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Permit Management - ParkAdmin

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Permit Search

This article describes the Permit Search tool, a central hub for finding, managing, and reporting on all parking permits. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with detailed search capabilities and a suite of actions for managing permit visibility, user assignments, and communications. This guide is intended for OPSCOM administrators.

Using this Feature

This tool is a standard administrative feature and does not require any specific configuration. It utilizes the existing permit and user data within the system. The Permit Search page allows you to find specific groups of permits and then perform a variety of bulk and individual management actions.

Performing a Permit Search

  1. Go to Permit Management and click Permit Search.

  2. Enter your desired criteria in the search fields.

  3. Optionally, enable the Archived Permit Data or Include Only Active Permits checkboxes to refine your search.

  4. Click the Toggle More Options button to reveal additional search filters that can be pinned to your default view.

  5. Click the Retrieve button to generate the results.

Understanding the Permit Counts Legend

At the top of the search results, a legend provides a quick overview of the permits found:

Performing Bulk Actions and Reports
Managing Individual Permits in the Results List

Best Practices & Considerations

Permit Switch

This article describes the administrative tool for performing permit switches and moves. This feature provides two distinct functions: swapping permit assignments between two permits, and moving a permit from one user to another. This tool is essential for managing changes in user parking assignments or handling permit transfers. This guide is intended for OPSCOM administrators.

Using this Feature

The tool offers two primary functions which are detailed below. This feature is a standard administrative tool and does not require any specific configuration to use. Its functionality relies on existing user and permit data.

Swapping Permits

This process is used to exchange permit assignments. This can be between two users, or for moving one user to a different, vacant permit.

Moving a Permit from One User to Another

This process transfers ownership of a specific permit from one user to another.

Best Practices & Considerations

Awaiting Payment - Permits

This article describes the Permits Awaiting Payment report, a tool used to manage and communicate with users who have pending permit payments. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with a centralized view of unpaid permit reservations and offer tools for sending payment reminders and processing payments. This guide is intended for OPSCOM administrators.

Using this Feature

The report allows administrators to filter for users with outstanding permit payments and provides several tools for communication and management. This report is a standard feature of the permit management module and does not require any specific configuration. It automatically displays data based on user permit reservations and their payment status.

Generating the Report

  1. Hover over Permit Management and click Awaiting Payment.

  2. The Permits Awaiting Payment screen will load, displaying all users with pending payments.

  3. Optionally, select a specific lot from the drop-down menu at the top of the page to filter the list.

Available Actions and Buttons

Best Practices & Considerations

Using the Basic Waitlist Report

The Basic Waitlist Report provides OPSCOM administrators with a centralized view of all users currently on waitlists, organized by parking lot. This report is a crucial tool for managing demand, enabling easy access to user profiles, facilitating communication, and streamlining the process of offering permits to waitlisted individuals.

Setup & Configuration

Before users can join a waitlist or their data appears in this report, waitlist functionality must be properly configured within your OPSCOM system.

Admin Side
User Portal

You can configure the option to allow users to see their rank on the waitlist or not. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.
  2. On the Permits tab, find and enable the Show Waitlist Rank checkbox.
  3. Refer to this page to see the User Experience.

Using the Basic Waitlist Report

  1. Hover over Permits, then Waitlists, and click Waitlist Report.
  2. On the Waitlist Report screen, Administrators can view/edit details about a user waiting to purchase a permit in a specific lot.

  3. This screen allows the admin to quickly see:

    • The user's Rank on the waitlist
    • The date they were added to the waitlist
    • The user's name
    • Their user type
    • Their city
    • Phone Number
    • Comments
    • The lot they are waiting for a permit in

If the record is highlighted in blue, the user does not currently have a permit assigned to them. 
If the record is highlighted in yellow, the user does currently have a permit assigned but has not yet purchased it. 

Available Actions & Buttons

Best Practices & Considerations

Managed Waitlist

The OPSCOM Managed Waitlist system automates the process of assigning available permits to waitlisted users. When a permit becomes available, the system reserves it, notifies designated administrators, and allows them to assign it to a user, who then has a specific timeframe to complete the purchase before the permit is released back to the waitlist.

Setup & Configuration

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.
  2. Click the Permits tab.
  3. Find and enable the Enable Managed Waitlist checkbox.

  4. Enter admin emails into the Waitlist Email Managers field. Multiple email addresses can be separated by commas. These email addresses will be notified when a permit becomes available for waitlisted users.

  5. Enter the amount of time that is being given to users to purchase permits in the Waitlist Reservation Duration box. This value is measured in days.

Enabling the Managed Waitlist setting makes the core waitlist system active, but you must still enable waitlists on individual lots for them to be used.

Enabling Waitlists on Individual Lots
User Side Setup and Experience

You can configure the option to allow users to see their rank on the waitlist or not. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.
  2. On the Permits tab, find and enable the Show Waitlist Rank checkbox.
  3. Refer to this page to see the User Experience.

The Managed Waitlist emails sent to users now include both the purchase deadline date and time to prevent users from losing their spot.

Waitlist Email Templates

There is a standard email template you can configure for communicating with your users. To learn more about working with email templates, refer to this wiki article.

Working with the Managed Waitlist

Assigning a User a Permit from the Waitlist

When a permit becomes available in a lot with a waitlist the admin will be notified via the email address that was setup for Waitlist Email Managers. The permit will be reserved for assignment to users on the waitlist.

To assign the permit to a specific person on the waitlist, follow the instructions below.

  1. Go to Parking Management, then Waitlists, and click Waitlist. 
  2. On the Waitlist screen, select Assign to associate the selected user to the permit you wish them to have.
Releasing or Extending an Assigned Permit

If the amount of time you set in the Waitlist Reservation Duration passes and the user hasn't purchased a permit, the admin will be sent an email. The admin has the option to Release the permit, so that it can be assigned again or to Extend the users time to pay for the permit. To do this:

  1. Return to the Waitlist page, and select the Permit icon beside the username.
  2. From the Parking Permit Information page, select Release Permit or click Extend to add 10 more days.

Additional Waitlist Management Actions

Best Practices & Considerations

Setting Permit State for a Lost or Stolen Permit

This article describes the process for managing a lost or stolen permit. This involves switching the user to a new permit and then setting the state of the original permit to Lost or Stolen to remove it from circulation.

Understanding the Lost or Stolen State

Setting a permit's state to Lost or Stolen will immediately remove it from active circulation. The permit will no longer be available for:

Using this Feature

You must switch the user to a new permit before setting the old permit's state to Lost or Stolen. Failing to do so will make the old permit unavailable for the switch process. No specific system configuration is required for this process. It utilizes the standard Quick Search and permit management tools.

This process is divided into two distinct parts: first switching the user to a new permit, and then deactivating the old one.

Section 1: Switching the User to a New Permit
Setting the Old Permit State to Lost

Best Practices & Considerations

    Altering the Price of Unpaid Standard Permits

    This article describes the process for editing the cost of an unpaid standard permit for a specific user. This feature allows administrators with the proper permissions to make one-time price adjustments for a single transaction without affecting the permit's default price for other users. 

    Setup & Configuration

    For an administrator to use this feature, their user role must have the Edit Unpaid Permit Cost permission enabled.

    Using this Feature

    Once the permission is enabled, the price of an unpaid permit can be changed from two different locations in the Admin Portal.

    Editing During Permit Reservation
    Editing from the Permit Information Page

    Viewing Price Change History All changes made to a permit's price are logged for auditing purposes. You can view these changes in the user's profile under the Recent History and Standard Permit History sections. Any comments entered during the price change will also be visible in the notes on the Permit Info Page.

    Best Practices & Considerations

    Selling Permits Using Tablet Kiosks with OPSCOM

    This article provides instructions on how to configure a tablet to act as a dedicated self-service kiosk for selling temporary guest permits. By locking the tablet to a specific guest permit booking page, organizations can offer a streamlined way for visitors to purchase parking without staff assistance or the need for a personal user account.

    Setup and Configuration

    Setting up a kiosk involves three main parts: obtaining the unique booking link for the desired parking lot, enabling Kiosk Compatible Mode within OPSCOM, and configuring the physical tablet device to lock it to the booking page.

    Part One - Obtain the Guest Permit Link

    Each lot configured for temporary permits has a unique URL for guest bookings. You will need this link to set up the kiosk.

    The lot must be properly configured to sell temporary permits. Detailed instructions can be found on the Pricing & Lot Admin page. You must set prices in the temporary permit section of the lot editor. If left blank, they will be disabled, and users will not be able to pick it as an option.

    image.png

    In the above example, permits will be available for free for 2 hours, $5 for 3 hours, $8 for 12 hours, and $10 for 24 hours/1 day.

    Part Two - Enable Kiosk Compatible Mode in OPSCOM

    This system-wide setting optimizes the guest permit workflow for a kiosk environment.

    Enabling this mode makes the following changes only to guest booking pages:

    Warning: Enabling Kiosk Compatible Mode affects all guest permit transactions, not just those from a kiosk. Users purchasing a guest permit via a QR code on their personal device will also be redirected to the start page after payment. We recommend enabling this setting only if you intend to use physical kiosks. 

    Part Three - Configure the Tablet Device (Android)

    To function as a kiosk, the tablet must be locked to the guest permit URL using third-party apps and built-in operating system features. The following steps provide one example of how to achieve this on an Android device.

    Step A: Install and Configure a Kiosk Browser App

    1. On your Android tablet, open the Google Play Store and install a kiosk browser application (e.g., Fully Kiosk Browser & Lockdown).

    2. Open the app to configure its initial settings.

    3. Paste the guest permit link from Part One into the Start URL field.

    4. Enable Fullscreen Mode.

    5. Disable Show Action Bar and Show Address Bar.

    Explore the app's advanced settings, such as Web Auto Reload -> Auto Reload on Idle. Setting this to 30 or 60 seconds will automatically reset the page for the next user after a period of inactivity. 

    Step B: Pin the Kiosk App

    Pinning the app prevents users from closing it and accessing other tablet functions. You can do this in device settings, a separate app.

    1. Ensure the tablet has a security PIN or password enabled. This can be set in the device's Settings app, typically under Lock screen.

    2. Navigate to Settings -> Security and privacy -> More security settings.

    3. Enable the Pin app option.

    4. Open the kiosk browser app you just configured.

    5. Tap the recent apps button (on most devices, this is an icon with three vertical bars at the bottom of the screen).

    6. Tap the icon appearing above the kiosk app's window and select Pin this app.

    The device is now locked into the kiosk browser, and the device's PIN will be required to exit the app.

    Using this Feature

    Once fully configured, the tablet functions as a locked-down, single-purpose device.

    End-User Workflow

    Best Practices and Considerations

    QR Code User Experience

    The QR Code User Experience allows parkers to quickly purchase a permit for a specific lot by scanning a physical QR code. This feature provides a streamlined checkout process for OPS-COM administrators to offer both guest parkers and registered users, facilitating rapid payments via mobile devices.

    Using this Feature

    The workflow varies slightly depending on whether the parker is a guest or a logged-in user.

    Guest Checkout

    Registered User Checkout (Accelerated)

    Logged-in users experience a significantly faster checkout as the system automatically pulls stored Vehicle Plates and Payment Profiles, removing the need for manual data entry.

    Key Information Displayed

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Real-Time Parking Map

    This article describes the setup and use of the Real-Time Parking Map. This feature provides a publicly accessible, interactive map displaying real-time lot availability, allowing users to find parking and purchase temporary permits directly. 

    Setup & Configuration

    Setting up the map requires creating a public-facing page and then configuring each lot that you want to display on that map.

    First, to have this enabled, you will need to contact an OPSCOM support staff member, and have them enable it on your production system.

    Step 1: Adding the Map to any page in OPSCOM

    A Map page is now provided by default, at this link: [CLIENT NAME].ops-com.com/u/#/realtimemodal

    If you would like to display the map on any other system messaging pages, such as the user login screen, or anywhere else, follow the instructions below; 

    Step 2: Configure Individual Lots

    For each lot you want to display on the map, you must configure the following settings.

    First, go to Pricing and Lot Admin.

    Step 3: Optional - Configure Special Spots

    1. Go to Lot Administration and select Manage Special Space Types.

    2. Click Add New to create informational categories such as 'Electric Vehicle Charging' or 'Handicapped Accessible'.

    3. Navigate back to Lot Administration and select the lot you wish to update.

    4. Go to the General tab and enter the number of spaces available for each Special Space Type.

    Using this Feature

    Once configured, the map is accessible to both the public for finding and purchasing parking, and to administrators for viewing lot statistics.

    Public User View
    Administrator View

    Best Practices & Considerations

    QR Code Guest Temporary Permitting

    This article describes how to configure and use the QR code feature to allow guests to self-register for temporary parking permits. This functionality streamlines the guest parking process for both free and paid scenarios, enabling visitors to quickly obtain a valid permit by scanning a code with their mobile device.

    Setup & Configuration

    Proper setup is required at both the system and lot level to enable QR code permitting.

    QR codes also work for users who are logged into an account already. They must have an active session on the same browser in order to use their stored account information to checkout. (They must also be the correct user type for that lot)

    For instance, if you are logged in as user1, and scan the QR code, you will be taken to your account to checkout in that specific lot. If you do not have an active session, you will be checking out as a guest user.

    System-Wide Configuration

    These initial steps enable the QR code functionality for your entire OPSCOM system.

    WARNING: The Guest User type is essential for this feature to function. Without it, you will not be able to assign QR code capabilities to your lots.

    Lot-Specific Configuration

    Follow these steps for each individual lot where you want to offer guest temporary permitting via QR code.

    1. Go to Parking Management > Lot Administration > Pricing and Lot Admin.

    2. Select the desired lot to configure.

    3. On the General tab, select Guest User as the User Type for the lot. Removing this user type will disable the QR code feature for this specific lot.

    4. Click the Temporary Parking tab.

    5. In the pricing section, set the hourly and/or daily costs.

      • For free parking, enter $0.00 for the applicable timeframes.

      • For paid parking, enter the correct amounts for the durations you wish to offer.

    6. Click the Update Lot button to save all changes.

    Optional:
    If you wish to use the lot for QR code functionality alone excluding standard and temp permitting through the user portal, you can set the Visibility to User as Hidden but Accessible in the General tab.

    If you wish to use this lot for Temp permits exclusively, enable the This lot is for temporary parking only checkbox.

    Note: Daily Cost permits expire at midnight on the day of purchase. To offer a true 24-hour permit, use the Hourly Cost setting and define a 24-hour duration instead.

    Using this Feature

    You can brand the QR code with your organization's logo. First, upload the logo to the media bin. Then, in the QR code configuration section on the Temporary Parking tab, select your uploaded image from the Logo field.

    Once configured, the QR code can be deployed for public use. The necessary tools are available within the lot's administration page.

    Accessing & Deploying the QR Code

    Available Actions

    Best Practices & Considerations

    Parking Logix - Parking Sensor Integration

    Enable Parking Logix Integration

    Before you can use the Parking Logix integration on your system you will need to navigate to your Third Party settings under System Settings.

    From there you should see the option to enable Parking Logix Integration. 

    image.png

    Adding the Lot Group

    Next, add a new lot group to your system making sure you include the API code. It is possible but unlikely that there will be multiple API keys if lot access is split over several keys. 

    Create a specific group for each lot you will be collecting data from.

    image.png

    Once the Lot Group has been configured you would need to assign it to the lot on the LPR Settings Tab of the Lot Administration tool.

    image.png

    Enable the System Task

    A system task must be enabled for the Parking Logix sensors to communicate with our system.

    This must be enabled by OPSCOM integration staff and you can contact us through support to set this up. Please email support@ops-com.comcom for assistance.

    Once the system task has been run you should see updated on the lot counts under Manage Parking Lot Groups

    image.png


    Displaying the Map on the User Side

    Finally, enter the short code on the user side to any of your pages using System Messaging.

    The short code is [parking_logix] and you can pass addition parameters such as: only, show, filter, or name.  This will restrict the list to show only specific lots.

    image.png

    By design, it will only show lots that have a group assigned to it that have an API key stored in it.

    image.png


    Pay Station Status

    This article describes the Pay Station Status lookup tool, used for searching and verifying temporary permits issued by pay stations. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators and enforcement personnel to look up a vehicle's pay station status based on various criteria, such as plate number and time. This guide is intended for OPSCOM administrators and enforcement staff.

    Using this Feature

    This page allows administrators to filter for pay station transactions and view vehicle details.

    This tool is a standard administrative feature and does not require any specific configuration. It relies on a successful integration with your organization's pay station hardware to populate its data.

    Performing a Status Lookup

    1. Go to Parking Management, then hover over Temporary Permits, and click Pay Station Status.

    2. Enter your criteria into one or more of the following search filters:

      • Plate: Search for a specific license plate.

      • Valid Date/Time: Find permits that were valid on or after the selected date and time.

      • Zones: Filter the results for specific pay station zones.

      • Validity Filter: Use the drop-down menu to show only Valid, Non-Valid, or All records.

    3. Select an option from the Sort Order drop-down menu to organize the results by a specific column.

    4. Click the Search button.

    Available Actions

    Best Practices & Considerations

    Zebra Sticker Printers

    This article provides a comprehensive guide for configuring Zebra sticker printers for use with the OPSCOM Admin Portal. This process involves setting up a custom layout and system message in OPSCOM, as well as configuring local printer and browser settings, to enable the printing of physical permit stickers. 

    Setup & Configuration

    This is a one-time, multi-phase setup process. It is recommended to complete all phases in the specified order before attempting to print.

    Phase 1: Create the OPSCOM Layout Template

    1. Hover over System Config and click Templates & Design.

    2. On the Layouts List page, click the Create Layout button.

    3. Enter a descriptive Name for the layout (e.g., "Zebra Printing") and click Save Changes.

    4. On the next screen, click Toggle Templates and create a Styles section and a Scripts section.

    5. Copy the provided styling and script code into the corresponding sections for each language you wish to support.

    Phase 2: Create the System Message

    1. Navigate to Manage System Messaging and click the Create Page/Message button.

    2. Fill in the required fields, ensuring you select the new layout you created in Phase 1 from the Layout drop-down menu.

    3. In the content editor box, hover over Tools and click Source Code.

    4. Paste the required shortcode HTML into the source code view and click Save.

    Phase 3: Configure Windows Printer Drivers

    1. Open Windows Settings and navigate to Devices, then Printers & Scanners.

    2. Select your Zebra printer and click the Manage button.

    3. Click Printer Properties and go to the Stocks tab.

    4. Click the New... button to define a new stock that matches your sticker label dimensions.

    5. After creating the stock, navigate to Printing Preferences and select the new stock as the default.

    Phase 4: Configure Browser Print Settings

    Before proceeding, you must temporarily disable the auto-print script. Navigate back to your layout template in OPSCOM (System Config -> Templates & Design) and comment out the code in the Scripts section. This will prevent the sticker from automatically printing and allow you to adjust the browser settings.

    Using this Feature

    Once all configuration steps are complete, administrators can print permit stickers from the Admin Portal.

    Best Practices & Considerations

    Printing Permit from Home Setup

    This article provides OPSCOM administrators with the necessary instructions to configure the Permit Printing from Home feature. This functionality allows end-users to print a physical copy of their parking permit directly from the user portal. The setup involves creating a printable permit template using system messaging and then enabling a system-wide setting.

    Setup & Configuration

    Configuring this feature is a two-part process. First, the feature must be enabled in the system settings. Second, the templates for permitPdf and permitTempPdf must be customized, if desired.

    Locate the Permit Print Template

    The printable permits are generated from a system message. 

    These two pages above, permitPdf and permitTempPdf are used to customize the content of either a regular printed permit, or a temporary printed permit, respectively.

    Define the Template Content

    Use the content editor to design the layout of your printable permit. You can use a combination of text, images (like your organization's logo), and specific shortcodes to dynamically pull in permit and user information.

    Available Shortcodes

    The following shortcodes can be used within the message body to display dynamic permit information:

    Default Template Content

    Below is a sample of what should be the default message content;image.png

    To use our recommended template, you can leave the content as the default text, but be sure to change any logos or company names to your own.

    User Portal Guide

    Once enabled, users will see an option to print their permit from the user portal. For a detailed guide on the user-facing process, please refer to the Printing Your Parking Permits Made Easy! article.

    Best Practices & Considerations

    Validator Admin Groups

    User Level Capabilities within the Validator Tool

    Here is a description of what each user level can do with the Validator Tool.

    1. The Super Admin can set up new Groups with a Group Name, as well as assign Managers and Group Members. Only the Super Admin can add Managers and Admins. 

      1. Definition: The Super Admin will also be any Primary Admin with permissions in OPSCOM to manage the Validator; they can create groups and have the ability to add users to the group. The permissions that the Super Admin assigns to the individual group members will determine their access level on the system. All permissions must be added or removed by the Super Admin and cannot be done by any other user. 

    2. The Super Admin will be able to see all current, pending, past and archived (deleted) validations.

      These are the permissions required to use the Super User Manager role. 

      image.png


    3. Group Managers and Admins will be able to see all of their Groups, current/pending validations and delete future/current validations up to the 15-minute mark of the Start Date. Group Managers can only manage one group at a time.
      1. Please note that deletions would only be available from the Manage Validations page.

        These are the permissions required to be the Validator Admin role:

        image.png


    4. The Super User will be able to delete any future, current, and past validations. 
      1. Please note that archived is considered deleted. Archived information is not purged from the system. This is due to the need to keep system data integrity.

        These are the permissions required to be the Validator Entry role:

        image.png

    User Level Display within the Validator Tool

    Here is the description of what each user level can see in the Validator Report and Manage Validations tools.

    1. The Super Admin will be able to see all Validator Groups via the drop-down menu of All/Individual Validators within each group. The Super Admin should be able to delete any entry at any time, pre or post validation. 

    2. Group Managers will only be able to see their own Validator Groups within a drop-down of All/Individual Validators within their group. They will also be able to delete any entry pre-validation.

    3. Admins will only be able to see and delete their own entries pre-validation or within a 15-minute leeway (as described below). 

    4. Please set-up a 15-minute grace period on deletions. This will allow a current validation to be deleted up to 15-minutes past the start date, in the case of an input error. (Setting)

    5. Users will be able to search for a partial or full plate, by entering the time period. No admin name or lot should be required. If the entry was made within the appropriate time period, it should show accordingly. If an Admin name is required then an All Admins option, and individual admins within their group are required.

    Creating a Validator Group

    1. Navigate to System Configuration, then Admin Management, and click on Manage Groups.
    2. This brings you to the Manage Administrator Groups page.
    3. To create a Validator group click on the Parking Validator module and then click Add New in the top right corner under.

      image.png

       

      The Adding New Group window will appear with the following options:


      Options Info

      1. Group Name

      		 The Group Name is how you set the name of a group.
      2. Module  The Module is where you can set the purpose of the group.
      3. Validator Comment  The Validator Comment is a spot where you can add any comments that you need to.
      4. Admin Members

      The Admin is the area in which you can add admin members to the group
      5. Default Validation Hours

      The Default Validation Hours is where you can set a default permit duration.

      Note: There is currently no way to enforce a strict limit or prevent admins from overriding the default duration. The value serves only as an automatically populated preset and can be manually adjusted.

    4. When you are finished click the Save Group button. You will see your group added to the bottom of the Administrator Groups.
    Adding Members to a Group
    1. Navigate to System Configuration, then Admin Management, and click on Manage Groups.
    2. Click the Edit button next to the Administrator Group you wish to edit. 
    3. Click on the Admin Members bar to add more members to the group.
    4. When finished, click the Save Group button found at the bottom of the Editing Group.

    Zones and How They are Assigned

    1. Navigate to System Configuration, then Admin Management, and click on Edit Admin Users.
    2. Select an Admin User which you want to edit and apply the Parking Validation Lot Zones they will manage.

      image.png


    3. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the Parking Validation Lot Zones window. Select the Zone(s) in which this admin will be managing validations.

      image.png


    4. Click any Zones that apply to this Admin and click Update User at the bottom of the page to finish.

    Public-Facing Lot Pages

    Overview

    Within the system, there is the option to create a custom lots page, which will display a list of lots that users can book from.

    The page consists of two subpages:

    Setting up these pages requires the use of shortcodes within the system.

    Page Setup

    The custom pages can be setup from the Pages and Content Blocks page.

    It can be found under System Configuration → Content & Designs → Pages and Content Blocks

    image.png

    Pages and Content Blocks

    The pages and content blocks section, or system messaging, allows the setup of custom user pages.

    Shortcodes

    A shortcode is a bit of text that has been coded to return a specific value when placed within the body of the page layout.

    The value it returns can be anything from single variable, to a module laid out within a template, like a table or a form. 

    A shortcode looks like this: [lots_list]

    In this case, the shortcode returns a list of the lots in the system.

    By placing the shortcode in the body of the message, it will show up on the corresponding page in that location. Shortcodes will be used to create the layout of the lot subpages.

    Lot List Page

    The first subpage that must be created is the page where the list of lots will appear.

    It does not need to have a dedicated page, and the lot list can be placed on any custom page that is wanted.

    In this example, the lots list will be placed on a custom page.

    image.png

    The path that is chosen here is what the path will be in the url. This would make the lots_list module show up when the address has /lots at the end of the base URL.

    The lots list is a module, meaning its appearance is fixed and cannot be modified further. Only its location on the site can be customized.

    Lot List Shortcode

    The shortcodes must be typed exactly as they appear, or they will not work.

    There is only one short code relevant to the lot lists page:

    Shortcode

    Description

    Additional Options

    Shortcode

    Description

    Additional Options

    [lots_list] 

    Displays a list of the currently available lots. Can be placed on any page.

    [lots_list include_hidden=1]

    • By default, lots set as not visible will not appear in the list. This option will include those lots in the list.

    [lots_list only_text2parkme=1]

    • This will restrict the list to only show lots that have Text2ParkMe enabled.

    Additional options are modifiers that can be added to the base shortcode to influence the output. Multiple can be chained together at once. For instance, both additional options can be included in the lot list shortcode by writing it like this:

    Lot Detail Page

    The specific lot detail page is set up a bit differently from the lot list page, in that it is coded to only work if the path is set as --lots-detail.

    This will make the details for the individual lot that is selected appear for the path /lots/{id}, with the id supplied being passed to the page to fetch the correct lot information.

    The information that goes on this page can be customized to include anything from the relevant shortcodes, but should at least include the permit cost and buy now button.

    image.png

    Lot Details Shortcodes

    Here is a list of the shortcodes that are related to the lot details page.

    The shortcodes must be typed exactly as they appear, or they will not work.

    Shortcode

    Description

    Shortcode

    Description

    [values show=lotname]

    Displays the name of the lot.

    [values show=lottype]

    Displays the initial of the lot's type.

    [values show=lotnameid]

    Displays the lot's id.

    [values show=defaultcost format=currency]

    Displays how much renting a permit for the lot costs.

    [values show=location]

    Displays the location set for the lot. It is an address or a short description.

    [values show=textcode]

    The Text2ParkMe code for the lot.

    [values show=ratePer10Min format=currency]

    The Text2ParkMe rate for the lot.

    [lot show=buy_now]

    Displays a button that will take the user to the page to purchase a permit for the lot. Will take the user to the login screen if they are not logged in or do not have an account.

    [lot show=map]

    Displays a small map with the lot's location according to the latitude and longitude values that are stored for it.

    [lot show=photo]

    Displays the photo that has been selected for the lot. A photo can be assigned from the Lot Administration page /admin/config/permits/lot/{id}/edit.



    User-Side Results

    The Lot List Page

    The lot list from the example appears on the website like this:

    image.png

    The Lot Detail Page

    The lot detail page from the example would appear on the website like this:

    image.png

    Validate Parking Report

    1. To access the report, the admin responsible for parker validation would need "View Validator Report" set as a permission.

      image.png



    2.  To run the report, go into the Parking Management menu and select Parking Validation Report.

      image.png

    3. The Validate Parking Report search tool opens.

      image.png


    4. Here, you enter the date range you wish to report on. In this case we are looking at March 1st through to March 14, 2018.

      image.png



    5. Click on search to bring up the record listing that can be viewed onscreen or exported as an Excel file.

      image.png


    Managing Validator Records

    In this example, we will add a validation for a vehicle with the plate number BIRCH in the GARAGE L1 Lot starting June 4th and expiring on June 4th.

    Enter the plate number
    Choose Garage L1 as the Lot Zone
    Enter your time frame and click on Validate

    image.png

    Once we have created the record, it will appear in the Validate Parking Report.

    If the entry was done in error, it can be removed through the Manage Validation tool.
    To do so, hover over Parking Validation under the Parking Management Menu and select Manage Validations from the drop down menu.

    image.png

    In the management tool, enter the Plate Number in question along with the Lot Zone you wish to view.
    To delete the record click on the Delete button associated with the record to highlight it with the check mark.

    image.png

    You will be prompted to confirm the archiving of the record. Click Archive to continue.

    image.png

    A pop-up message will confirm the deletion of the record.

    image.png

    Once the record is deleted, you will notice it will be removed from the Validator Parking Report.

    image.png

    Branding the Validator Tool

    Accessing the Validator Pages to Edit the Look and Feel

    From the System Config Menu click on System Messaging.

    image.png

    A page with two tabs will appear. Click on the Messages tab to access the list of editable messages.

    image.png

    There are three messages to edit for the Validator Tool.

    They are:

    The Validator Entry message
    The Validator Manage message
    The Validator Report message

    Each of these pages represent the three Validator Tool Pages.

    image.png

    Here's what they look like in the Message System Editor.

    image.png

    To edit the message click on the Edit button

    image.png

    The edit page will display.

    On this screen you will enter a title for your page as well as an identifier. This identifier must be unique.
    You may also select a language setting for your page.

    The page can be edited in the WYSIWYG editor where you can visually design the page.

    NOTE: The main graphic image used in our example measures 1448 pixels in width and 227 pixels in height.
    Best practice would be to maintain the same width but the height can be your preference. Upload the preferred image to your Files Folder using the Manage Files functionality.

    image.png

    It is also possible to edit the page in straight HTML. To do so go to the Tools menu and click on <>Source Code.

    image.png

    A popup will appear with the code presented.

    image.png

    Sample Code

    Validator Entry Expand source

    The Resulting Page

    image.png

    The Validator - a Parking Validation Utility

    You must create a new role to apply the permissions correctly. For more information refer to this article on Roles and Permissions

    image.png

    In our example, we created a Role entitled Parking Validator.  The new role will appear in the list of roles.

    image.png

    You must add the "Create Temp Permit Entries" permission to the role you just created.

    image.png

    Create or edit an Admin user who will manage the parking validation. 

    image.png

    Select the lot zone(s) this Admin will manage and save the user. These will be the lots that you intend to use with the Parking Validator utility.

    image.png

    Note: These zones have to be set in the lots you wish to validate. In Lot Administration go to the Zone & Location tab to select the zone associated with the lot.

    image.png

    Accessing the Validator Tool

    Log in as this user. Only one menu item entitled 'Create Validations' will be available.

    Note: The following screen represents the view of the validation tool that would be used by admins who have restricted access to the OPSCOM system and would have access to the Validation Tool Only.

    image.png

    The Validate Parking screen will appear.

    image.png

    Click 'Create Validations'. From this page you can:

    1. Enter plate number(s)
    2. Enter a comment 
    3. Select the lot zone in which you want to validate the vehicle
    4. Select the date range you wish the validation to be in effect.
    5. Set the Valid Time Frame (These blocks represent a full hour. In our example below we are setting the Valid times between 7am and 7pm).
    6. Select the Valid Days you wish to have the validation in effect.
    7. Click Validate to apply the validation.

    In this example we are validating the plate ABC123 on March 21st, between 7am and 7pm, if the day happens to fall on a weekday. If the Valid Between Dates was set from March 21st, to March 26th, it would be valid from Monday to Friday, during that week, 7am to 7pm.

    image.png

    The list of validated vehicles appears below the submit form.

    image.png

    Advanced Features

    With full access to the tool within OPSCOM there are several additional features to take into account. Not only do you have the validator tool, you also have the ability to run reports and Manage validations.

    image.png

    How Do Temporary Validated Parkers Appear on the Handheld Devices

    Parkers who are validated through this tool will appear as a "Temp Parker" on the Android version of OPS-COM. 

    image.png

    By tapping on the plate number you will get an expanded view with further detailed information. In our example, we see the parker has a Validator created permission to park in the Day Care Lot Zone.

    image.png

    To see even finer detail on this permission, tap the green rectangle labelled Validator - Day Care.  A pop up will appear showing a reference number and the Expiry date of the permission.

    image.png

    A closer look:

    image.png

    Apply Temp Permit to User Vehicles

    1. To begin, you must set the ability to apply the permit to multiple vehicles in Lot Administration under the Temporary Parking Tab.
      You must enable the following items:
       - Allow temp permits to be used over 30 days.
       - Allow All Vehicles on profile to receive permit.

      image.png



    2. Once this is set, you are ready to issue a temporary permit to multiple vehicles. 
      To begin, go to the user's profile and click on the Parking Tab.

      image.png



    3. Select Temporary Parking Permit.

      image.png



    4. The Temporary Parking Permit Registration window opens. 
      In our example, we will select the Green Staff Lot East where we had configured the ability to apply the permit to all vehicles (Step 1 above)
      Set the start date and end date. The date range must be for a period longer than 30 days in order to activate the Apply to all Vehicles button.
      Click the button to apply the permit to all vehicles.

      image.png


    5. Click Confirm This Permit to proceed to the Confirmation window. 
      You can verify the information before proceeding to purchase the permit. 
      Note:  the two vehicles are listed in the Vehicle list.
      Click Purchase this Permit to continue.

      image.png


    6. The payment screen displays. Start the purchase process.

      image.png


    7. Select your method of payment and click the Submit Payment Information button.

      image.png


    8. Select Confirm Payment Information to proceed. 
      Click Process Manually to complete the purchase.

      image.png


    9. You will be taken to the Transaction Details screen, where you can see a final record of your purchase.

      image.png


    LPR Audit Log

    Viewing the LPR Audit Log

    To access the LPR Audit Log, go to the Violations menu and hover over LPR and Chalking. Select View Audit Log from the resulting drop down menu.

    image.png

    The initial screen will display with the option to Toggle More Options

    image.png

    Filtering Results

    Search results can be filtered to display specific information. The two filter fields are Camera selection and Event type when clicking Toggle More Options.

    image.png

    Event type refers to one of five selections:

    Any Event
    Entry Events
    Exit Events
    Patrol Events (These are LPR chalking records from a Patrol Officer's hand held unit.
    Tracking (These could be cameras that track movement such as moving from one floor of a multilevel garage to another floor.


    Viewing and Editing LPR Events

      1. Go to Violations, then LPR and Chalking, and click View Events.

        • A list of Events will appear. The following information is displayed:

          • Plate Image
          • Plate Number
          •  Province
          • Score (relates to how accurate the system analyzes the capture to be)
          • Km/h (Speed, as well as direction - approaching or going away from the camera)
          • Recorded (Date and Time of capture)
          • Events (How many times this plate has been captured)
          • Status (Valid or Invalid)
          • Lot Group
          • Violations
      2. If the admin wants to refine their search more, they can enter the date and time range that is being reported on, by entering values in the recorded on and Up to and including field.
      3. To search for partial plates, turn on the Perform fuzzy search option then enter the partial plate into the license plate text box.
      4. The admin has the ability to correct plate reads that are wrong or partial. To correct the plate number, click on the pencil icon to edit the entry.
      5. Enter the Correct Plate Number.
      6. Select the appropriate province.
      7. Click the Blue Icon to save the changes.

      image.png

      Other Information that can be viewed from this interface.

      1. Hover over the thumbnail in the record and the full image capture can be displayed.

        image.png


      Improve LPR Read Rates

      What is the optical range for the reader?

      The sweet spot for plate reads is 1.5 to 2.5 meters between camera and plate.  Also check to make sure the lens is clean. Another issue may be camera angle.  The optimum angle for the camera is straight on (parallel) to the plate

      image.png

      Fuzzy Searching

      The PL8-RDR system supports fuzzy searching based on user supplied values.

      In the case of the LPR system "seeing" ABC123, it will also validate against A8C123 and ABC128 or A8C12B.

      Manual Corrections

      You can improve plate reads by making corrections and verifying correct plates on the system. OPSCOM has an algorithm that includes the human updates as part of the read score.  Therefore, if a plate is misread and corrected, it is very probable that the system will return the (human) updated version.

      Further, the system does fuzzy searching... this means it will look for a plate in the system that matches a pattern.  For example, a plate of ABC123 may be read as A8C128.  With fuzzy searching and based on time of day etc. the system will return ABC123 if that plate has a permit (but will also note that it was a "fuzzy" read of the plate).

      If you see a score of 100% in the LPR report that means that the system determined a human updated version was the best match since a score of 100% is theoretically impossible with LPR cameras.

      As an Example here's a tweak you can do for Ontario users once the camera is setup...

      Go into the Web Interface Page Plate Reader Camera OCR and set the following Characters dimensions:

      CHAR SIZE Min W: 10 Max W: 50 Min H:30 Max H: 100

      image.png

      Improving Exposure

      For dark plate reads:

      Set Max Shutter to 500
      Set Max Gain to 256 (If images are too dark this setting can be increased. However it is not recommended to go over 1000.)
      Set Iris Level to 15

      image.png

      Adjusting the Bounding Box

      The LPR camera has the ability to customize the area that is being analyzed during the plate read. This article explains how to adjust the read area (Bounding Box).
      The bounding box refers to the area that can be adjusted to narrow the view or area that is analyzed by the LPR camera. 


      The settings involved are located in the Plate Reader Settings.

      image.png


      The default settings for full frame are as follows. Measurements for height are always considered the distance from the top of the screen. Measurements for width are based on distance from the left of the screen

      Win MinX Pixel - 0  (From the left)
      Win MinY Pixel - 0  (from the top)
      Win MaxX Pixel - 1279  (From the left)
      Win MaxY Pixel - 1023 (from the top)

      image.png


      To view the location of the bounding box go into the Camera OCR tab.

      image.png



      Here is the full frame view of the bounding box. See the red outlined box in the image below.

      image.png

      Adjusting Height

      To adjust the box edit the number in the settings. In this case we will narrow the bounding box in height to restrict the read area.

      Here are the settings:

      Win MinX Pixel - 0 (from the left)
      Win MinY Pixel - 100 (from the top)
      Win MaxX Pixel - 1279 (from the left)
      Win MaxY Pixel - 700 (from the top)

      image.png

      IMPORTANT

      Once the settings are changed and you click on Apply, the camera will reboot. This process will take a couple of minutes to complete before you can navigate away from the page.


      The resulting Bounding Box will look like this:

      image.png

      Let's now say we want to lower the box in the view. I would have to increase the values in both Y axis settings.

      Here are the settings

      Win MinX Pixel - 0 (from the left)
      Win MinY Pixel - 200 (From the top)
      Win MaxX Pixel - 1279 (from the left)
      Win MaxY Pixel - 800 (From the top)

      image.png

      Here is the resulting bounding box:

      image.png

      Adjusting Width

      Additionally you can narrow the width of the bounding box if need be. In this case we will narrow the bounding box by 100 pixels on both sides.

      Here are the settings

      Win MinX Pixel - 100 (from the left)
      Win MinY Pixel - 200 (From the top)
      Win MaxX Pixel - 1179 (from the left)
      Win MaxY Pixel - 800 (From the top)

      image.png



      Here is the resulting bounding box.

      image.png

      By selective use of these settings you can customize the area that is processed by the LPR read. As a result LPR reads could be faster and more accurate since the camera is reading a smaller more focused area and ignores anything outside of the bounding box.


      On the Handheld

      For NOREADs you can check the setting in System Settings to see if that can be reduced.  
      It may mean more noise, but it may also help with determining what is going on (ie. reading but not seeing it as a READ result)

      To adjust this setting go into system settings and tap on Include NOREAD (ie. vanity) Results

      image.png

      Set the percentage to 50% to start. We can tweak it once we see how the system reacts.

      image.png

      Text2ParkMe - Active Permits

      1. In Parking Management, hover over the Permit Management icon and select Text2ParkMe - Active Permits.

      image.png

      2. This will take you to the Text2ParkMe - Active Permits page that automatically displays all Text2ParkMe permits that are currently active and not yet expired.

      image.png

      3. You can filter this listing by entering the data that you want to filter by in the search criteria above. This report can be filtered by User, Plate, or Lot Name.

      Select the Filter Report button to bring up the new report using the filters entered.

      Text2ParkMe - Usage

      In Parking Management, hover over Permit Management, Temporary Permits, and click 'Text2ParkMe' then 'Current Usage'.

      image.png

      This will take you to the Text2ParkMe - Usage page where you can enter information to get the usage report that you want to view.

      image.png

      Enter in the information that you want to search - User, Plate, Lot, and/or start/end date.

      Select the Search button to create the report. The report will appear below where the search criteria were entered. 

      image.png

      Refundable Parking Deposits

      Setup Deposit Options

      Setup and manage your Deposit options. 

      Apply Deposit Types

      Now that your deposit types are in place, they can be applied to specific lots. To do so, go to the Parking Management Menu and hover over Lot Administration, then click on Pricing and Lot Admin.

      image.png

      Once in Pricing and Administration, select the lot you wish to apply the deposit to by clicking on the lot name.

      image.png

      Once in Lot Administration, select the Standard Permits tab to view the available deposit types.

      image.png

      From the list of Deposits, click the deposit you wish to apply. You can select more than one deposit type by holding the Ctrl or Shift key and selecting the deposits you wish to apply.

      Once the deposit type is associated to a lot, it will then be included in the purchase of a permit in that lot for admins only.

      Let's have a look at a permit purchase with deposits in place. Go to a user's profile and select the Parking tab.

      image.png

      Click on Standard Parking Permit to begin the permit purchasing process. 

      Select the lot you wish to register the client to. In this case we select the Green Staff Lot East. 

      image.png

      Once the lot is selected, click on Register Permit. 

      image.png

      The Confirm Parking Permit Registration window will appear. Note the two deposits are included and listed in the Total Owing costs.

      image.png

      Click on Purchase this Permit to begin the payment process.

      image.png

      Editing Assignable Text


      In this step, the admin can record the access card and hang tag numbers. To do so, click on the Deposit Item name.

      In this case click on Access Card Deposit: Enter access card number here.

      image.png


      In the Deposit Information pop-up window, enter the access card number in the Assigned Text field and click Update Deposit. 

      image.png


      Once entered, the number will now appear on the Payments screen under Deposits.

      image.png


      You may now proceed with the purchase in the usual manner.

      Access Cards - Search

      1. In Parking Management, hover over the 'Permit Management' icon and click 'Access Cards' then 'Search'.

      image.png

      2. The 'Access Card Search' screen is displayed.  Select the Lot name that you want to search. Note, only lots that have access cards associated with it will be listed in the Lot Name drop-down menu.

      Enter the Access Card Range and click the 'Retrieve' button. Any access cards that match your search will appear below the search criteria.

      image.png

      Hang Tag Printing

      In Parking Management, hover over the Permit Management icon, and click Hang Tag Printing.

      The Vehicle Hang Tag Printing screen will display.

      image.png

      The results will display below the search criteria. Note, permits paid by Payroll Deduction will be highlighted.

      Enable the Email checkbox(es) to chose users to send the hang tag by email to. Click the Email Selected button, then fill in the details of your email. 

      To print hang tags, enable the Print checkbox(es). If you wish to print hang tags for all users,  click the Select All button. Click the Deselect All button to clear all selections. If you do not want to include an expiry date on the permits being printed, ensure that the 'Do not print date' checkbox is enabled. Otherwise, select the expiry date to be printed on the hangtag and click the Print Selected Hang Tags button.

      This will open up a new window displaying the username and address (positioned to fit in a windowed envelope) in the top left, the lot long name and permit number in the top right as well as the actual permit at the bottom.

      Note, some organizations use perforated paper to make it easier to remove the permits to be laminated. The empty space on both sides of the paper can be pre-printed to provide parking information, rules and regulations to your users. Some organizations will also purchase holograms to go on the permit as well.

      Expected Results

      Important

      In order for the correct address to display on the hangtag, you will need to have the Mail Permit to selected on the user's profile, and the appropriate address filled out. For example, if you select Local Mailing Address and the user only has their Personal Mailing Address completed, the user's address will not be printed to the hangtag.  (See Edit User Profile - Profile Tab)

      After printing the hangtag and placing it in its cover, the completed print job could look something like this: 

      image.png

      image.png

      Select the print option from your browser (Ctrl+P is the print shortcut). A sample printed parking permit front and back would look similar to this:

      image.png

      image.png

      Printer Settings  

      Below are sample margin settings.

      Margins

      Inches

      Millimeters

      Left

      0.88

      22.35

      Right

      0.254

      6.45

      Top

      0.96

      24.38

      Bottom

      0.169

      4.29

      Do not select "Shrink to Fit" and instead always use "100%".

      Temporary Permit Printing

      1. In Parking Management, hover over the Permits icon and click 'Temp Permit Printing'.

      image.png

      2. In the Retrieve drop-down menu, select the permits that you want. Select the Permit Lot that you want. Enter the Start Date and the Up to and Including date and select the Retrieve button. The results will appear below the search criteria.

      image.png

      3. Select the checkbox for the permits you wish to print and press “print selected hang tags” button. Below is a sample Temp Permit.

      image.png

      image.png

      Note, temp permits can also be printed by going to a user's history. Under the Temp Permit section, under the Permit #, select the printer icon to print just that one permit.

      image.png

      Releasing a Permit

      1. If you know the permit number perform a permit search. If you do not know the permit number, go to the user profile for whom you wish to release a permit.
        Click on the permit number on the user dashboard.

        image.png



      2. From the permit detail click on the permit number.

        image.png



      3. You will be taken to permit search where you can release the permit

        image.png



      4. It is advisable to leave a comment in order to track the reason the permit was released. Click Release This Permit.

        image.png



      5. A pop up window will appear. Click OK to confirm the release of the permit.

        image.png


      6. A confirmation message will appear.

        image.png


      7. Now when you search the permit it will appear as available.

        image.png


      Clearing Items Awaiting Payment - Midnight List

      If enabled, there is a System task that will clear all permits that are sitting in user's carts without any payments or promises to pay on them. Permits that have been rolled over (renewed) or permits assigned through managed waitlist are excluded from this process. Additionally, Zero dollar items will not be able to be cleared this way. Instead, use the Mark Items as Paid functionality to clear these payments. 

      Viewing Permits without Payments

      1. Click Parking Management, hover over Reports, and click Midnight List.
      2. On the report you can see all users with permits in their cart that do not have a payment associated. You can do the following from this report:

      Viewing Lockers without Payments

      1. Click Locker Management, and click Midnight List.
      2. On the report you can see all users with permits in their cart that do not have a payment associated. You can do the following from this report:

      Setting Up to Automatically Clear Permits without Payments

      If you do not see the settings mentioned below, please contact support@ops-com.com to have them enabled for you. You will need the permission of your Primary Admin.

      1. Click System Configuration, hover over System Setting, and click Permits.
      2. Click to toggle Clear Unpaid Permits on.
      3. Click Payments.
      4. Change the Clear Payments After X Hours value to the number of hours you want to allow items to remain in the user's cart. Use numbers only
      5. Follow the instructions in this wiki article to toggle on the Clear - No Payment scheduled task.

      Setting Up to Automatically Clear Lockers without Payments

      If you do not see the settings mentioned below, please contact support@ops-com.com to have them enabled for you. You will need the permission of your Primary Admin.

      1. Click System Configuration, and hover over System Settings.
      2. Click Lockers.
      3. Click to toggle Clear Unpaid Lockers at Midnight on.
      4. Change the Clear Payments After X Hours value to the number of hours you want to allow items to remain in the user's cart. Use numbers only
      5. Follow the instructions in this wiki article to toggle on the Clear - No Payment scheduled task.

      Permit Waitlist Feature Overview

      Welcome to the OPSCOM Waitlist Feature!
      This feature allows administrators to manage users waiting to purchase a permit in a specific lot or in a lot category. If enabled, this feature can save your team significant administrative time and ensure a fair allocation process.

      How Does the OPSCOM Waitlist Work?

      There are two different ways you can leverage the Waitlist. You can use the waitlist report or you can enable the Managed Waitlist functionality. 

      Basic Waitlist Report

      When a user joins a waitlist, Admins can access a report to see the waitlists by lot, link to the user's profile or email users individually or in bulk. 

      Managed Waitlist Functionality

      If Managed Waitlist is enabled, the Admin will be notified when a permit becomes available to be assigned to users on a waitlist. It will automatically be reserved to be assigned to the users on the waitlist. The admin will be able to choose who to assign this permit to add it to the user's cart. The Admin will email the user and give them a specific amount of time to pay for the permit before it expires and can be given to someone else. 

      Go to the linked pages to explore how to setup and work with either the Basic or Managed Waitlist functionality.

      Rollover: Auto Selection and Automatically Processing Payments

      Using Credit Cards on File to Purchase Recurring Permits

      There are two prerequisites to this function working correctly for credit card purchases on rollover. The user must have a valid credit card registered in the system, and the card must be designated as the Prime Credit Card.

      If you are accepting Credit cards that you wish to charge on rollover, you must have a Gateway that allows you to charge client cards directly. This cannot work for a system that is set for Hosted Payments only.

      Performing Permit Rollovers

      Hover over Permits, then select Process Payments for Rollovers.

      image.png

      The Rollover Payment Processing page will be displayed as seen in the image below.

      image.png

      To select which payments will be done click the check box with the payment type. If the invoice or permit says "None Set" then the user must process the payment to get the permit in the next sales window.

      image.png

      Select the 'Process Payments for Rollovers' button

      image.png

      Visual Cues & Status Indicators

      Resolving a Locked Permit

      If a permit is locked and cannot be processed through the standard rollover screen, follow these steps to clear the lock and complete the transaction:

      1. Navigate to the User Profile of the individual associated with the locked permit.

      2. Access the user's Cart or Pending Items.

      3. Select the permit item that is currently locked in the rollover report.

      4. Proceed to Checkout and manually process the payment using the user's preferred method (e.g., Credit Card, Cash, or Account Credit).

      5. Verify the transaction is successful. Once the item is marked as paid in the user's account, it will automatically be removed from the locked status in the Process Payments for Rollover screen.

      Best Practices & Considerations

      A locked permit indicates an incomplete transaction. Do not attempt to re-process the payment through the rollover screen until the lock has been cleared via the user's account, as this may result in errors.

      Preventing Permit Rollover after Cancellation

      Purchase a permit as an Administrator for any user.  Locate the permit on the Profile page and click the permit button to reveal the Parking Permit Information window.

      image.png

       Change the Rollover State to Prevent Rollover. Enter a comment to explain why you are changing the state. This is mandatory.

      image.png

      Click Update Permit.

      A message will display to let you know you have changed the flag. 

      image.png

      You should also add notes to indicate why the flag was changed. 

      image.png



      The process is almost the same for the user portal. An end user can set their permit to not renewing. Simply find the permit on the User Dashboard and click on the permit button.

      image.png

      Select Not Renewing from the dropdown list in Permit Information.

      image.png

      When you process the rollovers, this permit will not show up in the list. Instead, it will show up in a separate list called "Permits that will not be rolled over."

      image.png

      Enabling Permit Rollovers without Previous Payment

      1. Hover over the System Config menu and click System Settings.

        image.png



      2. The 'Manage System Settings' window is displayed. Click Permits and disable the checkbox next to 'Require Payment for Rollovers'. This setting will be on by default.

        image.png



      3. Click the 'Save Settings' button.

      4. Proceed with Rollovers to the next allocation period.

      Feature Overview - Rollover/Renew Permits

      Permit rollovers, also referred to as renewals, describe the process of transitioning an existing permit from its current, expiring validity period to a subsequent, new sales window. This procedure effectively establishes a new duration for which the permit remains valid and involves the requisite charge for this extended period.   

      This is crucial for maintaining continuous parking access for patrons, especially those on payroll deduction or with credit cards on file that can be automatically charged. It's designed to manage active permits from a current sales window into a future sales window, establishing a new duration for which the permit remains valid and involving the requisite charge for this extended period.

      For instance, consider a monthly permit holder. Their permit is initially configured within a January sales window, granting validity from January 1st to January 31st, at a cost of $100 for the month. In late January, this permit can be rolled over into a February sales window. This action sets the permit's new valid period from February 1st to February 28th, with an additional charge of $100 applied to the permit holder for the month of February.

      The rollover process in OPSCOM involves several key steps and configurations:

      To ensure a smooth permit rollover, you'll need:

      Before attempting rollovers, please follow the steps in these wiki articles to ensure you have activated the correct Sales Window and that you have your information correctly set up for automatic payments.

      For parkers with subscriptions, automatic payments can be processed as part of the rollover. This applies to patrons who pay by payroll deduction or credit card.

      For Credit Card Payments: For automatic credit card processing on rollover, the user must have a valid credit card registered in the system, and it must be set as their Prime Credit Card. Note that your payment gateway must allow direct charging of client cards; this won't work with hosted payments only.

      Automatic Permit Payments on Rollover/Renewal

      Parkers with subscriptions setup in their account

      Patrons who pay by payroll deduction or through credit card purchases can also have their payments processed automatically as part of the rollover process.

      Performing Permit Rollovers

      To begin a rollover:

      1. Hover over Permits (Clock icon) and click Sales Window.  

      2. Click the Rollover button to open the Permit Renewal page.

      Before a rollover can be performed you must make sure that the new sales window you are rolling into has a start date that is equal to or greater than the end date of your previous sales window.

      Select Rollover Options
      1. From the permit Renewal window select the current sales window you are rolling over from (From Sales Window) on the left side of the form.
      2. Then select the Sales Window you wish to roll the permits into. In our example we are rolling permits from the October Sales Window to the November Sales Window.
      3. Select what user types we wish to roll over, or simply leave it as the default of All User Types.
      4. Click on Show Lots to list all lots that can be rolled over in the selected Sales Window. The list of lots will appear below the search form. 
      Managing Individual Permits for Rollover

      You can choose to include or exclude specific permits from the rollover.

      1. To see the list of permits you can toggle for renewability, click either the Holders or Renewing button.

      2. A list of permits in that lot will appear, allowing you to toggle whether they should be renewable or not. For example, if permits STAFF1000 and STAFF1001 are not renewing, they shouldn't roll over.

      3. Click Update Permits to save your changes.

      image.png

      image.png

      6. Click Update Permits to save your changes.

      Here's the logic for permit rollover states:

      State Current Permit Renewing
      (prevent rollover = 0)      		 User exists in target Sale Window Permit exists in target Sale Window Notes
      Renewing True False False Neither the user, nor the permit exists, but the current permit is set to be renewed.
      Blocked True False True The permit exists in the target sale window, but the user doesn't. This means anywhere for any permit in the lot. If the user has multiple permits and some of them renewed, then they technically are not blocked. If the user has been given a different permit, they also are not blocked.
      Renewed True True N/A The user is considered renewed when they exist in the target sale window. Just like the note for blocked, it's not intended to be good for users with multiple permits.
      Not Renewing False False N/A The user was not found in the target sale window and their permit is also not renewing. This is the expected scenario.
      Not Renewing, but Exists False True N/A The user WAS found and their permit is not renewing. This could use some investigation to make sure that the user is supposed to have that permit or not.

      Once you've completed this process for all lots you want to include in the rollover, click Renew Permits to continue. The screen will refresh and update the permit counts. Permits you toggled for rollover will appear as rolled over, while those marked as not renewing will remain in the "Not Renewed" column and will be available for new users.

      image.png

      Permit Processing

      The system automatically rolls over permits paid through gateway payment types like Mastercard, Visa, or Payroll Deduction. Users whose permits are rolled over but don't have an active payment subscription will need to make a payment to secure their permit.  These Parkers will see the permit show up in their cart on the User Portal as unpaid. However, if a user has a payment subscription set up, their permit will be rolled over, and the payment will be processed automatically.

      The Process Payment option will be automatically toggled on, and the Credit Card Type will appear for users whose payments can be processed automatically. If someone isn't continuing to park in a lot, simply uncheck the corresponding checkbox under Rollover to exclude them.

      Click Rollover Permits to complete the process. Remember, you'll need subscriptions set up for payroll deductions, EFT, or credit card payments. You can prevent permits from rolling over by setting their renewable flag.

      Exporting Users to Rollover

      After clicking the Rollover Permits we can also choose to export an excel spreadsheet of all the users that are associated with the lot we have selected. To do this we click Export Users on the Permit Rollover page. 

      image.png

      This will open a new window that generates the excel document for us to open depending on the browser you are using. You may be warned that the file is corrupt in some way however you should still be able to view the output in Excel's protective view.

      Automated User Notifications

      To streamline the renewal experience and reduce manual support inquiries, OPSCOM now includes automated email triggers that fire upon the completion of the rollover task.

      User-Facing Notifications

      When the system task processes the rollover, users are automatically notified based on the outcome of their transaction. These templates can be customized via the Email Templates page:

      Administrative Alerts for Email Failures

      In the event that a user’s permit is processed but they have an invalid or missing email address, the system ensures the administrator is kept in the loop.

      The administrator who initiated the rollover will receive a summary email containing a list of all users who did not receive their receipts or alerts. This administrative digest includes:

      Important Technical Notes

      Tips for a Smooth Rollout

      1. Configure Templates: Before performing your next rollover, visit the Email Templates page to update the wording for the two new permit renewal templates.

      2. Verify Admin Email: Ensure your administrator account has a valid email address, as this is where the "Failure to Deliver" summary will be sent.

      3. Check Payment Gateways: Remember that automatic credit card receipts only trigger if your payment gateway supports direct charging (as opposed to hosted-only payments).

      Single Allocate

      This allows you to add individual permits to lots instead of adding an entire range as in the previous section.

      Quick Steps:
      1. Hover over Parking Management then Lot Administration and Select Allocate.
      2. Find the lot to add the permit to.
      3. Click Add Permits To Lot.
      4. Enter the permit number.
      5. Click Add Permits.
      Step-by-Step Instructions:
      1. Navigate to Permit Number Allocation page: Hover over the Parking Management icon in the system and then hover over Lot Administration, then click on Allocate.
      2. Locate the Desired Lot: On the Permit Number Allocation page, find the lot you want to add a permit to.
      3. Add Permit to Lot: Click the Add Permits To Lot button.
      4. Enter Permit Information: In the Add Permits screen, type in the permit number. For example, you could add permit 0023 to the 123 Main Street Lot.
      5. Confirm Addition: A pop-up message will confirm that your changes were successfully made.

      6. Check the Permit List: Once the permits are added, your lot will display them in the Permit Search utility.

      Setting Up A Lot To Be Visible and Available To The End User

      This article outlines the six critical factors that determine a lot's visibility and availability to end-users when they are purchasing permits in OPSCOM. Understanding and configuring these settings correctly is essential for OPSCOM administrators to ensure that parking lots are accessible to the intended user groups.

      Setup & Configuration

      System-Wide Visibility Setting
        1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.
        2. Click on the Permits tab.
        3. Locate the Show Only Visible lots setting. 
          • Enable this checkbox to only view lots marked as "Visible" across the system.
          • Disable this checkbox to view both visible and non-visible lots in administrative views.
      Lot Visibility and User Type Settings
      1. Hover over Parking Management, Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin. 
      2. Click Add New Lot (or click an existing Lot Name to edit).
      3. On the General tab:
        • Enable the Visible radio button in the Visibility to User setting.
        • In the Lot Access section, select the appropriate User Types that are allowed to see and purchase permits for this lot. Hold the Ctrl key to select multiple user types.
        • Click Update Lot.

      4. On the Temporary Permits tab:

        • Disable the This lot is for temporary parking only checkbox.
      Allocate Permits to the Lot
      1. Follow the steps in this wiki article to add and verify your permits.
      Set Up a Permit Sales Window
      1. Follow the steps in this wiki article to setup your Sales Window.
      Test with a User
      1. Hover over User Management and click on User Registration (to create a new test user) or User Search (to find an existing one).
      2. Ensure that the test user's User Type (e.g., Full Time Staff) matches one of the user types you allowed to access the lot you setup.
      3. Click Login as User for your test user.
      4. On the User-Side Dashboard, navigate to Permits.
      5. Check if the lot you created is available to be reserved. If the user type you are testing does not match the lot's allowed user types, the lot will not be visible on the user side.

      Best Practices & Considerations

        Permit Sales Window Management

        Permit Sales Windows in OPSCOM define the specific timeframes during which parking permits can be purchased and when they are valid. This article guides OPSCOM administrators through the process of creating and activating new permit sales windows, ensuring that permits are available for sale and valid for use according to your organization's academic terms or operational periods.

        The Manage Permit Sales Window page allows you to create, configure, and activate sales windows.

        Creating a New Sales Window

        1. Hover over Parking Management, and click Sales Windows.

        2. Click the +Add Sale Window button. 

          • Enter a Name for your sales window.
          • Choose your allocation type: Will it be Monthly, Yearly, Semester or Other?
          • Enter your Sale Start Date, Permit Start Date and End Date (see the Defining your Key Dates section below).
          • Choose a color for your sales window.
        3. Click Save Changes to save your information. The newly created sales window will now appear in the list on the Manage Permit Sales Window page.

        image.png

        Defining your Key Dates

        When creating a new sales window, you will need to define the following key dates:

        Example Scenario: If a sales window is configured with a Sale Start Date of December 29, 2025, a Permit Start Date of January 1, 2026, and an End Date of December 31, 2026:
             • Permits can be purchased anytime between December 29, 2025, and December 31, 2026.
             • These permits would be valid from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

        Activating the Sales Window

        Once a sales window has been configured, it needs to be made Active for permits to be sold.

        1. Locate the sales window you wish to activate on the Manage Permit Sales Window screen.
        2. In the Active column, click the dropdown menu for that sales window.
        3. Choose Active.

        Note: If you activate a yearly sales window, other existing yearly sales windows will automatically switch to Inactive to prevent conflicts.

        Best Practices & Considerations

        Adding Permits to a Lot (Allocation)

        This article outlines the process for OPSCOM administrators to add permits to specific parking lots. Permits can be added individually, as a sequential range, or with custom prefixes/postfixes, enabling efficient management of your permit inventory and ensuring lots have available permits for sale.

        Using this Feature

        1. Hover over Parking Management, Lot Administration and click Allocate.
        2. The Permit Number Allocation page lists all configured parking lots. 
        3. Locate the specific lot to which you want to add permits and click the Add Permits to Lot button.
        4. Within the next window, you have several options for entering permit numbers:
          • Individual Permit Numbers: Enter specific, non-sequential permit numbers, separated by commas (e.g., Staff01, Staff02, Visitor123).
          • Range of Permit Numbers: Enter a numerical range using "to" (e.g., 1 to 20 or 50 to 200). The system will generate all numbers within that range.
          • Prefix or Postfix (Optional):
            • Prefix: Enter text in the Prefix field (e.g., "Staff"). This text will be added before each generated permit number (e.g., Staff01, Staff02).
            • Postfix: Enter text in the Postfix field. This text will be added after each generated permit number (e.g., 01-East, 02-East).
        Add Permits
        1. Enter the desired permit numbers, ranges, or prefixes/postfixes into the provided fields within the Add Permits to Lot utility.
        2. Click the Add Permits button.
        3. A confirmation pop-up will appear. Click Add Permits again to confirm and finalize the process.
        4. A success message will confirm that your changes were successfully made.
        Viewing Added Permits

        After permits are added, you can verify their details by navigating to the Permit Search utility.

        1. Hover over Permits, and click Permit Search.
        2. Filter by the relevant lot to view the newly added permits.

        Best Practices & Considerations

        Setup Lots to Use Text2ParkMe

        Text2ParkMe (T2P) allows users to pay for temporary parking via SMS (text) messaging. Text2ParkMe will also send out reminders when their parking time is about to expire and allow users the option to extend their parking time. Text messaging fees do apply based on individual phone plans.

        If you have purchased Text2ParkMe, you must have a gateway provider setup to accept T2P payments. You must work with our project manager to ensure this gateway is configured and tested to work with your system. 

        You will also require a T2P phone number that your users will text to obtain temporary parking. The OperationsCommander Support team will ensure this number is setup and tested for you.

        Quick Steps:
        1. Hover over Parking Management, then Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. Click a Lot Name to open its settings.
        3. Select the Temporary Permits tab.
        4. Fill out all fields in the red box (especially the Text Code).
        5. Click Update this Lot to save.
        Step-by-Step Instructions:

        1. Navigate to the Lot Administration page: Hover over Parking Management in the main menu. Click Lot Administration and then select Pricing & Lot Admin.

        2. Locate your lots settings: In the window, click on a Lot Name to open the specific lot's settings.

        3. Click on Temporary Permits: Select the Temporary Permits tab. You will see several fields. Be sure to fill out all the items in the red box, as these are required. The Text Code is the display name that users will see when choosing this lot to park in.

        4. Save Changes: Once all required fields are filled out, click the Update Lot button to save your changes.

        Permit Allocations

        image.png

        Planning Lot Groups and Lot Zones

        Lot Groups allows you to group similar lots together to be seen as a single entity in OPSCOM. A lot may only belong to one group. A lot group is not required, it exists to allow similar lots.

        A Lot Zone is a grouping mechanism allowing validation parameters to be applied to a lot.

        Quick Steps:
        1. Hover over the Parking Management, then Lot Administration, and select Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. Click on the Lot Name. In the Edit Lot page click on the General tab.
        3. In the General tab select the lot group you wish to apply to your lot.
        4. Hover over System Configuration, then Parking, and click Mange Lot Zones.
        5. Click on Add Lot Zone and enter a long and short name.
        6. Return to the Edit Lot page and click on Zone & Location.
        7. Choose a Zone to add to the lot.
        8. Set the valid days/times for the zone under Days or Range with Sales Window and Start Time and End Time.
        9. The lot is now linked to the zone.
        10. You can assign the same zone to multiple lots (e.g., “RED Zone” to both the Red Lot and Green Lot).
        11. Patrols can select either a Lot Group or Lot Zone during enforcement.

        Zones allow enforcement based on time/dates, and Groups allow enforcement across multiple lots.

        Step-by-Step Instructions:
        1. Locate Pricing & Lot Admin: Hover over the Parking Management, then Lot Administration, and select Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. Locate the General Tab: Click on the Lot Name. In the Edit Lot page, click on the General tab.
        3. Adding a Lot Group: In the General tab select the lot group you wish to apply to your lot.
        4. How to Create a Zone: Hover over System Configuration, then Parking, and click Manage Lot Zones.
          1. Create Zone: Click on add Lot Zone and enter a long and short name.
          2. Return to the Edit Lot page: Return to the Edit Lot page by going to Pricing & Lot Admin, then click on the Lot Name. 
          3. Navigate to the Zone & Location tab: Click on Zone & Location.
          4. Select a zone: Use the dropdown on the left to select the zone you wish to apply to the lot.
          5. Select Days or Range within Sales Window: Specify when the zone is valid using Days or Range within Sales Window and the Start Time and End Time.
          6. Confirm: Ensure any permits tied to the lot reflect the same zone settings.


        Setting Up for Event Parking

        OperationsCommander has a feature that will allow you to setup for Event Parking in a unique way. Using Lot Visibility and Passwords, an event lot can only be booked by users who have been given the direct link to the lot. A direct link may be provided by email or from scanning the lot QR code.

        To setup your Lot Visibility settings refer to this page.

        To setup your Lot Passwords, refer to this page.

        Pricing and Lot Admin

        The Pricing and Lot Admin page is a central management tool for OPSCOM administrators to create new parking lots, define their characteristics, and configure pricing and permit settings. This page allows for comprehensive control over lot visibility, access, permit types (standard, temporary, flex), and advanced features like waitlists and LPR settings, helping administrators efficiently manage their parking inventory.

        Pricing & Lot Admin Main Page

        To access the Pricing & Lot Admin page:

        1. Hover over Parking Management, then Lot Administration, and click Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. The Permit Pricing & Lot Administration screen opens so you can manage all lot details.

        Tip: Before setting up new lots, consider your organization's permit types, pricing structures, and any specific access restrictions (e.g., faculty-only lots, temporary parking areas).

        Key Information Displayed
        Available Actions & Buttons

        image.png

        Lot Edit Page Tabs

        When you click on a Lot Name, the Lot Edit Page opens, divided into several tabs for detailed configuration:

        General Tab

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Zone & Location Tab

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Standard Permits Section

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Temporary Parking Tab

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Here is an example of how you may want to configure your temporary pricing:

        image.png

        In the above example, permits will be available for free for 2 hours, $5 for 3 hours, $8 for 12 hours, and $10 for 24 hours/1 day.

        Flex Permits Tab

        This tab allows for flexible pricing based on specific times and days.

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Lot LPR Settings Tab

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Additional Settings Tab

        Click Update Lot after making changes in this tab.

        Best Practices & Considerations

        Lot Visibility Options

        OPSCOM provides enhanced control over parking lot visibility and accessibility, allowing administrators to define how and when users can view and book permits for specific lots. This article explains the three lot visibility options and their implications for both administrators and end-users, ensuring that lots can be precisely tailored for various scenarios, including event parking and restricted access.

        Setup & Configuration

        Lot visibility is configured within the Lot Edit Page or the View All Lots Page by selecting one of three distinct options.

        Configuring Visibility on the Pricing & Lot Admin Page
        1. Hover over Parking Management, Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. Click on the Lot Name you wish to configure.
        3. On the General tab, under Visibility to Users, you will find three radio buttons. Select the desired option (details below).
        4. Click Update Lot to save your changes.
        Configuring Visibility on the View All Lots Page (Bulk Action)
        1. Hover over Parking Management, Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. On this page, locate the Visibility column for each lot.
        3. Click the current visibility icon next to the desired lot(s) to change the status using the radio buttons that appear.
        4. This allows you to change the visibility status of multiple lots at once.image.png

        Legend

        Using this Feature

        The three lot visibility options provide granular control over user access:

        Best Practices & Considerations

        Using Permit Proration

        Proration is a permission that can be given to an admin user. It allows them to sell a permit to a user that is valid for a shorter portion of the active sales window and have the system adjust the cost of the permit accordingly. A good example is a student parker starting to park a vehicle halfway through a year or semester. 

        Quick Steps:
        1. Hover over the Parking Management then Lot Administration and select Pricing & Lot Admin.
        2. Click on the Lot Name. 
        3. In the Edit Lot page click on Standard Permits and enable Proration for the desired lot. Click Update Lot to save.
        4. Hover over User Management and click User Search. find the user’s profile and click on their username then click on the Parking tab.
        5. Select the Standard Parking Permit for the desired lot.
        6. Choose the permit number and start date.
        7. The cost will be prorated and display as prorated.
        8. Click Purchase this Permit to finalize the purchase.
        9. The adjusted cost will appear in both the Admin and User's portals.
        Step-by-Step Instructions:
        1. Locate Pricing & Lot Admin page: Hover over the Parking Management then Lot Administration and select Pricing & Lot Admin.
          1. Configuration/Setup: In Lot Admin & Pricing, select the lot you want to set up for proration.
          2. On the Standard Permit tab, check Proration Enabled. The lot is now set for proration.
        2. Hover over User Management and click User Search.
          1. Using Proration for Permits: Search for the user and open their profile by clicking on their username.
          2. Locate the Parking Tab: Click on the Parking tab to begin purchasing a permit. The Parking Permit Registration screen will appear.
          3. Selecting Standard Parking: Select the Standard Parking Permit for the lot where the user will park. The full price of the permit will be displayed.
          4. Configuring the Confirm Parking Permit Registration page: Choose the permit number for the user and select the start date for the permit.
          5. Confirm the Prorated Cost: After selecting the permit number and start date, the cost will be prorated, and the prorated label will appear. Confirm that the cost has been prorated.
          6. Click Purchase this Permit to complete the process. The adjusted permit cost will now show in both the Admin Portal and the User's Portal.

        Archiving and Restoring Permits

        Lot Allocation allows you to remove and restore permits in any given lot. Permits are removed through archiving. Archived permits are not permanently deleted and can be restored from their archived state.

        Quick Steps:
        1. Hover over Parking Management then Lot Administration and click Allocate.
        2. Locate the lot you wish to archive/restore permits for.
        3. Click Archive Permits and Choose either Selected Permits to archive a portion of the permits or All Permits to archive them all.
        4. Select the permits you wish to archive.
        5. Click Remove and confirm with Remove again.
        6. To restore permits click Add Permits To Lot.
        7. Choose individual permits or a range (TL2-01 to TL2-05).
        8. Click Add Permits then confirm by clicking Add Permits again.
        9. Wait for the completion popup.
        Step-by-Step Instructions:

        1. Navigate to the Lot Administration: Hover over Parking Management in the menu then Lot Administration and then click Allocate.

        2. Select the Lot: Locate the lot you wish to remove/restore permits for.

        3. Choose Permits to Archive: Click on the Archive Permits dropdown menu. Select Selected Permits to archive only specific permits or click All Permits to remove them all.

        4. Select Permits to Archive: Choose the permits you want to archive. Click Remove to start the archiving process.

        5. Confirm the Archive: A confirmation screen will appear. Click Remove again to complete the process.

        6. Completion Message: A popup message will confirm that the archiving process is complete.

        7. Check the Lot: Refresh the list of permits. You’ll see that TL2-01 through TL2-05 have been removed from the lot.

        8. Add Permits Back to the Lot: To restore permits, click on Add Permits To Lot.

        9. Choose a Method to Add Permits: You can add permits back either individually or as a range: To individually add permits type the permit number in the Permits text box. To add by range add the prefix and postfix (if any) then add the starting and ending numbers for example 01-10 would add permits 1 to 10.

        10. Start the Process: Click Add Permits to begin the restoration process.

        11. Confirmation Message: A confirmation popup will appear. Note that the message will indicate the permits are "restored," not "created," as they were previously archived.

        12. Completion Message: A popup message will confirm that the restoration process is complete.

        13. Check the Lot: Refresh the list of permits. You’ll see that TL2-01 through TL2-05 have been restored.

        Flex Permits

        This feature is currently under development and has not yet been released. The wiki article serves as a placeholder outlining the intended future functionality.

        Introduction

        Flex permits allow clients to specify variable prices for a lot, with the possibility of a different price for every hour. This allows more options for the customization of permit prices, useful for situations like making permits more expensive during peak hours.

        Flex permits are counted as type of temp permit, as an addition to the existing daily and hourly permits. They function most similarly to hourly permits and their uses have some overlap. 

        It is intended for a site to choose between hourly permits and flex permits and not use both, although clients are not restricted from using both at the same time if they choose to.

        Flex Permits Tab

        Flex permits and related sections can be accessed on the lot edit page, from the new flex permits tab.

        Untitled.png

        The page consists of three sections:

        Options

        A list of options related to flex permits.

        image.png

        There is only one option for flex permits.

        Time Slots

        Flex permits are controlled by a grid of customizable timeslots, which are configured for each lot from the lot edit page.

        The time slot section is located below the options section.

        image.png

        Time slots created by the admin are located here.

        Time-slot Creation

        Click the add new button to bring up the add time slot modal.

        Fill in the required fields and press save changes to save the new time slot.

        3.png

        The time slot selection menu will reload and the saved item will appear.

        The modal will also be brought up when editing the details of an existing time slot.

        Once a time slot has been created, there is no way to delete it .

        Hourly Cell Grid

        Below the time slot section, the hourly cell grid can be found. This is a representation of each hour within the week.

        4e.png

        Here, each hour time slot within a week can be assigned a specific cost. When a user books a permit for a number of hours, the final price will be calculated using the prices associated to each hour selected within the booking.

        Above the cell grid, several buttons can be found.

        Hourly Price Assignment

        To fill in the cell grid, first select one of the prices to assign to cells on the grid.

        This can be done by clicking on the one of the selectable colours.

        image.png

        This will change the active colour to the colour selected, as indicated by the blue outline.

        Cells on the grid can now be filled in by clicking and dragging the mouse across the cells.

        2024-04-08_13-35-56.gif

        The grid can be filled in using any number of time slots.

        Note that any sections left blank (using the default option) will be set to free.

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        Cell price layouts will only be saved upon clicking the update lot button.

        User-Side Permits

        Once the flex permits have been filled in, they will begin to appear for sale on the user side.

        On lots where flex permits are enabled, the permits page will show a preview of flex permits as a price range.

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        Flex permit options will now be available as a separate option to the page.

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        Selecting the flex option will show the input requirements to book a permit.

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        Flex permit inputs:

        Selecting an option in the date input will cause the prices for that day of the week to appear in a box to the left side of the page. 

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        Selecting a different day will cause the flex prices box to reload with the new day's prices.

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        The cost of the permit will be calculated using the prices of each hour in the selected range added together.

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        Pressing to reserve the permit, the permit will be added to the user's cart.

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        Real-Time Map

        On the real-time map, the flex permits range of cost will be listed under rental costs.

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        Clicking here to book a permit will take the user to the guest checkout page, the same place as if they had scanned a QR code to access the lot.

        If enabled, the user does not need to be logged in to access this page.

        In the case where a lot group is used as an icon in place of a single lot, it will also show the range on the lot groups page.

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        QR Code / Guest Checkout

        Similar to the standard temp permit checkout, the flex permit prices for the day will be displayed to the left side of the page.

        As guest checkout permits are intended for immediate bookings, the day and time will be limited to the current date.

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        Upon filling in the information, the permit cost will be calculated and the user will be able to checkout immediately.

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        Clicking on make payment, the user will be redirected to their selected payment gateway to make a payment.

        Lot Passwords

        Introduction

        The ability to lock lots with a password has been added. Setting a password on a lot prevents users from booking a permit in that lot unless they enter the password.

        In support of event parking, this can be used to make a lot intended for an event that can only be booked from by users who have been given the password for the lot.

        This can be used in combination with lot visibility settings to make a lot that can only be booked from by users given a direct link and password to the lot.

         

        Lot Edit Page

        Passwords can be managed from the lot edit page.

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        There are two settings related to lot passwords:

        Even if a lot has a password set, the password input will not be enforced unless the lot has password use enabled.

        Passwords cannot be enabled for a lot if there is no password set for it.

        View all Lots Page

        Password usage will be indicated by a lock icon beside the lot on the lot admin page.

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        Usage