Microsoft Bookings algorithm

Question

Hello,

I need help understanding Microsoft Bookings' algorithm for assigning staff to a particular appointment. We have tried some test runs, which indicate that the algorithm doesn't allow for a fair distribution of appointments. It seems that it goes through the order of the staff, and identifies who is the first available on the list.

This DOES NOT allow for a fair distribution of appointments, as the first one will always receive the appointments which leaves out opportunities for those in the last of the list.

Can someone from Microsoft please help us understand or share with us the specific algorithm that the Microsoft Bookings, especially on the scenario when all staff are available at the chosen date and time of clients?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi Shaine,

Thank you for your valuable response.

1. When multiple staff members are added to the list, they are automatically arranged in alphabetical order.
2. When a customer books an appointment, the system assigns staff based on availability, starting from the top of the list.
3. As a result, the system assigns staff from top to bottom, following the alphabetical order.

That's the rule of system.

If you need any further help or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help. Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation. 

Best regards,  

Kristen - L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

Answer 2

Appreciate the detailed response, Kristen.

I was a little confused on the statements above: "Among those available, it assigns the appointment to the first staff member listed in the service’s staff assignment list" and "This means the staff member at the top of the list will consistently receive more bookings if all are equally available. After that, the list assigns staff member in alphabetical order and the system assigns the list."

To clarify, will the staff list be based on the order in which they are added to the service OR on alphabetical order?

Answer 3

Hi Shaine,

Thank you for your valuable response.

You've asked for a deeper understanding of how Microsoft Bookings assigns staff to appointments - especially when all staff are available and the client selects "Anyone" from the dropdown. You've also raised concerns about fairness and whether a hierarchy or rotation system can be implemented.

How Microsoft Bookings Assigns Staff

Based on internal documentation and community insights, Microsoft Bookings uses a first-available, first-listed logic when assigning staff:

• The system checks availability first.
• Among those available, it assigns the appointment to the first staff member listed in the service’s staff assignment list
• This means the staff member at the top of the list will consistently receive more bookings if all are equally available

After that, the list assigns staff member in alphabetical order and the system assigns the list. Please refer to the attached image for clarification.

Is There a Hierarchy System?

Currently, Microsoft Bookings does not support built-in hierarchy or weighted assignment. All staff are treated equally unless manually configured. There is no native algorithm that prioritizes based on seniority, role, or workload.

Hopefully, these information and workarounds above can help you solve this issue. Please know that we truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to support you. If you need any further help or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help. Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation. 

Best regards,  

Kristen - L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

Answer 4

Thanks for looking into this and offering workarounds, Kristen. Could you elaborate more on "Appointments are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis according to the algorithm, and unfortunately, this cannot be changed. However, here are some alternative approaches you might consider: "

I want to understand how Microsoft Bookings choose among, let's say, 5 staff who are all available for a specific time and date, if the client picks the "Anyone" dropdown from Staff on the Bookings page. By which order does the Microsoft Bookings follow in assigning the appointment? Is it alphabetical? Chronological based on order of being added into the Bookings page?

More clarity on the algorithm behind assignments will tremendously help us in identifying how we can work around the situation. The current setup causes an unfair distribution of work within the team.

Is there also a way to implement a hierarchy system within Microsoft Bookings?

Thanks.

Answer 5

Hi Shaine,

I hope you have a good day. Thanks for choosing Microsoft Community.  

You've asked for help understanding the staff assignment algorithm in Microsoft Bookings, especially in scenarios where all staff are available at the chosen date and time. You've observed that the system seems to assign appointments based on the order of staff listed, which leads to unfair distribution.

Appointments are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis according to the algorithm, and unfortunately, this cannot be changed. However, here are some alternative approaches you might consider: 

WORKAROUND 1: Manually Rotate Staff Order

1. Go to your Microsoft Bookings calendar.
2. Click “Staff” in the left menu.
3. You’ll see the list of all staff members.
4. Each service has an associated "Staff assignment" list — edit the staff order in each service by:
   • Clicking on the service name under "Services".
   • Scrolling down to “Assign staff”.
   • Reordering staff or temporarily unchecking the top person.
5. Save changes.

WORKAROUND 2: Use "Let customers choose a staff member" Option

Instead of Bookings choosing staff, this lets clients pick who they want, balancing load organically.

1. Go to your Bookings calendar.
2. Click “Services” and edit the relevant one.
3. Scroll to "Assign staff" section.
4. Check the option:
   “Let the customer choose a specific person for the booking”
5. Save.

WORKAROUND 3: Create Duplicate Services per Staff Member

1. Go to Services > click Add a service.
2. Create identical services (e.g., “Consultation - Alice”, “Consultation - Bob”).
3. Assign only one staff member to each.
4. Publish the booking links separately (on your intranet, website, etc.).
5. Rotate or randomize which links are shared to maintain fairness.

WORKAROUND 4: Assign All Available Staff to the Appointment (Group Mode)

1. Go to Bookings > Services.
2. Select the relevant service.
3. Enable:
   “Maximum number of attendees” → Set to 2 or more
4. In the staff assignment section, choose:
   “Assign all of your selected staff”

This is useful for group sessions or supervision - not ideal for 1-on-1 appointments.

Please try workarounds and update us if your issue has been resolved. If you need any further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to us. 

Best Regards, 

Kristen - L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.