In this article
The rental process is basically the same as for any other appointment- or reservation-based product: the user must set up resources to present the rental units and to be able to use them as required resources on the products.
- When a reservation is created, the user must reserve resources to be able to meet the customer's rental requirements.
- The user must then assign the rental unit in question to the reservation or activity when the customer picks up the unit.
- Sign the unit in when the customer brings the unit back, this way each unit is being tracked.
- You can enter expected future availability into the system (without creating specific rental units), and make reservations, even if the actual rental units are not yet registered in the system.
The rental availability calculations are always based on the resource availability, and not the unit assignments.
- The resource capacity is deriving from how many units the resource has assigned and are active, and also any future planned addition of units.
- The logic then depends on that assignment to rental reservation and the return of units is according to the resource reservations dates and times.
- Assigning units should not be done until the actual physical handing of equipment to the client, as well the returns, so the rental unit availability is matching the resource availability.
- The list of available units is always according to the CURRENT status of units.
Note: Assignment of units does not have any affect on the amounts or dates of the rental reservation itself.
If there is need to support pre-reservation of units (that is preparation time) or time for post inspection, then it is possible to set pre and post reservation times on the activity product which set the resource to be reserved longer than the time being charged to the client.
Note: You cannot assign units ahead of reservation time, for example if a reservation is done weeks ahead, then the user should not assign any units until the rental is activated and the rental units are handed to the client. If done before, then those units are not available for fulfillment of other reservations and cause mismatch between the availability as shown by the resource and actual units available for assignment.
Multiple units per rental
The default handling is that assigning a rental product to an activity allows the user to assign only one set of rental units as specified by the resources required on the product.
- For example a bike rental would normally be only one bike per rental (or X number of bikes as specified by the resources required setting).
Some users might need the possibility of renting out the units in bulk:
- Have only single line of activity reservation that allows assigning multiple units, in this sample multiple bikes.
- This is possible if the user has set the Max no. of units field on the related product, which allows the entry of the No. of Units field on the activity reservation entry, which also multiplies the pricing and sets how many units can be assigned to the rental.
- This information is presented on the POS receipt and/or the invoice issued.
Rental related settings
On the Activity Resource Groups page
In the Capacity Based On field select Unit Tracking, and in Usage Count Based On select No. of Activities Assigned.
At the Resource the user must define the rental units which act as basis of the resource availability. Use the Availability Adjustments action to assign expected adjustments in unit availability in the future.
Note: These adjustments are set on a specific date. The actual rental units must be in place on that date. Adjustment values are ignored, since the system assumes that the units have been registered by that time. If rental units are registered and available prior to the estimated date set by the adjustments, you must remember to remove the adjustment entry, because otherwise availability values will be incorrect.
On the Activity Product Card
For an Activity product representing rental, go to the Activity Product Card, and select Rental in the Product Type field. This is required so you can assign or return rental units. Other settings on this card are the same as for any regular appointment or reservation product that requires resources.
Rental Units must be registered and assigned to correct location and set as available. The Rental units list can be accessed from the role center rental unit option, or from the activity resource card and list.
On the Reservation Types card
Here, the user can specify whether the Unit Tracking page should always be visible on the Reservations card and on the related Activity card, and also if the No. of Units field is visible on the reservation card lines section.
On the Activity Type card
In the Late Return Handling field, the user can specify how late returns should be handled. This setting becomes the default for all products belonging to that Activity Type. Note: This settings can be overridden by settings on the Activity Product card.
On the Activity Status Setup card
Here you can tune the process flow and restrictions, either by specifying that rental units should be assigned (the Unit Assignments field) or returned prior to the selected status change (the Unit Status Required field on the Rental FastTab. The statuses are changed by selecting the status change option on the activity card or reservation card, as well as confirming or cancelling reservations and activities.