What is PMS?
PMS = Property Management System
The central software that runs your hotel operations - reservations, check-in/out, billing, housekeeping, and reporting.
Core Engine
Reservations · Front Desk · Night Audit
Ops Control
Housekeeping · Maintenance
Distribution
Channel Manager · OTA Sync
Guest Journey
Profiles · Messaging · Upsells
Intelligence
Reports · Analytics
Finance
Billing · Payments · Ledgers
The PMS core handles reservations and front desk, while add-on blocks plug in operations, distribution, guest experience, analytics, and finance workflows.
What Does a PMS Do?
| Function | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Reservations | Accept, modify, cancel bookings |
| Front Desk | Check-in, check-out, room assignment |
| Room Inventory | Track available, occupied, OOO rooms |
| Billing | Create bills, post charges, process payments |
| Guest Profiles | Store guest history, preferences, contact info |
| Housekeeping | Room status, cleaning schedules |
| Reports | Occupancy, revenue, ADR, guest reports |
| Night Audit | End-of-day closing and reconciliation |
Why Every Hotel Needs a PMS
- No more manual registers: All data in one digital system
- Real-time availability: Instantly know which rooms are free
- Faster check-in: Guest details auto-populated from booking
- Accurate billing: No manual calculation errors
- Guest history: Remember returning guests and their preferences
- Reports on demand: Know your numbers without spreadsheets
- OTA integration: Connect to Channel Manager for auto-updates
Real Example: Without PMS, a 50-room hotel manually tracks bookings in registers, risking overbookings. With PMS, the same hotel processes 100 bookings/day with zero errors and instant availability updates.
Types of PMS
| Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-based | Access from anywhere via browser | Most hotels today |
| On-premise | Installed on local server | Large chains with IT team |
| Mobile-first | Run from tablet/smartphone | Small boutique hotels |
Popular PMS in India
| PMS Name | Best For | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| eZee Absolute | Budget to mid-scale hotels | ₹15,000/year |
| Hotelogix | Small independent hotels | ₹12,000/year |
| JEBS | Mid-scale hotels | ₹20,000/year |
| IDS Next (FortuneNEXT) | Large hotels, chains | Custom pricing |
| Opera (Oracle) | Luxury, international chains | Premium pricing |
| Stayflexi | Budget hotels, hostels | ₹8,000/year |
PMS vs Channel Manager vs RMS
| System | Primary Function |
|---|---|
| PMS | Daily hotel operations (front desk, billing, housekeeping) |
| Channel Manager | Sync rates/availability across OTAs |
| RMS | Revenue Management - pricing recommendations |
| CRS | Central Reservation System - multi-property bookings |
Pro Tip: Many modern PMS include built-in Channel Manager. If not, ensure your PMS integrates with your preferred Channel Manager via API.
What to Look for in a PMS
- Ease of use: Staff should learn it in 1-2 days
- Cloud-based: Access from anywhere, auto-updates
- OTA integrations: Connect to MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, etc.
- GST compliance: Generate GST-compliant invoices
- Mobile app: Check reports on the go
- Support: 24/7 support in Hindi/English
- Reports: Occupancy, revenue, guest reports built-in
- Pricing: Fits your budget, no hidden fees