Front office
What is a city ledger?
A city ledger is the hotel's record of money owed by parties who are not currently staying: companies with credit accounts, travel agents, OTAs and guests who left with an unpaid balance. It is the hotel's accounts receivable for stays that were billed rather than paid at check-out.
City ledger vs guest ledger
The guest ledger covers guests who are in-house: their folios are still open. When a guest checks out and the bill goes to a company or agent, the balance moves from the guest ledger to the city ledger, where it stays until it is paid.
Managing it
Each account should have a credit limit and payment terms, and balances should be aged (30, 60, 90 days) so overdue accounts are chased. The night audit should confirm that every transfer to the city ledger went to the right account.
In StaySynq
StaySynq keeps accounts receivable for companies, travel agents and OTAs, with open items and a city-ledger report.
Common questions
Why is it called a city ledger?
The name comes from accounts held by local ('city') businesses and residents rather than guests staying in the hotel.
Related terms
- FolioA folio is the running account of everything a guest is charged and everything they pay during a stay: room nights, restaurant bills, minibar, laundry, taxes, deposits and payments. At check-out the folio is settled and becomes the basis for the invoice.
- Night auditA night audit is the daily routine that closes one hotel business day and opens the next. It posts the night's room and tax charges to guest folios, reconciles the day's payments and cash, identifies no-shows and errors, and produces the daily reports for management.
- TCS on OTA bookingsTCS on OTA bookings is tax collected at source under Section 52 of India's GST law. When an online travel agency collects payment from the guest on the hotel's behalf, it deducts a small percentage of the booking value, pays it to the government and reports it against the hotel's GSTIN.
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