deskbird's Catering & Services feature lets you attach requests for drinks, snacks, equipment, or other items to a meeting room booking. Your request is sent to the designated service provider so everything is ready when your meeting starts.
💡 Services must be configured by an admin before they appear on a room. If you don't see a services option, contact your admin.
- Request services during booking
- Request services for an existing booking
- Edit or cancel a service request
- When your service request needs approval
- FAQs
1. Request services during booking
When booking a room that has services enabled, a Request services option appears in the booking panel:
- Go to Book > Meeting rooms and select your time slot to open the booking panel.
- Click Request services.
- In the Request services panel, select the service items you need (e.g. Drinks, Snacks, Flipcharts).
- Choose quantities for each item.
- Add any Additional notes for the provider (optional) and click Add request.
- If a cost center field appears, fill it in as required.
- Confirm the booking. Your service request is submitted along with the room reservation.
Bookings with an active service request are shown with a cup icon in the Book > Meeting rooms view. You also receive a confirmation in your booking confirmation.
2. Request services for an existing booking
To add a service request to a booking you have already made:
- Go to Bookings in the main menu.
- Find the booking and click the pencil (edit) icon.
- Click Catering & Services in the edit panel.
- Select your items, quantities, and any notes, then save the changes.
⚠️ Catering & Services are not available for recurring events at this time.
3. Edit or cancel a service request
To change or remove a service request from an existing booking:
- Go to Bookings in the main menu.
- Find the booking and click the pencil (edit) icon.
- Click Catering & Services to open the services panel.
- Update the items and quantities, or remove all items to cancel the request.
- Save your changes.
The service provider receives an updated email notification when you change a request.
4. When your service request needs approval
Your company can require approval before services are provided. In that case:
- You receive an email confirming that your service request was sent for approval.
- An approver reviews each category of your request (for example catering and equipment) separately.
- You receive an email when your request is approved or rejected.
⚠️ Important: If a category isn't approved by the time your meeting starts, it's canceled automatically. Categories that were already approved stay in place, and your request shows as partially approved.
💡 Tip: Service approval is separate from room booking approval. If the room itself requires approval, the booking panel shows This room requires approval. Your request will be reviewed before the booking is confirmed. In that case, your room booking is approved first, and your service request goes to approval only after that.
5. FAQs
Each service category has a designated provider email address configured by your admin. When you submit a request, an email notification with all the request details (items, quantities, meeting time, and notes) is sent to that address automatically. The provider does not need a deskbird account to receive the notification. If your company requires approval for service requests, the email is sent once your request is approved.
If your company requires approval for service requests, every category must be approved before your meeting starts. Categories that are still waiting for approval at the start of the meeting are canceled automatically, while approved categories stay in place. A category can also be rejected by an approver. You receive an email when your request is approved or rejected.
Buffer times set by your admin don't define a deadline. They block the room before and after your meeting so the provider has time to prepare and clear up. If your company requires approval for service requests, your request must be approved before the meeting starts: categories that are still pending at that time are canceled automatically. Contact your admin or the service provider directly if you need a last-minute change.
The deskbird Outlook Add-In can't add service requests. It only helps you find rooms with or without catering. After you book the room in Outlook, open the booking in the deskbird web or mobile app and add your request there, as described in Request services for an existing booking. The provider is notified once your request is submitted, or once it's approved if your company requires approval. Services can't be added to recurring events.