1. Chapter 10 Preparation and Review of the Night Audit
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

2. Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
Chapter 10 Focus Points
Importance of the night audit
Night audit process
The daily flash report
Reading the night audit
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

3. Importance of Night Audit
Night audit - the control process whereby the financial activity of guests’ accounts are maintained and balanced.
The night audit will provide the necessary “objective overview” to evaluate the hotel’s financial activity.
Ability to monitor hotel revenues
Effect of marketing plans on related goals
Provides “day-to-day” monitoring, not just end of period review
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

4. Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
Role of Night Auditor
Duties of the night auditor.
Checking in late check-ins
Checking out early check outs
Processing reservations
Performing the duties of security guard
Monitoring fire safety systems
Performing cashier duties for banquet functions
Acting as manager on duty
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

5. The Night Audit Process
The night audit process is a series of financial checks and balances that need to be performed on the various departments and front office staff.
The process to post room and tax charges.
The process of assembling guest charges and payments.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

6. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Reconciling departmental financial activities.
The importance of this process as a necessity to insure that all posted guest charges and reported departmental balance.
The origin of departmental balances.
Review Figure 10-2 p. 265 – Departmental Totals.
Review Figure 10-3 p. 267 – Cashier’s Report
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

7. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Procedure to reconcile account receivable.
City Ledger is an accounts receivable - a collection of guest accounts of persons who are not registered with the hotel
Contents of accounts receivable:
direct billings
master credit card accounts (Visa, MasterCard, JCB)
Verification of these totals against departmental totals
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

8. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Run trial balance
The first step in determining if posted guest charges and reported departmental charges balance
Figure 10-4 – Trial Balance. – p. 268
Importance of training front desk clerks in the posting process
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

9. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Preparation of the night audit report
The goal of preparing the night audit is to provide financial feedback for an immediate opportunity for managers to react and respond to variances as well as accurate guest folios and accurate city ledger folios.
Importance of departmental totals
Concept of bank deposit
Concept of accounts receivable
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

10. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Cashier’s report – lists cashier activity of cash and credit cards and PMS totals
Manager’s Report is a listing of occupancy statistics from the previous day, such as occupancy percentage, yield percentage, average daily rate, RevPAR, and number of guests.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

11. The Night Audit Process (cont’d.)
Formulas for Balancing (pp ) the night audit report.
Guest Ledger
City Ledger
Bank Deposit
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

12. Components of the Night Audit Report
Components as well as origination of figures found in Figure 10-5 – Night Audit Report pp
Columns titled actual, budget, and goal %.
Room and tax – this figure originates as a total of posted daily guest room charges; it is a cumulative total from the PMS room total feature.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

13. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont’d.)
Total restaurant sales and sales tax – the origin of this total is by meal period in the various food outlets in the hotel. The dollar figure can be verified against the daily sales reports with accompanying cash register tapes or point-of-sale audit trail tapes from each of the food outlets. The corresponding tax total is obtained by the sales tax figure on the daily sales reports
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

14. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Tips for restaurant, room service, banquet, and lounge employees – the origin of this figure is service fees paid to food and beverage employees. The dollar figure can be verified against paid out slips (tips paid immediately to service employees from the desk clerk’s cash drawer) and room service guest checks and credit card vouchers (charged tips).
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

15. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Room service – the origin of this figure is a total of sales by meal period for room service. The dollar figure can be verified against the daily sales reports with accompanying cash register tapes or point-of-sale audit trail tapes from the room service food facility outlet. This figure is reported separately from restaurant sales to reflect marketing and merchandising campaigns.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

16. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Banquet sales – the origin of this figure is a total of guest checks that tally the individual banquet charges per meal category. The completeness of the total reported can be checked against daily function sheet. The dollar figure can be verified against the daily sales report of the banquet department. This figure is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the food and beverage manager in controlling relate expenses. It is also used to evaluate the effectiveness of the director of marketing and sales in generating business. Finally it is used to indicate cash flow.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

17. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Banquet Bar and Total Lounge Sales – the origin of this figure is from the point-of-sale cash registers in these areas. The dollar figure can be verified against the daily sales report and cash register tapes or audit trail tapes. This figure is used to determine how well cost control efforts have been maintained in this department. It is also used to determine the success of certain marketing and merchandising campaigns.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

18. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Room Rental – this figure originates from meeting and function room rentals. The night auditor can verify the completeness of total rentals by cross-referencing the function sheet listings. The dollar figure is verified against the room rental departmental daily report. This figure is used to determine if room rentals have been maximized during slow banquet sales by the marketing and sales department.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

19. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Valet – this figure must be closely monitored because the hotel pays cash to the off-premises dry cleaner of laundry service when clothing is returned. This total represents costs plus mark-up posted to guest folios from transfers. The dollar figure can be verified against the valet or dry cleaning/laundry journal.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

20. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Telephone Charges – the origin of this figure is from telephone charges reported for local and long distance telephone calls that have been posted to the guest account through the PMS interface with the call accounting system. The dollar figure can be verified against the telephone charges printout received through the call accounting system. This figure allows management to determine the profitability of this service.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

21. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Gift Shop Sales and Tax – the origin of this figure represents sales and tax from this department. The dollar figure can be verified from the gift shop daily sales report and cash register tapes or point-of-sale audit tapes. Management uses this information to examine profitability of this area and to predict cash flow.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

22. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Vending – the origin of this figure is from sales from various vending machines in the hotel. The dollar figure can be verified from the departmental vending daily report. Management compares inventory usage with cash collected to monitor the integrity of cash collection and reporting activities.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

23. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Spa – the origin of this figure is sales posted to guest folios and cash sales in that department. The dollar figure can be verified from the departmental spa daily report and vouchers posted to the guest folios. Management needs this information to examine profitability of this area, to predict cash flow, and to determine the effectiveness of marketing and merchandising campaigns.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

24. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Parking – the origin of this figure comes from sales received in cash, business checks, debit cards, credit cards, and transfers for guest parking. The dollar figure can be verified from departmental parking garage daily report and transfer slips posted to guest folios, parking tickets, cash register tapes, and monthly parking permit renewals that accompany the daily report.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

25. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Total Revenue and Total Write-offs – these figures represent all the cash and charge transactions for the day that reflect all the previously reported figures. Management will compare the actual and budgeted figures to determine how well operations have met financial goals.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

26. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Cash Sales and Accounts Receivable Balance
Explain the Total Cash Sales figure.
Explain the Today’s Outstd A/R figure.
Explain the Total Revenue figure.
Explain the Yesterday’s Outstd A/R figure
Explain TOTAL OUTSTD A/R
Explain CREDIT CARD REC’D A/R figure
Explain Cash Rec’d A/R
Explain Bal A/R
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

27. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Credit Cards and Cash Applied to Accounts Receivable – these figures represent payments that have been received for application toward outstanding accounts receivable (credit card companies, direct billing accounts, and city ledger accounts). Management monitors this figure to determine cash flow.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

28. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Analysis of Accounts Receivable – These figures are maintained to determine the source of the account receivable. Various sources will allow the controller to monitor cash flow. The controller will be able to determine the effects of various discount rates on the profit and loss statement. The controller will also use this information to age accounts
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

29. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Bank Deposit and Amount Transferred to Accounts Receivable – The total bank deposit figure represents cash, Visa, MasterCard, and JCB. The analysis of bank deposit provides sources of bank deposit (cash sales, credit cards and cash from accounts receivable). The total bank deposit figure must match the total cash sales plus the cash received and applied to outstanding accounts receivable (cash received on accounts receivable minus total paid-outs). The total of actual cash and credit card payments received (from the cashier’s report) will match the total bank deposit figure. The amount transferred to accounts figure will match today’s outstanding accounts receivable (today’s outstanding accounts receivable).
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

30. Components of the Night Audit Report (cont)
Cashier’s Report – This figure provides a cumulative total of the cash, credit card vouchers, and checks from credit card companies (from outstanding accounts receivable). This is the amount of cash the desk clerk or cashier is responsible to produce in the deposit. It provides differences between actual and machine total.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

31. Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
Operating Statistics
Operating Statistics – these figures provide a quick summary of the activities of the day and the succession meeting financial budget targets. Management will be able to take quick action to catch unprofitable trends.
Rooms Available – these are the number of rooms in the hotel which were operable for sale; if a room was out of order because of redecorating, plumbing, etc., then it is not to be included in this figure; sometimes students think if a room was occupied by a stay-over, it was not available for sale.
Rooms sold, rooms Vacant, and Rooms Out-Of-Order – these numbers are cross referenced by assessing the housekeepers module (refer to Figure 10-6) p. 281.
Rooms Comp – this figure is reflected in the guest registration card and folios.
Occupancy Percentage– this figure is determined by dividing the number of rooms sold by the number of rooms available and then multiplying that figure by 100. (Refer to Figure 10-7) p. 282
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

32. Operating Statistics (cont)
Double occupancy percentage – this figure is determined by dividing the number of guest minus the number of rooms sold by the number of rooms sold, then multiplying that figure by 100. (Refer to Figure 10-7) p. 282
Yield Percentage – this figure is determined by multiplying the number of rooms sold by ADR and dividing that figure by the number of rooms available times the rack rate and multiplying that figure by 100. (Refer to Figure 10-7). p. 282
RevPAR – this figure is determined by multiplying the times occupancy percentage by the average daily rate. (Refer to Figure 10-7). p. 282
Room Income – this figure is obtained from the total room rate postings.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

33. Operating Statistics (cont)
Number of Guests – this figure corresponds to the registration module.
Average Daily Rate – this figure is computed by dividing the room income by the number of rooms sold. (Refer to Figure 10-7). p. 283
No-shows – this figure is complied by tallying the number of reservations with a confirmed status that did not show; guaranteed reservations are not included in this figure.
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

34. Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
The Daily Flash Report
Daily Flash Report – a management tool to keep track of departmental totals. Refer to Figure p. 283
Room sales – review as major source of income and provide most profit
Departmental totals – such as food and beverage; watch for income and corresponding effectiveness of food and labor cost.
Occupancy totals – feedback on marketing and sales efforts
Search for reasons for low occupancy
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

35. Reading the Night Audit
Room Sales – Budget vs. Actual to compare sales efforts
Restaurant Sales – Review individual meal periods against goals
Room Service – Review goal because it is a profit area for hotel
Banquet Sales – This assists with cash flow and needs a careful watch
Banquet Bar Sales – Provides additional income with banquet sales
Room Rental – This is a very profitable area to assist in paying other non-incoming producing areas of the hotel
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

36. Reading the Night Audit cont’d.
Lounge Sales – This area assists in attracting visitors to a property
Valet – This is a service to the guest and the fee charged for handling is profit for the hotel
Telephone – these fees helps to recover investment in the telecommunication investment and profit for the hotel
Gift Shop – a percentage of the gross sales may be returned to the hotel if this gift shop is outsourced to a vendor
Vending – a percentage of the gross sales may be returned to the hotel if this service is outsourced
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

37. Reading the Night Audit cont’d.
Spa – a percentage of the gross sales may be returned to the hotel if the spa is outsourced to a vendor
Parking – a percentage of the gross sales may be returned to the hotel if the parking garage or lot is outsourced to a vendor
Total Paid-Outs – this figure should be low; not many people are authorized to receive paid-outs from the front desk staff.
Total Discounts – this figure will provide feedback on “satisfaction guarantees” that have been used
Total Write-Offs – this figure provides feedback on accounts that were uncollectable
Total Paid-Out and Noncollect Sales – this is a figure that combines both areas and should be closely watched
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

38. Reading the Night Audit cont’d.
Total Cash Sales – this figure represents all non-credit sales; usually low; if it were high, it could mean a security problem because guests haven’t established credit
Today’s Outstanding Accounts Receivable – total amount charged to guests’ folios
Total Revenue – Total of all cash and charge sales for the day
Yesterday’s Outstanding Accounts Receivable – A large number; represents a delay in receiving credit card payment balances
Total Outstanding Accounts Receivable – Total of Today’s and Yesterday’s Outstanding Accounts Receivable
Credit Card Received Accounts Receivable – how much money was applied to credit card balances
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

39. Reading the Night Audit cont’d.
Cash Received Accounts Receivable – Cash received and applied to credit card balances
Balance Accounts Receivable – Total of outstanding accounts receivable (city ledger, direct bill, and credit cards) Note: this figure must match Analysis of Accounts Receivable
Bank Deposit – Lists cash and credit card deposits. Note: must match Credit Card Received Accounts Receivable.
Analysis of Bank Deposit – Provides overview of sources of funds deposited
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

40. Reading the Night Audit cont’d.
Cashier’s Report – verifies total of each cashier for cash sales, credit card sales, and sales applied to accounts receivable
Analysis Cash Report – summary of cash sales, credit card sales, and sales applied to accounts receivable
Manager’s Report – overview of staff’s financial efforts of the previous day (actual vs. budgeted figures)
Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved