Overview of Microsoft Bookings

Microsoft Bookings is an online scheduling tool and is part of the Microsoft 365 family of products. Instructors can use Bookings to provide their availability for office hours and allow students to book appointments. Staff can use Bookings to provide their availability to both internal and external colleagues and allow them to schedule a time for a meeting or event. Bookings can be integrated with Outlook calendar and Microsoft 365 email to send booking invitations and reminders.

Microsoft Bookings offers an alternative to Achieve. While many of the features are similar, Microsoft Bookings offers the following which may not be available in other booking applications:

• Links to your Microsoft 365 calendar to prevent scheduling conflicts.
• Ability to add multiple users to manage your bookings calendar and assign them various roles.
• Ability to embed your customer facing calendar where codes are accepted.
• Allows users from outside of your organization to book appointments.
• Customizable appointment times and buffer times before and after the appointment.

Eligibility Requirements

Individuals who can request and configure Bookings calendars

• Faculty
• Staff

Individuals who can use the published web page to make appointments with the Booking calendars

• Faculty
• Staff
• Students
• External users (If authentication is disabled)

Features

• Customizable public facing booking page
• Confirmation and reminder emails
• Integration with Microsoft Outlook - including group calendars
• Customizable services
• Virtual meetings via Microsoft Teams

Best Uses

• Instructors can use Bookings to publish their office hours and have students book appointments.
• Departments can use Bookings to centralize resource and room booking management.
• Department chairs or administrators can create an office hours calendar for multiple faculty members.
• University offices that are visited by appointment can create a calendar and have visitors book their own appointments.

Requesting a Bookings Calendar

When requesting a Microsoft Bookings Calendar, use the Help Request Form or contact the Technology Support Center at (309) 438-4357 or by email at SupportCenter@IllinoisState.edu

When filling out the Help Request Form, please include the following information: 

• Who the owner of the Bookings calendar will be.
• The name of the Bookings calendar.
  • The name is required to include some form of the word "Bookings" (ex: "Technical Bookings")
• A business case (reason for needing the service) for the purpose of the Bookings calendar.

Your Add Booking Calendar request will be sent to our Microsoft 365 team for further processing. Once they have created your Bookings calendar, they will notify you and you will then have access to configure and modify the calendar for your department’s needs.

How to Get Help

Technical assistance is available through the Illinois State University Technology Support Center at:

• Phone: (309) 438-4357
• Email: SupportCenter@IllinoisState.edu
• Submit a Request via Web Form: Help.IllinoisState.edu/get-it-help
• Live Chat: Help.IllinoisState.edu/get-it-help

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