doublebooked

Double booked is a scheduling term describing a situation in which two or more bookings for the same resource overlap in time. The resource can be a person (such as a clinician or instructor), a room (meeting or conference room), or equipment (projector, vehicle). In calendar systems, a double booking occurs when two events have overlapping start and end times for the same resource, potentially causing conflicts and disruptions.

Causes include human data-entry errors, syncing issues between calendars, late changes without updating other bookings, time zone differences, and policies that tolerate overlaps. Overbooking as a policy is sometimes used to compensate for no-shows but can lead to unintended double bookings if not carefully managed.

Impact can range from minor delays to canceled appointments, dissatisfied participants, overextended staff, and operational inefficiency. In hospitality or venues, a double booking can result in service gaps or the need to switch attendees to alternate spaces.

Prevention and resolution: use single-resource constraints in scheduling software, configure automatic conflict detection and alerts, enforce buffer times, and maintain a clear change-tracking process. When a double booking occurs, resolve by rescheduling one booking, reallocating the resource, or adjusting capacity. Regular audits and user training help reduce frequency.