deskbird gives you several check-in options for desks, parking spots, and meeting rooms. Each option controls how your users confirm their presence — choose based on how strictly you want to track attendance and space utilization.
- No check-in
- Simple check-in
- QR codes only
- Auto-cancellation settings
- Automatic check-in using geolocation
1. No check-in
With this setting, users are not required to confirm their presence. Their bookings remain valid without any further action on their part.
2. Simple check-in
With simple check-in, users confirm their presence by clicking the Check-In button in the web app, MS Teams, or the deskbird mobile app.
- Users manually confirm their check-in via the deskbird app.
- You can set an auto-cancellation rule so that bookings are cancelled if a user fails to check in before a set time.
💡 Even with simple check-in enabled, users can also check in by scanning a QR code if QR codes are available for their booking. If a user scans the QR code, they are redirected to the check-in page to confirm their booking.
3. QR codes only
With this option, users must scan a physical QR code to check in. This applies to desks, meeting rooms, and parking spots, ensuring users are physically present when confirming their booking.
How it works for users:
- Users open their booking in the deskbird app and tap Check-in.
- A QR code scanner opens; they scan the code at the desk, room, or parking spot to confirm their presence.
💡 Things to consider:
- This is the most restrictive setting — use it if you require strict attendance confirmation for booked resources.
- Users must have the deskbird mobile app installed to scan QR codes.
- QR code scanning is available regardless of other check-in settings. If a user scans a QR code without a prior booking, they will be redirected to the booking page to confirm the reservation.
4. Auto-cancellation settings
Auto-cancellation ensures that unconfirmed bookings are released, making resources available to others. The system cancels bookings if a user does not check in within the grace period after a designated start time.
You can configure two settings that determine when the grace period starts and when bookings are cancelled:
-
Grace period: if not checked in, cancel the booking automatically
- Defines how many minutes users have to check in before their booking is cancelled.
- Example: if set to 60 minutes, users must check in within 60 minutes of the grace period start time.
-
From this time, the grace period applies
- If the grace period plus booking start time is before this set time, this acts as the earliest cancellation time for the booking, even if the grace period has already ended.
- If the booking start time plus the grace period is after this set time, check-in reminders are sent, and when the grace period expires, the system automatically cancels unconfirmed bookings.
Auto-cancellation scenarios for desks and parking
| Scenario | Example | Auto-cancellation time |
| Booking start time + grace period is after the earliest auto-cancellation timestamp | Booking at 8:30 AM, grace period 60 min, grace period starts at 9 AM → Grace period overlaps with the booking start time → Auto-cancellation at 09:30 AM | 09:30 AM, since the grace period starts at the time of the booking |
| Booking start time is after the earliest auto-cancellation timestamp | Booking at 10:00 AM, grace period 60 min, grace period starts at 9 AM → The booking starts after 9 AM, so the grace period begins immediately and runs for 60 minutes → Auto-cancellation at 11:00 AM | 11:00 AM, since the grace period starts when the booking begins |
| Booking start time + grace period is earlier than the earliest auto-cancellation timestamp | Booking at 6:30 AM, grace period 60 min, grace period starts at 9 AM → The booking would normally be cancelled at 7:30 AM, but since this is earlier than 9 AM, the system overrides it → Auto-cancellation at 9:00 AM | 9:00 AM, as the system ensures no cancellations occur before the set grace period start time |
| Booking start time + grace period is after the earliest auto-cancellation timestamp (longer grace period example) | Booking at 8:00 AM, grace period 135 min, grace period starts at 9:30 AM → Booking start + grace period (10:15 AM) is after 9:30 AM → Auto-cancellation at 10:15 AM | 10:15 AM, since the booking start time plus grace period falls after the grace period start time |
💡 Summary:
- The grace period countdown starts at the fixed time you set (e.g., 9 AM).
- Check-in reminders are sent to users only from the set time.
- If the booking start time + grace period is before the set grace period start time, the system overrides it and cancels at the grace period start time.
- If the calculated cancellation time is later than the grace period start time, the system cancels at the later calculated time.
Auto-cancellation for meeting rooms
For meeting rooms, you can set a rule to automatically cancel a booking if users do not check in within a certain number of minutes past the scheduled start time. Unlike desks and parking spots, grace periods do not apply to meeting room check-ins.
💡 Example: if the auto-cancel setting is 10 minutes and a meeting is scheduled for 10:00 AM, it will be automatically cancelled at 10:10 AM if no one checks in.
✔ Check-in options and auto-cancellation settings are separated for desks/parking and meeting rooms.
✔ Desks and parking spots use a configurable grace period; meeting rooms use a fixed cancellation time.
For more information on QR codes and how to set them up for your workspace, check out this guide.
Calculator for auto-cancellation time based on booking start, grace period, and applies-from settings.
5. Automatic check-in using geolocation
For automatic check-ins using geolocation, please refer to: Automatic Check-In for Desk and Parking Bookings.