Arrivals application – configuration and setup guide

This page explains how to download, install, configure, and use the Matrix Booking Arrivals application (app) when used on a non-Matrix Booking device. This guide also shows you how to change the settings for the app regardless of whether you’re using a Matrix Booking supplied device or your own device:

1. Overview

2. Requirements

3. Device settings

4. Set up a kiosk user

5. Download and install the app

6. Set up the app

7. Change the settings

8. Check version number

9. Log the kiosk user out

10. Troubleshooting

11. Route planner

Overview

The Matrix Booking Arrivals app is a web and Android-only app that has been designed to work with the Matrix Booking family of products. It allows employees and visitors to view resources, such as meeting rooms and desks, that have been booked. The app will tell them when meetings are taking place in a building on a particular floor and the direction of where the meetings are. The device displaying the app will most often be used in reception areas or at the entrances of different floors.

Requirements

This section includes:

1. Device requirements

2. USB cable requirements

3. Power for tablets

4. PoE, switches, and cable runs

5. Domains and endpoints to approve

Device requirements

The Matrix Booking Arrivals app can be used anywhere in a building that has:

• Tablets with internet connectivity and Android 5.1 or above.

• Televisions with internet connectivity and an internet browser.

• Televisions or any monitor connected to a PC using the web version of the app.

The following browsers are compatible with the Arrivals app:

• Google Chrome

• Mozilla Firefox

• Apple Safari

• Microsoft Edge

USB cable requirements

USB cables vary wildly in quality. Consider carefully where your device is in relation to the power sockets. The longer the cable, the more electrical resistance there will be in the cable. For all tablet connectivity, we recommend the following:

• Use the lowest possible rating of USB cable, especially when using longer lengths of cable. Cable rating should be as close to 20 American Wire Gauge (AWG, for power) as possible, where 20, 22 or 24 AWG are fine to use. A higher rating than this will mean that a large portion of the power will be lost over the cable distance. All USB cables will have a rating expressed in the following format XX/YY AWG (where XX is the data rating, which isn’t important for this, and YY is the power rating).

• Maximum USB cable lengths are generally dictated by the USB standards, where the absolute maximum is 5 metres.

Power for tablets

Depending on how long you want to keep the tablets running for during the day and how bright you need the screens to run at, the power usage can vary significantly. To make sure that your devices always charge faster than they use power, we recommend the following:

• The charger that came with your device may not be the best for it because of how your device will be used. Look for alternatives if you expect your device to use more power.

• Make sure a minimum 2 A power supply is used. They are all 5 V, but they vary in the power rating from 400mA to 2.2 A.

• If power supplies are fitted to surfaces (for example, ceilings or walls), they need to be PAT tested in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Regulations and Acts.

PoE, switches, and cable runs

If you’re using PoE to supply power or data to your tablets or devices, this is generally a much more resilient method. However, there are still things to watch out for:

• Make sure that at least Cat5 cables are used.

• Check with the installation team that the integrity of the cable is good and reliable, as often when cables are installed, they can be “stretched” to make them long enough. This can their affect performance and reliability.

• Make sure whatever switch you might be using is able to supply enough power for the devices. If many tablets are being connected, make sure the switch can deliver the correct power level (in watts).

• Whatever switch you use shouldn’t be set to a super-low power saving or economy mode as this may sometimes dip the power below what is needed. This can cause the devices to shutdown or reboot.

• If you’re using MAC address security, always make sure the MAC address of the device is listed in your network. Otherwise, the device will power on but won’t be allocated an IP address This will cause the “connection lost” error message.

Domains and endpoints to approve

The table below shows the full list of application endpoints that you need to include in the allowed or trusted list to fully utilise the Matrix Booking applications on a closed network. If any endpoints aren’t in your allowed or trusted list, you may have issues with the service related to the endpoint.

Device settings

If your devices were set up by our team, skip this section. If you're using your own devices, follow the steps below to ensure they function correctly:

1. Exit kiosk mode

2. Time and date settings

3. Security to prevent exiting the app

4. Turn off Android Debug Bridge

Exit kiosk mode

All newly purchased signage devices are sent out in “kiosk mode.” This means that the device will automatically launch the Signage app after it’s switched on. The kiosk mode also prevents Signage users from exiting the app and navigating around the device.

Learn how to take your devices out of kiosk mode

Time and date settings

If you have your own device, ensure the default time zone is correct, as it may be set to the device manufacturer's time zone. Devices supplied by us are pre-configured with the correct time zone and use 2.android.pool.ntp.org as the NTP server, which is included in the standard endpoint or firewall list.

If your device uses a different time server, make sure it’s approved through your firewall so devices can maintain the correct time.

Security to prevent exiting the app

To prevent users from accidentally exiting the app, consider one of these options:

• Matrix Booking MDM kiosk software – contact your customer success manager to arrange this.

• Your organisation's MDM kiosk software.

• Android native PIN or password or see our iOS kiosk mode guidance.

These options aren’t mandatory, but skipping them may leave devices unsecured. Check your IT security policy to confirm whether one is required.

If you’re using MDM or kiosk software (either Matrix Booking’s or your own) or our Hardware as a Service (HaaS) offering, install it before the app. A password or PIN won’t be needed as access is restricted automatically and it will also interfere with our remote support capabilities.

To prevent navigation away from the app:

1. Close all other apps:

   • For iPads:

     • Go to the Home Screen

     • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

     • Pause in the middle of the screen.

     • Swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close.

     • Swipe up on the app’s preview to close the app.

   • For Android tablets:

     • Tap the square icon at the bottom of the device.

     • Tap the X button on each apps.

2. Open the Settings app.

3. Go to the Security section (may be called different names depending on the OS).

4. Go to the Screen locking sub-section. This may be called a different name depending on the OS (for example, Guided Access on iOS).

5. Set a password or PIN.

6. Go to the Screen pinning option (may be called different names depending on the OS).

7. Tap the Screen pinning checkbox or slider.

   

8. You’ll notice a pin button in the bottom-right of the Arrivals app.

9. Tap the pin button. A dialog will appear asking you to confirm.

10. Tap Confirm.

Learn more about Guided Access for iOS devices

Turn off Android Debug Bridge

If your network isn’t configured to block port 5555 and you don’t have your signage and kiosk devices running on a separate VLAN, we recommend disabling the ADB over Wi-fi, LAN, or Power over Ethernet (PoE) on your devices.

Learn more about how to turn off the Android Debug Bridge

Set up a kiosk user

Before downloading, installing, and setting up the app, you need to:

1. Add an Arrivals app user as a new System/API user.

2. Assign them as a location manager.

This is so that you can log in to the app as that user on your device and the account can be used to book on behalf.

Add an Arrivals app user

To add a System/API user:

1. Select Admin in the navigation bar.

2. Select Users under the Security & Integrations section in the side menu.

3. Select New User in the filters ribbon. The New User dialog will appear.

   

4. Enter their email address.

   • If the first and last names can be extracted from the email address, they will be auto populated.

   • Enter their first and last names if the auto populated results are incorrect.

5. Enter and re-enter a password for them.

6. Enter their other details you have available (for example, phone number).

7. Select System/API.

8. Select Save.

Assign the Arrivals app user as a location manager

To assign a location manager to a location:

1. If you haven’t already:

   • Add your booking categories.

   • Set up a location.

2. Select Admin in the navigation bar.

3. Select Location managers under the Location Settings section in the side menu.

4. Select + Add manager. The Add location manager dialog will appear

5. Begin to enter the specific location they are going to be a manager of into the Location text box. A dropdown will appear.

6. Select the location.

7. Begin to enter the name of the person in the Who text box. A dropdown will appear.

8. Select the manager’s name.

9. Select Add.

   

Download and install the app

Google accounts and Google Play

Within a corporate environment, it’s better to avoid adding a Google account to the device. This will prevent updates from being downloaded and installed automatically.

Many commercial devices are supplied with a “locked-down” version of the Android OS that prevents the use of Google accounts, Google Play and mobile services. On such devices, the Welcome app must be loaded directly onto the device. This is the same as the Matrix Booking standard supplied devices.

Download and install steps

The Arrivals app is a licensable product, and therefore, you’ll need to contact your customer success manager to make sure this software is part of your subscription package.

To manually download and install the app:

1. Download the latest version of our Arrivals app (APK, 10.3 MB) using the onboard browser app.

2. Tap the file to install the app. A dialog will appear asking you to install the software.

3. Tap INSTALL.

4. The installation will begin.

5. Your device may attempt to block the installation. You can send the app for scanning or you can continue the process by tapping DON’T SEND.

6. The Matrix Booking Arrivals app has been installed.

7. Tap OPEN to begin the configuration of the software.

   

Set up the app

Initial setup

With your buildings and resources set up on Matrix Booking, you can configure the Arrivals app to point to the direction of your resources and give more information on them. To do this:

1. Log in to the app on your device using your kiosk user account. This would have been created during your initial setup. If you’re setting this up yourself, you can find them in the Admin section through Matrix Booking.

   

2. Once logged in, the Location page will appear.

   

3. Using the search bar, begin to enter the correct building and floor for where your device will be situated and choose it.

4. Tap Add to choose the type of resource (for example, parking spaces) you want to give directions to or information on.

   

5. If you want to show the direction of the resource, choose the correct arrow for each resource from the resource list. This option doesn’t have to be chosen if you don’t want to give directions to the resource.

   

6. Tap Next. The Options page will appear.

7. Choose the information you want to have displayed.

   

8. Tap Start when you’ve chosen all your options. Your device will show the meetings of the day on the Arrivals homepage.

   

Information to display

The title is a banner that can display additional information for the user on the Arrivals homepage (the second image shows you the position of the banner for your reference). Another feature is the Show option that can provide how much information you want to display for your meetings, whether its for privacy or security reasons. You can show as little as the booking title and resource to as much as the booking owner and the resource location.

Other options include:

• The Show Next feature, which shows how much in advance you want to display.

• The Time / Screen feature is the display panel’s refresh rate of any booking updates.

• The Refresh feature which updates the Arrivals homepage with the correct information from Matrix Booking, using the chosen time interval.

  

Change the settings

If you need to change the options, tap 5 times consecutively in the top-right corner of the app. This will take you back to the Location page.

Check version number

Currently, it’s not possible to check the version number of the Arrivals app while using the app. You can find the version number by accessing your device’s settings under Apps.

You can download the latest version at any time.

Log the kiosk user out

If you need to log the kiosk user out:

1. Tap 5 times consecutively in the top-right corner on the Matrix Booking logo. This will take you back to the Location page.

2. Tap Back. This will take you back to the Login page.

Troubleshooting

This is the list of our troubleshooting articles:

• Software-related troubleshooting:

  • Arrivals app troubleshooting

  • Enter and exit Guided Access mode (iOS only)

• Hardware-related troubleshooting:

  • Signage device time troubleshooting

  • Room signage device or screen shows a blue page only?

  • Room signage, kiosks, and devices dropping to "need PIN" page or lock screen

  • Email alerts – device is no longer compliant

  • Turn off Android Debug Bridge (ADB) on ProDVX devices

Route planner

You could have multiple devices with the Arrivals app on them in various parts of your buildings and floors. The employee or visitor can view their day’s meetings and the locations, then they follow the arrow to go to the meeting room. 

If they are lost, other devices along the route can give further directions. An example of the devices working independently can be seen below: