Microsoft Bookings Insights For Your Connecticut Microsoft Partner
Office 365 offers several useful applications, and one of the less known ones is the Microsoft Bookings app. Microsoft Bookings is typically a scheduling tool that forms part of the Microsoft Office 365 family of software products. Bookings allows end-users to view calendars and schedule appointments by integrating with Outlook calendar and locating available times in real-time. Overall, Bookings gives you a faster, easier alternative to time-consuming and frustrating phone scheduling. Additionally, the easy-to-set-up, customizable web page allows your customers to find available times and schedule appointments 24/7.
You can also use Microsoft Bookings to deliver digital scheduling solutions for your customers. And since you can easily integrate it with your website or Facebook account, you can seamlessly automate the process of booking your services. Microsoft Bookings is an excellent solution for freelancers and small business owners looking to organize themselves better, but you can also use it in a larger organization by limiting it only to Microsoft 365 users. Besides, the Bookings app fully integrates with calendars in Outlook and can be easily shared by team members. It comes as part of your Office 365 subscription, so you won’t have to pay any additional subscription costs or buy additional licenses.
How to Use the New Microsoft Bookings App
Microsoft in Q2 2021 revitalized the user interface and functionality of the Microsoft Bookings application. This modern version of the Bookings app is highly integrated with Outlook and Microsoft Teams. By turning on Target Release settings, you can quickly get the new Bookings app up and running.
Other than scheduling time for small business clients, Microsoft Bookings allows you to assign your staff to cover various ordered appointments and define prices for multiple services you offer. The application is basically split into two parts:
- Client frontend – You can link this on your site or social media. Your clients will have access to available services and appointment slots available for booking.
- Backend configuration – This configuration panel allows you to set up all your service offerings and manage orders from Clients.
Microsoft Bookings Licensing
Microsoft Bookings app comes as part of Office 365, but it’s not available with all subscriptions. If you want to use Microsoft Bookings apps, you’ll need to get a plan that has Office Suite Client applications.
Generally, Microsoft Bookings is included in the following plans:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Office 365 E5
- Office 365 E3
Benefits of Microsoft Bookings
Microsoft Bookings app comes with a myriad of benefits for freelancers and small business owners. They include:
Simplify Scheduling to Save Time
You can save time when scheduling with the Microsoft Bookings app. By entering customized appointment details, booking requirements, and service providers, you can streamline the booking experience for your business and your customers. Besides, Bookings is integrated with your Microsoft 365 or Office 365 calendar, enabling your customers to quickly find available times while avoiding double-booking. With Microsoft Bookings, you’ll spend less time scheduling meetings or appointments and more time meeting with customers.
Meet Virtually with Microsoft Teams
With Microsoft Bookings, you can schedule virtual meetings with Microsoft Teams. Every appointment you book as an online meeting generates a meeting link that everyone can use to join virtually from anywhere in the world. Microsoft Bookings is also available as an application within Teams to help create calendars, schedule new appointments, assign staff, and meet without ever leaving Teams.
Customize Appointments to Suit Your Business Needs
Microsoft Bookings offers flexibility and customization options to suit a variety of scheduling needs of different departments, individuals, and appointment types. You can create and manage several Bookings calendars, each with its own unique setup. Additionally, different calendars can have different page information, structures, staff, and types of communication and appointments.
Provide Clients with Flexibility, Control, and Convenience
Microsoft Bookings provides more options for your clients whenever they visit your booking page, schedule an appointment, or receive a confirmation email or calendar invitation. Moreover, customers who book appointments online can easily reschedule or cancel them to keep everyone in sync. But if you prefer booking appointments for your clients, you can simply enter the appointment details in the Bookings app, and they’ll receive confirmations and reminders. With Microsoft Bookings, it’s also simple to track all adjustments made to appointments.
Other key features and benefits of Microsoft Office Bookings include:
- Online appointment booking
- Outlook calendar integration with automatic updates
- Real-time appointment availability
- Appointment rescheduling and cancellations options
- Automated email reminders and confirmations
- 120 days of appointment history, with 60 days before and 60 days ahead
- Easy integration with Microsoft Teams
- Appointment reassignment among staff members
- Unique appointment scheduling web page
Why Use Microsoft Bookings?
As a business, you can provide your availability for office hours and allow clients to book appointments. Even your departments can schedule appointments with both internal and external community members for collaborative meetings. Additionally, a departmental chair or administrator could generate an office hours calendar with various slots for multiple clients.
How to Start Using Bookings
Anybody can create their own bookings page and begin to schedule meetings and appointments seamlessly. To get started, follow these steps:
- Log into Office 365 using your DU email and password
- Click All Apps and then Bookings
- Integrate Bookings with Outlook
- Integrate Bookings with Teams
- Begin to schedule meetings and appointments
Microsoft Bookings Support In Connecticut
It’s always a wise idea to try customizing your Microsoft features to fit your individual needs best. Microsoft Bookings’ capabilities go far beyond simply scheduling meetings and can be a great way to help keep your teams safe while returning to work. Realized Solutions can help you keep up with any Microsoft Products transitions. If you would like some help to get the most out of your Microsoft 365 suite, please reach out to us.
Realized Solutions is your trusted IT services and software development company in Connecticut. We help businesses deploy and take advantage of various Microsoft products and solutions. Instead of outsourcing bits and pieces of IT services to different companies, Realized Solutions takes care of it all. We work with our partners throughout Connecticut to ignite tremendous opportunity by embracing smart technology and offering top-quality IT services. Contact us today to learn more about Microsoft Bookings and other applications within Office 365.
