A coworking administrator spends up to 3 hours daily coordinating bookings, keys, and tariffs. N+1 phone calls, double bookings, forgotten NFC tags — typical pain points. A coworking portal solves these problems: automates booking, integrates with access control systems (ACS), and manages memberships. According to industry research, double bookings occur in 15% of cases without a system. Without automation, these issues grow with scale.
We develop coworking portals on a stable stack: Laravel, React 18, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis. Hot Desk, Fixed Desk, meeting rooms and offices are supported. Each type has its own booking rules, minimum period, and price. For a 200-seat coworking space, we implemented visual floor plans — residents choose a desk on the map, the system checks availability and blocks double bookings. This reduces administrator time by 70% and eliminates human error.
What Problems We Solve
Double Bookings
Without real-time synchronization, two residents can occupy the same spot. The portal uses database-level locks and conflict notifications. For example, when trying to book an already occupied desk, the system shows alternatives from the same cluster. Loss from a single double booking per month can reach $140–200 per workspace.
Complex Tariffs
Hot Desk, Fixed Desk, meeting rooms — each type requires its own rules. We implement a flexible tariff grid with automatic cost calculation and package support. For instance, a "10 visits" tariff is active for 30 days, while "Unlimited" auto-renews via Stripe Billing.
Access Control
ACS integration via API (Perco, SKAN, Parsec) or server-side QR code generation. The resident receives a code upon booking, valid only during active membership. When the tariff expires, the code is deactivated instantly.
How We Do It
Stack: Laravel 11 (PHP 8.3), React 18, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis. For interactive floor plans — SVG with interaction library. Payments — Stripe Billing with webhooks for status synchronization. Example: for a 200-seat coworking space, we implemented Hot Desk with visual desk selection, meeting rooms with calendar (Google Calendar sync) and Parsec integration via REST API. Time from start to first resident — 3 months.
Work Process
- Analytics — study business processes, load, ACS requirements.
- Design — prototype booking, tariffs, personal account.
- Development — back-end and front-end, integrations.
- Testing — load testing (1000 simultaneous bookings), scenario verification.
- Deployment and training — deploy on VPS or cloud, train administrators on panel usage.
Additional: ACS Integration Steps
Integration includes signing an API contract with the manufacturer, configuring access rights for each membership type, generating QR codes or access codes, and testing entry/exit scenarios. After integration, all events are logged in the admin panel.Optimizing Coworking Costs
Automation of routine operations reduces time spent on booking and access management by 70%. Residents book spots, renew tariffs, and gain access on their own — without staff involvement. The administrator only monitors and handles non-standard situations. Investment in the portal pays off within 6–12 months due to reduced workload and fewer errors. Saving administrator time can save up to $14k–20k per year.
ACS Integration: Benefits
ACS eliminates physical key handover. Upon booking, a unique QR code or access code is generated and passed to the control system. At entry, the resident scans the code or taps an NFC card — if membership is active, the turnstile opens; if expired, access is blocked. All in real time. ACS implementation cost ranges from $3k–5k depending on the number of turnstiles.
Custom Development: Flexibility for Your Business
Note: when a standard solution doesn't cover specifics — non-standard tariffs, unique access rules, integration with existing equipment. We design the portal for your business, not fit it to a template.
Dynamic Pricing and Tariff Grids
The tariff grid must account for peak loads and seasonality. We offer dynamic pricing based on occupancy, increasing revenue by 15-20%. Residents appreciate transparent rules and automatic renewal.
Timeline and Scope
| Feature | Time |
|---|---|
| Desk + meeting room booking | 4-6 weeks |
| Tariffs and subscriptions | 2-3 weeks |
| Personal account + QR access | 3-4 weeks |
| ACS integration | 2-3 weeks |
| Floor plans | 1-2 weeks |
| Base version | 2-3 months |
| Full version with ACS and maps | 3-5 months |
Cost is calculated individually — depends on tariff complexity, number of integrations, and required performance. If the timeline works for you, leave a request for a preliminary assessment.
What's Included
- Portal source code (GitHub repository)
- Admin panel for managing bookings, tariffs, and members
- API and deployment documentation
- 3-month warranty + post-production support
- Access to servers and payment provider
Comparison: Custom Development vs Off-the-Shelf CRM
| Parameter | Custom Portal | Off-the-Shelf CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Process adaptation | Full | Limited |
| ACS integration | Any via API | Only supported ones |
| Launch speed | 2-5 months | 1-3 months |
| Cost | Individual | Fixed |
Custom portal offers flexibility but requires investment. Off-the-shelf solutions are faster but rarely cover all scenarios.
Contact us to discuss your project. Get a consultation from an engineer and a preliminary development plan. We will help automate your coworking space.