Booking and Reservations Documentation

The component has been tested on Internet Explorer 9, 8 and 7, Google Chrome, Opera, Mozilla Firefox. Compatibility with Internet Explorer 6 or older is not supported.

Before installing ARTIO Booking, you need to have:

Make sure that all the needed directories (as requested by Joomla!) are writable.

The component is installed through Joomla standard installer in backend: Extensions → Install/Uninstall(Joomla 1.5) or Extensions → Manage Extensions(Joomla 2.5.6+ and Joomla 3.x)

Figure 2.1. Extension Manager: Install

The installation package contains all needed support libraries, so the size of installation pack is about 2 MB or more. Some hostings maybe have the size of uploaded files limited, In such case it may be necessary to increase this limit or upload the files using FTP.

Please, watch for any error messages generated during installation. If any error appears, the installation might not have been completed correctly.

Please note that after uninstall, component database is not deleted. So, if you install sample data again, they are duplicated. If you want really clean reinstall, delete all database tables starting with (JoomlaPrefix)_booking_.

All component parts are fully accessible from Joomla backend. Control panel is interface where you can open all main component parts. Every main part is described in detail in following sections.

Figure 3.1. Control Panel

The basic template in which you set the attributes, depending on what object you will create. That can be basic attributes such as name, but also properties that are characteristic for certain type of object (field size, number of beds, bathroom, car specification, ...) The types of properties are standard, as you know it from web forms (Text box, Text area, Select box, Radio button and Check box). In addition to the name and the type you can still assign a style icon to the property and choose, if it can be used for searching and filtering. The last thing you can set to the template is, what kinds of calendars to be displayed to customer and which one is the default.

Templates settings is available in component administration on bookmark templates.

Figure 3.2. Template List

For templates are available basic tools new/edit/copy/trash. This tools are available in main toolbar. On clicking new/edit or click on template name you open editing page. On template editing page you set template name, calendars and properties.

The calendar is a dialogue, through which your customers will determine the time of reservation. There are three basic types, which differ both displayable time interval, as well as graphical form. Day calendar lists possible reservation times for every day separately, and as all calendars shows occupied terms. Week calendar´s appearance and functionality is very similar to the previous. Shows all days from today (or from first day of the week - check Configuration → tab Calendars → option Show Full Weekly Calendar) until the end of the week. The last, month calendar shows all days of the month after a weeks. In contrast to previous two calendars, shows only full day reservations, no hourly. For every calendar you set if it is available or not. One of them you have to set as default. Default calendar is displayed when customer opens object page for the first time. Calendars are choosed according to object character. If you create objects as hotel room or car which are booked for full days you need only month calendar. For objects as tennis court or sport hall which are booked for hours you use day or week calendar. There are also another types of calendar: Week Multi Calendar which display available reservations in specific week. It is useful for hourly and daily reservation type and Periodic Calendar that can be used when you want to reserve an object regularly for the certain time in certain day of the week.

Figure 3.3. Booking Calendars

Properties are attributes that belong to the certain template. You can take advantage if you have several objects of the same type (for example: tennis courts). This objects have the same attributes, but their values are different. For example, the hotel will have a number of rooms, in each you will specify the same attributes (number, floor, where is the view, number of beds,...). When you will then create the objects of individual rooms, you can use this template and fill in simply the necessary information. You can have as many templates as you want, so there is not problem to have other for a room and other for an apartment. For each to indicate other information.

Figure 3.4. Template Edit Page

You can set template properties by click on tool new (for new property) or click on tool config (for existing property). During creating new one you have to set property type.

Figure 3.5. Dialog to Select Property Type

Every property has title. If you use multiple properties, select box/radio button. You must set minimally two options. Every option must be on a single row. You can optionally choose an icon (you can set path to your own icons in: Configuration → tab Images → option Template Icon Path) and searchable/filterable mark. Searchable properties will be possible to find via module. Filterable properties can be filtered in the component view.

Figure 3.6. Dialog to Edit Template Property

This is the subject of your business. Bookable item could be anything you want to allow your customers to book. Whether that are hotel rooms, cars, tennis courts etc. Items can form a tree structure, which you can adapt according to your wishes. Of course there is a gallery and descriptive text, which you can also enrich with pictures, graphs and other elements. There is a possibility to set the values of your properties, which you created in the template. Furthermore there are also reservation types and prices, which is main part of items settings. For more information, read information below.

Objects settings are available in component administration on bookable items.

Figure 3.7. The objects backend filtered list

Items tree structure is important if you want order items into categories according to their character. Parent items are not bookable. They are meant to creating objects categories. Bookable are only last childs of tree structure.

Figure 3.8. The items backend editing page

The simple example details setting for hotel room

Booking of this room is available from 2013-10-08 (see option Start Publishing) to 2013-12-31 (option Finish Publishing). Room is permanent published (see option published) and is displayed to all page visitors (access is public). In items hiearchy is room added into category Accomodation.

Bookable items must have title. Alias is used for creating SEF urls. If you let alias field empty then alias is during item saving generated automatically. If itemt is published you should not change it because SEF url is already indexed by Google. Fields meta keywords and meta description are also used for SEO and you should fill them.

Every item has assigned one template. You are able to edit template from item editing page. All changes in template what you do by edit item are show in others items and template too. You can set for item standard Joomla! options as publish status and dates, user access and items ordering.

When the quantity is set and bigger than 1, customer can select booking capacity. There is also option to "Show Quantity Information" which display in calendar available capacity. You have also option to set the Occupancy, for example number of normal beds in the room.

Figure 3.9. Example of setting Quantity and Occupancy

Figure 3.10. Example of Show Quantity Information (frontend)

You can upload images to the gallery and set which one will be default by selecting it and then click on icon "Default". Another part is File Attachements. You can upload and attach files to an object. That can be for example user manuals. You can specify to every file if it will be available in item detail and if it will be sent along with reservation e-mail to customer.

Now we come to the most important part. And this is very flexible reservation system through which everybody create a timetable which is required. Through Reservation Settings you choose the way how customer can book the certain item. The main parameter is type of reservation: daily or hourly. Daily means that the customer has to book the certain item at least for the full day, hourly then enables the shorter time intervals. The following two parameters apply to the hourly reservation types. It is time unit, alias time interval of reservation. It indicates that customer can book the items for example after 30 minutes. Gap time is a time lag between individual reservations for example used for cleaning. You can set limit restrictions: minimum and maximum length, fixed length and restrictions for week day from which can customer makes reservation.

You can set "Enable Maximum Reservation Limit" and to Allow Maximum of Reservation within determined time. It means that customer can make certain number of reservations within certain days.

Figure 3.11. Example of setting Maximum Reservation Limit

Figure 3.12. Example of Hotel Room Reservation (backend)

Figure 3.13. Example of Hotel Room Reservation (frontend)

Figure 3.14. Example of booking of room for whole week (backend)

Figure 3.15. Example of booking of room for whole week (frontend)

The most important item settings is Prices. It is necessary part of any item and together with Reservation types it creates every schedule which has to be included in any reservation system. For definition you have to specify the following parameters. The actual price, deposit, which will be returned to the customer, reservation type, that we selected in the previous flag and dates from when to when is price valid. You can specify other parameters for hourly reservation type. Of course there are the times between which the item can be booked. The reservation units are calculated among this time, according to the time unit and the gap time. You can also modify in which days of the week is the price up to date. You can create a whole series of reservation units with different type of reservations. The choice of the date is enabled through the calendar dialogue and hour can be set on the dial for user-friendliness.

The Multiply capacity parameter is used if item has bigger capacity than one. It specifies, wheter multiply reservation price and deposit by reserved capacity. For example, if you reserve cars or rooms, setting should be checked (more -> more price). If you reserve something where price stays constant no matter of reserved capacity, setting should be unchecked.

You can also have an option to select interval only in one price by clicking on "Allow Booking Over Different Pricing Periods". In this case you can make a reservation over more prices but with same reservation type.

Below you can see an example of Squash Courts available every day from Monday to Sunday (Day Availability) from 07:00 am to 11:00 pm (Time Range) but the prices are different. From 07:00 am to 6:00 pm is price 5 EUR, from 6:00 am to 11 pm is 8 EUR.

Figure 3.16. Example of Squash Court Prices (backend)

Figure 3.17. Example of Squash Court Prices (frontend)

You can also set a deposit that will be returned back to the customer. In this case is necessary to set Reservation Expiration. There are these following types: „Online Payment Only“, „After Reservation“ and „Before Booking“. If you set „Online Payment Only“ customer can pay only with online methods. If payment will not be done immediate after the reservation, reservation will be cancelled. „After reservation“ means that order has to be paid specified number of hours after reservation was created. If not, reservation will be cancelled. „Before Booking“ is same like previous type. But it will check reservation payment status before event start. Deposit multiply parameter specifies, wheter multiple deposit by reserved time units. If not checked, deposit is the same no matter of reserved time.

Here is an example how to set a deposit when customer have to pay it after reservation. Determined time is 2 hours, it means that customer has to pay it within 2 hours, if not then reservation will be cancelled. Deposit value is 10 EUR.

Figure 3.18. Example of setting deposit

All prices include tax with default settings but you have also the option to change it that prices will not include a tax. This can be set in Configuration → tab Prices → option Show prices without tax. In tab Prices is also possible to add "new tax" and its values.

Figure 3.19. Example of setting "Show prices without tax" (backend - configuration)

Figure 3.20. Example of setting "Show Prices with Tax" (frontend)

Figure 3.21. Example of setting "Show Prices without Tax" (frontend)

You can also provide a discount, if customer reserve more than one time unit.

If you have more then one reservation types and each reservation type has different length, you can use optional minimum interval. With only one reservation type this option is not used.

In following example we have a squash court where customer can book 60 or 120 minutes. We need to display 60 minutes boxes in calendar. For this reason we have to set minimum interval length for 60 minutes. When customer wants 60 minutes, then chooses one box. When customer wants 120 minutes, in calendar are highlighted always two following boxes for one click. Now in weekly calendar, in colored price box are displayed currently available capacities. See examples below.

Figure 3.22. Example of two reservation types with different lengths (backend object reservation types)

Figure 3.23. Example of two reservation types with different lengths (backend object prices)

Figure 3.24. Example of two reservation types with different lengths (frontend)

The fixed shedule you can use, for example, if you use more prices with different time ranges and in calendar every day has different shedule length. And you want every day calendar to have specified length, even if there is no available reservations through whole time. See examples bellow. You have to set minimal interval length and fixed shedule from-to properties. Fixed shedule interval from-to must be wide enough to match all prices time ranges.

Figure 3.25. Example of Fixed Schedule (backend object reservation types)

Figure 3.26. Example of Fixed Schedule (backend object prices)

Figure 3.27. Example of Fixed Schedule (frontend)

The another situation can be when you are providing for example Castle Tour or Road. Every Tour takes 2 hours but starts every hour. In this case is necessary to set "Overlay Prices". As you can see below there is a Tour Castle which is possible to reserve every day from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and starst every hour.

Figure 3.28. Example of setting Overlay Prices (backend)

Figure 3.29. Example of setting Overlay Prices (backend)

Figure 3.30. Example of Overlay Prices (frontend)

Synchronization your reservation with your Google Calendar. You have to have own Google account where you want to synchronize reservation.

3.7.1. Google Settings

Create google calendar in your google account, than go at https://cloud.google.com and create the project by clicking on CREATE PROJECT. Enter Project name and Project ID.

Figure 3.31. Create new google calendar

Figure 3.32. Create new project

Turn on Calendar API at the APIs & auth/APIs.

Create connection to Joomla by using REGISTE APP at the APIs & auth/Registered Apps

Figure 3.33. Calendar API

Figure 3.34. Register APP

Choose any Name and create Web Application

Choose OAuth 2.0 Client ID

Redirect URL - enter name of your domain http://yourdomain/administrator"index.php?option=com_booking&task=google.authenticate

By clicking on GENERATE you receive Client ID and Client Secret

3.7.2. Booking Settings

Go to Global Configuration - Google and enter Client ID and Client Secret - Save

Figure 3.35. Entering Client ID and Client Secret

Run Load Calendars on the Control Panel/Google - this function loads calendars created in your google account

Now you can choice Default Calendar in Global Configuration

Figure 3.36. Default Google Calender

To finish synchronization by using Control Panel - Google - Synchronize Events. The reservation will be synchronized into your google calendar.

Closing days enable you to set a days, hours when the item is not available for any reason. If you want to create closing days, you have to fill Title, Date up and Date down, Time up and Time down, then select the existing items for which you want to set closing day.

Figure 3.37. Closing Days List

Below you can see Squash court Nr.1 which is not available on Wednesday from 11:00 am to 02:00 pm.

Figure 3.38. Example of setting closing days for Squash Court (backend)

Google Maps allow you to give customers information about place where they can find you or bookable item. You can insert Google Map into the object detail page by two different ways. The first is when you select Address for Type option. Address should contain street, city and country. Then set a widht, height (in pixels) and zoom (higher value means higher zoom). The second way is to find a map at http://maps.google.com/ and then insert code from this page into the last field.

Figure 3.39. Example of setting Google Maps (backend)

Supplements is next bookable item settings. For example: you run the hotel accomodation and customers can reserve beside room also breakfast, phone, internet or another services. Another example can be for squash courts where you can provide also rackets for players. See examples below.

Supplements have two forms. Supplement "Option yes/no" is realized on frontend by checkbox form field and have price (option "One price") or is free (option "Free"). Supplement "Select from list" has more values and is realized by drop down list form field. Each value has own price (option "More prices") or all values have one price (option "One price") or supplement is free (option "Free"). For supplement "Select from list" you can set property "Use empty option". It means that customer doesn't have to choose this supplement value (in drop down list is option without value). Property "Use empty option" is unavailable for supplement "Option yes/no". Supplements prices are automatically added to full reservation price.

Supplement capacity setting allows you to set behavior of supplement capacity. No capacity means supplement will be always one and price will be constant. Default is multiply by object capacity - number of supplements will be same as reserved object capacity (if object has capacity) and price will be multiplied as well. Option "Select Capacity Manually" allows customer to specify number of supplements manually and supplement price will be multiplied by selected number of supplements. You can set maximum number of supplements for this setting. This can be used for example for additional cathering or sporting equipement.

Figure 3.40. Example of room supplements (backend)

Figure 3.41. Example of squash courts supplements (backend)

Figure 3.42. Example of squash courts supplements (frontend)

For using Booking is important to have frontend administrators. Frontend administrators manage reservations from frontend interface (not backend). Administrators are selected from existing Joomla! users. This users cannot be used in customers acounts. On following image is backend dialog of administrators setting. There is filtered list of existing users. In column "Is admin" you can see mark if user is/isn't administrator or is customer (cannot be administrator). You can assign more users as administrators by tools from main toolbar.

Figure 3.43. Backend booking administrators setting

If you have published items, customers can book them and make reservations. One reservation can have multiple booked items (optionally with supplements), their time ranges, computed prices and customer personal data. Customers create reservations from frontend item detail page with calendar. According to item settings, calendars display available intervals with specific color. Customers choose available intervals and items supplements. After click on button Book it!, lightbox window is opened, where customer can select item and supplements capacity (if available) and choose between going to checkout or continue and reserve different object. On checkout page, customer can manage his reservation, fill his personal data and send reservation to Book it! system.

Reservations can have a following status: Prereserved, Reserved, Trashed, Cancelled and Conflicted. There is also Payment Status: Unpaid, Deposit Paid, Paid in Full.

Figure 3.44. Reservations backend list.

Figure 3.45. Reservations Status.

Payment Methods List is available in "Extensions-Plug in Manager-bookingpayment". Here you can set if is it enabled to pay by a certain payment method. Then you have to go back to configuration "Payment Methods" and you can edit existing method and set who can pay pay it or no.

Figure 3.46. Payment Methods List - Plug in Manager

Figure 3.47. Payment Methods Manager

Figure 3.48. Edit Payment Methods

Component can send e-mails and SMS to administrators and customers. Setting of sending e-mails and SMS is available in global configuration. There you can turn off this service or set if is available only for administrators, customers or for both. For sending e-mails and sms, component uses setting from Joomla! global configuration.

In component configuration you can set sender e-mail, telephone, sender name, subject for customer and administrator, format of e-mail (HTML or plain text) and e-mail and SMS body. Other settings as mailer (php mail/smtp/sendmail), username, password, security etc. are used from Joomla! global configuration. In e-mail body you use transcription marks which are replaced by reservation or registration data. There are data as customer name, reservation date, object name etc.. Special transcription mark is pair of marks {OBJECTS} and {/OBJECTS}, which defines part, which will be repeated for each reserved object. Available transcription marks you can see in component global configuration above the e-mail body field.

Figure 3.54. SMS/Email Templates

Figure 3.55. Edit Email and SMS Template

3.15.1. SMS and E-mail Notification

You can let your customer know about their order status change or send SMS messages on different events. Or send single or bulk messages to customers from your customer database. It is very important to set when the notification has to be send to customer.

Figure 3.56. Edit Email/SMS Notification

Customers are page visitors who can make reservation in Booking component. You can allow page visitors reservation without registration or with registration and Joomla! user account to login. If visitor hasn't Joomla! user account, component offers him to create new customer registration with new Joomla! user account. For logged users component offers to become customer.

Fields which customer has to fill during registration or objects reservation you can set in component global configuration (bookmark Registration/reservation fields). You can disable (option hide) or enable (option show) fields. Enabled fields can be compulsory or optional. Is recomended to set customer e-mail as compulsory if using reservation e-mails.

Customers accounts are accessible from component backend. Customer can be disabled by blocking his Joomla! user account. In backend you can edit or delete customers.

Figure 4.1. The page visitor isn't logged. Component offers him login or registering.

Figure 4.2. The page visitor is logged. Component offers him to become customer.

Figure 4.3. Customer registration page. With customer account is also created new Joomla! user account.

Figure 4.4. Become customer page. To existing Joomla! user account is created customer account.

Figure 4.5. Config registration/reservation fields page.

Figure 4.6. The customers backend list