RDP was founded in 1981 to develop Vacation Rental software for Management Companies and Condo-Hotels. Resort Data Processing has many vacation rental companies as customers and years of software experience in the complex world of reservations and owner trust accounting.
RDP was founded in 1981 to develop Condo Hotel software for management of condominium hotels. Resort Data Processing has 20 years experience in the complex world of reservations and owner trust accounting.
Our software for Condominium hotels is designed for managing individually owned homes or condominiums that are rented on a short term or long term basis (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly).
RDP’s software system for condo hotel properties is an affordable software solution. Easy to use features include owner statement and rental revenue reporting, owner calendars, and management of units not in the rental pool. Commission-free reservations can be made directly with the property.
Contact the RDP Sales Department for more information on our software.
RDP is pleased to announce our Mobile Devices capability, designed to improve communication with guests and employees via a wide variety of handheld devices, including mobile phones, smart phones (iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid, etc.) and tablets (iPad, HP Slate, etc).
For more information, see “Mobile Device Overview” and “Reservations using SmartPhone or Tablet with Mobile IRM.”
A wide variety of data flows automatically into the owner statement, as represented by the diagram below. Features include:
Add your general ledger (G/L) account numbers to the RDP chart of accounts. G/L account numbers are assigned to transaction codes. Transactions are posted to reservations, owners, travel agents, groups, work orders, and other RDP system entities. Every transaction creates a balanced entry in the RDP Trust G/L.
Once a day or once a month, the totals for all RDP G/L accounts are automatically transferred to any supported non-RDP accounting system, which then produces the final income statement and balance sheet.
Each managed property is entered into the system. Properties can be made available for any managed rental (short or long term) or non-rental properties. A complete description, pictures, and inventory are available for each room/property, including virtual tours. Lock-off units are allowed.
Owners are assigned to rental units when appropriate. Each owner can be paid a different percentage of any reservation revenue. An owner can own more than one unit, and a unit can be owned by more than one owner. All owner history is retained when units are sold, and 1099’s can be printed for both the old and new owners.
In addition to these features for whole ownership, please see Timeshare System Overview.
Reservations can be made for all units: both owned and not owned. The ownership status of a given unit is transparent to the reservationists. Owners can reserve units and view calendars on the Internet. All charges, deposits, and payments on reservations automatically flow to the owner statement and trust accounting system.
Guest history and reservation history is stored forever based on storage capacity.
See Guest History and Marketing and Guest Rewards Program – Customer Relationship Management.
Owners can reserve their unit for themselves or their guests using the Internet. They can also inquire on their calendar and other information. Optionally, owner referral reservations can also be made by the owner.
Email confirmations and marketing is fully integrated into the owner system. Customizable HTML confirmations can be emailed automatically before or after a guest stay.
Guests can make direct, commission-free reservations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year using the Internet Reservations Module (IRM).
Travel Agent reservations can be made using the Internal RDP reservation system or entered directly on the Internet.
Group reservations can be made using the Internal RDP reservation system or entered directly on the Internet. See Group Reservation and Billing Overview.
The system automatically calculates the rental amount based on the reservation dates, type of unit, number of people and many other factors. Each unit can have different rates. Packages can be created for the guest that include items other than rent such as golf, food or other activities. See Rates and Package Overview.
In addition to calculating the rent amount and package components, the system can calculate other charges such as booking fees, security deposits, travel insurance, cleaning fees, cancellation charges and much more. The system can be configured to pay the owner a share of the rental but not additional package activities or reservation charges.
The system can build a complete guest itinerary for activities and services. Coupons or tickets can be printed and reconciled for each activity. The owner can receive a portion of some of the charges and not others. See Guest Activities and Itinerary.
The system automatically itemizes each reservation on the Owner Statement each month or billing period. All other charges or payments received are included on the statement.
Transactions can be posted to one owner, all owners, or to all owners of a specific unit type. The system immediately updates the owner’s balance due and automatically updates the Trust Accounting System and General Ledger.
Work Orders for rental and non-rental units can be entered from any workstation or by the owner using the Internet. Charges and descriptions for work orders automatically flow to the owner statement. Work order vendors can be paid using the system.
Charges to the guest or owner for Housekeeping are automatically calculated based on unit # and appear on either the guest rental contract or owner statement. Housekeeping scheduling and forecasting is available, as well as tracking payment to outside housekeeping companies.
Bills can be paid for owners such as cable, electric, gas, etc. The system can print checks to the vendors and bill the owners on the owner statement.
Many Crystal reports are available showing reservations, work orders, housekeeping, accounting and much more. See Sample Screens, Sample Reports, and Crystal Reports Overview.
The Owner Statement is created each month. It can be printed and mailed to the owner or emailed. All past owner statements are available for the owner to view or print securely on the Internet. Other owner specific attachments can be included with the emailed statement such as a copy of an invoice, work order notification or utility bill. Checks to owners are printed from the RDP system or can be printed from a third party product. Month-to-date and Year-To-Date totals per owner are available.
Owner 1099 Statements can be printed each year or distributed electronically.
Owner history is maintained forever and is only limited by available disk space. For example, reprint an owner statement from last month, last year or five years ago. All work orders and housekeeping information is available for historical inquiry and on various reports.
When a unit is sold, assign the new owner to the unit while keeping the old owner’s information and history in the system. For example, when a unit is sold on May 31st (mid-year), the system can print 1099 statements for the old owner and the new owner.
RDP software helps equalize rental revenue for all owners and takes into account reservation length, seasons, property type, property location, owner use, guest of owner, and reservation cancellations. Various reports are available to show revenue per unit each month and year-to-date. Available units are displayed in “turn to be rented order” but still allow reservationists to select any available unit based on guest preferences to keep guests happy.
The RDP rental equalization logic is time tested, as it has now been in use for 26 years. Long standing RDP customers have analyzed the results and determined rental revenues fall within a few percentage points for similar units, while still allowing flexibility to select units based on guest preferences.
Increase revenue beyond the management fee with additional reservation charges that are automatically calculated. These fees can be shared with the owner based on a unique percentage per owner or held 100% by the management company. Examples of Additional Reservation charges include:
The system includes an online reservation board (“Tape Chart”). All new reservations, changes, and cancellations made using the internal RDP Reservation system or by guests/owners using the Internet appear immediately on the Tape Chart . Dates, room numbers, and other reservation information can be changed graphically using the Tape Chart.
RDPWin can make reservations for a wide variety of rental units in the same system. For example, its possible to manage rental condominiums, non-rental units, hotel rooms, houses, timeshare units , campsites, and rental boats all in the same system. The reservationists simply make reservations for the various rental units, and the system tracks the owner payment on individually owned units. All features in RDP’s hotel/resort system are available for use to our vacation / condo rental customers.
See Hotel / Resort Feature Overview (all features available to condo/vacation rental customers)
See RDP Timeshare module (more than one owner of each unit)
RDP hosts a customer conference in Vail, Colorado to plan future research and development strategy based on customer feedback. In recent years, the focus has been to answer the question, “How can we use the Internet to make life easier and more profitable for our customers?”. The answer is three-fold:
Guests can book directly into the RDP system using our commission free Internet Reservation Module. See Internet Reservations Module.
In addition to the commission free Internet Reservation Module, RDP offers an interface to the Global Distribution System (GDS) to load reservations from thousands of websites.
RDP’s capabilities for Owner Internet Access are explained below.
The goal of RDP’s Owner Internet access is to identify all requests from owners that generate calls to management and move these functions to the Internet. Owner Internet access capabilities include:
This sample shows the available two-bedroom accommodations from 3/23/1998 to 3/25/1998. Up to nine (9) different search criteria can be configured. The guest can click the “View Calendar” or “View Details” for more information on any one room. This example shows the “View Rates” details.
The sample screen shows the detail of one of the available accommodations. IRM.Net can be configured to show room details in short )as shown in the example above) or to open a browser window and display a configured URL as shown below.
E-mail is one of the most powerful and least expensive marketing tools available and has been fully incorporated into the RDP system at no additional charge. E-mails can be sent to all owners in a matter of minutes with either a hand-typed message or an attachment (such as a Word or Adobe document). E-mail features included:
See Overview of E-mail Marketing for additional information
RDPWin and the Internet Reservation Module (IRM) can automatically send emails to all guests, owners, travel agents and groups who make reservations. These confirmations can be completely customized for the desired information and appearance. Any system report can be sent via e-mail to a person or group in your address book. For example, email the daily managers report to a group of ten managers with just one process.
Email is one of the most powerful and least expensive marketing tools available and has been fully incorporated into the core RDP system at no additional charge. Email features included in the system:
The system is designed for either short-term or long-term rentals or a combination of both. Reservations can range from one day to several years. The reservation process is identical for both, which simplifies training for reservationists. Rooms can be rented both short term and long term or even removed from the rental program for selected periods.
Charge a different management commission based on the length of the reservation. For example, a three-day reservation may have a management commission of 35%, while a six-month reservation may be at only 10%. Additionally, the owner can be paid only once on the three-day reservation and each month on the six-month reservation.
The system can automatically adjust the tax rate based on the length of stay. For example, a three-day reservation may have a 9% tax, while a six-month reservation is non-taxable.
The system supports lock-offs (commonly encountered at condominium and timeshare properties). An example of a lock-off is a three bedroom unit that can be rented as either three one-bedroom units, a two-bedroom and a one-bedroom unit, or a three-bedroom unit. The system calculates rates based on the configuration of the unit. An example follows:
Many of RDP’s customers use the system to manage homes or condominiums that are not in the rental pool. Features include:
RDP software includes much more report writing capability than First Resorts. RDP uses Crystal Reports as the basis for over 300 Reports. During installation, RDP modifies those reports and creates new ones to meet the unique requirements of each customer. After installation, customers can create custom reports or modify system reports using Crystal Reports Version 10 Standard Edition. Crystal Reports is a full Windows product and allows the use of graphics, colors, charts, and fonts that improve the look of all guest correspondence.
Please use the following links for more information:
Key concepts of the Work Orders & Asset Management module include:
The RDP system includes a very powerful housekeeping system which is designed to forecast housekeeping requirements, provide a daily cleaning schedule, and offers complete history by housekeeper and room.
The housekeeping module is designed to forecast the total number of housekeepers needed each day in the future based on current guests in-house and expected arrivals/departures. For example the forecast report may indicate that a total of 124 rooms will be dirty tomorrow for a total cleaning time of 101 hours. The following day shows 214 dirty rooms with a total cleaning time of 194 hours. Use this information to plan the work schedules for housekeepers to make sure there are not too few or too many housekeepers each day. Features include:
Forecast cleans up to 365 days in advance.
Store individual estimated clean times in user-defined tables based on room type and clean type (daily clean, checkout clean, “midweek tidy”, etc.).
Various Crystal Reports are available which can be modified as needed.
Assign different “clean patterns” for each guest. For example, in a condominium rental, one guest can have “checkout only” cleaning while another can purchase “full daily cleaning.”
The housekeeping module can automatically create a cleaning schedule each day for each housekeeper based on the number of dirty rooms, estimated clean time per room, and number of housekeepers. A housekeeping status screen is the core element which tracks each housekeeper and auto-refreshes as rooms are cleaned, inspected, and other tasks are performed. Features include:
The third major element of the housekeeping module is historical reporting. It is possible to measure the performance of each housekeeper by tracking the estimated clean time and actual clean time, as well as variance. You can also track each time a room was cleaned and by whom. For example, if a guest checks in to a dirty room, you can determine which housekeeper erroneously marked the room as clean. Features include:
utomatically using the in-room phone
For more details, see Housekeeping Forecast, Scheduling, and History.
When a guest calls the reservation department at the property or your central reservations office, the reservationist has four choices:
Reservation Quotes, Wait List, and Denial Tracking
Reservation Overview
Yield Management
Internet Reservations
Central Reservations
The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module is designed to track all relationships with guests to improve guest service and marketing. All guest visits are tracked from one or more RDP systems. Points can be awarded for each reservation. The number of points can be different for different seasons, room types, total dollars spent, and other variables. Guests can make reservations by redeeming points. Restrictions can be applied to control when “point reservations” are allowed. A complete history is kept of all point reservations. Mass E-mails can be sent with attachments.
Customer Relationship Management Overview
RDP Guest History System
E-mail Marketing
The Travel Agent and Wholesalers system is completely integrated with the owner billing module. Travel agent commissions are automatically deducted from the owner statement. Various methods for calculating owner portions of the commission are allowed, including:
Travel Agent and Wholesalers Overview
Trust Accounting Overview
In addition to paying for work orders, it is possible to pay bills for owners and guests, such as cable TV, Electric, Gas, etc. The system can print checks to the vendors and bill either the owners on the owner statement or the guest on the reservation folio. The types of bills that can be paid for owners and reservations is as follows:
A work order can pay the vendor who performed the works as well as generate a charge on the owner statement, including an optional mark-up. For example, if “Bob’s TV Repair” fixes the owners TV for $100, you can pay the Vendor $100 and bill the owner $120, all from one screen. Checks can be printed for Vendors.
See Work Order Overview for details.
Accounts can be set up for recurring monthly charges that you pay on behalf of the owner. Examples include cable TV, electric bill, water bill, gas, etc. You can “batch process” the invoices each month from one screen. For example, if you receive 100 different electric bills for 100 owners, the system will display a screen of all 100 accounts and all you have to do is enter the amount for each account#. The system can then pay the electric company for all 100 invoices with one check AND charge each of the 100 owners. All from one screen – see sample below.
See Post Recurring Charges for details.
One time bills can also be paid for owners that are not related to a work order. For example, you may agree to pay an electric bill one time only for an owner.
See Pay Bills for details.
It is also possible to have tasks on reservations, such as “purchase food and stock the refrigerator”, and then charge the reservation and pay the Vendor.
The system automatically transfers gross reservation revenue and the management commission to the owner statement. In addition, transactions can be posted directly to the owner. The total of these charges is then deducted from the net reservation revenue. Charges can be posted to one owner at a time, or the system can automatically post the same charge to all owners. Charges can even be posted to all owners of the same unit type.
Most management companies operate on a monthly owner billing cycle. However, the system can be used for any billing cycle. Owner statements can be printed once a week, once a month, every two months, once a quarter, etc. You can even mix billing cycles, so that one owner is paid once a week, another once a month, and a third only once a quarter.
The system can split room revenue from the same reservation across two or more months. For example, if a reservation arrives 7/25/2008 and departs 8/6/2008, the owner could be paid July’s portion in July and the remainder in August. Alternatively, all of the revenue can be paid to the owner in the month of checkout. Long term rentals can pay the owner at the end of each month.
For properties that pool owner revenue to disburse among owners at the end of the statement period, the RDP system can do this automatically. The Pooled Owner Accounting features take room revenue that is to be paid to owners, pools it together, and splits it among owners based on number of rental nights in the owner’s unit. Not only can room revenue be pooled, but credit card fees and travel agent commissions as well.
The system produces a month-to-date and a year-to-date recap report per owner as part of the owner statement process. This report includes a total of room revenue, management commission, travel agent fees, credit card fees, and a sub-total for each direct expense category.
Owner statements can be reprinted for any past month or billing cycle: forever. For example, if an owner requests a copy of his statement from last March, it can be reprinted in seconds. Owner reservations, management commissions, travel agents fees, and all direct charges can also be instantly displayed for any time period.
The system can generate and print a check for the net amount due the owner each billing cycle. However, if the owner has more expenses than revenue, the system tracks this as an open receivable.
An owner’s check may be held “on account” to offset future expenses. For example, one RDP customer has several owners who live in Mexico. These owners request that management hold their checks during the busy season to offset maintenance expenses during the slow season. These owners are marked as “generate checks=NO” during the busy season, preventing the system from automatically distributing a check each billing cycle.
One of the most important elements of Vacation Rentals and Condominium Hotels is Trust Accounting and General Ledger. The RDP system includes a full trust accounting system, which can be used as the only accounting system or in conjunction with another accounting system. Please see: Overview – RDP Trust Accounting for details.
If the owner statement calculation produces a balance due to the management company, the system creates an owner accounts receivable (A/R). The A/R report is aged at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. This report is available in a “one line per owner” format, or in a detail format showing each open item.
If owners have not paid the amount due, the system can automatically post a late charge. Additionally, the system can print overdue notices, either on paper for mailing or sent to the owners via E-mail.
The system automatically generates IRS 1099 reports at year-end. These reports show total revenue booked for each owner for the calendar year. Year-end reporting on magnetic media is required for larger properties and is available at no charge.
A room move can be performed using RDP’s powerful online Tape Chart. For reservations moving between individually owned units, rental revenue for each owner is automatically calculated. For example, if a guest stays three nights in Room 101 and moves to Room 453 for two additional nights, RDP automatically pays Owner 101 for three days (minus management commission) and Owner 453 for two days.
RDP has integrated yield management with the reservation system. When combined with a careful study of the property’s history and training of employees, yield management can significantly increases occupancy and average daily rate (ADR). Small increases in ADR can drastically increase property profit.
Yield Management Overview
Hotel / Resort Feature Overview (all features available to condo/vacation rental customers)
RDP supports both sharewith folios and one guest with multiple folios. A sharewith occurs when more than one guest is in the room and they wish to split the bill. For example, four guests could stay in a two-bedroom unit, with four different folios. Up to 99 sharewiths can split the charges for one room. One guest can also have multiple folios. For example, the room charges can go to Folio A and incidentals to Folio B. Room charges can be billed to the group master and incidentals for the guest. Please use the following links for more information:
Front Desk and Night Audit Overview
Sample Guest Folio
Group/Company Billing Overview
RDP Owner Accounting Overview
RDP has the option of automatically sending the guest confirmation to the owner of a room when it is booked, in order to inform the owner of reservation activity in their unit. While some properties may find this feature extremely useful, others may not want the owner to know of bookings prior to the guest arrival in case of cancellations or room moves. This feature can be turned on or off based on each property’s need.
The system can automatically adjust the tax rate based on a variety of factors, including:
The system can handle a wide variety of timeshare / interval ownership concepts, including “point based”, fixed week, floating week, quarter-share, eight-share, and a wide variety of other ownership situations. Combinations of these methods are possible, and it is possible to combine timeshare, whole ownership, and hotel rooms in one system. An example follows:
See RDP Timeshare module, where there is more than one owner of each unit.
See Hotel / Resort Feature Overview (all features available to condo/vacation rental customers).
