PMS Message Format Specification

The following list contains the type of messages sent from the PMS to the system, and from the system to the PMS.

PMS messages can be used to manage a Suite or Linked Suite in the same manner as managing a Room except using the Suite Pilot number or Linked Suite Pilot number of the guest room extension (where applicable).

PMS System Messages

PMS to System

System to PMS

Enquire

Enquire

Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment

Negative Acknowledgment

Negative Acknowledgment

Are You There

Maid Status

Check In/Check Out Message

Message Registration

Message Waiting

Message Waiting

Wake-Up

Alert

Credit Limit

Request to Initialize

Station Restriction

 

Name

 

Name Transfer

 

Affiliation

 

Location

 

Suite Messages

 

Language

 

VIP Status

 

DND

 

General Reset

 

End

 

Enquire (ENQ), Acknowledgement (ACK), Negative Acknowledgement (NAK)

These are messages using single byte ASCI characters:

All Other Messages

These messages have the following general format:

Each box represents 1 byte. Each data message is prefaced with an STX (the ASCII character for start-of-text) and is completed with the character ETX (the ASCII character for end-of-text). The characters mentioned in the messages below are all in upper case, unless otherwise stated.  

If the extension number is less than 5 to 7 digits in length, it is padded with blank characters. For messages sent from the system to the PMS, blanks are padded on the RIGHT side. For messages sent from the PMS to the system, blanks are padded on the LEFT or RIGHT side, but not both. The space character (ASCII 32, HEX 20) must be used.

NOTES

 

Are You There?

This message is sent by the PMS to ensure that the system is still responsive.

Check In/Out Messages

The following features or data are cleared or reset to defaults on check-in and check-out:

NOTE: Only directed MWIs (i.e., those activated by front desk staff) and callback message (i.e., those activated by other users) are cleared on check-in/check-out. MWIs activated by voice mail are not cleared.

The clearing of the following is optional on a check-out (based on the Hotel Option form programming) and mandatory on a check-in:

NOTE: If you are using Suite Services, feature clearing is performed either on the Suite Pilot or the individual suite member as needed. For example, Redial clearing is performed at the suite member level; whereas, DND is cleared on the Suite Pilot Number (or primary member) which controls DND for the entire suite.

The message has the following format:

where:

Message Waiting Message

The format of this message is the same for both directions. The status code sets the new state of the message waiting lamp. If from the PMS to the system, this message indicates that the room's message waiting lamp is to be turned on or off to indicate the presence of a non-voice mail message for the occupant. From the system to the PMS, the message indicates that voice mail or a source other than the PMS turn the message waiting lamp on or off.

The Message Waiting message has the following format:

where:

Wake-Up Message

The PMS system can inform the system to set a wake-up call for a particular guest station. Wake-up calls can be programmed against guest rooms, suite pilot numbers and suite members but cannot be programmed against Linked Suite Pilot numbers.  

The Wake-up message has the following format:

where:

The wake-up time is specified in 24 hour time. All four characters, filled with ASCII spaces, represents a wake-up deletion.

Credit Limit Support

The PMS uses a Credit Limit message to set a credit limit on a guest room or suite. The system does not make any call restriction decisions; the PMS is solely responsible for informing the system of any action to take in regards to credit limit exhaustion.

NOTE: Emergency Services (911/999) and internal calls are never restricted.  

Credit limit support works in conjunction with the existing Surcharge and Multiplier values described in Using Message Registration system documentation. One or both of these fields must be given values in the Hotel Options form in order to use the Credit Limit or Alert messages. Totals calculated using the Surcharge and Multiplier values may be printed at any time.

NOTE: When a credit limit is applied to a Linked Suite, it is applied in full to each member suite. For example, if a $100 Credit Limit is applied to a Linked Suite consisting of 3 Member Suites, each Member Suite may make up to $100 in calls for a total of $300 for the Linked Suite.

A Credit Limit message has the following format:

where:

Alert Message

An Alert message is used by the system to notify the PMS when the established telephone credit limit has been reached. The PMS may then send a Station Restriction message to the system to apply previously programmed Class of Restriction parameters (calls in progress are not affected when a credit limit is reached).

An Alert message has the following format:

where:

Station Restriction

A Station Restriction message can be used to establish call restrictions. When this message is sent from the PMS to the system, it brings predefined Call Restrictions into effect as programmed in the Hotel Options.

NOTE: Emergency Services (911/999) and internal calls are never restricted.

The Station Restriction message has the following format:

where:

0 – Internal

1 – Local

2 – Long Distance

3 – Option 1

4 – Option 2

5 – Option 3

Name Message

This message is sent from the PMS and is used to program the Telephone Directory of the system with the guest's name. If using Suite Services, the Name associated with a Linked Suite should also be programmed as the Affiliation of each Member Suite.

The Name message has the following input format:

where:

The maximum length of the NAME field is 21 characters. The NAME string is left-justified within the NAME field, and padded with spaces (between name and extension number.) The length of a name can be up to 20 characters. If the name is 20 characters, the 21st character must be an ASCII space. The string can contain ASCII characters (lower case letters, upper case letters and numbers with the exception of square brackets "[" and "]" and pipe "|".) If the NAME string does not contain a comma, the string is treated as a LASTNAME. If the NAME string includes a comma, it is treated as the form LASTNAME,FIRSTNAME. When a comma is used, the total length of the string can be 21 characters. The comma cannot be in the 1st or 21st location. The comma cannot be used to terminate the NAME string, and the string cannot contain more than one comma.

When interfacing with a 3300 ICP 8.0 UR4, if there are spaces between the LASTNAME and FIRSTNAME (i.e. LASTNAME   ,   FIRSTNAME), the spaces will be removed by the system (i.e. LASTNAME,FIRSTNAME.) However, when interfacing with an SX2000 or an earlier version of 3300 ICP/MiVoice Business, no spaces are permitted immediately before or after the comma. These will result in unpredictable behavior.

If there are multiple space-separated strings in either the LASTNAME or FIRSTNAME (i.e. a two part first or last name, for example, LASTNAME,MARY JANE) then these spaces are maintained intact.

Name Transfer

This message is sent from the PMS to instruct the system to move the specified name from one extension to another extension. This function will not transfer room associated data such as COS, COR, interconnect number, room status, wake-up time, and meter unit totals.

NOTE: The Message Center messages will follow the name from one room to another.

The Name Transfer message has the following input format:

where:

Affiliation Message

This message is sent from the PMS and is used to program the Telephone Directory of the system with the guest's affiliation. This is displayed in the Telephone Directory form under Department. The words department and affiliation are synonymous within this text.  

Linked Suite names should be programmed in the Telephone Directory as the department/affiliation for each Member Suite.

The Affiliation message has the following input format:

where:

The length of the affiliation can be up to 10 characters and only one string may be used. It is left-justified, with blanks used for padding. A telephone directory entry is considered a unique name-telephone number pair.

For example, consider the following Telephone Directory form.

Name

Telephone Number

Department

Location

Prime

Green, Jayne

120

Trillium

March

No

Smith, Joe

120

Mitel

Kanata

No

Both Joe and Jayne share the same telephone number. However, they can each have a corporate directory entry with its own department and location as shown above.

Entry of Multiple Names and Departments against the Same Number

The PMS/System interface allows the entry of multiple names and departments against the same telephone number. This is done by having the department message described above immediately follow a name message. If the telephone number on the department message matches the telephone number on the earlier name request, the department is added to this name-number combination.

Assuming extension 120 does exist on the system, the following PMS to system messages can be sent to enter both Joe and Jayne into the PBX's corporate directory.

The ADD and REPLACE operations for the DPT function code perform the same function. That is, they take the current department and replace it with the given string.

Location Message

The location message allows a location to be entered against a telephone directory entry. The functionality is much the same as the department message except for the following message format.  

The Location Message has the following input format:

where:

Entry of Multiple Names, Departments and Locations

To enter a location against a specific telephone directory entry, use the following PMS messaging scheme:

To enter a name, department, and location against a particular extension, use the following messaging sequence. To create a unique telephone directory entry, the first message of the triplet must be the NAM1 message. The department and location can follow in any order. They must however, not be interlaced with name, department, or location messages for other telephone numbers.

NOTE: For Name, Location, and Affiliation messages, Hotel Class of Service is not required.

Suite Messages

A Linked Suite may be formed, added to, deleted from, and dissolved using an available Linked Suite Pilot number. Upon formation of a Linked Suite, the provision of Shared Telephone Services (STS) is active or inactive. Member suites may be checked in or out during provisioning of Linked Suites or independently.  

NOTE: Although both PMS and ESM (3300 ICP/MiVoice Business) can be used to manage Linked Suites at the same site, we recommend using a PMS system. Guest Services cannot be used to provision Linked Suites at this time.

The general suite message has the following format:

where:

0 for create linked suite, check in, no STS

1 for create linked suite, check in, STS active

2 for add suite, check in

3 for remove suite, check out

4 for breakdown linked suite, check out

5 for change linked suite pilot number, no check out

6 for add suite, no check in

7 for delete suite(s), no check out

8 for create linked suite, no check in, no STS

A for create linked suite, no check in, STS active

B for breakdown linked suite, no check out

The number of Member Suite Pilot Numbers is dynamic. Each Linked Suite and Member Suite Pilot number is 5 to 7 digits maximum in length. A maximum of 4 member suites may be included in a single Linked Suite message. If more than 4 members are included in a Linked Suite (maximum 32 members without STS), then several Suite Messages must be sent.

Message Registration Message

Each time a hotel extension makes a trunk call, the system sends a message to the PMS to update the total count of outside calls made against the guest room. No distinction is made between local and long-distance calls. Message Registration works by counting the number of meter pulses made over the duration of the call.  

The Message Registration message has the following output format:

where:

The status code in this case is a fee or peg count. This is the one exception to the length of the status code, being 4 bytes instead of 2.

If the system does not receive a proper acknowledgment from the PMS, it generates a hotel log indicating the PMS is out of order. When the PMS is out of order, the system generates occupancy logs for every check in and check out operation.

Maid Status Message

The Maid Status message is sent to the PMS whenever the Room Status Condition attribute is modified. The Maid dials a Feature Access code, optional Maid ID code, and Maid Status code from a hotel extension. The attendant can also change the Room Status Condition from the console, and automatic updates can be done via ESM. The updates will also be sent to the PMS system.  

If Suite Services is used, Maid Status messages can be invoked using any suite telephone and are applied to the Suite Pilot number.

The Maid Status Message has the following format:

where:

The identification code is included in the message only if the "Room Status – Maid ID Required" option is enabled on the Hotel Options form. Depending on who is responsible for modifying the room status, the identification code can be either a Maid ID (Independent Account Code) or an Attendant DN.   

The Feature Access code that is dialed by the Maid changes the condition attribute of the Room Status as stored in the database of the system; it never changes the occupancy. When a Feature Access code is dialed, the system sends both a Function and Status code to the PMS, and the PMS should interpret the codes in the following way:

Maid Status Code

Room Condition

1

maid present

2

clean

3

not clean

4

out of service

5

to be inspected

6

Occupied/Clean

7

Occupied/Not Clean

8

Vacant/Clean

9

Vacant/Not Clean

Maid Status codes 1 to 5 would typically be used by a hotel which does not use a PMS interface. Here, the Maid, or Room Supervisor would enter the appropriate code to update the system database. Maid Status codes 6 through 9 would typically be used by a hotel that uses a PMS. To ensure proper use of the codes, program the PMS to accept these messages and to produce a discrepancy report when one exists between the occupancy status as indicated by the Maid Status code and the actual occupancy as stored on the PMS database.  

For example, a Maid cleans a room and notes that there are no signs of the guest still occupying the room. She enters the Maid Status Feature Access code and dials 8, indicating that the room is now vacant and clean. However, the PMS notes that the guest room is still occupied. At this point a discrepancy report is output from the PMS notifying the hotel personnel.  

NOTE: Maid Status codes do not change the occupancy as stored in the database of the system. These Status codes result in a message being sent to the PMS, and are used to indicate what the Maid believes the occupancy status of the room is.

Language Message

This message allows the PMS to set the operating language for a guest room. Up to 14 languages are available. Once a selection is made, the change is reflected on the guest's phone display.

If Suite Services is used, the selected language is applied to all devices in the guest room (i.e. to all suite members) in a best-effort fashion. Any device that does not support the specified language will not have its language changed.

The Language Message has the following format:

where:

The language code is a three-character ASCII string representing a number from 0 to 255. When a code is less than three characters long, it is padded with spaces on the right. The codes represent the following languages:

Language Code

Language

0

English

1

French

2

German

3

Latin America Spanish

4

Brazilian Portuguese

5

Dutch

6

Italian

7

Romanian

8

Portugal Portuguese

9

European Spanish

10

Russian

11

Swedish

12

Polish

13

Simplified Chinese

254

Local 2

255

Local 1

Undefined values (i.e. 16 – 255) are reserved for future use.  If the language specified is not available languages in the system, the language for the room will not be changed from its current setting.

VIP Status Message

This message allows the PMS to assign the VIP settings for an extension or suite. There are two settings:

Use the Hotel Options form to define the VIP status labels, which can be up to 10 characters in length. For example, program "Honeymoon" for VIP1, "Conference" for VIP2, and "Anniversary" for VIP3.  

If Suite Services is used, the VIP settings are applied to the suite pilot number, not to suite extensions or linked suites.  

If the Suppress Delivery of Caller ID Display between Sets COS option is enabled on the originating set, the VIP status label is not displayed.

The VIP Status Message has the following format:

where:

VIP Status Message Format

The VIP status code is a one-character ASCII string representing a number from 0..9. The codes represent the following settings:

Status Code

Status Setting

0

Blank (non-VIP)

1

VIP1

2

VIP2

3

VIP3

4

VIP4

5

VIP5

6

VIP6

7

VIP7

8

VIP8

9

VIP9

VIP Wakeup Message Format

The VIP Wakeup code is a single ASCII string that indicates whether the feature is enabled or disabled. The codes represent the following settings:

Wakeup Code

Wakeup Setting

0

Off

1

On

DND Message

This message allows the PMS to manage the Do Not Disturb (DND) status for an extension or suite.  

The DND Message has the following format:

where:

The DND code is a single ASCII string that indicates whether the feature is enabled or disabled. The codes represent the following settings:

DND Code

DND Setting

0

Off

1

On

General Reset

This message is sent by the PMS to indicate that it is beginning a database swap or general reset cycle. During this cycle the PMS will reset the system database to match the PMS's database. See PMS Recovery from Failure section below.

End (message used to indicate the end of the general reset process)

This message is sent by the PMS to end the GRS cycle. See PMS Recovery from Failure section below.

Request To Initialize

This message is sent by the system to recommend the PMS initiate a GRS cycle. This will be sent to the PMS only after a reboot of the system following the first communication from the PMS. See PMS Recovery from Failure section below.