- 1. Calendar integration in general
- 2. What is this module about
- 3. Why use this module
- 4. How to activate this module
- 5. Additional reports
- 6. Additional settings and options after enabling
- 7. Additional information
- 8. User manual
- 9. Q&A
Note
This article is about the steps needed to activating the (Outlook or Google) calendar integration from an Asset point of view. However, for the complete end-to-end integration, it is also relevant to set-up the Spacewell integration platform (router) and make sure that the customer has configured the relevant options and settings in their Outlook (Microsoft Azure/Exchange) or Google Calendar application. Therefor this specific article is only 1 of the steps needed and it is advised to start the complete implementation via the genal ‘External calendar integration’ page (to be found via Implementation consultants → Default integrations → External calendar integration). One of the steps in those articles will guide you back to this article!
1. Calendar integration in general
A calendar integration between Outlook or Google Calendar and a third-party calendar application involves synchronizing events, appointments, and scheduling information between the two systems. This integration allows users to view, manage, and edit their calendars from either platform, ensuring consistency and up-to-date information across both.
Users can use their preferred application to create new events in and the availability of the resources (like meeting rooms) will be the same in all calendar applications.
Overall, a well-configured calendar integration enhances productivity by simplifying scheduling across platforms, reducing redundant entries, and keeping users organized across multiple calendar applications.
2. What is this module about
This module is about the synchronization of reservations between Workplace and Outlook/Google Calendar.
For more information about the reservations module (Workplace Experience) see: Workplace Experience integration: Reservations module activation and information
For more information about the external calendar integration as a whole, see: External calendar integration
3. Why use this module
From a business perspective, effective reservation management optimizes resource utilization, enhances operational efficiency, and improves customer satisfaction by providing real-time availability of reservable resources. It allows businesses to plan, allocate resources effectively, and deliver services in a timely manner. Ultimately, reservations contribute to smoother transactions and better overall experiences the users of the reserved resources.
The calendar integration make sure that the reserved and available resources reflect the same in Outlook/Google Calendar and Workplace.
4. How to activate this module
As for every new module, use the ‘Module activation’ option on the administrator startboard (only available for level 2 and level 3 admins). For more general information about these 'Module activation' options, see Module activation
The calendar integration with Outlook/Google Calendar has separate configuration guides for the customer and implementation consultants. These configuration guides can be found via: Configuration guides calendar integration. This module activation is a step in the complete configuration guides.
4.1 Prerequisites before activating this module
The calendar integration requires the the reservations module (Workplace Experience) to be activated.
For more information on this module activation, see:
Also make sure to have read and planned the other parts of this implementation via the general ‘External calendar integration’ articles.
4.2 Module activation
For this specific module activation, one setting applies. The additional configuration and settings within the External App and the calendar application are described in the configuration guides.
Settings to be determined
- Fallback reservation type (optional): For reservations created in Outlook/Google Calendar the applicable reservation type is automatically determined based on the reservable items added to the reservation and available reservation types. If no reservation type can be automatically determined, the fallback reservation type is used.
The Reservation type is selected automatically according to the following checks (in order):1: Area reservation – If the reservation includes an area, types that allow area reservations with the same or no category are considered.
- 2: Catalog item/catering reservation – If catalog items are included, types that allow catalog reservations with the same or no catalog category are considered.
- 3: Asset reservation – If assets are linked, types that allow asset reservations with the same or no asset category are considered.
If exactly one reservation type matches, it is applied automatically.
If multiple match, the first available type is used.
If no matching type is found, the system falls back to the configured fallback reservation type.
Info
The automatic selection of the applicable reservation type described above is done for reservations created via Outlook/Google Calendar and for reservations created via one of the Workplace Experience touchpoints.
4.3 Data imports
For this module activation, no data imports are relevant. For more information on data imports in general, see: Data imports
4.4 System groups
For this module activation, no additional system groups are relevant. Since this module is about the integration of a calendar application with Workplace Experience, the system groups relevant for the reservations module are also applicable.
For more general information on user profiles, system groups, users, and the user profile dashboard, see: Authorizing users
For the Reservation module, the following system groups (relevant for the calendar integration) become available:
Reference | Name | Description | License needed |
|---|---|---|---|
GOB-G003 | Create reservations | Gives access to creating creating reservations (object and startboard menu options) | Requestor |
FMB-G005 | Create reservation schedule | Group gives rights to change a regular reservation to a periodic reservation | Requestor |
GOB-G028 | Reservation coordinator | Gives rights to change all reservations. Has the task to approve reservations (if applicable) Group also has the option to create the bookable catalog items and adjust the reservation settings of catalog items, rooms and assets. | Full user |
Via the 'User profile management' option on the administrator startboard, these system groups can be assigned to existing user profiles or add them to newly created user profiles.
4.4.1 Relevant system groups from other modules:
For some modules, other (master data) modules might be of importance, in order to be able to fully use this module.
For the calendar integration, the Master data module ‘Buildings and areas’ is also relevant, therefore the following system groups could also need to be assigned to users (if not already done in the past) to be able to create and edit the relevant master data objects and expose the relevant reservable areas to the calendar application.
Reference | Name | Description | License needed |
|---|---|---|---|
GOB-G007 | Edit buildings and areas | Group gives create and edit rights on buildings and areas | Full user |
When generating the user profiles, it is advised to include these groups or have dedicated profiles (and users) for these modules.
4.5 Navigation menu and startboard options
No additional navigation menus become available, when activating the calendar integration. The navigation menus applicable for the reservations module might be applicable, if reservations are managed in Asset.
For more general information on the navigation menu and startboard, see: Navigation menu and Startboard
5. Additional reports
No additional reports are applicable, when activating the calendar integration.
6. Additional settings and options after enabling
For most modules, additional settings can be configured after the initial module activation via the 'Module settings' option on the administrator startboard. A module is always activated with the most used settings pre-defined. After the module is activated, the module may have more advanced settings available, which can be managed via the Module settings as well.
To navigate to all Calendar integration settings, go to ‘Modules settings’ → ‘Integrations' tab → 'Calendar integration’ tab. More information on the configuration and settings in the External App of the calendar integration see: Asset configuration guide for external calendar integration (Outlook/Google)
7. Additional information
No additional information currently
8. User manual
No user manual applicable for the calendar integration.
9. Q&A
Q: What is the trigger for the Integration Platform to sync a reservation from Workplace to Outlook/Google Calendar?
A: There are several things which determine if a reservation needs to be synced from Workplace to Outlook/Google Calendar:
- The reserved resource is linked to the Calendar integration External App
- The Outlook/Google Calendar resource is mapped to the corresponding Workplace resource in the Integration Platform. Mapping a resource and enabling the mapping in the Integration Platform triggers the creation of an Observation in Asset. The Observation handles the notifications to and from the Integration Platform for that particular resource. All Observations can be found via an include in the Calendar integration External App.
- The Reservation.syncActionCode field is set to ‘Synchronize’. This field is by default set in the FMB Reservation workflow, when submitting a reservation and will trigger the Observation to create a notification for the Integration Platform to sync the reservation.
Q: What is the trigger for the Integration Platform to sync a reservation from Outlook/Google Calendar to Workplace?
A: If the reserved resource in the Outlook/Google Calendar meeting accepts the meeting request, the meeting is synced to Workplace. If the meeting room declines the meeting request, the meeting will not be synced to Workplace.
Info
Of course, the prerequisites apply that the Integration is configured properly in Asset and the Integration Platform.
Q: How long does it take to sync a reservation from Workplace to Outlook/Google Calendar and visa versa?
A: Real time sync will take 30-60 seconds for a single reservation. For recurring reservations it may take up to 5 minutes depending on the number of occurrences.
Q: How long does it take to migrate a (new) client to the calendar sync via the Integration Platform?
A: To answer this question, we must know the scope of the migration. Most important is to know how many future reservations in scope for the calendar sync the customer has currently. With that number an estimation can be made on how much time it would cost to actually do the migration.
The following can be used as a reference: 7.000 future migrations can be migrated in 48 hours, but we always have to take into account, that other (external) factors might cause a delay.
Info
Example:
The customer has 100.000 reservations in total, from which 5.000 are in the future (open reservations). From those 5.000 future reservations, 4.000 are workplace or parking reservations, not in scope for the sync with Outlook/Google Calendar. So this means, 1.000 future reservations in scope which to be migrated.
Info
If the customer has a lot of future reservations in scope, it is advised to do the migration in phases, for example, per building or region.
Q: I have double bookings causing conflicts. How do these conflicts occur?
A: There are several scenarios which result in double bookings:
- In Asset it is possible to enter a system group in the setting ‘Conflicting reservations allowed for system group'. This will enable the option to reserve a resource even if it is unavailable due to another reservation (conflict). Via the regular 'Create reservations’ option (create via wizard), it is not possible to select an unavailable resource. Only via the WPM reservation calendar or by changing an existing reservation in WPM, it is possible to select/reserve an unavailable resource and (re-)submit. The conflicting reservation will not be synced to Outlook/Google Calendar, if the resource is unavailable in Outlook/Google Calendar.
- A reservation is created at the exact same time in Workplace and in Outlook/Google Calendar, before it was synced to the destination application.
- A reservation was created in Workplace and in Outlook/Google Calendar, while the sync was not working. For example, the Integration Platform was down, the Graph API had issues, etc. Both reservations did not get synced, but will be conflicting once the sync is restored.
- In Outlook it is possible to allow conflicts per resource. When allow conflict is enabled for a resource, it will accept all meeting requests, even if the resource was unavailable. The conflicts will also be synced to Workplace.