Understanding reservations

Reservations can be placed on documents within a Folder Channel. A reserved document can only be changed by the User who holds the reservation. This prevents situations in which two or more Users upload new versions at the same time. These situations can be confusing as only the last uploaded version will appear to have been made. 

Setting how reservations behave

Who can do this: Enterprise Administrators and Workplace Administrators.

Set how others can interact with document reservations on the Global Settings page accessed through the Control Panel. This setting will apply to all document reservations in a digital workplace.

Reservation rules are:

• Steal reservations: Users can take the reservation from the current reservation holder.
• Respect reservations: Users must request the reservation from the current reservation holder. 

Enterprise and Workplace Administrators can always release a reservation if they need to make a document available to others.

Identifying reserved documents

Who can do this:  Users with at least Read Level Access to a document.

Reserved documents will be marked in the following ways based on where they are being viewed. 

Folder Channel Detailed View: 

Document Preview: 

Reservation workflow

Who can do this: Users with at least Write Level Access to a document. 

The most common workflow for document reservations involves reserving, editing, uploading a new version, and then releasing the reservation of the document.

Begin by placing a reservation on the document. This is done first in order to prevent others from uploading new versions of the document. To reserve a document:

1. Navigate to the document.
2. Click the Actions button.
3. Select Reserve from the Actions Menu.

Once you have reserved the document you can begin editing it. To begin editing the document you must first download it. With a local copy of the document, you can use your normal tools to edit it. 

After editing the document, upload it as a new version of the original document that exists within your digital workplace. By using versioning you create a history of the document and avoid cluttering your digital workplace with multiple similar documents. To add a new version of a document:

1. Navigate to the document.
2. Click the Actions button.
3. Select Versions from the Actions Menu.
4. Upload the modified document.
5. Click Save to create this new version.

With your changes to the document done, the reservation can be released. Releasing the reservation allows other users to upload new versions of the document. To release the reservation:

1. Navigate to the document.
2. Click the Actions button.
3. Select Release Reservation from the Actions Menu.

Requesting and releasing a reservation

Who can do this:  Users with at least Write Level Access to a document.

Additional Requirements: Digital workplace reservation policy is set to Respect reservations.

Users can request the reservation when a digital workplace's Reservation rule is set to Respect reservations. The current reservation holder will receive this request and can action it. If the reservation is released, the requester will still need to reserve the document.

Requesting a Reservation:

1. Navigate to the content.
2. Click the Actions button.
3. Select Request Reservation from the Actions Menu.
4. Enter a message to the current reservation owner.
5. Click Request Reservation to send the request.
   • An email containing a link to release the reservation will be sent to the current reservation owner.

Releasing a Reservation from a request (these steps are carried out by the notified reservation holder):

1. Open the Document Reservation Request email.
2. Click Release Reservation.
3. Click Release.
   • The document will be released, but the original requestor will need to reserve it themselves.

Stealing a reservation

Who can do this:  Users with at least Write Level Access to a document.

Additional Requirements: Digital workplace reservation policy is set to Steal reservations.

Users can take the reservation when a digital workplace's Reservation rule is set to Steal reservations. Stealing a reservation transfers it immediately to the User who stole it.

Stealing a reservation:

1. Navigate to the content.
2. Click the Actions button.
3. Select Steal Reservation.
4. Enter a message to the current reservation owner.
5. Click Steal Reservation
   • An email containing your message will be sent to the current reservation owner.
   • You will now own the reservation of the document.