TMU Workspace Booking
TMU Workspace Booking is the university’s software solution for shared-workspace reservations. The space-booking system will allow TMU staff to create, update, view and manage reservations and individual bookings for workstations, offices and meeting rooms in their defined work areas.
The system is now live and in use by our pilot groups: The Chang School of Continuing Education and Facilities Management and Development. The university is now moving to the early-adopter phase of the booking-system rollout for departments who are ready to transition their employees to the enterprise-wide space booking system.
Interested groups are encouraged to review the Onboarding to TMU Workspace Booking System information to make sure they have their data and space-use decisions finalized and ready for implementation.
About TMU Workspace Booking
Individual users who are employees of the university will be able to reserve space daily, weekly or monthly and there are options for on-the-spot bookings if there is an unoccupied, available space.
The system also offers a variety of filters for employees to refine their searches and locate spaces with the amenities they need to support their on-campus activities (e.g. standing desk, multiple monitors).
The space-booking system can be accessed via its online web interface, TMU Workspace Booking (external link) system or by using our vendor’s (google slide) Direct Spaces App (external link) for mobile devices and logging in with TMU credentials.
Customizable options and use guidelines for your department
Each department can fine-tune the parameters of their booking options to best meet the needs of their operations. The settings will help departments ensure equitable use of bookable workspaces, manage meeting-space resources, analyze usage, provide real-time attendance information for use in emergency response and create the opportunity to free up space if a user is unable to attend at the last minute.
Available settings
Reservation limits for workspaces and meeting rooms
Departments will be able to determine how far in advance bookings can be made and limit the number of bookings per reservation to support equitable access to high-demand spaces.
The settings for workspaces (offices and workstations) may be set up differently than meeting spaces to facilitate longer-term needs such as recurring in-person meetings.
Check-in requirements
Individual users and meeting hosts that have booked spaces may be prompted to check in to confirm their booking. This can be done through the app interface, via confirmation email, or by a unique QR code at each space. Departments’ space administrators can customize how far in advance users may confirm and set a time limit.
The check-in requirement helps to increase space availability by releasing unused booked space for other uses when the original scheduled user is unable to attend or a meeting is cancelled.
The check-in also provides data on space use (e.g. how often each room type is used) that can help optimize space planning and real-time information for emergency response (e.g. evacuation, contact tracing).
Visibility
Departments can also choose to make users’ booking locations available to colleagues who share their spaces through the booking system. This optional setting facilitates group work and collaboration efforts, so colleagues can book spaces in proximity to one another when they will be working together.
Permissions
In general, users will be able to book any available space at their departmental areas with the exception of dedicated/assigned desks and offices. However, permissions may be modified to make dedicated workspaces available for temporary periods during long-term absences or scheduled vacation.
Permissions may also be set for outside groups to be able to book a department’s spaces to support alternative sharing arrangements.
Scheduling conflicts
Meetings can run long and urgent priority shifts may occur unexpectedly. Departments are encouraged to devise guidelines for cases where a need arises to “bump” a user from a booked space or there are other space conflicts. The departmental booking system administrator may need to facilitate an adjustment, or a request can be made directly with the person who currently holds the scheduled booking to accommodate the circumstances.