Proximity calculation when browsing near a person

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Proximity calculation when browsing near a person

    This functionality enables employees to find and reserve workplace spaces near a specified colleague by calculating proximity based on multiple location factors. It ensures that the spaces displayed for reservation are the closest available to the colleague’s location, enhancing convenience and collaboration within the workplace.

    Show full answer Show less

    Proximity Calculation Flow

    • Floor plan: If the colleague’s location has an associated floor plan, the system uses floor map coordinates to identify the nearest available spaces.
    • Area: If no floor plan exists, the system checks if the location is part of an area and shows available spaces based on area configuration, restricted to the employee’s current floor.
    • Tag: If there is no area, the system looks for location tags and displays available spaces sharing the same tag on the employee’s floor.
    • No area or tag: Displays all available spaces on the colleague’s floor.

    If no available spaces are found, the system informs the employee accordingly.

    Sorting and Display Behavior

    • When using the Browse near a person option, spaces are shown based on closest proximity by default.
    • If the employee selects My favorites first sorting, the favorite spaces closest to the colleague’s location are prioritized.
    • For other browsing options like Browse all or Browse by area, the default sort is My favorites first.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enables efficient and intuitive space reservations near colleagues, improving workplace collaboration.
    • Leverages existing location data such as floor plans, areas, and tags to provide accurate proximity-based search results.
    • Supports personalized sorting preferences, delivering a tailored reservation experience.
    • Provides clear feedback when no matching spaces are available, helping users manage expectations.

    When an employee searches for a space near a person using the Browse near a person option, the workplace locations are displayed based on the closest proximity.

    Proximity calculation flow

    The factors that influence the proximity based search are explained below:
    1. Floor plan: After the employee specifies the colleague near whom they want to reserve a space, the application checks if the colleague's location has a floor plan defined.
      • If there is a floor plan, then the floor map coordinates are used to find the nearest space.
      • If there is no floor plan, then the next step is performed.
    2. Area: If there are no floor plans defined for the colleague's location, then the application checks if the location is part of an area.
      • If the location is part of an area, then the available spaces are displayed based on the area configuration.
      • Only available spaces on the floor where the employee is located are displayed.
      • If the location is not part of any area, then the next step is performed.
    3. Tag: If the location is not part of any area, then the application checks if the colleague's location has any tags.
      • If the location has a tag, then all the available spaces with the same tag value are displayed.
      • Only available spaces on the floor where the employee is located are displayed.
      • If the location does not have a tag, then all the available spaces of the floor where the colleague is located are displayed.
    • For proximity based search that involves area and tag, only the available spaces on the floor where the employee is located are displayed.
    • If there are is no area or tag defined, then the available spaces of that floor are displayed. If there are no available spaces on that, then a message is displayed that there no matching spaces found.
    • By default the My favorites first sort option is selected when an employee searches for spaces using the Browse all or Browse by area option.
    • If an employee searches for a space using the Browse near a person option, then the spaces are displayed based on the closest proximity. If the employee selects the My favorites first sort option, then the favorite spaces of that employee which have the closest proximity are displayed first.

    By default, all the available spaces are displayed based on the above proximity calculations. In case the employee has set favorite locations and has selected the My favorites first sort option, then the favorite locations are displayed at first.