Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Transfers
Transfers
City Ledger
General
Ledger
507

---

GUEST CHARGES, PAYMENT, AND CHECK-OUT
city ledgers. They must also develop procedures that allow their staff to make author-
ized adjustments to the accounts in these ledgers when necessary.
Posting to Guest Ledger
Most guests purchase the hotel’s goods and services on credit using a debit or credit
card during check-in to establish their creditworthiness. Other methods include cash
deposits or direct bill arrangements. In all cases, however, each guest’s folio (the
record of charges and payments) must be accurate and current. FOMs do not typi-
cally know exactly when a guest will check out; therefore, systems must be in place to
ensure the timely posting of guest charges so folios can be up-to-date regardless of
when the guest chooses to check out.
As noted earlier, when revenue-producing accounts are interfaced with the PMS,
the posting of guest charges (i.e., folio updating) is automatic. The FOM’s role in
such a case is to ensure the proper functioning of the interfaces and the accuracy of
charges that are posted. When revenue-producing accounts are posted manually,
FOMs must devise systems to help minimize the time that elapses between the
guest’s purchase and posting of the charge.
For most guests, the room charge with applicable taxes is the single largest post-
ing recorded in their folio. For many guests, this is the only prepayment posting
recorded in the folio, and it is automatically performed by the PMS during the night
audit. Additional postings to a guest’s folio can include these items:
•
Food and beverage purchases
•
Gift shop purchases
•
Telephone toll charges
Purchases in the hotel’s gift shop may be charged to a hotel guest’s folio.
Jeff Gr
eenberg/P
hotoEdit Inc.
508

---