The initial steps for setting up an overflow unit or bed are almost the same as the steps outlined in the Managing Unit & Bed Inventory guidance.

The difference with Overflow beds comes in two spots, Resource Directory project setup, and Resource Directory List View.

Resource Directory Project Setup

In the same location as the guidance referenced above, click on the Add Unit button and create a new unit. You can also add Overflow Beds to existing units, or designate existing units as Overflow. Add the relevant details for the unit. We recommend adding any Overflow beds to Overflow-specific units.

When creating the unit, you do not need to check Overflow in order to add Overflow beds to that unit. However, if you do check it, all beds in that unit will be overflow beds.

Similarly, if you edit an existing unit to change it to Overflow, the system will change all the beds in that unit to Overflow beds.

Once you’ve either created a new unit or edited an existing one, click on the Bed Profile tab to create a new bed/beds. At the bottom of the bed characteristics is the Overflow section. Check this box to mark a bed as overflow.

Now that bed or beds will be available to check people in if your regular capacity has been reached. Overflow beds do not contribute to the total number of beds visible by outreach workers in the Resource Directory List View.

Overflow Bed Inventory Management

For guidance on checking in a pending reservation or checking in a client without a reservation, see this page. This guidance details how to view if a bed is marked as overflow from the inventory view.

Within the Inventory tab, it is possible to edit the columns displayed at the top to include or exclude any relevant columns. Here we’ll click on the drop-down and add check the box to the left of Overflow, so that column will be visible.

Now that the overflow column is visible, we can see the units as well as whether a bed is overflow or not.

Checking in pending reservations or creating new reservations for overflow beds does not decrease the available beds listed in the user view of the Resource Directory.