Continuous vs. Non-Continuous Receive
Transaction records are stored in a queue in your reservation system until TravCom is ready to receive them. TravCom allows you to receive and process data in two ways:
• Continuous Receive. This method lets you continue receiving interface records from your reservation system while you perform other tasks in TravCom such as processing and correcting data, doing manual postings, printing reports, etc....
This method means that you do not need to stop the interface in your reservation system, until you are ready to exit TravCom. However, you will find that using continuous receive may slow down the performance of TravCom on your PC.
• Non-Continuous Receive. This method lets you control the receipt of interface records. When you start the interface all queued records are received into TravCom. You can then process those records and stop receiving new ones. You must stop the interface in your reservation system so that all new records will again be queued until the next time you choose to receive data into TravCom.
If You Have Multiple Branches
If your agency’s version of TravCom allows multi-branching TravCom can receive and process data for multiple branches. The data for all branches can be sent together from your CRS to TravCom. TravCom then processes each record in the data to the correct branch based on the branch IATA number(s). If you have a branch or branch's that are non-arc approved so that your main office is reporting them on their ARC report then you must put your main IATA number in each location (see Chapter3, Maintaining your Agency Setup, IATA Numbers).
How to Receive the Data
To receive data from your reservation system:
1. On the Interface menu select the interface you want to receive data into (A through D), then select Receive Data.
The Receive Interface Data window appears.
Notice that the communication settings for this interface are listed in the window for quick verification.
If you need to change these settings click on Setup to access the Setup Interface window. For details on how to change your settings see Installing the Interface sections starting on page 5-2.
2. Specify the number of records to receive. The default is 0 (to receive all records). Remember that a single record can contain multiple ticket/invoice sales.
For specific CRS formats for checking the number of records to receive see the section on CRS Entries Which Affect the Interface later in this chapter or refer to your reservation system documentation.
) ) )
)
If you are using Worldspan Image-to-disk or Sabre-Net interface, you must send all of the interface records before you prepare TravCom to receive them.3. Click on OK.
A “Waiting for Data” dialog box appears
Enable the Pause on Completion check box if you want the Processing dialog box to stay on the screen after all data is received and processed. This allows you to view the number of records processed, invoices created and any records discarded before you continue to Verify and Edit the Interface Data.
Interface with Your Reservation System If you have already received and processed data on this Interface, a warning message appears, Interface data exists!
Click on... To...
Cancel Cancel and exit this function.
Append Keep the existing data and add new data.
Replace Delete the existing data and replace it with the new data.
4. On a reservation terminal start the transmission so that records are passed from your reservation system into the interface.
For specific CRS formats for turning on the interface, see the section on CRS Entries Which Affect the Interface later in this chapter or refer to your reservation system documentation.
The data window shows records being received.
5. When at least one record has been received, two buttons become active, Process Data, Stop Receiving and Process Data, Continue Receiving. Once all records in the interface queue have been received, select one of these two options:
• If you want to stop receiving new data and process the data just received, go to a reservation system terminal and stop the interface. Then in TravCom, click on Process Data, Stop Receiving.
For specific CRS formats for turning off the interface see the section on CRS Entries Which Affect the Interface later in this chapter or refer to your reservation system documentation.
CAUTION: Make sure that you stop your interface to avoid loss of additional records if you select the option Process Data, Stop Receiving
• If you want to process the data received and continue receiving new data into the interface, click on Process Data, Continue Receiving. TravCom will continue to receive interface records while you perform other functions.
When you are ready to process the additional records you must stop the transmission, and then click on Process Data, Stop Receiving to process the additional records received.
CAUTION: Make sure that you stop your interface and process any new records received to avoid loss of additional records before you exit the TravCom for Windows program or turn your computer off each night.
TravCom automatically processes the records it has received (which means that it changes the raw text of the interface records into a format which is readable on the screen). As records are processed the corresponding invoice numbers appear in the dialog box.
6. When processing is complete TravCom will:
• return to the menu or print the Edit List or Verification List (as set up in Interface - Install Interface) if you have not marked the Pause on Completion check box.
• display the following screen if you have marked the Pause on Completion check box.
This screen shows the following information:
⇒ Interface Level -- established by the reservation system.
⇒ Records Processed -- the number of interface records received.
⇒ Records Discarded -- the number of interface records that did not contain information for processing by TravCom (for example, a tour segment without an appropriate product code).
⇒ Invoices Created -- the number of invoices that will appear on your Edit List for this session. If a modifier for separate invoices per passenger was used, this number could be greater than the number of records received.
Click on Continue. TravCom will return to the main menu or print the Edit List or Verification List (as set up in Interface - Install Interface).
If you display the Interface menu for the interface you just received into, you will notice that Receive Data and Process Data each show a check mark indicating that these steps have been completed. If you have automatically printed the Edit List then this option will also now show a check mark.
Interface with Your Reservation System