Reservations – Additional Floorplan Options

Chapter 1. Introduction

The Creating Your Floorplan chapter and Fine Tuning Your Floorplan chapters are basic primers on how to create your floorplan and various ways you expand and customize your floorplan.

This chapter delves more in-depth into the various options that help you manage your floorplan and reservations.

Chapter 2. Refresh

If multiple employees are using TouchBistro Reservations using multiple devices (say, some using the web version, some using the app version), it’s a good idea to force a refresh on your screen before taking a reservation.

To force a refresh, simply click the Refresh button. This will update your instance of TouchBistro Reservations with the latest information.

Chapter 3. Switching Floors

The Floor control will display a number for each floor you’ve created. In the pictured example, we have created 3 floors.

To switch to another floor and view its floorplan, simply click another floorplan number. For example, clicking 2 shows us the Second Floor floorplan.

Chapter 4. Floorplan Table and Cover Information

If you select a date and a timeslot, the floorplan gives you key information about your reservations for that date and timeslot.

1. To begin, first select the desired day and the timeslot you wish to view. For example, you want to view Dec 12 and the PM timeslot.

2. When you select the floor label, it will show you the number of tables reserved for the entire timeslot as well as the number of covers reserved. So in the above example, 5 tables and 14 seats have been reserved for that day. The Timetable gives you a break down by segment. The 6 pm segment we have 2 tables booked and 6 covers. The 6:30 pm segment has 1 table with 2 covers booked. The 7 pm segment has 2 tables booked with 6 covers.

3. The Timetable is color-coded. Your floorplan uses these color codes for tables, giving you an easy visual way to see what tables are booked for what time segment. In the pictured example above, we can see Table 1 has a reservation starting at 4 pm and one starting at 5:30 pm. Tables 4 and 6 have reservations starting at 6 pm. Table 22 has a reservation starting at 7 pm.

4. If you click any specific time segment, TouchBistro Reservations will show you which tables are still available for reservation or seating a walkin at that particular time.

5. In the pictured example, if we click the 6 pm segment, tables 1, 3, 4, and 6 disappear. This indicates these tables are book at that time. It can also indicate one or more tables were booked at a time before the desired reservation time and the estimated table turn time of the table will conflict. Likewise, it can also indicate one or more tables were booked at a time after the desired reservation time and the estimated turn time of the current reservation will conflict.

Chapter 5. Selecting A Single Table for Reservations

Although you can use the tool to take a reservation, you can also use the Add button at the top right to start a reservation. Some might prefer this method as it is more visual and you can see what tables are available at a glance. Be warned, however, selecting tables this way ignores any settings you have that might prevent certain tables from being booked (for example, you’ve locked a table or you’ve not set availability via a schedule). To do this:

1. Click a desired time segment, for example 6 pm.

2. Click one of the seat buttons to select party size, for example 2.

3. Click a table, for example table 1.

4. Finally, click the Add button.

5. The Booking dialog box comes up and key details about the reservation are now prepopulated (People, Table, Date/Time).

Section 1. Selecting Multiple Tables for Reservations

When you use the visual method above, you can only select one table. If you need to book multiple tables for a party, click the Multiple Selection Mode button. When depressed, you can select more than one table by clicking on all the tables that should encompass this booking. For example, a party of four we want to push two two-tops together and reserve these tables.

When you click the Add button, TouchBistro Reservations automatically populates the table selection field with all selected tables.

Chapter 6. Walkins

Obviously, your tables are not occupied solely by parties that have made reservations. If you take same day or same timeslot reservations, you will want to account for tables occupied by wallkins and make the tables walkins occupy unavailable for reservations taken during the same day or during the same timeslot. To add a walkin to a table, do the following:

1. Click either the current timeslot or Live. For example, it is currently Dec 12 during the AM timeslot. We can click AM. When we click AM the Walkin button appears. If you do not see the Walkin button, click Live.

2. Select an available table.

3. Click the Walkin button.

4. The walkin gets seated and added to the guest list. By default party size is equal to the selected table’s maximum number of seats. Click on Walkin-in to edit, as well as add in additional details like party name. The seated time back dates to the previous time segment. For example, if the walkin comes in at 10:20, TouchBistro Reservations will set the seated time as 10:00.

Section 1. Alternative Method

This method lets TouchBistro Reservations suggest the best available table based on the actual party size.

1. Click the Walkin  button.

2. Enter the party size, for example 4.

3. Select either the suggested table or click the + button to select another table.

4. The walkin gets seated and added to the guest list. The party size is the party size entered in step 2. Click on Walkin-in to edit and add in additional details like party name. The seated time back dates to the previous time segment. For example, if the walkin comes in at 10:45, TouchBistro Reservations will set the seated time as 10:30.

Chapter 7. Table Turn Timer

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If you click the Timer button, you will see either how long the table has been occupied or how long the table has until it exceeds the reserved seating time. You can adjust the timer type under Settings | Other.

Chapter 8. Options

If you click the Gear icon, you will get several options. Below are the function of each option.

Section 1. Modify Plan

If you wish to modify your floorplan, click Modify Plan. If you do not see this option, it is because you have selected one or more tables. Deselect tables and click the Gear icon again.

Section 2. Change Colors

If you want to modify the color of your time segments, click Change Colors.

In this example we’re going to change all our closed morning hours to black.

1. Click a time segment, for example 8 am.

2. Choose a new color and shade and click Ok.

3. Click Save.

Another use of customizing colors and shades is can having your timetable colors darken in shade as the time progresses.

In the pictured example, our 3 – 5 pm segments use yellow to represent sunlight hours but darken as the sun goes down. From 6 pm we switch to grey to represent nighttime and this shade darkens as we approach 11 pm. Table colors on our floorplan, at a glance, provides rough visual feedback as to what tables need additional attention at any given time. That is, if it’s 3 pm we can see tables 4, 6, 21, and 22 are reserved much later in the night. Whereas Tables 1, 2, 3 immediately jump out to us as tables reserved in the afternoon and demand our attention to ensure they’re ready for the reserving party.

Section 3. Manage Blocked Periods

If you need to, on the fly, turn off Internet and/or Internal bookings for a particular day and timeslot, you can use the Manage blocked periods option. To do this:

1. First select your day and timeslot. For example, click AM.

2. Click Options | Manage blocked periods.

3. Turn on/off the appropriate time segment and click the X button to close.

4. Time segments that are locked internally will reflect on the Timetable. For example, although we enabled a block for Internet reservations at 1:30 pm, only the 1 pm Internal block reflects on the Timetable.

Your blocked time segments will only be active for that day and timeslot. For example, if you set blocked time segments for Wednesday’s AM timeslot, they will not carry over to the Wednesday PM timeslot. Likewise, they will not carry over to Thursday’s AM timeslot.

Section 4. Edit Timetable

If you want to modify the Timetable display and functionality, click Edit Timetable.

1) Timetable Interval

If you want to change the Timetable to offer a more granular (or less granular) visual walkin and reservation setup, select the Timetable’s time segmentation. By default it is divided on the half hour. However, you can set it to be divided into 15-minute segments or 1-hour segments. If your Timetable’s time segmentation is more granular than your preferred reservation internal (set under Settings | Administration), reservations set visually will set to the next reservation interval.

For example, we can see from the above image we have set our reservation intervals to 60 minutes.

We’ve set our Timetable to display 15-minute segments.

Here we visually select table 22 and 6:45 pm and click the Add + button to start a reservation.

Although we’ve selected 6:45 pm on the time line, any segment after the exact 6 pm segment rounds up to the next 60 minute interval set under Settings.

Walkins set in a similar manner will “round down” to the 60-minute interval. So a 6:45 pm walk-in will be sat as a 6 pm walkin.

If you use the visual method of setting returns and sitting walkins, ideally your preferred reservation internal and your Timetable interval should match. If you set a 15-minute preferred reservation internal, set your Timetable interval to 15 minutes.

2) AM/PM Settings

Your Timetable will show you segments based on your AM/PM configurations. If your AM configuration is from 10 am to 3 pm, your Timetable will show you segments from 10 am to 3 pm.

However, for AM you can show time segments BEFORE your AM configuration’s start time. Likewise, for PM you can show time segments AFTER your PM configuration start time.

1. To do this, click Edit Timetable.

2. Set your extended AM timetable or your extended PM timetable. In this example, we’re going to extend our AM timeslot timetable to show pre-opening hours.

3. Click Ok. You will see your timeline with additional segments.

4. If you find your new timeline makes the time segments too narrow, you can return to the Edit Timetable dialog box and check Activate horizontal scroll on timetable.

5. The timeline will now make your segments wider and give you a scrollbar bring off screen segments into view.

Section 5. Merge Now with AM/PM

If enabled, and you have selected the AM or PM timeslot view, your floorplan will show table details as if you had selected the Live view.

1) Timeslot View

If Merge Now with AM/PM is not enabled, a timeslot floorplan view (pictured above) shows the following details:

1. The Timetable allows for starting a reservation or walkin by clicking on a timetable segment.

2. Tables show reservation start time or when the table was opened for a walkin.

3. Table colors correspond to the timetable color code, giving a visual representation when they were reserved.

4. If Show Hours is enabled, the time the table is reserved for or the time the walkin was seated are displayed.

2) Live View

In contrast, if you select the Live view, we get the following details:

1. The Timetable is replaced with the Table Status Progress bar, indicating how man tables and covers are in some phase of dining process (seated, the main dish has been served, they are paying their bill, etc.).

2. Tables are color coded to their Table Status.

3. Tables with reservations have their reservation time displayed.

You cannot, however, reserve a table visually by clicking on the table and selecting the desired time from the Timetable.

3) Merge Now Hybrid View

If Merge Now with AM/PM is enabled, our timeslot view now gives us a hybrid of Live and AM/PM details.

1. The Timetable still allows for starting a reservation or walkin by clicking on a timetable segment.

2. Tables are color coded to their Table Status.

3. Tables with reservations have their reservation time displayed.

Section 6. Show Chairs

If disabled, the floorplan removes the red dots indicating the maximum number of seats at the table.

Section 7. Show Hours

If Show hours is disabled, tables no longer show the time the table is reserved for or the time the walkin was seated.

Section 8. Link multi-tables reservations

If Link multi-tables reservations is disabled, if multiple tables are reserved for one reservation, the dotted line indicating the tables have been joined for a reservation no longer shows.

Section 9. Show completed

If Show completed is enabled, if you select a timeslot view (AM/PM), any table that has been marked as completed will not return to its white “available” color. You will still see the time the table was reserved and the corresponding Timetable color. A small dot will appear in the middle of the table to indicate it is available.

In the example above, we’ve enabled Show completed. The table 5 reservation in the Guest List shows it is completed (note the green status bar). However, table 5 does not go back to its clear “available” color. It continues to display the reservation’s start time and corresponding Timetable color.

If you add additional reservations to this table, the reservation start time/color indicator will stack on the table.

Section 10. Hide unavailable tables

If enabled, when you hover over a segment on your Timetable, the floorplan will hide tables that are book at that time.

For example, if we hover over the 2 pm segment, the center tables are hidden.

Section 11. Hide servers sections

If you’ve assigned servers to tables and if Hide servers sections is disabled, server sections will be more prominently labeled. If you disable Hide servers sections, server sections will be less prominent.

Section 12. Lock section resize

If Lock section resize is enabled, you can’t resize the various areas of the floorplan screen.

If Lock section resize is disabled you can resize the divides as indicated in the image above.

Section 13. Print seating plan

Click Print seating plan if you want to print the currently selected date and timeslot view.

Section 14. Plan setups

Normally you might set up additional floor setups for predictable holidays (Valentine’s Day) or days of observance (Mother’s Day). However, sometimes a particular setup can be useful for a one-off date. You can use Plan setups to quickly switch a day’s timeslot to an alternative setup.

Let’s say you have a Setup 2 that adds some extra larger tables to your Main floor. You normally have TouchBistro Reservations scheduled to invoke plan 2 for the Sunday AM timeslot to handle larger brunch crowds. However, let’s say it’s Monday and there will be a sports playoff game that night. You will have be using those extra tables for the Monday PM timeslot.

1. Click your date and timeslot.

2. Click the Gear icon and then click Setup 2.

3. You have two options: you can keep your current schedule configuration for the PM timeslot or you can apply a new configuration.

4. If you select to keep the default schedule configuration for the timeslot and your additional tables are not set as unlocked and available in the schedule configuration, these tables will not be made available for online reservations. However, you will be able to use the Floorplan screen to sit walkins and reserve internally. If wish to make Setup 2’s tables available for online bookings, select a schedule configuration that includes these tables as both unlocked and available.

Section 15. Lock tables

If you select a table or tables and click the Gear icon, you have two options to lock the table(s).

If you select Lock Tables for this period, it will lock the selected table(s) for the chosen Timeslot. If you select Lock Tables, you can specify a time range the tables should remain locked.

1) Using Lock tables for this period

In the pictured example, we’ve lock some of our tables for the July 24 AM timeslot. When a table is locked, the table will feature a lock symbol. A locked table cannot be reserved (internally or online) or sat with a walkin. The table will be locked for the rest of the timeslot (for example for the PM timeslot) or until you click the table again and select Unlock tables for this period.

Notice if we click on our next timeslot (or even another day), the tables will be automatically unlocked.

2) Using Lock tables

We’ve selected the Lock tables option. When we select that, we are prompted to input a time range of when the tables should remain lock. For example, we’re going to lock our selected tables both timeslots, everyday, from now to the end of the year.  When a table is locked, the table will feature a lock symbol. A locked table cannot be reserved (internally or online) or sat with a walkin. The table will be locked for the duration of the set time range or until you click the table(s) again and select Unlock tables.

In the pictured example, we can these tables are marked lock at the beginning of the time range we set.

Unlike Lock Tables for this period, if we change to another day or timeslot, the tables remain locked as long as the selected day is within the set time range.

If you need to unlock tables that have been locked for a time range, select the tables and click Unlock Tables.

Enter the time range these tables should be unlocked. In the pictured example, we were going to lock the tables until the end of the year however, we’ve determined they come available on September 1.

Chapter 9. Table Edit Palette

If you are viewing your floorplan in Live mode and you click a table, you will get a palette of options that let you edit the table.

Section 1. Move

Move lets you move a seated party to another table.

1. If you want to move the guests to another table, click the table and then click move.

2. Click the target table and then click Ok.

3. The party is moved to the target table.

Section 2. Edit

Click a table and then click Edit as a fast way to make changes to party details.

Add notes, name/contact information, or concierge details and then click OK.

Section 3. Status Change

You can click on a table and click the Gear icon on the Table Edit palette to change the table’s status or view its history.

Section 4. Completed

You can quickly set a table to Completed by clicking the table and then clicking the Checkmark on the Table Edit palette.

 

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