FAQ - Accounting / Night Audit
Night Audit Process
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).
Night Audit Reports
Why don’t the same numbers always match across different reports?
Because reports in Visual Matrix are built for different purposes, even when they use similar labels.
Some reports are designed for:
- Performance metrics (ADR, RevPAR, Occupancy)
- Marketing analysis
- Night audit review
- Accounting and financial reconciliation
Even if two reports both display a field called Room Revenue, they may be calculating that number from different perspectives based on what the report is meant to answer.
Does a difference in numbers mean something is wrong?
No.
In most cases, differences are expected and do not indicate missing revenue, posting errors, or data issues.
Common reasons numbers differ include:
- One report includes only nightly room rates, while another includes room-coded fees or adjustments
- One report is focused on taxable revenue, while another shows total posted revenue
- One report is tied to performance metrics, while another is tied to accounting totals
Each report is internally consistent — they just answer different questions.
Why does “Room Revenue” mean different things on different reports?
“Room Revenue” is a general term that can represent:
- Nightly room rate revenue
- Revenue used for ADR and RevPAR
- Revenue attributed to a marketing source
- Total room-coded revenue posted to the ledger
To support these different use cases, Visual Matrix calculates room revenue based on the report’s goal, not a single universal definition.
Which report should I use?
The best report depends on what question you’re trying to answer.
For performance and trends
Use reports designed for metrics, such as:
- Daily Report (Statistical Recap)
- Occupancy and performance summaries
These reports use a consistent room revenue base so ADR, RevPAR, and occupancy trends can be compared accurately over time.
For revenue reconciliation and auditing
Use reports designed for accounting review, such as:
- Daily Report (Detail and GL sections)
- Transaction Logs
- Ledger-based summaries
These reports include all posted activity, including adjustments and room-coded fees.
For marketing analysis
Use the Marketing reports.
These reports focus on:
- Nightly room revenue tied to reservations
- Revenue attributed to booking and referral sources
It intentionally excludes fees or adjustments that are not part of the booking decision.
Why does the Total Rm Rev amount on Page 1 of the Daily Report differ from the Room Revenue shown in the Guest Ledger Detail pages?
Page 1 of the Daily Report is a statistical recap of activity generated during the night audit. The Total Rm Rev shown on this page includes only room revenue that was posted automatically during the audit process.
Total Rm Rev includes:
- Room revenue posted during night audit
- Room revenue posted automatically at check-in (when the auto room charge feature is enabled)
Total Rm Rev does not include:
- Manually posted room charge (RC) codes
- Room revenue posted to out-of-occupancy rooms
- Other items that may be configured as Room Revenue, examples such as: Early check-in fees, Late check-out fees, Extra bed charges, Extra person charges, ...
Where can I see all room revenue?
All room revenue — including manual postings, out-of-occupancy room charges, and additional items configured as Room Revenue — appears in the Guest Ledger Detail section on the following pages of the Daily Report.
Because the Guest Ledger Detail includes all revenue codes associated with Room Revenue, it may show a higher total than the Total Rm Rev displayed on Page 1.
Key Takeaway
- Page 1 reflects room revenue generated by night audit automation.
- Guest Ledger Detail provides the complete picture of all room-related revenue.
Both sections are accurate — they simply serve different reporting purposes.
Why does the room revenue total on the Revenue Tax Summary not match the Total Rm Rev shown on Page 1 of the Daily Report?
These two reports measure room revenue from different perspectives, which is why the totals often do not match.
The Revenue Tax Summary is a financial report. It includes all revenue codes configured as Room Revenue that were posted for the business date — regardless of how or when they were posted.
The Daily Report statistical recap (Page 1) is an operational snapshot. The Total Rm Rev shown there includes only room revenue posted automatically during night audit or at check-in.
What the Revenue Tax Summary includes:
- All revenue codes mapped as Room Revenue
- Manually posted room-related charges
- Room-related items such as: Early check-in fees, Late check-out fees, Extra bed charges, Extra person charges, Room revenue posted to out-of-occupancy rooms
What the Daily Report recap includes:
- Room revenue posted during night audit
- Room revenue posted automatically at check-in (if enabled)
It does not include manually posted room-related charges or other items configured as Room Revenue.
Which total is correct?
Both totals are correct — they simply answer different questions:
Revenue Tax Summary answers: “How much total room-related revenue was posted for the day?”
Daily Report recap answers: “How much room revenue was generated automatically as part of nightly operations?”
Why doesn’t Room Revenue on the Marketing Referral Method report match other reports?
It’s common to notice that Room Revenue on the Marketing Referral Method report does not match the same-named value on reports like the Daily Report or Room & Tax. This difference is expected. Although the label is the same, each report is designed for a different purpose, and the room revenue shown reflects that purpose.
How the reports differ
- The Marketing Referral Method report shows room revenue attributed to the booking source (such as Direct, OTA, or Corporate). It focuses on the room rate associated with the reservation.
- The Room & Tax report shows nightly room charges used for operational review and verification.
- The Daily Report displays room revenue in multiple sections:
- The Statistical Recap (page 1) presents a summarized room revenue figure used for high-level reporting.
- The Guest Ledger section (pages 4–5) shows room revenue as part of total daily room activity, which is typically higher.
Because these reports answer different questions and summarize data at different levels, room revenue totals are not expected to match exactly.
Quick Guide to Resolution
If room revenue totals don’t match across reports, use the steps below.
Identify what you’re reviewing:
- Marketing performance → Marketing Referral Method
- Night audit or room verification → Room & Tax
- Daily revenue activity → Daily Report
Compare like with like:
- Avoid comparing summary totals from one report to detailed totals from another.
Use one report per purpose:
- Each report is internally consistent and accurate for the question it is designed to answer.
How to review Room Revenue differences between reports?
Confirm the comparison being made
- Identify which reports are being compared (for example: Marketing Referral Method vs Daily Report).
- Confirm which section of the Daily Report is being used (Statistical Recap vs Guest Ledger).
This helps ensure you are not comparing a summary value to a detailed total.
Verify room counts match
- Compare the number of occupied rooms across reports.
If room counts align, the revenue difference is typically related to how revenue is summarized, not missing rooms.
Review the Daily Report Guest Ledger
- Navigate to the Room Revenue section in the Guest Ledger (pages 4–5 of the Daily Report).
- This section reflects the full room revenue activity for the day and is generally higher than the Statistical Recap total.
This step confirms that all room revenue has been posted and accounted for.
Review the Room & Tax report for nightly detail
Use the Room & Tax report to validate:
- Nightly room rates
- Which rooms contributed to revenue
This report helps confirm that reservation-level room charges are correct.
Use each report for its intended purpose
- Marketing analysis → Marketing Referral Method
- Night audit and room verification → Room & Tax
- Daily revenue activity and posting → Daily Report
Avoid reconciling totals across reports that serve different purposes.
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