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Get started with workspace reservations

Available with the ArcGIS Indoors Spaces extension.

Managing available spaces efficiently allows organizations to reduce costs and promote productivity by allowing employees to have a flexible schedule and encouraging them to work collaboratively when needed.

You can configure meeting rooms that may only be needed for a few hours, or office hotels that may be needed for a few days, and configure how they can be booked in the app. In Indoor Viewer or the Indoors mobile apps, you can interactively find available workspaces on the map or search for them based on time, duration, capacity, and location. Administrators can also make spaces unavailable so they adhere to social distancing guidelines set by the organization. For example, you can make every other unit available to avoid crowding if spaces are in close proximity.

You can configure reservations for office hotels and meeting rooms separately using Microsoft 365 or the Reservations layer. For example, if your organization uses Microsoft 365 for meeting room bookings, you can use the same for office hotel bookings or use the Reservations layer instead. Choose the configuration that best suits your organization's needs.

Note:

Configuring workspace reservations requires an active ArcGIS Indoors Spaces license.

Configure workspace reservations using Microsoft 365

The Indoors apps support integration with Microsoft 365 to configure workspace reservations. If your organization manages rooms through resource mailboxes and allows users to book rooms using apps such as Microsoft Outlook, you can allow them to book rooms using the Indoors web and mobile apps. The Indoors apps also integrate with the calendar so that when a booking request is confirmed, an event is added to the calendar and the room location can be viewed in the indoor map.

Note:

Only integration with Microsoft 365 is supported. Microsoft Exchange Server is not supported.

Configuring reservations using Microsoft 365 is supported for office hotels and meeting rooms in Viewer. You can configure them by adding the resource mailbox email address to your indoor data.

When configuring workspace reservations for office hotels and meeting rooms, the following capabilities are included when using Microsoft 365:

CapabilityOffice hotelMeeting room

Create bookings

Yes

Yes

Edit bookings

Yes

Yes

Cancel bookings

Yes

Yes

Confirmation email

Yes

Yes

Add bookings to calendar

Yes (automatically added in Outlook)

Yes (automatically added in Outlook)

Remove bookings from calendar

Yes (automatically removed in Outlook)

Yes (automatically removed in Outlook)

To enable office hotel booking when using Microsoft 365, you must include the Areas table, Units layer, and Occupants layer. The table and layers must include the following fields:

  • Areas table—AREA_ID,  AREA_NAME, and  AREA_TYPE
    Note:

    If you do not include an Areas table in the web map, but an Areas table exists in the same hosted feature layer as the Occupants layer, the  Indoor Viewer app accesses the table from the hosted feature layer.

  • Units layer—SCHEDULE_EMAIL
  • Occupants layer—EMAIL  and  KNOWNAS

To enable meeting room booking when using Microsoft 365, you must include the Units layer. The Units layer must include the SCHEDULE_EMAIL field.

Configure workspace reservation using the Reservations layer

Indoors apps support managing reservations in a Reservations layer in your Viewer web map.

This method provides the following benefits:

  • Visualize room availability on the map by creating color-coded symbology for the Reservations layer.
  • Perform analytics on reservation data to make informed space management decisions.
  • Check in and check out of office hotels for real-time status of reservations.
  • Remove dependency on external systems for managing reservations.
  • Integrate with third-party calendar apps such as Apple, Outlook, and Google.

When configuring workspace reservations for office hotels and meeting rooms, the following capabilities are included using the Reservations layer in Indoors:

CapabilityOffice hotelMeeting room

Create bookings

Yes

Yes

Edit bookings

Yes

Yes

Cancel bookings

Yes

Yes

Check in

Yes

N/A

Check out

Yes

N/A

Add bookings to calendar

Yes (Outlook, Google, and ICS files)

Yes (Outlook, Google, and ICS files)

Remove bookings from calendar

Yes (Outlook, Google, and ICS files)

Yes (Outlook, Google, and ICS files)

When configuring workspace reservations for office hotels, the following capabilities are available for reservation managers using the Reservations layer in Indoors:

Reservation manager capabilityOffice hotel

Create bookings

Yes

Edit bookings

Yes

Cancel bookings

Yes

Check in

Yes

Check out

Yes

To enable office hotel booking when using the Reservations layer, you must include the Areas table, Units layer, and Occupants layer. The table and layers must include the following fields:

  • Areas table—AREA_ID,  AREA_NAME, and  AREA_TYPE
    Note:

    If you do not include an Areas table in the web map, but an Areas table exists in the same hosted feature layer as the Occupants layer, the  Indoor Viewer app accesses the table from the hosted feature layer.

  • Units layer—RESERVATION_METHOD
  • Occupants layer—EMAIL  and  KNOWNAS

To enable meeting room booking when using the Reservations layer, you must include the Units layer. The Units layer must include the RESERVATION_METHOD field.

The Reservations layer can also be added to maps other than an Indoors map and shared with groups in an organization for use in apps such as ArcGIS Dashboards.

Complete the following steps to configure workspace reservations using the Reservations layer:

  1. Publish the Reservations layer to your ArcGIS organization and share it with organization users.
  2. Configure editing, security, and time settings for the hosted feature layer.
  3. Add the Reservations layer to a map for use in Indoors web and mobile apps.
  4. The following sections detail each of the required steps to create, publish, and configure the Reservations layer for use in Indoors web and mobile apps.

Create the Reservations feature class

If you create an Indoors geodatabase using the Create Indoors Database tool at ArcGIS Pro 2.9 or later, the Reservations feature class is added to the Indoors dataset.

Starting at ArcGIS Pro 3.0, the Create Indoors Database tool creates the Reservations feature class with a constraint attribute rule that provides added security in workspace reservation workflows when reservations are changed outside the Indoors web and mobile apps. When an Enterprise portal user attempts to edit or delete a reservation that was made for someone else, the attribute rule does not allow the change to be committed unless the user is a reservation manager for the reserved unit's area, the user is assigned to the portal's Administrator role, or the user is the user for whom the reservation was made.

Share the Reservations layer

You must include the Reservations feature layer in your indoor map and share it with your ArcGIS organization members. The Reservations layer must be shared with organization users who need to use the workspace reservation capability in the Indoors apps. Once the Reservations layer is shared to your organization, users can get the latest room availability and book workspaces.

When you share the Reservations layer from ArcGIS Pro 3.0 or later, it is shared as an Indoors Spaces feature layer if your ArcGIS organization includes the Indoors Spaces license. Indoors Spaces feature layers can be edited by members of your ArcGIS organization with user types associated with a default role of Viewer or higher (including users with an Indoors User user type), allowing these users to access workspace reservation capabilities.

Complete the following to publish the Reservations layer as a web feature layer and share it with members of your ArcGIS organization:

  1. Open your Indoors map in ArcGIS Pro.
  2. Add the Reservations feature class to your Indoors map.

    The Reservations feature class is created by the Create Indoors Database tool at ArcGIS Pro 2.9 and later. If you have an Indoors geodatabase created in ArcGIS Pro 2.8 or earlier, run the Create Indoors Database tool on an empty geodatabase in ArcGIS Pro 2.9 or later and copy the Reservations layer into the geodatabase that contains your indoor data.

  3. Configure the Reservations layer as floor aware.
  4. Right-click the Reservations layer and click Sharing > Share As Web Layer.

    The Share As Web Layer pane appears.

  5. Set the sharing parameters as necessary.

    If you are sharing to ArcGIS Enterprise, choose the Map Image option and check the Feature check box for the Data and Layer Type parameter. This configuration is required to take advantage of the Reservations security attribute rule.

    Note:

    You can optionally share to an ArcGIS Enterprise portal as a hosted feature layer by choosing the Feature option under Copy all data.

    Choose the Map Image option and check the Feature check box under Reference registered data for the Data and Layer Type parameter. This configuration is required to take advantage of the Reservations security attribute rule.

    Note:

    You can optionally share to an ArcGIS Enterprise portal as a hosted feature layer by choosing the Feature option under Copy all data.

  6. If you are sharing to ArcGIS Enterprise and referencing registered data, configure settings for the Reservations web feature layer by completing the following:

    If you are sharing the web layer using the Copy all data option, you can configure editing settings for the Reservations layer once it is published to your ArcGIS organization.

    1. Click the Configuration tab. If necessary, click the Configure Layers tab Configure Layers below it.
    2. Under Layer(s), next to Feature, click the Configure Web Layer Properties button Configure Web Layer Properties.
    3. Check the Enable editing and allow editors to check box and check the Add, Delete, and Update check boxes to enable web feature layer editing.
    4. Check the Enable Sync and Export Data check boxes.
    5. At the top of the pane, click the Back button Back to return to the list of layers.
  7. Click Analyze and address any errors.
  8. Click Publish.

    The Reservations layer is published as an Indoors Spaces feature layer to your ArcGIS organization.

  9. Click the Manage the web layer option that appears in the Share as Web Layer pane.

    The item page for the Reservation layer appears in a web browser.

  10. Click the Share button and choose an option:
    • Organization—Share the layer with all members of your organization.
    • Edit Group Sharing—Add the groups that must have access to the layer.
  11. Click Save.

    The Reservations web feature layer is shared to the ArcGIS organization members you chose. You can now configure the layer settings to use for workspace reservation in the Indoors apps.

Editing settings

The Indoors apps require editing capabilities set on the Reservations layer to create or update reservations features when users reserve spaces in the Indoors apps. If the Reservations layer is a hosted feature layer (if you published the layer using the Copy All option), you can configure the editing settings in your ArcGIS organization.

Note:

If the Reservations layer is a web layer that references registered data on ArcGIS Enterprise, you can configure editing settings before you share the web layer. If you share a web feature layer that references registered data, editing operations cannot be modified through the website for your ArcGIS organization; use ArcGIS Server Manager to edit service properties instead.

Complete the following steps to set the required editing settings for the layer in your ArcGIS organization:

  1. Click My Contents and click the hosted feature layer.
  2. Click the Settings tab.
  3. In the Feature Layer (hosted) section, under Editing, check the Enable editing check box.
  4. In the What kind of editing is allowed? section, configure editing options as follows:
    1. Check the Add check box.
    2. Check the Delete check box.
    3. Check the Update check box.
    4. Choose the Attributes and geometry option.
  5. Click Save.

Security settings

If you are using ArcGIS Enterprise and shared the Reservations layer using the reference registered data option, you can manage security settings using attribute rules. Starting at ArcGIS Pro 3.0, the Create Indoors Database tool creates the Reservations feature class with a constraint attribute rule that ensures hotel reservations can only be edited by reservation managers, portal administrators, and the user for whom the reservation was made, even when reservations are edited outside the Indoors web and mobile apps.

Note:

To gain added security provided by the constraint attribute rule, the Reservations layer must be published to ArcGIS Enterprise as a feature service that references registered data. Otherwise, the Reservations layer is published without the attribute rule. Attribute rules are not available in hosted feature layers in ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online.

If you published the Reservations layer as a hosted web layer using the Copy all data option, you can use advanced editing settings to keep track of edits, protect the data from unwanted changes, and prevent users from accidentally editing features that they did not create.

Complete the following steps for added security in theEnterpriseportal :

  1. Click My Contents and click the hosted feature layer.
  2. Click the Settings tab.
  3. Optionally, check the Prevent this item from being accidentally deleted check box in the Delete Protection section for added protection.
  4. In the Editing section, configure the following:
    1. Check the Enable editing check box.
    2. Check the Keep track of who edited the data (editor name, date and time). check box.
    3. For the What kind of editing is allowed? option, check the Add, Delete, and Update check boxes and choose the Attributes and geometry option.
    4. For the What features can editors edit? option, you can optionally choose Editors can only edit their own features (requires tracking).
      Note:

      If you choose Editors can only edit their own features (requires tracking), when reservations are made by a reservation manger, the options to edit, check in, check out, or cancel a reservation are only available to the reservation manager.

    Caution:

    Do not choose the Editors can only see their own features (requires tracking) for the What features can editors see option. If you choose this option, app users will not have access to accurate room availability.

You can now add this layer to your indoor map to enable workspace reservations and manage them in the Indoors apps.

Time settings

You can optionally configure time properties for the Reservations layer. Making it a temporal layer allows you to visualize reservations over time.

The Viewer app supports displaying the time-enabled Reservations layer in real time. If the meeting rooms list is open and you have a duration filter set for a future date and time, the Viewer app displays the reservations during the specified duration. This allows you to visualize meeting room availability and find rooms that are available to book.

Complete the following to configure time properties for the Reservations layer:

  1. Click My Contents and click the hosted feature layer.
  2. In the Layers section, click the Reservations polygon layer.
  3. Click the Edit button under Time Settings.

    The Time Settings window appears.

  4. Check the Enable time check box.
  5. Choose the time ranges with a start and end time option and set the Start time field to Start Time and the End time field to End Time.
  6. Click OK.

The Reservations layer is now time enabled. In Map Viewer, set the Reservations layer to refresh periodically so that it displays up-to-date information in the app.

Add the web feature layer to your Indoors map

Once you have published, shared, and configured the Reservations layer in your ArcGIS organization, you can add it to your Indoors maps in ArcGIS Pro for use in the Indoors web and mobile apps by completing the following:

  1. Open the Indoors map to which you added the Reservations layer in ArcGIS Pro.
  2. In the Contents pane, right-click the Reservations layer and click Properties.

    The Layer Properties pane appears.

  3. Click the Source tab and click Set Data Source.
  4. Browse to your web feature layer in the Portal section and click OK.
  5. The Reservations layer in your Indoors map is now sourced from the web feature layer. When you share your web map, it will be published as an editable feature layer regardless of how you choose to configure the rest of the layers in your map.

The Reservations layer must be sourced from the same web layer in the web map for the Viewer app and mobile map package for the Indoors mobile apps so they access the same underlying data and can show up-to-date booking and occupancy information in all apps simultaneously. You can add the Reservations layer to additional maps using the Add Data dialog box in ArcGIS Pro.

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