Booking approval, with escalation when nobody answers
Bookings that need a yes, such as the auditorium, wait for the facility's approvers while the time is held. If nobody answers in time, the facility managers are asked. If they do not answer either, the request is turned down, so a forgotten request never locks the time.
PLANSEvery plan
Why it matters
An auditorium request sent by email waits while the approver is on leave. The time is promised to nobody. On the day two groups turn up, or an event was planned on a request nobody answered. In SmartMy Facility the request holds the time and goes to the facility's approvers, who get a to-do and a notice. If they do not decide within the set hours, 24 to start with, the facility managers are asked too. If nobody decides, or the start comes first, the request is turned down and the time is free again. The booker always knows where the request stands.
The problem it solves
- Hall requests come by phone and email, and nobody knows which were approved.
- The approver is travelling and the request waits until the event day.
- Two groups are told yes for the same evening.
- Staff book the board room without the admin head knowing.
How it works
- Out of the box, bookings are confirmed at once, except facilities under the Hall / Auditorium rule set. Those wait for the facility's Approvers, or its managers when none are named.
- To ask for approval elsewhere, add a chain under Facilities > Configuration > Booking Rules > Approval Chains. Its Only For names a facility, a rule set, a length or Outside Opening Hours.
- A booking that needs approval becomes To Approve. The time is held, the booker is told, and the approvers get a to-do and a notice.
- Approvers open Facilities > Approvals and click Approve, or Reject with a reason the booker sees. Approving checks for clashes once more.
- If nobody decides within the Approval Timeout (24 hours to start with), the facility managers are asked and get the same time again.
- If they do not decide either, the booking is rejected as Not approved in time. A booking still waiting at its start is rejected too.
Everything it does
When a booking needs approval
- Decided by the Entity's approval chains for the request Facility booking
- Out of the box: only bookings under the Hall / Auditorium rule set; everything else is approved at once
- Only For can ask about the Booking Policy, the Facility, the Duration, Outside Opening Hours and who booked
- A booking by a facility manager or an approver of that facility is confirmed at once
- Bookings made by other SmartMy products need no approval
- Moving a booking that needs approval sends it for approval again
Who approves
- The level's usual approvers are the facility's Approvers, else its managers
- Chains can add levels: named people, a group, or with SmartMy HRMS the booker's manager or department head
- A facility manager can always decide in place of the approvers
- The booking is confirmed after the last level; a rejection at any level rejects it
While it waits
- Hold the Slot while Waiting: on to start with; off means the first approved booking wins
- Approval Timeout (h): 24 to start with; 0 waits for ever
- Timeout Action: Escalate to facility managers (to start with) or Reject
- Escalation adds the facility managers to the level and gives them the same time again; with no other managers, it is rejected
- The timeouts are checked every 15 minutes; bookings still waiting at their start are rejected with Not approved before the start
Deciding
- Approvals screen: a card per booking with what for, facility, time, booker, people and notes; Approve, or Reject with Why not? The booker sees it
- The full form: Approve and Reject, with the note on the Approval tab
- Approved by, the deadline, escalated and the note are kept on the booking
- Filter To Approve by Me in All Bookings
Who uses it
BookerSends the request and follows it: waiting, approved or rejected with the reason.
ApproverApproves or rejects the bookings of the facilities they are named on.
Facility managerDecides in place of the approvers and gets the requests nobody answered.
AdministratorSets the chains, the timeout and what happens when it runs out.
Where you use it
- Web: Facilities > Approvals (cards), the full booking form, and Configuration > Approval Chains
- The SmartMy Facility app: Approvals in the Menu for approvers (built and in testing, not in the app stores yet)
- The booking portal: the booker sees Waiting for approval. The time is held for you.
What you control
Settings
- Approval chains per Entity: Hall / Auditorium bookings wait for approval to start with
- Hold the Slot while Waiting: on
- Approval Timeout (h): 24
- Timeout Action: Escalate to facility managers
Approvals
- Facility booking: one chain per Entity to start with, with an Only For route for the Hall / Auditorium rule set. The usual approvers are the facility's Approvers, else its managers. Add levels, routes or Approved at Once
Notifications
- Facility Booking to Approve: to the approvers of the level the booking waits at, with a to-do, in the app and by email
- Facility Booking Waiting for Approval: to the booker, in the app and by email
- Facility Booking Confirmed: to the booker when approved, in the app and by email
- Facility Booking Rejected: to the booker, with the reason or Not approved in time, in the app and by email
- Each of these goes out at once. WhatsApp or SMS go instead of email where you set them up, from your message credits. App push follows once the apps are in the stores. A person can switch off email, WhatsApp or SMS for themselves, never the event; in-app notices always arrive
Works with
SmartMy HRMSA level can go to the booker's manager or the head of the booker's department.
SmartMy CampusFor students and parents, a level can go to the class teacher, the head of department or the hostel wardens.
Questions
Which bookings need approval when we start?
Only bookings of facilities under the Hall / Auditorium rule set. Every other booking is confirmed at once until you add a chain.Is the room kept while the request waits?
Yes, to start with. Hold the Slot while Waiting can be switched off, and then the first approved request wins.What if the approver is away?
After 24 hours, to start with, the facility managers are asked too. If nobody decides in the next 24 hours, the request is rejected.Can approval depend on how long the booking is?
Yes. Add a chain whose Only For asks about the Duration, for example bookings longer than 4 hours.Does a manager's own booking need approval?
No. A booking by a facility manager or an approver of that facility is confirmed at once.Can approvers decide on the phone?
Yes. The app has Approvals. It is built and in testing, not in the app stores yet.Related features
ACROSS SMARTMY FACILITYApproval chainsBookings that need approval in SmartMy Facility go through a chain of levels. For example: the facility's approvers, then the head of department or the principal. With no set-up only hall and auditorium bookings wait; you choose which other bookings need approval, and who decides at each level, without code.APPROVALManager override with a reason and free alternativesA facility manager can book outside the rules or move other bookings out of a slot. Each time takes a reason, kept on the booking. The people moved out are told why and shown facilities free at the same time.BOOKINGSNo double bookingTwo people can never hold the same facility at the same time. Every booking is checked against other bookings, setup time, hall parts, seats and blocked time, even when two people press Book together.WITH OTHER SMARTMY PRODUCTSDepartments, rules by job and manager approval with SmartMy HRMSWith SmartMy HRMS in the same account, every booking shows the booker's department. Rooms can be kept for some departments or job positions, and an approval level can go to the booker's manager or department head. Employees whose leave is approved are asked to cancel or hand over their bookings for those days.PLACES AND FACILITIESFacility types, photos, capacity and amenitiesGroup your rooms, halls, labs and courts into types that share one set of booking rules. Each facility carries its photo, description, capacity, amenities and the people in charge of it.ACROSS SMARTMY FACILITYNotificationsBookers, approvers and attendees are told as soon as something changes. That is a booking confirmed, waiting, rejected or cancelled, a reminder before it starts, a waitlist slot to take, or a payment due. Messages go in the app and by email, and by WhatsApp or SMS when your organisation turns them on.
See it with your own rooms.
Tell us what you run: rooms, halls, courts, desks. We will show you a booking from request to check-out with your rules.