Parking Configuration

• Lot Groups Management
• Managing Lot Zones
• Common Lots
• Permit States

Lot Groups Management

The Lot Groups feature allows administrators to logically group similar parking lots together, treating them as a single entity for specific system configurations. Its primary purpose is to simplify parking administration by enabling shared settings—such as free parking time and vehicle count limits—across multiple lots simultaneously. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking inventory and lot configurations.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to structure and streamline parking lot management.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the parking configuration menus. A lot may only belong to one group, and assigning a lot to a group is strictly optional.

1. Hover over System Configuration, click Parking, then Manage Lot Groups.

2. Click the Add Lot Group button.

3. Enter a descriptive name into the Lot Group text box.

4. Enter a value in minutes for the Free Parking Time Limit if applicable. This is typically used for pay-by-plate meters to provide a grace period for users to register their license plate.

5. Configure the Offence Location field. These locations are used in conjunction with static cameras to automatically associate the correct location when a violation is written via a camera report.

6. Enter a numerical value into the Vehicle Counts Limit field to set a maximum vehicle count for the entire group of lots.

7. Click the Save Changes button. The newly created lot group will immediately appear in the management list.

User Side: This feature is strictly a backend administrative configuration. End-users do not interact directly with lot groups on the parking portal.

Using this Feature

Once a lot group is successfully created, administrators must individually assign their existing lots to the new group.

Assigning a Lot to a Lot Group

1. Hover over Parking Management, click Lot Administration, then Pricing & Lot Admin.

2. Click on the Lot Name of the specific lot you wish to assign to a group.

3. Navigate to the General tab and locate the Lot Group drop-down menu.

4. Select the desired lot group from the list.

5. Click the Update Lot button to apply the assignment.

Deleting a lot group is a permanent action from the management list. However, while the group will no longer appear, its associated data (such as connections to specific permits and historical parking lot data) remains securely stored in the system. This ensures complete data integrity for all past transactions.

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Best Practices and Considerations

• Implement logical grouping: Group lots that share similar operational characteristics or pricing rules. For instance, placing all visitor lots in one group and all faculty lots in another makes overarching management much easier.

• Integrate carefully with pay-by-plate: Ensure the Free Parking Time Limit provides adequate time for users to complete their registration. This setting is crucial for lots using pay-by-plate systems to prevent unwarranted violations while users are actively paying.

• Leverage centralized control: Use lot groups to centralize the management of your settings. This drastically reduces the administrative overhead of manually configuring time limits or capacity restrictions individually for every single lot.

Managing Lot Zones

The Managing Lot Zones feature allows administrators to define specific geographical or logical areas within a single parking lot. Its primary purpose is to provide granular control over pricing variations, access rules, and enforcement strategies tailored to different sections of a larger lot. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for configuring parking environments and lot infrastructure.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to structure parking locations within the system.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the parking configuration menus and manage lot zones.

User Side: End-users do not directly interact with lot zone backend configurations. However, the pricing and access rules applied to these zones dictate where users are permitted to park and how much they are charged.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the management interface to seamlessly add, edit, or delete lot zones.

Accessing the Management Interface

1. Hover over System Configuration, click Parking, then Manage Lot Zones.

Adding Lot Zones

1. Click the Add Lot Zone button.

2. Enter the full, descriptive name of the zone into the Name field (e.g., Day Care Center).

3. Enter a shortened identifier into the Short Name field. This is typically used for optimized display on handheld enforcement devices (e.g., DAY).

4. Click the Save Changes button to add the new zone to the list.

Editing Lot Zones

1. Locate the specific lot zone you wish to modify in the list.

2. Click the Edit button next to the entry.

3. Enter the desired changes into the name fields.

4. Click the Save Changes button to apply your updates.

Deleting Lot Zones

1. Locate the specific lot zone you wish to remove from the list.

2. Click the Delete button next to the entry.

3. Click the Delete button in the confirmation window to permanently remove it from the system.

A lot zone can only be deleted if no records are currently associated with it. Administrators must first ensure that the zone is not actively in use or linked to any specific parking spaces, permits, or lot configurations before it can be removed.

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Best Practices and Considerations

• Implement granular control: Use lot zones to apply different rules, prices, or restrictions to sub-sections within a single large parking lot. This prevents the need to create entirely separate lots in the system when they physically share the same location.

• Use clear naming conventions: Use descriptive names for your lot zones that clearly indicate their specific purpose or physical location. Utilizing clear names like "North End Hourly" or "Permit Holder Zone A" drastically reduces confusion for enforcement staff.

• Ensure data integrity before deletion: Always ensure that a lot zone is not actively referenced by any other part of the system before attempting to delete it. Attempting to force the deletion of linked zones can cause data conflicts with existing spaces or user permits.

• Integrate with mapping features: If your system includes mapping features, ensure your defined lot zones can be visually represented. Clearly drawn and labeled zones on a digital map improve clarity for both administrators managing the system and users navigating the physical lot.

Common Lots

The Common Lots feature allows administrators to categorize parking lots based on shared characteristics or administrative distinctions. Its primary purpose is to provide a way to organize lots beyond their physical location, facilitating better management and reporting across the environment. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for configuring parking operations and lot categorizations.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to group parking lots logically.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the parking configuration menus and manage lot types.

User Side: This feature is strictly a backend administrative configuration. End-users do not interact directly with common lot types on the parking portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the management interface to add, edit, or delete common lot types.

Adding or Editing Common Lot Types

1. Hover over Admin Options, then Parking, and click Common Lots.

2. Click the Add Common Lot Type button at the top of the page to create a new entry, or click the Edit button next to an existing lot type to modify it.

3. Enter or change the name in the Common Lot Type Name field.

4. Click the Save Changes button.

Be aware that editing an existing common lot type will immediately update all lots currently assigned to that type. Making changes to lot types that are actively in use will reflect across the entire system instantly.

Deleting Common Lot Types

1. Hover over Admin Options, then Parking, and click Common Lots.

2. Locate the specific common lot type you wish to remove from the list.

3. Click the Delete button next to the entry.

You are unable to delete common lot types that are currently being used by lots within the system. You must first reassign or remove the lot type from any associated lots before the Delete button becomes available.

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Best Practices and Considerations

• Create meaningful categories: Create common lot types that genuinely help categorize and distinguish your parking lots. Utilizing clear groups such as "Student Resident Lots," "Staff Permit Lots," or "Hourly Pay Lots" makes administration and reporting much more intuitive.

• Verify deletion prerequisites: Always ensure that no active lots are assigned to a common lot type before attempting to delete it. Reassigning lots to another type, or removing the type assignment entirely, is a necessary step to maintain data integrity.

• Maintain naming consistency: Maintain consistent naming conventions for your common lot types. Using a standardized format for names ensures clarity and ease of use for all administrators working within the system.

Permit States

The Permit States feature allows administrators to define and manage the various statuses a parking permit can have within the system, such as Active, Expired, Voided, or Lost. Its primary purpose is to accurately track the lifecycle of permits, facilitating efficient management and providing clear reporting on permit validity and usage. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking configurations and permit workflows.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to establish the lifecycle statuses available for parking permits.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the parking configuration menus and manage permit states.

User Side: This feature is strictly a backend administrative configuration. End-users do not create permit states, but they will see their permit's current state (e.g., Active or Expired) when viewing their profile on the user portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the management interface to seamlessly add, edit, or delete permit states.

Accessing the Management Interface

1. Hover over System Configuration and click Parking then Manage Permit States.

Adding Permit States

1. Click the Add Permit State button.

2. Enter the desired name into the Permit State Name field.

3. Enable or disable the Valid checkbox to define whether this state represents a valid, active parking privilege.

4. Click the Save Changes button to add the new permit state to the list.

Editing Permit States

1. Locate the specific permit state you wish to modify in the list.

2. Click the Edit button next to the entry.

3. Make the necessary updates to the state fields.

4. Click the Save Changes button to apply your updates.

Deleting Permit States

1. Locate the specific permit state you wish to remove from the list.

2. Click the Delete button next to the entry.

3. Click the Delete button in the confirmation window to permanently remove it from the system.

In order to delete a permit state, it must not currently be in use by any permits in the system. Administrators must first ensure that no active or archived permits are currently assigned this permit state before it can be removed. This prevents permit records from having blank or invalid state information.

Available Actions and Buttons

• Add Permit State: Click this button to create a new permit status in the system.

• Edit: Click this button to modify the configuration of an existing permit state.

• Delete: Click this button to permanently remove a permit state from the system.

• Save Changes: Click this button to commit your new or updated permit state to the database.

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Best Practices and Considerations

• Define comprehensive states: Define a set of permit states that accurately reflect the entire lifecycle of a permit within your operations. Having states that cover everything from creation to expiration or invalidation ensures no permit falls through the cracks.

• Use clear naming conventions: Use clear, concise, and easily understandable names for your permit states. Designations like Active, Pending Payment, Revoked, or Expired are instantly recognizable to both administrators and enforcement officers.

• Ensure data integrity before deletion: Always ensure that no permits are currently assigned to a specific state before attempting to delete it. Reassigning permits to another valid state is crucial to prevent data inconsistencies across the system.

• Understand the impact on reporting: Accurate state management ensures reliable reporting. Permit states are fundamental for various reports, such as active permit counts, expired permit analysis, or voided permit reconciliation.

• Plan workflow integration: Consider how different permit states fit into your operational workflows. For example, clearly map out exactly what automated or manual actions trigger a permit to change from a Pending status to an Active status.