What is it
Occupancy Tracking is a powerful administrative tool that provides visibility into whether booking holders have been present on-site by detecting their presence on specific networks. This feature helps admin users confirm whether users who have made bookings were actually present on the premises, either on the day of the booking or in the past.
How does it work
Occupancy Tracking is easy to set up and offers admins a clear visual indicator of a booking holder’s presence status for any given day. Here’s how it functions:
Network Matching: When a user interacts with Skedda—such as checking in to their desk booking—the system checks if the user is connected to a network specified in the settings.
Presence Confirmation: If a match is found between the user's current network and the predefined networks, the system will confirm the user's presence on-site that day.
For the best results, booking holders should ensure they are connected to the specified networks when interacting with Skedda. This ensures that their presence is accurately tracked and recorded.
Top tips for maximizing occupancy tracking:
Enable Microsoft Teams or Slack integration
When users interact with apps like MS Teams or Slack on-site, we can increase the chances of matching their IP addresses to confirm presence. Make sure these integrations are enabled for more precise occupancy tracking.Ensure network connectivity
Encourage users to connect to your organization's network when on-site. Occupancy tracking works best when users' devices are connected to the specified on-site IP addresses.Keep IP address lists updated
Regularly update your list of public IP addresses in the settings. If your network infrastructure changes, ensure new IP addresses are added to maintain accurate tracking.Promote daily check-ins
While automatic check-ins save time, remind booking holders by email to manually check in if they switch networks or devices to avoid any gaps in tracking.
Use a mix of tracking methods
Combine occupancy tracking with other check-in methods, like QR code scans or our mobile app to check-in, to ensure full coverage and accuracy across your workplace.
Occupancy tracking in the scheduler views
When a match is identified through interactions with Skedda, that day's bookings for the holder are indicated to show they have been "Seen on-site". Where interactions with Skedda have not been matched, bookings for the holder are indicated as "Not seen on-site". For future bookings, these will be indicated as unknown.
Admins will see these statuses in the scheduler views as follows:
Day view
Month view
Grid view
List view
Map view booking
Occupancy tracking filters in List view for Admins
Also in the List view are Occupancy Tracking filters, easily find bookings where the booking holder has been seen on-site or not. This filter can be used in combination with the User and Booking type filters.
Exporting bookings with Occupancy tracking information
A new column has been added to the export file from the List view, namely "Seen on-site" and the values will be "Yes" when presence has been verified, "No" when presence has not been verified and blank where presence has not been evaluated as is the case with future bookings.
What are the benefits of Occupancy Tracking
Enhanced Visibility
Occupancy tracking provides real-time indicators into whether booking holders are on-site, helping admins better understand space utilization and attendance patterns.
Customizable Settings
Organizations can tailor the feature to their specific needs, including setting appropriate data retention periods and specifying which networks to track. This flexibility ensures that the feature can adapt to a variety of office environments and policies.
Setting up Occupancy tracking options
Go to Settings
and select the Occupancy tracking page.
Enable occupancy tracking by clicking the button slider
And in the text box provided, enter the public IP addresses or public IP ranges that correspond to your on-site networks. This will allow Skedda to identify when booking holders are on-site. Both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are supported.
Specifying IP Addresses and Ranges:
Single IP Address:
Simply enter the IP address on a new line. For example: 123.45.0.0
IP Ranges Using CIDR Notation:
To specify a range of IP addresses, use CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) notation. CIDR notation combines the IP address and a suffix that indicates how many bits are used for the network portion.
For example, 123.45.0.0/24 covers all IP addresses from 123.45.0.0 to 123.45.0.255.
If you have multiple IP addresses or ranges, place each on a new line in the text box.
Example Entries:
123.45.0.0
123.45.0.0/24
987.65.3.1
87.123.3.0/16
In this example:
123.45.0.0 specifies a single IP address.
123.456.0.0/24 specifies a range covering 123.45.0.0 to 123.45.0.255.
987.65.3.1 is a single IP.
87.123.3.0/16 covers 87.123.3.0 to 87.123.255.255.
Note: Ask your Network Administrator, if you have one, for the relevant public IP addresses and/or ranges which used by your on-site network
How to check your on-site IP addresses
Ask your Network administrator, if you have one, for the relevant public IP addresses and/or ranges which are used by your on-site network. Once you have identified the public IP addresses or ranges, enter them into the Occupancy Tracking settings text box to ensure accurate tracking of on-site presence.
Configuring and using IPv6 prefixes for dynamic public IP tracking
IPv6 introduces dynamic IP address assignment as a core feature, which can pose challenges for tracking specific networks. To overcome this, IPv6 prefixes allow us to identify networks consistently, even when individual device addresses change dynamically. This guide explains how to configure and use IPv6 prefixes for accurate tracking.
What is an IPv6 prefix?
An IPv6 prefix identifies a network or subnet rather than a specific device. It allows dynamic tracking of all devices within a network.
Example IPv6 Address: 2001:db8:abcd:0012:0000:0000:0000:0001
Corresponding Prefix: 2001:db8:abcd:0012::/64
The /64 indicates that the first 64 bits define the network, while the rest identify individual devices.
Why use IPv6 prefixes?
Consistency: Tracks the network, not specific devices.
Dynamic-friendly: Works even if addresses within the network change frequently.
Scalability: Covers all devices in the subnet with one prefix.
Step 1: Determine your public IPv6 prefix
Check your ISP configuration: Request the static IPv6 prefix assigned to your venue. Many ISPs assign a fixed prefix even if individual addresses are dynamic.
Verify the prefix using online tools: Use an IPv6 lookup tool (e.g., WhatIsMyIP) to see the current IPv6 address and extract the prefix. If it's not found then the following steps will not apply.
Step 2: Configure IPv6 tracking with the prefix
Go to Settings
and select the Occupancy tracking page.
Enable occupancy tracking by clicking the button slider
And in the text box provided, enter the prefix as shown below. This ensures all devices within this subnet are tracked.
Example: 2001:db8:abcd:0012::/64
Step 3: Verify the IPv6 prefix
Connect a device and ensure a device is connected to the venue's network.
Test the tracking by performing a check-in or similar action from the device and confirm it is logged correctly using the prefix and the booking is showing as "Seen on-site"
Occupancy Tracking FAQ’s
How do I set up Occupancy Tracking?
Setting up Occupancy Tracking is simple. Navigate to the admin settings, go to the Occupancy tracking page, specify the networks you want to track, and save your changes. Skedda will then automatically begin identifying user presence based on these settings. Additionally you can set data retention for up to a year, 1 month is the default.
What networks should I include in the settings?
You should include the public IP addresses or ranges for your office's Wi-Fi networks or any other networks that users are likely to connect to while on-site. Both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are supported.
Can Occupancy Tracking detect presence for users not connected to the specified networks?
No, for the system to confirm a user's presence, they must be connected to one of the networks specified in the settings. If they aren't, their presence will not be recorded.
How does Skedda indicate a user's presence?
Skedda provides a visual indicator on the scheduler views (Day, Month, Grid, List and Map views), showing whether a booking holder has been detected on the specified network for that day.
Can I track historical occupancy data?
Yes, you can view past occupancy data to see if booking holders were on-site during their previous bookings and from the date occupancy tracking was enabled for as long a period set in the Occupancy data retention settings.
Is Occupancy Tracking available for all types of bookings?
Occupancy Tracking is available for any booking where users interact with Skedda and connect to a specified network.
What if a user connects to the network after interacting with Skedda?
Occupancy Tracking works in real-time as users interact with Skedda. If they connect to the network afterward, the system will not update the status retroactively.
How does this feature enhance security and management?
By accurately tracking user presence, admins can ensure that bookings are being utilized as intended, improving space management and providing insights into occupancy patterns and trends.