Can employees be present during the scan?

For a public-facing marketing tour, it is strongly recommended that the office be empty. Movement can interfere with the scan alignment, and for privacy reasons, people are automatically blurred. Scheduling the scan outside of business hours ensures the highest quality. For internal 'Operational Twins', however, scanning a live environment can be beneficial.

How should sensitive information on screens or whiteboards be handled?

The best practice is to erase all whiteboards and turn off all computer monitors before the scan. If something is missed, blurring can be applied to specific areas, but a clean slate is the preferred starting point for a professional marketing asset.

How is preparing an office different from preparing a house?

Office preparation involves more logistical coordination, such as communicating a clean-desk policy to dozens of employees, ensuring IT overrides motion-sensor lighting, and managing the security of proprietary information. The goal is a uniform, professional look, whereas a home is about creating a warm, inviting feel.

Preparing Your Office for a Matterport Tour: The Definitive Checklist

A perfectly prepared modern office space, clean and well-lit, ready for a Matterport 3D virtual tour.

In the current commercial real estate (CRE) market, a Matterport digital twin is a non-negotiable asset. With office vacancy rates in major global markets remaining stubbornly high—JLL's latest report cites an average of 15% across top-tier cities—and the persistence of hybrid work models, the competition to attract and retain high-quality tenants is fierce. A high-fidelity virtual tour is a critical tool to accelerate leasing cycles by allowing stakeholders to conduct detailed site visits from anywhere in the world.

However, the value of this asset is directly proportional to the quality of the initial scan. This guide provides a definitive, four-phase checklist for property managers and business owners to ensure their commercial space is captured flawlessly.

The Core Principle: You are not just tidying an office. You are producing a high-value digital asset for marketing, leasing, and operations. Meticulous preparation is the foundation of a successful outcome.

Phase 1: Coordination & Communication (Days Before)

Unlike a residential property, preparing a dynamic office involves multiple stakeholders. Proactive coordination is essential.

Communicate with All Staff: A week in advance, send a formal memo to all employees detailing the date, time, and purpose of the scan. Clearly outline the mandatory clean-desk policy and the need for the space to be vacant to ensure full cooperation.
Liaise with Building Management: Coordinate with IT and facilities teams. The most common technical issue is motion-sensor lighting; ensure it can be manually overridden to keep all lights on for the duration of the scan. Flickering lights will corrupt the 3D data.
Plan for Secure Access: Confirm that the scan technician will have access to all necessary areas, including locked executive offices, server rooms (if required), and common areas. Coordinate with building security for after-hours access if the scan is scheduled then.

Phase 2: Security & Depersonalization (The Day Before)

A public-facing virtual tour must be professionally neutral and completely secure.

Secure Sensitive Information: This is the highest priority. Remove or lock away all sensitive or proprietary documents, client lists, strategic plans on whiteboards, and any other confidential information.
Implement the Clean Desk Policy: Ensure all personal items, papers, sticky notes, and general clutter are cleared from every workstation. The goal is a uniform, professional appearance.
Turn Off All Monitors: All computer screens must be turned off. This prevents screen glare and, more importantly, protects any sensitive information that might be visible.

Phase 3: Deep Cleaning & Detailing (The Day Before)

The Matterport Pro-series cameras capture reality with unforgiving detail. A standard cleaning is not enough.

Focus on Reflective Surfaces: All glass partitions, windows, mirrors, and polished surfaces must be professionally cleaned until they are streak-free. Smudges and dust are highly visible in the final 3D model.
Standardize Workstation Appearance: As a best practice, push in all chairs to a uniform distance from the desk. Align keyboards and mice neatly. Tidy and conceal all visible cables as much as possible using cable management solutions.
Prepare Common Areas: In conference rooms, arrange chairs perfectly around the table and erase all whiteboards. Ensure lobbies and pantries are immaculate. Remove all trash and recycling bins from every area, including those under desks.

Phase 4: Final Staging for the Scan (The Day Of)

These last-minute checks ensure the space is in perfect condition for capture.

Maximize Lighting: Turn on every single light in the office. A brightly lit space appears more energetic and spacious. Replace any burnt-out bulbs, ensuring consistent color temperature in each area.
Set All Window Treatments: Open all blinds and curtains to let in maximum natural light. Crucially, they must be aligned to the exact same level for a clean, uniform look from both inside and out.
Cease All Motion: Turn off all ceiling fans, televisions, and any digital displays with moving content to prevent motion blur in the scan.
Confirm 100% Vacancy: Perform a final walkthrough to ensure the space is completely empty of all personnel. A single person walking through a space can cause a scan to fail, leading to costly delays.

A Note on Purpose: Marketing Twin vs. Operational Twin

The extensive preparation detailed above is for creating a public-facing Marketing Twin designed to attract tenants. However, many businesses use Matterport to create a private Operational Twin for facilities management, security planning, or employee onboarding. In these cases, the tour can be password-protected, and the goal is to capture the space in its authentic, working state.

We have successfully scanned live, operational offices with employees at their desks. While this is challenging for the photographer due to constant movement, it is achievable. These tours are invaluable for internal purposes, like training, but are not intended to be client-facing. For any marketing application, a vacant and meticulously prepared office is the absolute ideal to prevent alignment issues and ensure a professional result.

Analysis

In a CRE market defined by choice and flexibility, a flawless digital twin is a powerful differentiator. It accelerates decision-making for remote stakeholders and serves as a lasting operational asset. The responsibility for preparation lies with the property manager, and by following this comprehensive checklist, they ensure the creation of a high-value digital asset that serves leasing, marketing, and operational needs for years to come.