A common problem we run into with our clients is how to effectively split spaces into double or triple occupancy while retaining the ability to account for the space as a single architectural unit.
Consider two scenarios: a single office with one occupant (a one-to-one relationship) versus a single office with multiple occupants (a one-to-many relationship). The one-to-many scenario creates an important question: how do we handle this to ensure reports and AutoCAD floor plans correctly display the one physical space — while retaining the ability to have multiple occupants, and potentially multiple departments?
Also consider that this may not be a static relationship. If one of the occupants of a shared office is removed, there needs to be a way to report which of the occupants is now vacant. This is required for Return to Office planning, as hot desk or flex seating strategies become more prevalent for right-sizing the corporate portfolio.
Methodology 1: Chargeback by Square Footage
For clients who need to account for total square footage — typically for chargeback purposes — the shared office must add up to the total physical space. This can be achieved by polylining the exterior of the office space, then dividing the space with a secondary polyline (either 50-50, 70-30, etc.). Using a location convention such as BLDG-FL-001-A and BLDG-FL-001-B, the system can generate both a Space Report (showing area and space type per location) and an Occupancy Report (broken out to the sub-location level, or rolled up to the location level). Color-coded hatching displays occupied, vacant, and reserved spaces visually — on the floor plan.
Keeping with best practices for space/location conventions, a typical naming structure might use: 3 characters for Region/Building, 2 characters for Floor, 3 characters for Location, and 2 characters for Sub-location. This location convention enables AutoCAD to perform all permutations of space and occupancy calculations for aggregation and hatching.
Methodology 2: Chargeback by Occupancy
If the total square footage of the office or building is not a concern — for example, if your chargeback system is based on personnel occupancy rather than area — you can shape your workspaces however you want. In this approach, specific desks within sub-locations can be designated as open or reserved. Sub-locations that don’t roll up to larger office locations don’t need to share a location number. We recommend keeping the space numbering convention consistent across both methods, so that when reviewing a report or reserving a space, it is always obvious which desk’s location is in a shared office.
Collectiveview has been assisting clients for over 20 years with space allocation reports and floor plans using industry best practices. Whether you need simple occupancy tracking or complex chargeback reporting, we’re here to help.