PMS -Char

Owned by Santiago Nanclares (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 05, 2021
3 min read

Modules to Contract: Octopus Guest, Octopus Add-on PMS Integration

 

The PMS Integration module is a functionality especially for hotels which allows access to the network with the user's check-in data (room number and last name), which allows it to be a self-service access and at the same time control access for only guests. Besides being able to perform only the validation during the check-in-check-out dates, the platform is prepared so that different services can be selected and, depending on this, a charge can be made to the room.

The following sections detail the characteristics and configurations of the module.

 

PMS - Requirements Integration

For the integration with the PMS of the hotels, Octopus WiFi has an agreement with the company Char, ensuring a robust and reliable integration with the management software of the hotels, backed by the experience of Char over 25 years developing software in the sector. 

This integration is done with Char's PMSLink product, which is a software that could already be installed by the hotel for other services, or on the contrary that has to be installed from scratch. 

The hotel has installed PMSLink

  • Brand and model of PMS installed on the hotel.

  • Check the PMS has enabled an interface for the Wifi service. It is neccesary to check the protocol and exchanged data. In case this interface is not enabled and it is neccesary to enable it, the hotel would have to make this request to their PMS provider.

  • If the PMS Software is installed locally in the hotel, check:

    • Check it is powered on 24x7x365 days.

    • Confirm that the server or PC has internet access to dump data to external servers.

    • Remote access to the PC is required to update the charging program.

  • In case that PMS Software is installed in the cloud, check the direct data exchange to external servers, or in direct integracion case, Public API availability.

The hotel has not CHAR charging system:

  • Check the PMS is integrated into Char charging system.

  • Check the PMS has enabled an interface for the Wifi service. It is neccesary to check the protocol and exchanged data. In case this interface is not enabled and it is neccesary to enable it, the hotel would have to make this request to their PMS provider.

    • Confirm that exists a server or a Windows PC powered on 24x7x365 days, with TCP/IP connection to the hotel PMS.

    • Confirm that the server or PC has internet access to dump data to external servers.

    • Remote access to the server or PC is necessary for the installation of the charging program on the Windows machine.

  • In case that PMS Software is installed in the cloud, check the direct data exchange to external servers, or in direct integracion case, Public API availability.

 

NOTE: If the hotspot service is paid and you want to make these charges directly to PMS, access from Octopus Wifi to the machine where the PMSLink SW is installed is required. This would require opening a port on the corporate firewall or router (port 8081) from the Public IP provided by Blue Octopus.

 

Technical Description of the Service

For a better understanding, an example of the integration data flow is shown below, taking into account that the PMSLink software is installed in the hotel:

  1. Char Software (PMSLink client installed in the computer Windows on the administration network of the hotel, with PMS conectivity) will send all registered activity to the WIFI platform (check-in, ckeck-out, room number, personal data, etc). In this way all the movements of the guests will be recorded.

  2. When the client connects to the Wifi service and the login page appears, will have to enter the following data:

    1. Room number.

    2. First surname / e-mail / telephone of the client, in whose name the reservation is made. 

  3. When this data is entered, it will be checked with the platform, which will first check if the data is correct.

  4. If the information entered by the user is correct, an associated radius session will be created with a start date at that very moment and an end date on the check-out date registered in the PMS.

NOTE: If there is a charge to be made to the hotel's PMS, the platform will connect to the hotel's PMSLink client through port 8081 and this in turn will interact with the PMS.