March 2026 marks 20 years since the very first public release of MIDAS. We first unveiled Version 1.00 of our room booking and resource scheduling software to the world on 11th March 2006.

Where it all began

Work actually began on MIDAS a few months earlier. In December 2005, Mark Harrington, the creator of MIDAS, was working in a brand new Performing Arts College – the first of its kind in Greater Manchester, UK.

This new school for students aged 11-16 boasted impressive state-of-the-art facilities. These included sports facilities, dance studio, 300-seat community theatre, outdoor stage, recording studios and rehearsal space.

All these spaces were available for internal use during the school day and for hire by external clients and community groups in the evenings, weekends, and school holidays.

Soon after the new school opened, the school appointed a Community Facilities Manager, Miriam. Her role was to oversee bookings and the smooth operation of the exciting new facilities. Demand from the local community was immediately high.

It soon became obvious that the software the school had been using for handling their room bookings was not up to scratch. It was simply not meeting the increasing demands on the busy new facilities.

The (now defunct) software named “VenueBooker”, was slow, cumbersome, buggy, and not very user-friendly.

After much discussion, frustration, and plenty of “wouldn’t it be great if we had a system that could…?” conversations, they soon realized that no existing alternatives did everything they wanted from an ideal room scheduling system.

The Problem That Sparked an Idea

Mark had a strong programming background. He was confident he could build something that covered everything a Community Facilities Manager would need — facilities, clients, and bookings.

So Mark sat down with Miriam and the two of them brainstormed how she wanted the software to ideally function.

Dozens of sheets of paper later, covered with all kinds of scribbled notes, arrows, and flow charts, Mark had something to go away and work on!

A few days later, Mark had a working prototype: MIDAS v0.01.

Mark named the software “MIDAS”, although to this day he has never confirmed whether that’s an acronym that stands for “Mark’s Infrastructure Daily Allocation System“, or “Miriam’s Infrastructure Daily Allocation System“(!)

Over the Christmas holidays of 2005, Mark worked diligently to develop and improve MIDAS, ready to deploy it at the school in the new year.

He even spent New Year’s Eve sitting in front of his computer at the stroke of midnight, coding away!

Within the first few weeks of 2006, MIDAS went “live” at the school for the first time. It transformed the way staff and external clients booked rooms.

Now for the first time, staff could check room availability themselves using just their web browser. The booking process was simpler, more efficient, and streamlined. Bookings increased substantially, revenue rose accordingly, and double-bookings were finally a thing of the past.

Going Public

Mark quickly realised MIDAS could help other schools and organisations facing the same challenges. Just a few months after the first internal prototype, he publicly released MIDAS v1.00 on 11th March 2006.

What began as a solution for one school has since grown into a trusted booking system that organisations across the world rely on.

Fast forward to 2026

For twenty years, MIDAS has evolved alongside changing technologies, shifting user expectations, and an increasingly competitive software landscape.

In that time, we’ve helped thousands of users in dozens of countries manage millions of bookings.

Our resource scheduling software remains in active development and we remain true to our original ethos of helping organizations of all shapes and sizes better manage their facilities and resource bookings.

Through browser revolutions, mobile adoption, cloud computing, and changing security standards, MIDAS has continuously adapted without losing its core mission.

New feature-rich updates are released at least three times a year, and many loyal customers stay with us for years.

Celebrating our 20th Anniversary

To coincide with our 20th anniversary, today we’re releasing the latest update to our MIDAS software, v4.42. Read about the new features in MIDAS v4.42.

Also to mark the 20th anniversary of our MIDAS room booking software, for a limited time – until 31st March 2026 – new customers get 20% off with Promo Code MIDAS20.

The Future

We’re tremendously proud to have been here for the past 20 years.

In that time, hundreds of competitors have appeared, many of whom were short-lived and have since vanished. MIDAS has stood the test of time.

To all our customers, whether you’ve been with us for the past 20 years, or just the past month – we appreciate you choosing MIDAS and sincerely thank you for your support! – You’ve committed to us, and we in turn continue to be fully committed to you.

New to MIDAS?

If you’ve never come across MIDAS before today (where have you been for the last twenty years?!) we appreciate that there’s a vast array of options out there today when it comes to choosing a room booking system.

Maybe you’re currently considering a change and are evaluating a number of different scheduling software solutions.

Whether you’re looking for a cloud booking or self-hosted booking system, a subscription or a perpetual license – we’ve got the facility management software for you!

When evaluating potential booking solutions, make sure you take into account 3 key factors:

• How long a product has been established?
• How frequently are updates released?
• How responsive and reliable is customer support?

With MIDAS, you get a solid product from a trusted booking software provider with a proven track record. You get a stable system that’s in active development with unrivalled support to back it up!

Did you know that we even offer a no-obligation free 30-day trial today? Get yours today and experience the reliability that has defined MIDAS for two decades.

Twenty years ago, MIDAS began as a solution to a single school’s challenge. Today, it stands as a proven, stable, and continually evolving room booking solution trusted by organizations worldwide.

If you’re searching for a system built not just for today, but for the long term, now is the perfect time to experience MIDAS for yourself.

Don’t forget – use code MIDAS20 at checkout for 20% off your first purchase or subscription. Offer ends 31st March 2026.^*

* Promotional Code valid until 31st March 2026 and is valid for initial MIDAS purchases or subscriptions only. We reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time.

The post MIDAS at 20: Celebrating Two Decades of Room Booking Innovation appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

PLEASE NOTE: This promotion ran during July 2018, and has since ended. To view our current prices, please visit https://mid.as/pricing

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Back on 10th December 2005, the original concept for MIDAS was born. At that time, Mark Harrington, the creator of MIDAS, was working in a brand new purpose-built £17m ($26m) Performing Arts College. The facility was one of the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. This new school for students aged 11-16 boasted impressive state-of-the-art facilities. These included a sports hall, gymnasium, all weather pitch, atrium, conservatory, a 300-seat community theatre, outdoor stage, recording studios and rehearsal space.

All these spaces were for internal use by the school during the daytime. However, there was a desire to them make them available to external and community groups during evenings and weekends. Soon after the new school opened, the school appointed a Community Facilities Manager, Miriam, in November 2005. Her role was to oversee the booking and smooth running of the new facilities. Brand new facilities which were in very high demand by community groups and external hirers.

It soon became apparent that the software the school was using for their room bookings was not up to scratch. It simply wasn’t meeting the increasing demands for the new facilities. The software (the now defunct “VenueBooker”), was slow, cumbersome, buggy, and not very user-friendly! Consequently, Miriam and Mark both spent considerable time researching what other alternatives were available.

After much discussion, frustration, and plenty of “wouldn’t it be great if we had software that could …?” conversations, they soon realized that there was no off-the-shelf alternative that would do precisely what was required from a room scheduling program.

The creation of ‘MIDAS’

Mark, coming from a strong programming background, was convinced he could write something that would accommodate everything a Facilities Manager would need in a software package to manage facilities, clients and bookings. So Mark sat down with Miriam to “brainstorm” how they wanted their ideal scheduling software to work. Dozens of sheets of paper later, covered with all kinds of scribbled notes, arrows, and flow charts, Mark had something to go away and work on! A few days later, a very basic “proof-of-concept” prototype – version 0.01 – was born.

Mark named the software “MIDAS”. He remains elusive however as to whether that acronym stood for “Mark’s Infrastructure Daily Allocation System“, or “Miriam’s Infrastructure Daily Allocation System“(!)

Over the Christmas holidays of 2005, Mark worked diligently to develop MIDAS so that it could be “rolled out” in the new year. He even spent that New Year’s Eve on his computer at the stroke of midnight in full flow programming away!

Within the first few weeks of 2006, MIDAS went “live” for the first time. It instantly transformed the way school staff and external clients booked rooms! For the first time all staff could actually check room availability themselves from their web browser, and the booking process was simpler, efficient, and streamlined!

The impact of MIDAS

The number of bookings and revenue substantially increased during the year. Double-bookings (which has previously been a real problem) were finally thing of the past!

Realizing the potential of MIDAS to help other schools and organizations with similar booking and scheduling needs, just three months after the first prototypes, MIDAS v1.00 was released commercially!

How MIDAS looked in 2005 (above left), 2010 (above center) and 2015 (above right)

Ten years later, MIDAS remains in active development (with v4.11 just around the corner!) and continues to go from strength to strength! Our software is trusted worldwide by schools, universities, churches, hotels, conference centers, entertainment venues, sports complexes, libraries, recording studios, regional and national governments – the list is near endless and continues to grow!

If you’re already a MIDAS customer, we’re truly grateful for choosing us! To celebrate, there’s 10% off all Addons & Upgrades for the next 10 days^*! You can upgrade your MIDAS system here.

…and if you’re not currently a MIDAS customer, but are unhappy with your current room/facility scheduling software and looking for something that actually works for you, then why not check us out!? Our longevity, continuous active development, and unrivaled customer support make us a logical choice and we’d love to make a difference to your organization!

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, there’s also 10% off all new purchases for the next 10 days^*! Simply enter promo code “MIDAS10” when purchasing online through our secure site.

We have lots of exciting developments in the pipeline for 2016 and beyond, so here’s to the next 10 years!

* Offers valid until 20th December 2015

The post Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary! appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

Today, Microsoft have launched their latest operating system, Windows 10, and with it a brand new web browser called “Edge“. Edge is designed to be the successor to their long running Internet Explorer web browser.

If you’ve been following our blog, then you’ll already know a bit about Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge…

Windows 10 is a FREE update for all current users of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1. It is being slowly rolling out in the coming weeks. But if you can’t wait that long Microsoft have provided tools to download Windows 10 now)

Our world-class web based room booking and resource scheduling software, MIDAS, is already fully compatible. So if you’re considering making the jump to Windows 10 but are worried about compatibility issues with your existing apps and software, rest assured MIDAS will work on Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge!

The post Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge Now Available appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

To take advantage of this limited offer, simply do the following this Valentines weekend:

1. Follow us on Twitter @mid_as
2. Tweet the world and tell them why you love MIDAS using the hashtag #loveMIDAS
3. We’ll then send you a Direct Message through Twitter containing a special code you can use to get 20% off your purchase or next renewal!

Why not also check out some of the love our existing customers have for MIDAS here

So, tell us, do you #loveMIDAS this Valentines Day too!?

The post Love MIDAS? – Spread the love this Valentines Day! appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

Here in the UK (where MIDAS is based) we get a special 4 day weekend this weekend, with the addition of Tuesday’s National Holiday! …but don’t worry, we have both sales and support staff on hand throughout the Jubilee period!

To claim this special discount, simply enter Promo Code “JUBILEE” when purchasing MIDAS through our secure website before Wednesday 6th June!

You’re welcome to share this offer with your friends and colleagues too! – Just use the Social icons at the top of this post!

Finally, if you are celebrating over this special Jubilee weekend, perhaps you’re having a street party, a BBQ, or attending a public event to mark the occasion, we hope you have lots of fun!!

PLEASE NOTE: This promotion ran in June 2012, and has since ended. To view our current prices, please visit https://mid.as/pricing

The post Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Discount – SAVE £60! appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

If you can find the egg, crack it open by clicking it, and the egg will reveal a code you can use over the Easter weekend to get a very special discount off your purchase of our popular web based room scheduling software, MIDAS.

On behalf of our team, we wish you all a very Happy Easter!

PLEASE NOTE: This promotion ran during Easter 2012, and has since ended. To view our current prices, please visit https://mid.as/pricing

The post Easter Discount on our Room Scheduling Software appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

Whilst we may be based in the UK, this won’t stop us joining in with the 4^th July celebrations on Monday with all our American friends! (well, any excuse to have a few fireworks here at MIDAS HQ and we’re happy!)

So, to celebrate, we’re offering 10% off MIDAS on all new purchases made before the 5^th July!

If it’s been a while since you last visited us, here’s some of the new features that have recently been added to MIDAS:

• A “Lite” version of MIDAS for those on a tighter budget!
• Now accept public booking requests through your website!
• Automatically send “Booking Confirmations” to clients
• Customizable email, invoice, and print templates
• Customizable printouts
• Set site-wide maximum occupancy levels
• One-click database backup with selective restore
• Full support for SSL (https) enabled connections

If you’ve been considering MIDAS for a while, but haven’t yet got around to getting it – don’t miss out on this opportunity!

To take advantage of this limited-time offer, simply enter Promo Code “july4” when placing your order via our secure website to claim 10% off MIDAS

The post Celebrate the 4th July… with 10% off! appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

You can read more about the new features in this version in our previous blog post, and we’ve also produced a helpful video tutorial to guide you through v3.11..

If you’re an existing MIDAS user with a current Annual Support Package, you can upgrade to v3.11 right now! Simply login to your MIDAS, click the “MIDAS Admin Options” icon and select “Manage MIDAS -> Update”. If your Annual Support Package has recently expired, don’t worry – you can quickly renew online.

If you’re new to MIDAS, why not check out our online demo and then head over to our pricing page to get yourself a copy of MIDAS v3.11?

The post MIDAS v3.11 is here! appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.

Apply discounts to bookings of different types

A popular request we often receive from users, is the ability to charge different room rates to different clients. Well, v3.11 allows you to assign “discounts” to your Booking Types. For example, if you charge $100/Hour for a room to Corporate clients, but wish to only charge $50/hour for the same room to a Community client, you can create a “Community” Booking Type, with a 50% Booking Type Discount rate!

Close bookable spaces between two dates

If your venues are seasonal or have “down time”, v3.11 will allow you to “close” individual venues to new bookings between two dates. Additionally, if you have a new venue being built which isn’t coming “on-line” until some point in the future, you can still add your new venue to MIDAS, but specify a “Closed Until” time, so that no bookings can be added before your venue’s opening date!

Disable the booking “Times” field

We know that some users of MIDAS book their rooms by the day, rather than by the hour. v3.11 will allow you to globally disable start/end times when adding bookings, so bookings are instead added for entire days (Midnight – Midnight)

Paginated Search Results

In previous versions of MIDAS, there was a limit on the maximum number of search results returned in total, however, these would all be displayed on the same page, leading to slower page loading times. v3.11 now “paginates” it’s search results, to make them load faster and save you having to scroll down long pages of search results

“Pin” Booking Information

When you “hover” over a booking in the booking grid, useful info about the booking is displayed in the “Booking Info” panel, but when you move the mouse away, this information disappears – well, not anymore! v3.11 allows you to “Pin” this information so there will always be something displayed in the booking info panel

Quickly jump to specific invoices

You no longer need to scroll through lengthy lists of invoices, v3.11 will allow you to quickly “jump” to an invoice, simply by entering the Invoice Number!

“Clone” existing user accounts

If you need to set up multiple user accounts in MIDAS, v3.11 makes it even easier to set user permissions which you can “clone” from an existing user

Other Highlights Coming in v3.11..

• Dutch Translation (Courtesy of BWFM van der Biezen – ornithos.eu)
• Several Bugs Fixed

MIDAS v3.11 is coming very soon!. Be sure to check back regularly to be the first to know when it’s released! …or if you can’t wait, try the BETA now!

The post What’s new in MIDAS v3.11 appeared first on MIDAS - Room Booking System | Blog.