Maid Status

The 7.00 supports changing the maid status on the PMS, and provides up to three ways to do so:

1. If the system is connected to a PBX that provides support for changing the maid status, and the PBX sends notification of such changes over its hospitality link with the 7.00, the change will be forwarded to the PMS.
2. Even if the PBX does not support changing maid status, the 7.00 itself provides a way for the housekeeping staff to change the maid status by logging into the guest mailbox and dialing a code. The code will then be forwarded to the PMS.
3. The maid status can also be changed using InnDesk, and that change will be passed on to the PMS.

In addition, the 7.00 can also be configured to automatically change the maid status to a specified value during nightly maintenance and/or at room check out. This change can be forwarded to the PMS (or not, if the PMS already auto-changes the value itself in those cases).

The following status codes are currently supported by the 7.00 and InnDesk (these are the codes you would dial in option 2 above). The meanings listed for each protocol are the default meanings specified in the protocol; in may cases, they can be changed on the PMS and can also be changed in the hospitality configuration of the 7.00 as well.

As shown in the chart above, the actual valid values and their associated meanings depend on the protocol assigned to the PMS integration. If a PMS is not currently in use, then the values listed in the Default column will be used. Any value listed as a dash (-) is not used for the given protocol and the associated Code to Dial will be invalid.

For example, in the case where a PMS is not in use, if the maid logs into the guest mailbox for the room and dials 616, 617, 618 or 619 from the subscriber menu, the system will reject the code and state that it is an invalid entry. However, if a PMS is configured using the Hilton protocol, then 616, 617 and 618 will all be valid maid status codes (but 619 will still be invalid).

As you can see, the maid dials 61x, where x is the ID number associated with the given room status. It is this ID value that the 7.00 passes on to the PMS. For example, on a Hilton system, if the maid dials 613 from the subscriber menu of the guest mailbox for room 1101, then the 7.00 would send a maid status packet to the Hilton PMS with a room status code of 3, which Hilton would interpret as Vacant / Clean (this is also what InnDesk would display).

Some PBX systems provide codes that a maid can dial directly from a guest room phone to signal the room clean status.

If the 7.00 is connected via a hospitality link to such a PBX, then whenever a maid dials a room clean status code on the PBX, it will be passed to the 7.00 over the hospitality link. The 7.00 will then pass the new value on to the PMS (if the PMS protocol supports it) and will also update the status in its own internal database so that it can be displayed in InnDesk.

To mark a room as clean:

1. Login to the guest room mailbox.
2. Dial the appropriate code. The default room clean code is 611.
3. Wait for the prompt: This option is complete.
4. Hang up.

To mark a room as dirty:

1. Login to the guest room mailbox.
2. Dial the appropriate code. The default room dirty code is 612.
3. Wait for the prompt: This option is complete.
4. Hang up.

A few PMS protocols allow for including a maid ID number along with the room clean status. The 7.00 supports this via a different set of maid codes that start with 63 rather than 61.

To mark a room as clean:

1. Login to the guest room mailbox.
2. Dial the appropriate code. The default room clean code (if including a maid ID) is 631.
3. When prompted, dial the maid ID and press #.
4. Wait for the prompt: This option is complete.
5. Hang up.

To mark a room as dirty:

1. Login to the guest room mailbox.
2. Dial the appropriate code. The default room dirty code (if including a maid ID) is 632.
3. When prompted, dial your maid ID and press #.
4. Wait for the prompt: This option is complete.
5. Hang up.

To change the maid status of a room using InnDesk:

1. Select Guest Services | Manage Room.
2. Enter the room number to edit in the box provided and press Enter or use the selection box to choose the room from a list.
3. Select the Owner Settings tab.
4. Find the Maid status row (at or near the bottom). Use the selection box to choose the desired status.
5. Click Apply if you wish to continue reviewing or editing settings for this room or click Save if you are finished; either option will save any changes you have made.

The VMS may automatically change the maid status of a room to a specified value (typically, dirty) in either or both of the following cases:

• During maintenance, at a set time every night (for occupied rooms only).
• At check-out.

Both options are configurable via System Configuration (select Features | Hospitality from main menu, then select the Maid Codes tab). By default, both options are enabled.