In the bookingtime system, the concept of organizational hierarchy is fundamental to structuring permissions and settings within a network. This article explains how organizations can be managed hierarchically and the types of organizations available within the system. 

Structure of Organizational Hierarchy

An organization in bookingtime can function as a root organization or a sub-organization. A root organization is the highest level in the hierarchy, while sub-organizations exist beneath it. This hierarchical setup allows for the distribution of settings and permissions across multiple organizations. For instance, a root organization could represent a national headquarters, while sub-organizations could represent regional or local offices.

The organizational hierarchy is structured as a tree, where each organization can have one or more sub-organizations. This structure supports nested hierarchies, enabling a clear representation of complex networks.

Inheritance of Settings and Permissions

One of the most significant advantages of hierarchical organizations is the inheritance of settings and permissions:

• Settings Inheritance: Settings defined at the root organization level, such as address, booking settings, or time grids, are automatically inherited by sub-organizations unless explicitly overridden.
• Permission Inheritance: Permissions for admins, apps, and modules can also be inherited. For example, if an employee is granted admin rights in a root organization, they automatically receive admin rights in all its sub-organizations.

However, inheritance is additive, not exclusive. This means permissions and settings are layered, and any explicitly defined settings in sub-organizations are combined with inherited ones. For example, an admin in a sub-organization can be granted additional permissions beyond those inherited from the root.

Management of Hierarchies

Developers can use the API to manage organizational hierarchies efficiently. The following operations are supported:

• Create Organizations: Add new root or sub-organizations. Use either:
  • addOrganization: creates a new root organization/organization network.
  • addRootOrganization: Creates a new root organization that is hierarchically above the old existing organization, turning the old existing organization into a sub-organization.
  • addSubOrganization: creates a new sub-organization within the same organization network, hierarchically below the specifed organization.
• Copy Organizations: Duplicate an existing organization’s structure and settings. When onboarding organizations, it may be more efficient to copy an existing template organization rather than creating a new one.
• Move Organizations: Reassign sub-organizations within a hierarchy to adapt to changing business requirements.
• Delete Organizations: Remove an organization (soft deletion) while preserving its records for a defined retention period.

Each organization must be linked to a contract account, which ensures proper billing and licensing management within the network.

Example Use Case

Imagine a company with a hierarchical structure:

• Root Organization: Headquarters
• Sub-Organizations: Regional offices (e.g., North America, Europe)
• Sub-Sub-Organizations: Local branches (e.g., New York, Berlin)

In this setup:

1. The headquarters can define global policies, such as branding or working hours, which are inherited by all branches.
2. Regional offices can set regional-specific rules, such as public holidays.
3. Local branches can override specific settings, such as employee schedules, while still adhering to global and regional rules.

Conclusion

The bookingtime system’s organizational hierarchy is a powerful tool for managing complex networks. With features like settings inheritance, permission management, and API-based configuration, developers can ensure a seamless and efficient organization structure.