1. User Guide
  2. Administration
  3. Interfaces Administration
  4. Enhanced Room Key Generation

Enhanced Room Key Generation

Room key generation enables you to create guest room keys before guests arrive and to configure default settings to streamline the key creation process and reduce manual input errors.

Use the room key validation, expiry, and additional rooms controls in conjunction with a third-party Door Lock System (DLS) to:

  • Define the room key activation start date/time.

  • Check if previous keys were made and for which additional rooms.

  • Limit the number of additional rooms allowed for key creation.

  • Override key options and suppress success notifications when creating keys for multiple reservations.

Parent topic: Interfaces Administration

Customizing the Additional Rooms Field

  1. Go to Miscellaneous - Property Interface Control.
  2. Choose a reservation and click Create Key.
  3. Select the Customize link.
  4. Click the pencil icon next to the Additional Rooms field.
  5. In the Basic tab, select the </> Custom Validator icon next to the Default Value field.
  6. In the Expression Builder screen from the Available Fields search, select the PreviousKeyAdditionalRooms binding:
    (Name) PreviousKeyAdditionalRooms
    (Description) #(bindings.PreviousKeyAdditionalRooms.inputValue)
  7. Click Evaluate, and then click Apply.
  8. Click Save, and then Close Customize.
With this customization, the Additional Rooms field populates with all additional rooms associated with the reservation room when the previous key was created (Previous Keys Made > 0).

After the Additional Rooms functionality is customized, when a new key is created with additional rooms selected, the additional rooms are logged and saved with the main room key information. This is per reservation and room.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation

Customizing the Create Key Screen Additional Rooms Field

You can customize the Additional Rooms field on the Create Key to populate the Additional Rooms field with the room numbers that were selected when a new key is created for that reservation and room number. This applies to duplicate keys (when Previous Keys Made > 0).

Prerequisites/Conditions

  • Allow Multiple Room Selection for Keys check box is selected in the Property Interfaces Configuration for DLS (Door Lock System).

  • OPERA Cloud Task Customize Chain or Customize Property in the General - Access Options.

  • Customization must be on for Property / Hub level — Main Menu – Settings – Customization, select Property/Hub Level.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation

DLS (Door Lock System) Property Interface Setup Options

Administration – Interfaces – Property Interfaces – Property Interfaces

The following are additional setup options for the DLS type property interface for enhanced room key generation on the General Information panel.

  • Send Valid Start Date / Time — When this check box is selected, the Valid Start Date and Valid Start Time fields appear on the Create Key screen and the Room Keys screen. These enable you to set the key activation date and time.

  • Limit Additional Number of Rooms To — When the Allow Multiple Room Selection for Keys check box is selected, the Limit Additional Number of Room To field is available. This field limits the number of additional rooms you can select or manually enter in the Additional Rooms field.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation

Enhanced Room Key Generation Validation Rules by Process

Table 16-13 Enhanced Room Key Generation Validation Rules by Process

Reservation State/Status Valid Start Date Valid Start Time Valid Until Date Valid Until Time

Reserved, Pre-Arrival (before advance check in or before check in)

Reservation arrival date

Default time set in the Key Valid Start Time OPERA Controls Setting

Valid Until Date field defaults to the reservation departure date or the departure date plus the number of days in the OPERA Cloud Control Key Expiry Days setting.

The Valid Until Time field defaults with the time setting that is chosen in the OPERA Cloud Control Default Keys Expiry Time setting.

During advance check in or when the reservation is indicated as Advance Checked In

Current system date

Default time set in the Key Valid Start Time OPERA Controls Setting

Valid Until Date field defaults to the reservation departure date or the departure date plus the number of days in the OPERA Cloud Control Key Expiry Days setting.

The Valid Until Time field defaults with the time setting that is chosen in the OPERA Cloud Control Default Keys Expiry Time setting.

During check in process

Current system date

Current system time

Valid Until Date field defaults to the reservation departure date or the departure date plus the number of days in the OPERA Cloud Control Key Expiry Days setting.

The Valid Until Time field defaults with the time setting that is chosen in the OPERA Cloud Control Default Keys Expiry Time setting.

When reservation is in house

Current system date

Current system time

Valid Until Date field defaults to the reservation departure date or the departure date plus the number of days in the OPERA Cloud Control Key Expiry Days setting.

The Valid Until Time field defaults with the time setting that is chosen in the OPERA Cloud Control Default Keys Expiry Time setting.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation

Enhanced Room Key Generation Impact

The Enhanced Room Key Generation functionality with its related controls and tasks (refer to Enhanced Room Key Generation Prerequisites) impacts the following areas.

Property Interfaces Configuration for DLS

DLS property interface additional configuration setup to support sending room key valid start date and time validation (requires DLS vendor support). Refer to DLS (Door Lock System) Property Interface Setup Options.

  • Send Valid Start Date/Time check box to send the start date and start time for the room key request to the third party DLS vendor.

  • Limit Additional Number of Rooms To field to limit the maximum number (1-999) of additional rooms the key can access. When the Allow Multiple Room Selection for Keys check box is checked, the Limit Additional Number of Room To field is available. This limits the number of additional rooms you can select or manually enter in the Additional Rooms field..

Property Interface Control Screen

  • Additional Search Criteria:

    • Arrival From

    • Arrival To

    • ETA From

    • ETA To

    • Reservation Status

    • Specials

    • Floors

    • Room Features

    • Room Class

    • Confirmation Number/CRS Number

    • Room Status

    • Include Linked Reservations

    • Include Blocks

  • Additional Sort Options:

    • Arrival Date and ETR ascending

    • Arrival Date and ETR descending

Create Key Screen

  • Valid Start Date field (default values):

    • In house: current business date

    • Future reservations: arrival date

  • Valid Start Time field (default values):

    • In house: property system time

    • Future reservations: Key Valid Start Time setting, property system time

  • Previous Keys Made number field:

    • Tracks the number of keys created since the last new key previously made for this specific reservation and room.

    • When there are previous keys made for this reservation and room, the Key Type in the Create Key screen defaults to Duplicate Key.

  • Additional Rooms field with customization to show the room numbers of additional rooms with previous keys made for that reservation. Refer to Customizing the Additional Rooms Field.

  • Number of Keys field defaults to the number of adults on the reservation.

Room Keys Screen

  • New screen when creating keys for multiple reservations.

  • Suppress Key Success Message check box to hide the notification that keys have been successfully created to avoid interruption while in the create key process for multiple reservations.

  • Overriding Associated Key Options check box to override or append the key options (access to specific areas of the property) in the Room Keys screen. Refer to Overriding Associated Key Options.

  • Additional Rooms field with customization to show the room numbers of additional rooms with previous keys made for that reservation. Refer to Customizing the Additional Rooms Field.

Changes Log Screen

Activity Group = Reservation, Activity Type = Keys

  • Details the number of keys created or modified for the primary room number, confirmation number, and the logged in user.

  • Records the additional room numbers selected. These are only logged on the reservation that the primary key was created for, not on the reservations for those additional rooms.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation

Enhanced Room Key Generation Conditions/Assumptions

  • Multiple rooms on one room key and Valid Start Date / Valid Start Time functionality is dependent on the DLS supporting it.

  • When more than one DLS interface is active at the property, each must be configured with unique room numbers and must support the same functionality. The correct encoder/terminal for the DLS must be chosen during the Create Key process.

  • Room key creation functionality shows the room key creation success or failure according to the DLS response.

  • If the DLS doesn’t respond within the timeout value set in the DLS property interface configuration, OPERA Cloud shows a message that the room key creation timed-out. If this occurs, you can retry creating the room key.

Parent topic: Enhanced Room Key Generation