Accounting support systems, accounting support methods, and accounting support programs

Abstract

To provide an accounting support system, accounting support method and accounting support program capable of improving efficiency of accounting work in facilities.SOLUTION: An accounting support system according to the present invention includes: a reservation processing section for acquiring facility reservation information of a user, acquisition processing section for acquiring usage schedule information corresponding to the user using an available privilege for accounting of facility charges based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing section, and a presentation processing section for presenting the usage schedule information acquired by the acquisition processing section to the facilities based on a usage available period from a usage start time to a usage ending time of the facilities, included in the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an accounting support system, an accounting support method, and an accounting support program for performing accounting using privileges available at a facility.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in facilities such as restaurants, a system for granting privileges (points) that can be used by users to pay for usage fees has been known in order to attract customers and improve the repeat rate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, when a user tells a store clerk at the time of accounting that they will use the points granted to themselves, the store clerk discounts the amount corresponding to the points from the usage fee and performs the accounting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a facility where points can be used, for example, it is necessary for a user to tell a store clerk that they will use the points, or for the store clerk to confirm whether the user will use the points. Here, for example, there may be cases where a user forgets to tell the store clerk that they will use the points, or the store clerk forgets to confirm whether the user will use the points. In this case, for example, if a user requests to use the points after the accounting is completed, the store clerk has to cancel the accounting once, perform the discount process, and then perform the accounting again. Furthermore, if a customer notices that the use of points has not been reflected in the accounting after leaving the store, a process of returning the points to the customer by the facility or the point management operator will occur. Thus, in a facility where points can be used or the point management operator, problems such as a decrease in the accounting work efficiency and the occurrence of additional operations occur.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an accounting support system, an accounting support method, and an accounting support program that can improve the efficiency of accounting work in a facility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The accounting support system according to the present invention is a system comprising: a reservation processing unit that acquires reservation information of users for a facility; an acquisition processing unit that acquires usage schedule information corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the usage fees of the facility, based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit; and a presentation processing unit that presents the usage schedule information acquired by the acquisition processing unit to the facility, based on the period of availability from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit.

[0007] The accounting support method according to the present invention is a method in which one or more processors perform a reservation step of acquiring user reservation information for a facility; an acquisition step of acquiring usage schedule information corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the usage fees of the facility, based on the reservation information acquired in the reservation step; and a presentation step of presenting the usage schedule information acquired in the acquisition step to the facility, based on the period of availability from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired in the reservation step.

[0008] The accounting support program according to the present invention is a program that causes one or more processors to execute a reservation step of acquiring user reservation information for a facility, an acquisition step of acquiring usage schedule information corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the usage fees for the facility based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation step, and a presentation step of presenting the usage schedule information acquired by the acquisition step to the facility based on the period of availability from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired by the reservation step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an accounting support system, an accounting support method, and an accounting support program that can improve the efficiency of accounting work in a facility. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of facility information used in an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of member information used in an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of reservation information used in an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a search page displayed on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a search results page displayed on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of a reservation application page displayed on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an accounting page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] [[ID=回]]FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of an accounting support process executed in an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a point usage schedule printed out in an accounting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] [[ID=回]]FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a management page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a notification page displayed on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention. The following embodiments are an example of embodying the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] [Accounting Support System 1] As shown in FIG. 1, the accounting support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an accounting support device 2, a user terminal 3, and a facility terminal 4. The accounting support device 2, the user terminal 3, and the facility terminal 4 can communicate via a communication network N1 such as the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a public telephone line.

[0013] The accounting support device 2 can manage information related to reservations and accounting for a plurality of facilities and information related to users who use the facilities. Specifically, the accounting support device 2 performs data communication with the facility terminal 4 of each facility to manage reservation information, accounting information, etc., and performs data communication with the user terminal 3 to manage personal information of users (member information, privilege information, etc.). The accounting support device 2 can provide a reservation service for receiving searches and reservations of facilities from users, a privilege service for granting privileges to users, a management service for managing facilities, etc., and can operate a website corresponding to each service. Here, the privilege is a monetary value that can be used for accounting (payment) of the usage fee of the facility, such as points, coupons, discount vouchers, etc. In this embodiment, as an example of the privilege, "points" will be described. For example, when 1 point is set to be 1 yen, the user can use the amount corresponding to the desired points among the points he / she holds for paying the usage fee. Also, points corresponding to the usage fee are granted to the user. For example, 1 point is granted to the user per 100 yen of the usage fee (or payment amount). The accounting support device 2 updates the user's held points by granting points to the user through the privilege service or subtracting the points used at the time of accounting from the held points. The user can use the reservation service and the privilege service by, for example, registering as a member.

[0014] The staff of the facility uses the management service to manage reservations and manage the accounting of users (customers who come to the store). The staff of the facility can use the management service by, for example, registering as a member.

[0015] In this embodiment, the accounting support system 1 will be described using the example of a case where the facility is a restaurant that serves food and beverages. However, the facility may be various other types of facilities, such as a karaoke bar, bowling alley, table tennis hall, golf course, hot spring facility, accommodation facility, or service provider.

[0016] User terminal 3 is an information processing device operated by users to search for and reserve facilities, and to acquire and use points. Facility terminal 4 is an information processing device operated by staff, for example, who are located in a facility and manage the facility's reservation and accounting information. The accounting support system 1 includes one or more user terminals 3 and one or more facility terminals 4.

[0017] In this embodiment, the accounting support device 2 alone corresponds to the accounting support system according to the present invention. However, the accounting support system according to the present invention may include one or more components from the accounting support device 2, user terminal 3, and facility terminal 4. For example, if the components of the accounting support device 2, user terminal 3, and facility terminal 4 cooperate to perform the accounting support processing described later (see Figure 14), the system including multiple components that perform that processing can be considered as the accounting support system according to the present invention. For example, the accounting support device 2 and facility terminal 4 may constitute the accounting support system according to the present invention.

[0018] [Accounting support device 2] As shown in Figure 1, the accounting support device 2 is a server equipped with a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation display unit 23, and a communication interface 24, etc. The accounting support device 2 is not limited to a single computer; it may be a computer system in which multiple computers work together. Furthermore, the various processes performed by the accounting support device 2 may be distributed and executed by one or more processors.

[0019] Communication I / F24 is a communication interface for connecting the accounting support device 2 to the communication network N1 by wire or wireless connection, and for performing data communication with external devices such as user terminals 3 and facility terminals 4 via the communication network N1, in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0020] The operation display unit 23 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various types of information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0021] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 22 stores data such as facility information D1, member information D2, and reservation information D3. Facility information D1 includes information about restaurants that are search targets and reservation targets. Member information D2 includes information about users (members) who can use the reservation service and the benefits service. Reservation information D3 includes information about restaurant reservations received from users. Figure 2 shows an example of facility information D1, Figure 3 shows an example of member information D2, and Figure 4 shows an example of reservation information D3. The storage unit 22 also stores information about multiple restaurants that are search targets. The reservation information D3 shown in Figure 4 is an example of reservation information for a specific restaurant (in this case, restaurant G1). Reservation information D3 is stored in the storage unit 22 for each restaurant.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, facility information D1 includes information such as the corresponding "facility ID," "facility name," "area," "genre," "address," and "URL" for each restaurant. The facility ID is the identification information of the restaurant, and the facility name is the name of the restaurant. The area is the name of the region where the restaurant is located. The genre is information that can identify the content of the services provided by the restaurant, for example, indicating the cuisine genre. The address is the detailed address of the restaurant and is used as information indicating the location of the restaurant. The URL is access information for accessing the restaurant's homepage, reservation page, or other web pages. Facility information D1 may also include information such as a predetermined amount (budget) that is the average amount needed to use the restaurant, and identification information of the restaurant's image.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, Member Information D2 contains information such as the corresponding "Member ID," "Password," "Name," "Email Address," and "Points Held" for each user. The Member ID is the user's (member's) identification information, and the password is a password set by the user. The Member ID and password are used as login information when logging into the reservation service and the benefits service websites. The email address is an email address that the user terminal 3 can receive emails at. The Points Held are the balance of points currently held by the user that can be used to pay facility usage fees. The control unit 21 updates the Points Held in Member Information D2 based on accounting information obtained from the facility terminal 4. For example, the control unit 21 adds points corresponding to the amount of usage fees paid to the Points Held, or subtracts points used to pay usage fees from the Points Held.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, reservation information D3 includes information such as "Name of Reservation Holder," "Number of People," "Date of Visit," "Start Time of Use," "End Time of Use," "Table," "Points Used (Yes / No)," and "Points Used." The Name of Reservation Holder is the name of the user who made the reservation. The Number of People is the number of users who are scheduled to visit (reserved number). The Date of Visit is the date on which the users are scheduled to visit. The Start Time of Use is the scheduled time the users are scheduled to arrive (arrival time), and the End Time of Use is the scheduled time the users are scheduled to leave (departure time). Here, if a time limit is set in advance for each user at restaurant G1 (for example, a 2-hour limit), the end time for users A1 and A2 who made a reservation at 18:00 will be 20:00, and the end time for users A3 and A4 who made a reservation at 19:00 will be 21:00. The control unit 21 registers the end time of use in reservation information D3 based on the time limit and the user's reservation information (arrival time). In restaurants that do not have a time limit system, the end time of use may be omitted. The aforementioned table contains information that identifies the items to be used, such as the table used by the user. The aforementioned table may be selected by the user when making a reservation, or it may be assigned by the restaurant.

[0025] The aforementioned point usage status indicates whether or not the user will use points. For example, when a user makes a reservation for restaurant G1, they can select whether or not to use points ("yes" or "no") on the reservation application page P3 (see Figure 7) displayed on the user terminal 3. Users who select "yes" to use points can also enter the points they intend to use from their accumulated points (see Figure 3) on the reservation application page P3. The control unit 21 registers the points entered on the user terminal 3 as points to be used in the reservation information D3. The reservation information D3 is registered or modified by the control unit 21 each time a new reservation or reservation change is received from the facility terminal 4 or the user terminal 3.

[0026] In addition, in another embodiment, some or all of the facility information D1, member information D2, and reservation information D3 may be stored on another server accessible from the accounting support device 2 via the communication network N1. In this case, the control unit 21 of the accounting support device 2 may acquire the information from the other server and execute the accounting support processing described later (see Figure 14).

[0027] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 also stores layout data and image data for generating various web pages displayed on the user terminal 3, such as the search page P1 (see Figure 5), the search results page P2 (see Figure 6), and the reservation application page P3 (see Figure 7). The storage unit 22 also stores layout data and image data for generating various web pages displayed on the facility terminal 4, such as the management page P4 (see Figures 8, 9, 11-13) and the accounting page P5 (see Figure 10). In this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the accounting support device 2 can generate the various web pages and transmit the information of those web pages to the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4, thereby causing the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4 to display the various web pages. In another embodiment, the control unit 21 of the accounting support device 2 may transmit the data necessary to display the various web pages to the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4, causing the control unit 31 of the user terminal 3 and the control unit 41 of the facility terminal 4 to display the various web pages.

[0028] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 stores control programs, such as accounting support programs, which cause the control unit 21 to execute the accounting support processing described later (see Figure 14). For example, the accounting support program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown), such as a CD drive or DVD drive, provided by the accounting support device 2, and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0029] The control unit 21 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit that stores control programs such as a BIOS and OS in advance to cause the CPU to perform various arithmetic operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various processes performed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the accounting support device 2 by executing various control programs that are pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 22 using the CPU.

[0030] Traditionally, in facilities where points can be used, it is necessary for customers to inform staff that they wish to use points, or for staff to confirm with customers whether or not they wish to use points. However, there are cases where customers forget to inform staff that they wish to use points, or where staff forget to confirm with customers whether or not they wish to use points. In such cases, if a customer requests to use points after the payment has been completed, the staff has to cancel the payment, apply the discount, and then perform the payment again. Furthermore, if a customer notices after leaving the store that the use of points has not been reflected in their payment, the facility or point management company has to return the points to the customer. Thus, facilities where points can be used and point management companies face problems such as reduced accounting efficiency and the creation of additional work. In contrast, the accounting support device 2 according to this embodiment can improve the efficiency of accounting work in facilities.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as a reservation processing unit 211, an acquisition processing unit 212, a presentation processing unit 213, a reception processing unit 214, and an accounting processing unit 215. The control unit 21 functions as these various processing units by executing various processes according to the accounting support program using the CPU. Some or all of these processing units may be composed of electronic circuits. The accounting support program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as these processing units.

[0032] The reservation processing unit 211 acquires the user's reservation information for restaurants. Specifically, when the reservation processing unit 211 receives a restaurant search request from a user, it searches for restaurants that meet the search criteria and presents the search results to the user. Figure 5 shows an example of a search page P1 for entering search criteria. For example, user A1 accesses the reservation service website and enters search criteria on the search page P1 displayed on the user terminal 3. The search page P1 displays input fields K11 to K14 for entering area, date of visit, time of visit, and number of people. The search page P1 also displays an input field K15 for entering specific criteria, such as searching for restaurants where points can be used or restaurants with private rooms. User A1 enters the various search criteria on the search page P1 and presses the confirm button K16. As a result, the reservation processing unit 211 executes the search process for restaurants that meet the search criteria.

[0033] The reservation processing unit 211 displays the search results page P2, which shows the results of the search process, on the user terminal 3. Figure 6 shows an example of the search results page P2. The search results page P2 displays a list of information (restaurant information R1) for each restaurant that meets the search criteria. Each restaurant information R1 displays an overview of the restaurant, an image, a details button K22 to display the restaurant's details page, and a reservation button K23 to make a reservation request (reservation application). For example, if user A1 finds a restaurant they wish to reserve on the search results page P2, they press the reservation button K23 for the corresponding restaurant information R1 to make a reservation request. On the other hand, if user A1 does not find a restaurant they wish to reserve on the search results page P2, they press the condition change button K21. When the condition change button K21 is pressed, the reservation processing unit 211 displays the search page P1 (see Figure 5) again and accepts the user A1's operation to change the search criteria.

[0034] When user A1 presses the reservation button K23 for the desired restaurant (in this case, restaurant G1), the reservation processing unit 211 displays the reservation application page P3 on the user terminal 3. Figure 7 shows an example of the reservation application page P3. The reservation application page P3 displays the reservation conditions (date and time of visit, number of people, etc.), the name of the person making the reservation, email address, and phone number. The reservation application page P3 also displays a point selection field K31 to select whether or not to use points, and a point input field K32 to enter the number of points to be used. The reservation application page P3 also displays the points that user A1 currently possesses (point balance). If user A1 wants to use points to pay for their meal at restaurant G1, they select "Yes" to use points and enter the number of points to use (in this case, "1000" points) in the point input field K32. After user A1 enters the various information on the reservation application page P3 and presses the reservation button K33, the reservation processing unit 211 accepts the reservation request for restaurant G1 and executes the reservation process if a reservation for restaurant G1 is possible.

[0035] The reservation processing unit 211 registers the reservation details in the reservation information D3 (see Figure 4) corresponding to the restaurant G1 to be reserved. The reservation processing unit 211 can also cancel the reservation registered in the reservation information D3 in response to an operation on the user terminal 3, or cancel it automatically. Once the reservation processing is complete, the reservation processing unit 211 sends, for example, a reservation completion email to the user terminal 3 of user A1 who made the reservation request and to the facility terminal 4 of the restaurant G1 to which the reservation was made.

[0036] The reservation processing unit 211 acquires reservation information D3 (see Figure 4) for a designated restaurant (in this case, restaurant G1). The reservation processing unit 211 is an example of the reservation processing unit of the present invention.

[0037] The acquisition processing unit 212 acquires usage information corresponding to users who will use points that can be used to pay for their restaurant bill, based on the reservation information D3 acquired by the reservation processing unit 211. Here, the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires usage information for reservation holders who will use points at restaurant G1. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires usage information corresponding to users who will use points from the reservation information D3 of restaurant G1. The usage information includes at least one of the following: the name of the reservation holder who will use points, and the table assigned to the user who will use points. The usage information may also include at least one of the following: the number of people reserved by the reservation holder, the date of visit, the start time of use, the end time of use, and the points used.

[0038] For example, the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires the names of users who selected "Yes" to use points when making a reservation ("A1", "A2", "A4", "A5", "A6", "A8"), the number of people in each reservation (number of reservations), and the start time of each reservation (time of arrival) as usage information corresponding to restaurant G1. Also, for example, the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires usage information for the day of the business. Here, for example, if an employee of restaurant G1 logs into the management site on the facility terminal 4 before the start of business on the day of the business (for example, "June 1, 2021") (for example, "16:00"), the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires the aforementioned usage information for that day. The acquisition processing unit 212 is an example of the acquisition processing unit of the present invention.

[0039] The presentation processing unit 213 presents to the restaurant information (planned usage information) regarding users who intend to use points when paying at the restaurant. Specifically, the presentation processing unit 213 presents to the restaurant the planned usage information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 212. The presentation processing unit 213 is an example of the presentation processing unit of the present invention.

[0040] For example, if an employee of restaurant G1 logs into the management site on the facility terminal 4 before the start of business on a business day (for example, "June 1, 2021") (for example, "16:00"), the control unit 21 displays the management page P4 on the facility terminal 4. Figure 8 shows a specific example of the management page P4. The management page P4 displays selection buttons for performing various services such as accounting, reservation management, and page editing, as well as messages (notifications) related to operations. Here, if the acquisition processing unit 212 acquires the usage schedule information corresponding to restaurant G1, the presentation processing unit 213 displays notification information M1, which includes the usage schedule information M2, on the management page P4, as shown in Figure 9. For example, if an employee of restaurant G1 logs into the management site on the facility terminal 4 before the start of business on a business day (for example, "June 1, 2021") (for example, "16:00"), the presentation processing unit 213 displays the management page P4, which includes the usage schedule information for that day, on the facility terminal 4. The planned usage information M2 is an example of the planned usage information of the present invention.

[0041] Here, the display processing unit 213 displays on the facility terminal 4, in a list for each user, the names of the reservation holders (users A1, A2, A4, A5, A6, A8) who plan to use points on the business day ("June 1, 2021"), the number of users (number of reservations), and the start time of use (time of arrival). If there is one user who plans to use points, the display processing unit 213 displays one usage information M2; if there are multiple users who plan to use points, it displays multiple usage information M2 in a list.

[0042] Furthermore, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the restaurant with a list of multiple scheduled usage information M2 entries obtained by the acquisition processing unit 212 that have the same scheduled usage date. In this case, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the restaurant G1 with a list of six scheduled usage information M2 entries for the current business day ("June 1, 2021"). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9, the presentation processing unit 213 may display the multiple scheduled usage information M2 entries in order of start time (arrival time) (for example, in order from earliest to latest).

[0043] Furthermore, the presentation processing unit 213 may display user information (such as a member ID) to identify the user, the number of points to be used, the points held (point balance), the discount amount, the discount rate, etc., as planned usage information M2. In addition, if there are multiple types of benefits available at the restaurant, such as points and coupons, the presentation processing unit 213 may display identification information (such as "using points" or "using coupons") that can identify the type of benefit to be used.

[0044] The name and member ID of the user who will be using the benefit, both included in the planned usage information M2, are examples of user information according to the present invention. Furthermore, the number of points to be used, points held, discount amount, discount rate, and benefit identification information (such as "point usage" or "coupon usage"), all included in the planned usage information M2, are examples of benefit information according to the present invention. By checking the planned usage information M2 displayed on the facility terminal 4, store staff can identify users who require discount processing at checkout.

[0045] In another embodiment, the presentation processing unit 213 may present to the restaurant a list of multiple scheduled usage information M2 acquired by the acquisition processing unit 212, where the scheduled usage date and operating hours are the same. For example, the presentation processing unit 213 may present to the restaurant a list of multiple scheduled usage information M2 corresponding to customers with reservations during the lunch operating hours before the start of lunch service, and may present to the restaurant a list of multiple scheduled usage information M2 corresponding to customers with reservations during the dinner operating hours before the start of dinner service.

[0046] Furthermore, after the display processing unit 213 displays the planned usage information M2 on the facility terminal 4, it deletes the planned usage information M2 when a predetermined user operation is performed on the planned usage information M2. For example, in the notification information M1 shown in Figure 9, when the store clerk presses the confirmation button K41, the display processing unit 213 deletes the notification information M1 from the management page P4. Specifically, the reception processing unit 214 receives predetermined operations on multiple planned usage information M2 displayed on the facility terminal 4. For example, when the reception processing unit 214 receives a confirmation operation for the notification information M1 on the management page P4, the display processing unit 213 deletes the notification information M1 from the management page P4. The reception processing unit 214 is an example of a reception processing unit of the present invention.

[0047] Furthermore, the reception processing unit 214 may be capable of accepting user operations to individually select each of the multiple scheduled usage information M2. For example, if a confirmation button is displayed for each of the multiple scheduled usage information M2, the presentation processing unit 213 may delete from the notification information M1 the scheduled usage information M2 that corresponds to the confirmation button pressed by the store clerk.

[0048] Furthermore, the display processing unit 213 may redisplay the notification information M1 or usage schedule information M2 that was deleted from the management page P4 on the management page P4. For example, the display processing unit 213 may also redisplay the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to users whose usage time is approaching on the management page P4.

[0049] Specifically, the presentation processing unit 213 may repeatedly present the planned usage information M2 (or notification information M1) to the restaurant at predetermined time intervals. For example, the presentation processing unit 213 may repeatedly display the planned usage information M2 on the facility terminal 4 at 15-minute intervals. Alternatively, the presentation processing unit 213 may repeatedly display the planned usage information M2 on the facility terminal 4 at 30-minute intervals until the start time of use, and then repeatedly display it on the facility terminal 4 at 15-minute intervals during the available period from the start time to the end time of use. Furthermore, the presentation processing unit 213 may shorten the time intervals as the end time of use approaches. In this way, even if a staff member performs an operation to confirm the planned usage information M2, the staff member can be reliably made aware of the planned usage information M2 by periodically repeating the presentation process of the planned usage information M2. The presentation processing unit 213 may also present the planned usage information M2 to a portable terminal (an example of the facility terminal 4 of the present invention) held by each staff member and repeat the presentation process individually.

[0050] The accounting processing unit 215 performs accounting (settlement) for the charges (food and drink expenses) incurred by customers at a restaurant. If a customer uses points, the accounting processing unit 215 deducts the amount equivalent to the points from the charges and performs the accounting. Figure 10 shows an example of the accounting page P5. For example, when the accounting processing unit 215 obtains the order information associated with customer A1's table T1, it displays the product name and price. If customer A1 is a point user, the accounting processing unit 215 displays the point input field K42 and accepts the input of the points to be used. After the staff confirms with the customer and the points to be used are entered, the accounting processing unit 215 obtains the entered points. The accounting processing unit 215 may also obtain the points used registered in the reservation information D3 (see Figure 4). When the staff presses the confirm button on the accounting page P5, the accounting processing unit 215 performs the accounting by applying the point discount.

[0051] Once the accounting process is complete, the display processing unit 213 deletes the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to the user whose accounting has been completed. For example, as shown in Figure 11, when the accounting process for user A1 is completed, the display processing unit 213 deletes the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to user A1 from the notification information M1 and displays the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to the other users excluding user A1 on the facility terminal 4. In another embodiment, the display processing unit 213 may change the display manner of the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to the user whose accounting has been completed. For example, the display processing unit 213 may display the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to user A1 in grayscale, display a strikethrough on the usage schedule information M2, or display a "completed" mark on the usage schedule information M2.

[0052] Thus, if the user has made a reservation with points usage enabled, the accounting processing unit 215 may display information regarding point usage on the accounting page P5, such as the number of points used and information in the point input field K42. In this case, if the user has made a reservation without using points, the accounting processing unit 215 will not display information regarding point usage on the accounting page P5.

[0053] Here, when user A1's payment using points is completed, the control unit 21 executes a process to deduct the points used from user A1's points balance (see Figure 3). In the above example, the control unit 21 updates user A1's points balance from "2500 points" to "1500 points". The control unit 21 may also register information in the reservation information D3 indicating that user A1's payment has been completed and that points have been used when user A1's payment is completed.

[0054] As described above, the presentation processing unit 213 presents information (planned usage information M2) corresponding to restaurant reservation holders who will be using points to the facility at a predetermined time (for example, before the start of business on the day of the business). Furthermore, if there are multiple reservation holders who will be using points on the same business day, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the facility with a list of the planned usage information M2 for each of those reservation holders.

[0055] Here, the timing at which the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant is not limited to a predetermined time on the day of business (for example, the time of login to the management site on that day), but may be at any of the following times.

[0056] Specifically, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use. For example, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant during a predetermined period including the end time of use. That is, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant during the period from a predetermined time before the end time of use (for example, 30 minutes before) to a predetermined time after the end time of use (for example, 30 minutes after).

[0057] For example, on June 1, 2021, users A1 and A2, who will be using points, have a start time of "18:00" and an end time of "20:00". In this case, users A1 and A2 are highly likely to leave (pay) the restaurant within a predetermined time before or after their end time. Therefore, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant during the period from "19:30", 30 minutes before the predetermined time of end time, to "20:30", 30 minutes after the predetermined time of end time. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the presentation processing unit 213 displays notification information M1, which includes the planned usage information M2 corresponding to users A1 and A2, on the management page P4 at "19:30". Furthermore, the display processing unit 213 displays the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to users A1 and A2 at "19:30," and then repeatedly displays the usage schedule information M2 at predetermined time intervals until "20:30" when the payment is completed. Alternatively, the display processing unit 213 may also display the usage schedule information M2 to the restaurant at the time of login to the management site on the day, and may also display the usage schedule information M2 to the restaurant during the aforementioned predetermined period.

[0058] Furthermore, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant during a predetermined period including the start time of use. In the above example, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant during the period from 17:30, which is 30 minutes before the start time of use "18:00", until the end time of use "20:00", or until 20:30, which is 30 minutes after the end time of use.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, if there are multiple scheduled usage information M2s with different start times (or end times), the presentation processing unit 213 may present the restaurant with a list of the multiple scheduled usage information M2s whose end times fall within a predetermined time from the current time. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the restaurant G1 with a list of scheduled usage information M2s corresponding to users A1 and A2 whose end time of "20:00" falls within a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) at the current time of "19:30". This allows only the most recent scheduled usage information M2 to be displayed on the facility terminal 4.

[0060] For example, the presentation processing unit 213 may also present to the restaurant G1 a list of planned usage information M2 corresponding to users A1, A2, and A4 whose end time of use falls within a predetermined time (e.g., 3 hours) as of the current time "18:30". In this case, for example, the planned usage information M2 corresponding to users A1 and A2 who have already visited the restaurant can be displayed in a list, as well as the planned usage information M2 corresponding to user A4 who has not yet visited the restaurant.

[0061] Here, if user A1 has finished paying, the display processing unit 213 may delete the usage information M2 corresponding to user A1, as shown in Figure 13, and display only the usage information M2 corresponding to user A2 on the management page P4. Next, if user A2 has finished paying, the display processing unit 213 deletes the usage information M2 corresponding to user A2. In this way, the display processing unit 213 displays the usage information M2 corresponding to each user to the restaurant until the user's payment is completed.

[0062] [User terminal 3] As shown in Figure 1, the user terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, an operation display unit 33, and a communication interface 34, etc. The user terminal 3 is an information processing device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer.

[0063] Communication I / F34 is a communication interface for connecting the user terminal 3 to the communication network N1 by wire or wireless connection, and for performing data communication with external devices such as the accounting support device 2 and facility terminal 4 via the communication network N1, in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0064] The operation display unit 33 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0065] The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 32 stores a control program such as a browser program. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 31 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the accounting support device 2 according to a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Alternatively, the browser program may be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the accounting support device 2 according to a predetermined communication protocol.

[0066] The control unit 31 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit that stores control programs such as a BIOS and OS in advance to allow the CPU to perform various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 31 controls the user terminal 3 by executing various control programs that are pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 32 using the CPU.

[0067] Specifically, the control unit 31 functions as a browser processing unit 311 by executing various processes according to the browser program stored in the storage unit 32. The browser processing unit 311 can display a web page provided by the accounting support device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 33 and perform browser processing to input operations on the operation display unit 33 to the accounting support device 2. In other words, the user terminal 3 can function as an operating terminal for the accounting support device 2 by the execution of the browser program by the control unit 31. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 31 may be composed of electronic circuits.

[0068] For example, the control unit 31 obtains web page data for the reservation site from the accounting support device 2 and displays the web page of the reservation site on the operation display unit 33. The request to access the predetermined URL can be made by selecting from a pre-registered list of websites, selecting from search results on an information search site, or by text input. Furthermore, if a dedicated application corresponding to the accounting support device 2 is installed on the user terminal 3, the web page will be displayed on the operation display unit 33 when the user of the user terminal 3 launches the dedicated application.

[0069] For example, when a user enters their member ID and password on the login page displayed on the user terminal 3, the control unit 31 displays the search page P1 (see Figure 5) on the user terminal 3. The control unit 31 also displays the search results page P2 (see Figure 6) and the reservation application page P3 (see Figure 7) on the user terminal 3 to receive reservation applications (reservation requests) from the user.

[0070] [Facility Terminal 4] As shown in Figure 1, the facility terminal 4 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, an operation display unit 43, and a communication interface 44, etc. The facility terminal 4 is an information processing device such as a tablet terminal or a personal computer. The facility terminal 4 may also have the same functions as the accounting support device 2, or it may be an information processing device integrated with the accounting support device 2.

[0071] Communication I / F44 is a communication interface for connecting the facility terminal 4 to the communication network N1 by wire or wireless connection, and for performing data communication with external devices such as the accounting support device 2 and user terminal 3 via the communication network N1, in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0072] The operation display unit 43 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0073] The storage unit 42 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 42 stores a control program such as a browser program. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 41 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the accounting support device 2 according to a communication protocol such as HTTP. Alternatively, the browser program may be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the accounting support device 2 according to a predetermined communication protocol.

[0074] Furthermore, the memory unit 42 stores reservation information including the reservation status of restaurants, visit information including usage information of customers who have visited restaurants (such as order history), accounting information, sales information, and more.

[0075] The control unit 41 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and OS for causing the CPU to perform various operations are pre-stored. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 41 controls the facility terminal 4 by executing various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 42 using the CPU.

[0076] Specifically, the control unit 41 functions as a browser processing unit 411 by executing various processes according to the browser program stored in the memory unit 42. The browser processing unit 411 can display a web page provided by the accounting support device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 43 and perform browser processing to input operations on the operation display unit 43 to the accounting support device 2. In other words, the facility terminal 4 can function as an operating terminal for the accounting support device 2 by the execution of the browser program by the control unit 41. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 41 may be composed of electronic circuits.

[0077] For example, the facility terminal 4 retrieves the management site's webpage from the accounting support device 2 and displays the management site's webpage on the operation display unit 43. The request to access the predetermined URL can be made by selecting from a pre-registered list of websites, selecting from search results on an information search site, or by text input. Furthermore, if a dedicated application corresponding to the accounting support device 2 is installed on the facility terminal 4, the webpage will be displayed on the operation display unit 43 when the user of the facility terminal 4 (a restaurant employee) launches the dedicated application.

[0078] For example, when a user requests a reservation at a desired restaurant using the user terminal 3, the control unit 21 of the accounting support device 2 notifies the restaurant's facility terminal 4 of the reservation request to inquire about the approval or rejection of the reservation. If the restaurant staff approves the reservation request, the control unit 41 outputs a response to the accounting support device 2 indicating that the reservation is approved. On the other hand, if the restaurant staff does not approve the reservation request, the control unit 41 outputs a response to the accounting support device 2 indicating that the reservation is rejected. Furthermore, once the accounting support device 2 completes the reservation processing corresponding to the reservation, the control unit 41 receives a reservation completion email from the accounting support device 2. Upon receiving the reservation completion email, the control unit 41 registers the reservation details in the reservation information (reservation ledger).

[0079] For example, when an employee of restaurant G1 enters their member ID and password on the login page displayed on facility terminal 4, the control unit 41 displays management page P4 (see Figure 8) on facility terminal 4. The control unit 41 also displays information presented by the accounting support device 2 on management page P4. Specifically, the control unit 41 displays notification information M1 (see Figure 9, etc.), which includes usage information M2 corresponding to the user using points, on the operation display unit 43. The control unit 41 also displays accounting page P5 (see Figure 10) on the operation display unit 43.

[0080] [Accounting support processing] The accounting support processing performed in the accounting support system 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 14. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the accounting support device 2 executes the accounting support processing. Furthermore, the control unit 21 can execute the accounting support processing in parallel in response to access from each of the facility terminals 4. The control unit 21 may terminate the accounting support processing midway through based on a predetermined operation of the facility terminal 4.

[0081] Furthermore, the present invention can be understood as an accounting support method that performs one or more steps included in the accounting support process. Also, one or more steps included in the accounting support process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. The execution order of each step in the accounting support process may differ to the extent that similar effects are produced. Furthermore, although the case in this description uses the control unit 21 to execute each step in the accounting support process as an example, an accounting support method in which one or more processors distribute and execute each step in the accounting support process can also be considered as another embodiment. The accounting support method described herein is an example of the accounting support method of the present invention.

[0082] Here, we will explain using the example of when the control unit 21 performs accounting processing for the usage fees of customers using the restaurant G1.

[0083] First, in step S1, the control unit 21 obtains reservation information for restaurant G1 on a predetermined date. For example, if an employee of restaurant G1 logs into the management site on the facility terminal 4 before the start of business on a business day (for example, "June 1, 2021") (for example, "16:00"), the control unit 21 obtains the reservation information D3 for that day (see Figure 4). Here, the control unit 21 obtains the reservation information D3 for users A1 to A8. Step S1 is an example of a reservation step of the present invention.

[0084] Next, in step S2, the control unit 21 acquires usage information M2 corresponding to users who will use points that can be used to pay for the restaurant G1. Here, the control unit 21 acquires the names of users (reservation holders) who will use points, the number of users, and the start time of use from the acquired reservation information D3 for users A1 to A8. Specifically, the control unit 21 acquires the usage information M2 for each of the following users: "User A1 / 3 people / Start time "18:00"", "User A2 / 4 people / Start time "18:00"", "User A4 / 2 people / Start time "19:00"", "User A5 / 3 people / Start time "20:00"", "User A6 / 2 people / Start time "21:00"", and "User A8 / 4 people / Start time "22:00". Step S2 is an example of the acquisition steps of the present invention.

[0085] Next, in step S3, the control unit 21 presents the planned usage information M2 to the restaurant G1. For example, the control unit 21 displays the acquired multiple planned usage information M2 in a list on the facility terminal 4 (see Figure 9). The control unit 21 also displays the multiple planned usage information M2 in a list in order of the earliest start time of use. Step S3 is an example of the presenting steps of the present invention.

[0086] Next, in step S4, the control unit 21 determines whether or not it has received a confirmation operation for the usage information M2. For example, if an employee of restaurant G1 presses the confirmation button K41 on the management page P4 (see Figure 9) displayed on the facility terminal 4 of restaurant G1, the control unit 21 accepts the confirmation operation. If the control unit 21 accepts the confirmation operation (S4: Yes), the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the control unit 21 does not accept the confirmation operation (S4: No), the process returns to step S3.

[0087] In step S5, the control unit 21 deletes the planned usage information M2. Specifically, the control unit 21 deletes the notification information M1 from the management page P4 (see Figure 9). In this way, the control unit 21 displays the planned usage information M2 on the facility terminal 4 until it receives confirmation from a store employee. Once the planned usage information M2 is confirmed and deleted from the management page P4, the process moves to step S6.

[0088] In step S6, the control unit 21 determines whether the current time falls within a predetermined period. It waits until the current time falls within the predetermined period (S6: No), and if the current time falls within the predetermined period (S6: Yes), the process proceeds to step S7. The predetermined period is, for example, a predetermined period including the usage end time, and is the period from a predetermined time before the usage end time (for example, 30 minutes before) to a predetermined time after the usage end time (for example, 30 minutes after). The predetermined period is set for each user. Here, first, the control unit 21 determines whether the current time falls within the predetermined period "19:30~20:30" corresponding to users A1 and A2, and if the current time falls within "19:30~20:30", the process proceeds to step S7.

[0089] In step S7, the control unit 21 presents the restaurant G1 with the most recent scheduled usage information M2 corresponding to the predetermined period. Here, as shown in Figure 12, the control unit 21 displays the scheduled usage information M2 corresponding to users A1 and A2, whose reservation end time falls within the predetermined period, on the facility terminal 4 at the current time "19:30".

[0090] On the management page P4 (see Figure 12) displayed on the facility terminal 4 of restaurant G1, when an employee of restaurant G1 presses the confirmation button K41, the control unit 21 accepts the confirmation operation and deletes the notification information M1 from the management page P4. The control unit 21 then displays the notification information M1 again on the management page P4 after a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) has elapsed. In this way, the control unit 21 repeatedly displays the planned usage information M2 on the facility terminal 4. Step S7 is an example of the presented steps of the present invention.

[0091] In step S8, the control unit 21 determines whether the accounting process is complete. For example, when accounting for user A1, the control unit 21 retrieves the order information associated with user A1's table T1 and displays the product name and price on the accounting page P5 (see Figure 10). Also, if user A1 is a points user, the control unit 21 displays the points input field K42 and accepts input of the points to be used. The control unit 21 retrieves the points used entered by the staff in the points input field K42, or the points registered in the reservation information D3 (see Figure 4), deducts them from the usage fee, and performs the accounting process. If user A1's accounting process is complete (S8: Yes), the process moves to step S9. If user A1's accounting process is not complete (S8: No), the process returns to step S7.

[0092] In step S9, the control unit 21 deletes the scheduled usage information M2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the control unit 21 deletes the scheduled usage information M2 corresponding to user A1 who has completed accounting from the management page P4. After that, the process moves on to step S10.

[0093] In step S10, the control unit 21 determines whether all accounting has been completed. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines whether accounting has been completed for all users corresponding to all the usage information M2 (see Figure 9) displayed in the list on the facility terminal 4. If all accounting has been completed (S10: Yes), the control unit 21 terminates the accounting support process. On the other hand, if not all accounting has been completed (S10: No), the process returns to step S6. In this case, since the accounting process for user A1 has been completed, but the accounting processes for the other users have not been completed, the process returns to step S6.

[0094] Returning to step S6, the control unit 21 continues to display user A2's planned usage information M2 (see Figure 13) and waits for user A2 to complete the accounting process.

[0095] When the accounting process for user A2 is completed (S8: Yes), in the following step S6, the control unit 21 determines whether the current time is within the predetermined period "20:30~21:30" corresponding to users A3 and A4. If the current time is within "20:30~21:30", the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the control unit 21 displays the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to users A3 and A4 on the facility terminal 4. In this way, the control unit 21 sequentially displays the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to each user and performs the accounting process. The control unit 21 also sequentially deletes the usage schedule information M2 corresponding to users whose accounting process has been completed.

[0096] The control unit 21 executes the accounting support processing as described above. Note that the accounting support processing described above is just one example, and the control unit 21 may also execute processing corresponding to other embodiments described above. Furthermore, the control unit 21 can execute the accounting support processing in parallel for each restaurant.

[0097] As described above, the accounting support system 1 according to this embodiment acquires user reservation information for a facility and, based on the reservation information, acquires usage schedule information M2 corresponding to the user who will be using the benefits available for accounting of the facility usage fees. The accounting support system 1 also presents the usage schedule information M2 to the facility based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information.

[0098] This means that, for example, when a user registers to use points when making a restaurant reservation, information regarding the user's point usage (planned usage information M2) is presented to the restaurant. As a result, restaurant staff can easily know whether or not each user will use points. Furthermore, staff can reliably apply the discount using points when the user pays. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of accounting work at restaurants or point management companies. In addition, it is possible to reduce the additional accounting work at restaurants or point management companies.

[0099] Furthermore, the accounting support system 1 according to this embodiment acquires reservation information from multiple users for the facility, and based on the reservation information, acquires the planned usage information M2 for each of the multiple users who have reserved the facility and will be using the benefits available for accounting of the facility's usage fees. The accounting support system 1 also presents the facility with a list of the multiple planned usage information M2.

[0100] This means that, for example, if multiple users have made a reservation at a restaurant with the option to use points, the restaurant will be presented with a list of all the planned usage information M2 entries. As a result, the restaurant staff can quickly grasp a list of point users for that day. The staff can then reliably process the discount using points when customers pay their bills without forgetting. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of accounting work at restaurants or point management companies. It is also possible to reduce additional accounting work at restaurants or point management companies.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the accounting support system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the cancellation of accounting entries and the recalculation of accounting entries when discount processing for using benefits is forgotten, thereby reducing communication traffic related to accounting processing and enabling the effective use of computer resources.

[0102] The accounting support system of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Another embodiment of the accounting support system 1 of the present invention is described below.

[0103] In another embodiment of the present invention, the presentation processing unit 213 may print out the planned usage information M2 at the restaurant. Specifically, the presentation processing unit 213 prints the planned usage information M2 on paper and outputs it from the facility terminal 4 or printer.

[0104] For example, the presentation processing unit 213 prints out a list at the restaurant containing the planned usage information M2, which includes user information that identifies the user (user name, member ID, etc.) and benefit information of the benefits available to the user (number of points to be used, points held (point balance), discount amount, discount rate, etc.), sorted in order of the earliest start time (arrival time) of use at the restaurant included in the reservation information D3 (see Figure 4). Figure 15 shows an example of a point usage schedule sheet F1, which is a paper document printed from the planned usage information M2. The point usage schedule sheet F1 shown in Figure 15 displays a list of 6 planned usage information M2 entries for a business day at restaurant G1 ("June 1, 2021"). The planned usage information M2 includes information such as the name of the person who made the reservation, the number of people, the table, the start time of use, the end time of use, and the points to be used. The presentation processing unit 213 also displays a discount processing check box for each planned usage information M2 entry in the point usage schedule sheet F1. The aforementioned discount processing check field is an input field in which restaurant staff enter whether or not they applied a discount using points at the time of payment, and is an example of an input field in the present invention.

[0105] For example, an employee at restaurant G1 can attach a printed point usage schedule F1 (see Figure 15) near the cash register terminal and check the schedule F1 at checkout to determine if the customer is a point user. The employee then deducts the amount equivalent to the points used when processing the payment for point users. After completing the payment, the employee manually enters information on the point usage schedule F1 indicating that the discount has been applied. This ensures that employees do not forget to apply point discounts to customers' payments, even if the facility terminal 4 is not located nearby at the time of payment.

[0106] In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, the presentation processing unit 213 may display the discount processing check box in the notification information M1 displayed on the facility terminal 4 and accept touch input from the user. For example, when an employee of restaurant G1 finishes paying for user A1's services using points, they touch the discount processing check box in the usage information M2 corresponding to user A1. This allows the employee to easily confirm in the notification information M1 whether or not payment was made using points.

[0107] In another embodiment, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the facility based on the available period and the user's location information. Specifically, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the facility if the current time is included in a predetermined period that includes the end time of use, and the user's current location is within the facility. The presentation processing unit 213 obtains the location information of the user terminal 3 from the user terminal 3, for example. Alternatively, a facility terminal 4 within the facility may obtain the location information of the user terminal 3, and the presentation processing unit 213 may obtain the location information of the user terminal 3 from the facility terminal 4. In this way, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the facility on the condition that the user is present at the facility. With this configuration, for example, if a user who has made a reservation at restaurant G1 does not show up on the day, the planned usage information M2 corresponding to that user will not be presented to restaurant G1. This reduces the workload for the staff of restaurant G1, such as the task of confirming the planned usage information M2. In addition, in another embodiment, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the facility if it confirms that the user is heading to the facility (is on the move) based on the user's location information, or if the user is able to arrive at the start time of use (arrival time).

[0108] In each of the embodiments described above, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the facility. In another embodiment, the presentation processing unit 213 may present the planned usage information M2 to the user. Specifically, as shown in Figure 17, the presentation processing unit 213 displays a notification page P6 containing the planned usage information M2 on the user terminal 3. The notification page P6 displays the planned usage information M2, such as the name of the restaurant reserved by the user, the date of use (date of visit), the time of use, and the points used. The notification page P6 also displays a change button K51 for changing the points used, and the user can press the change button K51 to change the points used that were registered at the time of reservation.

[0109] For example, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the user terminal 3 a predetermined time before the start time of use (time of arrival). The presentation processing unit 213 also presents the planned usage information M2 to the user terminal 3 during a predetermined period including the end time of use. That is, the presentation processing unit 213 presents the planned usage information M2 to the user terminal 3 during the period from a predetermined time before the end time of use (for example, 30 minutes before) to a predetermined time after the end time of use (for example, 30 minutes after).

[0110] For example, the display processing unit 213 displays the planned usage information M2 to user A1's user terminal 3 during the period from 19:30, 30 minutes before the end of usage time, to 20:30, 30 minutes after the end of usage time. This ensures that the user remembers to use their points when paying. The display processing unit 213 deletes the planned usage information M2 when the user presses the confirmation button on notification page P6, or when the user's payment is completed.

[0111] The accounting support system according to the present invention may be configured as a system comprising: a reservation processing unit 211 that acquires reservation information of users for a facility; an acquisition processing unit 212 that acquires planned usage information corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the facility usage fees, based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit 211; and a presentation processing unit 213 that presents the planned usage information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 212 to the facility, based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit 211.

[0112] Furthermore, the accounting support system according to the present invention may be configured as a system comprising: a reservation processing unit 211 that acquires reservation information of multiple users for a facility; an acquisition processing unit 212 that acquires the planned usage information of multiple users who will use the benefits available for accounting of the facility's usage fees, based on the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit 211; and a presentation processing unit 213 that presents the facility with a list of the multiple planned usage information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 212.

[0113] Furthermore, the accounting support method according to the present invention may also be a method in which one or more processors perform a reservation step of acquiring reservation information of a user for a facility; an acquisition step of acquiring planned usage information corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the usage fees of the facility, based on the reservation information acquired in the reservation step; and a presentation step of presenting the planned usage information acquired in the acquisition step to the facility, based on the period of availability from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired in the reservation step.

[0114] Furthermore, the accounting support method according to the present invention may also be a method in which one or more processors perform a reservation step of acquiring reservation information of multiple users for a facility; an acquisition step of acquiring, based on the reservation information acquired in the reservation step, the planned usage information of each of the multiple users who have reserved the facility and will use the benefits available for accounting of the facility's usage fees; and a presentation step of presenting to the facility a list of the multiple planned usage information acquired in the acquisition step.

[0115] [Disclosure Note] The following is an overview of the disclosures extracted from the above-described embodiments. Note that each configuration and processing function described in the following notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0116] <Note 1> A reservation processing unit that obtains user reservation information for a facility, Based on the reservation information obtained by the reservation processing unit, an acquisition processing unit acquires information on the planned use of the facility, corresponding to the user who will use the benefits available for accounting of the facility usage fees. A presentation processing unit presents the facility with the planned usage information acquired by the acquisition processing unit, based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit. An accounting support system equipped with the following features.

[0117] <Note 2> The presentation processing unit presents the planned usage information to the facility during a predetermined period including the end time of use. The accounting support system described in Appendix 1.

[0118] <Note 3> The presentation processing unit presents the planned usage information to the facility based on the available period and the user's location information. The accounting support system described in Appendix 1 or 2.

[0119] <Note 4> The presentation processing unit presents the planned usage information to the facility when the current time falls within a predetermined period including the end time of use and the user's current location is within the facility. The accounting support system described in Appendix 3.

[0120] <Note 5> The presentation processing unit repeatedly presents the planned usage information to the facility at predetermined time intervals. An accounting support system as described in any of the appendices 1 to 4.

[0121] <Note 6> The display processing unit displays the scheduled usage information on the facility terminal and deletes the scheduled usage information when a predetermined operation is performed on the scheduled usage information. An accounting support system as described in any of the appendices 1 to 5.

[0122] <Note 7> The aforementioned display processing unit displays the planned usage information to the facility until the user's payment is completed. An accounting support system as described in any of the appendices 1 to 6.

[0123] <Note 8> The presentation processing unit presents to the facility information including the planned usage information which includes at least one of the benefit information which represents the benefit and the discount amount corresponding to the benefit, and an input field which is used to input whether or not a discount has been applied, corresponding to the planned usage information. An accounting support system as described in any of the appendices 1 to 7.

[0124] <Note 9> One or more processors A reservation step to obtain user reservation information for the facility, An acquisition step to acquire information on the planned use of the user who will use the benefits available for payment of the facility usage fee, based on the reservation information obtained in the reservation step, A presentation step in which the planned usage information obtained in the acquisition step is presented to the facility based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information obtained in the reservation step, An accounting support method for performing this task.

[0125] <Note 10> A reservation step to obtain user reservation information for the facility, An acquisition step to acquire information on the planned use of the user who will use the benefits available for payment of the facility usage fee, based on the reservation information obtained in the reservation step, A presentation step in which the planned usage information obtained in the acquisition step is presented to the facility based on the available period from the start time to the end time of use of the facility, which is included in the reservation information obtained in the reservation step, An accounting support program designed to run on one or more processors. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 1: Accounting support system 2: Accounting support device 3: User terminal 4: Facility terminals 211: Reservation Processing Section 212: Acquisition Processing Unit 213: Presentation Processing Unit 214: Reception Processing Section 215: Accounting Processing Department

Claims

1. A reservation processing unit that obtains user reservation information for a facility, An acquisition processing unit acquires information on the planned use of a first user based on the reservation information of a first user who uses a benefit that can be used for accounting of the usage fee of the facility, among the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit, and A presentation processing unit that presents a list of the planned usage information acquired by the acquisition processing unit, An accounting support system equipped with the following features.

2. The presentation processing unit arranges the multiple scheduled usage information in the list in order of the start time of use of the facility. The accounting support system according to claim 1.

3. The presentation processing unit places the benefits intended for use in the accounting for each of the planned usage information items in the list. The accounting support system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The presentation processing unit provides, in the list, an input field for each piece of planned usage information, for inputting information indicating that the benefit was used in the accounting transaction. An accounting support system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. One or more processors A reservation step to obtain user reservation information for the facility, An acquisition step to acquire information on the planned use of a first user, based on the reservation information of a first user who uses a benefit that can be used for accounting of the facility usage fee, among the reservation information acquired in the aforementioned reservation step, A presentation step which presents a list of the planned usage information obtained in the acquisition step, An accounting support method for performing this task.

6. A reservation step to obtain user reservation information for the facility, An acquisition step to acquire information on the planned use of a first user, based on the reservation information of a first user who uses a benefit that can be used for accounting of the facility usage fee, among the reservation information acquired in the aforementioned reservation step, A presentation step which presents a list of the planned usage information obtained in the acquisition step, An accounting support program designed to run on one or more processors.

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