Calpendo has always been a deeply configurable system, and with the new reality many facilities are now facing with the need for social distancing, we are able to support these required changes through Calpendo. 


In this article, we will cover some ideas for how Calpendo can support social distancing, through controlling time gaps between bookings in your facility.  For each of the methods outlined below, we would recommend talking to the support team, as these additional configuration requirements would need to take into account existing configuration already within the system.  To submit a request to the team, please email support@exprodo.com.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Interval Rule


Calpendo includes a number of booking rules, which can be used to control your bookings.  The Interval Rule is used in a number of facilities, to manage how much time there should be between bookings.  In most places, this is due to setup or tear-down time being required for a resource.  This could be for specific resources which need to be warmed up or cooled down, or whether a complex procedure is taking place within a room, or on an instrument, and time is needed to prepare and then clean up afterwards.  In addition to this, we can use the interval rule to provide additional control for social distancing.


Setting a gap between bookings on a single resource


This is the standard reason for using the interval rule.  On a single resource, you can enforce a gap between bookings on a resource down to any time you like.  For the purposes of social distancing, this would work for situations where a resource is on its own physically and therefore, you want to give researchers or users sufficient time to arrive and depart without coming into contact with each other.  However, if your resources are physically close by, this scenario may not help, but our next scenario certainly will.


Setting a gap between bookings across multiple resources


If, for example, you have resources A and B, and a booking on resource A is from 2pm to 3pm, but with no bookings on resource B. It is possible, through the interval rule, to ensure that if someone wants to make a booking on resource B from 1pm to 2pm, this would be blocked unless they leave a defined time gap, such as 30 minutes.  This would also work for bookings which are placed on resource B, and starting after the booking on resource A finishes.


In conjunction with the double booking rule controlling simultaneous bookings across resources, this will give you enhanced control over your bookings.


Requiring a gap when bookings meeting specific conditions are involved


It may be the case that in general, you don't require gaps between bookings, unless bookings which meet specific conditions are involved.  This could be either if the booking you are trying to make meets specific conditions, or a booking already in place on the resource has specific conditions, and your own booking is being made close to it.


These conditions could be based on the booking type, or a project which is being booked on it, or any number of other pieces of data depending on how your booking is being setup.  If any bookings which are involved meet these conditions, the booking would be rejected unless a sufficient gap is made.


This obviously applies to situations where, if a resource needs to be used for specific studies where setup is complex, or where deep cleaning is required.