Microsoft Places Review: Pros, Cons, Features and Pricing
Microsoft Places is a workforce management software built to address the realities of hybrid work and dynamic team needs. For HR executives who want to coordinate schedules, support flexible collaboration, and maximize office resources without extra complexity, Microsoft Places brings these functions into the same ecosystem your teams already use.
In this review, I’ll cover its core features as a workplace management solution, examples of where it shines—or falls short—pros and cons, and what you need to know about pricing.
Microsoft Places Evaluation Summary
- From $40/room/month (billed annually)
- Not available
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Microsoft Places Overview
If you’re judging workforce management tools for a hybrid environment, I think Microsoft Places stands out for seamless integration with Microsoft 365, intuitive scheduling, and smart office resource allocation. While the platform’s onboarding is easy and the interface familiar, its support and standalone features aren’t as deep as some dedicated platforms. I’d choose Microsoft Places for organizations already deep in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem or for teams prioritizing collaboration over granular scheduling controls. For example, it’s ideal for companies managing hybrid attendance and shared spaces where ease of use and integration matter most.
pros
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Native meeting room and desk booking streamlines hybrid schedules
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Automatic location awareness helps coordinate in-office attendance
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Real-time space utilization analytics inform office planning
cons
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No built-in time tracking or attendance enforcement tools
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Features depend heavily on Microsoft 365 subscriptions
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Limited mobile functionality for non-desk-based workers
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How We Test & Score Our Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final score)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final score)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final score)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final score)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final score)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final score)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final score)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
Smart Desk Booking
Reserve bookable desks in advance to support flexible work schedules. The system automatically suggests the best available seats based on team needs, with quick book options for same-day availability.
Meeting Room Reservation
Easily book meeting rooms with real-time availability shown in Microsoft Teams. Space reservations include notifications and integration with Outlook calendars.
Location Awareness
Detect who is planning to work onsite or remotely using shared work plans each day. Teams can coordinate office attendance to align in-person collaboration.
Space Utilization Analytics
View reports on workspace and room usage to inform space optimization and office planning. Admins can spot trends and right-size resources as attendance changes.
Hybrid Scheduling Coordination
Employees share and view schedules directly in Teams to align hybrid work. This promotes greater visibility into where and when colleagues are onsite for coordinating in-person events.
Office Wayfinding
Interactive maps in the places app show desk and room locations in the office. Employees can easily find their reserved workspace or meeting room using the built-in room finder.
Ease of Use
Microsoft Places is easy to navigate, especially for teams already using Microsoft 365. Users say the Teams-based interface feels instantly familiar, and desk booking or room scheduling only takes a few clicks. The direct connection to Outlook and in-app prompts removes friction, making it approachable even for hybrid work beginners.
Integrations
Microsoft Places integrates with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Bookings, Viva Insights, OneDrive, and Power BI.
Microsoft Places also offers an API.
Microsoft Places Specs
- 2-Factor Authentication
- 360 Degree Feedback
- API
- Application Tracking
- Attendance Tracking
- Batch Permissions & Access
- Compliance Tracking
- Dashboard
- Data Export
- Data Import
- Data Visualization
- Employee Database
- Employee Engagement
- Employee Incentive Management
- Employee Onboarding
- Employee Training
- Expense Tracking
- External Integrations
- Feedback Management
- Multi-User
- Notifications
- Payroll
- Performance Appraisal
- Scheduling
- Time Management
- Timesheets
- Travel Management
- Vacation & Absence Calendar
