Booking Cancellation

Booking Cancellation

Cancelling table bookings in EquiBillBook is a necessary part of reservation management. This guide explains how to cancel bookings, handle cancellation charges, refund deposits, and manage cancellation workflows.

What is Booking Cancellation?

Booking cancellation is the process of cancelling a table reservation before or after the booking time. Cancellations free up tables for other customers and may involve cancellation charges or deposit refunds based on your restaurant's policy.

Cancelling a Booking

To cancel a booking:

1. Navigate to the booking details page
2. Click the "Cancel Booking" button
3. Enter cancellation reason (if required)
4. Select cancellation date and time
5. Review cancellation charges (if applicable)
6. Confirm the cancellation
7. The system will update booking status and release tables

Cancellation Reasons

Common cancellation reasons to record:

• Customer Request: Customer-initiated cancellation
• Restaurant Closure: Cancelled due to restaurant closure
• No-Show: Customer didn't arrive (treated as cancellation)
• Double Booking: Error in booking system
• Emergency: Emergency situation
• Weather: Weather-related cancellation
• Other: Other reasons as specified

Cancellation Charges

Configure cancellation charge policies:

• No Charge: Free cancellation within a timeframe
• Fixed Charge: Fixed cancellation fee
• Percentage: Percentage of deposit or estimated bill
• Time-Based: Charges based on cancellation timing
• Policy: Define cancellation policies in Restaurant Settings

Applying Cancellation Charges

When cancelling a booking with charges:

1. System calculates cancellation charge based on policy
2. Charge amount is displayed before confirmation
3. Confirm cancellation charge amount
4. Charge is deducted from deposit (if applicable)
5. Remaining deposit (if any) is refunded
6. Record cancellation charge in accounting

Deposit Refunds on Cancellation

Handling deposit refunds:

• Full Refund: Refund full deposit if no cancellation charge
• Partial Refund: Refund deposit minus cancellation charge
• No Refund: No refund if cancellation charge equals or exceeds deposit
• Refund Method: Process refund through original payment method
• Refund Timing: Process refunds within specified timeframe

Processing Refunds

To process a deposit refund:

1. After cancellation, navigate to payments section
2. Click "Refund Deposit" or "Process Refund"
3. Enter refund amount (after deducting cancellation charges)
4. Select refund method (cash, card, bank transfer)
5. Add refund notes or reference
6. Process the refund
7. System updates payment records and booking status

Table Release

When a booking is cancelled:

• Immediate Release: Tables are immediately released and available
• Availability Update: Tables appear as available in calendar
• New Bookings: Tables can be booked by other customers
• Notification: Staff may be notified of table availability

Cancellation Workflow

Complete cancellation process:

1. Customer or staff requests cancellation
2. Verify booking details and cancellation policy
3. Calculate cancellation charges (if applicable)
4. Process cancellation in system
5. Release tables and update availability
6. Process deposit refund (if applicable)
7. Update booking status to Cancelled
8. Send cancellation confirmation to customer

Cancellation Policies

Common cancellation policy types:

• Free Cancellation: No charge if cancelled 24+ hours in advance
• Partial Charge: Charge if cancelled within 24 hours
• Full Charge: Full deposit forfeited for last-minute cancellations
• No-Show Policy: Full charge for no-shows
• Flexible Policy: Case-by-case evaluation

Best Practices

• Have clear cancellation policies and communicate them to customers
• Record cancellation reasons for analysis
• Process refunds promptly according to policy
• Document all cancellation charges and refunds
• Release tables immediately to maximize availability
• Track cancellation patterns to identify issues
• Be flexible with cancellation policies for loyal customers
• Use cancellation data to improve booking management

Cancellation Reports

Generate reports to analyze cancellations:

• Cancellation Rate: Percentage of cancelled bookings
• Cancellation Reasons: Breakdown by cancellation reason
• Cancellation Charges: Total cancellation charges collected
• Refund Summary: Total refunds processed
• Pattern Analysis: Identify cancellation patterns and trends

Next Steps

After understanding booking cancellation:

• Define cancellation policies in Restaurant Settings
• Train staff on cancellation procedures
• Set up cancellation charge calculations
• Create refund processing workflows
• Generate cancellation reports regularly