Restriction Configuration

Use Restriction Configuration if your Selling SystemsClosed Any distribution system, like a PMS, CRS or a Channel Manager, that is used to sell your transient guest room inventory. Ideally, G3 RMS sends all controls to your selling systems, but this may vary based on their capabilities. For some integrations, the selling systems may not include the reservation system that provides with data. can't use the Last Room Value (LRV) to decide if a yieldable rate is available for a given stay pattern. Examples include: 

In these cases, G3 RMS needs to translate the LRV into Minimum Length of Stay (MinLOS) or Full Pattern Length of Stay (FPLOS) restrictions. And to do that, the system needs to know the value of your yieldable rate codes. Use Restriction Setup to add this information if the Reservation SystemClosed The primary reservation system, like a PMS or CRS, that provides data to G3 RMS. The data from that one system is used by the RMS to forecast, optimize and produce controls. The controls are sent to all selling systems, which for some integrations may exclude the reservation system. doesn't send the rate codes and their rate details to G3 RMS. Or use Mass Restriction to set this up with an Excel workbook.

If your reservation system allows you to import rate codes and their values automatically, verify and edit the import. For example, rate codes that are derived off other rate codes in your reservation system don't import at all or don't import as derived. Enter or edit them manually in Restriction Setup.

What Help Do You Need with Configuring Restrictions?

See an Overview Video

Setup Steps

The setup consists of two steps: first, add Rate Headers (or rate plans), then add values and seasons for each rate in the Rate Details tab.

Adding Rate Plans

If you choose to use Mass Restriction Setup to set up restrictions using an Excel workbook, click the Mass Restriction Configuration link. See Mass Restriction Setup for steps and considerations.

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
    The Rate Header tab displays.
  2. Click the add icon .
  3. Enter a Name for the rate plan. If you want to automate delivery of these restrictions, the name must match the rate code or rate category in the selling system.
  4. Enter a Description.
  5. Select a Start Date using the calendar icon. The Start Date must be greater than or equal to the System Date.
  6. Select an End Date using the calendar icon. The End Date must be greater than the System Date and cannot be earlier than the Start Date.
  7. Select the Do Not Generate Restrictions checkbox for rate codes for which you don't want G3 RMS to prepare and send restrictions. Selected rate codes also don't display in the Restriction Report. Only use this option for rate codes that were imported automatically. If you have to load your rate codes manually, there is no need to add rate codes that you can't restrict.
  8. Select the Type as a fixed value or an offset from the BAR decision. This selection applies to all room types and days of the week for the rate plan:
    • Fixed: The rate is a fixed value for all dates.
    • Derived: The rate is an increase or decrease off the BAR decision for all dates:
      • Value: The rate is a fixed value off the BAR decision. For example, if the BAR decision is 100 and the Value offset is -20, the derived rate plan is 80. If the Value offset is 20, the derived rate plan is 120.
      • Percentage: The rate is a percentage value off the BAR decision. For example, if the BAR decision is 200 and the Percentage offset is -10, the derived rate plan is 180. If the Percentage offset is 10, the derived rate plan is 220.
  9. Select the Ignore PMS/CRS Updates checkbox if you want G3 RMS to ignore updates to the rate code that are sent by the PMS or CRS. Some of our clients select this option because they use Mass Restriction Setup to load all rates into G3 RMS and don't want PMS/CRS updates to overwrite those values.

If you select Ignore PMS/CRS Updates, you take control of the rate code setup and must keep it up to date when changes are made in the PMS/CRS.

  1. Click the save icon .
  2. Continue adding rate plans until all required plans are represented. Select the Apply first Rate Header Start and End Date checkbox to apply the same date range as the first Rate Header to all new rate plans.

Editing Rate Plans

You can only change the dates for which a rate plan is defined if the changes meet certain criteria. If the Start Date is in the past, then only the End Date can be edited. If seasons are defined for the rate plan in Rate Details, the Start Date cannot be changed to be later than the earliest Start Date in its seasons. The End Date cannot be changed to be earlier than the latest End Date in its seasons.

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
    The Rate Headers tab displays.
  2. Click the edit icon for the Rate Header to be edited.
  3. Edit the Name, if needed.
  4. Edit the Description, if needed.
  5. Edit the Start Date and End Date, considering the criteria listed above.
  6. Select the Do Not Generate Restrictions checkbox for rate codes for which you don't want G3 RMS to prepare and send restrictions. Selected rate codes also don't display in the Restriction Report.
  7. Edit the Type, if needed, considering that G3 RMS removes the Rate Details for all future seasons when you change the Type. If you change the Type (Fixed or Derived) for an existing rate plan, G3 RMS removes the Rate Details for all future seasons.
  8. Click the save icon .

Deleting Rate Plans

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
    The Rate Headers tab displays.
  2. Click the delete icon for the Rate Header to be deleted. Rate Plans with a Start and End Date in the past can't be deleted.
  3. Click OK in the confirmation window.

Setting Up Rate Details

  • You must enter rates for at least one Room Type in a season.
  • The dates for seasons within Rate Details must fall within the dates defined by the Rate Header.
  • Seasonal dates can't overlap. If you add a new season with dates that overlap an existing season, the new season takes over the existing one. G3 RMS adjusts the dates of the existing season to accommodate the new season, following these rules:
    • When the new season falls within the date range of an existing season, the existing season is split into two seasons. The new season falls in the middle, and date ranges are adjusted accordingly. The rates by room type for the split season are maintained.
    • When the Start Date of a new season is set to include dates at the end of an existing season, the existing season is adjusted to end on the date prior to the Start Date of the new season.
    • When a new season includes all the dates of an existing season, the new season replaces the existing season.
  • Where gaps exist in the dates between seasons, the gap is considered a season with an undefined rate.
  • To view the rates in past seasons, select the Past checkbox.
  • To view the rates for discontinued room types, select the Include Discontinued Room Types checkbox. Discontinued room types display with a null symbol Ø.

Adding Rate Details

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
  2. Click the Rate Details tab.
  3. Click the open icon before the Name.
  4. Choose a method for adding seasonal rates:
    1. Copy all future seasons and offset the rates from another rate. This option is available only for rates without any seasons and when at least one other rate with a season and shared dates exists:
      1. Select the Offset from checkbox.
      2. Select a rate from the menu.
      3. Enter a positive or negative value to adjust the rates of the copied seasons.
      4. Click Apply. The new season displays with the copied dates and rates adjusted with the offset value.
      5. Click the open icon for the season to view and edit the populated rates for each room type and day of the week, as needed.
    1. Copy another season from the same rate. This option is available only when at least one season already exists in the rate.
      1. Click the add icon .
      2. Select a Start Date and End Date using the calendar icons.
      3. Select the Offset from checkbox.
      4. Select a season from the menu.
      5. Enter a positive or negative value to adjust the rates of the copied season.
      6. Click Apply. The new season displays, with copied rates adjusted with the offset value.
      7. Click the open icon for the season to view and edit the populated rates for each room type and day of the week, as needed.
    2. Enter a new season:
      1. Click the add icon .
      2. Select a Start Date and End Date using the calendar icons.
      3. Add values to the season, depending on the type of rate:
        • Fixed:
          1. Enter a rate in the first field following a room type. The rate displays for all days of the week for that room type.
          2. Continue to add rates as needed for other room types.
        •  Derived: 
          1. Enter the Offset value for the season. The offset is either a value or a percentage off the BAR decision, depending on your Derived setting in the Rate Headers tab.
          2. Click Apply. The value populates all room types and days of the week.
          3. Edit the populated offsets for each room type and day of the week, as needed.
  5. Continue to add seasons, as needed.
  6. Click Save.

Editing Rate Details

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
  2. Click the Rate Details tab.
  3. Click the open icon for the season to edit.
  4. Edit the rates by room type and day of the week, as needed.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. Click Save.

Deleting Rate Details

  1. Click , then Decisions, and then Restrictions.
  2. Click the Rate Details tab.
  3. Click the open icon for the season to delete.
  4. Click Delete and then Yes to confirm the deletion. The season is marked with a remove icon X. Note that Rate Details with a Start and End Date in the past can't be deleted.
  5. Click Save.

Best Practices

Determine If You Need to Set up Restrictions

You know all the selling systems and channels that you work with. IDeaS knows how to integrate them with G3 RMS. Therefore, as part of the sales and implementation process, we ask you for a list of your selling systems. Based on that list, your IDeaS contact tells you what setup you need to complete in G3 RMS and your selling system.

If you do not complete the setup for a selling system, or if you add or change a selling system without informing IDeaS, that selling system cannot receive controls from G3 RMS. Its pricing and availability of yieldable rates might be out of parity with your other channels. If you are unsure about how controls from G3 RMS are implemented in one of your selling systems, please contact your distribution partner.

Set up Yieldable Rate Code Values Correctly

Some selling systems allow you to add yieldable costs and values (also referred to as Hurdle Rate Adjustments) to rates for adjusting the value at which the rate is yielded. For example, a $200 package may include $100 of costs for non-hotel items like tickets or limo, so for yielding purposes, you might want the rate value to be only $100, not $200.

Yieldable costs and values allow you to achieve this in a reservation system, like your PMS or CRS. However, many reservation systems don't provide this information to G3 RMS. Therefore, set up the yieldable rate code values so that they represent the value that you want LRV to control.

Examples

  • Refer to the above example of the package that includes $100 in tickets. If the total value is fixed at $200, then set up the rate only at the value of the pure room revenue or the value at which you wish to yield the rate, so $100 in this case.
  • If you have a corporate rate that is 15% off BAR that must remain available as long as BAR is available due to an LRA (Last Room Availability) commitment, set up it with a 0% offset.
  • In a resort or casino property, you might offer a discounted rate to those guests that spend the most on other revenues like gambling, spa or golf. Load the rate as derived off BAR with a value that represents the additional value that those guests spend above the average guest that pays BAR.
  • Review the LOS1 BAR Bed and Breakfast Rate and LOS1 Tax Included examples below. .

Only Set up Rates Unique to Channels That Can't Accept LRV

Only set up rates that are unique to those channels that can't accept LRV. For example, you have an Advanced Purchase rate that you sell both on your direct channels and on OTA channels. Your direct channels accept LRV, but the OTA channels don't. In this case, we recommend that you create two separate rates, one for direct and one for OTA channels.

This is because the selling system for your direct channels checks for restrictions like MinLOS and FPLOS before it checks for LRV. And if MinLOS or FPLOS prevent the sale of the rate, the LRV is never checked. But you want selling systems to check for LRV because it is the better, more flexible restriction. And if you have two separate Advanced Purchase rates, the direct channel continues to use the more flexible LRV restriction. Only the OTA channels use the MinLOS or FPLOS restrictions, since this is all they can accept.

Only Set up the Necessary Room Types

You might have rates that you sell only for some room types but not for others. For example, you have a derived corporate rate for which you do not sell your Suite room types. In this case, leave the Suite room type fields blank, and G3 RMS will not produce any restrictions for the room type.

Manage Rate Fences in Your Selling System

For example, you have a promotional rate that requires a minimum length of stay (MinLOS) of three nights. If the LRV is zero or below the value of the rate, G3 RMS doesn't create a restriction for this rate. To ensure that the rate isn't available for a one-night stay, set up the MinLOS fence in your selling systems. The set up varies by system, it can be either in the setup of the rate itself (for example in the Rate Header) or as a restriction on the rate code level (G3 RMS applies its restrictions at the rate code by room type level).

Use the Restriction Report to Manually Control Rate Availability

G3 RMS can include the FPLOSClosed Restrictions that determine if a rate is open for an arrival date and length of stay. See the scenarios in the Restriction Configuration topic for examples. or MinLOSClosed Restrictions that prevent the guest from booking a stay shorter than the numer of days selected. See the scenarios in the Restriction Configuration topic for examples. restrictions in the automated decision uploads, if your selling systems support that. Otherwise, use the Restriction Report to implement the restrictions manually. See the Restriction Report to view the MinLOS or FPLOS restrictions that G3 RMS generates.

Contact IDeaS for Questions

Managing the distribution of your rates and availability in all your selling systems is complex. Some systems can accept and translate LRV, which enables them to distribute to other selling systems that don't accept LRV directly. In such a case G3 RMS doesn't need to deliver restrictions in addition to the LRV. In other cases, MinLOS or FPLOS need to replace LRV entirely. Contact your IDeaS representative if you have questions about how G3 RMS delivers controls. Consult with your IDeaS and selling system contacts regarding distribution requirements.

Set the Values for Linked Products in Pricing Setup

Use the Restrictions tab in linked products setup to define the rate codes for which G3 RMS should use the value from Pricing instead of from Restriction Setup. This avoids defining the value of linked products twice, in Restriction and Pricing setup. After you select rate codes in the Restrictions tab of Pricing setup for linked products, you define their value in Pricing setup for linked products, not in Restrictions setup. The selected rate codes display in Restrictions setup in a new tab, Product Restrictions. You can use the tab to:

  • View the rate codes that you selected in the Restrictions tab of linked products setup.
  • Select the Do Not Generate Restrictions box if you don't want G3 RMS to send restrictions for a rate code.
  • Click the product name to open linked product setup.

Scenarios for Calculations

The calculation for converting LRV to restrictions varies by product type and whether you selected MinLOS or FPLOS restrictions, but the process is the same. G3 RMS compares the LRV against the value of the yieldable rate (as defined in Restriction setup), by room type, day of week and, if applicable, by season. If the LRV is larger, it produces a restriction that indicates that the rate or rate category is not available for a given arrival and stay pattern and room type.

Note: G3 RMS doesn't translate LRV into more restrictive controls like Closed to Arrival (CTA) or Closed (for all stay-throughs).

In all the following examples, BAR refers to your primary priced product.

MinLOS Restrictions

For all examples, the values in the table are for an arrival on Thursday, April 1 for a Standard King room type. The first and second example are for a rate query for a 1-night stay and for a U.S. property, meaning it sells rooms excluding tax. Therefore, the examples do not consider tax deductions – all revenue is attributed to room revenue.

LOS1 – Simple Example

Pricing Decision (Room Only) LRV Corporate Rate
Details		 Rate Availability
$120 $100 CORPF99 is a fixed rate of $99.00, room only Not available for a 1-night stay – LRV is greater than CORPF99. If you selected MinLOS restrictions, G3 RMS produces a 2-night Minimum Length of Stay restriction.
$120 $100 CORPL10 is a room only rate that is 10% off BAR = $108 CORPL10 is available for a 1-night stay because its value is greater than LRV. G3 RMS produces a MinLOS1 restriction.

LOS 1 BAR Bed and Breakfast Rate

In this example, we only use the 10% off BAR derived version of the above example. The main difference is that both the BAR price point and the corporate rate include breakfast, which is valued at $20.

Remember that for yielding purposes G3 RMS compares only the room revenue value against the LRV. The room revenue for a derived rate is calculated based on the BAR decision, which in turn uses the set up BAR values that exclude breakfast (and, if applicable, taxes).

Pricing Decision (Room Only) LRV Bed and Breakfast Corporate Rate (CORPLB10)
Calculation Details 		Rate Availability
$100 $89

PMS/CRS calculation for selling purposes:

BAR Bed and Breakfast: room only rate $100 + $20 breakfast supplement = $120

Minus 10% discount = $108

For the pure room revenue value deduct the $20 breakfast = $88.

G3 RMS calculation for yielding purposes:

Uses the $100 room revenue value for the BAR bed and breakfast as basis. CORPLB10 is set up as 10% off. Therefore, 10% off $100 = $90 room revenue value.

Available for a 1-night stay. The $90 room revenue for CORPLB10 is more than the LRV. MinLOS1 restriction.

The true room revenue value is $88, not $90, and that $88 would not have been available. Therefore, in order to have G3 RMS yield at the $88 value, you must set up CORPLB10 at 12% off BAR in Restriction Setup: 12% off $100 = $88.

LOS1 Tax Included

The next example is a 1-night stay when your property uses tax-inclusive pricing. In this example, the tax is 20%, and BAR and CORPL20 do not include breakfast. Instead of a percentage, the corporate rate is a fixed $20 off BAR.

Pricing Decision LRV Corporate Rate (CORPL10)
Calculation Details 		Rate Availability
$100 $82

G3 RMS calculation for yielding purposes:

Uses the $100 gross room revenue for BAR as basis.

CORPL20 is set up as $20 off, therefore = $80 room revenue value.

Not available for a 1-night stay. The $80 room revenue for CORPLB20 is less than the LRV. MinLOS2 restriction.

LOS - BAR by LOS

If you book a multiple night stay, there are slight differences by BAR type. In both examples, we use a 3-night stay for arriving on Thursday, and the property sells exclusive of tax. Both examples also illustrate restriction calculation for a derived rate with different fixed discounts by day of week.

Day of Week LRV Advanced Purchase
Rate AP Setup		 BAR for
LOS3		 Advanced Purchase Rate Value Rate
Availability
Thursday $50 -$15 fixed off BAR $100 100 - 15 = $85 Not available for LOS3. The total LRV of $270 is greater than the total value for AP of $265. MinLOS3 restriction.
Friday $50 -$15 fixed off BAR 100 - 15 = $85
Saturday $170 -$5 fixed off BAR 100 - 5 = $95
Total $270   $265

LOS3 - BAR by Day or Continuous Pricing

Day of Week LRV Advanced
Purchase
Rate AP		 BAR for
LOS3		 Adjusted
Rate		 Rate
Availability
Thursday $50 $15 fixed off BAR $100 100 - 15 = $85 Closed for LOS3. LRV is greater than AP
Friday $50 $15 fixed off BAR 100 - 15 = $85
Saturday $170 $5 fixed off BAR 100 - 5 = $95
Total $270   $265

FPLOS Restrictions

For this example, we look at LOS1 to LOS7 for the same Thursday, April 1 arrival. CORPGOV is a fixed rate: $100 for Monday through Friday and $125 for Saturday and Sunday.

Day of Week LRV CORPGOV
Rate		 Total LRV by LOS
for a
Thursday Arrival 		Total CORPGOV
by LOS for
Thursday Arrival		 FPLOS for Arrival on
April 1
Thursday $90 $100 LOS1: $90 LOS1: $100 O
Friday $120 $100 LOS2: $210 LOS2: $200 X
Saturday $100 $125 LOS3: $310 LOS3: $325 O
Sunday $0 $125 LOS4: $310 LOS4: $450 O
Monday $120 $100 LOS5: $430 LOS5: $550 O
Tuesday $230 $100 LOS6: $660 LOS6: $650 X
Wednesday $200 $100 LOS7: $860 LOS7: $750 X

For each LOS, we add the total LRV and compare it to the total rate value for the same LOS. For example, the total LRV for a 2-night stay is Thursday’s $90 + Friday’s $120 = $210. That total is higher than the total CORPGOV value of $200 ($100 for Thursday and Friday each). Therefore, LOS2 has a X for Closed (O is for Open).