Reservations

Reservations let team members book tools in advance, ensuring high-demand equipment is available when needed.

Why Use Reservations?

In busy environments, multiple people often need the same tool at the same time. Without a reservation system, tools are grabbed first-come, first-served, leaving latecomers searching for alternatives. Reservations solve this by letting users claim tools for specific dates and times.

Making a Reservation

To reserve a tool:

1. Find the tool you need (search or scan QR code)
2. Click Reserve
3. Select the date(s) and time(s) you need the tool
4. Add a note about the job or project (optional)
5. Confirm the reservation

The tool's calendar shows all upcoming reservations, so you can see availability at a glance.

Managing Reservations

From the Reservations page, you can:

• View all upcoming reservations (your own or your team's, based on permissions)
• Edit or cancel existing reservations
• See a calendar view of tool availability
• View reservation history for individual tools

Managers can view and manage reservations for their entire team.

Reservation Conflict Resolution

When a tool is already reserved for a time slot, the system prevents double-booking. If a user tries to reserve an already-booked tool, they see available alternatives or can request to be added to a waitlist. If someone cancels, the next person on the waitlist is automatically notified.

Reservation Policies

Admins can configure reservation rules:

• Maximum reservation duration — How long a tool can be reserved at once
• Advance booking window — How far in advance reservations can be made
• Consecutive reservations — Grace period between reservations for maintenance
• No-show policy — Auto-cancel reservations if tool isn't picked up within X minutes

Converting Reservations to Checkouts

When a user picks up a reserved tool, the reservation automatically converts to a checkout. The system recognizes the user and tool, pre-fills the checkout form with reservation details, and starts the checkout period. This seamless flow saves time and ensures accuracy.

Best Practices

• Require reservations for high-demand or limited-availability tools
• Set reasonable maximum durations to ensure fair access
• Use the waitlist feature for critical tools
• Review reservation patterns monthly to identify tools that need additional investment