> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.spacebring.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Applications for bookings

> Set up booking permission levels to require applications instead of immediate bookings, understand how customers apply and how to process booking applications

Spacebring empowers users to handle their bookings and payments independently. However, you can control access by customizing booking permissions for specific resources.

## Prerequisites

To ensure proper management of booking applications, make sure to fulfill the following requirements:

1. [Enable the](/support/tickets) [**Support**](/support/tickets) [page](/support/tickets).
2. [Set the **Support** page visibility to "Public"](/location/visibility) so applicants can see administrators' responses.
3. Enable [admin notifications](/account/notifications) to receive a push or email whenever users book or apply for resources.

## Understand booking permissions

You can set booking permissions for all resources:

* Rooms
* Desks
* Parking lots
* Offices
* Equipment

Booking permissions are defined by two settings:

* **Visibility** – Who can *see* the resource
* **Booking** – Who can *book* the resource immediately

If the "Booking" level is lower than the "Visibility" level, users outside of the allowed group are restricted from creating bookings and can only apply for them. To understand and use the visibility settings, check [this article](/location/visibility).

### Booking permission levels

| **Administrators**                | Only administrators can make bookings immediately; other users can apply.                                                                                                                                     |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Location members**              | Administrators and location members can make bookings immediately; other users can apply.                                                                                                                     |
| **Network members**               | Administrators, location members, and network members can make bookings immediately; external users can apply.                                                                                                |
| **Public**                        | All users can make bookings immediately.                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Members with exclusive access** | Administrators and members who are subscribed to a plan that explicitly includes these resources (via the ["Exclusive access" setting](/billing/plans)) can make bookings immediately; other users can apply. |

For example, if "Visibility" is set to "Public" and "Booking" is set to "Location members", everyone can see this resource, but only members and administrators can book it immediately. Nonmembers can apply for the booking. [Understand user roles](/customer-management/roles)

<Info>
  The "Booking" permission is set as "Public" by default.
</Info>

## Configure booking permissions

1. Go to **Resources** > **Rooms, Desks, Offices**, **Parking,** or **Equipment**.
2. Add or edit a resource that requires administrator verification and configure the "Visibility" and "Booking" permissions.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/spacebring/bBehq1JPxekYd-C_/images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bBehq1JPxekYd-C_&q=85&s=6641310dd08481daae72dc5a633f0e39" alt="" width="1089" height="869" data-path="images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-1.png" />
</Frame>

3. Once the permissions are configured, press `Save`.

## How users apply for a booking

1. Go to the page with the necessary resource.
2. Select the resource, date, and time, and press `Apply`.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/spacebring/bBehq1JPxekYd-C_/images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-2.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bBehq1JPxekYd-C_&q=85&s=4ae3434a6aafabe394aca4b68198cc07" alt="" width="1133" height="869" data-path="images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-2.png" />
</Frame>

<Danger>
  If the **Support** page is disabled, the `Apply` button is greyed out. If **Support** is enabled but not "Public", users can submit applications but won’t see ticket updates or admin replies.
</Danger>

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/spacebring/bBehq1JPxekYd-C_/images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-3.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bBehq1JPxekYd-C_&q=85&s=1cba8d920baabbab1976a21d62be96ba" alt="" width="2372" height="1477" data-path="images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-3.png" />
</Frame>

## How administrators manage booking applications

1. Once the user submits a booking application, a new ticket appears on the **Support** page. Via the support ticket, you can request verification documents or communicate with the user.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/spacebring/bBehq1JPxekYd-C_/images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-4.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bBehq1JPxekYd-C_&q=85&s=34c45280d1dc6d076194714223430f5d" alt="" width="1626" height="869" data-path="images/resource-management-bookings-applications-for-bookings-4.png" />
</Frame>

2. If the booking is approved, proceed in your preferred way:

* If the "Booking" permission for this resource is set to "Location members" or "Network members", you can click on the user's name in the support ticket to invite them as a member and let them book and pay on their own.
* Invite the user as a member and [book on their behalf using the “Invoice” payment method.](/integrations/bookings/book-for-customers-with-the-invoice-payment-method)
* Keep the user as a nonmember and [book on their behalf using the “Invoice” payment method.](/integrations/bookings/book-for-customers-with-the-invoice-payment-method)

## Best practices

Restricting booking permissions is perfect for:

* Podcast or recording studios, massage rooms, beauty workstations, or costly equipment that require a background check and should not be available for instant booking by nonmembers.
* Resources with flexible or irregular schedules, like conference halls or event venues, where availability must be confirmed.
* Resources with conditional pricing structures.
* Any resources that should only be accessible after admin approval rather than immediate booking by certain user groups.

**FAQ**

<Accordion title="Why did a customer submit a support ticket/booking request instead of immediately booking?">
  If the customer submitted a booking application, it means that the "Booking" permission of the resource they booked is set to require approval rather than allowing immediate booking. To check and adjust it:

  1. Go to the **Resources** page > **Rooms, Desks, Offices, Parking,** or **Equipment**, based on what the user booked.
  2. Click (...) > `Edit` next to the necessary resource.
  3. Find the "Booking" permission section and adjust it, as needed, to allow users to book immediately.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Why is one of my resources available for applications only and not for bookings, even though I didn’t change its 'Booking' permission?">
  Please remember that the "Visibility" and "Booking" permissions are interconnected, and the "Booking" permission cannot allow a lower user role than the "Visibility" permission. For example, a room cannot be visible only to members but bookable by the public.

  That's why, when you edit one of these permissions, the other may automatically adjust to maintain this hierarchy. For instance, if you temporarily set the room's "Visibility" to "Administrators," the "Booking" permission automatically adjusts to match. However, if you later revert the "Visibility" to include members or the public, the "Booking" permission does not update automatically. It remains set to "Administrators" unless manually changed.

  To avoid such issues, always review and update both the "Visibility" and "Booking" permissions together to ensure they align with your desired settings.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Do users receive replies to their support tickets via email?">
  All users by default have email notifications **enabled** for support ticket comments ([see which email notifications users receive](/member/account/notifications)). A certain user can only have them disabled in case they manually disabled that specific type of email notifications.
</Accordion>