Lot Groups Management

Lot Groups in OPS-COM allow administrators to logically group similar parking lots together, treating them as a single entity for certain configurations. This feature simplifies management by enabling shared settings like free parking time and vehicle count limits across multiple lots, providing a more streamlined approach to parking administration.

Setup & Configuration

A lot may only belong to one group, and membership in a group is optional.

1. Hover over System Configuration, then Parking, and click Manage Lot Groups.
2. Click the Add Lot Group button. 
   • Lot Group: Enter a descriptive Group Name in the text box.
   • Optionally, set a Free Parking Time Limit in minutes. This setting is typically used for lots equipped with pay-by-plate meters to provide a grace period for users to register their license plate.
   • Offence Location: Offence locations for lot groups are used in conjunction with static cameras. Through the use of a static camera report, a violation can be written that uses the offence location associated to the lot group the camera is in. 
   • Vehicle Counts Limit: Enter a numerical value for the Vehicle Counts Limit. This sets a maximum vehicle count for the entire group of lots.
3. Click Save Changes to create the new lot group. The newly created lot group will now appear in the list on the Manage Lot Groups page.

Assigning a Lot to a Lot Group

Once a Lot Group is created, you can assign individual lots to it from the Lot Edit Page:

1. Hover over Parking Management, then Lot Administration, and click Pricing & Lot Admin.
2. Click on the Lot Name of the lot you wish to assign to a group.
3. On the General tab, locate the Lot Group dropdown menu.
4. Select the desired Lot Group from the list.
5. Click Update Lot to save your changes.

Best Practices & Considerations

• Logical Grouping: Group lots that share similar operational characteristics or pricing rules. For instance, all visitor lots could be in one group, or all faculty lots in another.
• Pay-by-Plate Integration: The Free Parking Time Limit is crucial for lots using pay-by-plate systems. Ensure this setting provides adequate time for users to complete their registration.
• Centralized Control: Using Lot Groups allows for centralized management of certain settings, reducing the need to configure them individually for each lot.
• Deletion Note:
  • Deleting a lot group is a permanent action from the list.
  • While the group will no longer appear, its associated data (connections to permits and parking lot historical data) remains stored in the OPS-COM system. This ensures data integrity for past transactions.