Room booking application

[OverWorked]

Does anyone here use an application for handling room bookings?

 

I remember seeing a posting in an unrelated thread here somewhere. I can't find it now.

 

At the moment we're just using spreadsheets in the staff share, but its not ideal.

 

Thanks.

[ChrisH]

A lot of us use Meeting Room booking system

 

The post you will have seen will have been mine in the scripts section. I posted some modded code to restrict the amounts of days in advance you can book.

[Geoff]

Yep, MRBS on a Linux box here too. I installed samba and winbind on it too so NTLM authentication works too.

[OverWorked]

Great! Thanks.

 

I think that was it. I'll have a good look at it later.

 

Will it run on Server 2003? I'm hopeless at Linux. I know I'll have to get into Linux soon, but it's a job for the future.

[MkII]

Someone is also developing a module/? for Moodle promised for September [now!] - last sight of it was here

[Geoff]

Great! Thanks.

 

I think that was it. I'll have a good look at it later.

 

Will it run on Server 2003? I'm hopeless at Linux. I know I'll have to get into Linux soon, but it's a job for the future.

 

Yes, if your careful. You'll have to install Apache + PHP + MySQL on your Windows server too though. Also be aware that the performance penalty for running PHP apps on Windows is immense.

[OverWorked]

I'll probably look into it after I've got into Linux, then. I'm planning to install Smoothwall Express 2.0 soon, so I'll pick up some Linux then.

[ChrisH]

Im running it under IIS 6 and it works fine. I may port it over one day when/if we ever get our new servers but for now it's fine and authentication is a doddle.

If you havent got PHP and MYSQL running at the moment look at 'use old passwords' option (or something like that) for MYSQL else your PHP wont connect.

[OverWorked]

@ Chris

 

Thanks for that. I'll have a go. We've already got MySQL runnning on one server for a reports database, so I can put it on that.

[davidT]

I have just started using Ian Lee's cheap ICTbooking software which is based on Excel and only requires macros to be enabled. Pretty intuitive for staff. MY only comnplaint is that it does not treat Weeks 1 and 2 any differently but it does cope with a 2 week timetable effectively.

[tosca925]

We set up a folder in public folders in Exchange. In the folder we put a calendar for each bookable room. It displays the timetable and shows when the rooms are free. If anyone/dept wants to book it they email the head of ICT to book the room and time they want.

 

We don't allow block booking, the most we allow is half termly blocks. It works very well for us.

[iking]

We use an Access database which all staff can edit. We trust them not to erase each other's bookings, but encourage them to print out a (date and time stamped) report for the week which contains their booking just in case

 

I import the timetable for each computer room from an excel spreadsheet at the beginning of each year It's a bit of work, but much better than taking phone calls to book the room on a paper version, forgetting to do it then have two classes appear at the same time expecting a computer room which is how we used to do it.

[ConTheITGuy]

We have a scrap of paper stuck up in the staff-room with a time-table for each room! Our staff can handle that at the moment

 

Andy

[RobC]

We use a sheet of paper in each room, and a folder of booking sheets in my office for booking laptops (we have three) of LCD projectors (we only have four). I would love to move to an electronic system, but not every teacher has a computer in their room, and logon times are so slow that it's quicker to walk to the required room and write the booking in by hand than to log on & do it electronically.

 

Maybe one day...

[alan-d]

Try this one http://www.digiappz.com/digirez.asp?id=1

We bought it 2 years ago (It was a lot cheaper then )

 

It works a treat.

[OverWorked]

Thanks everyone!

 

We originally had a spreadsheet on the staff share, then printed out a copy for the staffroom wall. People would either book on the printed sheet, or the online sheet, but not both! We had a lot of clashes and arguments over who booked it first and who had the greater need. I eventually just stopped printed the thing off.

 

I'll have a look at MRBS and DigiRez. They both seem to do what I want. They'll be useful for the whole school, like the laptops and the sports hall etc.

[OverWorked]

I've just had a quick look at the demos of both MRBS and DigiRez on the websites.

 

Do MRBS and DigiRez allow you to create a timetable like a school day - periods and breaks instead of times?

[ChrisH]

MRBS will allow you to do periods.

[Geoff]

Yep, thats how we have MRBS setup here at Carr Hill.

[alan-d]

I've just had a quick look at the demos of both MRBS and DigiRez on the websites.

 

Do MRBS and DigiRez allow you to create a timetable like a school day - periods and breaks instead of times?

 

As Digirez is basically an Access Database you should be able to configure it how you want. we just use the times here.

[OverWorked]

Thanks. I'll have a closer look.

[eduabncs]

For those of you using facility CMIS I have been told by MIS support collegues that room booking & scheduling is included.

 

http://www.facility.ie/content/schools/fsch2.htm

[OverWorked]

We're not fortunate enough to have CMIS. I'm not even sure what it is. Is it a school management system? We're on RM Integris here.

[alan-d]

CMIS???

 

Are you allowed to use that sort of foul language here?

[Mango_RW]

CMIS???

 

Are you allowed to use that sort of foul language here?

 

Just as much of a swear word as ... SIMS!!!