What is Room Scheduling Software?

Room scheduling software allows users to reserve meeting rooms, conference rooms, and other shared spaces within an organization. Using the software, employees can view room availability in real time, reserve rooms, and manage other resources such as projectors, teleconference equipment, and catering services, making it easier to schedule meetings and events that require specific resources.

Depending on the software, a meeting room booking system can also be used to send invitations, track RSVPs, and manage catering orders. Some software solutions even offer analytics and reporting features, allowing organizations to track room usage and optimize resource allocation.

 

Benefits of Room Booking Software

Room scheduling software helps organizations streamline the scheduling and management of their facilities and resources. By providing real-time availability and online booking, room reservation software can save an organization time and improve communication and collaboration between employees by ensuring everyone has space to work and the technology they need to complete their work. Room booking software also eliminates the risk of double bookings and other scheduling conflicts.

 

If the meeting room booking system provides analytics, business owners can also gain real-time insights into room utilization. This allows them to manage real estate costs and release any space that is underutilized.

 

How Do I Set Up a Meeting Room Booking System?

Setting up a meeting room booking system can help you manage your organization's meeting spaces more efficiently, saving time and reducing scheduling conflicts. Here’s how to get started:

 

  1. Assess your needs: Step one is to determine the specific needs of your organization. Consider factors such as the number of meeting rooms, the size of the rooms, the types of equipment and resources required, and any scheduling policies or procedures that need to be followed.
  2. Choose a meeting room booking system: There are many meeting room booking systems available, ranging from simple spreadsheet templates to more complex software solutions. Look for a system that meets your organization's needs and budget, and consider factors such as ease of use, customization options, and integration with other software tools.
  3. Train users: Once you’ve chosen the room reservation software and set it up at your organization, you will need to train users on how to use it effectively. This may involve offering in-person training sessions and communicating any company policies related to room reservations and usage.
  4. Monitor usage: Finally, it is important to monitor usage of the meeting room booking system to ensure that it is being used effectively. This may involve tracking usage statistics, soliciting feedback from users, and making adjustments to the system as needed.

 

How to Find the Best Meeting Room Booking System

There are a wide variety of options when it comes to meeting room booking systems. Though it’s essential to find software that meets the specific needs of your organization, here are a few things to consider.

 

  1. What are the features? Depending on your needs, you may prefer a simple room booking system or one with special features, including real-time availability calendars, booking confirmations, automatic reminders, reporting and a mobile interface.
  2. Is it easy to use? Consider the user-friendliness of the system. Does it have a clean and intuitive interface? Is it easy to navigate? Does it have a user manual or tutorials to guide users? If the software isn’t easy to use, it’s unlikely employees will use it.
  3. What does customer support look like? Ensure the system offers good customer support in case you run into any issues. Check if they offer email, phone, or live chat support, and if their support team is responsive and knowledgeable.
  4. How does it fit in with your budget? Compare the pricing plans of the different systems and choose one that fits your budget and meets your requirements. Look for hidden costs like set-up fees or additional charges for extra features.

 

Invest in an Industry-Leading Meeting Room Booking System

Accruent EMS is hassle-free room scheduling software that streamlines booking, lowers administrative overhead and reduces meeting scheduling time. Not only can you access real-time room information and calendars, but you’ll gain visibility into room usage with our analytics and reporting. Business owners can also set up permissions-based room access and generate invoices for room usage. And Accruent EMS is compatible with Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex, and other applications for streamlined scheduling.

 

Learn more about Accruent EMS today.