Jifflenow: Forwarded Invite Participant Tracking

When ICS calendar invites are forwarded to anyone outside the original participant list, Jifflenow does not track their responses (Accept/Decline/Propose New Time). This causes gaps in visibility, inaccurate attendee lists, and potential breaches in room capacity and user availability. To solve this, we're introducing automatic tracking for forwarded ICS responses and enhanced meeting management alerts.

Problem Statement

Currently, the system:

• Sends ICS invites only to the original list of meeting participants.

• Fails to recognize forwarded invite responses, leaving the system blind to new attendees or declines.

• Lacks visibility when room capacity is exceeded due to forwarded participants.

• Cannot detect availability conflicts when new invitees accept the meeting.

This leads to:

• Unregistered participants showing up at meetings

• Room overcapacity and unaccounted conflicts

• Inconsistent meeting records and administrative confusion

Key Highlights

1. Forwarded Invite Response Tracking

• When a forwarded recipient accepts:

  • They are added to the official participant list

  • They start receiving all subsequent updates

• When a forwarded recipient declines:

  • Their response is logged with a note: “via forwarded ICS”

  • They are added to the list, marked as Declined

2. Email Notification to Internal Requestor

• Email subject: New Participant Added via Forwarded Invite

• Includes the forwarded user's details, the original participant they received it from, and a link to edit the meeting

• Sent only to the internal requestor. If unavailable, routed to the first MM in the event.

3. Room Capacity & Conflict Handling

• Room capacity overages will not block invite responses. Instead, flagged under: “Meetings with exceeded room capacity” for action

• Double-booked users (if auto-decline is enabled) will be rejected with an email prompt to reschedule

• External calendar blocks (e.g., OOO events) follow standard conflict detection logic

4. Meeting History Logging

• Actions taken on forwarded invites will be clearly documented:

  • ICS accepted by [user] — via forwarded invite from [user]

  • ICS declined by [user] — via forwarded invite from [user]

5. System Compatibility & Control

• The feature will be toggleable at the company level

• Works with major calendaring platforms: Outlook, Gmail, iCal

• Captures email, first name, and last name of forwarded recipients (if technically available)

Why It Matters

This enhancement:

• Eliminates blind spots in meeting participation

• Improves compliance with room logistics and attendee limits

• Reduces friction for organizers and increases confidence in participant data

• Ensures meetings are well-prepared and audit-ready

Release Plan

• Phase 1: Tracking of accept/decline via forwarded invites, notifications & overcapacity alerts

• Phase 2 (future): Forwarded invite change time proposal handling and full audit trails in reporting