4 Managing Oracle Beehive Resources

This module describes how to manage bookable resource accounts in Oracle Beehive. Read this module if you are an Oracle Beehive System Administrator, an Oracle Beehive Business Administrator, or if you are responsible for creating or managing Oracle Beehive bookable resources. This module includes the following sections:

• Introduction to Oracle Beehive Bookable Resources

• Creating Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

• Listing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

• Modifying Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

• Deleting Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

• Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Booking Characteristics

Introduction to Oracle Beehive Bookable Resources

An Oracle Beehive bookable resource is an entity that users can search for, reserve, and use for a specified period of time, such as a conference room or a projector. In Oracle Beehive, users search for and reserve bookable resources through the calendar functions provided by the Time Management Service. Bookable resource accounts can also be used to create calendars for tracking related enterprise-wide information, such as employees' travel schedules.

This section includes the following topics:

• About Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

• Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Attributes

About Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

Similarly to an Oracle Beehive user, a bookable resource account has a calendar container associated with the account. The calendar container contains all events to which the bookable resource has been invited.

Unlike an Oracle Beehive user, it is not possible to authenticate with Oracle Beehive using a bookable resource account. Bookable resource accounts are managed by System Administrators or Business Administrators.

Bookable resources can be set up to permit reservations on a first come first served basis to prevent double-bookings or to permit more than one reservation at a time.

Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Attributes

When an Oracle Beehive bookable resource is created, a group of attributes are available to configure the bookable resource properties. Some attributes are mandatory whereas others are optional, or populated by Oracle Beehive at the time of resource creation, or when a dependent attribute is modified. Table 4-1, "Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Attributes" lists available Oracle Beehive bookable resource attributes.

Table 4-1 Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Attributes

Attribute Name	Description	Required Attribute	Accepted Values
Scope	You can create a resource at the Enterprise level (by default), or you can create it at the level of an Organization, to limit its visibility and use to only users within that Organization.	No	A valid enterprise or organization ID
Resource ID	A resource ID is generated when the bookable resource is created. A resource ID cannot be specified by administrators at the time of creation, nor modified thereafter.	Yes	N/A
Resource identifier	Specifies a bookable resource identifier. This attribute can be a number assigned by your organization to the attribute, or an alternative identifier. For example, a room number or a projector serial number.	No	An alphanumeric string Note: The maximum number of characters allowed is 1000.
Display name	Specifies the display name for the bookable resource account. This will be the name displayed when searching for a bookable resource. Although a unique name is not required, it can be helpful to users when searching for bookable resources using Oracle Beehive clients.	Yes	An alphanumeric string Note: The maximum number of characters allowed is 1000.
Description	Describes any additional characteristics of the bookable resource.	No	An alphanumeric string Note: The maximum number of characters allowed is 4000.
Location	Specifies the location of the bookable resource. This attribute is broken down into sub-attributes, including Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, name, description, time zone and markers. More than one location can be set for a bookable resource. For example, a vehicle that is shared by two offices in the same city. Depending on the date and time, the GPS coordinates may be different.	No	An alphanumeric string
Phone	Specifies the phone number of the bookable resource.	No	A valid telephone number
Fax	Specifies the fax number of the bookable resource.	No	A valid fax number
Web page	Specifies the Web page of the bookable resource.	No	An alphanumeric string
E-mail address	Specifies the e-mail address of the bookable resource. E-mail addresses are not created for bookable resources by default, they must be assigned when the resource is created. Oracle recommends that the e-mail address specified for a resource reside in the same domain as the e-mail addresses specified for the remaining organization.	Yes	A valid e-mail address
Approver	Specifies the user of the resource approver. This attribute acts as a pointer to an Oracle Beehive user. Once specified, the approver can manage the bookable resource's event invites. Note: Multiple approvers can exist for a single bookable resource.	Yes	A valid Oracle Beehive user
Capacity	Specifies the capacity of the bookable resource. This attribute is especially useful for conference rooms, offices, or equipment, such as company vehicles, that have a limited capacity.	No	A positive integer
Bookable Resource Type	Specifies a type for a bookable resource. The following mutually exclusive options are available: Room, Equipment or Other. Select the value most appropriate for the bookable resource. Note: If a type is not chosen, Other will be used.	Yes	Room Equipment Other

Creating Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

Oracle Beehive bookable resource accounts can be created using the Oracle Beehive beectl command-line utility.

Creating Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl

This section describes how to create an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool. The instructions in this section assume that the beectl shell is being used.

To use the beectl shell, run the beectl command-line tool with no commands or options from the Oracle Beehive ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bin directory. After running the command, the following beectl prompt will appear on the command-line:

beectl>

See Also:

For more information about the beectl commands used in this section, see "Oracle Beehive Command-Line Utility" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

To create an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool, use the add_resource command. Mandatory options when creating a bookable resource are: --name , --resource_type, and --email_address. For a complete list of options, use the add_resource command with the --help option.

Example

In the following example, we are creating a bookable resource with the name "Conference Room 1021" and e-mail address of "[e-mail]". Additionally, the resource has a capacity of 10, and has a bookable resource type of ROOM:

beectl> add_resource --name "Conference Room 1021" --email_address [e-mail] --resource_type ROOM --capacity 10
 
Resource is successfully created.

Listing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

Oracle Beehive bookable resource accounts can be listed using the Oracle Beehive beectl command-line utility.

Listing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl

This section describes how to list Oracle Beehive bookable resources using the beectl command-line tool. The instructions in this section assume that the beectl shell is being used.

To use the beectl shell, run the beectl command-line tool with no commands or options from the Oracle Beehive ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bin directory. After running the command, the following beectl prompt will appear on the command-line:

beectl>

See Also:

For more information about the beectl commands used in this section, see "Oracle Beehive Command-Line Utility" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

To list Oracle Beehive bookable resources using the beectl command-line tool, use the list_resources command. There are no mandatory options for the list_resources command. For a complete list of available options, use the list_resources command with the --help option.

Example

In the example that follows we are listing all of the bookable resources on Oracle Beehive.

beectl> list_resources
---------------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
Name                 | Type      | Capacity
    +----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
    | Addresses                                      
    +---+---------------------------+-------------+-----------------------------
        | ID                        | Parent ID   | Timezone
    +---+------------------+--------+---+---------+---+-------------------------
    | Location Description | Identifier | Description | BookingInfo
    +---+------------------+------+-----+-------------+-------------------------
        | Booking Characteristics | Approvers
        +-------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 
---------------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
Conference Room 1021 | ROOM      | 10      
    +----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
    | BUSINESS_1:mailto:[e-mail]         
    +---+---------------------------+-------------+-----------------------------
        | bkrs=Conference Room 1021 | enpr=Oracle | Etc/GMT 
    +---+------------------+--------+---+---------+---+-------------------------
    |                      |            |             |            
    +---+------------------+------+-----+-------------+-------------------------
        | FIRST_COME_FIRST_SERVED |          
        +-------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 
---------------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
Conference Room 1022 | ROOM      | 20      
    +----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
    | BUSINESS_1:mailto:[e-mail]         
    +---+---------------------------+-------------+-----------------------------
        | bkrs=Conference Room 1022 | enpr=Oracle | Etc/GMT 
    +---+------------------+--------+---+---------+---+-------------------------
    |                      |            |             |            
    +---+------------------+------+-----+-------------+-------------------------
        | FIRST_COME_FIRST_SERVED |          
        +-------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 
---------------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
 
Company Vehicle 1    | EQUIPMENT | 4       
    +----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
    | BUSINESS_1:mailto:[e-mail]
    +---+---------------------------+-------------+-----------------------------
        | bkrs=Company Vehicle 1    | enpr=Oracle | Etc/GMT 
    +---+------------------+--------+---+---------+---+-------------------------
    |                      |            |             |            
    +---+------------------+------+-----+-------------+-------------------------
        | FIRST_COME_FIRST_SERVED |          
        +-------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 
---------------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
Company Vehicle 2    | EQUIPMENT | 6       
    +----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------
    | BUSINESS_1:mailto:[e-mail]
    +---+---------------------------+-------------+-----------------------------
        | bkrs=Company Vehicle 2    | enpr=Oracle | Etc/GMT 
    +---+------------------+--------+---+---------+---+-------------------------
    |                      |            |             |            
    +---+------------------+------+-----+-------------+-------------------------
        | FIRST_COME_FIRST_SERVED |          
        +-------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 
4 Record(s) displayed.
4 resource(s) are found.

Modifying Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

Oracle Beehive bookable resource accounts can be modified using the Oracle Beehive beectl command-line utility.

Modifying Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl

This section describes how to modify an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool. The instructions in this section assume that the beectl shell is being used.

To use the beectl shell, run the beectl command-line tool with no commands or options from the Oracle Beehive ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bin directory. After running the command, the following beectl prompt will appear on the command-line:

beectl>

See Also:

For more information about the beectl commands used in this section, see "Oracle Beehive Command-Line Utility" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

To modify an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool, use the modify_resources command. Mandatory options when modifying a resource are: --resource, or --select_by_name; and a modifier option, such as --name or --capacity. For a complete list of options, use the add_resource command with the --help option.

Example

In the following example, we are modifying the name of the existing Conference Room 1021 resource and its capacity:

beectl> modify_resources --select_by_name "Conference Room 1021" --name "Conference Room 1021: Executive Only" --capacity 15
 
Resource is successfully modified.

Deleting Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts

Oracle Beehive bookable resource accounts can be deleted using the Oracle Beehive beectl command-line utility.

Deleting Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl

This section describes how to delete an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool. The instructions in this section assume that the beectl shell is being used.

To use the beectl shell, run the beectl command-line tool with no commands or options from the Oracle Beehive ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bin directory. After running the command, the following beectl prompt will appear on the command-line:

beectl>

See Also:

For more information about the beectl commands used in this section, see "Oracle Beehive Command-Line Utility" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

To delete an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using the beectl command-line tool, use the delete_resources command. Mandatory options when deleting a resource are: --resource or --select_by_name. For a complete list of options, use the delete_resources command with the --help option.

Example

In the following example, we are deleting a bookable resource with the name Company Vehicle 2:

beectl> delete_resources --select_by_name "Company Vehicle 2"
 
Resource is successfully deleted.

Managing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Approvers

To selectively accept or decline invitations to an event, a bookable resource can have an approver. When an approver is assigned to a resource, the approver can open the resource's calendar to accept or decline invitation.

Oracle Beehive resource approvers can be assigned and removed using the Oracle Beehive beectl command-line utility.

This section includes the following topics:

• Adding Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Approvers Using beectl

• Removing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Approvers Using beectl

Adding Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Approvers Using beectl

To assign an approver to an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using beectl:

1. Determine the name of the bookable resource. See "Listing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl" for more information about listing resources.

2. Determine the user you want to assign as the resource approver. For information about listing users using the list_users command, see "list_users" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

3. Assign the approver by executing the following command with the specified options:

   beectl> modify_resources --select_by_name <resource name> --add_approver <user identifier>
   

   Where <resource name> represents the resource determined in Step 1, and <user identifier> represents the user identifier determined in Step 2.

Removing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Approvers Using beectl

To remove an approver from an Oracle Beehive bookable resource using beectl:

1. Determine the name of the bookable resource. See "Listing Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Accounts Using beectl" for more information about listing resources.

2. Determine the user you want to remove as the resource approver. For information about listing users using the list_users command, see "list_users" in Module 2 of the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Reference Guide.

3. Remove the approver by executing the following command with the specified options:

   beectl> modify_resources --select_by_name <resource name> --delete_approver <user identifier>
   

   Where <resource> represents the resource determined in Step 1, and <user> represents the user determined in Step 2.

Oracle Beehive Bookable Resource Booking Characteristics

Each resource has a booking characteristic. The booking characteristics determine the level of control that must be exercised over an existing bookable resource.

Booking Characteristics Options

Depending on how the bookable resource will be used, and by what users, choose from these available options:

• Open

• First-Come-First-Serve

Note:

The default booking characteristic when the bookable resource is created is first-come-first-serve.

Open

When this option is used, a bookable resource can be booked by more than one user for the same time slot.

First-Come-First-Serve

When this option is used, double-booking is easily prevented. The first user to book the bookable resource in a time slot will automatically be accepted. Any subsequent requests to reserve the bookable resource for the same time slot will be refused.

Setting Booking Characteristics

You can set Oracle Beehive bookable resource booking characteristics when creating or when modifying a resource, using the beectl add_resource and beectl modify_resource commands.

When adding a resource:

beectl> add_resource [...] --resource <resourceid> --booking_characteristics <[O]pen>|<[F]CFS>

In this example, other required parameters for the add_resource command are omitted.

When modifying a resource:

beectl> modify_resources --resource <resourceid> --booking_characteristics <[O]pen>|<[F]CFS>