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EPI - Phone Rates and Pricing

The EPI (External Posting Interface) is an optional interface from InnQuest Software. This system will post charges from external systems in to roomMaster. The most common use for the EPI module is Call Accounting which will post telephone calls automatically to the guest folio as soon as they complete their call. The system reads data from your SMDR port (a port which is on the back of your phone system) and calculates the amount of the phone call and posts to the folio.

The EPI Phone Rate field in roomMaster determines the rate schedule to charge the guest for the phone call when using the system to post telephone charges. Some guests may not pay for local calls, or may be charged a different mark-up rate.

Pricing (When Used to Replace Call Accounting)

Regular Charges - If the Amount field is left blank, you are able to enter values on the Pricing tab. The pricing tab allows you to setup rates for phone calls by local, long distance, interstate and international.

The system will check for the closest match for each charge. You can add or delete each pricing entry. Price entries can be made with any sequence and number of digits. For example, if you enter 1904281, all calls which start with 1904281 will use the pricing entry. Entries with more digits are checked first (closest match). Default long distance calls always start with "1", so an entry with a one (1) should be used for default long distance charges.

In addition to dialed digits, there are the following special entries:

*DEFAULT        The charge record which will be used if no match is made in the pricing table.
*5551212        The charge to use for Directory Assistance
*LOCAL          The charge to use if the dialing digits are 7 positions (Example:  2811800)
*anynumber      If the numbers appear in the dialed digits starting at any sequence
*DIGITxx        Where x is the number of digits dialed
?               Used as wild cards (Example: 1010???1)

Examples:

*897       If the phone number were to be 6758971231 then it would match because the numbers 897 appear somewhere in the number.  

*DIGIT5    If the phone number were to be 87612 then it would match because there are 5 digits in the number. 

*DIGIT3    If the phone number were to be 121 then it would match. 

*DIGIT10   If the phone number were to be 9042811800 then it would match. 

1010???1   If the phone number were to be 101028819042811800 then it would match.

Note that any time an asterisk or a pound sign is in the data stream phone number (* or #), they are changed to blanks.

Charge Type - If "Percent of Minute" is selected, a percentage of the non-full minute will be charged. If "Full Minute Charge" is selected, all calls are rounded up to the next minute.

  • Percent of Minute: 2 min 3 seconds will be charged for the first minute, the additional minute and 3/60th of the third minute.

  • Full Minute Charge: 2 min 3 seconds will be charged for the first minute and two additional minutes.

  • Use *LOCAL Instead of using the pricing on the form, it would use the pricing set on the *LOCAL pricing record.

Grace Period - If a grace period is entered (in minutes), the system will reduce the time of the call by that number of grace minutes and then charge accordingly. If a pricing entry has a grace number of minutes of 5 and the call was for 8 minutes and 33 seconds, the call will be priced as a 3 minute and 33 second call. If the call was for 4 minutes and 20 seconds, the system would not charge for the call at all since the number of minutes of the actual call was less than the grace period. Some properties set the free local call grace period to 20 (20 minutes) and then a flat rate of $1.00 which would give everyone free local calls, unless they stay on the phone greater than 20 minutes and, if so, would be charged $1.00 for the call.

The system comes configured as follows:

Rate 1/Default

  • 1.00 for the first minute and .42 cents per minute afterwards for U.S. toll-calls (1)
  • 11% markup on International calls based on operator assisted rates with 75 cent access charge
  • 45 cents per min on Canadian calls with 1.00 access charge
  • 50 cents local and 800 numbers
  • 50 cents operator assistance

Rate 2

  • 1.00 for the first minute and .42 cents per minute afterwards for U.S. toll-calls (1)
  • 11% markup on International calls based on operator assisted rates with 75 cent access charge
  • 45 cents per min on Canadian calls with 1.00 access charge
  • free local and 800 numbers
  • free operator assistance

Rate 3

  • 14 cents first min and .14 cents each additional minute on U.S. toll-calls (1)
  • 45 cents per min on Canadian calls with no access charge
  • International calls based on operator assisted rates
  • free local and 800 numbers
  • free operator assistance

Rate 1 is usually used for regular guest, Rate 2 is used for regular guest who get free local, Rate 3 is used for administrative or VIP/family who do not pay an access fee or markup to use the telephone.

Local/Long Distance 10-digit dialing

To Setup Local 10-digit dialing, you should enter the local area code and/or the local area code + prefix for any calls that are local charge. Example: A guest could dial 727456-7689 and that would be a local call, but if they dial 17274567689, that would be a long distance call. Make an entry into the pricing table by pressing Insert and then put 727 as the digits dialed. All calls that start with 727 will use this pricing table entry. If the guest dialed 1727, it would not use this pricing table entry because the digits dialed start with 1727 instead of just 727.

If some calls to the 727 area code are long distance and some are local but the guest does not have to dial 1, you would then have to setup area code + prefix dialing entries into the pricing table.

727654         setup as local

727655         setup as local

727676         setup as local

727            setup as long distance

In the above example, all calls with a 654, 655 and 676 prefix would be charged a local rate and all others would be charged a long distance rate.

It is recommended to monitor the first month's phone bill with a selected number of paid phone calls and adjust the charge table accordingly.

You can set an additional markup percentage in the configuration screen under the Accounts Tab. An example would be to markup the international calls an additional 10% higher making it 22% over average business rates. It is recommended to increase the international calling percentage 10% higher in order to cover additional taxes and profit.

International Code/Dialing

The country code for most countries comes defaulted in the EPI pricing table along with the pricing for regular daytime rates.

International Access Code - 011 defaults as the international access code. To change the code, enter the new access code and click on Auto-correct Pricing Table. This will change the digits dialed for all international calls from 011 to the digits entered. A prompt screen will appear to confirm making the change.

Add Description to Voucher on International Calls - When checked, the description(country name) will print in the voucher field of the guest folio for any international calls made.