The Ultimate Guide to Automation Tools for Coworking Spaces

You know that slow-burn frustration when you have to update a member’s company name in your CRM... then your billing software... then the door access system... and then that one random spreadsheet you know you'll forget about.

That maddening switching between tabs has a name: the Toggle Tax.

It's more than just annoying. It's a silent killer of productivity and profit. In this guide, we're going to show you how to stop paying it. We'll cover the tools you need and, with some killer insights from my recent webinar with Hector Kolonas of Syncaroo, give you a simple game plan to get your time back.

Meet the 'Toggle Tax': Your Hidden Productivity Killer

So, what’s this Toggle Tax really costing you?

Think about all the time you spend switching between apps. It feels like seconds, but it adds up. Big time. Research from Harvard and Cornell found that teams can lose around 9% of their entire year just to the mental lag of switching contexts.

In Hector's words: "We think of it as, okay, I just swap the tab. It takes a second, fine. But what's actually happening is there's this pause that happens in our mind... Those microseconds add up."

Automation is your way out. It’s how you:

• Stop wasting your day on busywork. Imagine getting 9% of your year back. What could you do with that time?
• Give members a ridiculously smooth experience. Think easy bookings, instant access, and no billing headaches.
• Actually grow your business. Automation helps you upsell services and can even flag when a member might be thinking of leaving, so you can step in.

Curious what the Toggle Tax is costing your space specifically? Hector's team built a simple Toggle Tax Calculator that breaks it down for you.

Your Game Plan for Smart Automation (That Isn't Scary)

Automation can sound like a massive, expensive project. But the biggest myth is that you have to automate everything at once. That thinking leads to "analysis paralysis," where you get so overwhelmed that you do nothing.

As Hector says, "doing nothing is a decision." So let's not do that. Instead, let's just start with one thing.

First, You Have to Find Your "Frog" 🐸

I love this trick from Hector for figuring out where to start. Think about that one task on your to-do list you absolutely dread. The one that makes you suddenly want to go organize the supply closet or repaint a wall.

That’s your frog.

"That is the thing that is important enough that you have to do, but you don't want to do it," Hector explains.

Here’s a quick 15-minute audit to pinpoint the pain:

1. Name your frog. Is it member onboarding? Chasing late payments?
2. List every single step. Seriously, every click. Log into software, create invoice, send invoice, check payment, add to door access, add to Slack, send welcome email... you get the idea.
3. Now, circle every step where you have to switch tabs. Where are you jumping from coworking space management software to your email to your access control?
4. Those jumps are your first automation targets.

This little exercise takes the vague idea of "automation" and makes it a concrete, manageable to-do list.

2. Next, Create a "Home Base" for Your Data 🏠

Your member data shouldn't live in a dozen different places. You need a single source of truth—one spot that is the final word on everything. For almost every space, this should be your coworking management software.

When you have a reliable home base, you can plug other tools into it. Update a member's info in your home base, and it automatically updates everywhere else. No more toggling.

3. Finally, Shift Your Mindset: Think "Operating Stack," Not "Tech Stack"

This is a subtle but crucial mindset shift. Don't hire great people and then force them to use a clunky set of tools. Instead, hire great people and then give them the tools that make them even better at their jobs.

Ask yourself: "Did I hire my community manager to build community or to copy and paste data?"

Your tech should work for your people, not the other way around.

The Essential Tools for Your Operating Stack

With that game plan in mind, let's talk tech. These are the core pieces of your new, automated world.

All-in-One Coworking Management Software (Your Home Base)

This is the heart of your operations. It’s your single source of truth for members, plans, bookings, and billing.

• Spacebring: This platform is engineered for speed and efficiency, designed to be the central hub for your entire operation. It stands out by getting you up and running in less than a day, a huge plus when time is money. The business focus is on empowering member self-service for bookings and payments, which frees up countless hours for your team. It’s a comprehensive suite covering everything from billing and events to a community feed, all backed by fast global support and regular updates.
• Cobot: If your business priority is simplicity and getting the basics right without a lot of fuss, Cobot is a solid choice. It's a straightforward platform ideal for smaller spaces that need to manage core operations like member management and invoicing. Its strength is its ease of use and quick setup, allowing you to automate recurring administrative tasks without getting bogged down in complex features you don't need.
• Nexudus: This is the go-to for large chains and operators who want deep customization and plan to build their own unique member experience. Its main business advantage is its powerful API and integrations, allowing you to code your own member portals and connect a wide range of other tools. It’s built for those who need a flexible, developer-friendly platform to serve as the backend for a custom-built front end.
• OfficeRnD: This is a powerful platform aimed at large, enterprise-level operators who need extensive administrative control and are willing to invest more time in the setup and training process. Its business focus is on deep administrative power for managing complex portfolios. With two distinct products (one for coworking and one for corporate workplaces), it’s designed for seasoned operators who need a robust system to manage a significant real estate footprint.
• Choosing your home base is a strategic decision about what kind of business you want to build. For a more detailed breakdown to see which platform best aligns with your financial and operational goals, here’s an excellent guide on this exact topic.

The 'Glue' for Your Operating Stack: Integration Platforms

Your coworking management software is your "Home Base," but it can't talk to every single other tool you use right out of the box. What happens when your "Home Base" doesn't have a direct, built-in connection to your accounting software, your proposal tool, or your favorite survey app?

This is where an integration platform becomes the most important part of your stack. It acts as the digital glue, or the central switchboard, that connects all your apps and lets them share data automatically. This is how you truly eliminate the Toggle Tax.

• viaSocket: This is a platform built specifically to solve this problem. Think of it as the universal translator for your software stack. As a powerful no-code integration platform, viaSocket allows you to connect your coworking management software—like Spacebring—to hundreds of other applications, creating automated workflows without writing a single line of code. Whether you're syncing new members to your accounting software, connecting a tour booking form to your CRM, or linking your CRM directly to your access control system, viaSocket is the engine that runs these connections in the background, saving you from manual data entry and eliminating the Toggle Tax for good.

Access Control Systems

Manual key handoffs are a thing of the past. A good access control system integrates with your management software and automatically gives members access when they sign up and pay.

• Kisi: A cloud-based system that lets you manage everything from your phone. Super easy to use and integrates with just about everything.
• Salto KS: A really flexible option that works with all kinds of doors and lets you use key cards, fobs, or phones.
• Tapkey: A mobile-first system that literally turns your members' smartphones into their key.