Backdating bookings
This topic applies to R42 and higher (released July 2021). If you're on a lower version, see the Backlog and go-live process topic or, even better, contact Support to schedule your complimentary update to the latest version.
Backdating is only for new properties—do not enable this for properties that migrated from another system, or an extract/append from another Amadeus Sales & Catering database.
If you're a new property, one of your first tasks is to enter all future business on the books. To ensure accurate pace and productivity reports, you must record the actual date when those bookings originated (the Booked Date field) and when the booking changed to the current status (Last Status Date field).
Normally those fields default to today and can't be changed. But the corporate administrator can temporarily unlock those fields by putting the property in backdating mode.
Do not stay in backdating mode longer than necessary. You want to accomplish this task as quickly as possible because when you are in backdating mode, incremental changes to bookings are not captured, which impacts performance reports.
If you don’t back date them, the reports will make it look like you turned everything definite this month, and the owners will wonder why you can’t make those numbers again next year.
Enable backdating mode
- Click the Properties tab, select the appropriate view, and then click the property name.
- Select the Enable Backdating Bookings check box on the Property page.
- Click Save.
By default, access to the Enable Backdating Bookings check box is only available to corporate administrators. However, a corporate administrator can grant access to a property administrator by adding the Backdate Bookings Admin permission set to their user in Setup. We recommend removing the permission set when backdating is complete to avoid mistakes that can harm performance data.
When backdating mode is enabled, the Booked Date and Last Status Date fields are temporarily added to the Change Booking Status window, making it super convenient for the team to remember to backdate as they work.
You can also edit those fields on the Booking page, as well as the fields for each status (Date Definite, Date Tentative, Date Lost, etc.). When you're in backdating mode, if you change the Status and the Last Status Date fields, we copy that date into the corresponding status date field when you save.
When you are in backdating mode, incremental booking changes required for accurate performance reports are not captured. So you want to complete your booking entry and then disable backdating mode as quickly as possible.
Organize booking entry
We recommend entering bookings chronologically, starting with bookings the furthest out in the future and working your way back to today. When a future month has been completed and matches your old system, you alert the team that the new system is now ready if they receive an inquiry for that month forward.
For example, all bookings for December 2025 and later have been entered, the property administrator has compared the GRC and Function Diary with the old system and confirmed they are a match. The property administrator communicates to the team that December 2025 is live. Now everyone focuses on entering bookings for November 2025. If an inquiry comes in for December 2025 or later, you can check availability in the new system and enter the booking in the new system only. If an inquiry comes in for a date earlier than that, you must use your old system to check availability and enter the booking in both systems. As you can see, the faster you complete entering existing bookings, the easier things will be and you won't have to juggle two systems. So block everyone's calendars for at least a couple of hours a day to knock out this work. Some properties like to block a function room where you can take your laptop, escape the office traffic, and concentrate on booking entry.
Disable backdating mode
- Click the Properties tab, select the appropriate view, and then click the property name.
- Clear the Enable Backdating Bookings check box on the Property page.
- Click Save.
Going live
As soon as the bookings that require backdating have been entered and verified to match your old system, have your administrator clear the Enable Backdating Bookings check box on the Property page. Now the property is live and all booking changes from this point forward will be recorded for the pace and productivity reports.
When this process is complete, you should never enable backdating again for this property. Doing so can cause irreparable damage to your reporting data.