Set the rules a hot-desk floor needs

Shared hot-desk environments require different booking rules from meeting rooms. Unlike meeting rooms where bookings involve multiple attendees and precise hourly slots, desk bookings are typically made by individuals for full workdays.

This guide highlights the key policy settings specifically tailored for hot desks. For complete field specifications across all settings, see the Booking rules reference.

1. Configure advance vs. on-the-spot booking

In the Booking policy tab, set how desks can be reserved:

• Walk-in Only: When enabled, the desk cannot be reserved in advance through the web portal or mobile app booking forms. Users can only claim it on-site by scanning its QR sticker, using a kiosk, or tapping an interactive floor plan. This is ideal for transient touchdown stations and phone booths.
• Allow users to create all day booking: Enable this for standard hot desks. Most employees reserve desks for full workdays, and enabling all-day bookings eliminates the need to manually enter start and end hours.
• Allow users to create recurrence booking: Disabling recurring reservations prevents individuals from permanently occupying the same desk week after week. If a user needs dedicated permanent seating, assign them a fixed desk instead.

2. Require check-in with a fixed daily deadline

Requiring check-in ensures that unutilized desks are automatically released back into the available pool if the user does not arrive.

1. Navigate to the Check in/out tab and enable Require check-in.
2. Enable All-day booking check-in time and enter a specific time (such as 10:30 AM).

3. Enable early checkout and extensions

On shared desk floors, releasing seats early significantly increases availability for colleagues:

• Allow early check-out: Adds an End now option in the app and on the desk sticker page. When a user leaves at 2:00 PM, they can release their desk immediately instead of holding it until evening.
• Allow user on-site extend the booking: Lets users extend their reservation directly from the desk if space allows, reducing the tendency to over-book hours “just in case.”

4. Manage email notifications

Because desk reservations involve only a single user, high volumes of booking confirmation emails can clutter inboxes. In the Others tab under Email, configure:

• Disable booking email notifications: Suppresses automated confirmation, modification, and cancellation emails for resources using this policy.
• Attach .ics data in email when booking Desk or Equipment: Disable this option if you want to prevent individual daily desk reservations from filling users’ primary work calendars.

5. Prevent remote check-in using IP restrictions

Because printed QR stickers remain static, users could potentially photograph a sticker and attempt to check in remotely.

Under Others, configure User Portal check-in IP restriction. Enter your office network’s public IP addresses or subnets. Check-in attempts from external networks (such as residential internet) will be blocked, ensuring users are physically present in the office. See Print and put up resource stickers.

6. Assign the policy to desks

A policy takes effect only after it is assigned to resources:

1. Open each desk’s configuration and assign the newly created policy under its Policy settings, or
2. Open the policy in Advanced booking policy, navigate to Assigned resources, and select the desks in bulk.

7. Verification

Verify the policy behavior:

1. Book a desk using a standard user account.
2. Allow the check-in deadline to pass without checking in; confirm that the booking is marked as a no-show and the desk becomes available again.
3. Make a new booking, complete check-in on-site, and confirm that the End now option functions correctly.