Haas VF-2 CNC
Asset ID: MAC-042
Reservation (Booked)09:00 - 13:00 (4h)
Actual Usage (Logged)09:15 - 12:20 (3.1h)
Actual usage was lower than reserved time. Chargeback updated.
OPERATOR
ET
E. TyrellCOST CENTER
PRJ-ROBO-99OPERATIONS SOFTWARE FOR SHARED EQUIPMENT FACILITIES
Run shared equipment like a facility, not a calendar.
Dockyard is lab equipment booking software for shared equipment facilities. Manage reservations, actual usage, training-gated access, utilization, and chargeback in one system.
Where shared equipment workflows break down
You are not just scheduling time. You are managing expensive assets, ensuring safety protocols, tracking real utilization, and billing back to grants or teams. Generic lab equipment scheduling and booking tools do not capture what actually happened at the machine. Disconnected tools fail at this reality.
| Capability | Generic Booking Tools | Asset Trackers | Dockyard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduling | Yes | × No | Advanced |
| Actual Usage Tracking | × No | × No | Native |
| Training Verification Gates | × No | × No | Native |
| Chargeback Readiness | × Manual CSVs | × No | Calculated |
| Primary Focus | Meeting Rooms | Inventory/IT | Shared Equipment Ops |
Scheduling
Generic BookingYes
Asset TrackersNo
DockyardAdvanced
Actual Usage Tracking
Generic BookingNo
Asset TrackersNo
DockyardNative
Training Verification Gates
Generic BookingNo
Asset TrackersNo
DockyardNative
Chargeback Readiness
Generic BookingManual CSVs
Asset TrackersNo
DockyardCalculated
Primary Focus
Generic BookingMeeting Rooms
Asset TrackersInventory/IT
DockyardShared Equipment Ops
What Dockyard Is
Operations software for shared equipment facilities.
Dockyard is built for serious shared equipment environments where reservations, actual usage, training-gated access, utilization, and chargeback all need to connect in one system.
It is not just a booking tool. It is designed for facilities that need a clearer operational picture of who used what, when it was really used, and which responsible entity should own that usage.
- Built for shared equipment, not rooms or desks
- Tracks actual usage, not just reservations
- Assigns accountability to teams, projects, or cost centers
The Dockyard Operational Flow
A connected workflow from reservation through actual usage and chargeback.
1. Reserve
Reserve equipment and capture intended usage.
Booked: 2.0h
2. Verify
Verify training and facility access rules.
3. Operate
Check in and out to record actual usage.
Actual: 1.4h
4. Assign
Assign usage to the right team or cost center.
5. Export
Export chargeback-ready outputs.
Billed: $84.00
Core Capabilities
Shared Equipment Scheduling
Dockyard helps facilities coordinate shared equipment reservations without reducing operations to a simple calendar. Schedule machines, manage availability, and keep bookings tied to the actual equipment workflow.
Actual Usage Logging
Capture what really happened at the machine, not just what was booked. Dockyard distinguishes reserved time from actual check-in and check-out usage so utilization and chargeback reflect reality.
Training and Access Gating
Control who can reserve and use equipment based on training, certifications, or facility rules. Dockyard helps ensure specialized machines are only accessed by qualified users.
Responsible Entity Assignment
Assign every session to the right team, startup, project, or cost center. Dockyard is built for shared environments where the person using the equipment is not always the entity responsible for the usage.
Utilization Visibility
See which assets are heavily used, underused, or routinely overbooked. Dockyard helps operators understand real equipment demand based on actual usage rather than calendar assumptions.
Chargeback Reporting
Turn equipment usage into clean, accountable outputs for internal chargeback or downstream billing. Dockyard makes it easier to understand what should be allocated, to whom, and why.
Built for serious environments
Hardware & Robotics Incubators
Managing high-value assets across multiple startup teams. You need to ensure startups are only using machines they are trained on, and accurately allocate usage without manual cleanup at the end of the month.
- Startup-level usage accountability
- Training-gated machine access
Shared Prototyping Labs & Core Facilities
Shared prototyping labs that coordinate expensive equipment across many users, projects, or cost centers. Operators need training-aware access, clearer utilization data, and less spreadsheet reconciliation.
- Training-aware equipment access
- Project and cost-center allocation
WHO IT'S FOR
Find The Closest Fit
Start with the page that best matches how your facility runs shared equipment.
Facility Type
Shared Prototyping Labs
For operators coordinating shared equipment across projects, teams, and cost centers.
View Prototyping Labs PageFacility Type
Hardware Incubators
For incubators managing shared machines across resident startups and trained operators.
View Hardware Incubators PageOperator Role
Lab Managers
For lab managers who need scheduling, actual usage, and training-aware access in one record.
View Lab Managers PageAccess models for shared equipment operations
Directional packaging for small facilities, serious operations, and advanced commercial environments.
Free
For small facilities getting off spreadsheets.
- Up to 10 managed assets
- Reservations and basic usage logging
- Lightweight shared equipment operations
Main Tier
Pro
The main tier for serious shared equipment operations.
- Up to 50 managed assets
- Training and access gating
- Chargeback calculation
- Free for nonprofits and academic institutions
Business
For advanced billing, analytics, and administrative complexity.
- Unlimited scale
- End-to-end billing workflows
- Advanced analytics and administrative controls
- Multi-location and commercial operations support
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Dockyard includes booking, but it is built for shared equipment operations. It connects reservations, actual usage, training-gated access, utilization visibility, and chargeback so facilities can manage more than just calendar time.
Dockyard is built for serious shared equipment environments such as hardware and robotics incubators, shared prototyping labs, and similar facilities where expensive equipment is used across multiple teams, projects, or cost centers.
Yes. Dockyard is designed to distinguish between booked time and actual usage. Facilities can capture when equipment was really used and tie that usage back to the right responsible entity for utilization and chargeback.
Yes. Dockyard is designed for facilities where equipment access depends on completed training, certifications, or other approval rules. The goal is to make sure only qualified users can reserve and operate specialized equipment.
Yes. Dockyard is built to support chargeback-ready outputs based on actual usage. Pro is designed for usage accountability and chargeback reporting, while Business extends into native invoice generation and end-to-end billing workflows.
Dockyard includes a free tier for smaller facilities. Pro is free for nonprofits and academic institutions, while Business is intended for facilities that need advanced billing, analytics, and administrative workflows.
Request Early Access
We are onboarding facilities in early-access cohorts.
Tell us a bit about your facility and we will follow up.