Importing Tips - Williams F1

Modified on Fri, 21 Nov at 3:13 PM

Tips for Importing Documents into the Guestia Platform

Initial Basics

Below are just some helpful basics that you need to remember to do for each and every import for your events to really make the most of the import functionality:

General

Guest Names – these need to be spelled exactly the same as they appear in the Guest Profile (in Transfers there is a guest name ***Dwayne Blee*** - this will create a brand new guest using the stars in the name
Dates and Time Fields – These need to be in the same format as the examples, this includes the format of the data contained in the cell. These cannot be blank
Status – This needs to be set to Active.

File Names – Keep file names the same per import. Once you have imported flights for example, use the same file name to import changes (this includes not adding version numbers and/or dates to the file name).

Column Headings – Keep column headings the same, do not re-order, rename or remove any column headings as this could cause errors.

Last Tab Counts – The import will only look at the last tab in the workbook you create. This allows you to manage versions if your arrangements frequently change. But remember! The import function will only import the data in the last tab.

Guest Names – Keep the spelling of guest names consistent and in the agreed format on sign-up. Any deviation in spelling will result in a new/duplicate guest being created in the system.

Complete Data – Like most systems, you can only get out what you put in. We believe in treating all fields/columns as mandatory in order for you to get the most information out of the platform as possible – leaving non-mandatory fields blank will work, you will just have gaps in your information. If the import is demanding a cost but you don’t know it, add it as zero (0.00) until you have that information and then re-import.

Avoid the unknown – If you have information that is ‘TBC’ or you know someone will need a room, you just don’t know their name so add ‘Spare’ you are best not having that row of data in the sheet until the information is clear.

Data Types – If the column states a time, enter a valid time, if the column asks for a name, provide a name in the agreed format on sign-up.

Flights

FORMATTING

Department - Guest Group

Full Name - Must be in correct Guest Name Format

Dep Date - dd/mm/yyyy

Flight No - 'XXX 1234'

Dep. Airport - XXX

Arr. Airport - XXX

Check In Time - HH:MM:SS

Dep. Time - HH:MM:SS

Arr. Time - HH:MM:SS

(Repeat above for flight 2 and 3)

Class - Letter to signify class (travel classes)

Y: Full-fare economy-class ticket.
J: Full-fare business-class ticket.
F: Full-fare first-class ticket.

Booking Ref - Must be correct to link connecting flights and link transfers

Direction - Inbound / Outbound / Onwards

Status - Planned / Booked / Issued / Cancelled / Confirmed / Provisional - Will not be shown in the app - (Please do not divert from this)

Comment - This is free text and can be used for notes

Type - Clarity on this - list required

Fare - Can be blank but if used, must be cost formatted

Tax - Can be blank but if used, must be cost formatted

Fee - Can be blank but if used, must be cost formatted

Change - Can be blank but if used, must be cost formatted

Total - Can be blank but if used, must be cost formatted

*MUST HAVE TOTAL IN LAST ROW*

Making changes

Create a new tab - copy existing data into new tab:

New row to be used for amendment to existing travel

Cancelling travellers/rows - From tab 1 to tab 2 - to cancel guest, must have strike through - status cancelled

(name changes/flight number changes/flight date change/booking ref change - must be cancelled and new row)

Travellers cannot be changed by simply changing name - must be cancelled and re-issued on new row

*Please ensure all inputted data is correct to begin with* - Link between flights and transfers

For CS: Best practices to diagnose

Same file name? - Guest History

Which stage are they stuck with?

- Stage 1 always formatting (annotated sheet)

- Stage 2 always data - *Print preview to check document size* Unspecified error

- Check names correct (do they have spaces? correct subscription format? characters?)
- Check date / time formats

- Check flight number (use guest history to ensure no previous changes) *must have a space*
- Booking reference (is this correct for connecting and also on the guest?) (Not mandatory but for published status, must be complete)

- Direction (spelt correctly - Inbound/Outbound/Onward)

- Status - RS to advise on list
- Type - RS to advise on list (dropdown?)

Is what's imported correct? The sheet of information
Is what is on the platform correct?
Is what is shown in the app correct?
PDF correct?

*Issue Flow Chart - import sheet*

Transfers

The way the transfer sheet was design to work is that if you had a coach/minibus arranged you would have 1 lead passenger and everyone else who is on that flight in that transfer should be named as passengers.

Flight No. – These need to be flight numbers in the flight number format. These must also match the flight number stored against that guests flight. For example if a person has had flight BA 191 added to them, the flight number in the transfer needs to be BA 191 (not BA191 (without a space))
No. of Pax – this is the number of passengers in the transfer (the number of travellers in that row of the sheet for that Transfer)
Team – just department name
From and To – These are free text fields and are usually airport name and hotel, or airport name and circuit name
Vehicle Type – These are free text, but keep it simple – car, minibus, estate, coach etc.
Supplier – The name of the company providing the transfer (this appears in the app, so do not leave blank)
Arriving From – Free Text name for the Airport (this can be airport name, airport code whatever you prefer but keep consistent as this information is used in the platform)
Passengers – a list of all other travellers in that Transfer (that are on the same flight) separated by “/” – again, the names need to be the same like with Guest Names as mentioned above
Max Passengers – a number of the total passengers that COULD be in that transfer (for example, if it’s a minibus that could hold 18 even though there are only 4 people on the transfer you would enter 18 in this field)

Car Hire

No. – this is an assigned unique number to that row in the hire car table
Vehicle – Free text name for the vehicle used for the hire car
Max Passengers – a number of the total passengers that COULD be in that hire car (for example, if it’s an estate that could hold 7 even though there are only 4 people in the hire car you would enter 7 in this field)
Driver 1, Driver 2, Driver 3 – These are the guest Names as described above. There should only be 1 name in each field (you cannot have 2 or 3 names in Driver 2)
Pick Up Details – Free text name of where the pick up is from
Arrival and Departure Flight No. – These are not required for the import to work and the details are not shown in the app (the PDF Itinerary report can display the flight number in the vehicle hire section)
Drop Off Detail – Free Text name of where the drop off is
Company – free text name of the provider of the hire car – this appears in the app
Pick-up and Drop Off Instructions – free text details for picking up or dropping off the vehicle, be concise, these show in the app
Passengers – all guests names that are in the hire car that are not named as drivers separated by “/” – again, the names need to be the same like with Guest Names as mentioned above. This cannot be department names (e.g. “BTV” or “All BTV Crew”). It can also not contain any other information other than guest names

With the hire car sheet, there cannot be any blank/incomplete rows from the last full row of data and the grey bar with the word total in it. In the attached sheet the last row of data in the hire car sheet is 95, however the grey bar is on row 119 – this will throw up an error on import. There is also 9 names in red on rows 102-110 without any other information – these will need to be removed.