GHM WEBPAGE INSTALLATION &
INTERNET REQUESTS HANDLING MANUAL
0. WEBSITE MODULE INSTALLATION MANUAL
This section is intended to be used by your webmaster/designer in order to install and customize the online reservation module of Guesthouse Manager.
Please do not try this yourself if you are not familiar to do this.
0.1. Website requirements
The requirements for installing the online reservation module on your website are as follows :
Ø PHP support version 4 or higher
Ø MySql support version 4 or higher
Ø Availability of a MySql database on your website server
0.2. Installation of the Module on the website
After successful installation of the GUESTHOUSE MANAGER program, the following folder is created:
c:\hotel\web
This folder contains all the parts of the module that needs to be uploaded on the website.
Copy the subfolder of all its subfolders of this folder into the root folder of your website.
It consists of the following subfolder
- ghm
0.3. Configuration of the Module
The file config.php, to be found in the subfolder Config of folder ghm, contains the parameters for the module.
Some of these parameters need to be set first before uploading the module.
The first section of this file, Database Connections, needs to be set as follows:
- Replace xxx My hosting server xxx with your website database hosting server in the line $GLOBALS['dbhost']='xxx My hosting server xxx';
- Replace xxx My user name xxx with your website database login name in the line $GLOBALS['dbuser']='xxx My user name xxx';
- Replace xxx My password xxx with your website database full access password in the line $GLOBALS['dbpass']='xxx My password xxx';
- Replace xxx My database xxx with your website database name in the line $GLOBALS['dbuser']='xxx My database xxx';
0.4. Link to reservation module
The following text must be used in the existing website to activate the reservation module:
http://...../ghm/Reservation/layout.php?res=new
The following syntax is an example that can be used for this:
<IFRAME src="ghm/Reservation/layout.php?res=new" width=100% height=1000 frameborder=0 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 scrolling="yes"></IFRAME>
The reservation module is multi-language. By default, the pages will be built in first language defined in the Guesthouse Manager software. However it is possible to start the module in a specific language by adding the “&lang” parameter in the startup line .
Eg. http://...../ghm/Reservation/layout.php?res=new&lang=EN
See also the following section to set up the different languages.
0.5. Customization of the Module
These are the default objects to customize the English version of the module. To set up a different language, these objects must also be created, replacing the language code by the new language code. Eg. Myheaderstep01_NL.php, Myheaderstep02.NL.php, ...
In addition, a dictionary object must also be created in the “dic” subfolder containing a translation of the labels used on the different pages.
1. INTERNET REQUESTS HANDLING GUIDE
Before the website module can be used, the Guesthouse Manager program needs to be set up properly in order to be able to communicate with the website.
Only after this setup, bookings and enquiries can come into the program automatically. Further in this section is described how to handle online bookings and enquiries.
1.1. Guesthouse Manager program Setup
Open the Guesthouse Manager Program and go to Setup – Options - Internet and click on GHM Webpage. The window will look as follows:
1.1.1. Activation of the Online Internet Feature
Set this switch to “Yes” to activate the Online
internet feature.
1.1.2. Website Database Server parameters
It contains the following information:
|
Label |
Meaning |
|
Host |
This is the name of the database server of your website. Obtain this information from your webmaster/designer and fill it in here. |
|
Port |
This is the port on which the servver can be accessed, by default this is 3306.Obtain this information from your webmaster/designer if the port is different. |
|
User Id |
This is the login name of the database of your website. Obtain this information from your webmaster/designer and fill it in here. |
|
Password |
This is the full access password of the database of your website. Obtain this information from your webmaster/designer and fill it in here. |
|
Database |
This is the name of the database of your website. Obtain this information from your webmaster/designer and fill it in here. After filling in
all these parameters, the connection can be tested by clicking |
1.1.3. Internet Synchronisation parameters
It contains the following information:
|
Label |
Meaning |
|
Synchronization Interval |
This is the timing interval how often the program must communicate with the website to verify the existence of an online booking. A good average is 15 minutes, but if necessary it can be decreased to 1 minute. |
|
On This Computer |
This switch indicates whether or not the synchronization must take place from this computer. (Only to be used in a multi user environment) |
|
Synchronize Room types |
This switch indicates if an update of the room types on the website will take place at the next communication between the program and the website. This switch should not be set, as it will be set automatically if there is a change of a room type in the program. The data on the
website can be viewed by clicking |
|
Synchronize Rooms |
This switch indicates if an update of the rooms on the website will take place at the next communication between the program and the website. This switch should not be set, as it will be set automatically by the program if there is a change of a room. The data on the
website can be viewed by clicking |
|
Synchronize Rates |
This switch indicates if an update of the rates on the website will take place at the next communication between the program and the website. This switch should not be set, as it will be set automatically by the program if there is a change of a rate. The data on the
website can be viewed by clicking |
|
Synchronize Bookings |
This switch indicates if an update of the bookings on the website will take place at the next communication between the program and the website. This switch should not be set, as it will be set automatically by the program if there is a change of a booking. The data on the
website can be viewed by clicking |
1.1.4. Initialization of Internet Bookings
The following information can be initialized with a default value:
|
Label |
Meaning |
Third Party |
Select a Third party from the list of all existing third parties. If a new internet booking enters the system, the third party of this booking will be initialized with this value. |
|
Status |
Select a status from the list of possible status codes. If a new internet booking enters the system, the status of this booking will be initialized with this value. |
1.1.5. Important Remark
After changing any of these parameters, it is important to restart the program, before these parameters take effect.
1.1.6. Publishing Room Types, Rooms and Rate Types
In the setup of the Room Types, Rooms and
Rate Types, it is possible make only a limited set available. This option 
must
be set accordingly.
1.2. Status of the Internet Connection with the program
On the main window of the Guesthouse Manager program is an icon visible indicating the current status of the internet connection. It can have the following values
|
Icon |
Meaning |
|
|
The internet connection is successful |
|
|
The internet connection is unsuccessful. Click the icon for more information about the problem. If the problem persists after several hours, contact your webmaster/designer. |
1.3. Handling Internet Bookings and Inquiries
1.3.1. Internet Requests List
When a booking or an inquiry has been entered on the website, the program will automatically popup the following window at the next synchronization time.
The window can also be activated using the menu function File - Open – Internet Requests.
The window will by default only list the
requests which are not fully processed yet. To get a full list of all
requests, then click 
at the bottom of this
window.
By double clicking an internet request, a window will be opened with all the details of the request (see further).
It contains the following information:
|
Label |
Meaning |
|
Internet Ref |
This is a unique identifier of the internet request. It consists of a timestamp of the time that the request has been entered on the website (format = yyyymmddhhmmss). |
|
Type |
This is an indicator of the type of the request. It can be Booking or Inquiry |
|
Status |
This is the status of the request. It can have the following values: New: This is a new booking/inquiry and must still be processed, manually (if Inquiry) or automatically (if booking). Booked: The booking has successfully been processed by the system.Processed: This is the final status of a request and means that no further action must be taken for this request.Error: An error has occurred during processing of a booking request. Double click the request to get more details about the error. This is an exception status and does not occur in normal circumstances. |
|
By |
This is the name of the person who entered the internet request. |
|
RoomType |
This is the room type of the internet request. |
|
Check In |
This is the check in date of the internet request. |
|
Check Out |
This is the check out date of the internet request. |
1.3.2. Internet Request Details
After double clicking an internet request on the list, a window with all the details of the request will be opened.
It contains the following information:
|
Label |
Meaning |
|
Type |
This is an indicator of the type of the request. It can be Booking or Inquiry |
|
Internet Ref |
This is a unique identifier of the internet request. It consists of a timestamp of the time that the request has been entered on the website (format = yyyymmddhhmmss). |
|
Status |
This is the status of the request. It can have the following values: New: This is a new booking/inquiry and must still be processed, manually (if Inquiry) or automatically (if booking). Booked: The booking has successfully been processed by the system.Processed: This is the final status of a request and means that no further action must be taken for this request.Error: An error has occurred during processing of a booking request. |
|
Error Message |
Explanation of the error |
|
Guest Details |
This the Name, Country, Email address, Telephone number, credit card deails and remarks of the person who entered the internet request. |
Following information occurs for each query of the internet request |
|
|
Query nb |
This is the sequence number of the query |
|
Query Status |
This is the status of the query. It can have the following values: AvailableNot Available Not Available but other rooms are still available |
|
RoomType |
This is the room type of the query. |
|
Check In |
This is the check in date of the query. |
|
Check Out |
This is the check out date of the query. |
|
Adults |
This is the number of adults of the query |
|
Basic Room Price |
This is the room price per night as available on the website |
|
Allocated Booking Ref |
This is the booking reference that has been allocated to the query This number is only filled in if a booking has been processed successfully. The booking
details can be viewed by clicking |
The following actions can be taken on this window:
|
Button |
Meaning |
|
|
When an internet inquiry needs to be converted into a booking,. After clicking this button, the program will change the type of this internet request into a booking. During the next internet synchronization, the program will then process this request as a booking. |
|
|
When an internet request is finalized of no longer need any attention, the status must be set to Processed by clicking this button. This will prevent that this internet request will continue appearing on the list of internet requests. |
|
|
When an error occurred during a previous processing of a booking request, it can be reset to process the booking again, after correcting the error, by clicking this button. |
|
|
Click this button to close this window without taking any further actions. |
