1) workflows (note: see section #4 error handling)...folio should the signature fail to be input or...

Signature Capture for CloudPM Folios and Registration Cards

September 17, 2015

Summary

NOTE: Features associated to electronic signature capture will only be active for stations logged in that

are designated to communicate with a guest-facing payment/signature capture device. This is achieved

at login by logging in as a station that is associated to attached devices in the CloudPM device

configuration, which is a utility contained in the GM Functions module.

MSI CloudPM v5.1 now includes the following features:

Provide storage of a PDF copy of guest Folio forms upon printing, with signature capture (Total stay Folio)

Provide connectivity with a signature capture device that will collect the electronic signature, which may be applied to the Guest Folio.

1) WORKFLOWS (Note: See section #4 – Error Handling)

Guest Folio Workflow 1 – Guest Payment 1) Guest Payment is processed by system after collection of payment. If set to prompt for folio printing, the end user is asked to proceed. If Yes, then the system will progress to #2, if no, the print operation is abandoned:

Figure 1


September 17, 2015

Figure 2

2) CloudPM asks the PMS user if the guest is present. If yes, the system will assume that a signature is necessary and will activate the signature capture device. If no, the folio will print without signature capture device interaction. If the Guest is Present:

Before the Folio preview is generated, when a signature is requested, a PMS message is sent to the electronic signature capture device, prompting for a guest signature:

CloudPM will display a “Waiting for Guest” dialog while “listening” for device input (digital signature); a “Cancel Print” button allows the user to cancel the print request if there is a timeout or excessive wait; a “Skip this Step” button allows the user to cancel the request and proceed to printing Folio should the signature fail to be input or if communication is stopped.

Figure 2

3) The obtained image of the digital signature is prepared (waiting prompt is closed on

the CloudPM screen) and placed on the Folio to be printed. A PDF copy of the folio,

referenced by Folio # (and other parameters TBD, such as print date) will be stored

anytime the folio includes a signature that has been captured. The printed copy from

this print operation will contain the digital signature image. Folios without a signature

do NOT get archived as a PDF.

(See Figure 4)


September 17, 2015

Figure 3

Guest/Group Folio Workflow 2 – Print Folio (on demand – PMS) 1) When a Folio is being printed, and an electronic signature capture device is configured to work with the PMS, a new prompt will display asking if the Guest is Present. The guest’s presence will determine if a signature capture is solicited from the signature capture device. Should the user continue to print the folio while asking for a signature capture, the operation can still be cancelled using the “Cancel” button shown in the “Waiting for Device” prompt. (Figure 8).

Figure 4


September 17, 2015 2) If collecting a signature, CloudPM will show the “Waiting for Guest” prompt, while the PMS “listens” for input from the capture device. Cancel Print and Skip this Step commands are available to abandon the Print task or Skip the signature capture, respectively. (Figure 6)

Figure 5

3) If the capture is successful, the folio will generate with the signature image for preview and printing as shown in Figure 4. Registration Card Workflow 3 – Print Registration (on demand – PMS) 1) When a Registration Card is being printed, and an electronic signature capture device is configured to work with the PMS, a “Guest Present” prompt will display when a registration card is selected for display/print. If the guest is present, a signature will be solicited from the capture device. If the guest is not present, the registration card will render in the Report Viewer and may be printed per normal operating procedure. (Figure 8).

Figure 6


September 17, 2015 2) Guest is Present, CloudPM will show the “Waiting for Guest” prompt, while the PMS “listens” for input from the capture device. Cancel Print and Skip this Step commands are available to abandon the Print task or Skip the signature capture, respectively.

Figure 7

3) If the capture is successful, the registration form will generate with the signature image for preview and printing, similar to the folio copy shown in Figure 4. Registration Card Workflow 4 – Print Registration (Check-In, auto-prompt) 1) When a Registration Card is being printed, and an electronic signature capture device is configured to work with the PMS, a “Is Guest is Present?” prompt will display after the Print Registration prompt.

Figure 8


September 17, 2015

Figure 9

2) If Guest is present, CloudPM will solicit and electronic signature capture from the capture device. If no, the registration card will render in the report viewer without a captured signature. If guest is present and CloudPM is collecting a signature, CloudPM will display the “Waiting for Guest” prompt, while the PMS “listens” for input from the capture device. Cancel Print and Skip this Step commands are available to abandon the Print task or Skip the signature capture, respectively, if needed due to timeout, operator error, or communication loss.

Figure 10

3) If the capture is successful, the registration form will generate with the signature image for preview and printing, similar to the folio copy shown in Figure 4.


September 17, 2015

2) Signature Capture – CloudPM Configuration

1) Existing device functions will be used to set up the capture device, as it will be the same device used for P2PE credit card processing for Value Place hotels. The device utilized for other applications may be different – including dedicated signature pads.

Figure 11

A system setting will be added to store all receipts electronically (PDF) or not; this is an all-or-nothing setting. Data storage space and CRS retrieval are critical elements of this enhancement

This will be a system settings that may be controlled externally from the PMS User Interface, to be determined in joint development between MSI and related CRS vendors.

Using Signature capture with the Electronic Signature Capture only flag on will capture signatures and make them available for printing on Registration Cards and


September 17, 2015 Guest/Group folios. Adding a flag to “store” receipts is a separate function that will store PDF files for CloudPM customers separately.

A column will need to be added to GM Functions > Property Settings > Interfaces > Devices (top grid) to denote which device(s) will have the function of signature capture for folios and registration cards. This is necessary as some devices associated could have dual purposes (i.e. P2PE credit card devices).

Supported documents for electronic signature are:

o Guest Registration Card o Guest Folio o Group Folio o House Account Folio

A new UI view under GM Functions > Property Settings > Interfaces will activate the Signature Capture device, and apply settings to which document types will prompt for a Signature Capture. See Figure 11

The electronic signatures configuration view will also have two fields added below the “Electronic Signature Capture Settings (Figure 11) that will display in the same view. Here, a CloudPM user may specify an alternate comment for a Folio and/or a Registration Card, which will display on the Signature Capture device ONLY, differing from the comments that are displayed on the printed guest forms. This will be to consolidate information, if beneficial to the CloudPM customer.

If populated, these fields will replace the Registration Card Comments or the Folio Comments set in Report > Print Options, respectively.

If this fields are NOT populated, the default comments for Folios and Registration Cards that are set in Reports > Print Options will propagate to the signature capture device.

GM Functions > Property Settings > Interfaces > Electronic Signatures

(place below ‘Electronic Signature Capture Settings’)

These sections must be disabled in the User Interface unless the ‘Use Signature Capture Device’

option is checked on the same page.


September 17, 2015

Figure 12

Page Command Buttons:

Save

Cancel

Refresh


September 17, 2015

3) Document Retrieval

All documents that have a signature applied will be automatically stored in a file location

available to the CloudPM system. The addition of the signature will be the “trigger” that marks

the folio or registration card for storage. A retrieval function for signed folios and registration

cards will be added as an option to the Guest/House/Group ‘Forms’ tab on the account ribbon

bar (this should be identical for all folio types in UI presentation, the variance being that

Registration Cards will not apply to Group accounts or House Accounts).

The essential design that applies to Guest Reservations, House Accounts, and Group Accounts is

shown in Figure 13 – where “signed forms” can be retrieved, defining the Date the form was

signed/archived, and the form type (Folio or Regard; will be Folio on House/Group Accounts in

all cases).

Figure 13


September 17, 2015

4) Error Handling

Conditions exist where a signature capture operation cannot be completed, due to

communication failure or a busy device. The user interface will need to handle such conditions

to allow the end-user to abort the operation or re-try.

Integration Workflow with Failure:

a) CloudPM asks the PMS user if the guest is present. If yes, the system will assume that a signature is necessary and will activate the signature capture device.

Figure 14

b) When a signature is requested, a PMS message is sent to the electronic signature capture device, prompting for a guest signature. CloudPM will display a “Waiting for Guest” dialog while “listening” for device input (digital signature).

Figure 15

c) Should an offline condition or if the device is busy due to another request, the “Waiting for Guest” window will close, and a new dialog box will display alerting the user to the issue and the nature of the problem (Figure 16).


September 17, 2015

Figure 16

Possible Error Codes from Device:

Failure Then include Error Message

Non-failure Codes (No Error Message included)

DeviceInUse DeviceOffline StationNotConfigured SessionTimeout UserCanceled InterfaceShutdown

Possible Error Messages from Device:

"Generic encryption error";

"Unsigned form";

"Data encryption key missing";

"Problem with encryption key";

"P2PE not activated";

"P2PE activation expired";

(An internal exception message) Commands:

Try Again = Re-submits the electronic signature request from CloudPM – should display the “Waiting for Guest” message box [Cancel Print] [Skip this Step]

Cancel = Abandons request; returns CloudPM user to PMS screen from which request was originally launched from

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