# Defining User Profile Settings

<p class="callout info">The User Profile Settings feature enables administrators to customize the specific information collected from users on their profile forms. Its primary purpose is to allow organizations to tailor the registration experience by controlling the visibility and mandatory status of data fields, ensuring that all necessary information is captured efficiently. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and user management.</p>

## Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to dictate the fields presented to users during registration and profile updates.

**Admin Side:** Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the global system settings menu and modify user profile requirements.

**User Side:** The configurations applied here directly dictate the fields end-users see and must complete when creating or updating their portal accounts.

## Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to the settings menu and manage the visibility of various user profile fields.

### Configuring Field States

1. Hover over **System Configuration** and click **System Settings**.
2. Click **User Profile** on the **Manage System Settings** screen.
3. Select the desired display state for each available profile item from the provided list.

### Available Field States

The state selected for each field is highlighted in black, with a checkmark indicating the active selection. Items can be set to one of three states:

- **Hidden:** The field is not visible on the user-side profile form.
- **Visible:** The field is seen on the user-side form, but entering information is optional.
- **Required:** The field is seen on the user-side form and is mandatory. Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk. The system will not allow the user to save their profile if any required information is missing.

### Customizing Profile Sections

The settings page allows you to customize several specific categories of user information:

- **User Name:** A user name is an essential unique identifier for system access. While a bare minimum typically includes a username, first name, and last name, any of these items can be toggled based on your needs.
- **Address Information:** This section is critical if your organization plans to mail physical permits or other correspondence to end-users.
- **Phone Information:** Allows for the collection of various personal and primary phone numbers.
- **License Information:** This field specifically refers to a driver's license number, not a vehicle license plate. You may opt to record this information if your organization is connected with local law enforcement.
- **Student Information:** Controls fields relevant to student identification, such as student numbers and maximum/minimum digit limits.
- **Employee Information:** Controls fields relevant to employee identification, such as staff numbers.

<p class="callout info">By default, the username field is not editable by administrators. If your organization requires the ability to manually change user account names, you must contact <support@ops-com.com> to request that the **Allow Username Edits** setting be enabled for your environment.</p>

### Text2ParkMe Configuration

If your organization utilizes the Text2ParkMe module, a second tab will be available on the **[User Profile](https://opscom.wiki/books/the-opscom-admin-portal/page/user-profile-overview "User Profile Overview")** settings page. This tab allows you to configure additional details that end-users can enter, including specific credit card information fields.

<p class="callout warning">If any credit card information is entered by the user via the Text2ParkMe tab, the system automatically switches all other credit card information fields to a required state for that specific transaction to ensure payment processing succeeds.</p>

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## <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">Best Practices and Considerations</span>

- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Balance data collection and the user experience:** **Avoid making too many fields required, as this can create friction and deter users from successfully completing their profiles.** Prioritize truly essential information to streamline the registration process.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Understand underlying system overrides:** **Be aware that the system may still require certain fundamental pieces of information even if you attempt to hide them.** For example, core identifiers like a username or email address are essential for basic functionality and may override your hidden settings.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Configure student address requirements:** **If you require students to provide both a mailing and local address, ensure you enable the Require Both Addresses for Students setting.** Once filled out, admins can view both locations under the **Active Addresses** section of the user profile. Do not forget to also enable the **Using Student Second Address** setting so these fields are visible on the admin side.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Review hidden fields periodically:** **Ensure that fields marked as hidden truly remain irrelevant to your current processes.** Organizational needs can change rapidly, making previously hidden data suddenly important for enforcement or reporting.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Tailor requirements to specific user types:** **Consider which information is truly necessary for different user classifications.** You can configure the system to ask for different identifying details depending on whether the registering user is a student or an employee.</span>