Manage and configure reservation waitlist

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 9, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Manage and configure reservation waitlist

    The reservation waitlist feature in ServiceNow enables employees to queue for preferred building spaces, durations, and locations when all spaces are fully booked. The system maintains waitlist records until a space becomes available, automatically confirming and assigning that space to the next eligible employee. This automation reduces manual monitoring and scheduling friction, improving overall office space utilization.

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    Key Features

    • Waitlist Enrollment: Employees can join a waitlist for specific neighborhoods when no spaces are available, provided the feature is enabled by workplace administrators.
    • Waitlist Lifecycle: Waitlist records start in a Queued status, move to Confirmed when a space is assigned, and then to Completed once the reservation is created. Notifications are sent at each stage.
    • Priority Management: Workplace reservation event planners can update the priority or weight of queued waitlist records to influence space assignment order, supporting FIFO logic when no priority is set.
    • Manual Space Assignment: Event planners can manually assign spaces to employees who cannot find a preferred slot themselves, with the system recording who fulfilled the request.
    • Automated Expiration and Purging: A nightly scheduled job expires stale or past waitlist records and removes canceled or expired entries older than 30 days to maintain data accuracy.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Automates space allocation from waitlists, reducing administrative overhead and improving user experience.
    • Enables workplace administrators and event planners to gain actionable insights into space utilization and demand.
    • Supports efficient management of reservation requests through priority settings and manual overrides.
    • Maintains clean and accurate waitlist data by automatically handling expiration and purging of outdated entries.

    Additional Considerations

    • Administrators must enable the waitlist and neighborhood browsing features to allow employees to participate.
    • Employees receive both email and push notifications for all waitlist status changes.
    • The Reservation Waitlist data model underpins the process, supporting management and reporting of waitlist and reservation data.

    A reservation waitlist lets employees queue for a preferred space, duration, and location. The waitlist record is held until the preferred space is available.

    Employees can join a waitlist when building spaces are fully booked. They can join a waitlist queue until a space is available. A space can be freed up or made available. When a space is available, application assigns the space for reservation and the waitlist gets confirmed. Joining a waitlist helps avoid manual monitoring of available or freed up spaces on the reservation portal. It also streamlines the reservation process and helps avoid friction.

    Joining or subscribing to a waitlist helps workplace administrators and reservation event planners as follows:
    • Reduces scheduling friction for both employees and workplace administrators.
    • Helps avoid manual monitoring for available or freed-up spaces for reservation.
    • Improves office space utilization by filling vacated spaces automatically. Workplace Event Planners and Workplace Managers get insights on space utilization, space optimization, and space demand requirements for a given location.
    • Event planners can review and update waitlist records that are queued. They can change the weight or priority of a Queued waitlist record and move it up in the queue for space allocation. They can also manage space assignments on behalf of employees. They can assign a space when employees are unable to find a preferred reservable space and time slot.

    Reservation waitlist workflow

    The following steps describe the waitlist lifecycle:

    1. The Enable waitlist check box on the Reservation Module configuration is enabled by workplace administrators to allow employees to join a waitlist.
    2. Employees can join a waitlist and select their preferred neighborhoods. They can waitlist on a neighborhood.
      Note:
      The Enable browse by neighborhood check box must be selected by workplace administrators .
    3. Employees can make a reservation using the reservation portal. For more information, see Create a reservation.
    4. Employees can submit a Reservation waitlist record using the Employee Center portal. The application creates a waitlist record.
      Note:
      Employees can only subscribe to the waitlist when the Reservation waitlist record producer is enabled by workplace administrators.
      For more information, see Create a reservation waitlist.
    5. Initially, the waitlist record is Queued. When a space is freed up or available, the status of the waitlist changes from Queued to Confirmed. The waitlist status changes to Confirmed when a space is assigned to an employee.

      If at the moment of submitting the waitlist, a space is available, the waitlist request is completed instantly. A reservation is created for the employee and the waitlist record is marked as completed. If no spaces are available while submitting a waitlist request, the request moves to Queued status until a space is made available and it moves to Confirmed state.

    6. Employees receive an email notification and a push notification that a space is assigned for reservation. For all stages of a Waitlist record lifecycle, employees receive an email and push notification (Queued, Confirmed, Completed, and Expired).
    7. Workplace reservation event planners can update the weight or priority of a queued waitlist record to move it up in the queue for confirmation.

      The application fetches the waitlist queue records and assigns a space based on the highest weight or priority assigned for a queued waitlist. If weight or priority is missing for a queued waitlist, the application checks for Created column value in the Workplace Reservation table. It prioritizes space assignments based on the first in, first out (FIFO) logic or first-come, first-served basis . Based on the start time of a queued waitlist record, space assignment is done. The oldest record or a record with the oldest start time is prioritized. Recent or newly added waitlist records are queued and wait behind all previously queued records. For more information, see Reservation Waitlist data model.

      For more information, see Reservation Waitlist data model.

    8. Workplace event planners can also assign a space manually on behalf of employees. If employees are unable to find a space or when they request event planners to assign a space, they can assign a space. If a space is available, the waitlist request is fulfilled immediately and confirmed. A reservation is created and the Fulfilled by column in the Reservation Waitlist table is updated with the event planner's name who assigned a space manually.

      For more information, see Reservation Waitlist data model.

      Note:
      Only Reservation Event planners can update and change the priority or weight of a Queued waitlist record.
    9. The Waitlist expiration scheduled job runs nightly . It removes canceled, expired, or queued waitlist records with an older start time (timestamp). If no space is available on the requested start time and date, the waitlist entry expires automatically. The waitlist expiration scheduled job removes or expires stale or past waitlisted records. The expired records aren't permanently removed from the system. For more information, see Create a schedule job for waitlist.
    10. Expired and canceled entries older than one month are permanently deleted from the system . For more information, see Purge a waitlist.