Support for different modes for desks

Microsoft Places will support four desk modes—Unavailable, Assigned, Reservable, and Drop-in—allowing admins to better manage desk availability. Rollout begins mid-August 2025. Admins should review and update desk configurations, documentation, and communicate changes using PowerShell or the new Places Management portal.

What and Why

We’re introducing support for multiple desk modes in Microsoft Places to give administrators greater flexibility in how desks are configured and managed. This update enables organizations to tailor desk availability to meet evolving workplace needs, especially in hybrid work environments. The new modes support more dynamic and responsive space management aligned with user presence and reservation preferences.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 488805

Rollout Schedule

• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in mid-August 2025 and is expected to complete by end-of-August 2025.

Impact on Your Organization

• Who is affected: Microsoft Places administrators managing desk configurations.
• What will happen:
  • New configuration options will be available for desks in Microsoft Places.
  • Administrators can assign desks to one of four modes:
    • Unavailable: Desk is not available for booking (default for individual desks).
    • Assigned: Desk is reserved for a specific user.
    • Reservable: Desk can be reserved in advance, subject to availability and policies.
    • Drop-in: Desk can only be reserved in person when the user is physically present.
  • Desk modes can be configured via PowerShell or the new Places Management portal.
  • No changes will be made to existing desk configurations unless updated by an admin.

Action Required/Recommendations

• Review current desk configurations and determine if updates are needed to align with the new desk modes.
• Update internal documentation and training materials to reflect the new configuration options.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk and facilities management teams.
• Configure desk modes using:
  • PowerShell
  • New Places Management web app (available at rollout)

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.