Deposits, Vouchers, and Point Redemption

Overview

The Deposits, Vouchers, and Point Redemption module automates the processing of financial transactions related to guest reservations. This system monitors dedicated email inboxes for daily reports, processes them through AWS Lambda functions, and posts relevant transactions to the Property Management System (PMS).

Process Flow

Data Ingestion

1. Email Reception

   • Daily reports are sent to dedicated Gustaffo email inbox
   • Each report contains details about deposits, vouchers, or point redemptions
   • System monitors inbox for new reports

2. AWS Lambda Trigger

   • New emails trigger AWS Lambda function (NodeJS)
   • Function extracts email content and attachments
   • Initial validation ensures report format is recognized

3. Data Extraction

   • Lambda function parses report data
   • Extracts transaction details (amount, type, reference, etc.)
   • Normalizes data for further processing

Processing Logic

1. Property Filtering

   • System identifies property associated with each transaction
   • Currently processes only Austrian properties
   • Future expansion planned for additional regions

2. Transaction Classification

   • Categorizes transactions as deposits, vouchers, or point redemptions
   • Applies business rules based on transaction type
   • Validates transaction data completeness

3. Reservation Matching

   • Attempts to match transactions with existing reservations
   • Uses confirmation number or other identifiers
   • Flags transactions that cannot be matched for manual review

Apaleo Integration

1. Transaction Preparation

   • Formats transaction data according to Apaleo API requirements
   • Includes relevant metadata and accounting codes
   • Applies property-specific configuration

2. Submission to Apaleo

   • Posts transactions to Apaleo API
   • Handles authentication and error scenarios
   • Retries failed submissions with exponential backoff

3. Confirmation and Logging

   • Records successful submissions with transaction IDs
   • Logs detailed information for audit purposes
   • Generates alerts for transactions requiring attention

Transaction Types

Deposits

Deposits represent advance payments made by guests toward their reservation:

• Processing Rules
  • Matched to reservation by confirmation number
  • Amount validated against expected deposit
  • Posted to appropriate accounting category

• Business Logic
  • Updates reservation payment status
  • May trigger confirmation email if deposit completes booking requirement
  • Affects availability of inventory

Vouchers

Vouchers represent pre-paid value that guests can apply to their stay:

• Processing Rules
  • Validated for authenticity and expiration
  • Value calculated based on voucher type
  • Applied to reservation as payment method

• Business Logic
  • Reduces remaining balance due
  • May require split payment for partial coverage
  • Triggers voucher redemption notification

Point Redemption

Point redemptions allow guests to use loyalty points toward their stay:

• Processing Rules
  • Validates point balance and eligibility
  • Converts points to monetary value based on program rules
  • Applies as payment toward reservation

• Business Logic
  • Updates loyalty program balance
  • May trigger tier status changes
  • Records redemption history

Technical Implementation

The module is implemented using several key components:

1. AWS Lambda Function

   • NodeJS-based email processor
   • Serverless architecture for scalability
   • Trigger-based execution on email arrival

2. Email Integration

   • IMAP/POP3 connection to inbox
   • Email parsing and extraction
   • Attachment handling

3. Data Processing Pipeline

   • Extraction logic for different report formats
   • Validation rules for data integrity
   • Transformation logic for PMS compatibility

4. Apaleo Connector

   • REST API integration
   • OAuth authentication
   • Retry logic and error handling

5. Monitoring and Alerting

   • CloudWatch metrics and alarms
   • Error notification system
   • Processing status dashboard

Configuration Options

The system provides several configuration options:

1. Property Configuration

   • Enable/disable processing for specific properties
   • Configure property-specific business rules
   • Set accounting codes and categories

2. Report Mapping

   • Configure report format recognition
   • Map fields from different report layouts
   • Set data extraction rules

3. Integration Settings

   • Configure Apaleo API credentials
   • Set retry parameters
   • Configure notification recipients

Monitoring and Reporting

The system includes comprehensive monitoring capabilities:

1. Processing Metrics

   • Number of reports processed
   • Transaction volumes by type
   • Success/failure rates

2. Error Reporting

   • Detailed error logs with context
   • Classification of error types
   • Trending and pattern detection

3. Audit Trail

   • Complete history of all processed transactions
   • Before/after state changes
   • User actions and system operations

Future Enhancements

Planned improvements to the system include:

1. Expanded Property Support

   • Extend beyond Austrian properties
   • Support for additional regions and countries
   • Multi-currency handling

2. Advanced Matching Logic

   • AI-assisted transaction matching
   • Fuzzy matching for partial information
   • Confidence scoring for matches

3. Additional PMS Integrations

   • Support for multiple PMS systems
   • Standardized integration layer
   • Migration tools between PMS systems

4. Real-time Processing

   • Move from batch to real-time processing
   • Immediate transaction application
   • Push notifications for status updates