Updating Company Hotel Preferences Follow

Use the Company Hotel Preferences page to customize hotel policy for a given company.

This article shows you, a Certify Travel Administrator, how to update company hotel preferences.

Step 1: On the Certify Travel homepage of the company, select Policy Setup in the Admin menu. Then, Company Hotel Preferences.

Step 2: The Company Hotel Preferences section opens. Click the pencil icon to make updates using the Company Hotel Preferences page.

 

Hotel Preference Policy Name

This is the name presented when selecting from a list of available company hotel preferences.

Apply this country's currency to hotel policy

The selected currency is used when evaluating rates for this policy, such as the Default maximum rate.

Default maximum hotel rate

A company may request that certain hotels be filtered out of traveler searches based on a maximum pricing amount.

To accomplish this, go to the Default maximum hotel rate field and enter the maximum rate (provided to you by the company).

The amount entered in this box is used when travelers shop for hotels in Certify Travel. Any room with nightly rate exceeding the amount indicated in this field are filtered out (excluded) and the traveler does not see them for selection.

City Exception Lookup list

A company's maximum hotel room rate may change based on the city the hotel is located in. When this is the case, the city exception lookup list is applied to the policy.

This drop-down list contains Custom Lookup Lists built in your company. Cities included in this list are the exceptions to the value in the "Default maximum hotel rate" field.

For example: If hotel rates in LAX exceed the 300 per night set in the "Default maximum hotel rate" field, you can create a list stating an exception as code = SFO and description = 150.

Please Note: The Custom Lookup List city exceptions must be attached to the applicable policy branch using the Include Lookup List rule item. 

Companies can warn or prohibit users from selecting room rates over a specific dollar amount. Approval can also be required for hotel rooms over a specific dollar amount. Either option also supports the use of a maximum rate. This is accomplished by adding a rate range in the lookup list description, 100, 300.

Then, in your Trip Authorization Policy in the Hotel section, there is a setting for Hotel room exceeds minimum rate cap by city. Here is where you can select to place a warning on the room rates that exceed the lower amount or prohibit the user from selecting the room. If not prohibiting the selection, you can require that the trip be approved.

The higher number in the range is considered the maximum rate for the destination and room rates that exceed the higher number are filtered out. If you don't want to filter out any rooms, simply set the higher number to 1000.

GDS response keyword(s)

The "GDS response keyword(s)" text boxes can contain up to three codes separated by commas in each box. This is how the rate is displayed in the GDS if it is any other than the primary or secondary code.

 

Including Negotiated Rate Codes

Negotiated rate codes come from the Global Distribution System (GDS) (Sabre, Amadeus, Navitaire, etc.).

Use the Negotiated rate codes section to enter company-specific codes. When you enter negotiated rate codes in this section, rooms with these rate codes are included in traveler searches for this company.

Add form of payment to hotel only bookings

The use of this field is determined by the TMC. When checked, the preferred air credit card is added to the PNR.

Perform Extended Room Search (Sabre Only)

The use of this field is determined by the TMC.

Excluding Non-refundable Rooms

Use the checkbox(es) to establish non-refundable room rate policy.

Excluding Rate Descriptions

Use Excluding Rate Descriptions if there are room rates a company needs to exclude from user search results. Enter keywords or text strings (that show in those room rates descriptions) in the Excluding Rate Descriptions field. Some examples of rates often excluded are government rates, agency rates, or AAA rates.  

In the Excluding Rate Descriptions field, enter a text line for each room description to exclude. For example, if you enter AAA RATE, all rooms with the AAA RATE in the description are excluded from traveler searches for this company.

In this example, the rooms with AAA rate would be excluded from searches:

The entry must exactly match the text in a room description to be excluded. (Case does not matter.) For example, when AAA MEMBER is entered:

• If AAA MEMBER is found in a room description, the room is excluded.
• If AAA MEMBERSHIP is found in a room description, the room is NOT excluded, and the room appears in traveler searches. Instead, you need to add a line with the text AAA MEMBERSHIP.
• If AAA is found in a room description, the room is NOT excluded. You need to add a text line of AAA.

Example of individual text lines:

Updating Keywords for Contract Room Rates

Room rates can be identified as negotiated based on keywords found in the room description. There are two options available to identify negotiated rates. Each option has a separate 1 or 2 icon.

Use the Include Rate Descriptions for HotelContract1.gif icon placement section to update keywords to identify hotel contract room rates.

Click Save to save your changes.