We get it – big changes to your favorite apps can be a bit daunting. But we truly believe it was time for a fresh look to improve your experience.
In this update, we’re introducing a redesigned menu structure and an enhanced Setup Wizard. Plus, we’ve teamed up with Channex to help you distribute rooms even more effectively. Read on to see what’s new!
What’s new for hoteliers?
1. New menu categories for easier navigation
The HotelFriend menu has been redesigned with a clear structure, dividing features into logical categories for better navigation.
● Daily Operations includes the tools hotels use every day, such as front desk management, reservations, guest management, orders, housekeeping, employee tasks, and communication.
● Documents contain all reporting and accounting tools, including cash books, so you can easily manage finances and records.
● External Sales covers everything related to selling rooms and services. This includes creating packages in the Arrangements module, setting prices in Room Rates, managing distribution through the Channel Manager, and handling direct bookings.
In the new Direct Sales module under this category, you'll find the Booking Engine, Concierge App, Remote Reception settings, and content management.
● Settings is where you can adjust account preferences, languages, payment methods, room and employee settings, automation, and integrations.
● Other is where you manage your HotelFriend subscription and check contract details.
● Support gives you quick access to the HotelFriend Help Center, where you’ll find guides, instructions, and a Ticket Support window for help when you need it.
2. Improvements to the key modules
📅 Reservations
The Reservations module has been revamped with key reservation settings now easily accessible from the top right button in the module. You’ll find features like Custom Fields for Reservations and options to display the payer as guests, making it simpler to tailor your reservation process.
What changed?
Reservation-related settings have been moved from Settings > General to Reservation Settings, simplifying your ability to customize booking experiences.
👥 Guests
Settings related to guest management have been relocated for better organization. The Guest settings are now conveniently located in the top right corner, making it effortless to access vital information.
What changed?
Guest-related settings have been relocated from Settings to Guest Settings, enabling better management of guest statuses, genders, and custom field libraries.
🏨 In-House
The new In-House module has been created to consolidate various operational aspects into a unified space. You’ll now find Orders, Resources, and Services grouped together, complete with a clear sub-menu structure for easy navigation.
What changed?
Within this new module, the Operations section includes tabs for Orders and Resources Planner.
The Restaurant App links to the HotelFriend POS, allowing efficient management of incoming orders from waiter tablets and to the kitchen.
The Settings section includes settings for Services, Categories, Resource Types, Resources, and Resource Maps.
🧹 Housekeeping
The Housekeeping module has been enhanced for improved management of cleaning schedules. With a renamed Room Overview tab and consolidated settings, housekeeping tasks are now easier to navigate.
What changed?
The Main tab has been renamed to Room Overview, and housekeeping-related settings have moved from Settings to Housekeeping Settings, allowing you to leave comments for your team and enable automation features.
📋 Tasks
Updates to the Tasks module bring a more organized approach to task management. The layout has been refined to enhance usability and foster team collaboration.
What changed?
The Tasks tab has been renamed to Task List, while the Reminders tab is now the Task Planner.
Employee chat has been moved from the Communications module.
A new Files tab has also been added for easy access to essential documents.
💬 Communications
The Communications module has been revamped to improve your messaging experience. With a new sub-menu structure, managing chats, emails, and push notifications is now more intuitive.
What changed?
The sub-menu now includes dedicated tabs for Chats, Emails, and Push Notifications, with automation settings integrated into the module for smoother operations.
💰 Accounting
The Accounting module has been reorganized to make your daily financial management a bit easier for you. The new submenu structure allows for quick access to vital accounting tools.
What changed?
Operations section include the tabs for Guest Invoices, Payments, and Charges, while comprehensive reporting options enhance your financial oversight.
The Reports offer enhanced analytical capabilities with FIBU Reports, GOBD Reports, DATEV Reports, etc, providing exhaustive options for financial oversight and compliance.
The Settings section is now consolidated to streamline your configuration process for the Accounting module with settings which have been moved from Settings > General, Room Rates, and Reports for a more organized and accessible setup.
📊 Reports
The Reports module has received a significant update, making it easier for you to access various types of reports.
What changed?
The module is now structured with sections for Online Reports, Standard Reports, and Reports moved from Settings > Automation, enhancing your ability to analyze key business data.
🏷️ Arrangements
The Arrangements module has a fresh tab structure that simplifies the management of packages and deals. This update enhances the user experience while organizing offers.
What changed?
The Arrangements module now features tabs for Arrangements, Packages, and Reservation Packages, streamlining access to special offers.
📈 Room Rates
The Room Rates module has been updated to enhance the organization of pricing information.
What changed?
The sub-menu now includes the Operations section with the tabs Overview, Room Rates, Dynamic Rates, Seasonal Pricing, and Booking Restrictions, making it easier to manage rates.
The Settings section includes all settings related to Room Rates, such as Meals, Ages, Cleaning fee, Quota tabs.
🌐 Channel Manager
The module Channels has been renamed to Channel Manager and has undergone a transformation with a new tab structure for better organization.
What changed?
The module now includes tabs for Channel Manager Setup (previously called Main) and Logs, improving your ability to manage distribution channels.
💲Direct Sales
Introducing the new Direct Sales module, designed to centralize the management of direct bookings and enhance your booking engine capabilities.
What changed?
The module features a sub-menu with sections for Booking Engine, Concierge App (previously Guest App), Remote Reception Pro (prev. Guest Facing), Remote Reception and Content Management, consolidating tools for optimizing your direct sales.
⚙️ Property
The Settings module has been renamed to Property to improve the organization of account settings, room management, and employee information.
What changed?
The module now includes a distinct sub-menu with General Settings, Rooms, Employees, Automation, and Integrations with a separate Door Locks tab, streamlining your property management tasks.
📄 Contract
The Contract module has been added to enhance your oversight of your HotelFriend subscription details and payment history.
What changed?
The module features sections for Overview, Contract Details, Payment History, and Invoices, allowing you to manage your HotelFriend subscription efficiently.
🫶 Support
The Support module has been revamped to provide easy access to HotelFriend’s Help Center and ticket support.
What changed?
You can now find the link to help articles, videos, and instructions in the Help Center here, along with a convenient ticket support window for submitting your requests.
3. Updated terminology for better clarity
Some sections and features have been renamed for better clarity. Here’s a quick breakdown of the changes to help you recognize the new names at a glance:
- ● Sold Deals tab → Arrangements tab
- ● Deals tab → Packages tab
- ● Guest App → Concierge App
- ● Settings → Property
- ● Guest Facing → Remote Reception Pro
- ● Channels → Channel Manager
- ● Main → Channel Manager Setup
4. Integration with Channex for optimal room distribution
We've introduced an integration with Channex, making it easier to manage room availability, rates, and bookings across multiple platforms. This channel manager automates data updates and ensures seamless synchronization with external booking sites like Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb.
5. Enhanced setup Wizard – your guide to the system
The Wizard is your guided assistant when logging into the system for the first time. It helps you quickly set up essential hotel data, so you can start using the system right away.
Previously available in a simpler form, the Wizard has now been expanded and redesigned to offer a more comprehensive setup experience.
Now, you can add demo data for guests, orders, services, reservations, the booking engine, and the channel manager. You can also set up VAT rates, taxes, meal options, room types, departments, prices, accommodation settings, and cleaning fees, all in one go.
Have any remaining questions about the new menu? Visit our Help Center for detailed guides, or reach out to our support – we’re happy to help!
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