Reservations Center - Schedule a Reservation

Written By Ascend knowledge base (Administrator)

Updated at September 6th, 2024

Once your system is properly configured, you can start entering customer reservations. Article: Get started with Ascend’s Reservations functions 

To create Reservations in Ascend, users need the Reservations – Manage user permission. By default, all existing users have this permission.

To edit existing Reservation check-in/check-out dates/times, users need the Reservations – Override user permission. This permission is automatically checked in the Manager and Administrator permission templates.

Note: This permission is not checked automatically. You’ll need to manually check that permission box for any Users that should be able to edit existing rental durations.

Entering reservations

  1. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Reservation tile.
    Screenshot of Reservation icon, it is blue with a calendar page with a plus sign inside of it.
  2. In the Customer section, click the magnifying glass icon and select the appropriate customer.
    Screenshot of Customer section, the magnifying glass icon is highlighted
  3. On the toolbar, select the dates and times for when the customer wishes to have the item(s) out of the store.
    Screenshot with dates and times highlighted
  4. Click the View Details icon to view the customer’s information and enter Comments. Click again to return to the Reservation Scheduler screen.
    Screenshot with the View Details icon highlighted
  5. Use the left pane to search or filter to locate the desired Rental Product(s).
  6. In the middle pane, click to select the Rental Products you wish to add to reserve. The icons below the Description display the status of all attached Rental Items.
    1. Available: Total number of Rental Items which are open to be rented.
      Green circle with green check mark inside
    2. Reserved: Total number of Rental Items which are on other open reservations.
      Icon of a blue bell in a blue circle
    3. Pending: Total number of Rental Items which are on new reservations which are not yet saved.
      Icon of a brown hourglass in a brown circle
    4. Turnaround: Rental Items remain unavailable for 15 minutes after check-in to give you time to check them over for damage, adjustments, cleaning, etc.
      Icon of two orange arrows that make a circle inside an orange circle
    5. Service: Total number of Rental Items which are marked Out of Service.
      Screenshot of a red briefcase inside a red circle
  7. In the right pane, the reservation details display.
    1. The rental duration displays on the toolbar.
    2. The first available Rental Item is selected for each Rental Product reserved. If you wish to reserve a different Rental Item, select it from the dropdown below the description.
      Screenshot with the dropdown below the description open
    3. To remove an item, click the X icon next to the item.
      Screenshot highlighting the X icon
      To remove all items, click the X icon next to the rental duration (on the toolbar).
      Screenshot highlighting the X icon
    4. Estimate displays the customer’s rental charge subtotal. This amount does NOT include any taxes accrued on rental charges.
      Screenshot of Add Reservation window, it says Estimate on the lower right corner and it is highlighted in blue
  8. Click the Print Details icon to print a summary receipt for the customer. Be sure to let them know the estimate does not reflect their final total due.
    Screenshot with print details icon highlighted
  9. To save the Reservation without taking a payment, click the Reserve button.
    Screenshot with Reserve button highlighted
    To create a transaction, click the Reserve & Pay button.
    Screenshot with Reserve & Pay button highlighted
  10. When you are finished editing the Reservation, click the Close button.
    Screenshot with Close button highlighted

Accessing Reservations

View all Reservations

Note: (multi-store retailers) Reservations without an associated Rental transaction can be edited at any location. Reservations created at another location display in purple text.

  1. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Reservations tile.
    Screenshot of orange Reservation icon with calendar page on it
  2. By default, Reservations which have a timespan that encompasses the current date display. To view Reservations for a different date, enter or select the desired date.
    Screenshot of Reservations window with date highlighted
  3. To display all open Reservations, uncheck the box next to the date.
    Screenshot with the box next to the date highlighted and unchecked
  4. To display all Reservations in your system (included completed Reservations), click the Show All button (on the toolbar).
    Screenshot with Show All button highlighted

View Reservations with an incomplete transaction

Navigate to Database Explorer > Sales > Rentals. All unfinished (open) transactions which are tied to a Reservation display.

Screenshot of Rentals window

Note: Once the Reservation and transaction are both completed (finished), the transaction displays only in Database Explorer > Sales.

View Reservations for a customer

  1. From the Ascend Desktop, click the Customers tile.
    Screenshot of blue Customers icon, there are two people on it
  2. Search for and select the appropriate customer.
    Note: Do not double-click the customer.
  3. In the lower pane, select the History tab.
  4. Expand the Reservations folder. Double-click to open the Reservation.
    Note: The associated transaction displays in the appropriate Transactions folder.
    Screenshot of Customers window with History section open on the bottom

Checking out Rental Items

  1. On the Reservation screen, select the Item Number or Serial Number for the Rental Item which the customer is taking out of the store.
    Screenshot with Item Number selected
  2. Click the Check-Out icon next to the item.
    Screenshot with Check out button highlighted
    To check out all items on the Reservation, click the Check-Out All icon next to the rental duration (on the toolbar).
    Screenshot with Check-out all button highlighted
    The checkout information displays under the item information.
    Note: Users with the Reservations – Override user permission can change the check-in or checkout date/time by clicking the date.
    Screenshot with date and time highlighted
  3. Click the Print Details icon to print a summary receipt for the customer. Be sure to let them know the estimate does not reflect their final total due.
    Screenshot with print details icon highlighted
  4. To save the Reservation without taking a payment, click the Save button.
    Screenshot with Save button highlighted
    To create a transaction, click the Save & Pay button.
    Screenshot with Save & Pay button highlighted
  5. When you are finished editing the Reservation, click the Close button.
    Screenshot with Close button highlighted

Checking in Rental Items

  1. On the Reservation screen, click the Check-In icon next to the item
    Screenshot with Check-in icon highlighted
    To check out all items on the Reservation, click the Check-In All icon next to the rental duration (on the toolbar).
    Screenshot with Check-in all icon highlighted
    The duration information displays under the item information.
    Note: Users with the Reservations – Override user permission can change the check-in or checkout date/time by clicking the date.
    Screenshot with check-in or checkout date/time highlighted
  2. Click the Save & Pay button and complete the transaction.
    Screenshot with Save & Pay button highlighted

Creating a sale

  1. From the Reservation, click the Reserve & Pay/Save & Pay button.
  2. A transaction containing a Rental Charges sale item is created. This item’s Price is calculated based on the Reservation length and the Rate Program associated with the Collection to which the Rental Item(s) belongs.
    Note: Checking in/out an item before/after its scheduled date does not affect the Rental Charges amount.
    Screenshot with Keep Open icon highlighted
  3. Rental Charges can be discounted as desired. However, all discounts are reset when changes are made to the duration in the Reservation.
  4. Payments (partial or full) may be processed at any time. The Keep Open button (on the toolbar) is automatically selected, and remains so until the entire Reservation is checked in.
  5. When the Reservation is complete and the transaction is fully paid, click the Finish as a Sale button on the Paid in Full Transaction prompt.
    Screenshot with Finish as a Sale button highlighted

Additional Resources

KB22-213