Mobiscroll and Drupal Integration

The Background

In this technical deep dive, we look at how Adaptive integrated Mobiscroll to improve functionality and reduce costs.

When developing a campsite and hire booking system for Anglian Water Parks in Drupal, we needed a solution that could handle complex date selection, availability rules, and varied booking workflows while maintaining a consistent and intuitive user experience across multiple device types.

After evaluating several options, we chose Mobiscroll, a UI library designed for advanced calendar and scheduling functionalities. Its multi-mode date selection, AJAX-powered interactions, and robust API provided the flexibility we needed to support both accommodation and hire equipment bookings. However, integrating Mobiscroll into Drupal required a structured approach to data handling, validation, and business logic enforcement to ensure seamless functionality across all booking scenarios.

This article explores how we successfully integrated Mobiscroll with Drupal, detailing our technical implementation and key benefits that made this solution both scalable and efficient.

The Requirements

We required a flexible and scalable solution that could:

Flexible Booking Workflows – Support for both accommodation and hire equipment bookings with tailored date selection, restrictions, and seasonal availability
Seamless User Experience – Intuitive calendar interface, real-time availability feedback, and consistent booking process across different scenarios
Administrative Controls – Tools for staff to manage bookings, block out dates, and oversee availability efficiently
Integration & Automation – AJAX-powered updates, JSON data export, and business logic enforcement for streamlined performance
Advanced Date Selection – Multi-mode selection, forced date rules, and dynamic validation to accommodate complex scheduling needs
Scalable & Extensible System – Built for flexibility, future enhancements, and API-driven integrations to support evolving requirements

The Solution

Integration & Automation

The system supports both accommodation, hire equipment and event bookings, with tailored date selection options. Seasonal availability rules, custom restrictions, and validation ensure that bookings follow the correct guidelines, preventing scheduling conflicts.

Intuitive User Journey

An intuitive calendar interface simplifies the booking process, providing real-time availability feedback to users. A consistent experience across all booking types improves usability and reduces the risk of errors.

Streamlined Management for Administrators

Staff can efficiently manage bookings through specialised administrative tools, allowing them to block out dates, adjust seasonal availability, and oversee reservations with minimal effort.

Automated Processes

With real-time updates powered by AJAX, automated data validation, and JSON-based exports, the system ensures fast and reliable processing. Business rules are enforced automatically, reducing errors and eliminating unnecessary admin tasks.

Intelligent Date Handling

Multi-mode date selection, predefined scheduling rules, and dynamic validation accommodate complex booking scenarios. Features like forced date adjustments and blocked-out periods help maintain accuracy without user frustration.

Built for Growth

Developed within a scalable Drupal framework, the platform is designed to evolve with business needs. API-driven integrations allow for seamless expansion, ensuring long-term adaptability to changing requirements.

The Approach

Discovery

During the Discovery phase, we worked closely with Anglian Water Parks to understand their unique requirements for a campsite and hire booking system. The objective was to provide a seamless and intuitive booking experience that could handle complex date selection rules, varied availability scenarios, and multiple device types.

We conducted detailed stakeholder interviews to map out the user journeys for different customer types, including those booking accommodation versus hire equipment. Our focus was on creating a consistent user experience while allowing for flexible booking workflows tailored to seasonal availability and specific business rules.

To achieve this, we explored several UI libraries before selecting Mobiscroll due to its advanced scheduling capabilities and touch-optimised design. Our decision was driven by the need for multi-mode date selection, AJAX-powered interactions, and the ability to provide real-time availability feedback, ensuring users could book confidently and efficiently.

We also gathered input from administrative staff to understand their operational needs, such as managing bookings, blocking dates, and overseeing availability. This informed our approach to building robust administrative controls directly within the Drupal platform.

Development & Prototyping

In the Development & Prototyping phase, we focused on integrating Mobiscroll into the Drupal framework, leveraging its advanced UI components to enhance the booking system’s functionality.

Our approach involved creating a series of prototypes to validate user interactions and booking workflows. We configured Mobiscroll’s date range picker for the frontend selection and multi-mode date selection for the backend reservation system using AJAX-powered updates to support dynamic availability rules, ensuring that users could easily navigate complex booking scenarios, such as seasonal restrictions and equipment hire durations.

We developed custom modules to manage data validation, business logic enforcement, and JSON data export, ensuring consistency and accuracy across all booking processes. This included advanced date selection functionalities, such as forced date rules and dynamic validation, to accommodate complex scheduling needs.

Our development process was iterative, with ongoing testing and feedback loops involving both end-users and administrative staff. This allowed us to fine-tune the user interface and ensure a seamless, intuitive experience on both desktop and mobile devices.

By leveraging Mobiscroll’s robust API and Drupal’s flexible architecture, we built a scalable and extensible system that not only met the current needs of Anglian Water Parks but also positioned them for future enhancements and integrations.

The Future

By integrating Mobiscroll within the Drupal framework, we have established a flexible and reusable solution that extends beyond the initial booking system requirements. Anglian Water Parks now has a robust digital framework that supports the development of additional features and functionalities without the need for extensive redevelopment.

Looking forward, the adaptability of this solution positions Anglian Water Parks for continuous growth and innovation. As their needs evolve, the system can be easily expanded to include dynamic pricing models, advanced availability rules, and integration with third-party systems.

Learn more about our ongoing relationship with Anglian Water Parks here.

What The Client Says

We find Adaptive to be extremely capable and responsive. We rely on them heavily to support and develop a key application for our organisation and have no hesitation in recommending them.

William Kirstein

General Manager