Schedule Management
Overview
Schedules define when resources and locations are available or unavailable.
They are a building block for controlling bookings, enforcing closures, managing maintenance windows, and aligning resource access with facility operations.
Schedules do not block bookings on their own — they work in combination with Booking Rules, most commonly the Enforce Schedule Booking Rule.
What Schedules Control
Schedules are used to:
- Block bookings during holidays or closures
- Schedule planned maintenance or downtime
- Create recurring availability windows
- Enforce predictable booking behavior across resources
A single schedule can be reused across many resources or locations.
Schedule Types
Colabmacs supports two schedule types. The distinction is important.
Available Schedules
Available schedules define when a resource can be booked.
Use these when availability is limited to specific windows.
Common use cases:
- Fixed booking slots
- Staffed access windows
- Training-only time blocks
Tips
Available schedules are best used when access should be explicitly allowed only during defined times.
Unavailable Schedules
Unavailable schedules define when a resource cannot be booked.
Use these to block access during known downtime.
Common use cases:
- Statutory holidays
- Planned maintenance
- Equipment calibration
- Facility-wide closures
Tips
Unavailable schedules are the most common pattern for holidays and maintenance.
Where Schedules Are Applied
Schedules can be attached at two levels.
Locations
- Applies automatically to all resources in the location
- Ideal for holidays and building-wide closures
- Reduces duplication across many resources
Individual Resources
- Applies only to selected resources
- Used for equipment-specific maintenance or availability
- Allows fine-grained control where needed
Info
If a schedule is applied at both the Location and Resource level, both apply.
Schedule Enforcement
Schedules become active through the Enforce Schedule Booking Rule.
This rule ensures that:
- Bookings are blocked during Unavailable schedule events
- Bookings are only allowed during Available schedule events
- Conflicts are evaluated automatically at booking time
Warning
If a schedule is applied but the Enforce Schedule Booking Rule is not active, bookings will not be restricted.
How Multiple Schedules Interact
Resources can have multiple schedules applied.
When this happens:
- Unavailable schedules always take precedence
- All applicable events are evaluated together
- Any single unavailable event blocks the booking
This allows flexible combinations such as:
- A general business-hours schedule
- Plus a holiday schedule
- Plus resource-specific maintenance
Common Schedule Patterns
Facility Holidays
- Type: Unavailable
- Applied to: Location
- Blocks all bookings on statutory holidays
Equipment Maintenance
- Type: Unavailable
- Applied to: Specific Resource
- Blocks bookings during maintenance windows
Controlled Access Hours
- Type: Available
- Applied to: Resource
- Limits bookings to defined operating hours
Best Practices
Recommended Practices
- Use Unavailable schedules for holidays and maintenance
- Use Available schedules only when access must be tightly constrained
- Apply schedules at the Location level whenever possible
- Keep schedules reusable and clearly named
Naming tips:
Alberta Stat HolidaysQ4 2025 MaintenanceWeekday Business Hours
Common Pitfalls
Common Issues
- Creating schedules but forgetting to enable the booking rule
- Overlapping Available schedules that unintentionally restrict access
- Duplicating the same holiday schedule across many resources
How Schedules Fit Into the System
Schedules work alongside:
- Resources — control when they can be booked
- Locations — apply rules across many resources at once
- Booking Rules — enforce availability at booking time
- Downtime & Maintenance workflows
Schedules define time.
Rules define permission.
Together, they enforce correct access behavior.