Skip to main content

Letter Editor

The Letter Editor gives you the ability to create letters in roomMaster. To get to the Letter Editor screen, click on Back Office > Letter Editor. Four letter templates are available: Reservation Letters, Guest Profile Letters, Company Letters, and Group Block Letters. The template used to create a letter determines where the letter can be sent from in roomMaster. For example, a letter created using the Guest Profile template can only be printed or emailed from a guest profile, while a Group Letter can only be sent from a group block.

All four letter templates allow you to create Run Time Variables. These are used to give greater flexibility to letters and allow you to create paragraphs inside the letters which only print under certain conditions (rate changes, if a user field is a certain value, etc.). You can also prompt the user for a value at print-time. Click on the links below for how to create Run Time Variables. See Variable Field Names for a list of default variables available to all letter templates. See Special Packages for instructions on adding the special package to confirmation letters.

tip

Click here to learn about letter and image sizes before creating your letters!

HTML versus RTF Letter Editor

roomMaster has two types of letters: HTML, which is mostly for web/email/advanced printing, and RTF, mostly for printing with limited web/email capability. The functionality for RTF is in roomMaster simply for backwards compatibility with old confirmation letters and clients from previous versions. When starting a new confirmation letter, it is recommended to use HTML rather than RTF for greater flexibility and better email.

For more information about creating HTML letters, please see HTML/Web Mail.

Reservation Letters

The Reservation Letter template has two different letter types:

Reservation Letters​

Letters sent to a guest confirming the details of their reservation. Once a letter is printed, the "Letter Sent On" date field is updated.

Other Letters​

These letters have all the same features as a reservation letter, except when printed, the Letter Sent field is not updated. These letters can include No-Show Letters, Bad (NSF) check letters, or any other type of letter you would send to a guest with a reservation.

Creating a Letter

Open the Letter Editor screen by clicking on Back Office > Letter Editor. After selecting a Template Type and Letter Type, press Insert to create a new letter. Select a Letter Format:

HTML/Web Mail - This is the default format and allows you greater flexibility for formatting and emphasizing the information contained in the letter. It also allows pictures to be included. See HTML/Web Mail for more information.

Rich Text - This format allows only simple formatting and font changes.

Enter a Description of the letter. This will be what appears in the letter pick list for editing and when printing, faxing, or emailing the letter. Type the letter as you normally would. Use the pull-down list box to select and enter any RunTime Variables as well. Use the HTML/Web Mail or Rich Text formatting options, depending on the letter format, to create the letter. Be sure to use a font (or fonts) that are installed on all workstations which will be printing the confirmation letter.

See Letter Options for information on restricting the dates a letter is available.

Creating Run Time Variables

Run Time Variables are only available in the template where they were created, i.e. a variable created for Confirmation Letters is not available for Company/City Ledger letters.

Run Time Variables - Conditional​

A Conditional run time variable allows you to enter a condition and two different results, depending on whether the condition is true or false, when printing the confirmation letter.

Example of only a true paragraph: If the guest's user field indicates they have a pet, print a paragraph indicating all the hotel rules about pets, otherwise print no paragraph. (This example is assuming you use UserField 1 as Pets with a value of Y or N)

  1. Select Run Time Variables and press Insert
  2. Select Conditional (If/Then)
  3. FieldName, enter "PETS"
  4. Description, enter "Information for Guests with Pets"
  5. Press Build and the Query Wizard will appear for you to enter a selection statement. Select UserField1, and then "Equal To" and then Y.
  6. Press Change Conditional Value if True and enter "You have indicated you will be bringing a pet. We only allow pets under 20 pounds and pets cannot be left in the car during the day or night. Please also remember to bring a leash."
  7. Press Save.
  8. Use the Format drop down box to select a format for a variable, then press OK.
  9. Select or add PETS anyplace in your confirmation letter.

(See below for more information on using internal calculated fields in your runtime variables)

Example of true and false paragraphs: If the reservation has a checkin date between 12/30/10 and 1/1/2011, print a message indicating that you need a two week cancellation notice, otherwise print a paragraph indicating there is a three day cancellation notice required.

  1. Select Run Time variables and press Insert
  2. Select Conditional (If/Then)
  3. FieldName, enter "CANCELNOTE"
  4. Description, enter "Cancellation Notice"
  5. Press Build and the Query Wizard will appear for you to enter a selection statement. Select CheckIn Date, then Equal to or Greater than and then 12/30/2010. And another "AND" selection for CheckIn Date is less than or equal to 1/1/2011
  6. For True Value, Press Change Conditional Value if True and enter "two weeks"
  7. For False Value, Change Conditional Value if False and enter "3 days"
  8. Press Save
  9. Use the Format drop down box to select a format for a variable, then press OK.
  10. In the confirmation letter, enter the following: "You must call the hotel and give CANCELNOTE cancellation notice prior to checkin to receive a full refund."

Format Options​

There are three format options for Conditional variables, but not all formats work with all letters:

Format as Plain Text (Recommended) - A conditional variable with this option will work with both HTML/Web Mail and Rich Text Format letters. Use this option to display simple, unformatted text, like the name of a room or a rate amount.

Format for HTML Letters Only - A conditional variable with this option will only work in HTML/Web Mail letters. However, all the advantages of using an HTML/Web Mail letter are included in the variable. For example, if you create runtime variables for room types, you can include a different picture for each room type in the variable. Run Time variables formatted for HTML are available for HTML letters only. They are not available in RTF letters.

Format for RichText (RTF) Letters Only - A conditional variable with this option will only work with Rich Text Letters and only contains simple formatting and font options. Run Time variables formatted for RTF are available for RTF letters only. They are not available in HTML letters.

Click here for more information on Converting Rich Text variables to HTML Variables

Letter Type/RunTime Variable Format Error

If you mix and match the Format Option with the letter type (i.e. Using a RichText Runtime variable in an HTML confirmation letter), you will most likely see this error: ''' Internet Explorer Script Error: An error has occurred in the script on this page. Line: xxx Char: 1 Error: 'dialogArguments.__IE_PrintType' is null or not object Code: 0 URL: res://ieframe.dll/preview.js '''

Run Time Variables - Prompt for Value​

There may be instances where the user needs to enter a special word, phrase or paragraph when the confirmation letter actually prints. A example would be the Amount of the Bounced Check or a special message specific to the guests stay.

  1. Select Run Time Variables and press Insert
  2. Click on Prompt for Value
  3. FieldName, enter "CHECKAMT"
  4. For description, enter "Check Amount for Bounced Check"
  5. Enter a message to appear to the user printing the letter. For example, "Enter amount of bounced check"
  6. Press OK
  7. Next, in the confirmation letter, enter the following: "The check in the amount of CHECKAMT has been returned to us." When the confirmation letter prints, the user is prompted to enter the amount.

Run Time Variable - Calculation/Formula​

Calculation Formulas allow you to create a mathematical equation to place inside the confirmation letter which could use both fields in the reservation database as well as date, time and other functions. An example would be to create a deposit due date which is 15 days after reservation entry date or a cancellation date which is 3 days prior to checkin. Instead of putting in your letter "You must cancel 3 days prior to checkin", you can have the letter print "You must cancel before December 27, 2010".

To create a formula, it must be a valid roomMaster statement with valid fields in the database. Use the wizard builder to help you create one or you can use the advanced button to type it yourself.

A calculation for 30 days prior to checkin would be "RES:CHECKIN - 30" or a calculation of 15 days after reservation entry date would be "res:entrydate + 15"

Possible Arithmetic Expressions are + for addition, - for subtraction, * for multiplication, / for division.

Note: The roomMaster system stores dates as the number of days that have elapsed since December 28, 1800. This standard allows the system to never be concerned with century turnovers and allows you to create calculations very easily. The only modification that needs to be made when using dates and times in the letter is that you must FORMAT the answer to display it in readable terms.

For more information on Clarion Syntax and valid Formatting functions, click here.

The Type column on the RunTime Variable browse screen displays what type of variable each is. For Conditional (If/Then) variables, the format, HTML, RTF(RichText), or Plain Text, is also displayed.