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Kiosk Configuration

Kiosk Clients are configured using the Kiosk Administration web application.

Warning

The flow configuration file (flowconf.xml) cannot be edited via the Kiosk Administration web application. It needs to be manually modified following the instructions under the Customize Kiosk User Flow.

Kiosk Admin Configuration

Kiosk Client Configuration

Kiosk Admin Audit Logs

When changing settings in Kiosk Admin will audit the modifications. In UIP, on the Logging Events page, we can see the audit logs from Kiosk Admin application if we:

  • Check Include Audit Logs
  • Select the Source of NEC Adapter Hub Services
  • Select a Level of None

The format of an audit line is: u:<userId>, e:<entityName>, a:<action>, d:<data>, where the fields have the following meaning:

  • u (User): User identification - it can be unknown or the user's login Id
  • e (Entity): Which application page was accessed (Note: for System Settings, Hotel Notification, Hotel Settings, Pre-check In pages we log System Settings in the Entity(e) area)
  • a (Action): Can be read | create | modify | delete
  • d (Data): the object data associated with the action

For example:

  • The log line below means that the user with login napuser has accessed the Hotel Packages page, reading the data necessary to display the first 10 items on first page (page 0), sorted in ascending order
u:napuser e:HotelPackages a:read d:
{
    "pageSize":10,
    "pageIndex":0,
    "sortDirection":"asc"
}
  • The log line below means that the user with login napuser has accessed the Hotel Packages page, where it created a new Hotel package, with code BIKE, description Bike Rental, etc...
u:napuser e:HotelPackages a:create d:
{
    "pmsPackage":{
        "Code":"BIKE",
        "Description":"Bike Rental","LongDescription":"RGFpbHkgYmljeWNsZSByZW50YWwgZHVyaW5nIHlvdXIgc3RheQ==",
        "MaxUnits":"1",
        "UnitPrice":"7",
        "Currency":"USD",
        "AllowUpSell":true,
        "_id":"677d6406d80bef575dd86e29",
        "Created":"2025-01-07T17:27:34.6593555Z","Modified":null
    }
}

Understanding Check-In and Check-Out scenarios

There are multiple sources of check-in and check-out times:

  • The PMS reservation may have defined times. The PMS ETA and ETD fields on a reservation are usually hand entered by the hotel staff as part of the front desk operations flow. An example of why a guest may have an ETA/ETD set is if they have a special status or may have paid extra for early check in. The time entered in the ETA field would be expected to be set earlier than the guest membership time if the guest had a special check-in time associated with their membership and the ETA time would be expected to be earlier than the hotel system standard check in time. For ETD, the same logic applies however the ETD time would be expected to be set later than the membership time and the hotel system check-out time.

    • ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival): An estimation on when the guest will check-in

    • ETD (Estimated Time of Departure): An estimation on when the guest will check-out

      Info

      Kiosk will apply the buffer time from Hotel Settings to the ETD check-out time to allow flexibility of a guest to use the kiosk for check-out after the set ETD check-out time has passed.

  • The Memberships page which defines which check-in and check-out times are applicable in case when a guest has a certain membership. The check-in time for a membership would be expected to be set earlier than the standard hotel settings time and the membership check-out time would be expected to be set later than the standard hotel settings time in order to provide a benefit for those members. Each membership type has its own buffer time that is applied to allow flexibility of a guest to use the kiosk for check-out after the set membership type check-out time has passed.

    • Each membership type may also contain levels, which have a check-in time, check-out time and buffer time which may be configured. If a guest is assigned a specific level of a membership, both the membership time and the level time are taken into account when determining the appropriate check-in or check-out time scenario.
  • The Hotel Settings page defines the standard check-in and check-out times for the hotel. The hotel setting for check-out time has its buffer time that is applied to allow flexibility of a guest to use the kiosk for check-out after the set check-out time has passed.

Tip

The "earliest" set time (in the case of check-in) and the "latest" set time (in the case of check-out) that the guest qualifies for, is used.  Example: If ETA is set later than the hotel setting for standard check-in time, the standard hotel allowed check-in time is used.

The following sections explain how the system combines all these times.

Check-In Rules

Check-in time calculation for a guest/reservation

  • If the PMS reservation has ETA set, then the respective guest can check in at any time AFTER that ETA

  • If the PMS reservation does not have ETA set, but the guest has a membership, then the respective guest can check in at any time AFTER the check-in time defined in at the membership level (Memberships page in Kiosk Admin)

    • One particular case is when the guest has multiple memberships. In this case, the system applies the earliest of all check-in times per all memberships of that guest

      Example

      If a membership has check-in time of 11:30 and other membership has 10:00, then the effective check-in time for that guest is 10:00 as this one is the earliest.

    • Another may be that the guest has a specific membership level. In this case, the system applies the earliest of all check-in times for all assigned memberships and levels of the guest.

    • If the PMS reservation does not have ETA, and the guest does not have any memberships, then the respective guest can check in at any time AFTER the check-in time defined in Hotel Settings page in Kiosk Admin.

Check-in scenarios

The effective check-in time is already known (calculated according to the above algorithm).

On the check-in flow, the app will show this effective check-in time in the app header and also in the Booking Details page:

// //

Functionality

  • If Early Arrival disabled
    • If room available => Standard check-in (with generating room keys)
    • If room not available => Prompt to wait for room to be ready or go to the front desk
  • If Early Arrival enabled:
    • If current time is before the effective check-in time
      • If guest not already pre-checked in (PCI) => Early Arrival Pre-check in
      • If guest already PCI => Prompt to wait for check-in time to occur or go to the front desk
    • If current time is after the effective check-in time
      • If room available
        • If guest already PCI => Complete Early Arrival check-in (with generating room keys)
        • If not already PCI => Standard check-in (with generating room keys)
      • If room not available
        • If not already PCI => Early Arrival Pre-check in
        • If already PCI => Prompt to wait for room to be ready or go to the front desk

Check-Out Rules

Check-out time calculation for a guest/reservation

  • If the PMS reservation has ETD set, then the respective guest can check out at any time BEFORE that (ETA + Buffer time from Hotel Settings)

  • If the PMS reservation does not have ETD set, but the guest has a membership, then the respective guest can check out at any time BEFORE (check-out time + membership type buffer time) defined on the Memberships page in Kiosk Admin.

    • One particular case is when the guest has multiple memberships. In this case, the system applies the combination of (check-out time + buffer time) which gives the latest time, considering all memberships of that guest.

      Example

      If a membership has check-out time of 15:30, and buffer time 60 min; and other membership has check-out time 16:00 and buffer time 20 min, then the system considers the check-out time for that guest to be 16:30 (The latest time considering all combinations).

  • If the PMS reservation does not have ETD, and the guest does not have any memberships, then the respective guest can check-out at any time BEFORE the check-out time defined in Hotel Settings page + hotel settings buffer in Kiosk Admin.

Keycard expiration

The room key cards are programmed on check in. The expiration time (i.e., when the system will forbid guest access in the room) is calculated considering the reservation check-out date and the effective check-out time calculated with the above algorithm. The buffer time is NOT included in key card expiration time calculation.

Check-Out scenarios

The effective check-in time is already known (calculated according to the above algorithm). The check-out time is not shown anywhere on the check-out flow. However, when checking in, the effective check-out time is visible in the Booking Details page, too, along with the effective check-in time:

//

Functionality

  • If current time is before effective check-out => Allow check-out
  • If current time is after effective check-out => Send the guest to the front desk for performing check-out