Fix Microsoft Bookings Resources Remaining Tentative
Question details
Users need to configure Exchange resource mailboxes in Microsoft Bookings so that reservations are automatically accepted rather than remaining tentative or requiring manual approval.
- Product
- Microsoft Bookings
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Scheduling a resource or room through Microsoft Bookings that is linked to an Exchange resource mailbox.
- Observed behavior
- The booking requests remain marked as tentative or generate pending approval messages instead of being automatically confirmed.
Ensure you have administrator access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and Exchange Admin Center to modify resource mailbox delegates and calendar processing settings.
Adjust Calendar Processing and Delegate Settings in Exchange
Modifying auto-accept configurations and removing resource delegates can prevent bookings from getting stuck in a tentative or pending approval state.
Microsoft Bookings often treats added Exchange resource mailboxes as staff or guests. If the resource mailbox is set up with delegates, Bookings requests may route to them for approval rather than processing automatically, resulting in tentative reservations.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center with your administrator credentials and navigate to the Exchange Admin Center.
Go to Recipients > Resources, find the affected resource mailbox, and click to edit its properties.
Navigate to the Booking delegates (or Calendar processing) section and ensure the option 'Automatically accept or decline booking requests' is selected.
If delegates are currently assigned, remove them from the resource mailbox. Delegate configurations frequently conflict with Microsoft Bookings integration, causing requests to remain tentative even if approval messages are not received.
Isolate the Issue by Testing Directly in Outlook
Testing the resource via Outlook helps determine if the tentative status is caused by Microsoft Bookings specifically or by the core Exchange calendar restrictions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Microsoft Bookings requests show as pending approval?
This usually happens when the Exchange resource mailbox linked to Bookings has delegates configured. The booking request routes to the delegates for manual approval instead of processing automatically, leading to a tentative or pending state.
Can I use an Exchange resource mailbox as a staff member in Bookings?
Yes, but it is a known limitation that Bookings may treat added resource mailboxes similarly to regular staff or guests. This can bypass standard resource auto-accept rules, causing unpredictable behaviors like reservations remaining tentative.
What should I do if auto-accept is enabled but Bookings are still tentative?
If 'Automatically accept or decline booking requests' is checked in Exchange but the problem persists, try booking the resource directly through Outlook. If it works in Outlook but fails in Bookings, there may be an integration mismatch requiring investigation by Microsoft Support.
