Template Editor and Template Automation

Introduction

Template Editor is located in the cogs, and is used to create custom templates, function sheets or confirmation letters; it is separated out into different groups to keep similar templates together.

Each template is made up of different sections that will each work in a different manner, enabling you to add in data field tags, tables and imaged.

Template Editor does allow HTML although it is quite strict in what will be allowed. Any images you wish to use should first be loaded into the media manager.

Overview

Template Editor is located in the cogs. When creating templates the following groups can be used:

PMS includes:
Enquiry Followup Internal
Enquiry Confirmation
Reservation Confirmation
Reservation Cancellation
Statements

Each group will only show in certain areas of the system, it is important to ensure that you are building your template, in the appropriate group.

The first template you create in a group will be the first to be shown when viewing from this page. Templates display in alphabetical order in the rest of the system.

Templates can be removed, changed or renamed at any point by selecting them from the group. You cannot make new groups.

Once a template is deleted, it is no longer available or recoverable. Guestline suggests that you save a backup of any templates you have created using the HTML code described later on in this guide.

Each template is separated into the following parts or sections:

Subject - The subject line of the email

Header - This is normally the “Dear … “ part, it does not duplicate when sending a contact an overview email of the reservations they have made.

Body - This is normally the main text of the template and will duplicate when you send a multiroom/Group confirmation to the contact.

Footer – This is normally the sign off part of an email and this also does not duplicate when sending a contact, an overview email of the reservations they have made.

The “Overview” section will allow you to see all sections together; you can enter a booking reference to preview the template if preferred.
 
Media Manager

When you want to create a template, you will need to ensure you have firstly loaded any images to the media manager. The media manager is found in cogs, media manager. Once you have added any images you can begin your template.

The media manager is found in the cogs, under media manager.

Any images you wish to be used on a template should be uploaded here. If you try to copy and paste an image into template editor, although it will display on the screen you are viewing, when emailed it will display as a box with an X in it. To upload an image select add new file to browse your computer.

Select the general image file type and browse the computer. This file must be less than 100 kb and in jpeg format.

Once loaded it will be displayed in the left bar. It can now be used in a template.

Create a Template

When creating your first couple of templates, you may find it easier if you draft it first on paper or the computer.

To begin press ‘Add New Template’

 

Choose the group your template belongs to, and give it a name. (The name can be changed later if needed)

 

Your blank template will then load:

 

You will then need to complete each section. Each Section has the same options:

When entering text within template editor, pressing Enter will produce a carriage return (a new line with space in-between). Pressing Shift + Enter will produce a new line (a new line with no space in-between).

Subject

When a template is emailed, this will be the subject line the guest will receive on their email; it is best practice to enter a short summary such as “Your booking confirmation at…” Ensure you enter something, so that the email does not look like Spam/Phishing. You can either type into this box, or use data tags. Select the Subject header and click in the white box. You cannot insert Images into this part of the template.

Data tags are found on the right hand side of the screen. Data tags merge system information into your template. For example, the “Site Description” tag would insert the hotel name: Hotel Guestline A into this example. To insert one, simply double click on it, this will insert the tag into the template in the location of your current cursor.

You can change the font and size by highlighting the text and selecting an option from the drop down menu. You can also bold, italic, underline, or align the text by highlighting it and selecting the option you desire.

This example would read:

Your booking confirmation at Hotel Guestline A – Reference BK000001

Header

The header does not duplicate when sending a multiroom/group contact confirmation, therefore it is generally used for the introduction to the email.

There are a limited number of tags available in this section. The tags include the hotels information, the creation date/time, and the booker’s information.

We do not recommend you copy and paste into the template as certain word processor programs will format the text in different ways, which may insert page breaks, new lines, and invisible tables that are hard to edit.

To insert an image, it must already be saved to the media manager. Once you are in the template next to the tags, you will see a tab called images. Once selected it will give you a selection of images, click on the one you would like and drag it into the template. You can also use the align button on an image.

 

Body

The body generally contains the information about the specific reservation; it has more tags than any other section. This segment will duplicate if there is more than one reservation attached to a multiroom/group when sending to the contact.

Some tags, like arrival and departure dates have multiple options such as short date version and long date version, you should ensure you preview the template before using it.

Common mistakes include the user selecting Room ID, which would show 12, instead of Room ID Description to show “double room”.

When pulling tags that contain monetary values ensure to place a £/$/€ sign into the template before the tag to populate £12.00.

Package and rate plan notes can be pulled, onto the template to ensure that the template includes the specific information for that rate plan.

 

Footer

The Footer does not duplicate when sending a multiroom/group contact confirmation, therefore it is generally used for the additional information, such as check-in times, directions etc.

 

Head Style

The head style is used for CSS coding. CSS stands for "Cascading Style Sheet." Cascading style sheets are used to format the layout of web pages. They can be used to define text styles, table sizes, and other aspects of web pages that previously could only be defined in a page's HTML.

CSS helps web developers create a uniform look across several pages of a web site. Guestline does not provide training or support on writing CSS or HTML; this would need to be done by an external web developer.

Overview

Now you have finished your template it is important to check through it and ensure all the tags populate as you expect them to do.

Press the overview tab to see the full template and all its sections together.

To make sure all of the tags are working you will need a booking reference, enter this in the sample box. Select options and view. This will update the data tags so you can check and amend before using.

We also suggest sending yourself a test email using a test booking to ensure that all content displays correctly. Please remember that different email clients render their emails in different ways and Guestline cannot control this.

HTML View

As you create your template, the HTML editor behind the scenes will code your sections. To access the HTML Code select this button in the bottom left of the screen.

 

If you have a background in HTML you could create the whole template by entering the code in this manner. Please note that Guestline cannot offer this training or support on this method of creation.

Copying a Template

You can copy a template either by highlighting the selection in visual mode (on screen) or by using the HTML view, then using right click, copy or the CTRL + C

To paste, go into the new template and right click, paste or the CTRL + V

Design Options

Notes & Upsells

Booking notes can be inserted into templates. The most commonly used notes to insert into a confirmation is “Confirmation Notes”, within template editor, this is called “CUSTOM NOTES 3”. You can insert this the same way as other tags.

Upsells added to a booking can be inserted into the template also. To do this pull through the tags shown below, this will list the upsells description and the price. Please note that the user in the below example has inserted a £ before the product value.

 

The notes above are pulling from the confirmation note box on the reservation, and the products would show any upsells. Flowers £35 would show in the extras section.

Booking Line Confirmation Body

When a guest is staying on multiple rate plans and/or room types, the normal reservation confirmation shown above may not give the detail you need. In these cases, you may wish to have a separate confirmation with the booking line tags replacing the above table. This will then give you a breakdown of the stay.

You must insert the “BKLNSTART” tag before the breakdown and the end tag afterwards “BKLNEND” for this to work. The booking line information could either be worded in a paragraph or put in a table.

The first example shown above would duplicate and would read as follows:

Arriving on the 12.06.17 for 2 nights in a double room on a Bed & Breakfast rate which includes Full English Breakfast for 2 Adults at £150

Arriving on the 14.06.17 for 1 night in a double room on a Room Only rate which includes accommodation only for 2 Adults at £120.

The second example would still duplicate but in a table.

If you added a booking line section to your normal confirmation email, that section would show the same information as the main body, when your booking does not have a separate booking line.

Images

Images should be uploaded at the correct size and dimensions into Rezlynx. Although the software will allow you to resize pictures, many email clients refer to the original image when displayed on screen, thus the uploaded image will render on the recipients screen. This could cause your template to display incorrectly.

Images uploaded into Rezlynx must be less than 100kb and must be in Jpeg format.

Tables

When entering information you may wish to use a table to keep everything uniform.

To insert a table, press the table icon. This will load the image shown here on the right, choose your number of rows and columns and press okay. If you wish to edit the table once entered, right click in the table to get this grid back. Border Size – Changing this to 0 removes the lines on the table, changing it to 10 will give you a thick border. Cell Padding – Increasing this number will make a margin between the cells, Changing it to 0 makes everything flush to the border.

 

Cell Spacing – is the amount of distance from the border to the text

Colours – When you select a colour, you can select various tones using the +1 options at the top. You can also use HEX colour codes to select the specific colour needed.

Once a table is added, a number of different options become available:

 
Template Automation

It is possible to automate reservation confirmation templates to be sent automatically.
You need to create the template as above in this guide, next you need to set up the automation.

To set a template automation go to cogs, template automation and press new.
You now need to decide on the criteria you want Rezlynx to consider when sending this template.

Schedule Description – Name of automation Issue – When do you want it to send? Delivery Method – How do you want it to send? Room Pick Handling - Per individual booking or per Multiroom/Group

Recipients
From – What email/number (If you have Text Messaging) is this coming from?
Reply To – When someone replies where does it go?
Recipient – Who do we send it to?
No Contact – If there isn’t a contact, who does the system send it to?
Duplicate – If they are both the same, who does the system send it to?

Templates Which template does it send to the contact and which should it send to the guest?

Rates
Which rate plans shall it send the template to? (Such as exclude corporate rates on promotional emails)

Inclusions
Booking Status – Which statuses do you want to send it to?
System Source – Which bookings? Rezlynx only?
Media Source – Which media source codes do you want to send it to?
Market Segment - Which market segments do you want to send it to?
Multirooms – Do you want to send it to a multiroom?
Groups - Do you want to send it to a group? Room Blocks - Do you want to send it to a Room Block?
Exclude from Mailing - Tick to include those who have said they do not want to be emailed (i.e. on their guest profile have "Exclude from Mailing" ticked).

Press save, the automation is now set up.

Remember on every reservation you can exclude them from automations on the notes section.

Please note you cannot automate conference & banqueting templates.

You will also need to (one time only) ensure you have a scheduled task set up to process the automation. To do this go to cogs, and scheduled tasks. Once set up this task will run automatically every day at the set time you specify.