# Managing Incident Flags

<p class="callout info">The Managing Incident Flags feature allows administrators to create custom tags or labels that can be attached to incident reports. Its primary purpose is to quickly categorize, highlight, or draw attention to specific characteristics of an incident, thereby improving reporting capabilities, search efficiency, and internal communication. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing incident configurations and workflows.</p>

## Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to establish the descriptive labels available to enforcement officers and administrative staff when documenting incidents.

**Admin Side:** Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the incident configuration menus and manage the list of available flags.

## Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the management interface to seamlessly add or delete incident flags, as well as control their visibility in reports.

### Accessing the Management Interface

1. Hover over **System Configuration**, click **Incidents**, then **Flags**.

### Adding Flags

1. Click on the empty text box provided at the bottom of the active list.
2. Enter a descriptive name into the text field (e.g., High Priority, Follow-Up Required, or Safety Concern).
3. Disable the **Include In Reports** checkbox if you do not want this flag to appear in generated reports.
4. Click the **Add** button to append the new flag to the system.

<p class="callout info">By default, the **Include In Reports** checkbox is automatically enabled for all new flags. Disabling this setting ensures the flag remains strictly for internal viewing and workflow management.</p>

### Deleting Flags

1. Locate the specific flag you wish to remove from the list.
2. Click the **Delete** button next to the flag.
3. Click the **Confirm** button to finalize the removal.

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

- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Use clear and concise names:** **Use short, descriptive names for your flags that clearly convey their exact purpose.** Labels such as Critical, Resolved, or Requires Manager Review are instantly understandable for anyone reviewing the incident data.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Carefully consider report inclusion:** **Carefully consider whether each individual flag should be included in reports.** Flags used purely for internal workflows or temporary tracking might not need to appear in aggregated system reports.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Standardize your list:** **Develop a standardized list of flags to ensure consistency across all incident reporting.** A well-maintained and unified list makes it significantly easier to filter, search, and analyze large sets of historical incident data.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Integrate flags into workflows:** **Think about how specific flags can integrate with your broader incident management workflow.** For instance, applying a Follow-Up Required flag could become a standard operating procedure to officially trigger a management review process.</span>