What is Microsoft Bookings?
Microsoft Bookings is a collaborative scheduling tool with a web-based booking page. Creators or team members assigned as administrators can use the Bookings web-application to customize the booking page, manage staff, and set service offerings. The Booking page can be published to grant visitors the ability to choose a service and book an appointment date/time that is convenient for them.
Microsoft Bookings: Getting Started for DePaul Employees - Tutorial Video
Creating your Bookings
It's very important to get the Bookings calendar name right the first time, as this name will appear in your emails and on the site URL. It cannot be modified after creation. For this reason, IS strongly recommends including school, department, or the specific calendar purpose in the name when creating your Bookings calendar.
For example, there's a team in Information Services that works in the sub-department of "Infrastructure Operations or InfOps" under the group "Networks". A recommended Bookings calendar name for them would be: "ISInfopsNetworksConsultations". Other acceptable name choices would be: "DePaul HR Benefits Appointments" or "Schoolofmusic_Jazzstudies_Sessions". You can use "_" or spaces. Note: if spaces are used the created URL will remove them like the first example.
Changing the name displayed on the published booking page
- The name displayed on the Booking page can be changed by the creator or an administrator from the Bookings web app in the 'Business information' section after creation.
How to get started
How to Access Bookings
There are two methods for accessing Bookings. One is used for calendar and page administration (Bookings web app), and the other for customer self-service appointment booking (Booking page).
Bookings web app: Here Bookings creators and administrators can customize the Booking page, define appointment types and details, manage staff schedules and availability, set business hours, and customize how appointments are scheduled. You can access the Bookings web app using either of the following methods:
- Login to https://office365.depaul.edu/ or access your MyApps dashboard at myapps.microsoft.com
- Select sign in option from: Online Bookings and Appointment Scheduling | Microsoft 365
Booking page: Is a web-based self-service scheduling page where your visitors can book appointments. The Booking page can be shared as a link in email or embed into a webpage. There are three different publishing options you can select when creating your bookings calendar. Note: The sharing options can be changed later by the Bookings creator or a designated administrator.
Publishing options
- Available to people in your organization: Will publish a shareable link to the Booking page, but visitors will be required to sign in using their BlueKey login.
- Available to anyone: Will publish a shareable link to the Booking page for anyone on the internet to use for booking appointments.
- No self-service: Doesn't publish a self-service booking page for customers
- Note: this option can be used as a temporary option for staging or editing before making the Booking page publicly available.
How to Add Members to Bookings
The staff section in the Bookings web app is where you create your staffing list and manage staff member details.
Please note: Members added as staff will be sent an email requesting their acceptance. Acceptance is required to complete staff addition in the Bookings calendar.
Booking creators can designate different roles for staff members: Administrator, Team member, Scheduler, Viewer, or Guest
Please note: Creators become administrators automatically, and all emails to the Bookings mailbox are forwarded to the creator. This can be changed from the 'Business information' section of the Bookings web-app.
- Administrator can edit all settings, add and remove staff, and create, edit and delete bookings.
- Team member can manage bookings on their own calendar and their availability in the booking mailbox. When adding or editing a booking in their calendar, they'll be assigned as staff.
- Scheduler can manage bookings on the calendar and customer details. They have read-only access to settings, staff, and services.
- Viewer can see all the bookings on the calendar, but they can’t modify or delete them. They have read-only access to settings.
- Guest can be assigned to bookings, but they can’t open the booking mailbox.
Department Resource Accounts with Bookings
Department resource accounts may be added as staff members in a Bookings calendar, but memberships to a Bookings calendar require acceptance, so the resource owner must accept the Bookings invitation on behalf of the resource account. For instructions on accessing an owned email account please view the following: IS Support - Accessing a Resource Email Account: For Resource Owners (service-now.com)
Deleting Bookings
Deleting your entire Bookings site and calendar will require assistance from Information Services, so please create an incident with the Help Desk to request a Bookings deletion.
Further Learning
- Microsoft Bookings
- Enter your Bookings business information | Microsoft Learn
- Define your Bookings service offerings | Microsoft Learn
- Define you service offerings in Bookings
- Customize and publish your booking page
- Linkedin Learning: Microsoft Bookings essential learning Note: Updates to the Bookings offering have been made since this courses release date.