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Recently i started creating a big data table for a booking company. Usually I don't really have big problems with data tables but this specific one drives me nuts.

It is a platform for restaurants. When the diner will come to your venue, you need to be able to send them a menu through SMS for example to order. Venues in general want to send the menu when they will change the booking status from "Expected" to "Seated" for example. the 1st column incorporates the booking status "Expected arrival", "late" etc and the time of the booking. The devs told me that it is not a good practise in general to trigger something with a status change which i disagree for the current situation at least

I don't want to add the action "send email" within the statuses dropdown, cause it doesn't make sense, plus when you select a booking status the dropdown panel closes and pressing the same button again to make an action it is not ideal.

Having the "send email" action at the far right, and make that column sticky is ok-ish, but the user will need to travel all the way to the end of the screen, which is not good UX. Most of the times "Send email" will only be used once for every booking. Below you can see some wireframes, Action at the end, action at the front incorporated within the 1st column and last one triggered by changing the status.

I am literally stuck. Any ideas please?

1st option, action at the end

2nd option action at the front

3rd option, triggered when changing status

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  • If your only concern with option 2 is that the user has to move the mouse to the other end of the screen, then why not make "Actions" the second column (after Status) instead of the last column?
    – musefan
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 11:36
  • I have a mock up with this solution, it just doesn't feel right. I might be wrong entirely, but feels quite disruptive to me and visually is the least appealing. You have statuses and within that column name, in most cases includes the arrival time as well, and then Actions? :/
    – vailerinio
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 12:02
  • Well what about a panel next to the table that shows a list of actions. That panel is populated based on which row you select (via click). When no row is selected the panel can simply say "Select a row to view available actions" (or words to that effect)
    – musefan
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 12:53
  • Yes, we already have a "summary" panel when you click on a row to be able to edit it etc. And we will have that button there as well. I am just trying to find the faster and the most correct way. I think I have tried everything to be honest with you. Actions at the end, actions at the front, actions getting triggered by changing the booking status but the devs didn't like it. The feedback is always mixed... 95% actions are always at the end on data tables, it is just the experience going from one end to the other. Thank you very much for your suggestions by the way :)
    – vailerinio
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 13:21

1 Answer 1

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...when the user will change the booking status to confirm, will need to send an email to the consumer.

I understand that to avoid showing info the images in the question are not too explicit, but I think to give a coherent answer in this case more content is needed, written or visual.

As an example, and trying to get some deduction from the content of the question:

1 - The direct user is the travel agent (I guess). So he/she knows the application and how it works

2 - The person who will receive the email is the customer

If –the statuses and the action are quite connected– and the Send Email Action is only relevant when there's a status change, it's not necessary to have this action always visible.

You can add some interactivity to the table, so only when the direct user changes the Status Value, the table contents incorporate the Send Mail Action.

enter image description here

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  • Yes. That was one of my ideas as well. To be triggered when the status changes. It is a platform for restaurants. When the diner will come to your venue, you need to be able to send them a menu through SMS for example to order. Venues in general want to send the menu when they will change the booking status from "Expected" to "Seated" for example. the 1st column incorporates the booking status "Expected arrival" and the time of the booking. The devs told me that it is not a good practise in general to trigger something with a status change which i disagree for the current situation at least.
    – vailerinio
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 17:01
  • That's why I said your question is incomplete. You are asking for a very specific answer with a too generic question.
    – Danielillo
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 17:05
  • Sorry guys my bad. I will try to be more specific next time. :)
    – vailerinio
    Commented Jul 13, 2020 at 17:07

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