The Coworking Wiki
The shared knowledge of the industry.
A preview of our structured knowledge base for coworking operators. Vendor landscapes, glossaries, comparisons, best practice and operational templates - built with the community, maintained by the Institute.
Fig. 03
Open knowledge
Index
GLOSSARY · TEMPLATES
Browse by category
The index.
CAT-00
Start Here
Foundational primers for anyone entering the coworking industry — business models, unit economics, and the vocabulary you need before choosing tools or signing a lease.
1 article · OpenCAT-01
Access Control
Physical / Operational — Cloud-based and mobile-credential systems controlling entry to buildings, floors, offices, and amenities, syncing access rights with membership status.
1 article · OpenCAT-02
Sensors & Occupancy
Physical / Operational — Sensors and analytics measuring real occupancy and utilization of desks, rooms, and zones for space optimization and automation.
1 article · OpenCAT-03
BMS & Smart Building Tech
Physical / Operational — Centralized control and optimization of HVAC, lighting, power, and life-safety, increasingly with AI-driven energy management.
1 article · OpenCAT-04
Networking & Connectivity
Physical / Operational — Network hardware plus cloud management, guest WiFi captive portals, RADIUS authentication, and bandwidth management.
1 article · OpenCAT-05
Meeting Room Tech
Physical / Operational — Video-conferencing room hardware and door-mounted scheduling panels showing availability and enabling on-the-spot booking.
1 article · OpenCAT-06
AV & Digital Signage
Physical / Operational — Displays, projectors, sound, and cloud-managed digital signage for wayfinding, community announcements, and event promotion.
1 article · OpenCAT-07
Printing & MFP Management
Physical / Operational — Cloud print management connecting member devices to printers with usage tracking, quotas, secure release, and automated billing.
1 article · OpenCAT-08
Security & Surveillance
Physical / Operational — Cloud-managed and hybrid video surveillance with AI analytics; often bundled with access control.
1 article · OpenCAT-09
Phone Booths & Acoustic Pods
Physical / Operational — Modular soundproof booths for calls, video meetings, and focus work; the leading category is dominated by Nordic/European makers.
1 article · OpenCAT-10
Smart Lockers & Parcels
Physical / Operational — Cloud-managed lockers for member storage, parcel/package delivery, and device handoffs with mobile/keyless access.
1 article · OpenCAT-11
Coworking Operating Systems
Business Software — The core operating system unifying members, bookings, billing, CRM, access, and analytics. This is the integration hub for the entire stack.
1 article · OpenCAT-12
Member Management & CRM
Business Software — Lead capture, sales pipeline, member lifecycle, and contact management - sometimes native to the platform, sometimes separate.
1 article · OpenCAT-13
Billing & Payments
Business Software — Recurring billing, metered usage, invoicing, taxes, and payment processing - usually via the management platform plus a payment gateway.
1 article · OpenCAT-14
Booking & Reservations
Business Software — Real-time availability and self-service booking of desks, meeting rooms, and resources, with rules, credits, and dependencies.
1 article · OpenCAT-15
Community Platforms
Business Software — White-label mobile apps and member portals for community feed, directory, events, perks, and messaging.
1 article · OpenCAT-16
Marketing & Listing Platforms
Business Software — Aggregators and marketplaces that list spaces, generate leads, and enable on-demand bookings - a key acquisition channel.
1 article · OpenCAT-17
Accounting & Finance Integ.
Business Software — Integrations posting invoices, payments, and revenue data into accounting systems for reconciliation and reporting.
1 article · OpenCAT-18
Analytics & BI
Business Software — Dashboards and analytics on occupancy, revenue, member engagement, and operational KPIs across one or many locations.
1 article · OpenCAT-19
Workplace Experience Apps
Business Software — Hybrid/enterprise workplace apps overlapping with coworking: desk booking, wayfinding, and employee experience.
1 article · OpenCAT-20
Visitor Management
Business Software — Visitor check-in, host notifications, badge printing, and compliance/NDA workflows.
1 article · OpenCAT-21
Helpdesk & Facilities Ticketing
Business Software — Facilities ticketing and computerized maintenance management for cleaning, repairs, and asset tracking.
1 article · OpenCAT-22
IoT Integration & Middleware
Business Software — Middleware platforms that connect sensors, devices, and business systems across the building stack.
1 article · OpenCAT-23
AI Tools for Coworking Ops
Adjacent / Emerging — AI-driven tools for operations, member engagement, pricing, energy, and analytics.
1 article · OpenCAT-24
Broker & Space Aggregation
Adjacent / Emerging — Brokerage, flex-space aggregation, and multi-location/franchise management platforms.
1 article · OpenCAT-25
DIY & No-Code Stack
The no-code tools small and pre-launch coworking operators run on before graduating to a dedicated coworking platform.
1 article · OpenCAT-26
Resources
Reference materials for coworking operators: glossary, templates, and other operational resources.
1 article · OpenLatest additions
Recently published.
Start Here
What Is Coworking: Models & Economics 101
A primer on the four coworking business models and the unit economics beneath them: revenue streams, costs, occupancy, churn and market context.
ReadBooking & Reservations
Booking & Reservations
Standalone space booking tools for operators who need room and desk reservations without a full coworking platform.
ReadCommunity Platforms
Community Engagement Platforms
Messaging tools and dedicated community platforms coworking operators use beyond their management platform's built-in feed.
ReadMarketing & Listing Platforms
Marketing & Listing Platforms
Listing marketplaces and lead platforms where coworking operators list space to fill desks, rooms and offices.
ReadAccounting & Finance Integ.
Accounting & Finance Integrations
Accounting and finance systems coworking operators sync their platform billing into, from SMB ledgers to enterprise financials.
ReadAnalytics & BI
Analytics & BI
BI overlays, financial reporting and analytics layers coworking operators run on top of platform, accounting and occupancy data.
Read