Backdating bookings

This topic applies to R42 and higher (released July 2021). If you're on a lower version, 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 dillydally in backdating mode. 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.

Enable backdating mode

1. On the left sidebar, click Setup, and then click Property Details.

2. Click to expand the General Information section.

3. Select the Enable Backdating Bookings check box.

4. 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 selecting the Enable Backdating Bookings check box on the User Details page. We recommend removing access when backdating is complete to avoid mistakes that can harm performance data.

When your team is entering their existing bookings, have them go to the Additional Details tab on the Booking page. Here they will have access to the Booked Date, Last Status Date, Date Definite, and Date Tentative fields. In addition, if they change the booking to an inactive status, they will have access to backdate the Date Cancelled, Date Turned Down, and Date Lost fields in the Lost Business tab.

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

1. On the left sidebar, click Setup, and then click Property Details.

2. Click to expand the General Information section.

3. Clear the Enable Backdating Bookings check box.

4. 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 Details 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.