AUTHORIZING CANCELLED MEETING ROOM ACTION

An approach for authorizing a cancelled meeting room action includes receiving a notification of an unavailable meeting room for a scheduled meeting. The approach includes determining whether a meeting room action is performed for the scheduled meeting and responsive to determining the meeting room action is not performed for the scheduled meeting, determining a first invitee on a prioritized list of a plurality of meeting invitees to provide with a temporary meeting room action authorization. Furthermore, the approach includes sending to the first invitee, a notification of the temporary meeting room action authorization for the scheduled meeting and determining whether the first invitee has performed a meeting room action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of calendar-based scheduling for a group of meeting invitees and more particularly to determining a meeting invitee to re-schedule a cancelled meeting room.

Meeting rooms, when scheduled via a computer network or other electronic means, are typically reserved by a meeting chair or other responsible meeting organizer using an electronic meeting scheduling service or application. Meeting room availability is typically determined from information retrieved by the meeting scheduling service from a meeting room database. As meeting room reservations are processed using meeting scheduling services, meeting room availability is updated and stored in the meeting room database.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a computer program product, and a system for authorizing a cancelled meeting room action. The method includes one or more computer processors receiving a notification of an unavailable meeting room for a scheduled meeting. The method includes one or more computer processors determining whether a meeting room action is performed for the scheduled meeting and responsive to determining the meeting room action is not performed for the scheduled meeting, determining a first invitee on a prioritized list of a plurality of meeting invitees to provide with a temporary meeting room action authorization. Furthermore, the method includes one or more computer processors sending to the first invitee, a notification of the temporary meeting room action authorization for the scheduled meeting and determining whether the first invitee has performed a meeting room action.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention recognize that occasionally a meeting room reservation is cancelled or declined when a higher priority meeting is scheduled for the same room, thus leaving a previously scheduled meeting without a meeting room. Embodiments of the present invention recognize that an electronic meeting scheduling service sends an automatic notification of the cancelled meeting room to the user or meeting chair who reserved the meeting room. The notification may go unnoticed or unacted upon due to a meeting chair's absence from the office or busy schedule.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to determine a meeting invitee to perform a meeting room action such as re-schedule a meeting room when a meeting chair does not perform a meeting room action in a pre-set or determined elapsed time from a received notification of an unavailable meeting room. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to create a prioritized list of the meeting invitees based, at least in part, on the relevance of the meeting invitees to the scheduled meeting context.

As depicted, distributed data processing environment100includes server120and computers130A to computers130N all interconnected over network110. Network110can include, for example, a telecommunications network, a local area network (LAN), a virtual LAN (VLAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, or a combination of the these, and can include wired or wireless connections. Network110can include one or more wired and/or wireless networks that are capable of receiving and transmitting data including receiving GPS signals or radio waves, voice, and/or video signals, including multimedia signals that include voice, data, and video information. In general, network110can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between server120, computers130A-130N, and other computing devices (not shown) within distributed data processing environment100.

Computers130A-130N can each be one or more of a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating with various components and devices within distributed data processing environment100, via network110. In general, computers130A-130N each represent any programmable electronic device or combination of programmable electronic devices capable of executing machine readable program instructions and communicating with other computing devices (not shown) within distributed data processing environment100via a network, such as network110. Computers130A-130N each include an instance of user interface133. Computers130A-130N access server120and other computer devices (not depicted inFIG. 1) via network110, for example, to receive and generate meeting notices.

User interface133provides an interface for each respective user of computers130A-130N with server120and other computing devices in distributed data processing environment100(not shown). In one embodiment, user interface133may be a graphical user interface (GUI) or a web user interface (WUI) and can display text, documents, web browser windows, user options, application interfaces, and instructions for operation, and include the information (such as graphic, text, and sound) that a program presents to a user and the control sequences the user employs to control the program. In another embodiment, user interface133may also be mobile application software that provides an interface between the users of computers130A-130N and server120. Mobile application software, or an “app,” is a computer program designed to run on smart phones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. User interface133enables computers130A-130N to receive a user selection of a revised meeting room sent via network110to meeting scheduling service121on server120.

Server120can be a standalone computing device, a management server, a web server, a mobile computing device, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving, sending, and processing data. In other embodiments, server120can represent a server computing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, such as in a cloud computing environment. In another embodiment, server120can be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating with computers130A-130N, and other computing devices (not shown) within distributed data processing environment100via network110. In another embodiment, server120represents a computing system utilizing clustered computers and components (e.g., database server computers, application server computers, etc.) that act as a single pool of seamless resources when accessed within distributed data processing environment100. Server120includes meeting scheduling service121, meeting room re-schedule program122, calendar database125, meeting room database126, networking database128, and employee information database129. Server120may include internal and external hardware components, as depicted and described in further detail with respect toFIG. 4.

Meeting scheduling service121is any known meeting scheduling service provided by internet service providers, an e-mail system, a corporate mail service, or the like. A meeting chair or other responsible meeting organizer or user schedules a meeting using meeting scheduling service121. Meeting scheduling service121generates meeting notices for invitees to the meeting and may send meeting room change or meeting cancellations to the invitees when a meeting room is re-scheduled or cancelled. Meeting scheduling service121generates a notification to the meeting chair and meeting room re-schedule program122of an unavailable meeting room for a scheduled meeting for a declined or rejected meeting room reservation.

Meeting room re-schedule program122determines an authorized meeting invitee to perform a meeting room action for a scheduled meeting when a notification is received of an unavailable meeting room for a previously scheduled meeting (e.g., when a scheduled meeting is bumped from a reserved meeting room). Meeting room re-schedule program122determines an authorized invitee to perform a meeting room action (e.g., re-schedule a meeting room) when a meeting chair who originally scheduled the meeting does not take an action to cancel or re-schedule a meeting room for the scheduled meeting in a set or pre-determined elapsed time from receipt of the notice of the unavailable room.

Meeting room re-schedule program122extracts information from a meeting notice of the scheduled meeting to determine a meeting context. Additionally, meeting room re-schedule program122extracts information on each invitee to the scheduled meeting from at least one of networking database128, employee information database129, or another database (not shown) containing information on the invitees. Meeting room re-schedule program122compares the extracted information on each invitee to the meeting context to determine a prioritized list of an invitee importance or relevance to the scheduled meeting with an unavailable or cancelled meeting room.

Additionally, meeting room re-schedule program122accesses information from calendar database125to determine availability of an invitee with the highest relevance or importance to the scheduled meeting. Meeting room re-schedule program122informs the invitee with the highest relevance to the meeting context who is available of an authorization to re-schedule the unavailable meeting room or cancel the meeting. Additionally, meeting room re-schedule program122may provide to a determined authorized invitee one or more notices of multiple instances of an unavailable meeting room for a repeating meeting. Meeting room re-schedule program122sends and receives information from computers130A-130N and other computing devices not depicted inFIG. 1. While depicted as a separate program, in an embodiment, the functions and code of meeting room re-schedule program122are included in meeting scheduling service121.

In the depicted embodiment, calendar database125, meeting room database126, networking database128and employee information database129reside on server120. In another embodiment, calendar database125, meeting room database126, networking database128and employee information database129may reside elsewhere within distributed data processing environment100provided meeting room re-schedule program122and meeting scheduling service121have access to each of the databases. While each of calendar database125, meeting room database126, networking database128and employee information database129are depicted as a single database, in various embodiments, the information stored in each database may be stored in more than one database.

Calendar database125is a repository for data used by meeting scheduling service121and meeting room re-schedule program122to determine user or invitee availability using conventional meeting scheduling methods. Calendar database125stores information on a user's availability for scheduling a meeting. Meeting room database126is a repository for data on meeting room availability used by meeting scheduling service121and meeting room re-schedule program122to determine and reserve a meeting room or to re-schedule a meeting room for a meeting using conventional meeting scheduling methods.

Networking database128is a repository for data on employee networking sites that may include blogs, communities of shared information on specific projects, departments, or areas of a business, and the like. Networking database128may include information such as project details, employee project responsibilities, employee associates, titles, length of time on a project, areas of technical expertise, etc. Employee networking information may be used by meeting room re-schedule program122to determine relevance of an invitee, or a set of invitees, to a scheduled meeting.

Employee information database129is a repository for conventionally stored data corresponding to an employee or an invitee such as name, title, userid, phone numbers, department, and the like. Employee information database129may be utilized by meeting scheduling service121and meeting room re-schedule program122to determine one or more invitee userid's for sending e-mail or a meeting notice using known meeting scheduling methods.

FIG. 2is a flowchart depicting one example of a meeting room re-schedule method200in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. As depicted,FIG. 2includes the steps of a meeting room re-schedule method200performed by a program such as meeting room re-schedule program122on server120that is used when a selected meeting room for a scheduled meeting becomes unavailable, for example, when a meeting is bumped or removed from a scheduled meeting room by an owner or administrator of the selected meeting room.

Meeting room re-schedule method200includes receiving a notification that the meeting room is unavailable (204). For example, when two meeting chairs simultaneously book the same meeting room or when a higher priority meeting needs a meeting room, a meeting room reservation or selection by a meeting chair may be rejected or cancelled. Meeting scheduling service121sends a notification to the meeting chair and meeting room re-schedule method200when a meeting room reservation is cancelled. The notification may include conventional information on the meeting such as meeting title, a meeting date or meeting dates in a repeating meeting, time, and the unavailable meeting room. Additionally, the notification of the unavailable meeting room or unavailable meeting rooms, as may be the case in a repeating meeting, includes an instruction to the meeting chair to take an action such as cancel the meeting or reschedule the meeting room for the cancelled meeting room reservation(s). In an embodiment, the notification includes a timeframe in which to perform a meeting room action such as re-scheduling the unavailable meeting room.

Meeting room re-schedule method200determines whether a meeting room action has occurred (decision208). A meeting room action as used with meeting room re-schedule program122includes re-scheduling a meeting room and cancelling a meeting. In an embodiment, a meeting room action includes re-scheduling a meeting. Meeting room re-schedule method200may query one or more of a system log, a database, or persistent storage in the meeting chair's computer (e.g., computer130A), or a database such as meeting room database126on server120(depicted inFIG. 1) to determine that a meeting action has occurred (yes branch decision208). In an embodiment, a meeting scheduling service (e.g., meeting scheduling service121depicted inFIG. 1) sends a notification of a meeting chair or other authorized meeting representative or user completing a meeting room action such as re-scheduling a meeting room for a previously scheduled meeting. When meeting room re-schedule method200determines that a meeting room action has occurred (e.g., the meeting room is re-scheduled), either by a query or a notification received from meeting scheduling service121, then meeting room re-schedule method200ends.

However, if meeting room re-schedule method200determines that a meeting action has not occurred (no branch decision208) using the methods discussed above, then meeting room re-schedule method200determines whether an elapsed time has passed (decision210). An elapsed time in meeting room re-schedule method200is a time interval in which a meeting chair or other authorized user may take a meeting room action (e.g., selecting a revised meeting room) without further action by meeting room re-schedule method200.

An elapsed time is configured in meeting room re-schedule method200as a pre-set or fixed elapse time, a variable elapsed time, which may be a determined elapse time, or a user selectable elapsed time. A fixed or pre-set elapsed time may be a default time interval for the elapsed time that is configured in a program (e.g., meeting room re-schedule program122depicted inFIG. 1). For example, meeting room re-schedule method200is pre-set with a fixed elapsed time of twenty-four hours. A variable elapsed time is an elapsed time or a time interval that may change for each received notice of an unavailable meeting room. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to determine a variable elapsed time based on a fraction or a percentage of the time remaining until the scheduled meeting. A variable elapsed time may be 1/10th or 0.10 of the time remaining until the scheduled meeting, for example, the notification is received 48 hours from the schedule meeting time then, the variable elapsed time would be 4.8 hours.

In an embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to determine an elapsed time based, at least in part, on meeting room availability based, at least in part, existing prediction algorithms and historical data of meeting room availability. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200determines an elapsed time based on a prediction of a time when only three meeting rooms will be available at a location using historical data of meeting room availability (e.g., retrieved from meeting room database126depicted inFIG. 1). In this example, for a specific organization location with multiple meeting rooms, an elapsed time of twelve hours is used when known meeting room availability algorithms predict only three meeting rooms will be available in twelve hours based on an analysis of historical meeting room availability retrieved from a database with stored information on meeting room availability (e.g., meeting room database126inFIG. 1). In an embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200includes checking or updating the elapsed time on a pre-determined schedule (e.g., every two weeks). For example, the elapsed time is determined or updated every two weeks using the meeting room prediction algorithms and updated historical meeting room availability retrieved from a meeting room database.

In another example, a variable elapsed time is a programmatically determined elapsed time based on prediction algorithms that analyze a user's or a meeting chair's previous history in re-scheduling a meeting after receiving a notification of an unavailable meeting room for a scheduled meeting. In this example, a variable elapsed time is determined, at least in part, on an analysis of system log data or data stored on the user's meeting re-schedule room actions retrieved from a database or persistent storage in an invitee such as a meeting chair's computer or a server (e.g., computer130A or server120inFIG. 1). Historical data analysis of the user's or meeting chair's previous actions may determine or predict that if a user does not re-schedule a meeting in five hours, the user typically does not re-schedule the unavailable meeting room or cancel the scheduled meeting unless further reminders or other system-generated actions are sent to the meeting chair.

In another example of a programmatically determined elapsed time, meeting room re-schedule method200determines an elapsed time based on a comparison of a fixed elapsed time and a variable elapsed time. Meeting room re-schedule method200, in this example, compares a fixed elapsed time of eight hours and a variable elapsed time of six hours (e.g., 10 percent of 60 hours remaining until the scheduled meeting) and selects the lesser of the two elapsed times (i.e., six hours) to use as the elapsed time.

In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to utilize a user selected elapsed time. For example, a user may be provided with a pop-up menu, an icon for a selection of elapsed time, a list of elapsed times, or a line to enter a desired elapsed time to be selected and used for a scheduled meeting in meeting room re-schedule method200. In some embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured with a default selection for an elapsed time. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200default elapsed time is 24 hours which may be user selected default or a pre-set default.

If meeting room re-schedule method200determines that the elapsed time has not passed (no branch decision210), then meeting room re-schedule method200includes awaiting a meeting room action (209). Meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to check if a meeting room action has occurred. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to check every ten minutes to see if a meeting action has occurred (e.g., by querying a meeting log, a system log, a meeting room database, a calendar database, an e-mail log for a meeting room change notice, etc. on a meeting chair's or invitee's computer or server120inFIG. 1). In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200includes receiving a notification of a meeting room action from a meeting scheduling service (e.g., meeting scheduling service121).

However, if meeting room re-schedule method200determines that the elapsed time has passed (yes branch of decision210), then meeting room re-schedule method200includes determining an invitee to provide with a temporary meeting room action authority (212). Meeting room re-schedule method200determines a user who is an invitee to the scheduled meeting with an unavailable meeting room to take a meeting action when a meeting chair does not (e.g., the meeting chair is out of the office, is unavailable, is busy or has forgotten the notification).

A user with a temporary meeting room re-schedule authority has the ability to take a meeting room action such as cancel the meeting or schedule another meeting room for the identified scheduled meeting or meetings with a cancelled meeting room or meeting rooms as may be the case in a repeating scheduled meeting. Unless otherwise specified in the case of a repeating meeting with multiple instances of cancelled meeting room reservations, the authorized user may only take a meeting room action such as re-schedule the unavailable meeting room for the identified scheduled meeting. In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200provides an authorized user with the ability to take a meeting room action for one or more of multiple instances of a cancelled meeting room reservation for one or more unavailable meeting rooms in a repeating scheduled meeting.

Meeting room re-schedule method200determines an invitee to provide with the temporary meeting room action authority by one of several methods. Meeting room re-schedule method200determines an importance or relevance of invitees to the scheduled meeting based, at least in part, on a correlation of information on the invitees to one or more of a meeting context, meeting content, and a user or invitee availability.

In one embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200uses existing algorithms defined for content relevance mapping. Context relevance mapping algorithms may determine a meeting context using extracted information from a meeting notice and/or retrieved information from a database such as calendar database125for the scheduled meeting. Context relevance mapping algorithms for the meeting may use information such as a meeting subject, a meeting agenda, meeting minutes, or meeting action items extracted from the scheduled meeting notice. In an embodiment, when a meeting notice includes only the meeting location, the meeting time, and the attendees, meeting room re-schedule method200includes retrieving from one or more databases (e.g., employee information database129or networking database128) information on the invitee's such as projects working on, job title, and job description to determine a meeting context based on an analysis of the projects each of the invitees are working on and each of the invitee's job description. In one embodiment, when a meeting notice includes only the meeting location, the meeting time, and the attendees, meeting room re-schedule method200includes determining the most relevant invitee based, at least in part, on an invitee with the highest job title. Meeting room re-schedule method200may use known natural language processing and/or semantic analysis method to determine meeting context. In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200uses natural language processing and/or semantic analysis of a meeting notice, elements included in the meeting notice such as an agenda, meeting minutes, action items, etc. and in analyzing invitee information extracted from one or more databases (e.g., employee information database129).

Meeting room re-schedule method200includes retrieving information on each of the meeting invitees retrieved from one or more databases (e.g., an employee database such as employee information database129, a user or corporate networking database such as networking database128, or another database). Information retrieved from a database of employee or invitee information (e.g., employee information database129), from a database on professional networking (e.g., networking database128), or from another database storing invitee related invitee information may include information such as job title, time in a company, time on a project, projects the invitee is working on, invitee project roles, education, and technical expertise, and the like.

Meeting room re-schedule method200creates a prioritized list of invitees and uses the prioritized list to determine the invitee to provide with an authorization to re-schedule the meeting room (or cancel the meeting with an unavailable meeting room). Meeting room re-schedule method200compares the meeting context for the scheduled meeting to the retrieved invitee information such as job title, job description, programs affiliated with, time in a company and/or a project to determine the relevance of each invitee to the meeting to the meeting context. The prioritized list of invitees is a list in an ascending order of relevance or importance to the scheduled meeting (i.e., from most relevant to least relevant invitee). The prioritized list of invitees determines the most relevant invitee to provide with a temporary meeting room action authority. In various embodiments, the invitee with the highest relevance to the meeting context is the first invitee on the prioritized list (e.g., the first invitee provided with the temporary meeting room action authority).

In determining an invitee to provide with a temporary meeting room action authority, meeting room re-schedule method200includes selecting the invitee with the highest or the most relevance to the scheduled meeting (e.g., most relevance to a meeting context such as a meeting content or a meeting subject). For example, meeting room re-schedule method200determines the most relevant invitee based on the relevance of each of the meeting invitees determined by analyzing retrieved invitee data to a meeting context. Meeting room re-schedule method200includes analyzing invitee information such as a job description, a job title, department, projects working on, and length of time on a project retrieved from one or more databases (e.g., employee information database129and networking database128) for each of the invitees to the meeting to find the invitee with the best or closest correlation of at least one of a job description, a job title, department, and projects working on to a meeting context. For example, the most relevant invitee to the meeting context of a meeting on customer satisfaction for product Y is the quality engineer for product Y whose job description includes the phrase “responsible for customer satisfaction” and “assigned to project Y.” In one embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200determines a relevance to a meeting context for the prioritized list of invitees based, at least in part, on a correlation of the number key words in the retrieved invitee information matching one or more key words in the meeting context (e.g., the most relevant invitee's information provides the most key words that are not words such as a, the, etc. matching the meeting context, and so on). In one embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to determine invitee relevance to a meeting context based, at least in part, on a length of time on a project included in a meeting context (e.g., the invitee with to most time or longest time on the project is determined to be the most relevant to the project, and so on). In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to determine invitee relevance based, at least in part, an invitee with information matching at least a part of the meeting context who is in the same department as the meeting. In an embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200uses existing knowledge-based algorithms and an analysis of an organization hierarchy for a company to determine the relevance of the invitee's with respect to the meeting context. Meeting room re-schedule method200provides the invitee with the most relevance to the scheduled meeting with the ability to perform a meeting room action such as re-scheduling the unavailable or cancelled meeting room.

In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200includes determining the invitee with the highest or most relevance to the scheduled meeting who is available to perform a meeting room action. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200verifies if the invitee with the most relevance to the scheduled meeting is available (e.g., not travelling, on vacation, or scheduled in meetings) by querying a calendar database (e.g., calendar database125inFIG. 1) to verify if the most relevant invitee is available (e.g., for a pre-set time such as the next 48 hours). In various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured to use the elapsed time as the pre-set time for determining invitee availability. In an embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200is configured with a pre-set time for invitee availability based on the time to the scheduled meeting, for example, six hours for a meeting scheduled in less than three days. If meeting room re-schedule method200determines the invitee with the highest relevance to the schedule meeting is not available in the pre-set time, then meeting room re-schedule method200determines another invitee with the next most or next highest relevance to the scheduled meeting who is available in the pre-set time to take a meeting action on the scheduled meeting.

Meeting room re-schedule method200sends a notification to the determined invitee of the temporary meeting room action authority (214). The invitee determined to be the most relevant, available invitee for the scheduled meeting receives an e-mail, a note, a text, a short messaging service message, or other known electronic notification of the meeting room action authority for the scheduled meeting. The notification includes information on the scheduled meeting such as the meeting subject, the date of the meeting, the time of the meeting, and the location of the unavailable meeting room. In an embodiment, the notification to the determined invitee with temporary meeting room action authority includes a link to a meeting scheduling service (e.g., meeting scheduling service121inFIG. 1) to search available meeting rooms and to generate a meeting notice to all of the invitees to the scheduled meeting if the determined invitee decides to take a meeting room action (e.g., re-schedule the meeting room). In an embodiment, the notification to the determined invitee includes the elapsed time in which to complete the meeting room action.

Meeting room re-schedule method200determines whether a meeting room action has occurred (decision216) using the methods (e.g., searching a system log, querying a database, etc.) previously discussed above with respect to step208for determining if a meeting action has occurred.

When meeting room re-schedule method200determines a meeting action has not occurred (no branch of decision step216) using the previously discussed methods, then meeting room re-schedule method200includes determining whether an elapsed time has passed (decision210) by comparing the time of the received notification and the current time. In this case, if the determined elapsed time has passed, meeting room re-schedule method200may determine a second invitee to provide with an authority to re-schedule the scheduled meeting.

However, if meeting room re-schedule method200determines that a meeting room action has occurred (yes branch of decision216), then the method200sends a meeting notice of the meeting room action to the invitees (218). When the authorized invitee has either re-scheduled the meeting room or cancelled the scheduled meeting and invitees are notified, meeting room re-schedule method200ends. In an embodiment, meeting room re-schedule method200includes sending the meeting room action information to meeting scheduling service121to send notifications to the invitees.

While most of the description above is directed at a specific scheduled meeting, as previously mentioned, in various embodiments, meeting room re-schedule method200receives a notification of one or more instances of a scheduled repeating meeting with one or more unavailable meeting rooms. For example, meeting room re-schedule method200may receive a notification that a selected meeting room in the scheduled repeating meeting is not available for four of the scheduled meeting dates. Meeting room re-schedule method200may be configured, for example, with a link to a meeting room database for each instance of the unavailable meeting room. In another example, meeting room re-schedule method200may be configured to automatically proceed from the first instance to the second instance of an unavailable meeting room as the authorized invitee takes an action (e.g., re-schedules the unavailable meeting room) for the first instance, and so on until all instances are resolved by a meeting room action.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3Care illustrations depicting examples of user interface displays of e-mails and computer log data generated by meeting room re-schedule program122in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. As depicted,FIG. 3Ais an example of a notification sent to a meeting chair,FIG. 3Bis an example of a system log for a scheduled meeting with a cancelled meeting room, andFIG. 3Cis an example of a notification to a determined invitee provided with a temporary meeting room action authority.

FIG. 3Adepicts an example of an e-mail sent as notification301of a rejected or declined meeting room reservation. Notification301is sent to meeting chair303who is J. Doe. Notification301informs meeting chair303that the meeting room reservation for a scheduled meeting has been cancelled. Notification301for the scheduled meeting “Customer N Meeting for Project XYZ” identified in e-mail subject305informs meeting chair303(i.e., J. Doe) of an unavailable meeting room for the scheduled meeting. The e-mail or notification301when opened may include links to a meeting room database, such as meeting room database126, or to a meeting scheduling service such as meeting scheduling service121(shown inFIG. 1).

FIG. 3Bdepicts an example of a system log for meeting room cancellation number579with system log entries307. System log entries307include a timestamp and a history of some of the actions performed by a meeting room re-schedule program such as meeting room re-schedule program122using a meeting room re-schedule method as discussed inFIG. 2. System log entries307identify that at 11:00 am the elapsed time has passed (e.g., 24 hours). Meeting room re-schedule program122analyzes the meeting subject and invitee information retrieved from one or more databases such as employee information database for John Doe, Joe Smith, and Dale Jones (i.e., the meeting invitees) to compare the meeting context and the extracted information on the meeting invitee job descriptions. Meeting re-schedule program122determines that Joe Smith, the customer account manager for Customer N is the most relevant, available invitee to the scheduled meeting and the program sends a notification to J. Smith of the authorization (depicted inFIG. 3C) to re-schedule the scheduled meeting with an unavailable meeting room.

FIG. 3Cdepicts an example of an e-mail sent as notification309. Notification309informs J. Smith, authorized invitee311, of a temporary authorization or responsibility to perform a meeting action for e-mail subject313, the scheduled meeting “Customer N Meeting for Project XYZ” on Jun. 12, 2016. When opened, notification309may include links to a meeting room database, such as meeting room database126and/or to meeting scheduling service121(depicted inFIG. 1). Additionally, e-mail subject313may include an another or a third line that informs authorized invitee311that a meeting room action is needed in the next 24 hours (i.e., in the elapsed time as configured in meeting room re-schedule program122).

FIG. 4is block diagram400depicting components of a computer system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. As depicted,FIG. 4depicts the components of a computer system, which is an example of a system such as server120or computers130A-130N within distributed data processing environment100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated thatFIG. 4provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments can be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment can be made.

Server120and computers130A-130N include processor(s)404, cache416, memory406, persistent storage408, communications unit410, input/output (I/O) interface(s)412, and communications fabric402. Communications fabric402provides communications between cache416, memory406, persistent storage408, communications unit410, and input/output (I/O) interface(s)412. Communications fabric402can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric402can be implemented with one or more buses.

Memory406and persistent storage408are computer readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory406includes random access memory (RAM). In general, memory406can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer readable storage media. Cache416is a fast memory that enhances the performance of processor(s)404by holding recently accessed data, and data near recently accessed data, from memory406.

Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention are stored in persistent storage408for execution and/or access by one or more of the respective processor(s)404via cache416. In this embodiment, persistent storage408includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage408can include a solid-state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, or any other computer readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

The media used by persistent storage408may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage408. Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer readable storage medium that is part of persistent storage408.

Communications unit410, in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices, including among resources of computers130A-130N, server120, and other computing devices not shown inFIG. 1. In these examples, communications unit410includes one or more network interface cards. Communications unit410may provide communications with either or both physical and wireless communications links. Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be downloaded to persistent storage408through communications unit410.

I/O interface(s)412allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to server120and computers130A-N. For example, I/O interface(s)412may provide a connection to external device(s)418such as a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, a microphone, a digital camera, and/or some other suitable input device. External device(s)418can also include portable computer readable storage media, for example, devices such as thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention can be stored on such portable computer readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage408via I/O interface(s)412. I/O interface(s)412also connect to a display420.

Display420provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor. Display420can also function as a touchscreen, such as a display of a tablet computer.