Search by topic
-
Mobile appGet familiar with our mobile apps for a streamlined scheduling experience
-
Product updatesLearn about the latest Robin product releases, updates, and enhancements
-
Getting startedSet up checklists, onboarding resources, templates, & more.
-
Office settings & featuresSet up meeting services, surveys, announcements, activities & more.
-
Apps & integrationsRobin works better when you connect other services you already use.
-
TroubleshootingCommon troubleshooting topics & tips
-
Intro to RobinLearn the Robin essentials to jump-start your Robin experience
-
BookingsHow to book rooms, desks, lockers, and parking.
-
Check insHow to check in to confirm resource reservations and office visits.
-
Collaborate with my teamCoordinate schedules and stay up to speed with office activities & announcements
-
My user profile + settingsUpdate your user profile and preferences
-
Connect my everyday apps with RobinConnect Robin with the apps you use in your day-to-day.
-
Upload & Configure floor plansHow to upload floor plans and configure bookable resources
-
Integrate a calendar system for Room schedulingHow to integrate your organization's calendar system for meeting & room scheduling and sycning.
-
DesksManage seating charts, desk policies, settings, amenities, & more.
-
RoomsManage room scheduling settings & policies, add room displays, and more.
-
Office visitors & deliveriesHow to invite guests to your office and what to expect as the host. Learn how to pick up a package.
-
Visitor & delivery managementLearn how to set up and use our Visitor and delivery management system, including arrival displays, badges, visitor registration, tracking office deliveries, and more.
-
User management & provisioningManaging user roles, single-sign-on, SCIM provisioning, & more.
-
Global account & security resourcesCustomize brand colors and logos. Security resources. Billing & plan information.
-
Analytics & ReportingUnderstand and manage workplace data with pre-built dashboards, customizable dashboards, and export data reports.
-
Troubleshooting
Quick links
Promoted articles
-
We’ve been busy building new ways to simplify the chaos of hybrid work. From smarter planning to smoother operations, here’s what’s new in Robin:
Bring Order to Chaos with the Workplace Operations Dashboard
Managing a modern office means juggling a hundred things at once. Robin’s workplace operations dashboard brings it all into one view so nothing slips through the cracks.
Use the dashboard to:
- Monitor the health of your workplace at a glance
- Track devices, visitor activity, meeting services, and delivery volume
- Stay ahead of issues before they become fire drills
No more tab-hopping or tool overload. From employee feedback to AV setup requests, Robin gives workplace teams the visibility and control to keep things running smoothly without the daily scramble. To access the dashboard, click on your user profile image at the top right of your screen and select ‘Workplace Dashboard’ from the dropdown.
Click here to learn more about the workplace operations dashboard.
Availability: Available now for all admins.
Note that the specific sections and actions available to you may vary depending on your user permissions.
Insights on Demand with Robin’s Analytics AI Assistant [Early Access]
Admins already use Robin to make sense of their office data. Now, the Analytics AI assistant takes it further by giving you answers in seconds, no spreadsheet required.
Whether you're troubleshooting crowded anchor days or planning a move, the AI assistant acts like a workplace analyst on call 24/7. Just ask a question (like “Which rooms had the most cancellations in the past 30 days?”), and it delivers a formatted, filtered response ready to share or act on.
Here’s what you can do:
- Uncover usage trends across buildings, spaces, and teams
- Surface problems like ghost meetings or no-show bookings
- Go from “I think” to “I know” in less time, with less guesswork
Availability: Early access for Advanced Analytics customers. Not using Advanced Analytics? Reach out to your CSM to learn more.
More on the Analytics AI Assistant here.
Reserve Parking Spots and Lockers With Ease [Early Access]
Robin now supports reservable parking spots and lockers, giving employees access to more of the resources they need, and admins more control over how they’re managed.
This update includes:
- Support for parking lots, garages, and lockers as bookable resources
- Policies to limit one desk and one parking spot per person, per day
- Overlapping booking controls for better space management
- Grouping, sub-categories, and updated UI to help users find what’s available
- Support for booking via mobile and the new interactive map (map beta required)
Availability: Reach out to your CSM to gain early access.
What Else is New
Smarter Meeting Services, in Robin and Outlook
Whether you’re working in Robin or directly in Outlook, managing meeting logistics just got easier.
New in Outlook: Robin’s updated Outlook add-in helps simplify room coordination without leaving your calendar.
- Attendees can now propose space changes directly in Outlook. This makes it easier to coordinate shifts for large or complex meetings
- See space responses at a glance. Busy, Accepted, Declined, and more now appear right on the room card, so there's no need to hover or guess
New in Robin: We’ve also made it easier to manage meeting services in Robin.
- Attach files and auto-generate PDFs for meeting requests—perfect for sharing orders or creating quick invoices
- Export individual service tickets to send directly to vendors, even if they don’t use Robin
From initial scheduling to setup and support, Robin gives you the tools to coordinate every meeting, wherever you work.
Availability: Available now for all customers.
A Fresh Experience for Robin’s Analytics
We’ve refreshed the Robin analytics experience to make it easier for every customer to find and act on the data that matters most. You’ll now see new dashboards like Desk Insights, Space Insights, and Executive Insights, along with a cleaner layout that makes navigation faster and more intuitive.
We’ve also consolidated some dashboards to reduce duplication and updated the interface for a more focused experience. While things may look a little different, nearly all of your existing data is still right where you need it.
Click here to review the updates.
Need more flexibility?
Advanced Analytics gives you access to:
- Custom reports tailored to your workplace questions
- Unlimited historical data (compared to the 90-day standard)
- Drill-down functionality to move from trends to specifics in seconds
- Scheduled reports and smart alerts for leadership
- Integration with your existing systems through the Analytics API
Reach out to your CSM to see what’s possible with Advanced Analytics.
New Access Control Integration: Genea
You can now integrate Genea with Robin to make check-ins even easier. When employees swipe their badge at a Genea-controlled door, they’ll be automatically checked into Robin.
It’s a simple way to improve data accuracy and reduce manual check-ins, all while keeping your workplace secure and efficient.
Export and Share Move Information
Admins can now export drafted assignment changes from Scenario Planning to simplify coordination with movers and facilities teams. The CSV export includes everything they need—who’s moving, from where, and to where—even if they don’t use Robin.
Exports are delivered in a clean CSV format that will include Building, Floor, Employee name, Previous desk, and New desk.
Updated Permissions Page for Easier Navigation
The Permissions page now uses a cleaner, tabular format, making it easier to scan and find exactly what you're looking for. No more digging, just quick, organized access to permission settings.
On-Site Check-In Behavior Now Matches Intent
Now, when someone checks in on-site—like with a badge swipe—they’ll be checked into their desk even if it’s before the remote check-in window. This update ensures early arrivals are recorded properly while still preventing remote check-ins from home.
Better Attendance Tracking Starts With “Who’s In”
We’re improving how attendance is displayed across Robin, starting with updates to the Who’s In view on the home screen. Instead of a basic checked-in status, you’ll now see:
- Confirmed on-site check-ins via badge or Wi-Fi
- Remote check-ins where presence is unverified
- Scheduled status for anyone expected in but not yet checked in
The updated column is live for all users, with more enhancements coming soon, including a revamped Roster page.
-
See our pricing page for the full list of available plans.
First time setting up an office with Robin? You're in exactly the right place. Follow this checklist and you'll be up and running in no time.
Build & customize your office building
Before jumping in, do you have multiple office locations to set up and manage? Appoint dedicated Office Admins in Robin to delegate office location-specific tasks.
-
During the onboarding process, Robin will prompt you to add your building. Then, you can add more building details later (e.g., working hours, timezone, and address).
-
During the onboarding process, Robin will prompt you to add floors to your building and submit floor plans to be converted to Robin maps for each floor.
-
Keep the office running smoothly and gain a better perspective of how it is being used with our scheduling policies and desk policies.
-
Pro tips: Turn on the abandoned meeting & desk protection policies. These allow desk & meeting space reservations to be automatically canceled if no one checks in by a certain time. This helps free up office resources for others to use and gives office managers a better understanding of office utilization.
- Allocate desks effectively and give priority desk booking access to specific users to maximize office space usage.
-
-
Customize your organization with branding.
-
Add your own custom amenities options under Manage > Amenities so users can easily find exactly which rooms or desks are equipped with the tools they need.
-
[Requires Advanced Authentication & User Management] Do you need to restrict who is allowed to sit where or have special roles for managers who can assign and reserve seats for others? Set up groups and permissions.
-
[Requires Visitor & Delivery Management] Need a way to manage office visitors? Use our Visitor management feature found under the Visits tab in the web dashboard to pre-register guests, notify the host of guest arrival, and monitor visitors with the visitor log.
-
Set up a badge printer to provide your guests with a name tag.
-
Add a guest pre-arrival health questionnaire and documentation agreements (NDAs) at check-in.
-
- [Requires Visitor & Delivery Management] Easily track incoming office deliveries and promptly notify the recipient with our Delivery management system.
-
Share office updates, policies, & events with employees in real-time with our Workplace Announcement feature,
-
Bring people together, creating a social atmosphere and a sense of community by creating and joining office activities.
-
Do you want to understand what drives employees to come into the office and how to make it a place folks go to do their best work? Or managing a new facility and curious how employees are liking it? Check out our Workplace Experience survey here.
Create interactive office maps
- From a floor map, add spaces, desks, soft furnishings, and points of interest for an interactive office experience.
- Assign seats to employees who need a permanent desk with our interactive seating chart.
Connect your calendar system
Robin supports Google and Outlook (Office 365/Exchange) calendars. Below are in-depth checklists for connecting each type of calendar system.Add your room calendars
Each space in Robin needs to be paired with a unique calendar resource in order for users to reserve the room and see its availability from the office map. You can add room calendars using the Layout tool or by following the guides below.Set up user authentication and provisioning
Robin supports several methods of user authentication. By default, password logins are enabled to start.- Invite all users at once with a csv file: Once you upload this, all users are sent an automatic invitation to join your Robin account.
- Enable SSO via Google or Office 365.
- [Advanced Authentication & User Management required] SCIM provisioning: Provisioning users via SCIM through either Okta, Azure, or OneLogin allows you to “silently” invite and remove users from Robin.
Choose how your users will interact with Robin
Room and desk booking
- Robin mobile app
- Robin web dashboard
- Status boards and interactive kiosks
- Deploy the Google (Rooms only) or Outlook (Rooms & Desks) calendar plugin for employees to easily find the best-fit resources for a productive day at the office from the comfort of their own Google or Outlook calendar!
-
Scannable QR code or NFC tag: Local desk check-ins with stickers make it easy & convenient for employees to find a desk, book a desk, and check in to a desk at the office. QR code & NFC stickers are available for purchase in the web dashboard (Manage > Stickers).
- Automated desk check-ins: Employees will automatically be checked into their desk reservation when they walk into the office.
- Setting up QR codes/NFC tags and/or automated check-ins is key if your office is implementing Local check-ins only.
Room booking only
-
Robin room display app
-
Allow you to book a space on the spot for those impromptu events that pop up.
-
Notifications and office search
- Slack and Teams integrations-- You can search for open workspaces, get reminders to check in for your desk and room bookings, and get updates on who plans to be in this week!
Launch!
- Use our email template to introduce your office to Robin.
Where to find help
We're here to help when you need it. Send us an email at support@robinpowered.com or click the chat button in the lower right corner of the web dashboard. Someone from our team will get back to you as soon as possible. -
-
Introduction
This guide outlines best practices for tracking workplace occupancy. Accurately understanding workplace occupancy can help your organization make informed decisions about your office space, make changes to enhance employee satisfaction, and reduce unnecessary costs.
What does workplace occupancy mean?
Is it how many people are in your office? Is it booking desks? Is it just using spaces? Workplace occupancy means knowing who is present in your office regardless of the desks or spaces they’ve booked.
What does workplace presence mean?
Workplace presence is data capturing when a person is confirmed to be physically present in the office.
Why is tracking workplace occupancy important?
Accurate workplace occupancy data is essential for optimizing office space utilization, enhancing employee collaboration, and reducing operational costs. By understanding how and who uses the office, organizations can make strategic decisions about office layouts and policies, ensuring that the work environment aligns with employee needs and promotes productivity.
Best practices for tracking workplace occupancy
-
Whether your organization uses assigned desks, hoteled desks, or both, enabling the desk check-in feature is essential for collecting workplace occupancy data because it provides clarity, accountability, and operational efficiency.
-
Turn on the local check-in-only feature for desks for the most accurate occupancy data. This policy ensures that people can only check into their desks when they're physically present in the office.
-
Set up one (or more) of the 3 local check-in methods to support the local check-in policy:
- Configure automatic check-ins using your office wifi.
- Integrate your badge system to allow employees to be checked into Robin automatically when they swipe their badge. Badge integration options:
- Set up scannable QR codes on desks.
Tracking your workplace occupancy
Track your occupancy score in the Occupancy analytics dashboard, which measures the difference between how many people could be in the office on a single day and how many people actually show up. A higher score means that more desks are occupied. If a space is too large, it is unlikely that employees will have as many in-person interactions. Knowing the data behind this score can help you understand whether you need to expand or contract your office space.
- Note that badge data shows up in analytics as a desk check-in and/or counts towards someone in the office (workplace presence).
The following dashboards and exports include workplace presence data points (data capturing when someone is physically confirmed to be in the office):
The following dashboards and exports specifically include desk check-in data points:
- Workplace Insights dashboard
- Desk Check-Ins by Booking Type dashboard
- Desk Check-Ins dashboard
- Workplace Occupancy dashboard
- Hybrid Work Policy export
- Activity Summary export
- Desk export
Who occupied the office today?
If you need a daily report of everyone who came into the office for the day, with or without a desk reservation, we recommend using the Workplace Presence export for the most accurate report.
-
-
Robin now offers two new resource types, parking spots and lockers, to provide organizations with more tools to manage their office resources and improve the employee experience.
Parking Spots
- Organizations can set up parking lots and parking garages with parking spots for employees to book.
- This is a significant upgrade to having a unique parking spot resource, offering improved visual clarity and functionality.
- Admins can limit users to booking a single parking space per day, in addition to a single desk booking per day.
Lockers
- Organizations can add lockers as bookable resources within the office.
- This feature enhances the employee experience by providing a clear system for reserving and utilizing available lockers.
Key Improvements
Both parking spots and lockers are built on a brand-new backend, delivering significant performance and stability enhancements as well as some usability improvements, including:
-
New layout tool functionality
- New grouping functionality
- Sub-categories for improved clarity of available resources
- New end-user map interface that’s faster and easier to use (required in order to book parking & lockers)
Features coming soon
The following features are not included today, but will be added throughout the early access period:
- Local Check-ins
- Assignments
- Location-specific permissions
- Custom resources
Permissions
- By default, the member role allows every member to book all spaces, desks, parking spots, and lockers.
- Booking permissions for parking and lockers are either fully granted or completely denied and cannot be limited by location.
- Manage custom resource booking permissions on the Roles page (Manage > Roles).
-
We are introducing a new mobile app, Robin Workplace. Robin Workplace is a new end-user app for employees built with new technology for a faster experience. We are launching this app alongside the existing Robin app to test the new mobile experience at scale before migrating all customers from the current Robin app.
In this guide, we’ve summarized the use cases and expectations for each app.
1. Robin app
- This is Robin’s original app for end users and employees. All customers not participating in the Parking and Locker early access program should continue to use this.
- It will continue to be available for the next few quarters alongside the Robin Workplace app.
2. Robin Workplace app
- This is the new Robin app for end users and employees who are participating in the Parking and Locker early access program. Organizations using custom resources must use this app to access custom resources on mobile.
- It's built with new technology for a faster experience.
With Robin Workplace, you can:
- See a map view with available parking, lockers, and desks, and book them.
- Select a space to view details.
- Use the schedule view to see your working location, including assigned and hoteled desks and events for the day (when your personal calendar is connected).
- See space suggestions when an event doesn’t have a space (but you can’t change the suggestion).
- See desk suggestions if a desk hasn’t been booked (but you can’t change the suggestion).
Features that are available in the original Robin app, but are not available in the Robin Workplace app (yet):
- Adding a space to an existing event
-
Manual & automatic check-ins
- Wi-Fi/badge check-in for parking and lockers
- QR code check-in for desks
- Booking a space directly from the space
- Announcements
- Activities
-
Profile and settings
- Default schedule
- List of desk reservations
- Avatars
- Workweek view
-
People tab with a list of people
- Favorites
- Who’s In
- Hybrid work policy
- Reset your password workflow
This list will evolve over time as we continue to develop the new app.
-
What’s improved?
- A faster, more performant map experience.
- Ability to book parking and lockers.
- Improved date picker to better support multiple-day bookings.
- Enhanced zoom levels for more focused workflows.
- Moved from a pop-over to a sidebar experience to provide better navigation.
How to access the new map
In the web dashboard on the Office map, there is a pop-up module with a prompt to switch to the new and faster map. Click Try it out to access it.
Employee experience
- Can book parking and lockers.
- The date picker now includes tabs at the top to choose between making single, multi-day, or date-range desk bookings (if the office policy supports hotel desk bookings).
- Easily access the office they used most recently.
- Improved zoom levels that help orient employees on the map to better understand where their booked desks or spaces are.
- A more purposeful reservation end-time drop-down menu.
- An at-a-glance view of all avatars to see who is sitting where.
- No more pop-over modals blocking the employee's view—now all desk and space booking actions are handled through the right sidebar menu.
Admin experience
- A smoother and more intuitive workflow for managing desk assignments directly from the office map.
- All desk and space actions take place in the right sidebar menu, including everything admins need to know about the desk or space, such as assignments & reservations for the week, booking policies, & more. No more pop-over modules blocking visibility.
Future enhancements coming soon
- Edit and cancel multi-day and range desk bookings
- Viewing all bookings and suggestions
- People search and wayfinding
Not available yet
- People views
- Who's in list with search
- Favorites
- Announcements
- Hybrid Work Policy
-
Introduction
Meeting service assignees and approvers can manage service requests in the Tickets tab on the Services page in the web dashboard. Here, you can:
- Track
- Update
- Export ticket logs
- Download tickets as a PDF
- Communicate service request statuses & updates
View request details
- Click on the blue ticket link to open the ticket and review the request details.
Download the ticket request as a PDF
- Select the PDF icon in the top right corner of the ticket details module.
Filter & export tickets
- Use the filters at the top of each column to easily search for specific ticket information.
- Download a CSV file of the current ticket view for flexible data analysis and reporting. The CSV file reflects any filters you have applied.
Update the ticket status
- Click the Status field and select a new status from the drop-down menu.
- The service assignee and requester are notified via email of the status update and any changes made to the location or delivery time.
Note: If you change the status to Done or Cancelled for a past event, you cannot reactivate or update it back to To-do or In Progress.
Example of a status update email notification:
-
Requires
Compatible Apps
- Outlook 2013 or later
- Outlook 2016 for Mac
- Outlook on the Web
- Outlook on Windows
Intro
The Microsoft Outlook Add-In provides easy access to Robin where people already get work done. The Add-In works alongside the Outlook calendar for convenient room and desk bookings.
Add rooms to meetings
The Add-In will suggest the best-suited spaces based on the location, meeting criteria, and the user’s recent and frequent room reservations.
Book desks for the same day as in-office meetings
The Add-In provides users with desk recommendations for quick and easy desk bookings right from the Add-In. Users can view, cancel, and end desk reservations directly from the Add-In.
Installing the Add-In
Robin's Outlook Add-In is available on Microsoft AppSource. Once installed by an administrator, it will appear as an option in both Outlook's desktop and web app Add-In menus for users to access.
For Exchange customers:
Exchange 2016 or higher allows admins to configure Office Add-Ins like Robin via a manual install. If you've never installed an Add-In for your on-premise environment before, you may need to adjust your configuration to allow store installs. Microsoft's "Install or remove Add-Ins for Outlook for your organization" guide shows you how to do this using the manifest file below.
Manual Install
Can't use the Office Store? To install the Add-In via a manifest instead, use https://extensions-v2.robinpowered.com/outlook/production/manifest.xml
Internet Explorer
The Outlook Add-In is not supported on Internet Explorer.
Managing user access to the Add-In
By default, all users on your Outlook account have access to Outlook Add-Ins. However, if administrators have enabled more specific permissions, Add-Ins may only be available to individual groups. It's important to note that apps like Robin cannot manage these permissions for you. If you want only certain users to access Robin's Add-In (or any other Add-Ins), an admin will need to adjust user permissions within Outlook accordingly.
Things to know about the Robin Add-In before introducing it to employees
-
Make sure user consent is enabled on the organizational level.
-
If employees are instructed to log in using SSO, make sure users have the "Enable pop-ups" setting ON for their web browser.
-
The Robin Add-In requires a minimum of API version 1.1 (Exchange 2013+ On-premise)
-
Outlook Add-Ins can support recurring events for customers running Outlook API 1.7+.
-
Outlook Add-Ins support delegate booking for customers running Outlook API version 1.8 + and above. Check Microsoft's guide to see if your Outlook version qualifies.
-
For the best user experience, set up amenities and capacity for each space.
Room booking tips
-
Robin simply syncs events from your Outlook calendar to the Robin dashboard, room displays, & mobile app, relying on your native calendar rules to recognize conflict.
-
When users book through the Robin dashboard or mobile app they're booking events on behalf of the booking user, unless personal booking settings are configured.
-
When users book events in the Outlook calendar they're booking through their own account. Events booked through the Add-In have the same behavior as booking via Outlook Calendar. For users to book via the Add-In, they need to have the correct permissions to book events on the resource calendars.
Common Pitfall
If users hit this screen below when trying to open the Robin Add-In for the first time, you'll need to enable user consent at an organizational level in order for users to access the Add-In.
-
This message is typically related to a syncing issue with your personal calendar integration. This is usually a quick fix by disconnecting and reconnecting your personal calendar integration. To do this, follow the steps outlined below.
First, disconnect your calendar integration:
- In the web dashboard, navigate to your user profile in the top right corner.
-
Click User Settings.
-
Click Integrations in the left panel.
-
Depending on which calendar system you use, click Manage next to either Google or Microsoft 365.
- Click Remove at the bottom of the page.
- Robin will ask you if you're sure you want to remove your account, click Ok.
Now, connect your calendar integration again:
- From the integration page, click Connect next to your calendar system.
- Click Connect again.
- Follow the Oauth verification steps.
- Now, try booking a room again.
- If you're still having trouble, try:
- Logging out of Robin and back in.
- Clearing your web browser's cache.
- No luck? Use the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of the Robin screen to reach out to our customer support team. They are happy to help! Pro tip: Include a screenshot of the error message you're hitting.
-
Looking to jump-start your Robin journey? You've come to the right place! This quick start guide will help you learn all the basics to get going.
1. Join your organization
You can join your company's Robin account in one of two ways: by email invitation or single-sign-on with your work email address.
By email invitation
If you've received an email invitation to join Robin, get started by clicking the link inside the email.
Keep in mind that each invitation is unique, usable once, and can only be accepted by the email it was sent to. Invite link expires after 2 weeks.
1. Click the link in your email invitation. It will take you to a login screen.
2. Create your account using the same email address that received the email invitation. Then, complete setting up your user account.
Hit an error message?
If you hit an error message, reach out to your internal office admin to request an invitation to join your organization's Robin account.
Single Sign-On (SSO) with your work email address
If your Robin administrator has enabled single sign-on, you may sign in using your existing credentials for either Google, Microsoft 365, or SAML.
1. Open your web browser and go to https://dashboard.robinpowered.com/login
2. Enter your work email, then select your desired single sign-on method and use those credentials to log in and complete the OAuth workflow.
2. Set your user preferences
You can customize your Robin experience with workplace preferences, such as choosing your homepage and setting a preferred office location.
Open your user profile in the top right corner of the web dashboard > user settings> scroll down to the "Workplace preferences" section.
-
This is where you can choose which homepage view works best for you. The default homepage is the Schedule page, but you can change it to the Office tab, which shows a map for quick bookings.
-
Decide what day of the week your schedule page should start on and whether it should include weekends.
Next up, add a default location & schedule
Select the Default location & schedule tab on the user settings page in the left side panel. This is where you can opt into Robin's AI desk booking feature!
-
Select the office and floor you work on most often, and Robin will default to this when you book resources.
-
If you have the same schedule each week, select "Remote" or "In office" for each day of the week. This is your default schedule that Robin will use to streamline your experience.
-
If you set up a default schedule & preferred office location, the Automatic Desk booking feature is perfect for you. This feature allows Robin to book desks for you based on your past preferences, default schedule, and preferred office. You can turn this feature ON/OFF here.
3. Download the mobile app
Robin has a free mobile app for iOS and Android phones. Scan the QR code with your phone or follow the links below.
Then, follow the steps to log in to the mobile app for the first time.
4. Book your first desk
Jump right in and try booking your first desk using the mobile app!
Mobile app:
- 1. Open the mobile app and tap Book a desk at the top of the home screen. Or tap the + button at the bottom of the home screen, then tap Book a desk from the menu.
-
- 2. Now you're on an interactive map where you can easily see what desks are available.
-
A. If you need to change floors, buildings, dates, and times use the drop-down options at the top.
B. To book a desk for multiple days tap the calendar icon & toggle on the "Book multiple days" option. Then tap the dates you need a desk for.
- 3. Tap a green desk on the map to see more information and the option to reserve it.
-
- 4. Tap Reserve to book the desk. You can invite co-workers to join you in the office by tapping Share, then select the app of your choice to send your reservation link to a teammate (e.g., Slack).
-
5. Book your first meeting room
On mobile
- 1. Open the mobile app and tap the + button at the bottom of the home screen > tap Book a space. Or tap the Office tab.
-
- 2. Now you're on the interactive map, set your room search criteria using the menus at the top.
-
Use the filter icon in the top right corner to find the best-fit room for your meeting. For example, if your meeting requires any special equipment, like a whiteboard, you can add an amenities filter to focus on rooms that have a whiteboard.
- 3. Tap a space on the map to book it.
- 4. Tap Book or New event & fill out your event details. Then tap Create to complete your booking.
On web dashboard
From the office search page, click Find a space and select your meeting details and criteria. For a deeper dive into event bookings, head this way!
Now that you know how to book a desk and a space, let's take a quick look at how easy it is to plan your week.
6. Plan your workweek
Robin's Schedule tab in the web dashboard and mobile app are interactive schedules that make it easy to plan the optimal days for in-office work. This is where you can:
-
Book a desk if you need one.
-
Update your work status to let others know when you'll be in the office without having to book a desk.
-
View a list of everyone who's planning to be in the office and where they'll be sitting, so you can book near your team. Click "View all" to expand the list.
-
Join social events with office activities.
-
Stay up to speed with office announcements.
-
Update any changes to your plans.
If you have a hybrid work schedule, check out How to plan your work week & see who's in guide!
7. Learn how to view your desk reservations
On mobile
You can also look up your upcoming reservations by following the View all reservations link on the mobile home screen (Schedule tab).
On web dashboard
You can manage your desk reservations and/or seat assignments under your user profile.
8. Learn how to view your meeting schedule
On mobile
The mobile home screen highlights your upcoming meetings for that day, and for an expanded view of your schedule, tap the calendar icon in the top right corner. Tap the event to open the module where you can:
- See meeting details
- RSVP
- Edit the event if you're the organizer
On web dashboard schedule page
Schedule page > Workweek tab > provides a view of your schedule each day, including upcoming meetings. Select view reservations and a meeting title to see more details.
Schedule page > My meetings tab > provides a focused view of all your scheduled meetings events.
Office policies to have on the radar
Note, that not every office implements these office policies, so if this doesn't sound familiar skip this section.
- Does your office require desk and/or meeting room check-ins? Not to worry, it's super simple!
Office search tips
-
Desk status colors to help you find a desk quickly:
-
Green = Available
-
Dark grey = Occupied; click to see who is occupying it.
-
Grey Slash (/) = An administrator made the desk unavailable for use. Reach out to your office admin to learn more.
-
-
User permissions: You can see all spaces/desks from the map, but only the resources you have permission to book (and are available) will show as “green” and available to reserve.
-
Office access: Robin will call out the days you do and don't have permission to use the office. You'll notice the "book desk" button is not emphasized, and the desks appear faded on days you don't have access.
-
Office hours: Your office may restrict reservations to working hours only and we'll let you know when you're attempting to book outside of office hours.
-
-
Robin has free mobile apps for iOS and Android phones. Scan the QR code with your phone or follow the links below.
They work best when connected to wifi or cellular data, and are running updated operating systems. This means iOS 12+ and Android 5+ on a supported device.
AppConfig
As of August 2018, the mobile app supports AppConfig. Admins can auto-fill the "org username" using the variable org_domain.
Visibility tip
Improving visibility around your office can also help in training your employees to use Robin for their trips into the office. Below, you'll find four PDF printables with QR codes that direct people to download the mobile app. You can display these in your office for easy access.
-
Find a room for your meetings and events using the interactive map on the Office page that reflects availability in real-time, or add a space to an upcoming meeting from your workweek Schedule.
Office map
Follow the steps outlined below according to the map you're using to book a room.
1. Navigate to the Office tab and click a space on the map or click Find a space for additional space search criteria to find the optimal space for your needs.
2. Set your search criteria using the drop-down fields at the top. The start and end times respect your office's work hours.
3. When you see something you like, click the Book Meeting button or one of the green time pills to open the event composer.
4. Use the event composer to fill in the event details and complete your booking. For more information on organizing events for others, check out this article.
- In the web dashboard, navigate to the Office tab.
- Use the fields at the top of the interactive map to set your search criteria.
- Select Spaces in the top left corner for advanced filters.
- Select the building and floor fields if you need a room in a different office or on a different floor.
- Select a space on the map to see more information. This opens a menu on the right.
- Review the details, including any booking policies you need to be aware of.
- Select New event or a time slot to book the room.
- Use the event composer to add your meeting details.
6. Select Book now to complete your booking.
You may notice the new map is missing some functionality in the early access program, but the functionality will continue to evolve.
Learn more about the power of the event composer here.
How to book a room from the Schedule page
Robin highlights any upcoming meetings you have scheduled on your Workweek view. On days you're scheduled to come to the office, you'll notice a space suggestion and a one-click booking button next to meetings without a space. Hot tip: Connect your calendar to see who is attending the meeting in the office.
1. Open the Workweek tab on the Schedule page.
2. Click the upcoming meeting you'd like to add a room to.
3. In the right sidebar, click Add to Event to book the suggested space, or click Find Another to search for a different space to book using the office map instead.
add here
How to book a space from the Schedule page
Robin highlights any upcoming meetings you have scheduled on your Workweek view. On days you're scheduled to come to the office, you'll notice a space suggestion and a one-click booking button next to meetings without a space. Hot tip: Connect your calendar to see who is attending the meeting in the office.
1. Open the Workweek tab on the Schedule page.
2. Click the upcoming meeting you'd like to add a room to.
3. In the right sidebar, click Add to Event to book the suggested space, or click Find Another to search for a different space to book using the office map instead. hh
How to book a room from the Schedule page
Robin highlights any upcoming meetings you have scheduled on your Workweek view. On days you're scheduled to come to the office, you'll notice a space suggestion and a one-click booking button next to meetings without a space. Hot tip: Connect your calendar to see who is attending the meeting in the office.
1. Open the Workweek tab on the Schedule page.
2. Click the upcoming meeting you'd like to add a room to.
3. In the right sidebar, click Add to Event to book the suggested space, or click Find Another to search for a different space to book using the office map instead. hh
-
Overview
If you have the same schedule each week, then the Automatic Desk Booking feature is perfect for you. This feature allows Robin to book desks for you based on your past preferences, default schedule, and preferred office.
How it works
After you opt-in, each day, desks are booked in a random order for people within the organization using the automatic desk booking feature. Desks will be booked out for you based on the Advanced Booking Threshold for your preferred location or up to a max of 31 days from today's date.
- Example: If your building's Advanced Booking Threshold is 14 days, desks will be booked for you up to 14 days out. If the Threshold is 3 months, desks will be booked for you up to 31 days out from today.
For Robin to smartly book desks for you, the following must be true:
✅ Automatic Desk Booking feature is enabled for your preferred office location (by an admin).
✅ Automatic Desk Booking feature is turned on under your user preferences.
✅ You have a default work schedule set (remote/in-office status).
✅ You've booked a desk in the last 90 days.
How to turn the feature on
You can turn the feature ON/OFF from your user profile settings or settings preferences on the Workweek view.
User profile settings:
- In the web dashboard, click the profile icon in the top right corner > User settings.
- Select the Default Location & schedule tab on the left.
- Toggle on/off the Automatic desk booking setting.
- If you haven't already, remember to set up your default work schedule.
Workweek preference settings:
-
Open the web dashboard and navigate to the Schedule page if it's not your default homepage.
-
Select your preferred office located in the top left corner.
-
Click the Work status drop-down.
-
Click Edit default schedule.
- In the pop-out module, toggle on the Automatic desk booking setting.
- If you haven't already, set up your default work schedule.
- Click Save.
Cancelling automatically booked desks
If you cancel a desk reservation made for you automatically, Robin will not rebook this desk. You can always manually book a desk for yourself for that day. Auto-booked desks are canceled the same way you cancel manually booked desks. One way to do this is from your user profile:
1. Navigate to your User profile in the top right corner.
2. Click Cancel (all) automatic bookings button or click the action button next to the reservation you want to cancel.
3. Click Cancel reservation(s). When you cancel your desk reservation(s), Robin will update your status to "Remote" unless you uncheck the box.
-
You can make changes to your desk reservations using the web dashboard and mobile app. There are different edit options for hot and hotel desk reservations, which are outlined below.
Single-day (hot desk) reservations
- You can edit the date, time, duration, and location.
-
You can make edits from:
- Schedule page: Web dashboard & mobile app
- Office page: Web dashboard & mobile app
- User profile page: Web dashboard & mobile app
- If your office uses QR codes for desks, you can scan a QR code on a desk to swap your desk, too. Follow this guide to learn more about changing desks using QR codes.
Multiple-day reservations (hotel desk)
-
You can only edit the dates of the hotel reservation.
- If you need to change the time & location, cancel the entire reservation and rebook it.
-
You can make edits from:
- Office page: web dashboard
- User profile page: Web dashboard & mobile app
-
On the mobile app, you can only cancel the selected day from the hotel reservation.
Note
Today, you can only edit your own desk reservation. The edit desk reservation functionally does not support desk delegation. Users with desk delegation permission are limited to ending or canceling a reservation on a user's behalf.
Web dashboard
Schedule page: how to edit a single-day reservation
You cannot edit a multiple-day reservation using the Schedule page.
- Open the web dashboard (click the Schedule tab if it's not your home screen)
- Locate the reservation on your Schedule.
- Click the reservation to open it.
- Next to the reservation details, click the 3 dots to open the action menu.
- Click Edit reservation. This opens the office map.
3. Use the fields at the top to change the time, date, or duration.
4. Click Update reservation.
Office page: how to edit single-day & multiple-day reservations
- Navigate to the Office tab and locate your desk on the map. Look for a red "Your desk" marker.
- Click on your desk to open the reservation.
- Click More...
- Depending on the type of reservation, click Edit or Change dates from the menu. (The image below is for a single-day reservation)
-
-
To edit a single-day reservation, use the fields at the top to change the date, time, or floor. Click Update reservation to save changes.
-
To change the dates of a multiple-day reservation, use the calendar popup to add or remove dates. (To cancel the reservation, remove all the dates.) Click Save.
User profile: edit single & multiple-day reservations
- Open the web dashboard.
- Click your profile in the top right corner.
- Locate the reservation under Desks.
- Click the 3-action dot menu next to the reservation.
- Click Edit reservation or change dates (for multiple-day reservations).
-
Editing a single-day reservation:
- Use the fields at the top of the office map to make changes to your reservation. Click Update reservation.
- Then, let Robin know if you're still coming into the office or if you need to cancel all of your in-office plans.
-
Changing the dates of a multiple-day reservation:
- Use the calendar popup to select different dates. Click Save.
- If you need to cancel a reservation that's for multiple days, go to your user profile and cancel the entire reservation.
Mobile app
- Locate your reservation on your schedule or under your user profile.
- Tap the three dots next to it to open the action menu.
-
Now, there are different modification options based on the type of reservation you have:
- Single-day (hot desk) reservation: You can edit or cancel the reservation. To edit, use the fields at the top of the map to change the date/time. Or cancel the reservation.
- Multiple-day reservation (hotel desk): If the reservation is part of a multiple-day reservation, you can only cancel (remove) that reservation date from the hotel reservation; you cannot change the time.
FAQ
Q: Can users with desk delegation permission edit someone's reservation on their behalf?
A: Not today.
Q: Can I edit my own desk reservation if an office admin (or a user with desk delegation) made the original desk reservation for me?
A: Yes.
-
Overview
With Robin, booking a desk at the office is easy, with access to real-time schedules and availability. You can book a desk when planning your hybrid workweek on the Schedule page, or you can jump to the Office page for a live view of your workplace.
Booking a desk from the Schedule page
1. Click Book a desk on the Schedule page under the Workweek tab.
Robin might ask you to select the office location you want to join if you haven't set your office building preference yet.
2. Use the interactive map to find a desk to book. Adjust the reservation time using the time pickers at the top of the map.
-
The start/end times respect your office's work hours.
-
If your office supports hotel desks, then you can select more than one day at a time in the weekly calendar modal.
3. Click on a desk for more information.
4. Click Book.
Need to reserve desks for others?
User roles with desk delegation and/or desk assignment permission can reserve or assign desks for others the same way you reserve a desk for yourself. However, the desk delegation permission does not support editing the date, time, or floor of another user's reservations, only the end or cancel functionality.
Booking a desk from the Office page
Booking a desk at the office is easy, with access to real-time schedules and availability. Follow the steps outlined below according to the map you're using.
1. Navigate to the Office tab, select a desk on the map to book "right now," or click Book a desk for additional search criteria.
2. You can set your search criteria using the drop-down fields at the top, including any amenities (e.g., a monitor) you may need at your desk. A few things to note:
- The start/end times respect your office's work hours. Assigned seats automatically default to office hours & can't be adjusted.
If your office supports hotel desks, you can select more than one day at a time in the calendar modal.
3. Click on a desk for more details & click Reserve.
Enter name (or email if you're booking a desk for someone and they're not a Robin member yet).
Follow the steps outlined below to learn how to book a desk using the new map.
- In the web dashboard, navigate to the Office tab.
- If you need a desk with specific equipment, select Desks in the top left corner to open the amenities filter.
- Click the building and/or floor fields if you need a desk in a different office or on a different floor.
- Click the date field to open the booking calendar.
- Select the day(s) you need a desk.
-
The start/end times respect your office's work hours.
-
If your office supports hotel desks, use the tabs at the top of the calendar to switch to a multi-day or range-of-days booking calendar.
-
- Next, click the time field to select the booking time you need. You’ll notice the map updates based on your booking needs.
- Click on a green desk on the map to see more details.
- Use the menu on the right to finalize your desk reservation details.
- Click Book to complete your desk reservation.
If you're booking a desk for someone, select Book for and enter the person's name. (Requires desk delegation permission)
Office search tips to keep in mind:
-
Desk status colors:
-
Green = Available
-
Dark grey = Occupied; click to see who is occupying it.
-
Grey Slash (/) = An administrator made the desk unavailable for use.
-
-
User permissions: You can see all spaces/desks from the map, but only the resources you have permission to book (and are available) will show as “green” and available to reserve.
-
Office access: We'll call out the days you do and don't have permission to use the office. You'll notice the "book desk" button is not emphasized and the desks appear faded on days you don't have access.
-
Office capacity: We call out the total number of desks available to book and when the office is at capacity and no longer accepting desk reservations for that day. Note, this does not include assigned desks.
-
Office hours: Robin warns and may block you, depending on how your office is set up, if you're trying to reserve a desk or room outside of the set office hours.
-
Assigned desks: Assigned seats automatically default to the office building hours, which are set by your Robin admin. Meaning you can't adjust the "reservation" time, like flex desk reservations. For example, if your office building hours are 8 am-5 pm then your assigned seat starts at 8 am and ends at 5 pm.
-
-
Introduction
You can check in to your desk (manually) with a tap of a button using Robin and/or everyday tools, like email, Slack, and Teams, or you can automatically check-in via office wifi.
How it works
When can I check in to my desk?
-
Booked desks: You can check into a booked desk any time from the start of the advance check-in window to the end of the reservation.
- Your office admin sets the advance check-in window, and you may lose your booked desk if you do not check in within the advance check-in window if your admin has turned on the Abandoned Desk Protection policy.
-
Assigned desks: Check-ins for assigned desks are tied to the building work hours and the advance check-in window.
- For example, if the advance check-in window is set to 4 hours and the office opens at 8 am, you can check in to your assigned desk starting at 4 am.
What if I no longer need my desk?
If you decide you no longer need your desk, change your status to "Remote" or click Cancel reservation and then:
-
For a single-day booking, the reservation is canceled, and the desk becomes available for others to use.
-
For multi-day bookings, we'll cancel your booking for that day only, and it becomes available for others to use for that day.
-
For assigned desks, we'll mark that you're working remotely. You will still have your assigned desk unless your organization allows you to release your assigned desk. If you release your assigned desk (using your desk-sharing calendar), someone else can book it.
-
Now that you're working remotely, you'll no longer see your desk/seat assignment on your schedule for that day.
-
⏰ You need to check in every day for assigned seats or change your status to "Remote." ⏰
-
How do I get checked in automatically?
If your office supports auto desk check-ins and your device is connected to the office wifi, then you can be automatically checked into your desk reservation when:
- You walk into the office with your phone via the Robin mobile app
- You open Robin's web dashboard or Outlook Add-in on your laptop/desktop
Robin uses your phone and/or computer network connection to recognize that you're in the office. If you don't have a desk reservation, Robin will mark you as "In office." You can learn more about how it works and FAQ here.
How to manually check-in
Web dashboard
You can check in directly from the Schedule (Workweek) or Office page. Don't need a desk anymore? Update your status to "Remote," and Robin will cancel the reservation for that day. Or if it's time to check in, select "Release desk" to cancel the booking.
Another option is to follow the View Upcoming Desks link on the Office page (captured in the image above), which takes you to your user profile page, where you can check in & manage your desk reservations/assignments.
Mobile app
When you open the mobile app, you should see the option to check in on the home screen (Schedule tab). Tap Check in.
QR codes on desks
We also have a guide that walks through how to use the QR codes & NFC stickers on your desks!
Slack & Teams check-in notifications (hot & hotel desks only)
With the Robin app for Slack & Teams, you can receive timely desk notifications without switching between apps. You can check in or release your desk reservation from Slack or Teams. It will look something like this:
Check-ins via email
You can open the email from any device, then simply tap Check in or tap Release desk if you no longer need it. Logging into Robin is not required to release your desk.
And then, you'll see a confirmation message that will look something like this:
Manage desk check-in reminder notifications
Manage your reminder notifications to help you stay on top of your desk reservations and seat assignments. We offer a few options. Choose which one works best for you.
Mobile push notifications
Android users:
Desk check-in push notifications are enabled by default; no action is required. To opt-out, adjust the notifications on your device.
iOS users:
New users logging into the mobile app for the first time will be prompted to opt-in to push notifications. Current Robin users can opt-in from in-app prompts or from their user settings.
Email & Slack notification reminders
Manage email and Slack desk reservation reminders under your user settings. Navigate to your user profile in top right corner of the web dashboard > user settings > notifications.
Slack notifications
In order for you to receive Slack notifications, a Robin admin must first add Robin to your organization's Slack workspace. Then, you need to connect your individual Slack account under your user settings > integrations.
Is your office implementing the Abandoned Desk Protection policy?
(Applies to hot/hotel desks only)
- When you book something in advance, there’s always a chance that plans will change and you may not end up needing what you booked.
- If your office policies include desk check-ins and abandoned desk protection, then you'll need to check in to your desk sometime between the start of the confirmation window and the end of the abandoned desk threshold or else it will be canceled.
- Example A: A desk has check-ins and abandoned desk protection enabled, with a one-hour advance confirmation window and a two-hour abandoned desk threshold.
- If you book a reservation for tomorrow starting at 9:00 am, you'll need to check in between 8:00 am (one hour before start) and 11:00 am (two hours after start) to keep your desk.
- We'll send you an email notification if your desk reservation is automatically canceled that will look something like this:
-
Booked desks: You can check into a booked desk any time from the start of the advance check-in window to the end of the reservation.
-
Even though a meeting is on the schedule it would help everyone in your office to understand if a meeting is likely to still happen. With Robin, you have an opportunity to confirm, check in, or delete the meeting shortly before it starts, thanks to in-app reminders and room display cues.
In this guide, you'll learn how to check in to meeting rooms by tapping "Check-in or Start meeting" on the display app, or by confirming the space ahead of time from the mobile app, Slack integration, or the web dashboard.
Checking in via room display
Checking in on mobile app
1. Open the mobile app > tap the calendar icon in the top right corner > locate your upcoming event.
2. If you're within the event confirmation window, then you can check in to confirm the event is still happening.
Checking in via Slack
When you enable the "unconfirmed event" Slack notification setting under your user settings AND you're the organizer of the meeting, then you'll receive a reminder to confirm your event for that meeting space.
Checking in via Teams
You’ll receive a notification for every upcoming event, and if you’re the organizer and the event is attached to a space, you’ll see an option to confirm.
Checking in via email
If you've enabled the "unconfirmed event" email notification setting under your user settings, you'll receive an email reminder for any upcoming unconfirmed events.
Keep in mind- Check in's + abandoned meeting protection
If your office implements the abandoned meeting protection it's important to note that there are two kinds of meetings that don't require confirmations and will not automatically remove events from the room's schedule:
1.Meetings that are 8 hours or more (i.e. all-day events), because showing up at midnight to confirm your all-day seminar is probably not a great experience.
2. Meetings booked (from Robin only!) within your set confirmation window (the default setting is less than two hours in advance), including impromptu meetings on the room display, will automatically confirm since they fall inside the confirmation window. The average organization on Robin will see about 15% of their total meetings fall into this category. You can customize this confirmation period via scheduling settings.
-
Robin's web dashboard provides several methods for managing assigned desks, each designed for different needs and scales of planning, empowering admins to effectively manage the workplace.
Select the method below that works best for you for step-by-step instructions.
A. Assignment tool- Quick edits: This tool is best for making minor adjustments, such as adding or removing a few desks or minor modifications to seating arrangements without significant overhauls.
B. Assignment tool- Scenario planning: This tool is best for creating multiple desk assignment drafts per floor to test different scenarios. Before going live, you can share, review, and refine seating assignments with colleagues.
C. Office map- edit option: This method is best for making one-off desk assignments directly from the live map.
-
Introduction
This guide explains the different attendance statuses you might see in Robin. Understanding these statuses helps you quickly grasp your team's presence in the workplace and effectively manage office occupancy. This system provides more detailed insights into how people are working, moving beyond a simple "present" or "absent" indication.
Attendance Statuses in Robin
- Confirmed On-Site: This status indicates that a person has checked in at the office using a verified local method, such as a badge or the office's Wi-Fi network.
- Remote: This status means that a person has checked in, but they did so remotely. Keep in mind that this type of check-in doesn't provide 100% confirmation that they are physically present in the office.
- Scheduled: This status applies to individuals who have an in-office working location assigned to them but haven't checked in yet.
Note
We change a user's attendance status from remote to on-site if we detect an "in office presence" using a verified local check-in method, such as a badge or the office's wi-fi network.
This attendance system will soon be reflected in the Daily Roster as well.
-
Instead of clicking a button or scanning a sticker, users on office Wi-Fi who open the Robin platform from any device will be automatically checked into their reservation or have a visit created for them. Let's walk through how this works:
-
An admin associates one or many public IP addresses with a building in Robin. This is the address that the outside internet sees when you’re connected to the building’s wifi.
- A user’s device connects to wifi.
- The Robin app pings our servers over the internet.
- We check if that incoming IP address matches one of the buildings the admins told us about. If it does:
- Look for unconfirmed desk reservations in that building that are within the check-in window and start no more than 4 hours from now.
- Confirm any of those we can find.
- Send a push notification to the user, letting them know they are checked into their desk reservation ( if they have one).
- If the user doesn't have a desk reservation, a visit is created for them and they're reflected as "In office".
Warning
The use of a VPN or products that mask user IP addresses are incompatible with Wi-Fi check-ins.
FAQ
1. How long does it take for an automatic check-in to happen?
You might be checked in within a few minutes, or it may take up to an hour. Your presence is regularly checked on a timer, and the frequency of the timer can be unpredictable.
2. Should I still scan the sticker on my desk?
Go for it! If you remember to scan your sticker, fantastic! The automated check-in is great for those who have a hard time remembering to check in.
3. It seems like I only get checked in when I wake up my phone or open the app. I thought this was supposed to be automatic.
Phones will often defer background work until an opportune time to conserve battery. Interacting with the phone, especially with our app, provides a strong incentive to do that background work and ping our servers. If you hadn’t touched your phone, you probably would have been checked in slightly later.
4. I didn't get automatically checked in. Why?
Make sure you're giving the servers enough time (at least an hour) to communicate. However, if you're waiting patiently for hours and maybe you lost your desk to Abandoned desk protection, then that's not the experience we are going for. Check these things in order of most likely to least likely:
-
Connect your device to office wifi
-
Make sure you don’t have low battery or are in any sort of battery-saver mode
-
Make sure you’re logged in to the correct organization on the Robin app.
-
If using the mobile app, make sure the Robin app is up-to-date, both in the App Store and under Settings > Check for updates within the app
-
If using the mobile app:
-
iOS : Make sure Background App Refresh is enabled for the Robin app (on by default)
-
Android: Check out Don’t kill my app! to see if your manufacturer is being mean
-
-
Stuff generally works better if you avoid swiping the app away and killing it, though we should still be resilient against that.
-
If using a mobile device, make sure push notifications are enabled for the Robin app (on by default for Android).
-
Ensure you’ve opted into desk check-in reminders within the Robin app (on by default).
-
Check if you’re receiving the push notifications that remind you to check in to your desk. You should definitely get one ~30 minutes before Abadonded Desk Protection happens. If you aren’t getting them, something’s wrong. Uninstall and reinstall the mobile app.
-
Make sure you aren’t using a VPN or proxy server on your phone.
-
While connected to office wifi, ensure user's IP address matches the one configured by the admin. You can see your phone’s IP at https://ipecho.net/plain . IP addresses can change, but US business class internet service usually provides a static IP.
5. What are the requirements for the building's IP address?
-
It should be the IP address you get when using wifi at that location. A simple way to find that is to connect to wifi at the building and go to https://ipecho.net/plain, but admins should check with their IT people to make sure they aren’t missing additional possible IPs (backup connections, ranges, …).
-
The IP address should be publicly routable. Private addresses like 192.168.1.100 or 127.0.0.1 are a no-no.
-
The IP address should be static - this seems typical for business internet connections. Dynamic IPs are liable to change and might be feasible to use, but the admin will need to keep up with changes and reflect them in Robin.
-
The IP address should be one that employees cannot use from home, e.g. via VPNs on employee phones. Otherwise, we’ll get false-positive automatic check-ins.
-
CIDR ranges are acceptable, with the widest ranges that we allow being
/16
for IPv4 and/48
for IPv6. The limit is just because larger ranges are probably user error but can easily be changed -
Limit of 20 distinct ranges/IPs per building, same reason
6. What if multiple buildings share the same IP?
No problem - we’ll check all matching buildings for desk reservations to check in. However, you sacrifice some precision because you might be physically located in Building A and get checked into your reservation at Building B.
Best practice tip
Because it can take up to an hour for the servers to communicate to confirm desk reservations, it's best practice to implement multiple desk check-in methods, especially if the Abandoned Desk Protection setting is enabled.
-
-
Employees on office Wi-Fi who open the Robin platform from any device will be automatically checked into their reservation or have a visit created for them.
This means employees can be checked in automatically via a network connection when they open Robin on the mobile app, web dashboard, or Outlook add-in. We recommend using automated check-ins if you plan to make local check-ins mandatory.
More information on how it works and FAQ here.
Warning
The use of a VPN or products that mask user IP addresses are incompatible with Wi-Fi check-ins.
How to configure automated check-ins
Robin uses your office building IP address(es) to detect and communicate when an employee has arrived. Admins, follow the steps below to turn this feature on and add your office IP address(es).
1. From the web dashboard, navigate to Manage > select an office to open the settings page.
2. Under the "Automatic check-in" section, click the toggle to ON.
3. Add your office's public IP address(es). You can add up to 20 IP addresses separated by commas.
We've outlined some helpful requirements for the building's IP addresses in the next section.
4. Click Save IP address.
What are the requirements for the building's IP address?
-
It should be the IP address you get when using wifi at that location. A simple way to find that is to connect to wifi at the building and go to https://ipecho.net/plain, but admins should check with their IT people to make sure they aren’t missing additional possible IPs (backup connections, ranges, …).
-
The IP address should be publicly routable. Private addresses like 192.168.1.100 or 127.0.0.1 are a no-no.
-
The IP address should be static - this seems typical for business internet connections. Dynamic IPs are liable to change and might be feasible to use, but the admin will need to keep up with changes and reflect them in Robin.
-
The IP address should be one that employees cannot use from home, e.g., via VPNs on employee phones. Otherwise, we’ll get false-positive automatic check-ins.
-
CIDR ranges are acceptable, limited to
/16
for IPv4 and/48
for IPv6. The limit is just because larger ranges are probably user error but can easily be changed -
Limit of 20 distinct ranges/IPs per building, same reason
-
-
Introduction
Desk check-ins help employees stay informed about upcoming bookings and provide actionable data within Robin’s analytics, giving a clearer picture of occupancy, desk demand, and availability. This guide walks through how to set up desk check-ins successfully.
Step 1. Decide how users will check in
Decide how you'd like users to check in: remotely, locally, both, or locally only. Local check-ins are done at the office vs. remote check-ins are done online from anywhere. Continue to steps 2 and 3 to learn how to set up your preferred check-in methods.
Step 2. Turn on the desk check-in setting
Turn on the desk check-in setting for hot/hotel desks only or for all 3 desk types. You can enable the setting for an entire building or specific desk groups only.
Building level setting:
1. Navigate to Manage > Offices > select a building.
2. Scroll down to the "Resource policies" section.
3. On the Desk tab, scroll to the Desk check-in setting. Use the drop-down menu to enable the setting for hot/hotel desks only or All 3 desk types (including assigned seats).
Desk group setting:
1. From the Office search page in the web dashboard, select Edit floor on the map.
2. Select Layout from the menu.
3. Use your cursor to select a group of desks.
4. In the right menu panel, select the Policies tab.
5. Select Add Policy. To apply the setting to assigned desks, choose All desk types.
Heads up!
After enabling assigned desk check-ins, it may take up to 48 hours for Robin to start sending the check-in reminder.
Step 3. Configure preferred check-in methods
Local check-in methods:
-
Automatic check-ins using office wifi - automatically by just walking into the office or opening Robin on a laptop/desktop using the office wifi.
- Automatic check-ins using badge swipes with an Access Control integration. Users swipe their badges at the access-controlled doors, and they're automatically checked into their desks.
- QR codes/NFC tags on desks- scan stickers on desks with a mobile app to complete check-in.
You can make Local desk check-in methods optional for convenience or mandatory. If you want to make local check-ins mandatory for employees, enable the Local desk check-ins-only setting and set up one of the on-site check-in methods mentioned above.
Note
We change a user's attendance status from remote to on-site if we detect an "in office presence" using a verified local check-in method, such as a badge or the office's wi-fi network.
Remote (online) check-in methods:
- Web dashboard: In-app prompts; no configuration required.
- Mobile app:
- In-app prompts, no configuration required
- Push notifications
- Email notifications: On by default for all users (manage notifications under user settings)
- Slack notifications:
- Teams notifications:
Step 4. Configure the remote desk check-in window (Skip if using local check-ins only)
The Remote Check-In window is a building-level setting that determines how far in advance someone can check into a desk when confirming remotely. Reservations booked within this period are automatically confirmed.
This configuration is only related to remote desk check-in methods. Skip this section if you're only using local check-in methods.
- Go to Manage > Offices and select a building in the web dashboard > scroll to "Resource policies."
- On the Desk tab, select the Remote Check-in Window drop-down menu.
-
Select the amount of time that works best for your organization. From a minimum of 10 minutes to a maximum of 12 hours.
-
Tips:
- Reservations booked within this period are automatically confirmed.
-
Assigned desks are booked for a full day based on your organization’s set office hours.
- For example, if the remote check-in window is 4 hours and the office opens at 8 am, check-in can start at 4 am.
-
Tips:
Step 5. Add desk check-in policies
Local check-ins only policy:
You can make Local desk check-in methods optional for convenience or mandatory. If you want to make local check-ins mandatory for employees, enable the Local desk check-ins-only setting and set up one of the on-site check-in methods mentioned above.
Warning
If you enable the local check-ins-only policy and there are pre-existing desk reservations, the policy will not be retroactively applied. It will Only reservations made after the policy is enabled will be affected.
Abandoned desk protection:
This feature automatically cancels "no show" (flex) desk bookings when employees don't confirm their desk within a certain window, allowing someone else to use it instead. Learn how to set it up here.
-
-
What is visitor management?
Your office is not only a space for employees. Organizations across all kinds of industries regularly welcome different types of visitors to the office, including:
-
Customers or clients
-
Vendors and suppliers
-
Contractors and consultants
-
Interns
-
Freelancers and temporary employees
-
Job applicants
Visitor management is simply the set of policies, practices, and tools you use to monitor everyone who uses your office space but isn’t an employee.
About Robin's Visitor Management
Robin's Visitor Management system empowers employees to easily book guests for office visits, gives admins the tools they need to track visitors, and ensures visitors have the information they need to confidently check-in.
Benefits
Walk-in guest registration
Upon arriving, visitors can quickly sign in without the help of front desk staff. Robin provides the option to set up an arrival display on an iPad or something similar that allows walk-in guests to sign in and scheduled guests to check-in.
Invite guests to visit
Schedule guests in advance, and Robin will automatically send an email invitation with customizable visit instructions.
Create custom visitor registration forms
Create unlimited custom visitor registration forms for pre-registered visitors, including any details required for guests (e.g., food preferences or allergies). Add relevant information from the custom fields to display on badges and view custom field information in the visit log. Learn more here.
Arrival notifications for the host
Robin automatically notifies the host when guests arrive, providing an efficient and pleasant experience for everyone.
Cover compliance requirements with document prompts
Robin makes it easy for visitors to review and acknowledge any legal documents (such as an NDA or waiver) that offices may require. Visitors can acknowledge documents digitally either on the arrival display (such as an iPad) or before they arrive via email. Learn more about adding compliance requirements here.
Visitor data records for security
View a comprehensive visit log to track and access information about who has been at your office and when. To learn more about what the guest experience looks like, check out this guide.
Badge printing
Badge printing enables offices to print badges seamlessly as part of visitor check-in workflows, keeping your employees and intellectual property safe. To learn more about badge printing check out this article here.
Roles + Permission
Admins can allocate different types of permissions to users and roles, ensuring precise control over the organization’s visitor management process. Find out more about Visitor Management roles and permissions in this article here.
How to get started
-
Create a list of different types of visits that best fits your office. This helps hosts prepare for upcoming visitors and provides office admins with accurate records.
-
Set up an arrival display at the front entrance for check-ins. Does your office allow drop-in visits? Enable the guest self-registration feature on the arrival display.
-
Decide who can invite guests to the office- everyone or only specific users, such as office admins and managers?
-
Does your office require visitors to agree to any legal documents before their visit? Learn how to upload and manage legal documents as part of the visitor check-in experience.
-
Become familiar with the Visitor Log to keep track of who has been at your office and when. This is also where you can "Check guests out," or guests can check themselves out from the arrival display.
-
-
Supported Plans - All plans
Users can select the language of their choice from our supported languages when using the mobile app or the web dashboard.
Admins can also select a language for each building they manage for their office displays (welcome displays, iOS room displays (Android support coming soon), status boards, & kiosks).
Supported languages
-
English
-
French
-
Canadian French
-
German
-
Spanish
-
Japanese
How to set your language preference
You can set your preferred language under your user settings in the web dashboard and/or mobile app. Settings sync across applications.
Web dashboard
1. Open your user profile (avatar) in the top right corner > select User settings.
2. Scroll to the Localization section.
3. Select the language of your choice from the dropdown menu.
4. Select Save & reload.
Mobile app
1. From the Pass tab, tap the settings icon in the top right corner.
2. Tap Language.
3. Tap the language of your choice from the menu.
4. Tap Save.
How to set the language preference for your office
Global & local admins can set the language of choice for their office displays (e.g., welcome displays, kiosks, & status boards) under the building details.
1. Navigate to Manage > select an office building.
2. In the building details section at the top > select the Edit details button.
3. Scroll to the Language section under Localization.
4. Select the language of your choice from the dropdown menu.
5. Select Save changes.
-
Introduction
Robin's AI assistant for Advanced Analytics helps admins get instant answers to on-demand questions about desk and space usage. It uses the following data to answer questions:
- Unlimited historical desk utilization
- Assigned desks with check-in policy enabled
- Flex desks with check-in policy enabled
- Unlimited historical space utilization
- People inventory
Accessing the AI assistant
If you have Advanced Analytics, reach out to your Customer Success Manager to request access to the early access program.
Next, open the Analytics tab in the web dashboard and select the AI Assistant in the top left corner.
Using the AI assistant
The basics
You can converse back and forth with the assistant to get the data you need about desk and space usage.
- Type your question in the chat window and click submit to start a conversation.
- The AI assistant will try to match your question as you type or provide examples of different questions it can answer for your organization.
- Each chat session runs for 8 hours and will automatically end after 8 hours.
- Select the New Conversation button to reset the context and start a new conversation from scratch.
Types of questions the AI assistant can help with
Below are some examples of questions the assistant can help answer:
- Which departments book the most desks in xyz building?
- Which people with the title xyz book the most desks in xyz building?
- Which days of the week does Lauren Mcwaters book the most desks?
- Which meeting rooms had the fewest meetings this past year in xyz building?
- What are the names of my buildings?
- Give me a list all of my buildings and the number of desks in each of them.
- What is the breakdown of how far in advance people book their desk reservations in xyz building?
Tips for interacting effectively
Be Specific
- Provide clear and concise instructions.
- Be specific about the building and time range.
- Use accurate spelling, especially for people's names.
- For example, Instead of asking, “What is my office usage?” ask, “What is my office usage for
11 Farnsworth building in the past 90 days. Calculate usage by total number of desk reservations/total number of desks available.”
- For example, Instead of asking, “What is my office usage?” ask, “What is my office usage for
Use step-by-step instructions
- For complex tasks, break them into smaller steps.
- For example, "Which meeting rooms have the most recurring canceled meetings?"
- Follow up: "Of the top 3 meeting rooms, give me a list of the meeting owners and titles."
Provide context
- The more context you provide, the better the response.
Request adjustments
- If the response isn’t exactly what you need, ask for revisions.
- For example, “Can you provide an alternative response that does not include flex desks.”
Ask for clarification
- To clarify complex topics, ask the AI assistant how it got to the answer.
- For example, “How did you define utilization?”
- Unlimited historical desk utilization
-
Advanced Analytics is an add-on feature that allows you to proactively manage your workplace by providing deeper insights and customizable reports that lead to better decision-making.
Key benefits:
- Provides greater control over workplace information.
- Enables data-driven decisions about the workplace.
- Offers flexibility and customization in reporting.
- Saves time and effort with the AI assistant, automated reporting, and alerts.
Key Features:
Advanced Analytics provides a range of powerful features to help you understand and manage your workplace effectively, including:
- AI assistant to answer on-demand questions (currently in early access): This feature allows you to ask specific questions about your desk and space utilization and receive immediate answers.
- Build unlimited custom reporting & dashboards: You can create new tailored reports and dashboards or customize the pre-built dashboards to visualize the data that is most important to you.
- Access unlimited historical usage data: Analyze historical data to identify trends and patterns over time.
- Drill down into data: You can drill down into high-level data to find answers quickly; if you see a conference room with high cancellations - drill-down functionality lets you view precisely who, what, and when these cancellations happened from the same visualization.
- Schedule reports to key stakeholders: Automate the delivery of reports to key stakeholders on a regular schedule.
- Set up alerts and notifications: Configure alerts and notifications to be informed of significant changes or anomalies in your workplace data.
- Connect to our Analytics API to streamline your data exports: Use the Analytics API to integrate data exports with other systems and workflows.
-
Badge data shows up in analytics as a desk check-in and/or counts towards someone in the office (workplace presence). The only dashboard that currently displays office presence is the Workplace Presence dashboard.
The following dashboards and exports use badge data:
- Collabscore - Occupancy score specifically counts in office presence
- Occupancy dashboard
- Workplace Insights dashboard
- Executive Insights dashboard
- Workplace Presence dashboard
- Desk Bookings dashboard
- Desk Check-Ins dashboard
- Desk export
- Activity Summary export
- Workplace Presence export
- Hybrid Work Policy export
More Resources
-
Robin tip!
Set your in-office schedule in Robin or sync it through our Google Calendar integration. -
Our customer support hours:
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get in touch! Open a chat in the bottom right corner! -
Robin status
Robin's system status page, where you can get updates on how well everything's working right now.