The rooms and resources module uses unique logic that enables it to maximize resource utilization across the organization. It is available in the Professional Edition only and requires Google Apps for Business or Education.

The main assumption behind the design of the rooms and resources scheduling module is that a meeting typically require a single room only. Based on this assumption, ScheduleOnce can provide maximum resource utilization by showing busy time for resources only when all selected resources are occupied at the same time. This method ensures that resource unavailability does not unnecessarily constrain the possible times in which you can hold your meetings.

A quick example: If you proposed a time window from 9:00am to 11:00am for your one hour meeting and you selected conference room A only, you can see that it is already occupied from 9:00 - 10:00am. If you select conference room B only, you can see that it is already occupied form 10:00 - 11:00am. If you select both conference rooms you will not see them as occupied because conference room B is available from 9:00 - 10:00am and conference room A is available from 10:00 - 11:00am.

Resource scheduling is available in outbound invitations. When you create the invitation you will see the Add resources link below the Meeting subject. Click the link and select all resources that can accommodate your meeting. The more resources you select the less constrained you will be.


Once resources are selected an orange busy time will show only when all selected resources are occupied:


It is important to mention that resource busy time always blocks out any overlapping time you proposed. Busy time from your calendar can be used in blocking or non-blocking mode. Resources however, are always in blocking mode. See the understanding busy time behavior article to learn more about blocking and non-blocking modes.

When you save the invitation you can see your selected resources in the Schedule page. ScheduleOnce takes the availability of your selected resources into account, together with the availability of your invitees and suggests the best times for the meeting:


In this example both rooms were available and the Small conference room was selected. When the Schedule button is clicked the meeting is scheduled in all attendee calendars and the resource is automatically booked:


If you need to learn more about outbound scheduling see the outbound scheduling section in the help site.