What are Availability Configurations?
Availability Configurations allow organizations to input and manage their permits or contracts for fields, courts, and facilities. This helps track and optimize field usage by ensuring that programming (like practices, games, or events) aligns with the spaces they have officially secured.
For example, organizations can:
Enter all permitted time slots for each facility they use.
Verify that scheduled events only occur when space is available.
Identify any gaps—such as an event scheduled without a corresponding permit, or unused permitted time that could be reallocated.
By setting up Availability Configurations, organizations can better manage logistics, avoid scheduling conflicts, and make the most of their available resources.
Note: In some regions, the term contracts is more commonly used instead of permits. Throughout this guide, permits and contracts may be used interchangeably depending on your location or event organizer’s preference—they refer to the same thing: your official agreement for use of space.
OpenSports provides a robust permit management system to help organizations track and optimize facility usage. This guide explains how to manage permits using Availability Configurations, including customizing statuses, tracking changes, and maximizing permitted space.
Note: Availability configurations is only available on the web
Viewing and Managing Availability Configurations in OpenSports
1. Access the Dashboard by locating your group profile.
2. Navigate to the Calendar tab
Note: If you haven’t set up Availability Configurations yet, this step may not apply, as events will appear, but no availability configurations. Please skip to step 3.
- On the left sidebar, click Calendar to view permit statuses and scheduled games.
3. Create an Availability Configuration
To make edits, click Settings, located on the left side of the screen, then select Availability Configurations.
Click Create Availability Configuration and enter:
Title, Description, and Cost
Status (Cancelled, Confirmed, Planned, or Pending)
Availabilities:
Add Manual Availability (single-day permits)
Add Recurring Availability (repeating permits)
Facility & Date Range (select “Never” for an open-ended period)
Blocks (time slots for permits; use the + to add multiple on the same day)
4. Modify Availability
Use Override to adjust availability for specific days (e.g., blackout dates).
Click Add an Override to create additional adjustments (e.g., holiday hours).
5. Review and Finalize
Click Preview Resource Availabilities to check the calendar view.
Click Create Configuration to save.
6. View Updated Calendar
Return to the Calendar tab to see scheduled games and their permits.
From here you'll be able to view scheduled events and availability side by side—organized by resource and time block—making it easy to spot overlaps, gaps, or missing permits.
If you have an event without permitted space, you can simply drag and drop it into an available time slot to resolve the conflict.
Default Permit Statuses
OpenSports includes four built-in statuses to track the lifecycle of a permit:
Planned – Indicates anticipated field space availability.
Pending – Represents permits under negotiation before agreement signing.
Confirmed – Signifies an agreement has been signed and the permit is locked in.
Cancelled – Indicates the agreement has fallen through, and the space is no longer available.
Customizing Permit Statuses
If the default statuses do not fully represent your permit process, you can create custom statuses. For example, if a field manager often makes informal agreements, you can add a "Handshake Deal" status with a distinct color.
How to create custom statuses
Navigate to the Availability Configuration Status
On the right side of the block there will be Manage Statuses
Click Create New Status on the bottom right.
Enter a name (e.g., "Handshake Deal").
Assign a color for easy identification.
Save the new status by clicking Create.
This custom status will appear in the drop down menu under Availability Configuration Status.
Once saved, you can update any permit to reflect this custom status. OpenSports automatically records status changes in the revision history, providing a transparent view of permit modifications.
Viewing and Tracking Permits
Calendar View
The calendar displays all permitted spaces, allowing you to differentiate between confirmed and unconfirmed reservations. Custom statuses are visually represented, ensuring quick identification of the permit’s current stage.
To reschedule a game within the permitted time, drag the game to the desired slot. A prompt will appear to confirm the change—click Submit to save or Submit and Notify to inform attendees of the update.
Revision History
OpenSports logs permit status updates for tracking over time. To view changes, click any event in your calendar. In the details popup, click the green Revision History tab to see all updates, including who made them and the date.
Future Enhancements
OpenSports is continually improving the permit system with upcoming features:
Reporting on Unused Space: Visualizing the percentage of permitted but unused space.
Tracking Unauthorized Activities: Identifying activities occurring in non-permitted spaces.
Profit and Loss Analysis: Assessing the financial viability of programs based on registration and field costs.
Renting Extra Space: Allowing organizations to list and rent out unused field time seamlessly.
Conclusion
Managing permits with Availability Configurations in OpenSports ensures efficient use of field space, clear tracking of permit statuses, and potential revenue optimization. If you have specific use cases or feature requests, reach out to OpenSports support for further assistance.
Questions? Send them our way: support@opensports.net