FRONT OFFICE GLOSSARY OF 3RD SEMESTER

1.      Account – a form on which financial data are accumulated and summarized.

2.      Account balance- a summary of an account in terms of its resulting monetary amount, specifically the difference between the total debits and total credits to an account.

3.      Account aging- a method for tracking past due accounts according to the date the charges originated.

4.       Allowance voucher- a voucher used to support an account allowance.

5.      Bucket check- the night auditor’s check of room rate postings on guest folios against the housekeeping department’s report of occupied rooms and the registration cards in the file. This procedure helps ensure that rates have been posted for all occupied rooms and helps reduce the occupancy errors caused when front desk agents do not properly complete check in and checkout procedure.

6.       Cash advance voucher- a voucher used to support cash flow out of the hotel either directly to, or on behalf of a guest.

7.      Cash bank- an amount of money given to a cashier at the start of a work shift so that he or she can handle the various transactions that occur. The cashier is responsible for this cash bank and for all cash, checks and other negotiable items received during the work shift.

8.      Cash voucher- a voucher used to support a cash payment transaction at the front desk.

9.      Charge voucher - a voucher used to support a charge purchase transaction that takes place somewhere other than the front desk.

10.  City ledger-   the collection of all non-guest accounts, including house accounts and unsettled departed guest accounts.

11.  Daily transcript- a detailed report of all guest accounts that indicates each charge transactions affecting a guest account for the day used as worksheet to detect possible posting errors.

12.  Delinquent account- a city ledger account that has not been steeled within a reasonable collection period, usually 90 days.

13.  Correction voucher- a voucher used to support the correction of a posting error that is rectified before the close of business on the day the error was made.

14.  Due back- a situation that occurs when a cashier pays out more than he or she receives, the difference is due back to the cashiers’ cash bank. In the front office, due back usually occur when a cashier accepts so many checks and large bulls during a shift that he or she cannot restore the initial banks at the end of the shift without using the checks or large bills.

15.  Employee folio- a folio used to chart transactions on an account assigned to an employee with charge purchase privileges at the hotel.

16.  End of day or date roll- an arbitrary stopping for the business day.

17.  Floor limit- a limit assigned to hotels by credit card companies indicating the maximum amount in credit card charges the hotel is permitted to accept from a card member without special authorization.

18.  Folio- a statement of all transactions affecting the balance of a single account.

19.  Front office accounting formula- previous balance + debits-credits= net outstanding balance.

20.  Guest account- records the financial transaction that occurs between a guest and the hotel.

21.   Guest folio- a form (paper or electronic) used to chart transaction on an account assigned to an individual person or guest room.

22.  Guest ledger- the set of accounts for all guest currently registered at the hotel also call the front office ledger transient ledger, or room’s ledger.

23.  High balance account- an account that has reached or exceeded a predetermined credit limit typically identified by the night auditor, also called a high risk account.

24.  House limit- accredit limit established by the hotel.

25.   In balance- a term describing the state of accounts when the totals of debits amounts and credit amounts are equal.

26.  Late charge-  a charge posted to a  guest account after the guest has settled the account and departed the hotel.

27.  Ledger- a grouping of accounts.

28.   Master folio- a folio used to chart transactions on an account assigned t more than one person or guest room. Master folios are usually reserved for group account.

29.  Net cash receipts- the amount of cash and checks in the cashier’s drawer, minus the amount of the initial cash bank.

30.  Non – guest account- an account created to track the financial transaction o 1) a local business or agency with charge privileges at the hotel 2) a group sponsoring a meeting at the hotel or 3) a former guest with an outstanding account balance.

31.  Non- guest folio- a folio used to chart transaction on an account assigned to 1) a local business or agency with charge privileges at the hotel 2) a group sponsoring a meeting at the hotel or 3) a former guest with an outstanding account balance.

32.  No show report-   this report is  for the benefit of the accounts receivable department. The verification of who had a guaranteed reservation and did not show up will assist the determining who needs to be billed.

33.  Overages- an imbalance that occurs when the total of cash and checks in a cash register drawer is greater than the initial banks plus net cash receipts.

34.  Out of balance- a term describing the state of accounts when the totals of debits amounts and credit amounts do not equal.

 

35.  Paid in advance (PIA)-  a guest who pays his or her room charges in cash during registration. PIA guest are often denied in house credit.

36.  Paid out- cash disbursed by the hotel on behalf of a guest and charged to the guest’s account as a cash advance.

37.  Posting- the process of recording transaction on a guest folio.

38.  Room status report- a report that allows front desk agents to identify vacant and ready rooms typically prepared as part of the front office audit.

39.  Room variance report- a report listing any discrepancies between front desks and housekeeping room status.

40.  Self check out terminal- an automated system usually located in the lobby, that allows the guest to review his or her folio and settle the account using the credit or debit card authorized at check in.

41.  Shortage- an imbalance that occurs when the total of cash and checks in a cash register drawer is less than the initial bank plus net cash receipts.

42.  Skipper- a guest who has left a hotel and has intentionally not settled his or her account.

43.  Supplement transcript- a detailed report of all non guest accounts that indicates each charge transaction that affected a non guest account that day, used as a worksheet to detect posting errors.

44.  System update- a fully automate audit routine that accomplishes many of the same functions as a non- computerized front office audit, daily system updates enables file reorganization, system maintenance and report production, and provide and end if day time frame.

45.  Transfer voucher- a voucher used to support a reduction in balance in one folio and an equal increase in balance on another, used for transfers between guest accounts and for transfer from guest accounts to non- guest accounts when they are settled by the use of credit cards.

46.  Trial balance- the process of balancing front office accounts with transaction information by department before the final balance is determined and the hotel day is closed.

47.   Voucher- a document detailing a transaction to be posted to a front office account, used to communicate information from a point of sale to the front office.

48.  Zeroing out- settling a folio account balance in full as the guest checks out.