can be found at: http://www.bookingcenter.com/help/reports.html - suffice it to say that these are world-class reports!
  
  
• New Booking Engine Messaging: Instead of turning away online bookers to your website when a minimum stay is required, BookingCenter now allows you to customize the message displayed when the restriction has been hit. This means that instead of a 'We're sorry, but a minimum stay of 2 days is required' message, you can now state 'We usually require a 2-day minimum stay during this season. However, as we sometimes accept last-minute one day reservations, please call us at 800-315-0042 to see if we can fit you in.'
  
  
• Group Booking Flexibility: We added the ability to add & remove any Booking to/from a Group Booking. This works especially well for customers who require 'split bookings' where they add and remove rooms to a Group account and want the prices to change based upon the rate of the Rooms added and removed to a group Booking. The Group Booking feature is now as flexible as the many needs of your groups require.
  
  
• Improved Communications: BookingCenter added the ability for a Letter to become an external document, such as a MS Word (.doc) file. This means that anywhere in BookingCenter (Bookings, Group Booking, Guests, Marketing, etc.) that you wish to send letters to one or more recipients, choosing the Print option and Save to File will open the Letter and merge the data from BookingCenter automatically. This is especially helpful for users who want to customize their own Registration Cards, Confirmation Letters, or use rich-text/HTML email templates. BookingCenter is shipping example 'merge letters' templates in all updated versions of BookingCenter to use as guides for easily making custom letters & forms.
  
  
• For users who wish to keep all Completed bookings on the Availability Calendar, this can now be set and shown in the color GREEN. Many users like to refer to previous seasons on the Availability Calendar to quickly gain an occupancy view of the past, and keeping Completed bookings on the Calendar will greatly simplify this process.
  
  
• Get better at marketing! The Guest Marketing section now allows for more and better searches to create subsets of your Guest database. We also added a new section called 'Filters' which allows a user to filter out criteria to achieve even more specific results and better target those direct (e)mailing campaigns that keep guests coming back.
  
  
• The Cleaning reports have been improved to add a new feature for managing Stay Overs separately from Full Cleans. This means, for example, that during a 2 night stay, the room will be marked as 'Stay Over' for Day 2 cleaning.
  
  
• For Bed & Breakfast or other 'package bundlers' of accommodations, we have included a new feature under Tax & Accounting that allows a user to place a set value per day, per adult/child/infant that will be added/subtracted to one of the taxes supported in the system. This enables easier reporting for situations such as Bed & Breakfasts where the breakfast portion of a rate is taxed as 'State tax' but the hospitality portion is taxed as 'Occupancy Tax'.
  
  
• For Call Accounting users, we have included an improvement in the use of BookingCenter with CommSoft's CallMaster Call Accounting application. CommSoft recently purchased its company back from an international consortia and released an improved version that now works seamlessly with BookingCenter.
  
  
• New General Ledger interface: We improved the Quickbooks/MYOB G/L posting with the option of running Cash-Based or Accrual Accounting (using Advance deposits). Ether method is available now to a manager. Furthermore, the Quickbooks/MYOB exports are now assigned a BATCH number to each transaction in BookingCenter. This assures that once a transaction has been exported from BookingCenter, it will not be re-imported into your Quickbooks/MYOB system without you specifically requesting a previous batch of transactions once again. A great feature for preventing double entry and controlling accrual-based G/L postings
  
  
• Upsell easily: The ability to sell inventory items on your website has been improved. Let guests make bookings AND purchase as many Items (meals, ski tickets, transportation, spa services, etc) as they want. Evidence shows that selling Items online is easier than selling them locally, as there is no pressure on the sale
  
  
• On a Booking Receipts list, we have added a value for "-" for refunds to the list. This shows immediately when money was given BACK to the property. Also, we have provided a Receipts list of credit cards - summarized by credit card type - to aid your batch reporting.
  
  
• Improved the Import features of BookingCenter to allow importing of Rooms, Rates, Owners, Agents, Inventory Items, and Credit Cards (Type, Card holder name, Card number, and expiration) when moving from a separate system to BookingCenter. This makes setup from any previous system even easier!
  
  
• The launch error annoyance users of Windows 2000 and XP experienced at start-up is gone.

All these new features are documented in the newly-released Reference manuals available for download in the Support Area (http://www.bookingcenter.com/support/#Anchor-Support-docs).

Member's Area (http://members.bookingcenter.com)

For all users of the Global Booking Network, the re-designed Member's Area offers immediate improvements. Among the enhanced features are:

• Availability Calendar shows what Rooms are available on any given day.
• We added the ability to view all booking and guest details through the All Booking link.
• We added the ability to view online bookings, for easier sorting of offline and online booking.
• New reports show arrivals, departures, and date made booking lists - so you can prepare for tomorrow's arrival and departures away from the front desk.

For BookingCenter Pro Desktop users, we have integrated R & R Report Writer and Crystal Reports templates that will read from any BookingCenter datafiles located ANYWHERE. These world-class reporting tools compile multiple (or stand-alone) BookingCenter datafiles into reports - arrival, financial, guest, and confirmation, cancellation procedures, etc - that are automatically sent to managers and guests.

The Golden Chalice of internet marketing – tracking your web visitors to know who looks and who books. Those who upgrade, will receive the first three months free! BookingCenter now offers two services to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts through the Network and at your website. Check out examples at: http://www.bookingcenter.com/products/mso.html and then contact Support for help placing the MSO code on your website to get tracking.

The BookingCenter Management Tool (http://manage.BookingCenter.com)

This new product allows a property to manage their entire Network profile through a browser. Check out http://manage.bookingcenter.com and login with one of your property profiles to see what we've built for your remote marketing and management needs. This tool is for users who do not wish to use one of our Property Management Systems but instead wish to participate in the Global Booking Network. (* Note that any change a BookingCenter PMS customer makes in this area will not save – only your Desktop or MyPMS Software will alter your profile).

The MyPMS (web browser Property Management)

Our new Property Management System that runs through a web browser is getting rave reviews from its users all over America. The system is truly one of the BEST property management system we've ever seen. Version 2 of this exciting tool will be coming in early 2004 and support Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Italian, and Spanish – so keep your eyes out for the best in flexible property management. Learn more and demo the product online at http://www.BookingCenter.com/demo/ .

Pricing for the Version 5 Upgrade

For the first time since May 2000, BookingCenter will be charging for this upgrade. As is our policy, all updates are free to users with current Support Contracts. The Version 5 Upgrade is an optional upgrade. Existing customers can continue to use their Version 4 BookingCenter Desktop Lite or Pro software and the Global Booking Network without upgrading to Version 5. However the new features are so useful - and well documented in the new Reference Manual - we hope you upgrade. Pricing is as follows:

• $300 for upgrade of a Pro license (properties with greater than 9 rooms)
• $200 per additional user license (Pro customers only)
• $175 for upgrade of Lite with Network license (properties with less than 9 rooms and no Modules)
• $165 for upgrade of Lite license (properties with less than 9 rooms and no use of the Internet nor Modules)
• All Modules are upgraded for free.

Purchasing Options

Purchase your upgrade now by:

1. Purchasing online
2. Downloading an Order Form
3. Direct any questions or comments to Sales (sales@BookingCenter.com).
4. Reach us by phone and fax at:
   Direct Phone:+1–707–874–3922
   Toll–Free in USA and Canada:1–800–315–0042
   Fax:+1–718–228–5959