Hostel store on the resident's hostel bill
With SmartMy Hostel, a resident buys at the hostel store or tuck shop and pays later on the hostel bill. Each sale becomes a Store Purchases charge on the resident's current stay, invoiced by the hostel's billing run with the other charges. Income and tax are booked once, through a clearing account.
PLANSEvery planWith SmartMy Hostel
Why it matters
Residents run out of cash late in the evening. A tuck shop that gives credit ends up with a notebook of names and unpaid amounts. The hostel office then adds those amounts to the bill by hand, or never does. SmartMy POS charges the sale to the resident's current stay as a Store Purchases charge. The hostel's own billing run invoices it with rent and the other charges, so there is one bill and one place to pay. Refunds come back on the same bill, and only residents with a current stay can buy this way.
The problem it solves
- The tuck shop keeps a notebook of residents who will pay later, and amounts are lost or disputed.
- The hostel office adds store purchases to the bill by hand at month end.
- A resident who has moved out still owes the shop, and nobody chases it.
- The same sale is counted as income at the shop and again on the hostel bill.
How it works
- Set it up once: a payment method of the kind Hostel Bill on the store's registers. Then the Hostel Bill Clearing account on a register's Receipt tab.
- At the counter, choose the resident as the customer. The customer list shows whether they have a current stay that can be charged, and in which hostel.
- Add the products, click Pay, choose the hostel bill method and Validate.
- A Store Purchases charge goes on the resident's current stay, and the order shows a Hostel Bill tab.
- The hostel's billing run invoices store purchases with the resident's other charges. A POS manager can invoice earlier with Invoice Now under Point of Sale > Hostel Bill Charges.
- A refund goes back to the hostel bill: waived if not yet invoiced, otherwise a negative charge on the next invoice.
Everything it does
Who can buy on the hostel bill
- A resident with a current stay, checked in or on notice, in a hostel of the same Entity
- The customer must be the resident; a parent or guardian cannot buy on the child's bill
- A hostel that bills through school fees does not take it: use the student fee account instead
- A hostel that does not bill extra charges does not take it either
The charge
- Kind Store Purchases, on the current stay
- Always the resident's own; not split with other payers of the stay, such as a parent or a company
- Point of Sale > Hostel Bill Charges: resident, hostel, order, amount and status To Invoice, Invoiced or Waived
- Invoice Now for the lines ticked, or for all when none is ticked
Books
- The counter books the sale against Hostel Bill Clearing; the hostel invoice clears it
- For a staff resident whose stay is paid by salary, store purchases clear in the salary entry. They also clear in the full and final settlement (with SmartMy HRMS)
Who uses it
Tuck shop cashierChooses the resident and charges the sale to the hostel bill.
Warden or hostel officeRuns the billing run that invoices store purchases with the rent.
POS managerInvoices charges early when needed and follows what is still to invoice.
ResidentBuys without cash and pays the store purchases with the hostel bill.
Where you use it
- Web: the Hostel Bill method on the store's counter; Point of Sale > Hostel Bill Charges; the Hostel Bill tab of an order
- The SmartMy POS app: the Hostel Bill method on the Pay screen for a resident with a current stay. It is built and in testing, not in the app stores yet
- Not built: a monthly spending limit per resident on the hostel bill
- Not for guardians, and not for residents who have checked out
What you control
Settings
- Hostel Bill Clearing: per store, set on a register
- A payment method of the kind Hostel Bill on the store's registers
Works with
SmartMy HostelNeeded: residents, stays and the billing run that invoices extra charges with the rent.
SmartMy HRMSFor staff residents who pay by salary, store purchases are taken through the salary entry and the final settlement.
SmartMy CampusFor hostels that bill through school fees, students buy on the fee account instead.
Questions
Can a resident buy without cash?
Yes. The cashier chooses the resident and pays with the Hostel Bill method. It goes on the next hostel invoice.Is the store purchase split with the parent or company who pays the rent?
No. Store purchases are always the resident's own.What if the resident has moved out?
The sale is refused. Only a resident with a stay that is checked in or on notice can buy on the hostel bill.Is there a spending limit?
Not on the hostel bill. For a monthly limit, school hostels can use the student fee account, which has one.How are refunds handled?
A refund goes back to the hostel bill, never more than the sale charged. Not invoiced yet, the charge is waived; otherwise a negative charge goes on the next invoice.Related features
WITH OTHER SMARTMY PRODUCTSCampus store on the student's fee accountWith SmartMy Campus, a student buys at the campus store without money. The cashier scans the ID card and the sale goes on the student's fee account. On the 1st of each month the last month's purchases become one fee due per student. Parents see and pay it with the other fees, and a monthly limit keeps spending in check.WITH OTHER SMARTMY PRODUCTSStaff purchases deducted from salaryWith SmartMy HRMS payroll, an employee buys at the staff store and the amount is taken from their next salary. The cashier scans the badge, and a monthly limit keeps it in check. The next payslip gets one Store Purchases deduction line, never more than the net pay. What is still owed when someone leaves goes into the exit settlement.WEB COUNTER AND APPSmartMy POS app for phones and tillsThe SmartMy POS app runs the whole shift on one device. Open the session, sell, take payments, refund, and print or share receipts. Move cash and close with a cash count. It keeps the register's products, prices and taxes on the device and keeps selling without signal. It runs on Android and iOS phones and tablets and on Windows, macOS and Linux tills.SELLINGRefunds and discounts with a supervisor PINRefund the lines and quantities that come back, with a reason, found by receipt number or customer. Give line or bill discounts with a reason up to the cashier's limit. A supervisor approves each refund on the cashier's screen with a password or a PIN that works once.SELLINGFind or add the customer at the counterFind a customer by typing two letters of the name or digits of the mobile number. Or add a new one with just a name and a phone. Without a customer the sale goes to the register's walk-in customer.
See a day at your counter, start to close.
Tell us what you sell and how many counters you run. We will show you the opening count, a sale without internet, a refund and the closing report.