FAQ - Accounting / Night Audit Process
How Do I Process No-Shows in Visual Matrix?
Visual Matrix offers multiple ways to manage no-shows, depending on your operational preference. Some options are available only in VM Cloud.
When preparing to run Night Audit, you may need to decide how to handle any remaining arrivals that have not checked in. The following options are available:
Option 1: Cancel the Reservation
You may cancel the reservation before running Night Audit.
If the guest arrives after Night Audit has been completed, you can create a new backdated reservation and process charges as normal.
This option removes the reservation from arrivals and does not automatically post a no-show charge.
Option 2: Check In the Reservation During the Pre-Audit Checklist (VM Cloud & VM Desktop)
You may check in the reservation during the Night Audit pre-audit checklist.
When you do this:
- An authorization will be processed if one has not already been completed.
- Room revenue will be posted and tagged as a no-show.
- The reservation remains active and available if the guest arrives late.
- If the guest does not arrive, the reservation can be checked out.
The no-show charge will appear on the Room History report.
If the guest arrives after the audit and the no-show charge is voided and replaced with a standard room charge, the reservation will still be counted as a no-show on the Room History report.
Option 3: Process the Reservation as a No-Show (VM Cloud Only)
VM Cloud users can process a reservation directly as a no-show during Night Audit. This option must be activated in system parameters.
When processed this way:
- The reservation status changes to No Show (without checking the guest in).
- The folio is activated.
- A fee or room charge is automatically posted based on your no-show configuration.
If a full advance deposit was not previously collected, payment must be posted manually. Otherwise, the folio will remain in a no-show status with an outstanding balance, similar to a “checked-out with balance” reservation.
- The reservation can be reactivated after Night Audit if needed.
If a no-show is reactivated after Night Audit, it is no longer considered a no-show and will not appear on the No-Show report.
Which Option Should I Use?
The best method depends on your property’s policies, deposit rules, and reporting preferences. Consider whether you need the reservation to remain available for late arrival, whether automatic no-show fees are required, and how you want the stay reflected in reporting.
I accidentally started the audit; can I revert to the previous date?
Unfortunately, once the audit has started, it cannot be stopped, and the date cannot be changed once the audit is completed. Attempting to do so can cause significant issues, such as creating duplicate audit records. A VM technician will never manually change the audit date to a past date unless it was mistakenly set to the future without any audits being run.
The audit process includes several safeguards to ensure it is only run at the correct time. All departures and arrivals must be completed, and three reports need to be viewed and acknowledged. If the audit is in progress, it means you had no pending departures or arrivals.
To address this, the only option is to backdate any new walk-in reservations. For online reservations, you will need to monitor the Channel Manager reservation page, as those will not be integrated into the PMS if their arrival dates are before the audit date.
My property is seasonal, can we skip audits to the reopening date?
Unfortunately, every situation is unique, so we recommend reaching out to our Client Experience team for more specific guidance.
In general, we strongly advise against skipping audits. Running your audits regularly is important because it helps maintain accurate nightly statistics. If you skip them, you could lose important data, though some of it can be rebuilt. Additionally, skipping past year-end can result in missing end-of-year stats, which could affect comparisons with the previous year.
The audit is still running after 30 minutes, what should I do?
This issue is more common for properties using Visual Matrix Desktop PMS. If the audit is still running after 30 minutes, the best course of action is to wait. Typically, the audit takes between 5 to 10 minutes, but it can take longer depending on the processes being executed and available resources (such as server configuration).
The Night Audit Is Taking Longer Than Usual (Cloud)
Whether you are using Visual Matrix Desktop or Visual Matrix Cloud, the Night Audit process typically takes between 5 and 10 minutes to complete.
However, it is not uncommon for the Night Audit to take longer — and in some cases, significantly longer. The total processing time depends on several factors, including your computer speed, internet connection, the size of your property, the amount of data being consolidated for the day, and system activity occurring in the background as part of the audit process. In some situations, the audit may take up to an hour.
What Should I Do If the Audit Is Still Running?
If no error message has appeared, the first recommendation is to wait. The system may still be processing.
If the audit has not progressed for more than 45 minutes, refresh your browser page. If needed, log out and log back in. After logging back in, verify the following:
- Did the business date change to the next day?
- Has Room & Tax been posted to in-house reservations?
- Has the Night Audit page updated to reflect the next day’s arrivals and departures (including late check-outs and no-shows)?
If you can answer YES to all three questions, the Night Audit has completed successfully. You may proceed to the Reprint Reports page to print or email your Night Audit reports.
You may also report the delay to Visual Matrix Client Experience for documentation purposes.
If you answer NO to any of the questions above, contact Visual Matrix Client Experience and open a support ticket for assistance.
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