1. What is this module about

The Reservation module in Workplace Management is designed to facilitate users with options to reserve (or book, whatever term you prefer) areas (e.g. meeting rooms, workplaces), assets (aka ‘equipment’) (e.g. beamers, cars, bikes, flip-overs) and catalog items (aka ‘catering’ or ‘services’) (e.g. sandwiches, coffee, lunch).

By default, once an object is reserved, other users cannot reserve it again within the same timeframe. The module also supports multiple settings to add restrictions (in general or per object) to how often, how far in advance, and how near in the future you can reserve a given object. For example, catering needs to be ordered and prepared, so you do not want a user to book a lunch five minutes from now.

The next parts will go into more detail on some of the core concepts of this module:

1.1 Reservable objects

To be able to reserve any object (area, asset, or catalog item), the object must exist before it can be made reservable. See the relevant ‘Masterdata’ modules for more information about areas , assets , and catalog items. To make an object reservable, set the field ‘Reservable’ to Yes on the main page of the object. This will also activate the ‘Reservation settings’ tab:

The relevant reservation settings for this object can be set via the' Reservation settings' tab.

If an object is made reservable, it can be added to a reservation (depending on if the object is not yet reserved and relevant restrictions of the object (more on restrictions see below)). Multiple objects can be added to the same reservation. For each reservable object added to a reservation, a ‘Reservation item' is created (linking the reservable object to the reservation):

Most of the reservable settings are self-explanatory (by also using the hover over help texts). More information on the fields under the ‘Timing’ header is described in the next part, ‘Reservation restrictions’. Some additional options are:

Availability (Regimes)

Linking a ‘regime’ can be done via the ‘Availability’ button on the reservation settings page. By linking a regime to a reservable object, the availability of the object can be limited. For instance, catering might only be available during office hours; thus, a regime that only has availability on workdays from 9 to 5 could be linked to reservable catalog items. This will ensure that users cannot select this object if they create a reservation that takes place outside of these available hours.
For more information on regimes, see: https://spacewell.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/KB/pages/edit-v2/105152618

Via the ‘Module settings’ → ‘Reservations’, it is possible to define a system group that can reserve a reservable object even if it falls outside of the availability determined by the regime. This is set to the ‘Reservation coordinator’ system group by default. Users in this group will still get a warning, but not an error when reserving outside of a regime.

Block dates

Where regimes can be used to set general availability (e.g., every workday between 9 and 5), block dates can be created to block a specific period of time for the reservable object. For instance, if a room is being renovated, this time period can be blocked, resulting in users not being able to reserve it during that time period.

Seating arrangements

Seating arrangements only apply to reservable areas and are only visible if the general setting for them is enabled ('Module settings' → ‘Reservations’ → ‘Use seating arrangements’).
Since certain (often larger) meeting rooms might offer multiple seating arrangements, the capacity can also differ based on the desired seating arrangement, as a ‘Classroom’ seating setup might support more seats than a ‘U-shape’ setup.
Via the ‘Seating arrangements’ include on the reservation settings of a reservable area, the capacity per relevant seating arrangement can be added. The following seating arrangements are possible to add:

• Classroom

• Conference

• Theatre

• U-shape

The capacity, setup, and tidy-up times can be determined per seating arrangement. If these settings are determined and the seating arrangement is chosen in a reservation*, the seating arrangement settings will be applied instead of the general reservation settings (capacity, setup, and tidy-up).

*If seating arrangements are enabled (in general and for the specific reservation type the user selects in a new reservation), the user will get the option to choose a desired seating arrangement when searching for available areas.
If the user selects a specific seating arrangement, the capacity based on the specific seating arrangement is used only to give the user the available rooms that have this seating arrangement option and for which the capacity is at least equal to or greater than the number of persons indicated the reservation is for:

Via the general reservation settings, it is also possible to link a photo of the seating arrangement (in general, not per room). If the user selects a specific seating arrangement in a new reservation, this photo will also be displayed, showing the user how this seating arrangement looks.

Prices and Rates

If users must pay for certain reservable catalog items*, prices must be specified. By default, only a catalog item has a price field that can be used in a reservation, but it is also possible to add rates to catalog items*.
The price and the period in which this price applies can be specified in a rate. This makes it possible to specify future prices (e.g., the price of a sandwich will change from 4 euros to 4,5 euros as of next month.).

If rates have been added to a reservable object and the reservable object is added to a reservation, the applicable rate is determined by the reservation date and is automatically set in the reservation item. In the case of catalog items, if no rates are specified, but the catalog item has a price, this is used to set the price of the reservation item. If the rate does not have a start and end date, the rate applies always.

1.2 Reservation restrictions

By default, when reserving objects, some restrictions are always applied, and additional restrictions can be added based on specific needs.

1.2.1 Default restrictions:

The following checks are always done when looking for objects to reserve in a new reservation:

The object is already reserved

A reservable object (areas and assets) can only be reserved if it is not already reserved during the same period of time. Catalog items can always be reserved as they are always available (at least if these items ( e.g., coffee or lunch) are in stock).

Via the ‘Module settings’ → ‘Reservations,’ it is possible to define a system group that can reserve a reservable object even if it is already reserved. This is set to the ‘Reservation coordinator’ system group by default. Users in this group will still get a warning, but not an error, when reserving a reservable area or asset that is already reserved.

Available quantity

If a reservable object is shown as reservable in a new reservation, it also depends on the available quantity. This check depends on the type of object;

Area: Areas are only reservable in a reservation if the requested number of persons does not exceed the area's capacity (also indicated in a ‘Persons’ field on the area).

Assets: Assets have a quantity field. By default, the asset quantity is 1 and can be changed to a higher number. Assets with a quantity of 1 are often used for unique items with a unique (serial)number (e.g., a car or laptop). Assets with a higher quantity are often used for items that can be registered in Workplace Management as one object (where no unique number is applicable), but there are multiple physical objects that can be reserved (e.g., 10x flip-overs or 5x party tables). When checking the availability of such an object, the application checks if at least one of the reservable quantities is available to add the item to a reservation.

Catalog items: Quantities are not relevant for any availability checks. As mentioned above, a catalog item is considered to be always available.

Linked property

In a reservation, the user must always specify the building* for which the reservation applies. This will determine the reservable objects that can be reserved. Only areas, assets, and catalog items linked to the same building (via the ‘property’ field on the object) and catalog items not linked to any building can be reserved.

*Be aware, users can only select buildings if ‘Reservations’ are enabled for the building. This is determined via a setting on the building via the ‘Process settings’ tab:

1.2.2 Additional restrictions

In addition to the default restriction checks mentioned above, additional restrictions can also be applied in general or to certain reservable objects.

In general

Via the ‘Module settings’ → ‘Reservations’, many general restrictions can be set to limit users from reserving all or certain reservable objects within certain time frames or numbers. The hover-over help texts will explain all the settings. The most relevant examples are also described here:

Reserve in advance from: This determines how much time before the reservation starts a user must create a reservation. Setting' Reserve in advance from' to' 1 day' can be used to, for example, always enforce users to book or reserve at least one day ahead of time for all reservable objects.
Reserve in advance until: This determines how far in the future a user can make a reservation. For example, by setting' Reserve in advance until' to' 2 weeks, ' this can be used to always force users to book no more than 2 weeks ahead of time for any reservable object.

A similar setting to reserve objects in advance from and until is also available per reservable object. The general settings are used to restrict this for all reservable objects for which the specific settings on the reservable object are empty. The setting on a reservable object is used to limit the reservation period for the specific reservable object. Setting reserve in advance from/until on a specific reservable object, will always be enforced instead of the general setting for that object (so even if in general the reserve in advance is set to 3 days, it is still possible to set this to 10 days on an specific object, or instead make it more restrictive for a given object than the general setting).

Reserve in past until: By default, it is not possible to make a reservation in the past (to prevent users from setting a date by mistake, an error is normally given). However, it often happens that a user makes a reservation for the current day (for instance, a workplace), and the default start time (e.g., 08:00) has already passed. To avoid an unwanted error and requiring the user to change the start time to the current time (e.g. 08:30), this setting can be used to determine how far in the past a reservation can still be created. By default (to avoid the issue described), this is set to '2 hours'.

Reserving multiple workplaces at the same time: If the users are only allowed to reserve one workplace at the same time, this setting needs to be set to No. When the user tries to submit a second reservation with a workplace overlapping the first one, an error message is shown. Especially if the number of workplaces is limited, ensuring users cannot book more than one (be it by mistake or deliberately) is desired. However, reserving more than one workplace at the same time might be needed in other situations if employees also need to book for external visitors.

Maximum number of workplace reservations: Via this setting, the maximum number of workplace reservations per week or month per user can be determined. If a user tries to book more workplaces in the specified time period than is allowed, an error will be shown to the user when trying to submit the reservation.

Reservable object-specific restrictions:

As mentioned above, some restrictions can also be set on a specific reservable object. These are:

• Regimes (see above)

• Blocked dates (see above)

• Reserve in advance/until times (similar to the general reservation settings, but for a specific reservable object).
  Setting reserve in advance from/until on a specific reservable object, will always be enforced instead of the general setting for that object (so even if in general the reserve in advance is set to 3 days, it is still possible to set this to 10 days on an specific object, or instead make it more restrictive for a given object than the general setting).

• On a reservable area: Is it allowed to add catering items to a reservation in a specific area.

• Setup and tidy-up times: It is possible to add set-up and/or tidy-up times for individual reservable areas. The set-up and tidy-up times are added to the reservation (before and/or after) so that the area remains unavailable during these times to set up or tidy up for the next reservation. For example, bigger meeting rooms may require preparation time to set up a specific seating arrangement or need more time to clean up.

Change and cancel restrictions based on reserve in advance settings

The restrictions for making reservations in advance (like needing to book at least 3 days ahead) also apply when a user wants to change or cancel a reservation. If it wouldn't be allowed to make the reservation at the current time because it's too close to the start time, then the user also can't change or cancel it.
This is because trying to change it could lead to problems when re-submitting the reservation, and it's hard to predict which changes would be allowed. Since if changes aren't allowed, cancellations aren't allowed either. These change and cancel restrictions are under the assumption that advance booking restrictions are setup to prevent last-minute reservations or changes for certain resources.

Conflict and restriction exceptions

Via the (reservation) module settings, it is possible to determine certain system groups (e.g. the reservation coordinator) that are allowed to create conflicting reservation (conflicting with other reservations, regimes or with the Reserve in advance/until settings):

1.3 Reservation types

Reservation types can be used to determine the options (fields and reservable object types) available when making a reservation. When creating a reservation, one of the first fields that the user must enter* is the reservation type. Using different reservation types can be helpful when there are many different types of objects to reserve that are not all relevant within a single reservation.

For instance, if a user wants to reserve a company car, it does not make sense also to be able to reserve a meeting room or catering. Technically, every reservable object could be shown in a new reservation and leave the logical selection up to the user. However, using different reservation types (e.g., a type that only shows reservable assets in the category ‘Car’ and another type that shows reservable areas and catering) will improve the end-user experience, as they are guided more thoroughly through the reservation process. After the user selects the desired reservation type from a list (e.g., ‘Company car’ or ‘Meeting room’), the corresponding fields and reservable objects to select from are automatically determined.

*If only one reservation type exists (at least one is mandatory), the user does not get the option to select the applicable reservation type and the reservation type is automatically set in each new reservation (and also not shown).

Creating reservation types

Reservation types can (only) be managed by administrator users. The reservation types can be found either via the navigation menu ‘Reservations’ → ‘Reservation types' or via the ‘Module settings’ → 'Reservations’ (as an include).

Per reservation type, the following settings can be determined:

1.4 Reservation workflow process

The following part describes the workflow for a reservation from a high-level point of view. For a detailed description, see the user manual Reservation module for (end)users

Create and submit the reservation
A user can create a new reservation and add at least one reservable object.

Any approval tasks (if applicable) are generated and handled

If the reservation as a whole needs to be approved, the task for the reservation coordinator(s) will be generated. If any specific reserved object also requires approval, a separate approval task is generated for each of the applicable reserved objects.

Any tasks to handout/prepare reserved objects are generated and handled

If the reservation is completely approved (or no approval was needed) and the generation of tasks for the handout/preparation of any reserved objects is applicable, these tasks are generated for the relevant users.

The reservation takes place

The reservation takes place and ends automatically after the reservation's end time has passed.

Any tasks to take in/clean up reserved objects are generated and handled

If the generation of tasks for the take-in/clean-up of any of the reserved objects is applicable, these tasks are generated for the relevant users.

The reservation is closed

Once the reservation's end time has passed, it is automatically closed. However, the reservation coordinator can still make additional changes (for example, changing the actual used quantity of certain catering items).

1.5 Recurring reservations

A recurring reservation is a reservation that takes place more than once (for example, every week for the next 10 weeks). Recurring reservations are generated from a reservation schedule, and a reservation schedule is always created based on a single reservation. A recurring reservation can be created:

• During the last step of creating a new reservation with the 'Create reservation schedule' button

• You can select an existing reservation and convert it to a recurring reservation by clicking the 'Create reservation schedule' button.

The option to create a recurring reservation is only available if a user has the system group '1. Create reservation schedule'. See Authorizing users

If the function to create a reservation schedule is used on an already existing single reservation, this single reservation is canceled (or kept if the workflow does not allow it to be canceled anymore due to restrictions for cancellations), and a copy of it is used as a template for the reservation schedule.

The reservation schedule determines the recurrence cycle and the end date or maximum number of reservations (occurrences) generated from the reservation schedule. If the end is not determined by the user within the reservation schedule cycle, the maximum number of occurrences generated from the recurring schedule is determined by a general setting. This setting can be found via ‘Module settings’ → ‘Reservations’ → ‘Maximum scheduled occurrences.’ The maximum value of this setting is 1080 (the maximum value of 1080 is similar to the reserve in advance until option in Outlook).

When the reservations are generated from the reservation schedule, each reservation is created based on the original single reservation (that was converted to the template reservation of the reservation schedule), with the start and end times based on the cycle from the reservation schedule.

Detailed information on the use of the reservation schedule can be found in the user manual: Reservation module for (end)users

1.6 Reservation Calendar

The reservation module also has a reservation calendar option for reservation coordinators. Users with this authorization get the reservation calendar option via the navigation menu. The reservation calendar can be used for two main options:

Show existing reservations in a calendar view

The reservation calendar provides a visual overview (per day, week or month) of the reservable objects and the reservations taking place for these reservable objects. The reservation calendar has the option to filter per property. By default, catalog items are not shown in the reservation calendar (since each item can be reserved multiple times simultaneously, resulting in many reservations to display). Showing catalog items in the reservation calendar can be enabled via the ‘Module settings’ → ‘Reservations’ → ‘Show catalog items in reservation calendar.’

It is also possible to directly create a new reservation via the reservation calendar by dragging a desired time period on a specific reservable object.

Colors of the reservations in the reservation calendar can vary. Reservations that are submitted are green, reservations not yet submitted are yellow, reservations in change status are orange. If setup and/or tidy up times apply to the reserved object, these times are added in the calendar view and are shown a bit darker before and/or after the reservations start and/or end time. If catalog items are added to a (area or asset) reservation, a red line is shown above the reservation:

Show (and reserve) objects that are not shown via the regular option to create a new reservation

If a new reservation is created via the regular way (via the startboard), the list of available reservable objects only shows objects that have the option ‘Show in shortlist’ set to Yes.

If specific reservable objects (for example, a special room like an auditorium) are only allowed to be reserved by reservation coordinators, the 'Show on shortlist' option should be set to No. This reservable object will not be shown when creating a new reservation via the startboard. From the reservation calendar, the reservation coordinator can also filter to show objects not on the shortlist and can reserve these special rooms.

1.7 Other relevant options

Anonymizing reservations

It is possible to anonymize reservations x period after the reservation ends automatically. For more information, see: https://spacewell.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/KB/pages/451936369/Anonymizing+data#Reservations

Adding visitors to reservations

It is also possible to add visitors to a reservation, to simultaneously reserve a meeting room and register a visitor. The reservation type setting 'Register visitors' determines if it is possible to add visitors to the reservation. If the option is enabled, users with the authorization to create reservations will also be able to add visitors without extra authorizations needed.

For more information about registering visitors, see Visitor module

2. Automatic emails send in the workflow(s)

Workflows can automatically send emails after a certain task is executed or a workflow has been in a status for a certain amount of time. The default emails need to be activated per workflow. For more information on how to enabled the default workflow emails, see Workflow emails.

For the reservation module, the following default workflow emails are available:

Reservation process

Recurring reservation schedule

3. Additional information on this module

More information on the Reservation module can be found via the following related articles:

• For an (end) user manual, see: Reservation module for (end)users

• For more detailed implementation information (including how to enable the module, which system groups are involved, data imports, and more information on the startboard and navigation menu options), see: Reservations module activation and information