Basic architecture
The NETx Server provides an interface which can be used to integrate information from the hotel management system Char. Using this interface, information about the check-in/check-out procedure, the hotel guests and the hotel room states can be retrieved. In addition, it is also possible to send dedicated information from the NETx Server to the Char PMS.
The following figure shows how the integration has to be done.
The communication is based on a REST full HTTP web service protocol that is using JSON objects as data payload. The CharPMS software is the web API client and our NETx Server is the web API server.
Integration steps
To start, open the menu Modules > CharPMS > [Live]Driver configuration .... . With the dialog, specify at least the TCP port used for the web API and the security token. Normally, this information is retrieved from the CharPMS integrator. More information about the driver configuration can be found here.
Then, the used hotel rooms have to be defined. This is done within the "within the menu Modules > CharPMS > [Live] Room definitions. Each definition line corresponds to one room. The first column defines the hotel ID – the second column the room number. The hotel ID and the room number must be identically to names used within the CharPMS system. If you do not know them, please ask the CharPMS integrator for the room list. More information about the room definitions can be found here.
After having defined all rooms, the configured rooms are shown within the item tree. You will find the items under the sub tree NETx\XIO\CharPMS.
The retrieved information from CharPMS is stored as Server Items. Here all available Server Items that are available for each room are listed (including their access rights):
| Item name | Data type | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoomNumber | String | read only | Specified within room definitions within NETx Server. Must be identical with the room number used within CharPMS |
| Description | String | read only | Specified within room Definitions within NETx Server |
| RoomChecked | Boolean | read only | True if at least 1 guest is check in this room – false if all guests are checked out. |
| RoomCheckedForecast | Boolean | read only | True if there is a forecast check in for this room – false if all guests are checked out. |
| VacancyStatus | UINT8 | read only | Number of guest that are checked in for this room |
| RoomStatus | |||
| DND | |||
| GuestName | String | read only | Guest name that is received from Fidelio/Opera |
| GuestLanguage | String | read only | Language code that is received from Fidelio/Opera. E.g. de, en, es, ... |
| GuestVIP | UINT8 | read only | VIP status that is received from Fidelio/Opera |
| GuestArrivalDate | DateTime | read only | Arrival data and time of guest. Normally, this is equal to the check-in data and time. Please keep in mind that Fidelio/Opera is not providing an arrival date before the check-in signal |
| GuestDepartureDate | DateTime | read only | Scheduled depature data and time of guest. |
Note that this list of data points is fixed by MICROS Fidelio/Opera – not by the server.
The room status is a very important information which can also be changed from the server side. Fidelio/Opera specifies the following predefined values:
| Code | Room status |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dirty/Vacant |
| 2 | Dirty/Occupied |
| 3 | Clean/Vacant |
| 4 | Clean/Occupied |
| 5 | Inspected/Vacant |
| 6 | Inspected/Occupied |
These are the predefined room states that are available within Fidelio/Opera. However, it is possible to specify additional room states for additional functionality. For example, further states for "Do not disturb" or "Make up room" can be defined. Using this additional room states, it is possible to send additional information from the BMS to the Fidelio/Opera system. A typical use case is to add a KNX switch for DND that sends a user-defined room status (e.g. 7 "DND) to the Fidelio/Opera system. These additional room states have to configured within Fieldio/Opera by the Fidelio/Opera integrator.
Adding control functionality
After having configured the Fidelio/Opera interface, the provided data points can be linked to other data points within the server. You can use V-Links, Server Tasks, LUA script or XLogic commands for providing this functionality.
A typical use case would be the mapping of the RoomCheck item from Fidelio/Opera to a data point like the set point or the mode of the room's climate control. For implementing this use case, a predefined XLogic command called "HotelCheckInCheckOut" is already included within the server. Open the XCommand Event Definitions (BMS Studio --> Extensions) and add a new definition line. Give the logic a name (e.g. Room101), select "ON_INPUT" as type and select the XLogic "HotelCheckInCheckOut". Within the configuration dialog, select the input item (e.g. NETx\API\NXA_FIDELIO\PartA\Floor1\101\RoomChecked) and as output the data point that shall be controlled by the checkin/checkout signal (e.g. KNX group address of the set point of the room). The following screenshot shows an example:
Repeat these steps for a hotel rooms. After having finished all definitions, restart the server.
To add additional definitions in a more easier and faster way, you can use the export/import to MS Excel function of the definition table.
Article applies to the following products:
- NETx BMS Platform
- NETx Multi Protocol Server
- NETx BMS Server 2.0