Hands on Management with Digital Dining
By Sotiris H. Avgoustis

   The Department of Restaurant, Hotel, Institutional, and Tourism Management has recently purchased the Digital Dining point-of-sale system from Menusoft Systems Corporation, a Virginia-based company. Digital Dining is a truly complete restaurant management system. Here is a brief summary of the system’s capabilities:

- The table service cash register gives the operator the ability to:
Enter table orders quickly and easily, reorder and payout table checks with ease, conduct standard register functions such as voids and special items, print clear and concise guest checks.

-The bar service cash register gives the operator the ability to:
Conduct rapid cash transactions, open and maintain bar tabs, transfer bar tabs to the table service register, serve as a central cashier station, print any table or bar tab check.

-The accounts payable module gives the operator the ability to:
Maintain vendor details, enter batch payments and invoices, enter journal transactions and discounts given, print checks for suppliers, age outstanding invoices.

-The accounts receivable module gives the operator the ability to:
Maintain customer details, enter batch payments and transactions, enter journal transactions and discounts given, print customer statements.

-The general ledger module gives the operator the ability to:
Maintain chart of accounts, enter cash receipts and cash disbursements, enter journal transactions, and edit existing transactions.

-The menu analysis module gives the operator the ability to:
Print menu sales analysis reports, maintain menu item details, change the menu item prices globally, and set the register price code.

-The ingredients module gives the operator the ability to:
Maintain ingredient item details, provide ingredient usage reports, print list of ingredients, enter physical inventory, and report on variance after physical stock take.

   The system also has four additional modules: staff analysis, cash register reports, labor scheduling, and deliver.

   Digital Dining will be used for the first time in RHIT 492: Advanced Food Service Management Class. Other classes will also incorporate the system, such as RHlT292: Total Quality Management.

We Applaud

   The efforts of our students and the eventual rewards deserve special mention and congratulations. Toby Slumaker was one of 66 individuals receiving the Annual Rose Award from the ICVA. Toby’s expertise in her position of Asst. Front Office Mgr. at Crowne Plaza Union Station afforded her the opportunity to be a Rose recipient.

   On January 16, 1997, four students were awarded scholarships by the Indianapolis Hotel Motel Association. Receiving these awards were:

Juanna Watson
Kenneth Hall
Pam Walker Stokes
Von Belk

Sample Cuisine from Around the World

   You need not drive any farther than IUPUI, Student Union Bldg. on Tuesday nights to enjoy cuisine from around the world. RHIT492:
Advanced Food Service Management students plan, prepare, and serve dinner from 5:15 to 7 p.m. in Hoosier Room on the 2nd Floor of the Union Bldg. Candlelight and soft music add atmosphere to the wonderful fare being offered on a weekly basis. Reservations can be made with Pat May at:
-274-2599.
-Fax # 274-4567
-Email: pmay@hyrax.iupui.edu

   Dinners are $12/person or a coupon book can be purchased with 5 meals for $50. An enclosed insert lists the weekly menus. There are also some candid shots from a full service operation included in this newsletter.

Fourth Annual Scholarship Fund Raiser To Be Held

   The RHIT Department in association with the Greek Islands Restaurant will hold the annual scholarship fund raising event on Sunday, April 6, 1997. The event will be held from 1-6 p.m. at the Greek Islands Restaurant at 906 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis, Indiana.
Information on this fundraiser can be obtained from Pat May at:
-274-2599
-E-mail: pmay@hyrax.iupui.edu

Learn and Earn

   Lifeguarding? Teaching Swimming? Interested in credentials to lifeguard and/or teach swimming? Contact Dr. Betty Jones, School of Physical Education, PE269. Phone- 274-0619 or
E-mail: betjones@iupui.edu for more information.

Come Meet, And Greet!

   Luping Zhu has joined the RHIT staff as a teaching assistant. Luping is a faculty member of the Tourism Department of Hangzhou University in the People’s Republic of China. The city of Hangzhou is located on the east coast of central China, in the Province of Zhejiang. In 1995, Luping was awarded a grant for faculty development from the United Board of Christian Higher Education in Asia. This particular US grant provides support in China for cross-cultural training. Luping was originally sent in August 1995 to Virginia Commonwealth University, Travel and Tourism Department. After one year in Virginia, Luping came to Indianapolis and HJPUI. She will be returning to China in August 1997. Luping received a Masters Degree at Hangzhou University in China. She is a lecturer at the University and will continue working on her Ph.D. upon her return to China.

   When asked what Luping thought about America, she stated: “I love the experience of being in the United States. I like the natural environment, the super highways and the technology information resources available in this country. I love the people, they make the two years I will be in this country the most rewarding.”

   Luping is married and has a six-year-old daughter. We are pleased to meet and welcome Luping Zhu to the RHIT Department at IUPUI.