---
title: "Enabling API Reservations on a Seminar"
slug: "enabling-api-reservations-on-a-seminar"
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:21Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:21Z
canonical: "totara.help/enabling-api-reservations-on-a-seminar"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Enabling API Reservations on a Seminar

### Available from Totara v20.2

API reservations allow an external service to hold seats in a seminar on behalf of learners during a transaction — for example, while an ecommerce payment is being processed. This prevents seats from becoming unavailable before a booking is confirmed.

Reservations are made by an API client user. When enabled, that user can reserve, allocate, and release seats via the GraphQL API.

## Prerequisites

Before enabling API reservations on a seminar, the following must be in place:

- An [API client](/totara-20/docs/add-an-api-client) has been configured at *Quick-access menu > Development > API*
- The API client user has been assigned the required capabilities on the seminar's course module context (see [Capabilities](/totara-20/docs/capability-overview) below)

## Enabling API reservations

1. Navigate to the seminar activity and select **Edit settings**.
2. Expand the **API Reservations** section.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-WAF2QXGH.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T17%3A01%3A53Z&se=2026-11-01T18%3A01%3A53Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=Wdy9rbVNTCDoyFf2nSjcLqHg96DT881ttkNAA0G7Di8%3D)
3. Set **Enable API reservations** to **Yes**.
4. Optionally, set a value for **Maximum reservations** — this limits the number of seats the API client user can hold at one time. Set to `0` for no limit.
5. Select **Save and display**.

## Maximum reservations

The **Maximum reservations** setting controls how many seats a single API client user can hold simultaneously across all reservations on this seminar. This limit applies per API client user, not per session or event.

Setting this to `0` applies no limit.

## Capabilities

The API client user requires the following [capabilities](/totara-20/docs/check-system-permissions) assigned at the seminar's course module context.

| Capability | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `mod/facetoface:sharedreservationsreservespace` | Reserve, release, query, and allocate reservations |
| `mod/facetoface:managereservations` | Access reservations created by other API users |

Capabilities are assigned to system roles via *Quick-access menu > Permissions > Assign system roles*.

#### Related content

- [Seminar reservations overview](/totara-20/docs/reserve-spaces-in-a-seminar)
- [API clients](/totara-20/docs/api-client-settings)

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_seminar-management(1).svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T17%3A01%3A53Z&se=2026-11-01T18%3A01%3A53Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=Wdy9rbVNTCDoyFf2nSjcLqHg96DT881ttkNAA0G7Di8%3D)Why not visit the Totara Academy for our latest course on [Seminar Management](https://totara.community/course/view.php?id=958) in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more about how to use seminars, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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