Room Resource Usage

Problem reported by Christian Ressel - 11/10/2025 at 10:30 AM

Submitted

Hello,

Am I the only one with a customer who uses room resources? One of our end customers has been using room and equipment resources very intensively on their MS Exchange 2016 server. Specifically, the customer has been using a room for managing and approving attendance and vacation requests. Until one of the recent SmarterMail updates, users with "Manager" rights could view and manage entries in the room calendar. Currently, no one can view or delete entries. And unfortunately, the server settings in SmarterMail only offer "Manager" or "none" as options.

This makes the room resource rather pointless if I, as a manager, can't manage the entries. Unfortunately, the system indicates that this is correct and that the previous behavior, when the "Manager" could manage everything, was a bug.

Here is the view of the room manager:

4 Replies

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Derek Curtis Replied

11/10/2025 at 3:05 PM

Employee Post

Christian

EDIT: I reviewed Resources in Exchange, and I think I get what was going on.

In Exchange, a Resource Calendar can be created with "booking options" for lead time, etc. and then delegates can be added who can accept or reject "booking requests" for that resource. I'm assuming that people would submit PTO requests on a "PTO Calendar", then these delegates could accept or deny the "booking request" of that PTO. Does that sound right?

If so, then that's outside of the capabilities of Resources in SmarterMail. A resource is either available for an Appointment or it's not. The ability to attach max hours, lead time, or delegates who can approve or deny the use of a Resource isn't currently available.

Derek Curtis

CCO

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Marco DB Replied

11/11/2025 at 12:03 AM

we use them, and it's as you described. you can't manage them, they just automatically accept the invite if they're free, and reject if they're not. the fact that a user with manage permissions cannot really manage anything is really really underwhelming

Christian Ressel Replied

11/11/2025 at 12:56 AM

Hi Derek,

Thanks for your feedback.

I would find it logical if it worked as described in the official Smartermail instructions. I understand that there are different permissions for the room resources? Unfortunately, that's not the case; not even the manager can manage anything. It should only be handled similarly to a user calendar, in terms of permissions.

The many claims that Smartermail is a powerful Exchange alternative are unfortunately untrue due to the lack of basic standard features.

So, if I understand correctly, I've now invested countless hours of work in migrating our customers to Smartermail (which I can't charge them for), spent a lot of money on Smartermail licenses, have very dissatisfied customers because practically nothing works properly, and now I have to send the customers to the Microsoft Cloud so that they can use basic Exchange functions again?

Brian Replied

11/11/2025 at 3:04 AM

Christian... Its more or less a fact.

We cant use groups the way groups are in exchange... we cant use rooms and ressources the way rooms and ressources are used on exchange.

We have a MAPI server with integrated calendar and contacts and some minor benefits.

This is the main reason why you cant get people to vacate Office365 unless they are very worried over privacy issues or GDPR.

We cant match functionality at all and the integration with third party apps like teams is completely missing.

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