HMS users should check in all guests when they arrive at the property, updating the booking status to either One Click Check-in or Complete Check-in (read about the differences between these statuses in this article). 


When a booking is updated to "Complete Checked-in" status, users are prompted to update the traveller payments in Traveller Folio. The Traveller Folio consists of:

  1. Traveller Folio (Charges)
  2. Traveller Payment
  3. Traveller Refund
  4. Traveller Deposit (Collect, Refund, and Offset)


Note that traveller payments can be updated at any time, regardless of the booking status. However, the prompt only appears when bookings are changed from the Confirmed to Complete Check-in status.



View and Update Traveller Folio from the Booking Card

To view and/or update the traveller folio:

  • Click the three dots on the booking card and choose "Traveller Payment" under the Edit section in the dropdown menu.
  • Simply click the traveller folio box on the main booking card.



Collecting a Deposit

Some hotels collect a deposit when the guest checks-in. This deposit is refundable and can be used to cover any incidental charges incurred during the stay. It may also be used to offset guest charges. 

  1. Under the Payment section, click Traveller Deposit and then select Collecting a deposit.
  2. Enter the deposit amount, select the payment method for collecting the money, and the deposit note (optional). Click Save to record the deposit.

When a deposit is successfully recorded, the Deposit amount held will reflect the amount that has been saved. Scroll down to the Deposit section to view the details.


Example below:

The front-desk staff collected a 200.00 cash deposit from a guest staying at the property for two days. The deposit amount held has been updated from 0.00 to 200.00.



Editing Deposit Details

It is not possible to edit the amount collected or refunded on a deposit after it has been saved. However, users are able to amend the payment method and add a deposit note after collecting or refunding the deposit, if necessary.

  1. Scroll down to the Deposit section, find the recorded deposit, and click Edit.
  2. Only the payment method and deposit note can be changed. Use the dropdown menu to select a different payment method, and fill in the deposit note if necessary. Click Save to update the changes.


Example below:

The front-desk staff wants to change the payment method for collecting the deposit from cash to bank transfer. Additionally, a deposit note has also been updated.



Settling the Traveller Folio Balance

Before the guest checks out, hotels must ensure that all charges are settled, as indicated by a traveller folio balance of 0.00. HMS streamlines settlement processes: collecting payments through Pay by Link for properties that don't have card machines, or recording payments already collected at the property using accepted payment methods (e.g.: cash, bank transfer, e-wallet).


When collecting payments, choose between settling for specific charges or all listed charges:

  1. To collect payment for specific charges, select the checkboxes next to the relevant items. 
  2. To collect payment for all listed charges, tick the checkbox at the top of the list.

Selecting any charges instantly updates the Traveller amount to be paid now. If users tick the upper checkbox to select all charges, the amount shown matches the Traveller Folio Balance.



HMS offers the hotel three simplified ways to collect and record the traveller payments: Pay by Link, accepted payment methods at the property, and split payments (a combination of both). 


1) Collecting guest payments via Pay by Link

  1. On the traveller folio section, click the relevant checkbox(es) to be paid via Pay by Link, and then the total amount will automatically be calculated in the Traveller amount to be paid now field under the Payment section. The Payment note is optional, fill it if necessary.
  2. Select Pay by Link as the payment method, then click Next.
  3. Ensure the guest's contact information* (Email address, Phone number, and guest residence country) is correct before clicking Confirm.

*❗The Contact Information box is prefilled with the traveller's details from the booking card. If the email and phone number are still missing or need updating, click Edit, update the information, and then click Update.


The system will send a link to the guest, prompting them to complete the payment using their preferred payment method. While waiting, the Payment summary on the booking card displays the QR code, payment link, and current payment status (either pending or successful).


Once the guest completes the payment, the status changes to “Payment successful”, and the Traveller Folio Balance updates automatically. Payment made via Pay by Link is indicated as ‘Pay in – Payments by ZUZU’. After the guest completes payments for the selected charges, the description and amount will show ‘Remaining: 0.00’, indicating that the charges have been paid.

The circular icon colours next to the amount indicate the payment statuses. Light green indicates that the payment is successful, and yellow indicates that the payment is still pending or has not been completed yet by the guest. If it is still yellow, hotels should check with the guest, as the payment remains unpaid.



2) Recording payments collected at the property

  1. On the traveller folio section, select the relevant checkbox(es) for the charges collected via accepted payment methods at the property, then the total amount will automatically be calculated in the Traveller amount to be paid now field under the Payment section. The Payment note is optional, fill it if necessary.
  2. Select Other Payments as the payment method. From the dropdown menu, select a payment method used when collecting the payment.
  3. Click Save to record the payment. The payment record will be marked with Traveller paid as the description and Pay in – (payment method used) as the charge type. 

For example, if the guest paid in cash, it will display as Pay in – Cash.



3) Split Payments: settling a portion of a charge using Pay by Link and recording the other portion using accepted payment methods at the property

Guests may request to settle a single charge using different payment methods. For example, a guest may choose to pay 50% of the total amount of the selected charge in cash and the remaining 50% via Pay by Link.

  1. Select the charge box that will be settled with different payment methods, and then the amount will appear in the Traveller amount to be paid now field under the Payment section.
  2. In the Traveller amount to be paid now, manually adjust the amount.

    For example: For a total amount of 120, change the amount to 60, select Cash as the payment method, and add a Payment note if necessary. Click Save to record the payment in HMS.

  3. After recording the portion of the payment paid with cash, the remaining 60 must be paid via Pay by Link. Repeat step 1, and the Traveller amount to be paid now will show 60; this time, select Pay by Link as the payment method. Click Next, then make sure that the payment is successfully completed, as indicated by a circular light green icon next to the paid amount.



For postpay bookings processed through AutoCollect, if the payment has not been successfully collected by the time the guest arrives at the property, the hotel must collect it using Pay by Link or other accepted payment methods before the guest can check in.


Hotels need to be aware of the following conditions related to AutoCollect postpay payments:

→ Payments have been successfully collected by AutoCollect:
The traveller folio will not show room rate charge checkbox(es) because the payments have already been collected.


→ AutoCollect verifies the credit card and it is unsuccessful, prior to the check-in date:
The traveller folio will show room rate charge checkbox(es), but they cannot be checked (the Traveller amount to be paid now field shows 0).


→ AutoCollect still fails to collect the payments on the arrival date:
The traveller folio will show room rate charge checkbox(es) that can be checked. Hotels must collect the payments from the guest using Pay by Link or other accepted methods at the property before the guest can check in and the booking status can be updated to Complete Check-in.



Refunding a Deposit

After collecting the outstanding balance from the guests at check-out, make sure to return any deposit held.

  1. On the Payment section, click Traveller Deposit and select Refunding a deposit.
  2. Enter the amount to be refunded based on the deposit amount held, select the refund method, and add a refund note (optional). Click Save to record the deposit refund.

When a deposit refund is successfully recorded, the Deposit amount held will update to 0.00.


Example below:

After collecting all charges in the traveller folio, the staff return the 200.00 deposit to the guest.



ⓘ Coming soon!

Additional functionalities (offsetting charges using traveller deposits and processing traveller refunds) will be available in HMS.


All payments recorded in the HMS (including Traveller Payment, Refund, and Deposit) are also reflected in the Cashier Report. The report lists all forms of payments such as Direct Payments between Traveller and Hotel and Payments To and From Channels.


Read also: How to manage Traveller Payments and Charges in the ZUZU Mobile App


Can't find your answer? Contact the ZUZU Helpline


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