Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Objective 1
Present an
overview of how
the PMS provides
information for
management
planning and 
decision making
Four Rs of 
Front Office 
Information 
Management
Objective 2
Describe factors 
important when 
selecting PMS
reports for
development and
discuss concerns
about their 
distribution and
analysis
Report
Development,
Distribution, 
and Analysis
Objective 4
Review how a 
PMS maintains 
and reports
information 
about room 
types sold and 
available, and
about room 
status
Rooms
Management
Data
Objective 3
Explain how a
PMS maintains
detailed
reservations
records related to
guests and their
specific needs
Reservations
Management
Data
Objective 5
Provide details
about how a
PMS can help 
the FOM to 
forecast demand 
and price the 
rooms inventory
Revenue
Management
Data
Objective 6
Review the need 
for numerous 
records (reports) 
beyond those 
applicable to 
reservations, 
rooms, and 
revenue and 
consider the role 
of the PMS in 
the hotel’s 
accounting 
process 
Records and
Accounts
Management
Objective 7
Present factors to
be addressed as
hotel personnel
select a PMS
Selecting a
PMS
ROADMAP 1
FIGURE 1
Yesterday’s front office fundamentals.
Desires of Guests
Prices to Be Charged
Accounting and Data Management Methods
for Proper Record Keeping
Rooms and Services
to Be Sold
AFFECT
DICTATE
REQUIRES
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FRONT OFFICE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Effective management of today’s technologically advanced front office still
requires the proper collection and maintenance of data to address these four front
office fundamentals. Today’s FOMs, however, use a sophisticated property manage-
ment system (PMS) to assist them in managing massive amounts of data. Despite
rapidly developing enhancements for virtually every PMS available, each system
must still address the FOM’s fundamental need for information related to reserva-
tions, rooms, revenue, and records and accounts—the four Rs of front office infor-
mation management. Figure 2 shows how a modern PMS assists FOMs in process-
ing data related to the four Rs.
FOMs make many decisions every day that affect their hotel’s success. Much of
their decision making is affected by the way they manage the PMS. The following
examples illustrate each of the four Rs in action.