Hotel Contract Management System - Requirements Specification¶

Document Information¶

Module Name: Hotel Contract Management System
Document Type: Requirements Specification
Version: 1.0
Date: November 2025
Purpose: Define functional and non-functional requirements for the hotel contract rate management system

Executive Summary¶

This document specifies requirements for a Contract Rate Management System designed for travel agencies to maintain their negotiated hotel inventory. The system enables agencies to configure contracted hotel properties with detailed room types, seasonal pricing calendars, meal plan structures, and market-specific rates. It supports quick price quotations, margin calculations, and integration with booking and quoting workflows.

Key Distinction: This system manages contracted rates (negotiated prices with hotels), not real-time availability booking.

1. Core Requirements¶

1.1 Hotel Master Data Management¶

REQ-HM-001: Create Hotel Record¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow authorized users to create a new hotel record with identifying and operational information.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can enter full hotel name (official name) - User can enter short name (abbreviated display name) - User can enter unique hotel code (maximum 10 characters) - User can specify country, city, and area/region - User can set star rating (1-5 stars) - User can mark contract type as direct or indirect (at least one required) - User can define child and infant age thresholds - User can enter check-in and check-out times - User can specify cancellation notice period (release days) - User can enter hotel fees with description - User can enter hotel description, terms, and reservation contact information - System validates hotel code uniqueness before saving - System prevents saving if required fields are missing - System confirms successful save with notification

REQ-HM-002: Search and Filter Hotels¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to search for hotels using multiple filter criteria.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can search hotels by partial name match - User can filter hotels by area/region - User can filter by hotel code - System displays matching results grouped by area - Search executes within 1 second for up to 500 hotels - System displays message if no results found

REQ-HM-003: View Hotel Details¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display complete hotel information when a hotel is selected.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can select hotel from search results list - System loads and displays all hotel attributes - System displays hotel in editable form - User can navigate between hotels without losing unsaved changes (with confirmation)

REQ-HM-004: Update Hotel Information¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow authorized users to modify existing hotel records.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can edit any hotel attribute except hotel code - System validates all edited fields before saving - System prevents duplicate hotel codes - System confirms successful update with notification - System maintains audit trail of changes (who, when, what changed)

REQ-HM-005: Delete Hotel¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall allow authorized users to delete hotel records that are no longer under contract.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can initiate hotel deletion - System prompts for confirmation before deletion - System prevents deletion if hotel has associated bookings or quotations - System marks hotel as inactive instead of hard delete (soft delete) - System logs deletion activity

REQ-HM-006: Hotel Quick Lookup¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall provide autocomplete search functionality for quick hotel selection in other modules.

Acceptance Criteria: - User types partial hotel name in lookup field - System suggests matching hotels after 2 characters - System displays hotel name and identifier - User can select hotel from dropdown - Lookup executes within 500ms - Lookup callable from external modules (API endpoint)

1.2 Room Type Management¶

REQ-RM-001: Create Room Type¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to define room types for each hotel with capacity and bedding specifications.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can create room type associated with a hotel - User can enter room name (e.g., "Standard King", "Deluxe Suite") - User can enter room description - User can specify maximum total occupancy - User can specify maximum adults (must be ≤ max occupancy) - User can indicate if extra bed is available - User can indicate if extra bed is mandatory for additional adults - User can describe bedding configuration - User can enter room-specific notes - System validates that max adults ≤ max occupancy - System validates that extra bed required implies extra bed available - System ensures room name is unique within the hotel - System confirms successful creation

REQ-RM-002: List Hotel Rooms¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display all room types configured for a selected hotel.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel - System displays list of all room types for that hotel - Room types appear in dropdown or list format - List includes room name and key attributes - Empty list shows message "No rooms configured"

REQ-RM-003: Update Room Type¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to modify existing room type configurations.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects room type from list - System displays room details in editable form - User can modify any room attribute - System re-validates constraints on save - System confirms successful update

REQ-RM-004: Delete Room Type¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall allow users to remove room types that are no longer offered.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can initiate room deletion - System prompts for confirmation - System prevents deletion if room has calendar entries or bookings - System marks room as inactive (soft delete) - System logs deletion activity

1.3 Meal Plan Management¶

REQ-MP-001: Define Global Meal Plans¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall maintain a global list of standard meal plan types.

Acceptance Criteria: - System includes predefined meal plans: Room Only (RO), Bed & Breakfast (BB), Half Board (HB), Full Board (FB), All Inclusive Lite (AIL), All Inclusive (AI), All Inclusive Plus (AIP) - Each meal plan has unique code, display name, and description - Each meal plan has default adult and child supplement costs - Administrator can add new meal plan types - Meal plans display in order of planOrder attribute

REQ-MP-002: Assign Meal Plans to Hotel¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to select which meal plans are available at each hotel and customize their costs.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel - User opens meal plan configuration dialog - System displays all global meal plans with checkboxes - User can check/uncheck meal plans to mark as offered - For each selected meal plan, user can enter hotel-specific adult supplement cost - For each selected meal plan, user can enter hotel-specific child supplement cost - Supplement costs can be zero (indicating included in base rate) - System saves meal plan associations with custom costs - At least one meal plan must be selected per hotel - System confirms successful save

REQ-MP-003: View Hotel Meal Plans¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display which meal plans are available at a specific hotel with their costs.

Acceptance Criteria: - User requests meal plan list for a hotel - System returns only meal plans associated with that hotel - Each meal plan shows name, code, adult cost, and child cost - Costs reflect hotel-specific values if configured, otherwise global defaults

1.4 Rate Calendar Management¶

REQ-RC-001: Create Room Rate Calendar¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to configure date-specific pricing for room types across a date range.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room type, and market - User opens calendar creation dialog - User specifies stay period (check-in date range: from and to) - User specifies booking window (earliest and latest booking dates) - User sets promotional code (optional) - User selects room availability status: Available, Stop Sale, or On Request - User selects rate base: Single, Double, Triple, or Quadruple occupancy - User selects base meal plan included in rate - User enters minimum length of stay (MLOS) for normal days - User enters minimum length of stay (MLOS) for special days (weekends/holidays) - User enters base room rate (required, must be > 0) - User enters extra bed rate (optional) - User enters special day rate (optional) - User selects special day rate calculation type if special rate provided: Absolute (ABS), Additive (ADD), Percentage Add (PCT), Percentage Of (PCO) - User selects which days are special days: Weekends Only, All Days, or No Special Days - User enters extra adult supplement rate for normal and special days (optional) - User selects extra adult rate calculation type if rate provided - User enters extra child supplement rate for normal and special days (optional) - User selects extra child rate calculation type if rate provided - User configures meal plan supplements: - Selects meal plan from hotel's available plans - Enters adult supplement for normal days - Enters adult supplement for special days - Enters child supplement for normal days - Enters child supplement for special days - Can add multiple meal plan supplements - System validates stay end date > stay start date - System validates booking window start ≤ stay start date - System validates booking window end ≥ booking start date - System validates base rate > 0 - System validates MLOS ≥ 1 - System validates rate types are selected when rates are provided - On save, system creates one calendar entry per day in stay period - System automatically marks weekend days (Friday-Saturday for UAE/GCC markets) as special days if "Weekends Only" selected - System stores meal supplements as structured data for each calendar entry - System completes calendar creation within 3 seconds for 90-day range - System confirms number of entries created

REQ-RC-002: View Room Rate Calendar¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display rate calendar entries for a room in visual calendar format.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room, and market - User specifies date range to view - User clicks to display calendar - System retrieves calendar entries for that room, market, and date range - System displays entries in calendar grid: - Rows represent room types (if viewing multiple rooms) - Columns represent days 1-31 for selected month - Each cell shows base rate for that day - Cell background color indicates status: - Green: Available - Yellow: Special day (weekend/holiday) - Red: Stop sale - Blue: On request - Gray: No rate configured (X) - User can hover over cell to see tooltip with detailed rate information: - Stay date - MLOS - Extra adult/child supplements - Meal supplements - User can navigate to previous/next month - Calendar loads within 2 seconds

REQ-RC-003: View Hotel Calendar (All Rooms)¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display a monthly calendar showing rates for all room types at a hotel simultaneously.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel and market - User opens hotel calendar view - User selects month and year - System displays grid with one row per room type, columns for days 1-31 - Each cell shows base rate color-coded by status - User can navigate months using previous/next controls - Tooltip on hover shows rate details - Calendar loads all room rates within 2 seconds

REQ-RC-004: Update Room Rate Calendar¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to modify existing rate calendar entries for a date range.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room, market, and date range - User can select to edit existing calendar range - System populates edit dialog with existing rate structure from first day in range - User modifies desired fields (rates, supplements, status, etc.) - On save, system updates all calendar entries in the specified date range with new values - Only fields that are modified are updated; unmodified fields retain original values per day - System validates all changes before applying - System confirms number of entries updated

REQ-RC-005: Copy Rate Calendar Between Rooms¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to copy rate calendar entries from one room to another.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects target room and market - User selects source room to copy from - User specifies date range to copy - User confirms copy operation - System copies all calendar entries from source room to target room for the specified date range - Copied entries use target room's identifier - Existing entries in target room for same dates are overwritten - System reports number of entries copied - Copy operation completes within 5 seconds for 90-day range

REQ-RC-006: Quick Rate Update (Period-Based)¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall provide a simplified interface to update rates for continuous periods without editing individual days.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room, market, and date range with existing calendar - User activates quick rate update feature - System analyzes calendar and groups consecutive days with identical base rates into periods - System displays table with one row per period showing: - Period start and end dates - Current base rate (normal) - Current special day rate - Editable fields to update both rates - User modifies rates for desired periods - On save, system updates all calendar entries within each modified period - System confirms number of entries updated

REQ-RC-007: Set Availability Status for Date Range¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to quickly change availability status for a range of dates.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room, market, and loads calendar for a date range - User selects status to apply: Available, Stop Sale, On Request, or Special Day - User specifies from and to dates for status change - User confirms status change - System updates availability flags for all calendar entries in that date range - If setting "Special Day", system only toggles special day flag without changing availability status - If setting availability status (Available/Stop Sale/On Request), system does not modify special day flag - System confirms number of entries updated - Calendar display immediately reflects new status colors

REQ-RC-008: Delete Rate Calendar Entries¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall allow users to remove rate calendar entries for a date range.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects hotel, room, market, and date range - User initiates calendar deletion - System prompts for confirmation - System checks if any bookings or quotations reference those calendar entries - If no references exist, system deletes entries - If references exist, system prevents deletion and displays warning - System confirms number of entries deleted

1.5 Hotel Accommodation Search¶

REQ-HS-001: Search Contracted Hotels¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to search contracted hotel inventory with automatic price calculation.

Acceptance Criteria: - User enters search parameters: - Check-in date (required) - Check-out date (required, must be after check-in) - Number of adults (required, ≥ 1) - Number of children (required, ≥ 0) - Meal plan filter (optional: specific plan or "Any") - Agency margin percentage (required for price calculation) - Area filter (optional: specific region or "Any") - Maximum budget (optional price cap) - Market segment (required: UAE/GCC/ROW) - User initiates search - System identifies eligible rooms by checking: - Room has calendar entries for ALL nights in stay period for selected market - Room occupancy can accommodate requested adults + children - Room offers requested meal plan (if specific plan selected) - Hotel is in requested area (if specific area selected) - For each eligible room, system calculates pricing: - Determines appropriate rate base (Single/Double/Triple/Quadruple) based on party composition - For each night: - Retrieves calendar entry for (room, market, stay date) - Selects base rate (special day rate if special day flag is true and special rate exists, otherwise normal base rate) - Calculates extra adult charges if adults exceed rate base occupancy - Calculates child charges for all children - Adds extra bed charge if required (adults > max adults and extra bed available) - Adds meal supplement charges for requested meal plan (adult and child) - Applies rate calculation types (ABS/ADD/PCT/PCO) for all supplements - Sums all charges to get night cost - Sums all night costs to get total stay cost - Applies margin: sell price = cost × (1 + margin% / 100) - System filters results: - Excludes rooms where calculated price > maximum budget (if budget specified) - Includes rooms on stop sale but flags with warning - Includes rooms on request but flags with notice - Flags rooms where stay nights < MLOS with warning (but still includes) - System sorts results by sell price (low to high) - System displays results: - Grouped by hotel (expandable accordion sections) - Hotel name with lowest available room price shown - Each room shows: room type, meal plan, total cost, total price, MLOS, actions - Color codes or icons indicate stop sale/on request status - MLOS displayed in red if stay length < MLOS - Search completes within 2 seconds for up to 50 hotels with 5 rooms each

REQ-HS-002: View Price Breakdown¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display detailed night-by-night cost breakdown for any search result.

Acceptance Criteria: - User clicks "Breakdown" action on a search result room - System opens breakdown dialog displaying: - Header: room name, number of nights, MLOS warning if applicable - Table with one row per night showing: - Stay date - Calculated cost for that night - Special day indicator if applicable - Stop sale warning if applicable - On request notice if applicable - Itemized cost components: - Base rate (with rate base: SGL/DBL/TRPL/QPL) - Extra adult charges (if any) - Extra child charges (if any) - Meal supplement charges - Extra bed charge (if any) - Total cost for entire stay - User can close dialog

REQ-HS-003: Filter Search Results¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall allow users to refine search results using additional filters.

Acceptance Criteria: - After displaying initial results, user can apply additional filters: - Exclude stop sale rooms - Exclude on request rooms - Specific star rating range - Specific hotel names - System re-filters results without re-executing search - System displays count of filtered results

1.6 Booking Request Creation¶

REQ-BR-001: Create Booking Request from Search¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall allow users to create a booking request (lead) directly from search results.

Acceptance Criteria: - User clicks "Book" action on a search result room - System opens booking dialog pre-populated with: - Hotel name (read-only) - Room type (read-only) - Meal plan (read-only) - Check-in and check-out dates (read-only) - Calculated sell price (read-only) - Number of adults (read-only) - Number of children (read-only) - User enters: - Number of rooms to book (default: 1) - Guest name for reservation - Guest email address - Ages of children (if children > 0) - Special requests or notes for hotel - User confirms booking - System creates trip request record with: - Unique request code - Customer name - Trip name (auto-generated: customer name + hotel name) - Detailed description including all booking parameters - Origin and destination - Start and end dates - User ID of agent creating request - Number of adults and children - Child ages - Contact information (name, email, type) - Quantity (number of rooms) - Planned revenue (price × quantity) - Status: New - System confirms successful creation with request code - Trip request appears in CRM/leads module for follow-up

1.7 Data Validation and Business Rules¶

REQ-VR-001: Hotel Data Validation¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall enforce data integrity rules for hotel records.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotel name is required and must be non-empty - Hotel short name is required and must be non-empty - Hotel code is required, must be unique, and max 10 characters - At least one contract type (direct or indirect) must be selected - Star rating must be integer between 1 and 5 - Child age must be greater than infant age - If check-in and check-out times are specified, check-in time must be before check-out time - System displays specific error message for each validation failure - System prevents save until all validations pass

REQ-VR-002: Room Data Validation¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall enforce data integrity rules for room type records.

Acceptance Criteria: - Room name is required and must be non-empty - Room name must be unique within the hotel - Maximum occupancy must be at least 1 - Maximum adults must be at least 1 - Maximum adults must be ≤ maximum occupancy - If extra bed is required for additional adults, extra bed available flag must be true - System displays specific error messages - System prevents save until validations pass

REQ-VR-003: Calendar Data Validation¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall enforce data integrity rules for rate calendar entries.

Acceptance Criteria: - Stay end date must be after stay start date - Booking window start must be on or before stay start date - Booking window end must be on or after booking start date - Base rate must be greater than zero - MLOS for normal and special days must be at least 1 - If special day rate is specified, special day rate type must be selected - If extra adult rate is specified, adult rate type must be selected - If extra child rate is specified, child rate type must be selected - Exactly one availability status must be active (available, stop sale, or on request) - Meal base must reference a meal plan assigned to the hotel - System displays specific error messages - System prevents save until validations pass

REQ-VR-004: Search Input Validation¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall validate user inputs for hotel accommodation search.

Acceptance Criteria: - Check-in date is required - Check-out date is required and must be after check-in date - Number of adults must be at least 1 - Number of children must be 0 or greater - Market must be selected (UAE/GCC/ROW) - If budget is specified, must be ≥ 0 - If margin is specified, must be ≥ 0 - System displays specific error messages - System prevents search execution until validations pass

1.8 Integration Requirements¶

REQ-INT-001: Group Management Integration¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall support integration with group booking management module.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotel search can be invoked from group management interface - Search results can be added directly to group accommodation list - Selected room, rate, and meal plan transfer to group booking - Pricing automatically populated in group booking

REQ-INT-002: Quotation Integration¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall support integration with quotation module.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotels from contract database can be selected in quotation builder - Rates pulled from calendar for quotation dates - Cost and price automatically calculated - Hotel details included in itemized quotation

REQ-INT-003: CRM Integration¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall create trip requests (leads) in CRM system from booking requests.

Acceptance Criteria: - Booking request action creates trip request record - Trip request includes all booking details - Trip request assigned to agent who created it - Trip request appears in agent's work queue - Revenue tracking updated with planned revenue

REQ-INT-004: Product Catalog Integration¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall allow linking hotels to product catalog items.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotel record can reference a product ID from product catalog - Hotel linked to product for inventory management - Product association enables cross-module reporting

1.9 User Interface Requirements¶

REQ-UI-001: Responsive Layout¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall provide an intuitive layout organizing hotels by region with search panel and detail views.

Acceptance Criteria: - Left sidebar (25% width) contains: - Search panel with all search criteria inputs - Hotel list grouped by area (accordion sections) - Main content area (75% width) contains: - Tabbed hotel detail view (Hotel Info, Rooms Info, Promotions) - Search results display area - Layout adapts to screen size (responsive) - UI elements clearly labeled - Visual hierarchy guides user attention

REQ-UI-002: Visual Calendar Display¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display rate calendars with color-coded status indicators.

Acceptance Criteria: - Calendar presented in grid format (rows = room types, columns = days) - Cell background colors indicate status: - Green: Available - Yellow: Special day - Red: Stop sale - Blue: On request - Gray: No rate configured - Base rate displayed in each cell - Tooltip on hover shows detailed rate information - Month navigation controls visible and functional

REQ-UI-003: Intuitive Search Interface¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall provide a clear search form with appropriate input controls.

Acceptance Criteria: - Date fields use date picker widgets - Numeric fields use number inputs with min/max constraints - Dropdowns for predefined values (meal plans, markets, areas) - Search button clearly visible - Form layout logically organized - Field labels clearly describe expected input

REQ-UI-004: Search Results Display¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall display search results in an organized, scannable format.

Acceptance Criteria: - Results grouped by hotel using expandable accordion sections - Hotel name with lowest room price shown in collapsed view - Expanded view shows table of available room types - Each row displays: room type, meal plan, cost, price, MLOS, action buttons - Stop sale and on request statuses clearly indicated with color or icon - MLOS highlighted in red when stay length is insufficient - Results sortable by price (default: low to high)

REQ-UI-005: Confirmation and Feedback¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall provide clear feedback for user actions.

Acceptance Criteria: - Success notifications appear after save operations - Error notifications display specific error messages - Warning notifications for non-blocking issues - Loading indicators shown during data retrieval - Confirmation dialogs for destructive actions (delete, overwrite) - Unsaved changes prompt when navigating away

REQ-UI-006: Form Input Assistance¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall assist users in completing forms correctly.

Acceptance Criteria: - Required fields marked with visual indicator (asterisk) - Field-level validation provides immediate feedback - Placeholder text provides input examples - Tooltips explain less obvious fields - Autocomplete for hotel and meal plan selection - Date pickers for all date fields - Keyboard shortcuts for date navigation

1.10 Non-Functional Requirements¶

REQ-NFR-001: Performance - List Operations¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall load lists of hotels and rooms within acceptable time limits.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotel list loads within 1 second for up to 500 hotels - Room list loads within 500ms for up to 50 rooms per hotel - Meal plan list loads within 500ms

REQ-NFR-002: Performance - Calendar Operations¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall perform calendar operations efficiently.

Acceptance Criteria: - Calendar creation completes within 3 seconds for 90-day range - Calendar copy operation completes within 5 seconds for 90-day range - Calendar view loads within 2 seconds (monthly view, all rooms) - Calendar update completes within 3 seconds for 90-day range

REQ-NFR-003: Performance - Search Operations¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall execute hotel search with price calculation efficiently.

Acceptance Criteria: - Search completes within 2 seconds for up to 50 hotels with 5 rooms each - Search with price calculation includes up to 31 nights - Breakdown display loads within 500ms

REQ-NFR-004: Security - Authentication¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall require authenticated employee access for configuration operations.

Acceptance Criteria: - All operations require valid session token - Session tokens validated on every request - Expired sessions redirect to login - Non-employee users cannot access configuration interfaces - Hotel search accessible to non-employees with context parameter

REQ-NFR-005: Security - Authorization¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall enforce role-based access control.

Acceptance Criteria: - Only employees can access hotel, room, and calendar configuration - Operations Manager role can create/update/delete hotels and rooms - Revenue Manager role can create/update/delete calendars - Sales Agent role can search hotels and create booking requests - Administrator role can perform all operations - Unauthorized actions return error response

REQ-NFR-006: Data Integrity - Uniqueness Constraints¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall enforce uniqueness constraints on key identifiers.

Acceptance Criteria: - Hotel code (shDes) is globally unique - Room name is unique within hotel - Calendar entry is unique per (room, market, stay date) - Duplicate detection occurs before save - Clear error message identifies duplicate

REQ-NFR-007: Data Integrity - Referential Integrity¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall maintain referential integrity between related entities.

Acceptance Criteria: - Room references valid hotel - Calendar entry references valid room - Calendar entry references valid meal plan (mealBase) - Deletion of hotel cascades to rooms (or prevented if rooms exist) - Deletion of room cascades to calendar entries (or prevented if entries exist) - Orphaned records not allowed

REQ-NFR-008: Scalability - Data Volume¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall support expected data volumes for typical agency operations.

Acceptance Criteria: - Supports up to 1000 hotel records - Supports up to 50 room types per hotel - Supports up to 1095 calendar entries per room (3 years × 365 days) - Supports up to 3 markets per room - Database queries use indexed fields for performance - Data archival strategy for expired calendar entries

REQ-NFR-009: Usability - Learnability¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall be learnable by new users with minimal training.

Acceptance Criteria: - New user can create hotel record after 5-minute orientation - Workflow matches travel industry conventions - Terminology consistent with hotel industry standards - On-screen help available for complex operations - Error messages provide guidance for correction

REQ-NFR-010: Usability - Efficiency¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall support efficient completion of frequent tasks.

Acceptance Criteria: - Experienced user can create 90-day calendar in under 2 minutes - Copy rates between rooms takes less than 30 seconds - Quick rate update allows batch changes in seconds - Keyboard shortcuts for common actions - Recent hotels list for quick access

REQ-NFR-011: Maintainability - Code Quality¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall be maintainable by development team.

Acceptance Criteria: - Modular architecture with clear separation of concerns - Consistent naming conventions throughout codebase - API follows RESTful design principles - Data models documented - Business logic encapsulated in service layer - Comprehensive error logging

REQ-NFR-012: Reliability - Data Backup¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall protect against data loss.

Acceptance Criteria: - Database backed up daily - Backup retention policy defined (minimum 30 days) - Transaction rollback on error - Data export capability for hotels, rooms, and calendars - Point-in-time recovery supported

REQ-NFR-013: Compatibility - Browser Support¶

Priority: MUST Description: The system shall function in modern web browsers.

Acceptance Criteria: - Supports latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge - Degrades gracefully in older browsers - JavaScript required; fallback message displayed if disabled - Responsive design works on tablet devices (minimum 1024px width)

REQ-NFR-014: Availability - Uptime¶

Priority: SHOULD Description: The system shall be available during business hours.

Acceptance Criteria: - System available 99.5% during business hours (8am-8pm local time) - Planned maintenance scheduled outside business hours - System health monitoring alerts on failures - Error recovery and retry logic for transient failures

2. Future Enhancement Requirements¶

2.1 Advanced Promotions¶

REQ-FUT-001: Promotional Campaign Management¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow users to create and manage promotional pricing campaigns.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can create promotion with unique code and name - User can set promotion validity period (booking window and stay window) - User can specify markets where promotion applies - User can set promotion priority for overlapping campaigns - User can set promotion-specific MLOS - User can enable/disable promotion without deleting it - System lists all promotions for a hotel

REQ-FUT-002: Room-Specific Promotion Association¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow associating promotions with specific room types.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can select which room types participate in promotion - User can exclude specific room types from promotion - System applies promotion only to associated rooms during search

REQ-FUT-003: Promotional Rate Configuration¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support promotional rate adjustments.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can specify discount type: percentage off, fixed amount off, or fixed rate - User can apply discount to base rate, meal supplements, or both - System calculates promotional price automatically during search - Promotional price clearly differentiated from standard price in results

REQ-FUT-004: Promotion Stacking Rules¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall handle multiple active promotions with priority-based stacking.

Acceptance Criteria: - User assigns priority to each promotion - System applies highest priority promotion when multiple promotions overlap - User can configure if promotions can stack (cumulative discounts) - System displays which promotion was applied in price breakdown

2.2 Real-Time Availability Integration¶

REQ-FUT-005: Channel Manager Connection¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall connect to hotel channel managers or GDS systems for live availability.

Acceptance Criteria: - User configures connection credentials for channel manager - System queries real-time availability for contracted hotels - System displays available room count for each search result - Search indicates if availability is from live inventory or contract calendar - System handles channel manager API timeouts gracefully

REQ-FUT-006: Automated Booking Confirmation¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall push confirmed bookings to hotel channel managers.

Acceptance Criteria: - When booking confirmed, system sends reservation to channel manager - System receives confirmation number from hotel system - System updates booking record with hotel confirmation number - Booking status reflects confirmation state - System logs all integration transactions

REQ-FUT-007: Inventory Overbooking Prevention¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall prevent overbooking by checking live inventory before confirmation.

Acceptance Criteria: - Before confirming booking, system checks room availability via channel manager - If room no longer available, system alerts user - System suggests alternative dates or room types - System logs overbooking prevention events

2.3 Dynamic Pricing Engine¶

REQ-FUT-008: Demand-Based Pricing¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall adjust rates automatically based on demand patterns.

Acceptance Criteria: - System analyzes booking patterns by date, room type, and market - System identifies high-demand periods - System increases rates for high-demand periods based on configured rules - System decreases rates for low-demand periods to drive occupancy - User can enable/disable dynamic pricing per room - User can set min/max price boundaries

REQ-FUT-009: Competitor Rate Monitoring¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall monitor competitor rates and adjust pricing accordingly.

Acceptance Criteria: - User configures competitor hotels to monitor - System scrapes or integrates with rate shopping tools - System compares own rates to competitor rates - System alerts if rate is significantly higher/lower than market - System can auto-adjust rates within configured thresholds - User reviews and approves automatic adjustments

REQ-FUT-010: Revenue Management Analytics¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall provide analytics to optimize pricing strategies.

Acceptance Criteria: - System displays historical booking patterns by month, day of week - System calculates average daily rate (ADR) by room type - System calculates occupancy rate from booking data - System forecasts revenue based on current bookings and historical trends - System suggests optimal pricing for future periods - Dashboard displays key performance indicators

2.4 Multi-Currency Support¶

REQ-FUT-011: Currency Configuration¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall support multiple currencies for hotel rates.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can assign default currency to each hotel - User can assign currency per market (UAE=AED, GCC=AED, ROW=USD) - System stores rates in specified currency - System displays currency code next to all rates

REQ-FUT-012: Exchange Rate Management¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall maintain exchange rates and convert currencies as needed.

Acceptance Criteria: - System stores exchange rates between supported currency pairs - User can update exchange rates manually - System can retrieve exchange rates from external API (e.g., central bank feed) - System uses exchange rates effective on booking date for conversions - Historical exchange rates retained for audit

REQ-FUT-013: Multi-Currency Pricing Display¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall display prices in multiple currencies simultaneously.

Acceptance Criteria: - Search results show price in hotel's native currency - Search results show price in user's preferred currency - Price breakdown shows both currencies - User can select display currency preference - Conversion rate used is clearly indicated

2.5 Contract Management¶

REQ-FUT-014: Contract Document Storage¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall store and associate hotel contract documents with hotel records.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can upload contract document (PDF, DOCX, etc.) - User can associate contract with hotel - User can view contract from hotel detail page - System stores contract metadata: upload date, user, file name, file size - System supports multiple contract versions (renewals)

REQ-FUT-015: Contract Expiration Tracking¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall track contract expiration and send renewal reminders.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can enter contract start and end dates - User can enter renewal notice period - System sends email alert when contract approaching expiration (based on notice period) - System marks expired contracts visually in hotel list - Reports show contracts expiring within specified timeframe

REQ-FUT-016: Rate Commitment Tracking¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall track committed room allocations and rate guarantees.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can enter contracted allocation (number of rooms per night) - User can enter committed usage requirement - System tracks actual bookings against commitment - System alerts if approaching committed usage threshold - Reports show allocation usage by hotel and date range

2.6 Reporting & Analytics¶

REQ-FUT-017: Revenue Reporting¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall provide reports on hotel revenue by various dimensions.

Acceptance Criteria: - Report displays revenue by hotel - Report displays revenue by room type - Report displays revenue by market segment - User can filter by date range - Report includes cost, price, margin, and booking count - Report exportable to Excel/PDF

REQ-FUT-018: Booking Pattern Analysis¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall analyze booking patterns to identify trends.

Acceptance Criteria: - Report shows bookings by month - Report shows bookings by day of week - Report shows bookings by lead time (days between booking and stay) - Charts visualize trends over time - System identifies peak seasons and low seasons

REQ-FUT-019: Average Daily Rate (ADR) Trends¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall calculate and display ADR trends.

Acceptance Criteria: - System calculates ADR = Total Revenue / Number of Rooms Sold - ADR displayed by month, quarter, year - ADR compared to prior period (month-over-month, year-over-year) - ADR broken down by room type and market - Chart visualizes ADR trend line

REQ-FUT-020: Profitability Analysis¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall analyze profitability by hotel and room type.

Acceptance Criteria: - Report displays gross margin (price - cost) by hotel - Report displays margin percentage ((price - cost) / price × 100) - Report identifies most and least profitable hotels - Report identifies most and least profitable room types - User can filter by date range and market

REQ-FUT-021: Market Segment Performance¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall analyze performance by market segment.

Acceptance Criteria: - Report compares bookings, revenue, and margin by market (UAE/GCC/ROW) - Report shows market share (% of total bookings per market) - Report identifies which hotels perform best in which markets - Insights guide market-specific pricing strategies

2.7 Bulk Operations¶

REQ-FUT-022: Bulk Rate Update¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall allow updating rates for multiple rooms simultaneously.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects multiple room types at a hotel - User specifies date range and rate changes (e.g., increase by 10%) - System previews changes before applying - User confirms bulk update - System updates all selected rooms' calendars - System reports number of calendar entries updated

REQ-FUT-023: Bulk Calendar Copy Across Markets¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall allow copying calendar from one market to another.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects source market calendar - User selects target market(s) - User specifies date range to copy - User optionally specifies rate adjustment factor (e.g., ROW rates = UAE rates × 1.2) - System copies calendar entries to target markets with adjustments - System reports number of entries created

REQ-FUT-024: Hotel Batch Import¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support importing multiple hotels from external file.

Acceptance Criteria: - User uploads CSV or Excel file with hotel data - File follows predefined template structure - System validates all records before import - System displays validation errors for user correction - User confirms import after validation passes - System creates all hotel records in single transaction - System reports import summary (success count, error count)

REQ-FUT-025: Excel Upload for Rate Calendars¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support uploading rate calendars via Excel spreadsheet.

Acceptance Criteria: - User downloads Excel template with columns for all calendar attributes - User fills template with rate data (one row per day) - User uploads completed template - System validates all data before import - System displays validation errors - User confirms import - System creates calendar entries - System reports import summary

REQ-FUT-026: Rate Template Application¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall support creating rate templates for reuse.

Acceptance Criteria: - User creates rate template with name and rate structure - Template includes all rate configuration (base rate, supplements, MLOS, etc.) except specific dates - User can apply template to room type and date range - System creates calendar entries based on template - Templates shareable across hotels or hotel-specific - User can edit and delete templates

2.8 Mobile Interface¶

REQ-FUT-027: Responsive Mobile Design¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall provide mobile-optimized interface for key operations.

Acceptance Criteria: - Interface adapts to mobile screen sizes (320px - 768px width) - Navigation simplified for mobile (hamburger menu) - Search form optimized for touch input - Calendar views adapted for small screens - Mobile interface functional on iOS and Android browsers

REQ-FUT-028: Mobile Hotel Search¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow sales agents to search hotels on mobile devices.

Acceptance Criteria: - Mobile search form includes essential fields only - Date pickers mobile-friendly (native date inputs) - Search results display in mobile-optimized layout - Price breakdown accessible on mobile - Booking request creation available on mobile

REQ-FUT-029: Mobile Rate Lookups¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow quick rate lookups on mobile.

Acceptance Criteria: - Simplified rate lookup by hotel, dates, and occupancy - Results display price only (detailed breakdown optional) - Quick copy price to clipboard - Share price via email/SMS

2.9 Enhanced User Experience¶

REQ-FUT-030: Drag-and-Drop Calendar Editing¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support visual editing of calendar by dragging cells.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can drag across calendar cells to select date range - Selected cells highlight - User can apply rate change to selected cells via context menu - Visual feedback during drag operation

REQ-FUT-031: Calendar Rate Copy/Paste¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support copying and pasting rates within calendar.

Acceptance Criteria: - User selects calendar cells and copies - User selects target cells and pastes - Rates from source applied to target dates - Paste confirms number of cells updated

REQ-FUT-032: Recent Hotels Quick Access¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall display recently accessed hotels for quick selection.

Acceptance Criteria: - System tracks last 10 hotels accessed by user - Recent hotels list displayed prominently - User can click recent hotel to load immediately - Recent list clears when user logs out

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow users to save frequently used search criteria.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can save search criteria with custom name - User can load saved search - User can manage (edit, delete) saved searches - Saved searches private per user or shareable

REQ-FUT-034: Keyboard Shortcuts¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall provide keyboard shortcuts for power users.

Acceptance Criteria: - Ctrl+S or Cmd+S saves current form - Ctrl+F or Cmd+F focuses search field - Ctrl+N or Cmd+N creates new hotel/room (context-dependent) - Esc closes dialogs - Arrow keys navigate calendar - Help overlay displays available shortcuts (Ctrl+/)

2.10 Advanced Configuration¶

REQ-FUT-035: Custom Market Definitions¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow defining custom market segments beyond UAE/GCC/ROW.

Acceptance Criteria: - Administrator can create new market segments - Each market has code, name, and description - Markets can be enabled/disabled - System supports up to 10 market segments - Existing calendar data migrates to new market structure

REQ-FUT-036: Custom Rate Calculation Formulas¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support user-defined rate calculation formulas.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can create custom formula with name - Formula uses variables: base rate, occupancy, nights, market - Formula supports arithmetic operations (+, -, *, /, %) - User assigns formula to rate base or supplement - System calculates rates using custom formula

REQ-FUT-037: Seasonal Pricing Templates¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support predefined seasonal pricing patterns.

Acceptance Criteria: - User defines seasons (e.g., Peak, High, Shoulder, Low) with date ranges - User assigns base rates per season - System automatically applies seasonal rates when creating calendars - Seasons can recur annually - User can override seasonal rates for specific dates

REQ-FUT-038: Room Attributes and Amenities¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow tagging rooms with attributes for advanced filtering.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can assign attributes to room types (e.g., Sea View, Balcony, Club Access, Non-Smoking) - User can filter search results by attributes - Attributes displayed in room description - Attribute list configurable by administrator

2.11 Advanced Search Features¶

REQ-FUT-039: Similar Hotels Suggestion¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall suggest similar hotels when search yields limited results.

Acceptance Criteria: - If search returns fewer than 3 results, system suggests similar hotels - Similarity based on star rating, area, and amenities - User can view suggested hotels - Suggested hotels clearly differentiated from exact matches

REQ-FUT-040: Alternate Dates Suggestion¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall suggest nearby dates with better availability or pricing.

Acceptance Criteria: - System checks availability for ±3 days around requested dates - If alternative dates have better price or availability, system suggests them - User can view pricing for suggested dates - User can re-search with suggested dates

REQ-FUT-041: Price Alerts¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow users to set price alerts for specific searches.

Acceptance Criteria: - User saves search with target price - System monitors rates for that search criteria - When rate drops below target, system sends email alert - User can manage active alerts (view, edit, delete)

2.12 Data Management¶

REQ-FUT-042: Calendar Data Archival¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall archive expired calendar entries to maintain performance.

Acceptance Criteria: - System identifies calendar entries with stay dates > 1 year in past - System moves expired entries to archive storage - Archived entries accessible for reporting but not in active searches - Archive process runs automatically monthly - User can manually trigger archive

REQ-FUT-043: Data Export¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall support exporting data for external analysis or backup.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can export hotel list to CSV/Excel - User can export room list to CSV/Excel - User can export calendar for date range to CSV/Excel - Export includes all attributes - User can select fields to include in export

REQ-FUT-044: Data Import from Legacy Systems¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support one-time import from legacy hotel management systems.

Acceptance Criteria: - User uploads export file from legacy system - System includes mapping tool to map legacy fields to system fields - User reviews mapped data before import - System validates data and reports errors - Import creates hotels, rooms, and calendar entries - Import logs all actions for audit

2.13 Collaboration Features¶

REQ-FUT-045: Rate Change Approval Workflow¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall support approval workflow for rate changes above certain thresholds.

Acceptance Criteria: - Administrator configures approval threshold (e.g., rate changes > 20%) - When user saves rate change exceeding threshold, change enters pending state - Approver receives notification - Approver can approve or reject with comments - User receives notification of approval/rejection - Approved changes apply immediately

REQ-FUT-046: Collaborative Notes¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall allow users to add notes to hotels and rooms visible to team.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can add note to hotel or room - Note includes timestamp and author - Notes displayed in dedicated section - Users can reply to notes (threaded) - Notes searchable

REQ-FUT-047: Activity Audit Log¶

Priority: MEDIUM Description: The system shall maintain comprehensive audit log of all changes.

Acceptance Criteria: - System logs all create, update, delete operations - Log includes: timestamp, user, entity type, entity ID, operation, old values, new values - Administrator can query audit log - Audit log filterable by date range, user, entity type, operation - Audit log exportable - Audit log retention minimum 2 years

2.14 API and Integration Enhancements¶

REQ-FUT-048: Public API for Search¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall provide public API endpoint for hotel search for website integration.

Acceptance Criteria: - Public API endpoint requires API key - API rate limited to prevent abuse - API returns same search results as internal interface - API documentation provided (OpenAPI/Swagger) - API versioned for backward compatibility

REQ-FUT-049: Webhook Notifications¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall send webhook notifications for key events.

Acceptance Criteria: - User can configure webhook URL per event type - Event types: hotel created/updated, calendar created/updated, booking request created - System sends POST request with event payload to configured URL - System retries failed webhooks up to 3 times - Webhook logs show delivery status

REQ-FUT-050: External Calendar Feeds¶

Priority: LOW Description: The system shall provide calendar feeds for external systems.

Acceptance Criteria: - System generates iCal feed for room calendar - Feed includes availability, rates, MLOS - Feed URL secured with token - External systems can subscribe to feed - Feed updates in real-time or near real-time

3. Glossary¶

Term	Definition
Agency	Travel agency using the system to manage hotel contracts
Contract	Agreement between agency and hotel specifying negotiated rates
Direct Contract	Agreement negotiated directly with hotel property
Indirect Contract	Agreement through DMC (Destination Management Company) or wholesaler
Rate Calendar	Date-specific pricing configuration for a room type
Rate Base	Occupancy level pricing is based on: Single (1), Double (2), Triple (3), Quadruple (4)
Meal Base	Meal plan included in base room rate
Meal Supplement	Additional cost to upgrade from base meal plan to higher tier
Special Day	Weekend or holiday with different pricing rules
MLOS	Minimum Length of Stay - minimum nights required for booking
Stop Sale	Room temporarily unavailable for booking (maintenance, allocation, etc.)
On Request	Room available but requires manual confirmation from hotel
Market Segment	Geographic customer segment with differentiated pricing (UAE/GCC/ROW)
Rate Calculation Type	Method for calculating supplements: ABS (absolute), ADD (additive), PCT (percentage add), PCO (percentage of)
Booking Window	Date range during which reservations can be made for specific stay dates
Extra Bed	Additional bed added to room for extra occupancy beyond standard
Release Days	Notice period required for cancellation without penalty
Margin	Agency markup percentage applied to cost to calculate customer price
Cost	Agency's contracted rate with hotel (wholesale price)
Price	Customer-facing rate (cost + margin = retail price)
Trip Request	Lead/opportunity record for potential booking created in CRM

4. Requirements Traceability¶

Priority Summary¶

Priority	Count (Core)	Count (Future)
MUST	47	0
SHOULD	13	0
COULD	0	0
HIGH	0	0
MEDIUM	0	20
LOW	0	30
TOTAL	60	50

Requirements by Functional Area (Core)¶

Area	Requirement Count
Hotel Master Data	6
Room Type Management	4
Meal Plan Management	3
Rate Calendar Management	8
Accommodation Search	3
Booking Request	1
Data Validation	4
Integration	4
User Interface	6
Non-Functional	14
TOTAL	60

Requirements by Functional Area (Future)¶

Area	Requirement Count
Advanced Promotions	4
Real-Time Availability	3
Dynamic Pricing	3
Multi-Currency	3
Contract Management	3
Reporting & Analytics	5
Bulk Operations	5
Mobile Interface	3
Enhanced UX	5
Advanced Configuration	4
Advanced Search	3
Data Management	3
Collaboration	3
API & Integration	3
TOTAL	50

5. Assumptions and Constraints¶

Assumptions¶

Users have employee access to the system via web browser
Hotels in database are properties agency has contracted rates with
Pricing data updated manually by revenue managers, not real-time feeds
Agency operates primarily in UAE/GCC with some international business
Weekend definitions vary by market (Fri-Sat for UAE/GCC, Sat-Sun for ROW)
Child age thresholds vary by hotel, system supports custom definitions
Users familiar with hotel industry terminology and practices

Constraints¶

System must integrate with existing CRM, quotation, and group management modules
System must support existing authentication/session management
Database schema must accommodate existing data model conventions
UI must align with existing design system and component library
API must follow organization's RESTful API standards
System must be accessible via standard web browsers without plugins
Initial deployment supports single agency; multi-tenancy not required

6. Out of Scope¶

The following items are explicitly not included in this requirements specification:

Real-Time Booking Engine: System does not provide instant confirmation booking with hotels
Payment Processing: System does not handle payment transactions or credit card processing
Customer Self-Service Portal: End customers cannot directly access or search this system
GDS Integration (except future enhancement): No direct integration with Amadeus, Sabre, etc. in core system
Revenue Share Accounting: System does not calculate or track commission payments to hotels or partners
Guest Check-In/Check-Out: System does not handle operational hotel management functions
Housekeeping Management: System does not track room status, maintenance, or cleaning schedules
Multi-Property Management for Hotels: System designed for agency perspective, not hotel chain operations
Travel Package Bundling: System focuses on hotel contracts; flight, tour, transfer bundling handled by other modules
Translation/Localization: System assumes English language; multi-language not in core requirements

This requirements specification defines the functional behavior expected of the Hotel Contract Management System. Requirements are expressed independently of technical implementation to allow flexibility in solution design and technology choices.