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Group Allotment Blocks main actions

Gabriela Garcia
Updated

Overview

A Group Allotment Block allows holding availability for chosen dates, which is particularly useful for events like weddings. The organizing party, for example, decides on the dates and the needed number of rooms. Then, each guest books their accommodation individually.

To facilitate this, create an allotment block. You can set base rates, apply pre-negotiated rates, or establish custom rates. You may also decide to block availability for the number of rooms agreed upon or have a special group rate without blocking availability.

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 To create an allotment block, you must first create the group profile. See how here.

Main actions

One Group Profile may have several allotment blocks.

Check out the sections below to understand how to use the allotment blocks in your property.

How to create an Allotment Block

Step 1 - Access the Group Profile to create the Allotment Block

  1. From the Menu Main menu.png, go to Groups Groups icon.png
  2. Click on the hyperlinked Name to open the group profile
  3. Go to the Allotment Blocks tab and click +Create Allotment Block

Step 2 - Set Allotment Block Name and Status

  1. Enter Allotment Name
  2. Select Allotment Status
    • Tentative: This option allows you to specify availability but does not remove rooms from your property inventory or allow booking reservations within the block.
    • Definite: This option enables you to assign rooms from your property inventory and make reservations within that block. Typically, this option is chosen when the group has guaranteed their bookings or when there is a contract to reserve specific rooms for the group.

 When an Allotment Block has the Tentative status, no rooms will be allocated from the property inventory. The status needs to be updated to Definite to book reservations from the block.

Step 3 - Set Allotment Block Rates and Availability

Select the Rate Type, Allotment Type, and Auto Release

Step 3.1 Select Rate Type

You will see different settings for the allotment block interval based on which rate type you select:

  • Base: This allotment block will pull the base rates you set up for your property for each corresponding Accommodation Type.
  • Rate Plan: To use this option, you must create a rate plan first. This means that the rates for this Allotment Block will be based on the rate plan created on the Rate Plans and Packages page. You must select the specific rate plan from which to pull rates.
  • Custom: This option allows you to enter your desired rates for the allotment block.

 Once you've set and saved the rate type for an allotment block, you can't change it later.

  If you associate an allotment block with a Rate Plan:

  • The allotment block will be created for the same room types and date range as the rate plan. An error will appear if a date outside this range is selected.

  • The allotment block will become unavailable when the rate plan expires.
  • Currently, it is not possible to deactivate or remove a rate plan under the Rate Plans & Packages page if it is linked to an active Allotment Block (even in closed status).

Step 3.2 Select Allotment Type

You have two options:

  • Block: When adding dates to the block, you must specify the number of rooms to be allocated. The rooms are blocked, so anyone outside the group cannot book them. This setting also allows Auto Release (refer to the next step, Step 3.3 Select Auto Release).
  • Based on Availability: This means that the availability for this allotment block will be based on your property availability. For example, if there are 2 rooms available in your property, they will be available for the group. If you've sold out, the group won't be able to book from this allotment block either.

Step 3.3 Select Auto Release

  1. If you selected Block as your allotment type, you will be able to set Auto Release:
    • No: Unsold rooms won't be automatically released back to the property inventory.

For instance, if you have allocated 3 out of 5 rooms to be booked by the group and only 2 are booked, 1 room will still be unavailable for other guests. You need to manually release that room to make it bookable for guests outside the group.

You can do this on the Pickup page of the group profile (refer to the section Review the Allotment Block Pickup).

    • Yes: Unsold rooms will be automatically released back to the property inventory based on the days out and the specified time. See examples in the Auto Release Scenarios section below.
  1. Set the Release Schedule. If you selected the allotment block to be auto-released, you may choose one of the release options:
    • Release all inventory for all dates simultaneously: The system will release the unsold rooms for all dates in the allotment block simultaneously.
    • Release all inventory one day at a time: The system will release the unsold rooms in the allotment block one day at a time based on the days out and the scheduled time.
    • Release all inventory one interval at a time: If multiple intervals exist in one allotment block, the system will release the rooms one interval at a time based on the days out and scheduled time.

Auto Release Scenarios

Example

  • Event details: The company Endless Summer will host two events on consecutive weekends, October 07-09, 2024, and October 14-16, 2024. They requested you reserve 10 rooms for them at your property for each day of the events.
  • Creating Allotment Blocks: To accommodate this request, you will create a single allotment block with two intervals corresponding to the event dates. Ensure that each interval holds 10 rooms exclusively for the events.
  • Configuring Auto-Release: You will also set up the block to auto-release 3 days out at 10:00 AM. If the group leaves rooms unbooked, you can sell them to other guests outside the company Endless Summer.

Auto Release Outcomes

  • Release all inventory for all dates simultaneously: All the unsold rooms from both allotment block intervals will be released 3 days from the earliest arrival date (October 7th), meaning every unsold room will be released on October 4th at 10:00 AM.
  • Release all inventory one day at a time: For the first allotment block interval, the system will start releasing any unbooked rooms for October 7th on October 4th at 10:00 AM (3 days out); for October 8th, the unbooked rooms will be released on October 5th and so on.

The same applies to the last allotment block; in this case, the unsold rooms for October 16th will be released on October 13th.

  • Release all inventory one interval at a time: On October 4th at 10:00 AM, the system will release the unbooked rooms from the first interval (October 07-09, 2024) and any unbooked rooms from the last interval (October 14-16, 2024) will be released on October 11th.

Step 4 - Add Allotment Block Dates

To create an allotment block interval, click +Add Dates.

The settings here will depend on the rate and availability options you selected in the previous steps.


  • Add several intervals for one Allotment Block.
  • You can add Shoulder Dates and choose whether to block an Accommodation Type or a specific Unit.
  • When adding an interval, Availability fields are only shown if Block was selected as the Allotment type; Rates fields are only shown if Custom was selected as the Rate type.

Step 4.1 - Add Shoulder Dates (optional)

This step is relevant for users of properties participating in the Pilot phase.

When you click +Add Dates, a non-mandatory section appears for you to add shoulder dates, also known as pre-arrival days and post-departure days.

For example, if a conference runs from May 5th to May 7th, the shoulder dates could be May 3rd, 4th, 8th, and 9th.

By using this feature instead of a guest traveling for only 2 nights for an event, the guest can now book a 4-day stay at the prenegotiated rate plan, leading to higher occupancy and revenue opportunities for your property. The default setting will have no value.

 If your property is part of the pilot testing phase, you can add shoulder dates with specific rate plans. You can choose whether to use the same rate plan as for the event main dates, a different rate plan, or continue using the base rate.

image-20240429-144718.png

  After the pilot, all customers with the Group Management module enabled will be able to choose a rate plan for shoulder dates.

 Shoulder Dates don't block out the availability for the selected date range. They simply allow customers to book surrounding dates using the general Calendar availability. If you want to block out availability, you should put the dates as part of the Allotment Block dates instead of the Shoulder Dates.

Step 4.2 - Block an Accommodation Type or a specific Unit

When you click on +Add Dates, the default choice for creating the allotment block will be Accommodation Type.

However, if your property is part of the pilot testing phase, you can block out an Accommodation Type or a specific Unit. By selecting "Unit," an additional picklist will appear to choose which units to block.

For example, if your property has 10 Queen Deluxe room types, rather than blocking out any two random Queen Deluxe units, you can specify to block out Queen Deluxe unit 101 and Queen Deluxe unit 103, which are next to each other.

Use the unit feature to allow guests traveling together to stay in the same section of the hotel, leading to higher guest satisfaction. Properties can also assign groups based on a section or floor to increase housekeeping and operational efficiency (e.g., staffing only a single floor instead of the entire property).

You can easily identify the allotment on the calendar by looking for thin dashed lines and the "3 people" icon next to the allotment block name, like this:

  The unit feature will be available for all customers with the Group Management module enabled after the pilot.

Step 4.3 - Set the Rate Type

If the rate type is Base Rate

  • The steps below are for setting the rate type for an Accommodation Type. However, after the pilot for the unit feature ends, you will be able to set it up for specific Units.
  • If you add Units to intervals, the process is the same, except for step 5.
  1. Select Room Types
  2. Select start and end dates for the interval
  3. Select pre-arrival and post-departure days (optional)
  4. Select days of the week
  5. If you previously selected Allotment Type = Block, you will need to manually enter the number of rooms to be allocated for this interval.
  6. Click Apply to apply to all.
  7. Click Add Interval

If the rate type is Rate Plan or Package

  • The steps below are for setting the rate type for an Accommodation Type. However, after the pilot for the unit feature ends, you will be able to set it up for specific Units.
  • If you add Units to intervals, the process is the same, except for step 5.
  1. Select Room Types
  2. Select start and end dates for the interval
  3. Select pre-arrival and post-departure days (optional)
  4. Select days of the week
  5. If you previously selected Allotment Type = Block, you will need to manually enter the number of rooms to be allocated for this interval.
  6. Click Apply to apply to all.
  7. Click Add Interval

 You don't have to enter the rates because they will be pulled from the rate plan selected in Step 3.1 Select Rate Type.

If the rate type is Custom

  • The steps below are for setting the rate type for an Accommodation Type. However, after the pilot for the unit feature ends, you will be able to set it up for specific Units.
  • If you add Units to intervals, the process is the same, except for step 7.
  1. Select Room Types
  2. Select start and end dates for the interval
  3. Select pre-arrival and post-departure days (optional)
  4. Select days of the week
  5. If needed, set the interval parameters: MinLos, MaxLos, Cut-off, Last Minute Booking, Closed to Arrival/Departure.

  1. Enter the rates for the selected Accommodation Types
  2. If you previously selected Allotment Type = Block, you must manually enter the number of rooms to be allocated for this interval
  3. You can also enter the additional guest pricing if needed or select it to be the same as the Base Rate
  4. Click Add Interval

Step 5- Add Notes and Save

You can add informative notes for your allotment block (event description, special requirements, etc.), but it's not mandatory.

  1. Scroll down to the section Notes and type the note
  2. Click Submit Note
  3. Make sure that the allotment block details are correct, and click Save

 You can also add notes to an Allotment Block later by going to the Notes tab of the group profile. For more information, refer to the section Add notes to a Group Profile, Allotment Block, Reservations, or Guests of this article.

How to edit an Allotment Block

 Please note that you cannot change the allotment block's Rate Type once it is created and saved.

 New intervals for allotment blocks with manually released inventory won't hold availability. This also applies to edited existing intervals post-release. The allotment block won't be available to add new reservations or link existing ones.

To edit the allotment block details or allotment block intervals (dates), follow these steps:

  1. From the Groups page Groups icon.png, click the desired Group Profile
  2. Go to the Allotment Blocks tab and click on the desired allotment block name

 You can also view the detailed intervals for each Allotment Block by clicking the '+' sign next to the block code, which opens another section with more information.

  1. Click Edit Details on the allotment block page.

  1. Edit the allotment block details and click Save.

Before saving, you can also edit the allotment block dates/intervals:

a. Add more dates
b. Delete existing dates
c. Edit existing dates

How to delete an Allotment Block

  1. From the Groups page Groups icon.png, click the desired Group Profile.

  1. Go to the Allotment Blocks tab and click on the gear icon next to the desired allotment block name to choose the Remove Allotment Block option.

FAQ

How do I edit the interval parameters of an Allotment Block once reservations have been added? (MinLOS, MaxLOS)

Your Allotment Block must have been created with a custom rate type to modify the interval parameters (MinLos, MaxLos, cut-off, last-minute booking, and close to arrival/departure).

Click on the Allotment Block name > click Edit Details > find the interval, and click on the pencil icon to edit the parameters. Remember to Save the changes.

  If you set up the Allocation Block with a Rate Plan or Package rate type, changing the rate plan restrictions is not possible. You can't add or edit intervals for a rate plan connected to an allotment block. The solution would be to create a new rate plan with the desired MinLOS/MaxLOS and then create a new allotment block within this group using the newly created rate plan.

  Related articles:

How do I edit the number of rooms in an Allotment Block once reservations have been added?

To update the availability number, click on the Allotment Block name, then click "Edit Details." Once there, find the interval and click on the pencil icon to edit the availability number. You can apply the changes to all days or manually make them for the desired day of the week if needed.

Remember to Save the changes.

  Once all rooms in the Allocation Block have been booked, it's not possible to reduce the number of available rooms. If you try to do so, an error will appear saying: “Availability should be greater than the total number of reservations already booked from this allotment block.” Make sure you enter the correct number of rooms to avoid this error.

  You can change the number of rooms in an allotment block IF it has not been released yet. You can check which allotment blocks have been released by going to the Pickup tab, choosing the desired block, and checking the details.

 Learn more on how to manage Group Allotment Blocks.

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