Behaviors and limitations
Condeco Outlook add-in for Microsoft 365
Bookings created in your Outlook calendar using the Condeco Outlook add-in are automatically synchronized with Condeco and can be viewed and amended from the Condeco Outlook add-in, Condeco on the web, or the Condeco mobile app.
The behavior of Condeco Outlook add-in can differ slightly from the Condeco web application and mobile app. Read on to learn more.
Contents
General
Default location
The default location initially set in the Condeco Outlook add-in is retrieved from the user’s profile, however, subsequent changes to the defaults set in Condeco Outlook add-in do not update the user’s profile in Condeco. Learn more: User profile and settings
Permissions
Only meeting spaces the user has permission to book are shown in the Condeco Outlook add-in search results. Learn more: User permissions
Email notifications
The Condeco Microsoft 365 integration generates email notifications for the following events:
- One-time-key user registration: When a user starts the Condeco Outlook add-in for the first time or after logging off, an access code is sent to the user via email.
- Automatic alternative (single instance): If the Microsoft 365 integration selects an alternative meeting space when a meeting is moved in the Outlook calendar, the organizer and attendees are notified via email.
- Automatic alternatives (recurrence): If the Microsoft 365 integration selects alternative meeting space(s) when the chosen meeting space is not available for all the dates of a recurring meeting, the organizer and attendees are notified via email.
- Booking declined: If an administrator declines a booking request, the organizer is notified via email.
- Room services email: If a meeting space providing services is booked, the meeting organizer is sent an email listing the available services and containing a direct link to request the service items from the Condeco web app.
Good to know
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Customizing emails: Emails generated by the Microsoft 365 integration cannot be customized.
- Bookings created using the Condeco Outlook add-in: To avoid double bookings in the calendar created by Condeco and an Outlook ICS attachment, booking confirmation emails are not sent from Condeco when a successful booking is made using the Condeco Outlook add-in.
- Bookings created using the Condeco mobile app: When a booking is created using the Condeco mobile app, a booking confirmation email is generated, but the email will not contain an ICS attachment.
- Alternative meeting spaces: While Condeco does not send a booking confirmation email when a successful booking is made using the Condeco Outlook add-in (see point above), Condeco does send a notification if an alternative meeting space has been automatically applied to a booking, or if a booking is not able to be completed for any reason.
- Services: Email notifications about services are only sent if the booked meeting space offers additional services.
Making and editing bookings
Booking type
The default booking type (set for the group) is automatically selected and cannot be changed using the Condeco Outlook add-in, however, you can change the booking type from the Condeco web app on the booking form. Learn more: Meeting space booking form
Booking types are typically used to distinguish between internal and external bookings but may be configured differently in your organization. A default booking type is set for each group.
Seating styles and setup/clean-down periods
When a meeting space is booked using the Condeco Outlook add-in the default seating style for the meeting space is applied, along with the default setup and clean-down times. These options can be changed from the booking form in the Condeco web app. Learn more: Meeting space booking form
Services
When a meeting space offering services is booked, the meeting organizer is sent a Room Services email containing a link to the Condeco booking form where services can be requested. Although notification periods and other rules are enforced when services are added to the booking via the booking form, rules are not enforced if a user changes an appointment directly in their calendar. Learn more: Add services
Services and multi-room bookings: An individual room services email is sent for each meeting space in the multi-room booking that offers services. Click the services link in any of the emails to open the booking form and make your selections.
Mandatory booking information
Booking information set as mandatory in the web application, such as cost codes, custom fields, attendee details, etc., is not required when making bookings using the Condeco Outlook add-in.
Cost codes
Cost codes cannot be entered from the Condeco Outlook add-in but they can be added to the booking through the Condeco web app.
Linked meeting spaces
Linked meeting spaces are not currently supported.
Appointments in the past
An appointment is considered ‘in the past’ as soon as the start time has begun.
- A meeting space booking cannot be added to an appointment in the past.
- If an appointment with a meeting space booking is moved from the past to a future date/time, Condeco creates a new booking in the same meeting space. However, if the same meeting space is unavailable at the new time, Condeco suggests an alternate meeting space matching the booking requirements. Learn more: Moving appointments
- If an appointment with a meeting space booking is moved from the future to a date/time in the past, the meeting space booking is canceled.
- If a meeting space is added to an appointment series where some instances are in the past, the meeting space is only added to future instances of the series. Instances in the series that are in the past are individually marked as ‘out of series’.
Moving appointments to new dates
If business rules are breached when an appointment is moved to a new date on an Outlook calendar, the booking is automatically canceled. The organizer is sent an email notification and the meeting space information is removed from the Outlook appointment.
Moving appointments when in progress is not recommended: We do not recommend moving bookings that are in progress. If an appointment is moved on the calendar when the meeting status is ‘in progress’, the appointment is closed and a new booking is created at the new time. Services selected on the original booking and available at the new time are created in the new booking, but booking rules may prevent some services from being created.
Recurrences
When searching for a meeting space for a recurring appointment, the Condeco Outlook add-in lists meeting spaces available on the first date in the series. When a meeting space is selected, it is booked on all later dates in the series where available. If the meeting space is unavailable on any of the dates in the series, an alternative meeting space is automatically selected and booked for those dates, and the corresponding instances in the series are updated. If no alternative meeting space is available for a particular date, no meeting space is booked for that instance of the series. Learn more: Recurring appointments
Unlimited recurrences are not supported by the Condeco Outlook add-in: The Condeco Outlook add-in can create recurring bookings for up to a maximum of 365 days from the first date of the series that occurs in the future. This period may be further restricted if an advanced booking period is set for the group.
Group types
Managed meeting spaces
- Managed meeting space bookings require approval and show as Pending approval in the Condeco Outlook add-in. When the booking is approved or rejected, the user is notified by email.
- Meeting spaces in Managed groups show the Request button on the add-in regardless of whether the organizer has administrator access to the group (and would therefore normally see the Book button rather than the Request button). However, when an administrator of the group clicks Request, the request is automatically approved and the meeting space is immediately booked.
Learn more: Book or request a meeting space
Allocated (blind-managed) meeting spaces
Allocated (blind-managed) meeting spaces are not supported by the Condeco Outlook add-in and will not show in the search results.
Managing bookings
Meeting bumps
When a booking is not started within the assigned period, Condeco bumps the booking and the meeting organizer is notified of the bump by email. The appointment remains in the Outlook calendar but the meeting space is removed from the location.
Waitlist
The Condeco Outlook add-in does not support waitlist bookings.
Condeco mobile app
If you have subscribed to Condeco via the Condeco Outlook add-in you can view and edit bookings created using the Condeco Outlook add-in from the Condeco mobile app. Some limitations apply:
- Recurring bookings: Recurring bookings behave as single events in the Condeco mobile app. Editing a single instance of a recurring booking from the Condeco mobile app will update only that instance.
- Editing a booking: You can edit the booking time; date; title, and choose an alternative meeting space on the same or different floor, but only from the same location.
- Deleting a booking: Deleting a booking removes the booked meeting space from the Outlook calendar event but does not delete the actual appointment from the Outlook calendar.
- Attendees: The number and types of attendees should be managed from the Condeco Outlook add-in and not the Condeco mobile app.
Learn more: Condeco mobile app
Synchronized bookings with Microsoft Outlook
With the Microsoft 365 integration, you can create events in users' Microsoft Outlook calendars directly from Condeco on the web by selecting the 'Add to your Outlook calendar' option when creating the booking. The Outlook event and Condeco booking are completely in sync, giving you the flexibility to view and edit the booking details from either Outlook or Condeco.
Your administrator may have enabled the option by default for your organization, which means all bookings will automatically sync with your Microsoft Outlook calendar and you will not see the option to add to your Outlook calendar.
Room equipment associated with the meeting space, such as Teams devices, is automatically invited when a Condeco and Outlook event is linked.
Creating a booking from the booking grid for meeting spaces
Meeting space bookings created from the Condeco Outlook add-in are automatically linked to the Outlook event and synchronized.
Your Microsoft Outlook must be subscribed to Condeco to synchronize bookings. You can check if you have subscribed from your user profile. Learn more: Your profile and settings
FAQ
- How do I know if a booking is linked to an Outlook calendar event?
A booking linked to a Microsoft Outlook calendar event displays the Outlook icon on the booking grid and in Your bookings, and the booking form displays a note to say 'Linked to your Outlook calendar'.
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- How should delegates create bookings?
For delegate journeys, where the meeting needs to be placed in another user’s calendar, we recommend using the Condeco Outlook add-in to book the room. This is because bookings created in Condeco create a calendar event in the organizer’s Outlook calendar.
- Why don't I see the option to add a booking to my Outlook calendar?
You must have an active calendar subscription to add a booking to your Outlook calendar. If you have subscribed and still don't see the option, then your administrator may have enabled the option by default, which means you don't have to - all bookings will automatically be synchronized with your calendar. You can check if you have subscribed from your user profile. Learn more: Your profile and settings
- If I chose not to add the booking to my Outlook calendar when I created it, can I add it later?
No. The option to add a booking to an Outlook calendar is only shown when a booking is created. When the option has been set, it cannot be changed for that booking. Similarly, when a booking is linked to an Outlook event it cannot be unlinked.
- Is the room equipment associated with the meeting space automatically invited?
Yes, an invite is sent to the equipment mailbox.
- How do I book the equipment mailbox if I did not add my booking to my Outlook calendar?
The equipment must be booked manually.
- Can we stop the Teams-enabled calendar events being created?
Condeco creates a Teams-enabled Outlook calendar event by default. The Condeco administrator can disable this option globally if you use another online meeting provider. Learn more: Global settings for Microsoft Outlook
- How do we invite virtual/remote attendees?
Always Invite virtual/remote attendees via the Outlook event. This is because attendees added to the Condeco booking form are assumed to be attending on-site.
- How do I set the host and requestor as attendees?
The host and requestor must be manually added to the Attendee list on the booking form if they are attending on-site, as unlike other invitees, they are not automatically added.
- Can I delete the Outlook calendar event when I delete a booking in Condeco?
An option to delete the associated Outlook calendar event is displayed when the organizer deletes a booking from Condeco (the option is unchecked by default). However, this option is only visible to the organizer, not administrators or any other user who might delete the booking in Condeco.
- Is an Outlook calendar event created when I make a booking from a Condeco or Eptura room screen?
Yes, if Condeco has access to the user's Outlook calendar then an event is automatically created when the booking is created and authenticated from a meeting room screen.