Summary Slide
Guest Accounting
Guest Ledger
City Ledger
Sample Aging Statement
Accounting Entries
Diagram–Debits and Credits
Accounting Documentation
Guest Accounting and the Front Desk
Exercise
Figure 9-1
Guest Accounting
Guest accounting is the term used to
track debits and credits within the front
office.
The guest ledger tracks accounting
activity within the hotel before and during
a guest or group stay.
The city ledger tracks revenues due to the
hotel.
Figure 9-2
Guest Ledger
The guest ledger is made of accounts that
“house” debits and credits. These
accounts include:
House Account
Guest Account
Master Account
At what point does a guest ledger account
become a guest history account?
Figure 9-3
City Ledger
The revenues tracked by the city ledger
are called receivables.
These revenues are tracked and managed
by the accounts receivable group of
accounting department.
An aging statement is used to track the
length of time a receivable has remained
in the city ledger.
Figure 9-4
Figure 9-5
Sample Aging Statement
Name
Current
Joe Smith
AVD Co.
123 Heat
Jane Doe
Bill’s Hair
XYZ Inc.
Pets R Us
K’s Hut
$240
30
60
90
120
$3000
$6500
$250
$950
$600
$400
$9500
Totals:$10690
$3400
$600
Ave Days Outstanding: 36 Days
$6500
$250
Accounting Entries
This menu uses a series of entries to track
activity. These include:
Debit (Has a positive effect on a balance)
Credit (Has a negative effect on a balance)
Beginning Balance + Charges - Credits = Ending Balance
Other entries include correction and
transfer.
Figure 9-6
Debits and Credits
This is how the accounting menu tallies debits and credits
Figure 9-7
Accounting Documentation
In order to conform to uniform system of
accounts for the lodging industry (USALI), all
accounting entries must be documented.
The charge and credit slips are used as
documentation when the entry has a net
effect on the overall guest ledger
These slips will explain the entry and be
signed by appropriate supervisory personnel.
They help form the audit trail.
Figure 9-8
Guest Accounting and the
Front Desk
Front desk staff use individual banks to
handle daily transactions.
These banks are audited by the general
cashier.
An in-depth understanding of the guest
account is crucial to properly managing
the check-in and checkout process.
Figure 9-9
Accounting Internet
Exercise
Visit this Web site:
http://www.hotel-accounting.com
This site contains numerous links and other
tools. Once at the site, visit the hospitality and
resource links.
The resource links offer further links to
accounting "calculators" that are interesting.
Use these calculators to create a front desk
staff schedule or determine the impact tourism
has on an area of the country.
Figure 9-10