FAQ - Front Office / Cashiering/Folios
What if one operator posts a cash payment and another operator voids or adjusts it?
When this happens, the two operator reports will offset each other:
- The first operator’s report will show a cash payment that was never actually received.
- The second operator’s report will show a refund or adjustment that was never actually refunded in cash.
This creates a mismatch between the physical cash in the drawer and the system totals. To keep records accurate, each operator should report only the amount shown in their System Total when completing their cash-out.
Always communicate with the original operator before voiding or adjusting a cash transaction to prevent discrepancies in both reports.
Why are taxes no longer being charged to long-term reservations that have been staying for almost a month?
Check the tax settings for long-term stays in your system. These settings can be found under Management > Property Settings > Taxes.
How can I quickly print all folios for today’s departures?
Use the Pre-Print Departing Folios tool located under Front Office > Cashiering > Guest Account. Select Pre-Print Departing Folios from the Toolbox.
Can Visual Matrix automatically email folios to guests at checkout?
No, Visual Matrix does not automatically send folios via email upon guest checkout or post-checkout. The feature in Management > Forms is designed to send a Thank You letter, not a folio.
However, the Pre-Print Departing Folios tool does send folios via email under certain conditions:
- Folios are emailed if an email address is on file.
- Folios are printed if no email address is provided.
- Folios remain inactive for guests with rate privacy.
- Express Check-Outs send folios only for zero-balance departures scheduled for the same day.
How can I override a rate?
A rate can be overridden in two areas: the reservation or the folio. However, the user must have the appropriate credentials to make these changes.
If the room charge has already been recorded, any changes or overrides made in the reservation will not automatically update the existing posting. In this case, the charge needs to be voided, and the adjusted rate must be reposted to reflect the correct amount.
I noticed a duplicate 7T transaction, but I only received one payment. Can one of them be removed?
While 7T transactions should never be deleted under normal circumstances—as they serve as the counterbalance for advance deposits moving from the Advance Deposit Ledger to the Guest Ledger—there are rare situations, such as duplicate check-ins, where a 7T may appear twice in error.
In these cases, our support team can review and void one of the duplicate 7T entries if it’s confirmed that only a single payment was received. If you experience this issue more than once, please reach out so we can investigate and help prevent it from happening again.
Can I transfer a credit from a folio to a City Ledger account?
No, not directly. If the folio has a credit balance (meaning there’s more payment than charges), Visual Matrix will not let you use the Direct Bill (DB) function, because there’s nothing to bill—only money to return.
However, you can still move the credit by doing this:
- Void the original payment on the folio.
- Direct Bill the remaining charges (if any) to the City Ledger account.
- Then, repost the payment directly on the City Ledger account instead.
How can I use a credit balance from one folio to pay for a future reservation?
It depends on how the credit was created.
If the payment was made by credit card, the best approach is to refund the credit balance directly to the card used.
If the payment was made by check or another method, you can void the original payment, transfer the balance to a City Ledger account, and post the payment received in the City Ledger account. When a new folio needs to be paid—whether it's for a reservation, group, or event—you can direct bill that folio to the same City Ledger account and apply the credit.
This allows for clean and accurate tracking of funds across folios while ensuring the credit is properly used.
Can I still use a guest's credit card token after check-out?
Yes, credit card token numbers are still available after check-out. A token number is an encrypted version of the credit card number, valid between the PMS and the payment gateway. It is not tied to a specific transaction or time frame outside the normal rules.
If you need to charge a guest after check-out for any reason (such as an adjustment or additional charges), you can still use the token to charge the credit card. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the guest’s folio.
- Post a payment using the credit card option.
- The payment window will appear without a visible card number. Click "View" to see the available cards.
- Select the card to use and click "Use this card."
- Complete the transaction.
If the authorization is approved and the transaction is captured, you are all set. If the transaction is declined, you can contact your credit card processor for a voice authorization to proceed with the charge.
After posting the charge, be sure to close the folio. You will not be able to exit the folio until the balance is at 0. We advise against posting the charge before confirming the payment, in case the payment is declined. This helps avoid the need to void the charge later.
How can I limit the ability of my staff to post refunds?
By default, Visual Matrix is designed so that only users with Supervisor access can post refunds, regardless of the amount. This restriction is managed under Management > User Settings > Security.
Additionally, you can configure a parameter that requires a second Supervisor login for refunds exceeding a specific amount. This extra layer of approval can be set up in Management > Property Settings > Parameters > Financial.
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