Configure Resources for a Category

Resources (also called booking detail items) are the individual items or services that your users can reserve for an event. Resources are grouped by category. For example, a furniture category might contain tables and chairs as the resources.

Although you can use categories to track setup notes, meeting attendees, and activities for a booking, you do not configure resources for these categories. You must only configure resources for service categories.

This topic provides information about the following tabs:

  • Resource
  • Calculations
  • Pricing tab
  • Images
  • Production Items
  • Excluded Rooms
  • Package Items

To access the tab, select Configuration > Resources > select a category > New.

You can use the Resource Configuration Wizard to configure multiple resources that have common properties, such as grouping, account, and EMS Web App settings.

ClosedConfigure Resources for a Category

Configure a category prior to configuring the resources for that category.

  1. On the EMS menu bar, click Configuration > Resources.

    A list of all the categories that are configured in your EMS database and for which you can configure resources opens. If a category is not listed, you can configure it.

  2. Select the category for which you are configuring the resources.

    The Resources window opens. This window lists all of the resources configured in your EMS database for the selected category with an Active status.

    • To view all resources for the category in your EMS database, regardless of status, under Show, click Inactive.
    • To filter the displayed resources based on the Resource name, in Filter, enter a search string.

    The search string is not case-sensitive, but your search is limited to the exact order of the characters in the string and it must begin with the information for which you are searching. For example, a search string of Cold returns Cold Boxed Lunches, but not Sandwiches (Cold).

ClosedConfigure a Resource from Scratch

You can configure a resource “from scratch” or copy an existing resource. Select the resource that you want to copy, and click Copy.

  1. From the Resources dialog, click New.
  2. Enter the information for the new resource.

Field

Description

Description

The name or description of the resource (50 character maximum including spaces).

Resource items display alphabetically in EMS Desktop Client. As a result, when you configure a group of similar items, you might want to start the name of each with a common feature. For example, if you have black, white, and blue linens, a good way to name them would be “Linens, black,” “Linens, white,” and so on.

Grouping

Select a grouping.

If not available, you can configure a grouping, and then edit the resource later to place it in a grouping.

Account

Select the internal account which is to receive the revenue from the use of the resource.

If the appropriate account is not available, you can configure it.

Sequence

Enter a number that decides the order in which the resource displays in a list with other resources in either EMS Desktop Client or EMS Web App. Resources are ordered from lowest to highest sequence number, with the resource with the lowest sequence number being displayed first.

If you leave the sequence set to the default value of zero for all resources, then by default, the resources display alphabetically.

Package

Select this option if the resource is to be a package.

A package is a collection of related resources.

Use Package Item Prices

Available only if Package is selected. Select this option if the package price is the sum total of the prices for the individual resources that make up the package; otherwise, you can define a different price for the package on the Pricing tab.

Override Description

Select this option to allow your EMS users to edit the description when they are adding it to a booking.

A common use for this feature is to configure a resource called “Other” for each of your resource categories which users can rename to whatever non-inventory item is needed when they select it.

Maintain Inventory

Select this option if you have a limited number of this item and you want EMS to notify your users when they attempt to overbook it.

Quantity Available

Available only if you select Maintain Inventory. Enter the number of resource items of this type that your organization has in its inventory.

External Reference

Links the resource to an outside program.

Internal

Indicates that the resource is internal to your organization.

Used for internal reporting purposes only. The resource is not printed on external documents such as confirmations and invoices, and it is not hidden in any area of your EMS application.

Production Item

Available only if the category to which you are adding the resource has been designated as using production items. Select this option if this resource item is to be a production item.

Serves

The number of users that can be served by the resource. For example, one lunch buffet might serve ten people.

Min. Quantity

The minimum quantity required when selecting the resource.

Alert

Enter a message that is to be displayed when a user adds the resource to a booking in the EMS Desktop Client.

Notes

Any other additional information that is pertinent to the item itself, the use of the item, and so on. Notes displayed in EMS and EMS Web App are printed on confirmations and the Setup Worksheet report.

EMS Web App Settings

Available to Everyday Users

To have this resource be an available option for EMS Web App users who select this category, leave Available on Web selected.

Not available if Override Description is selected (see Override Description above).

Available at Checkout

Select this option if you want the resource to be displayed on the “checkout” page (the last page in the Room Request process) in EMS Web App.

Not available if Available to Everyday Users is not selected.

Hide Special Instruction

Do not show any special instructions for the resource in EMS Web App.

Display Alert to Everyday Users

If a resource has an alert configured, then display this alert when a user adds this resource to a booking in EMS Web App.
  1. Click Spelling to spell check the information that you entered for the resource before you save it.
  2. Continue to one or more of the subsequent procedures to further configure the resource:
    • Assign Calculations to a Resource
    • Configure Pricing for a Resource
    • Associate an Image with a Resource
    • Edit Production Items for a Resource
    • Exclude Rooms for a Resource
    • Create a Package for a Resource

    After you finish configuring the resource, click OK.

After you configure the resource, you can do the following:

ClosedAssign Calculations to a Resource

You can assign calculations at the category level. If you already assigned calculations to a resource’s category, then these calculations are automatically applied to new resources for the category. These calculations display in the Selected list after you click OK and save the resource.

  1. Open the Resource dialog, and select the Calculations tab.
  2. On the Available list, select the calculation, or Ctrl-click to select the multiple calculations that are to apply to this resource, and then click the Move button (>) to move the selected calculations to the Selected list. If a calculation is not available, you can configure it.
  3. Continue with other configurations for the resource. Otherwise, click OK.

ClosedConfigure Pricing for a Resource

You can also configure the resource price on the Edit Pricing window or when you are configuring rate schedules.

  1. Open the Resource dialog and select the Pricing tab.
  1. For each rate schedule, select the rate schedule row and then click in the Pricing Method field and select the pricing method.

    The pricing method determines the cost for reserving the resource (see the following table). If a rate schedule is not available, you can configure it.

Pricing Method

Description

Half Day/Full Day (Event Time)

The total number of hours for the event is counted and then compared to the number of hours in the Hours column. If the total number of hours for the event is less than or equal to the hours in the Hours column, then the Half Day price is charged for the resource. If the total number of hours for the event is greater than the hours in the Hours column, then the Full Day price is charged for the resource.

Half Day/Full Day (Reserved Time)

The total number of hours for the reservation (event time and reserved time) is counted and then compared to the number of hours in the Hours column. If the total number of hours for the reservation is less than or equal to the hours in the Hours column, then the Half Day price is charged for the resource. If the total number of hours for the reservation is greater than the hours in the Hours column, then the Full Day price is charged for the resource.

Half Day/Full Day (Service Time)

The total number of hours for the service time is counted and then compared to the number of hours in the Hours column. If the total number of hours for the service time is less than or equal to the hours in the Hours column, then the Half Day price is charged for the billable item. If the total number of hours for the service time is greater than the hours in the Hours column, then the Full Day price is charged for the billable item.

This pricing method is only available for a resource with a service order.

Hourly (Event Time)

The price in the Price column is multiplied by the event time (in hours) for the booking. This price can be used in conjunction with an initial “flat” fee, as well as minimum and maximum fees.

Hourly (Reserved Time)

The price in the Price column is multiplied by the reserved time (in hours) for the booking. This price can be used in conjunction with an initial “flat” fee, and minimum and maximum fees.

Hourly (Service Time)

The price in the Price column is multiplied by the reserved time (in hours) for the service (resource). This price can be used in conjunction with an initial “flat” fee, and minimum and maximum fees.

This pricing method is only available for a resource with a service order.

Hourly (Specific)

The price in the Price column is multiplied by the number of hours indicated when adding the resource to a booking.

Unit

The price in the Price column is applied to the resource, regardless of the event time or reserved time for the booking.
  1. After you select a pricing method, click in fields to select the amount and edit as needed.

Field

Description

Price

The dollar amount that is used in calculating the resource price for a booking. If the pricing method is Unit, then this value is applied in total to a resource, regardless of the event time or reserved time for the booking.

Discount

You can use a discount with any pricing method. If you specify a discount for a resource, then the actual price, the discount percentage, and the discounted amount are displayed on confirmations and invoices.

Min. Charge Max. Charge

The values in these columns are used in conjunction with the Hourly pricing methods. If you specify a minimum charge for a resource, then the system compares this value to the calculated hourly rate and applies the greater of the two charges. If you specify a maximum charge for a resource, then the system compares this value to the calculated hourly rate and applies the lesser of the two charges.

Flat Price

A resource price that remains constant regardless of the total number of hours booked for the resource. Used in conjunction with Hourly (Event Time) and Hourly (Reserved Time).

Half Day Price

The dollar amount used to calculate the resource price for a booking if the pricing unit is Half Day/Full Day (Event Time) or Half Day/Full Day (Reservation Time).

Full Day Price

The dollar amount used to calculate the resource price for a booking if the pricing unit is Half Day/Full Day (Event Time) or Half Day/Full Day (Reservation Time).

Hours

Multiplier used to calculate the resource price for a booking if the pricing unit is Half Day/Full Day (Event Time) or Half Day/Full Day (Reservation Time).
  1. Continue with other optional configuration for the resource. Otherwise, click OK.

ClosedAssociate an Image with a Resource

From the Images tab on the Resource dialog, you can associate an image with a resource. Images must be in one of the following formats—.gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .bmp, .wmf, or .png and not larger than 615 x 350 pixels. If you attach an image larger than this, you might not be able to view the image without scrolling. Any images that you associate with the resource are displayed only in EMS Web App. They are not displayed in the EMS Desktop Client.

  1. From the Resource dialog, and select the Images tab.
  2. To display an image of the resource in the EMS Web App interface, click New.

    The Find Image dialog opens.

  3. Browse to and select the image, then click Open.
  4. Optionally, after selecting the image, in Web Long Description, enter a description of the resource. The value that you enter here defines the “long desc” attribute for web content accessibility.
  5. Continue with other configuration for the resource.
  6. Click OK to close the Resource dialog.

ClosedEdit Production Items for a Resource

The Production Items tab lists all the production items that have been defined in your EMS database (see also: Define Production Areas and Production Items for a Catering Resource).

The Production Items tab is available only if you did NOT select Production Item on the Resource tab when you were configuring the resource.

  1. From the Resource dialog, select the Production Items tab.
  2. To filter the production items that are displayed, do one of the following:
    • Select a production area. (The default value is (all).)
    • To filter the displayed production items based on the Item name, in the Filter field, enter a search string.
    • Select Show Selected Only. Only those production items that have previously been selected for the resource are displayed.
  3. Select a production item and change the quantity for the item. If you do not want a production item to be assigned to the resource, set the quantity to zero.
  4. Continue with other optional configuration for the resource.
  5. Click OK.

ClosedExclude Rooms for a Resource

This feature prevents a resource from being allocated for a specific room.

  1. From the Resource dialog, select the Excluded Rooms tab.
  2. Select the search criteria to search for the excluded rooms.
    • Building
    • Room Type – leave the default value of (all), or select a specific room type.
  3. On the Available list, select the room (Ctrl-click to select multiple rooms) from which the resource item is to be excluded, and then Move (>) to the Selected list.
  4. Continue with other optional configuration for the resource. Otherwise, click OK.

ClosedCreate a Package for a Resource

A package is a group of resources. You can combine a list of related resources into a package to streamline booking. For example, an Instructor A/V package might include a laser pointer, a mobile microphone, and a flip chart. You select the items for a resource package on the Package Items tab on the Resource dialog. You can set the price for a package to be the sum total of the individual resources that make up the package, or you can set an independent price for the package.

The Package Items tab is available only if you select Package on the Resource tab when you are configuring the resource.

  1. From the Resource dialog, select the Packaged Items tab.

    The tab displays all the resources configured for the selected category.

  2. To filter the display, click Show Selected Only.

    Only those resource items that have previously been selected to be part of the resource package are displayed.

  3. For each resource item that is to be included in the package, double-click Quantity, and then enter the quantity for the resource item.
  4. Continue with other optional configuration for the resource as needed. Otherwise, click OK.

 

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