Hospitality Industry Computer Systems
Course Outline HTM468

Course Description: Provides an overview of the information needs of lodging properties and food service establishments; addresses essential aspects of computer systems, such as hardware, software, and generic applications; focuses on computer-based property management systems for both front office and back office functions.

Evaluation: The student must complete twelve basic, self-scoring review quizzes, four progress test, and a comprehensive final examination.

Learning Resource: Hospitality Industry Computer Systems, 
Third Edition, by: 
Michael L. Kasavana, Ph.D., CHTP, and John J. Cahill, CHA, CHTP

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course, students should be able to:
  1. Identify the most common front office components of a Property
      Management System (PMS) and some of the computer systems that can interface with a PMS.
  2. Identify and describe features of the three major components necessary
      for a complete computer system—input/output units, a central processing unit, and external
      storage devices.
  3. Describe the basic functions performed by generic application software,
      such as word processing, electronic spreadsheet analysis, and database management.
  4. Explain the process of selecting and implementing a computer system at a hospitality operation.
  5. Identify and describe the functions performed by front office PMS modules, such as an in-house
      reservations, rooms management, guest accounting, and general management modules.
  6. Identify and explain the function of files maintained by the modules of a
      PMS back office package, including accounts receivable, accounts
      payable, payroll, and financial reporting.
  7. Identify and explain the function of common PMS interfaces, which include point-of-sale,
      call accounting, energy management, electronic locking systems, and guest-operated devices.
  8. Describe common hardware configurations of POS systems used by food service operations.
  9. Describe advances in food service automation, such as sophisticated input devices, POS
      system and microcomputer interfaces, integrated food service software, forecasting application
      software, and catering software packages.
10. Identify and explain the function of files maintained by food service
      management applications, such as recipe management, precosting and
      postcosting, sales analysis, menu management, and back office accounting applications.
11. Explain the difference between read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).
12. Describe important elements of revenue management, explaining how hospitality managers
      should use it and discussing the advantages that revenue management software offers.
13. Identify how hospitality operations can ensure data security and information protection.
14. Identify the purpose of a management information system.
15. Identify the impact of the Internet and private intranets on the hospitality industry

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Last Updated June 10,  2006