The POSey Theater Management System allows you to set up and maintain the information necessary to operate a theater.__You define various seating sections and assign prices to each section.__Seats may be reserved, and tickets sold, for any number of shows or performances.__The POSey Register provides an interface for tendering of ticket sales. A complete patron database is maintained, and seat reservations may be assigned to particular patrons.__Various reports are provided to help you keep track of patrons and prepare mailing lists. Use of the POSey Theater Management system for reservations and tendering of ticket sales will require that you have a POS keyboard or touch-screen configured for use with the Cash Register interface, and a PC compatible keyboard for use with the Theater and Reservations programs.
Before beginning to use the Theater system, you must use the Theater Management Configuration program to enter setup information.__This data tells the system where to find its files, and how to print tickets.
Data File Paths
Theater management needs to know where the Theater Management files will be located.__This would normally be the \POSEY\FILES directory on the file server machine. You must also tell the program the location of the POSey configuration files.__This would be the location of the POSey CONFIG.DAT file, which would normally be the \POSEY directory on the local machine.__Be sure to include the trailing backslash when entering both pathnames.
Ticket Printer Setup
If you will be printing theater tickets, you should have a printer for the tickets.__The printer should be connected to one of the ports of the Register, and the Printer Inactive field should be blank.__If you WILL NOT be printing tickets, check this field. Also check the appropriate LPT or COM port for the ticket printer.__If you select one of the COM ports, you must also provide the serial port communication parameters that will be used.__Typical parameters might be 9600 baud, "N" parity, 8 data bits, and 1 stop bit.__However different printers may have different requirements.
Ticket Printing Instructions
The Theater Management system allows you to customize the printing of tickets.__This may be done in one of two ways, as described below.
Printing Tickets Using Configuration Info Fields
If the first line of header information is not "TICKET.HDR", then tickets will be printed according to the text and control codes entered into the Theater Management Configuration screen.__Most ticket printing requirements can be accomodated in this manner. Up to 5 header lines and 5 trailer lines are allowed, each of which may contain any text you like.__The main body of the ticket is formatted by the Theater program to print the show number and title, the date, time, and seat number. Here is an example of the ticket that would be printed using the configuration information from the sample screen above;
_________________+------------------------------------------+ _________________|___________42nd Street Theater____________| _________________|__________Broadway & 42nd Street__________| _________________|___________New York, NY__10021____________| _________________|__________________________________________| _________________|__________________________________________| _________________|__________________________________________| _________________|_____101__My Fair Lady____________________| _________________|__01/01/96______Seat B25_________8:00 PM__| _________________|__________________________________________| _________________|__________________________________________| _________________|_____Be sure to reserve your tickets______| _________________|__________for the summer season.__________| _________________|____________Phone 212-555-1212____________| _________________+------------------------------------------+
Each header or trailer line may contain any text message, or may be left blank.__Blank lines will not be printed, and no line feed will be sent for a blank line. Up to three control codes may be inserted before and after each line of text.__Codes should be entered as ASCII codes.__For example to send an ASCII Escape code, enter the number 27.__These special codes may be used to place the printer in enlarged text mode, bold print mode, or to do additional line feeds in between lines.__The required codes will be different for each type of printer.__Consult your printer manual for more information about the control codes it recognizes.
Printing Tickets Using the TICKET.HDR File
If your ticket design requires more customization, or if you cannot use the show description lines printed by the standard ticket format, you may set up your own ticket printing format.__This is done by creating a text file named TICKET.HDR with a text editor, and placing it in the directory where the Theater programs are located (normally the \POSEY directory). To force the ticket printing program to use the special format file, enter the text, "TICKET.HDR" as the first line of header information in the Theater Configuration program. When the program prints tickets using the TICKET.HDR file it simply prints the text from each line of the TICKET.HDR file to the ticket printer until it comes to the end of the file, or until it comes to a line which contains the text . In addition to whatever text you want to print on the ticket, you may include variables which tell the program to print information about the ticket.__Following is a list of the valid variables that may be inserted into this ticket print format file.__Any entries in this file other than valid variables (as described below) will be interpreted as literal text that is to be output directly to the ticket printer. ______________________Show date ____ ___________________Show number __________________Show name ___________________Section number __________________Section name ______________________Seat number _____________________Ticket price (including tax) _____________________Advance printer to print position 'nn' ________________________Output the ASCII code 'nn' to the printer ____________________________(codes output with are counted as a character ________________________________when computing spacing) Any of these variables, except and may use the following syntax; ____ ...where n and m are integer numbers which specify the start position and number of characters to print, respectively.__For example, if the Section Name of a show is "42-BALCONY", the variable would cause the text "BAL" to be printed on the ticket.__Or, the variable would cause the text "42" to be printed. If the 'm' number is omitted, the remaining characters of the variable will be printed.__For example, the variable would cause the text "BALCONY" to print on the ticket. Here is a sample of a ticket format that could be used in the TICKET.HDR file;
DATE: TIME: <27><69><27><70> CINEMA: ____ROW: __SEAT: $ Thank you for visiting ABC Theater! --------------------------------------------------------------------------
And here is a sample of the ticket that would be printed using this format;
Note that the codes <27><69> are special instructions to the printer to use bold printing for the show title, and <27><70> turn bold printing off. These are printer-specific codes, and would be different for different types of printers. Also note that this ticket describes a row number and a cinema designation, even though the POSey Theater system does not allow for entry of this information.__This is accomplished by creating a separate section for each row in each cinema.__The different cinemas are denoted by a letter, which is the first character of the section number.__The rest of the section number, beginning with the second character, is the row number.__This is just one example of the flexibility that can be achieved.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |+-----------------------------| Section Definition |---------------------------+| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________This program will define the various seating Sections___________|| ||______________used in the system.__Each section must be assigned a____________|| ||______________unique code from 1 to 3 characters long, as well as an__________|| ||______________identifying description.________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________Section code:___________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_______________________Description:___________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________Total number of seats:___________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| |+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+| |F1-Help F2-Fld Help F3-Clr Screen F4-Clr Field F5-Scan1 F9-Del F10-Save Ins.Off | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Seating Section Definition
Each seat in the Theater system must be assigned a Show Number, a Section Code, and a Seat Number.__This allows you to have many different sections with the same seat number.__For example, you could have seat number 25 in the A, B, and C sections. Section definition begins by specifying a three character section code.__You may enter numbers, letters, or punctuation characters as a part of the section code.__Next, enter a name or description for this section code.__The section code and section name may be printed on tickets. The "Total Number of Seats" field should be left blank at this point.__The Theater system will automatically update this field when you run the Seat Definition program. When planning how to lay out your Theater system into sections, keep in mind that the Seat Reservations program will not allow more than one terminal to access a particular Show/Section at the same time.__Therefore, it is important in multi-terminal network installations to keep the section size modest.__In any case, each section may contain no more than 300 seats.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |+------------------------------| Seat Definition |-----------------------------+| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______This program will allow you to define the number of seats for each______|| ||______section, as well as the different price levels for each seat in_________|| ||______that section.__Definition of each seat will automatically create________|| ||______an associated record in the POSey system inventory file.__The PLU_______|| ||______number will be comprised of the Section code and the Seat number________|| ||______(e.g. BL125).__NOTE: If you define seats which are already created______|| ||______in the system, the information entered here will OVERWRITE any__________|| ||______existing information.___________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_______________Section code:__________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||___Starting seat number:_______Ending seat number:______(Max of 300/section)__|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||________________________Retail price :________________________________________|| ||________________________Price level 1:________________________________________|| ||____________________________________2:________________________________________|| ||____________________________________3:________________________________________|| ||____________________________________4:________________________________________|| ||_________________________________Cost:________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________Subject to SI:__#1 [ ]____#2 [ ]____#3 [ ]____#4 [ ]_____________|| |+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+| |F1-Help F2-Fld Help F3-Clr Scn F4-Clr Fld F6-Sections F10-Define Seats__Ins.Off | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Seat Definition
The Seat Definition program is used to create the actual seat numbers in use at the theater.__Each seat must be referenced by a Section Code, along with a Seat Number.__For example, seat 25 in the A section will be known as seat B25.__POSey inventory items will be created for each seat to keep track of sales.__The inventory items will be referenced by this Section/Seat# designation. The first entry required is the Section Code.__This entry must be a valid Section Code created using the Section Definition program.__You may press the F6 key to display an on-screen selection window of the sections you have defined.__Once a valid Section Code is entered, the section description will be displayed automatically. The next two fields describe the starting and ending seat numbers for a range of seats you wish to define.__You may define seats one at a time by entering the same start and end number, or you may define an entire range of seats if they have the same prices.__You need not start at seat #1, however the ending number must be less than or equal to the starting number.__The ending seat number cannot exceed 300. For each range of seat numbers, enter the price levels that will be charged. The retail price, and price levels 1 through 4 will be saved in the inventory record in the appropriate price level fields.__If there is a cost associated with reserving this seat, it may be entered in the last price field.__Only those price fields you intend to use need to be filled in. The last series of entry fields during Seat Definition describe the S.I. levels which will be affected when the seats are sold.__S.I. #1 is always used for sales tax.__For a description of other uses for S.I.'s, refer to the section, "Configuration & Setup, Selective Itemizers". Once you have entered all information, hit the F10 key to save the seat definitions for this range of seats.__Note that a separate data file containing seat definitions is not created by this program ... the information is merely used to create or update the inventory records for each seat.__Any time, the seat prices need to be changed, just do the Seat Definition again and the records will be updated.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |+-------------------------------| Show Creation |------------------------------+| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||________This program will be used to create the various shows being___________|| ||________tracked within the system.__Each show must be assigned a______________|| ||________unique Show number from 1 to 6 digits long.__Use of this______________|| ||________number allows the system to track multiple shows for a single_________|| ||________date._________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________Show number:____________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________________________Name:____________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________________________Date:____________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________________________Time:_________(HH:MM & A or P for AM/PM)_________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| |+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+| |__F3ùClear Screen____F4ùClear Field____F5ùIndex1____F9ùPurge Show____F10ùSave___| +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Show Creation
The Show Creation program will allow you to create an unlimited number of shows to be referenced from within the system.__Each show will be assigned a unique number from 1 to 999999.__This will allow you to create multiple shows on any given day and still reference them individually. For each show you should enter a description or name.__This is the name that would be printed on tickets.__Finally, enter the date and time for this show. Show records should be kept in the system for as long as you wish to print statistical reports of seating statistics.__However, at some point you may wish to purge older show records from the system so that show numbers may be reused.__This may be done by recalling the show record to the screen and hitting the F9 key.__The show record will be deleted along with all Theater system references to this show.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |+--------------------------| Patron File Maintenance |-------------------------+| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||__________________Patron number:______________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_______________________Name one:______________________________________________|| ||_______________________Name two:______________________________________________|| ||________________________Address:______________________________________________|| ||___________________________Town:______________________________________________|| ||__________________________State:______Zip Code:_______________________________|| ||__________________________Phone: (___)___-____________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||____________________Last show date attended:__________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||_____________Total Number of shows attended:__________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| ||______________________________________________________________________________|| |+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+| |F1-Help F2-Fld Help F3-Clr Screen F4-Clr Field F5-Scan1 F9-Del F10-Save Ins.Off | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Patron File Maintenance
The POSey Theater Management system may be used for high-volume movie theaters, where reservations are not used, and individual patrons are not identified.__Or, you may keep detailed information on your customers, and keep extensive track of advance reservations. If you elect to use reserved seats and keep customer records, the Seat Reservations program will allow you to enter the patron's name and address information as reservations are taken. The Patron File Maintenance program lets you view and edit your patron information database whenever it becomes necessary.__Patrons may be removed from the system, or their address or phone number can be changed.__You may also use this program to pre-enter patron information.__This will make the reservation process faster. Patron file records are created, edited, and saved just like other records in the system.__All fields are optional except for the Patron number. The "Last Show Date" and "Total Shows Attended" fields will be updated automatically by the Theater system.__They may also be edited using the Patron File Maintenance program, if that becomes necessary.
The Seat Reservations program is the heart of the Theater Management system. It allows you to reserve seats, store patron information, inquire about current reservations, as well as tender the actual sale using the POSey Cash Register. The program is designed to display the entire capacity of each section on the screen at one time.__This allows for a quick visual check of the status of each section for any given show. When the program is first started it will ask for the operator's clerk number.__A valid clerk number must be entered before the program can be used.__This is important because the Seat Reservation program provides access to the POSey Cash Register. After the clerk number has been entered, you must specify a Show number and Section Code.__The F6 key may be used to select the Show number or Section Code from a selection window. Once you have selected a valid Show number and Section Code, the program will display the current reservation status for that section during the specified show.__Any seats not defined will be filled in with a block character, as shown in the last two rows of the sample screen above.__You will be prohibited from reserving these seats. Any seats currently reserved will be marked by an "X".__The cursor will automatically be placed at the first open seat in the section.__You can then select the current seat, or move the cursor around the screen by using the Up, Down, Left, and Right keys. Seat selection is done by hitting the ENTER key when the cursor is located at the desired seat location.__If more than one price has been defined, a selection box will be displayed, from which you may select the correct price.__If only one price was specified for this seat, it will automatically be selected. When the seat and price are selected, it will be listed at the right side of the screen, along with a transaction total.__The seat position will be filled with a flashing question mark to denote that the seat has been selected, but not yet reserved or sold.__You may continue selecting seats in this way until the reservation order is ready. To reserve all of the marked seats, hit the F10 key.__At this point you may also enter patron information.__If requested, the program will open an entry window so that you may enter the patron's name, address, and phone number. After all information has been entered, hit F10 again and the seats will be reserved.__At any time during the seat reservation process, you may hit the ESC key to abort the current action. When the seats are reserved, you will be asked if you would like to tender the current sale.__If you select to tender the sale, the Seat Reservation screen will be replaced by the POSey Cash Register screen, and the newly reserved seats will automatically be rung into the transaction. The transaction may now be finalized, or additional items may be added to the sale from the Register screen, if needed.__The sale may now be tendered in the normal fashion.__You will be returned to the Reservation screen and the seat positions will be marked with an "X".__The tickets will now print on the ticket printer. SPECIAL NOTE: While in the Cash Register mode, you are at liberty to modify the Theater transaction however you like, but keep these points in mind; ____*___When you leave the Reservations screen to go into the Cash Register, ________the seats are marked as "reserved" at that time.__This is necessary ________to prevent another station on the network from reserving the same ________seats before they are tendered.__You may void the sale of one or ________more tickets at the Cash Register, and the sale total will be ________adjusted correctly.__However, when you return to the Reservation ________screen, the seats will still be marked as "reserved", and will not ________be available for subsequent sale. ____*___Discounts may be applied to the ticket sales while in the Cash ________Register, but any such adjustments will not be reflected in the ________price printed on the ticket. ____*___When the Theater tickets are rung into the sale, they are marked ________so that a void operation will be considered a "post-void".__This ________allows you to set up post-void reasons to be used.__See the section, ________"Configuration & Setup, Post-Void Reason Entry" for more details ________on post-voiding an item.__If you set up a post-void reason as a ________"promo", you will be able to select particular tickets in the sale ________to which discounts may be applied. Once the seat reservation process is complete, you are ready to reserve or sell more seats.__If you wish to reserve seats from a different show or section, hit the F3 key to clear the screen.__The cursor will be returned to the Show number field. When reservation information for a show and section is displayed on the screen, you may hit the F5 key to quickly locate the cursor to a specific seat on the diagram. You may also do an inquiry at any time by pressing the F7 key.__If you do an inquiry when the cursor is at an unreserved seat, or from any area of the screen other than the seat diagram, you will be presented with the following options; ____*___Inquire by Show and Seat number: You will be prompted for a Show ________number, followed by a seat number.__If any patron information is ________available for your selection, it will be displayed. ____*___Inquire by Patron Name: You will be asked for a patron name of up ________to 25 characters.__You need not enter the entire name ... just the ________first few letters will normally do.__For instance, if you enter ________"SMI", all names beginning with "SMI" will be displayed.__You may ________select a particular name from the list by using the Up/Down arrow ________keys, and then hitting the ENTER key. ____*___Inquire by Patron Phone number: You will be prompted to enter a ________phone number.__As described above, you need not enter the entire ________number in order to get a list of patrons from which you may select. If the F7 key is pressed to do an inquiry while the cursor is in a reserved seat position, you will have these choices; ____*___Inquire about current seat: Shows you the patron information, if ________any, for this seat. ____*___Make a general inquiry: Lets you choose from the three inquiry ________methods described above for unreserved seats.
Theater Management Reports
Patron Listing
This program allows you to print patron listings in a variety of formats. You may choose to print the information in order by patron number or name. You may also print a listing of only those patrons who have reservations within a certain date range. The report may be directed to the printer, the screen, or to a disk file.
Patron Mailing Labels
Use this program to print mailing labels from the information in your patron database.__You may print them in order by patron number or name.__Or, you may choose to print labels for only those patrons who have reservations within a certain date range. You also have the choice of print 1-across labels or 2-across labels.__In either case, the labels must be standard 3-1/2" x 15/16" labels.
Seating Statistics
This program will generate a report detailing the number of seats sold for all shows within a specified date range.__The report may be sent to the printer, the screen, or to a disk file. The Seating Statistics report is useful for analyzing the profitability of shows.__Each show and section within the date range is listed, along with the number of seats available, the number sold, and the percentage of available seats sold.