What Is External Booking in Coworking?

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External booking in coworking refers to allowing non-members, walk-in guests, or external users to book meeting rooms, day passes, event spaces, or other amenities without having a full membership at the coworking space.

It enables coworking operators to generate additional revenue by opening up their facilities to the wider public.

Who Uses External Booking?

External booking is popular with:

  • Freelancers who need a single-day workspace
  • Remote workers needing occasional meeting rooms
  • Startups hosting interviews or client meetings
  • Corporates looking for hourly boardrooms
  • Event organizers needing short-term venues
  • Travelers who want a day office

What Can External Users Book?

Common bookable coworking resources include:

  • Meeting rooms
  • Conference rooms
  • Boardrooms
  • Hot desks
  • Day passes
  • Training rooms
  • Event halls
  • Private cabins (hourly/daily)
  • Podcast studios
  • Creator spaces

Benefits of External Booking Coworking Spaces

1. Extra Revenue Without Extra Memberships

Coworking businesses can earn from unused spaces during off-peak hours.

2. Better Space Utilization

Optimizes meeting rooms and underused zones.

3. Attracts New Leads

External users often convert into long-term members.

4. Increased Community Visibility

Makes your coworking brand visible to nearby professionals and companies.

5. Automated Online Bookings Reduce Manual Work

Most coworking software enables:

  • Online booking pages
  • Real-time availability
  • Payment collection
  • Automated invoicing

How to Offer External Booking (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Create Bookable Resources

Define capacity, pricing, time slots, amenities, and rules.

Step 2: Publish a Public Booking Page

Users should be able to:

  • Check availability
  • Select time slots
  • Pay instantly
  • Receive confirmation

Step 3: Integrate with Your Website

Embed booking widgets into pages such as:

  • Meeting Rooms
  • Day Pass
  • Event Space Rentals

Step 4: Set Up Payment Gateways

Offer UPI, cards, net banking, or wallet options.

Step 5: Automate Billing & Invoicing

Generate tax invoices, receipts, and GST-compliant bills.

Step 6: Notify Your Staff

Instant notifications help your team prepare the room.

Step 7: Enable Access Control

Use digital passes or smart locks for easy check-in.

Best Software for External Booking in Coworking

Here are platforms that support strong external booking features:

  • Wybrid (India-focused, multi-location support)
  • Nexudus
  • OfficeRnD
  • andcards
  • Skedda
  • Coworkify

These tools allow:

✔ Public booking pages
✔ Real-time availability
✔ Calendar sync
✔ Guest access control
✔ Automated billing
✔ Analytics

External Booking Tips for Coworking Operators

  • Add Google Calendar integration for instant updates
  • Offer hourly and daily pricing
  • Provide discount codes for repeat users
  • Add high-demand amenities like screens, whiteboards, coffee, WiFi upgrades

Promote your booking page on Google Maps, Instagram, and local directories