Behaviors and limitations
Eptura Engage Outlook add-in for Microsoft 365
Bookings created in your Outlook calendar using the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in are automatically synchronized with Eptura Engage and can be viewed and edited from the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, Eptura Engage on the web, or the Eptura Engage mobile app.
The behavior of Eptura Engage Outlook add-in can differ slightly from the Eptura Engage web application and mobile app. Read on to learn more.
Contents
General
Default location
The default location initially set in the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in is retrieved from the user’s profile, however, subsequent changes to the defaults set in Eptura Engage Outlook add-in do not update the user’s profile in Eptura Engage. Learn more: User profile and settings
Permissions
Only meeting spaces the user has permission to book are shown in the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in search results. Learn more: User permissions
Email notifications
The Eptura Engage Microsoft 365 integration generates email notifications for the following events:
- One-time-key user registration: When a user starts the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in for the first time or after logging off, an access code is sent to the user via email.
- Smart alternatives (self-healing): If the Microsoft 365 integration automatically selects an alternative meeting space when a meeting is moved in the Outlook calendar, the organizer and attendees are notified via email.
- Smart alternatives (recurrences): If the Microsoft 365 integration automatically 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 a direct link to request the service items from the Eptura Engage web app's booking form.
Good to know
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Customizing emails: Emails generated by the Microsoft 365 integration cannot be customized.
- Bookings created using the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in: To avoid double bookings in the calendar created by Eptura Engage and an Outlook ICS attachment, booking confirmation emails are not sent from Eptura Engage when a successful booking is made using the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in.
- Smart alternatives: While Eptura Engage does not send a booking confirmation email when a successful booking is made using the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in (see previous point), Eptura Engage 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.
- Bookings created using the Eptura Engage mobile app: When a booking is created using the Eptura Engage mobile app, a booking confirmation email is generated, but the email will not contain an ICS attachment.
- Services: Email notifications about services are only sent if the booked meeting space offers additional services.
Making and editing bookings
Internal or External bookings
The default booking type* (set for the group) is automatically selected and cannot be changed from the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in; however, you can change the setting on the Eptura Engage web app booking form. Learn more: Meeting space booking form
*Booking types on the booking form 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 Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, the default seating style is applied, along with the default setup and clean-down times. These options can be changed from the Eptura Engage web app booking form. Learn more: Meeting space booking form
Services
When a meeting space offering services (such as catering and equipment) is booked, the meeting organizer is sent a Room Services email with a link to the Eptura Engage booking form where they can request the required services. 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 event 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.
Email notifications
When a booking is created in Eptura Engage and the associated Exchange room is unavailable, the booking is initially created in Eptura Engage but then automatically cancelled when the Exchange room declines the event. If notifications were requested by the user, they will first receive a confirmation email, followed by a cancellation email.
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 Eptura Engage Outlook add-in.
Cost codes
Cost codes cannot be entered from the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, but they can be added later to the Eptura Engage web app booking form.
Linked meeting spaces
Linked meeting spaces are not currently supported.
Events in the past
An event is considered ‘in the past’ as soon as the start time begins.
- A meeting space cannot be added to an Outlook event that has already started or is in the past.
- If an event with a meeting space booking is moved from the past to a future date/time, Eptura Engage creates a new booking for the same meeting space. However, if the same meeting space is unavailable at the new time, Eptura Engage suggests an alternate meeting space that matches the booking requirements. Learn more: Moving appointments
- If an event 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 a recurring 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 in 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 might prevent some services from being created.
Deleting bookings
When a user deletes a booking from Eptura Engage, only the Engage meeting space booking and any associated Microsoft Exchange room event are deleted; the event remains in the user's Microsoft calendar. This ensures that associated calendar events are not canceled when a meeting space is no longer required.
When the meeting organizer deletes a booking from Eptura Engage on the web, they can choose whether to delete only the Exchange room or the entire event from the Microsoft calendar.
Bumped bookings
When a booking is not started within the assigned period, Eptura Engage bumps the booking and the organizer is notified by email. The event remains on the Outlook calendar, but the room is removed.
Recurrences
When searching for a meeting space for a recurring appointment, the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in lists meeting spaces available on the first date in the series. When a meeting space is selected, it is booked for all later dates in the series if available. If the meeting space is unavailable on any date in the series, an alternative space is automatically selected and booked for those date(s), 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
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A maximum of 450 instances can be created for a recurring booking. Instances are calculated by multiplying the number of rooms by the number of occurrences in a series. Any bookings that exceed this limit will be declined.
Private bookings
Bookings marked as 'private' in Eptura Engage are synchronized with the user's Outlook calendar, and the corresponding Outlook calendar event is also marked as 'private'.
However, since the Outlook event is marked as private in the user's calendar, any changes to the event title are not synchronized back to Eptura Engage. We recommend updating an event title from the Eptura Engage booking, as this will also update the Outlook event.
Managed and blind-managed bookings
Managed meeting spaces
- Managed meeting space bookings require approval and display a Request button instead of the usual Book button. When requested, Pending approval is displayed. When the request is approved or rejected, the booking is confirmed (or not), and the user is notified by email.
- Admins who can book managed spaces without approval would normally see the Book button rather than the Request button. However, in the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, admins might also see the Request button. When used, the request is automatically approved, and the meeting space is booked immediately.
Learn more: Book or request a meeting space
Allocated (blind-managed) meeting spaces
Allocated (blind-managed) meeting spaces are not supported by the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in and will not show in the search results.
Waitlist
The Eptura Engage Outlook add-in does not support waitlist bookings.
Eptura Engage mobile app
If your calendar is subscribed, you can use the Eptura Engage mobile app to book and manage meeting spaces that are mapped to Exchange. Some limitations apply:
- Recurring bookings: Recurring bookings behave as single events in the Eptura Engage mobile app. Editing a single instance of a recurring booking from the Eptura Engage 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 (not a different location).
- Deleting a booking: Deleting a booking removes the meeting space from the Outlook calendar event but does not delete the actual event from the Outlook calendar.
- Attendees: The number and types of attendees should be managed from the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in and not the Eptura Engage mobile app.
Learn more: Eptura Engage mobile app
Synchronized bookings with Microsoft Outlook
Bookings can be made from the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, from the Eptura Engage web app via the 'Add to Outlook calendar' option, or directly from an Outlook calendar event - we call this 'Native Exchange booking'.
Your Microsoft Outlook calendar must be subscribed to Eptura Engage to synchronize bookings. You can check if you have subscribed from your user profile. Learn more: Your profile and settings
Eptura Engage Outlook add-in
Launch the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in from your Microsoft calendar event to search for available meeting spaces and benefit from smart features such as self-healing bookings when moving appointments, smart recurrences, and predicted attendees and visitors. This is our recommended solution when integrating Eptura Engage with Microsoft 365.
Learn more: Eptura Engage Outlook add-in for Microsoft 365
Native Exchange booking
Book Eptura Engage meeting spaces directly from your preferred Microsoft Exchange calendar app, such as Outlook for Mobile or the Teams calendar, without launching the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in, by simply inviting the Exchange room to the event. We call this 'Native Exchange booking'.
Learn more: Native Exchange bookings
Eptura Engage web app - 'Add to Outlook calendar'
With the Microsoft 365 integration, you can create events in users' Microsoft Outlook calendars directly from Eptura Engage on the web by selecting the 'Add to your Outlook calendar' option when creating the booking. When this option is selected and the booking saved, the availability of the Exchange room is verified, and if a conflict is detected, an email notification is sent to the user, and the booking is not created.
If no conflicts are detected, the booking is created; the Outlook event and Eptura Engage booking are completely in sync, giving you the flexibility to view and edit the booking details from either Outlook or Eptura Engage.
Can't see the 'Add to Outlook calendar' option?
- Your administrator might have enabled the 'Add to Outlook calendar' option by default for your organization. This means bookings automatically synchronize with your Microsoft Outlook calendar; in this case, you will not see the option to add to your Outlook calendar.
- You must have an active calendar subscription to add a booking to your Outlook calendar. The 'Add to Outlook calendar' is not shown if your calendar is not subscribed.
Room equipment associated with the meeting space, such as Teams devices, is automatically invited when an Eptura Engage and Outlook event is linked.
'Add to Outlook calendar' option when creating a booking from the booking grid for meeting spaces
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 both on the booking grid and on the 'Your bookings' list. The booking form displays a note to say, 'Linked to your Outlook calendar'.
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- How do delegates create bookings?
For delegate journeys where the event needs to be placed in another user’s calendar, we recommend using the Eptura Engage Outlook add-in or Native Exchange booking to book the room. This is because bookings created in Eptura Engage create calendar events 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 might 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 from the web app, can I add it later?
No. The option to add a booking to an Outlook calendar is only shown in the web app 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 a meeting space automatically invited to an event?
Yes, an invitation 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 Teams-enabled calendar events from being created?
Eptura Engage creates a Teams-enabled Outlook calendar event by default. The Eptura Engage 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?
Invite virtual/remote attendees via the Outlook event - either via the Outlook add-in where you can mark individual attendees as on-site or remote, or directly in the calendar event (Native Exchange booking) where all attendees are assumed to be virtual/remote. Attendees added to the Eptura Engage 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 they are not automatically added.
- Is the Outlook calendar event canceled when I delete a booking from Eptura Engage?
When the event organizer deletes a booking using the Eptura Engage web app*, they can choose whether to delete only the Exchange room or the entire event from the Microsoft calendar (the option is unchecked by default). However, if the booking is deleted by anyone else (including administrators) or by any other means, only the Eptura Engage meeting space booking and any associated Microsoft Exchange room are deleted; the event remains on the Microsoft calendar and must be canceled separately if required.
*Today page - The option to delete the associated Outlook calendar event is not displayed when deleting a booking via the Today page. The behavior when deleting from the Today page is to keep the existing calendar event. - When a user is deleted from Eptura Engage, are their bookings deleted from Microsoft Exchange?
When an Eptura Engage user is deleted, their future bookings are deleted from Eptura Engage to make the resources available to others. However, the associated Microsoft Exchange room events are not automatically deleted from the user's calendar. By default, only the Eptura Engage meeting space booking and the associated Microsoft Exchange room event are deleted. The event remains on the Microsoft calendar and must be canceled separately if required. - Is an Outlook calendar event created when I make a booking directly from an Eptura or Condeco room screen?
Yes, if Eptura Engage 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.
- Are bookings marked as 'private' synchronized?
Yes, bookings marked as 'private' in Eptura Engage are synchronized with the user's Outlook calendar, and the corresponding Outlook calendar event is also marked as 'private'. Note that since the Outlook event is marked as private in the user's calendar, any changes to the event title are not synchronized back to Eptura Engage; however, the title can be updated in the Eptura Engage booking, which will update the Outlook event. - What happens if there is a conflict with the Exchange room's availability?
If the selected room is not available in Exchange at the requested time, an email notification is sent to the user, and the booking is not created. When an existing booking is being updated, and a conflict is detected, the Exchange room is automatically removed from the Outlook event.