OperationsCommander - https://opscom.wiki

The OPSCOM Admin Portal

The Admin Portal is where all the OPSCOM admins will log in and carry out their daily duties serving their end users.

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Landing Page and Dashboards

When you sign in to OperationsCommander initially, you are presented with a landing page. You can navigate back to that page anytime by clicking the OPSCOM logo. You can also find your Dashboards and system Setup information on this page.

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Landing Page and Dashboards

Using the OPSCOM-ARC System Dashboard & Widgets

The System Dashboard is a fully customizable, widget-based analytics interface built directly into the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to visualize organizational data, track key operational metrics, and create personalized reporting views using a drag-and-drop grid. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for monitoring system analytics and managing operational data.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool used to display graphical and tabular representations of your operational data.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to view, edit, or set default dashboards. Access to specific data within the widgets is automatically restricted based on the administrator's existing system permissions.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to create custom dashboards, manage layouts, and configure individual data widgets.

There are two distinct dashboard types. The General Dashboard is the main operations dashboard accessible by clicking the OPS-COM logo, surfacing organization-wide data. The Admin Dashboard is shown when viewing a specific admin's profile page and automatically filters data to that specific user.

Creating a Dashboard

  1. Click the + Create Dashboard button on the Dashboard homepage.

  2. Enter a descriptive title in the Name field.

  3. Select Private (only you can see it) or Visible (any admin with browse permissions can view it) from the visibility options.

  4. Click the Create button to immediately open the new workspace.

Editing a Dashboard Layout

  1. Toggle the Edit Mode switch located in the toolbar.

  2. Drag widgets by their header to reposition them on the grid.

  3. Drag the bottom-right corner of any widget to resize it.

  4. Click the Save Layout button in the toolbar to persist the grid positions.

Adding and Configuring Widgets

  1. Toggle the Edit Mode switch in the toolbar.

  2. Click the + Add Widget button to open the widget gallery.

  3. Click a specific widget card to add it to your grid.

  4. Click the Settings icon on the new widget header to open the configuration modal.

  5. Select the appropriate metrics from the Data Source drop-down menu.

  6. Configure the specific Display Settings and Filter Settings for your required view.

  7. Click the Save button to apply the configuration and fetch the data.

Available Widget Types

Widget Type Description
Graph Displays data as an interactive chart. Supports Bar, Stacked Bar, Line, Pie, and Doughnut styles.
Filterable Graph Identical to the Graph widget but includes an inline filter drop-down displayed directly on the widget header for real-time data slicing.
List Displays data as a sortable, paginated data table. Ideal for raw record-level views (e.g., individual violations or LPR reads).
Map Displays geocoded records as pins on an interactive map. Supports pin clustering, color-coding by age, and drawing patrol paths.
WYSIWYG A free-form rich-text content panel used for notes, announcements, or instructions embedded directly in the dashboard.
Admin Info A read-only profile summary card displaying the name, role, and contact details of the admin currently being viewed.
Incident Association Displays incident association data relevant to the specific dashboard context.

Available Data Sources

Data Source Compatible Widgets Common Display and Filter Settings
Violation Stats Graph, Filterable Graph, List, Map Filter by payment status, payable only, geocoded only, or active writers. Group by time, plate, location, writer, or category.
Permit Stats Graph, List Filter by active only status, permit type, specific lots, or lot zones. Group by permit type, lot, or user type. Measure by count or revenue.
LPR Stats Graph, Filterable Graph, List, Map Filter by permit type or camera classification (Entry, Exit, Monitor, Patrol). Group by camera, device type, or entry/exit type.

Dashboard Permissions Reference

Permission Operational Effect
dashboard_browse Allows the administrator to view dashboards marked as Visible.
dashboard_edit_any Allows the administrator to edit any dashboard regardless of ownership.
dashboard_set_org_default Allows the administrator to promote a specific dashboard to the organization-wide default.

Best Practices and Considerations

Landing Page and Dashboards

Edit the Admin Landing Page Messages

The Admin Dashboard landing page message feature allows organizations to display important, up-to-date information directly to their staff upon logging into the system. Its primary purpose is to centralize internal communications such as system updates, upcoming deadlines, or schedule changes. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing internal announcements and system content.

Setup and Configuration

This feature requires specific role permissions to access the content and design configuration menus.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the Manage System Messages permission enabled on their user role.

  1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management, then Manage Roles.

  2. Click the Permissions button next to the role you want to modify.

  3. Click the System Content tab.

  4. Enable the Manage System Messages checkbox.

  5. Click the Save Permissions button.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to seamlessly access and modify the content displayed on the main admin dashboard.

Editing the Message Content

  1. Hover over System Configuration, click Content & Designs, then Pages and Content Blocks.

  2. Click the Messages tab.

  3. Click the Edit button next to the Admin Dashboard item.

  4. Enter your desired content using the standard WYSIWYG editor.

  5. Click the Save Messaging button to immediately publish your changes to the dashboard.

The WYSIWYG editor displays by default for quick text entry. If you prefer to construct your message using HTML, click the Tools drop-down menu and choose Source Code.

Best Practices and Considerations

OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

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OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

Quick Search Tool Functionality

The Quick Search tool is a centralized search utility that allows administrators to rapidly locate specific records across the platform directly from the main menu. Its primary purpose is to retrieve relevant data associated with users, vehicles, incidents, and financial transactions, significantly streamlining daily workflows. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool built directly into the main interface.

Admin Side: The Quick Search tool is enabled by default for all administrative accounts. No specific setup, permissions, or configuration is required to use this utility.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to quickly locate system records from any page within the admin portal.

  1. Click the Search text field located in the main menu.

  2. Enter a minimum of 3 characters to initiate the search query.

  3. Click the desired record from the generated list of results to navigate directly to its specific details.

Searchable Data Types

The Quick Search tool scans across multiple modules to return results matching the following information:

Best Practices and Considerations

If your search does not yield the expected results immediately, double-check your spelling and verify that you have met the three-character minimum requirement before navigating to the advanced module searches.

OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

Disable Browser Auto-Fill and Auto-Complete

This article provides instructions on how to disable browser auto-fill and auto-complete features on your local workstation. Its primary purpose is to prevent browsers from automatically populating administrative form fields with incorrect data, ensuring strict data integrity when managing user profiles and sensitive information. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators who are experiencing data entry interference caused by their local web browsers.

Setup and Configuration

Because this configuration takes place outside of the OPS-COM environment, the setup involves modifying your local software settings.

Admin Side: Administrators must configure their local web browser settings to prevent auto-fill behaviors from overriding manual data entry within the administrative portal.

User Side: End-users may also choose to disable these settings on their personal devices for privacy reasons, though it is not strictly required for basic interaction with the public parking portal.

Some browser plug-ins, such as third-party password managers, may also act as auto-fill utilities and cause similar data override issues. If disabling the browser's native auto-fill does not resolve your data entry issue, review your installed plug-ins and disable or configure them to explicitly exclude the OPS-COM domain.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following steps corresponding to their specific web browser to disable the native auto-fill features.

Google Chrome

  1. Open Chrome.

  2. Click the More icon (three vertical dots) at the top right and select Settings.

  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Show advanced settings.

  4. Disable the Enable Autofill to fill out web forms in a single click checkbox located under the Passwords and forms section.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Open Edge and click the More icon (three dots) at the top right.

  2. Click Settings and scroll down to Advanced Settings.

  3. Locate the Save Form Entries option and toggle the setting to off.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Open Firefox.

  2. Type about:config directly into the address bar and press Enter.

  3. Click the I'll be careful, I promise button to proceed.

  4. Search for dom.forms.requestAutocomplete and double-click the entry to set its value to False.

Apple Safari

  1. Open Safari and click Preferences.

  2. Click AutoFill.

  3. Deselect all checkboxes corresponding to the categories of information you do not want Safari to automatically fill.

  4. Click the Edit button next to a specific category if you need to edit or delete existing saved information.

Internet Explorer

  1. Click the Tools menu icon.

  2. Click Internet Options and navigate to the Content tab.

  3. Click the Settings button under the Auto Complete section.

  4. Disable the Forms checkbox and the User Names and Passwords on Forms checkbox.

Best Practices and Considerations

OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

Rebranding the OPSCOM User Portal with Custom Colors

The custom colors feature allows administrators to modify the primary and secondary colors of the User Side interface. Its primary purpose is to align the visual appearance of the public-facing parking portal with your organization's official branding. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system designs and user experience.

Setup and Configuration

This feature modifies the core cascading style sheets (CSS) of the user portal and requires access to the system templates.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to access the content and design configuration menus.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to apply custom styling to the portal using standard color names or precise hex codes.

Editing the Portal Styles

  1. Hover over System Settings, click Content & Designs, then Templates & Design.

  2. Click the Toggle Templates button.

  3. Click the Edit button under the Styles section.

  4. Add the following code snippet to the very top of the editor, directly under the <style> tag:

    :root{
--ion-color-primary: purple;
--ion-color-secondary: orange;
}

     

  5. Replace purple and orange with your desired standard color names (e.g., blue, green, red).

Best Practices and Considerations

When using hex codes, your CSS snippet should be formatted exactly like the example below:

:root{
--ion-color-primary: #6F42C1;
--ion-color-secondary: #FFA500;
}
OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

Why Are My Violation/Warning Notification Emails Not Going Out?

The automated notification system triggers emails to responsible parties when a violation or warning is issued. This troubleshooting guide helps administrators identify and resolve configuration issues preventing these automated emails from successfully sending. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system communications and enforcement.

Setup and Configuration

Ensuring that notification emails function correctly requires verifying several core settings across both user profiles and system configurations.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure that system tasks, email templates, and violation parameters are actively enabled and configured correctly to allow automated processing.

User Side: End-users must have a valid email address attached to their account and be designated as the primary driver of the vehicle to receive automated email notifications.

Verifying System Configurations

To ensure emails are processed successfully, verify the following configurations within your environment:

Troubleshooting and Inspection

Administrators can use the following instructions to investigate further if the system configurations are correct but emails are still not sending.

  1. Hover over Violations and click Letter Report.

  2. Inspect the generated report to identify users who lack valid email addresses or who have unsent notices.

  3. Manually review these entries to determine if they meet the criteria for automated notification.

The system only triggers initial emails for New Violations (those issued on the current day). Existing or older violations may not trigger an automated notification email after the initial issuance date has passed.

Best Practices and Considerations

OPSCOM FAQs, Tips & Tricks

Unsubscribe Option for Email Notifications-Opt-Out

The Email Notification Opt Out feature allows users to easily unsubscribe from non-essential email communications. Its primary purpose is to improve the overall user experience, ensure compliance with strict data privacy regulations, and significantly reduce the volume of manual unsubscribe requests. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system communications and user settings.

Setup and Configuration

This feature requires administrators to enable a global setting and assign appropriate categories to their email templates.

Admin Side: A master setting controls whether users are able to access email preferences. This setting is deployed as off by default. Once enabled, administrators can assign pre-defined categories to the email templates on their system. The pre-defined email categories cannot be altered and include:

User Side: When the feature is enabled, end-users can manage their email preferences through an Email Preferences page within their account settings. Users can access this page by navigating directly to their account settings on the public portal or by clicking the Unsubscribe link located in the body or footer of any non-essential email they receive.

Using this Feature

Administrators and users will interact with the categorization and opt-out functionalities through the following workflows.

Assigning Email Categories

Administrators must assign a specific email category when setting up system communications. Category selection options are available on both the standard compose email page and the email template page for automated system messages.

  1. Select the desired classification from the category drop-down menu when composing a new email or editing an existing template.

  2. Review the system warning prompt. If a non-essential category is selected, a message will clearly display to the admin indicating that the user has the ability to opt out of receiving it.

  3. Save your template or dispatch the email. Emails marked with a category flagged as essential are always sent, while emails marked with a category a user has explicitly unsubscribed from will automatically be withheld from that specific user.

Managing User Email Preferences

Users will interact with the following elements on the Email Preferences page to control their inbox:

Best Practices and Considerations

OPSCOM Reports

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OPSCOM Reports

Reports Overview

The Reports module provides administrators with a centralized location to access, generate, and analyze data across various operational areas. Its primary purpose is to assist management in tracking sales, monitoring parking activity, auditing violations, managing incidents, and overseeing financial transactions. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for data analysis and operational reporting.

Setup and Configuration

The Reports module is a core administrative tool and does not require extensive initial configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to view and generate specific reports. Access to financial, violation, or incident data is restricted based on these assigned roles.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the module and access specific data sets.

  1. Hover over the main menu and click Reports.

  2. Select the specific report you wish to view from the categorized lists (Parking, Violations, Incidents, or Payments).

  3. Configure your required date ranges or filters on the specific report page to generate the data.

Parking Reports Purpose
Detailed Permit Sales Report by Lot Provides a granular view of permit transactions by parking area for sales volume analysis.
Permit Sales by Lot by Month Displays lots, payment types, sales amounts, and the total number of permits sold per month.
Permit Sales Report Offers a breakdown of sales based on a selected allocation type and time period.
Active Permit Report Shows a detailed list of permit holders for a selected allocation type and time period.
Company Permit Report Searches for permits associated with users within a specific company.
Temp Permit Sales Report Provides a breakdown of temporary permit purchases within a selected time period.
Athletic Permit Sales  Displays purchase details for user types identified as Athletics or lots with athletic user types.
Active Parker Listing Lists all users who purchased a permit within the selected time period.
Lot Value Report Summarizes lot utilization and the total financial value of permits sold in each lot.
Active Deposit Report Lists active deposits grouped by lot.
Users With Multiple Permits Identifies users who currently hold more than one active permit.
User Vehicle Report Lists vehicles on the site, associated user details, and active permits.
Midnight List Details permits that will be released at midnight if no payment promise was confirmed.
Violation Reports Purpose
Violations by Location/Officer Report Summarizes violations issued by an officer, including status updates (appealed, upheld, paid, etc.).
Paid Violations Summary by Type Report Displays the number of violations issued by type and total financial amounts.
Violations by Officer Report Details violations by officer, filterable by date, ticket writer, spoil type, and ticket type.
Summary Report by Officer A high-level summary of violations per officer, including issuance, appeal, and payment status.
List Overdue Report Tracks unpaid violations past their due date; automatically updates once payment is received.
Violations by Pay Type by Month Report Searches for violations issued, grouped by month and payment type.
Towed Vehicles Report Audits vehicle removals, including towing charges, status, and vehicle identifiers.
Incident Reports Purpose
Recent Incidents Summary Report Lists all incidents recorded within the last 30 days.
Search Repeat Offenders Report Identifies users with multiple violations based on specific filters like date or ticket type.
Weekly Stat Report Lists incident volume filtered by category and sub-category.
Incidents Summary Report Provides a comprehensive summary of incidents within a specified time frame.
Incidents Summary Report by Category Summarizes incidents grouped by specified categories over a time frame.
Incident Summary Report by Sub-Location Summarizes incidents filtered by specific locations.
Payments Reports Purpose
Daily Payments Displays all submitted or processed payments within a specific time frame.
Unprocessed Payments Tracks "promises to pay" that have been submitted but not yet marked as received.
Payroll Deduction Report Reports on payroll deduction payments grouped by day.
Tax Exemption Report Exports an Excel file of individuals with tax exemption codes.
Failed Payments Highlights failed automatic credit card payments.
Billing Account Setup Report Lists users missing subscription settings or companies without a billing account.

Click the More... button within the Payments Reports section to access additional preset reports, including detailed lists for Cheque Refunds, Unprocessed Adjustments, and Daily Processed/Submitted payment logs.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

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User Management

Registering a New User

The User Registration feature allows administrators to manually create new user accounts, granting individuals direct access to the public-facing user portal. Its primary purpose is to enable users to utilize core features such as purchasing parking permits, renting lockers, and managing violations, while ensuring a comprehensive administrative record is maintained for your operations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user profiles and system access.

Setup and Configuration

This feature requires specific role permissions to allow administrators to manually generate and manage user accounts.

Admin Side: Administrators who are setting up users as part of their daily role must have the specific viewing and editing permissions enabled on their administrative profile.

  1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management, then Manage Roles.

  2. Click the Permissions button next to the administrative role you want to modify.

  3. Click the User Management tab.

  4. Enable the Edit Users checkbox and the View Users checkbox.

  5. Click the Save Permissions button.

User Side: End-users do not participate in manual administrative registration, but they will receive full access to the user portal once their profile is officially activated by the administrator.

Using this Feature

The manual user registration process involves two main stages: entering the initial basic information and then completing the full user profile.

Basic User Information

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Registration.

  2. Select the appropriate User Type for the new user from the drop-down menu.

  3. Enter a Username and the required basic user information (such as first name, last name, and email address).

  4. Click the Submit Registration button to proceed to the next stage of the profile setup.

Completing and Activating the User Profile

  1. Enable the Allow user login and mark account as active checkbox on the Edit User Profile page.

  2. Complete all remaining profile information, ensuring all mandatory fields are filled out.

  3. Click the Submit Profile Information button.

  4. Review the Confirm Registration Information screen to carefully verify that all displayed information is correct.

  5. Click the Information Correct button to finalize the account creation, or click the Back button if edits are needed.

Enabling the Allow user login and mark account as active setting activates the user's ability to self-manage their account via the user portal. It will automatically prompt them to change their password upon their first successful login.

Fields marked with a red exclamation mark (!) after a failed submission are mandatory fields that must be completed to save the profile.

Refer to the following related wiki articles for detailed instructions on configuring specific profile fields: Locker User Types, Using Tax Exemption, User Company Editor, and Manage User Departments.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User Search

The User Search feature provides administrators with a powerful tool to quickly locate and access specific user accounts within the system. Its primary purpose is to enable efficient viewing and editing of user information, supporting various administrative tasks such as profile updates, violation management, and permit assignment. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative tool and does not require extensive initial configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to view and search for user profiles within the administrative portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to input various criteria, refine search results, and quickly navigate to specific user records.

Accessing User Search

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

Entering Search Criteria

  1. Click the Toggle More Options button to see all available search fields.

  2. Refine your search results by selecting one of the following radio button options:

    • Any Users: Displays both enabled and disabled user accounts.

    • Enabled Only: Displays only active user accounts.

    • Disabled Only: Displays only disabled user accounts.

  3. Enter your parameters into the relevant fields and click the Search button.

  4. Review the search results that appear in the table below the criteria box.

There is a strict limit to how many records will return at once. If you see the message "The search has returned more records than allowed and has been truncated. Please refine your search.", you will need to narrow down your search criteria.

Available Actions from Search Results

From the search results table, you can perform various actions by interacting with the column headers or associated icons:

Although no dedicated export button is available on this screen, you can highlight and copy the search results directly into Excel or Google Sheets for external review.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User Profile Overview

The User Profile Overview page serves as a central dashboard for a user's comprehensive system information and current activity. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with a quick reference view, enabling efficient access and management of user details, associated vehicles, violations, permits, and historical data. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user accounts and troubleshooting issues.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core administrative dashboard and does not require extensive initial configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to view and edit user profiles within the administrative portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's profile and utilize the available management sections.

Accessing a User Profile

  1. Utilize the Quick Search field in the main menu, or hover over User Management and click User Search to locate a specific account.

  2. Click the specific username from your search results to open the User Profile Overview page.

Editing a User's Basic Profile

  1. Click the Edit button located within the Basic Profile Information section.

  2. Modify the necessary account details within the Personal Information, Student Information, or Staff/Faculty Information categories.

  3. Click the Submit Profile Information button to save your changes.

The fields displayed within the profile categories can be individually set to Hidden, Visible, or Required as defined in your System Settings for User Profiles.

Logging in as a User

Administrators can view the system exactly as the end-user sees it.

  1. Click the Login as user button.

  2. Review the new browser window that opens, which will automatically log you into the OPS-COM end-user portal as the selected user.

You may encounter an error if the Auto Login setting is not configured correctly in your system settings. If this occurs, contact OPS-COM Support for assistance.

Adding or Editing Vehicles

  1. Click the Edit button within the Vehicles section.

  2. Click the necessary buttons to add new vehicles, edit existing vehicles, or apply a Do Not Ticket Tag (DNTT) to a specific vehicle on the resulting Vehicle Information screen.

Viewing Additional Information

The landing page provides immediate, direct access to a wealth of additional user-specific data through various dashboard sections:

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Payment Management (Subscriptions)

The Payment Management Subscriptions feature allows administrators to designate a default payment method for permits that roll over from month to month. Its primary purpose is to streamline recurring billing by automatically applying designated payment types, such as payroll deductions, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), or credit cards, to permit renewals. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators managing recurring parking permits and user billing.

Setup and Configuration

Before managing subscriptions, ensure the system is configured to handle the necessary payment processing.

Admin Side: Administrators must enable specific system settings to allow the processing of recurring credit card transactions for permit rollovers.

  1. Hover over System Settings and click Permits.

  2. Enable the Allow Credit Card Processing checkbox to ensure the system can process credit card transactions for permit rollovers.

User Side: In order for subscriptions to function, the user must provide valid information pertaining to the payment method they wish to use for their subscription service via the user portal, or provide it to an administrator to enter manually.

Using this Feature

Administrators can manage subscription payment methods directly through a user's profile to facilitate automated permit renewals.

  1. Utilize the Quick Search field or hover over User Management and click User Search to locate the target user.

  2. Click the specific username from your search results to access their profile.

  3. Click the Profile drop-down menu and choose Manage Payment Methods.

  4. Click the Add New Payment Method button located under the Payment Subscription Options section.

  5. Enter the required payment details based on the user's preferred method.

  6. For credit cards, provide the necessary card information and click the Add Payment Method button to register it in the system.

  7. For EFT, enter a label into the Label field (e.g., Savings) along with the user's banking information, then click the Add Bank Information button.

  8. Locate the Permit Rollover Subscription section on the left side of the screen.

  9. Click the payment drop-down menu and choose the newly added payment method from the list.

  10. Click the Save button.

Upon saving, a confirmation message will immediately appear on the screen indicating that the permit rollover subscription has been successfully updated.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Archiving or Disabling a User

Archiving or disabling a user account allows administrators to deactivate access to the user portal while preserving all historical data associated with the profile. Its primary purpose is to ensure data integrity for past transactions and maintain strict security when a user leaves the organization or changes roles. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user access and system security.

Setup and Configuration

Disabling a user account (simply preventing login) requires no specialized setup. However, performing a categorized archive requires administrators to configure specific archive categories in advance.

Admin Side: To utilize the structured archiving feature, administrators must first create dedicated archive classifications (e.g., "Former Student," "Terminated Staff," or "Account Closed").

If you have not yet created these categories, they will not appear in the drop-down menu during the archiving process. Instructions for creating these categories can be found on the User Types wiki page.

User Side: This process is an administrative security action. End-users are not notified by the system when their account is disabled or archived, and they will simply be unable to log in to the portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to either temporarily disable a user's login access or perform a formalized, categorized archive.

Accessing the User Profile

Before performing either action, you must locate the target user.

  1. Locate the user you wish to modify using the main menu search functionalities.

  2. Click the Username from the search results to open their User Profile Landing Page.

  3. Confirm that the name displayed at the top right-hand corner matches the user whose account you intend to modify.

Disabling a User Account (Preventing Login)

This method revokes a user's ability to log in to their account while keeping their profile and data fully intact for administrative reference.

  1. Click the Edit button located on the Basic Profile Information bar.

  2. Disable the Allow user to login and mark account as active checkbox on the resulting Edit User Profile screen.

  3. Click the Submit Registration Information for Processing button at the bottom of the page.

  4. Click the Information Correct button on the Confirm Registration Information screen to submit the change.

Archiving a User Account (Categorized Disablement)

Archiving provides a structured way to disable a user account by assigning it to a specific category, which is highly useful for historical reporting or internal tracking.

  1. Click the Edit button located on the Basic Profile Information bar.

  2. Click the Archive Type drop-down menu and choose the appropriate status for the User Types.

  3. Click the Archive User button.

  4. Confirm the prompt to finalize the archiving process.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Using Tax Exemption

The Tax Exemption feature allows administrators to apply specific exemption codes to user profiles, automatically waiving applicable taxes during the purchase of items such as permits, violations, and lockers. Its primary purpose is to ensure accurate billing for tax-exempt individuals or organizations and to simplify compliance with specific financial regulations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user profiles and accounting settings.

Setup and Configuration

This feature does not require global system configuration but must be manually applied to eligible user profiles.

Admin Side: Administrators must locate the user profile and manually input the approved tax exemption code provided by the user or organization.

User Side: Users do not configure this setting themselves. Once a valid code is applied to their profile by an administrator, the system automatically waives taxes during their checkout process on the user portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to apply tax exemption codes to a profile, verify their presence, and generate auditing reports.

Adding or Updating a Tax Exemption Code

  1. Locate the user you wish to modify using the administrative search tools.

  2. Click the Username from the search results to access their User Profile Overview.

  3. Click the Edit button on the Basic Profile Information bar, or click the Profile drop-down menu and choose Edit Profile Information.

  4. Locate the Tax Exemption Code field on the Edit User Profile screen.

  5. Enter or update the alphanumeric tax exemption code in this field.

  6. Click the Submit Profile Information button.

  7. Click the Information Correct button on the confirmation screen to save the changes to the user's profile.

Verifying the Tax Exemption Code

The active tax exemption code is displayed directly in the Profile Overview window on the user's User Profile Landing Page for easy reference. This allows administrators to quickly verify its presence without having to enter edit mode.

When a user with a valid tax exemption code on their profile proceeds to purchase items, applicable taxes will not appear as a line item on the payment or confirmation page. The system automatically waives these taxes at checkout.

Generating the Tax Exemption Report

Administrators can generate a report to view all users with active tax exemption codes.

  1. Hover over the main menu, click Payments, and choose Tax Exemption Report.

  2. Review the generated list, which includes the user's First Name, Last Name, and Tax Exemption Code.

  3. Use the available export or print functions to extract the report records for external auditing.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Retrieving Uploaded Files

The Retrieving Uploaded Files feature allows administrators to locate, view, and delete documents or images submitted by end-users. Its primary purpose is to help administrators easily manage user-submitted documentation directly from the administrative portal while maintaining strict data governance. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for reviewing user profiles and managing file submissions.

Setup and Configuration

File management is a standard feature that requires specific system role permissions to access and utilize.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the View User Uploads and Delete User Uploads permissions enabled on their role to view or remove files. Administrators cannot upload files on behalf of a user directly from this administrative interface.

User Side: Only end-users can upload files to their own profiles through the public-facing portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to locate, view, and remove files from a specific user's account. All file management tasks begin directly from the user's profile page.

Viewing Uploaded Files

  1. Navigate to the target user's profile.

  2. Scroll down to the Uploaded Files section on the user's dashboard to see a preview of the five most recently uploaded files.

  3. Click the hyperlinked file name to view a specific file.

  4. Click the Manage button to view all uploaded files for the user. This will take you to the user's comprehensive Uploaded Files page.

Deleting an Uploaded File

  1. Click the View All button in the Uploaded Files section of the user's profile to access the full list of files.

  2. Locate the specific file you wish to remove on the Uploaded Files page.

  3. Click the Delete button associated with that file to remove it from the system.

File deletion is completely permanent. Once a file is deleted from the system, it cannot be recovered. Always verify you are deleting the correct file before confirming the action.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Registering a Locker for a User

The Locker Registration feature allows administrators to rent and assign lockers to users directly from their administrative profile. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the centralized assignment of locker inventory, ensuring accurate tracking of available spaces and collected fees. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing locker inventory and user assignments.

Setup and Configuration

Before a locker can be assigned to a user, the physical locker parameters must be established within the system.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure the locker inventory is fully configured in OPS-COM prior to attempting registration. This prerequisite includes setting up the overarching Buildings, specific locker room locations (such as the Men's Locker Room), individual locker numbers, and any associated rental fees.

User Side: Users do not need to configure anything to be assigned a locker by an administrator. Alternatively, users can choose to self-manage their locker purchases by logging into the public user portal, provided there is available inventory.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's profile, select an available locker, and process the rental reservation.

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search to locate the target user.

  2. Click the user's Username from the search results to navigate to their Profile.

  3. Click the Lockers button to open the locker registration interface for that specific user.

  4. Select the appropriate building from the list located under the Available Buildings heading.

  5. Click the location drop-down menu on the Locker Registration - Locker Selection page and choose the specific locker room.

  6. Select the desired locker number from the generated list of available lockers.

  7. Click the Reserve This Locker button to proceed with the selection.

  8. Review the Confirm Locker Reservation screen to carefully verify the summarized locker details.

  9. Click the Confirm Information button.

  10. Click the Proceed to Payment button on the Payments Due screen and complete the financial transaction as required.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User - Vehicles Tab

The User Vehicles tab allows administrators to add, edit, and remove vehicles associated with a specific user profile. Its primary purpose is to provide a centralized interface for managing the complete lifecycle of a user's vehicles, including toggling active statuses and managing Do Not Ticket or Tow (DNTT) notations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user profiles and vehicle records.

Setup and Configuration

Administrators can control the visibility of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) field during the vehicle creation and editing process.

Admin Side: In order for the VIN number field to be available to administrators, the master setting must be enabled.

  1. Hover over System Settings and click Vehicle.

  2. Enable the Enable VIN checkbox to make the field available in the administrative portal.

  3. Enable the Show VIN Field on User Side checkbox if you wish to make this field visible to users on the public portal.

User Side: End-users can also add, edit, and manage their own active vehicles via the public-facing user portal, provided your organizational settings allow it.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's vehicle list and perform standard lifecycle management tasks.

Navigating to the Vehicle Information Page

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Use the search fields to find the desired user and click their Username from the search results to open their profile.

  3. Click the Vehicles tab to access the Vehicle Information page, which lists all vehicles currently associated with that user.

Adding a New Vehicle

  1. Click the Add New Vehicle button located on the Vehicle Information page.

  2. Fill in all required vehicle details on the Add New Vehicle Information screen.

  3. Click the Add New Vehicle button at the bottom of the form to save the record.

Editing a Vehicle

  1. Click the hyperlinked Plate of the vehicle you wish to edit from the vehicle list.

  2. Modify the necessary details in the Vehicle Information window that appears.

  3. Click the Update Vehicle button to save your changes.

Activating or Deactivating a Vehicle

  1. Locate the Status column for the desired vehicle in the list.

  2. Click the Active or Inactive link to immediately toggle the vehicle's current status.

Removing a Vehicle from a User Profile

  1. Click the X icon in the row of the vehicle you want to remove.

  2. Confirm the action in the subsequent prompt to finalize the removal.

Managing Do Not Ticket or Tow (DNTT) Status

  1. Click the Record DNTT Link next to a specific vehicle in the list.

  2. Add, edit, or remove a Do Not Ticket or Tow notation. This status prevents violation issuance under specific, pre-defined conditions (e.g., in a certain lot or during a specific time).

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Edit Primary Driver

The Edit Primary Driver feature allows administrators to manually set or change the main user responsible for a specific vehicle. Its primary purpose is to ensure that official communications, such as violation notices, are routed correctly when a vehicle is associated with multiple user profiles. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing vehicle records and user profiles.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard administrative function and does not require extensive initial configuration to function.

Admin Side: There is no specific global setup required to enable this feature. However, the option to change the primary driver is only available when a single vehicle is associated with two or more user profiles. If a vehicle is only linked to one user, that user is automatically designated as the primary driver by default, and the selection field will not be visible on the backend.

User Side: Users cannot manually change the primary driver designation for a shared vehicle via the public-facing user portal. This action must be performed by an administrator.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to manage the primary driver designation from the vehicle editing screen within any associated user's profile.

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Locate any user currently associated with the vehicle and click their Username from the search results to open their Profile Page.

  3. Click the Vehicles tab.

  4. Click the hyperlinked license Plate of the desired vehicle in the list to open the Edit Vehicle screen.

  5. Click the Primary Driver drop-down menu and choose the name of the user you want to designate as the new primary contact.

  6. Click the Update Vehicle button to apply the change.

The Primary Driver drop-down menu will solely contain the names of users who are already actively associated with the vehicle.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Unlink a Vehicle from User Profile

The Unlink a Vehicle feature allows for the removal of the association between a specific vehicle and a user's profile. Its primary purpose is to maintain accurate system records when a user no longer owns a vehicle or to correct a vehicle that was mistakenly linked to the wrong account. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system settings and supporting user profile management.

Setup and Configuration

Administrators must configure specific system settings to grant users the permission to manage and remove their own vehicle associations.

Admin Side: Administrators must enable the overarching system setting to allow end-users to delete vehicles from their profiles.

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings then Vehicles.

  2. Enable the Allow users to delete vehicles checkbox.

  3. Enable the setting to allow the removal of vehicles with warnings, if this matches your organizational business rules.

User Side: Once enabled by the administrator, users can self-manage their vehicle associations directly from the public-facing user portal.

In order for a user to successfully remove a vehicle from their profile, the vehicle must meet strict system criteria. The vehicle must not have any directly associated active standard or temporary permits, incidents, alerts, or valid violations. There is no minimum amount of dormant time required before removal. These system restrictions do not apply to administrators removing vehicles from a user profile on the backend.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to guide users through the process of unlinking a vehicle via the public user portal.

  1. Log in to the user portal.

  2. Click the Vehicles tab located in the main navigation menu.

  3. Locate the specific vehicle plate you wish to remove from the list.

  4. Click the Remove button (represented by a trash can icon) to completely unlink the vehicle from the profile.

If the user has been involved in incidents, or if the vehicle has outstanding fines and fees associated with it, the system will actively prevent them from removing the vehicle.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Understanding & Controlling Active Vehicles

Active vehicles in OPS-COM are license plates registered and marked as eligible to be assigned to parking permits. Its primary purpose is to help administrators understand how vehicle status functions, how it interacts with permit renewals, and how to manage potential discrepancies between active vehicle counts and active permit counts. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing permit allocations and user accounts.

Setup and Configuration

The primary control mechanism for preventing excessive vehicle registrations is governed by user type configurations.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure that user type settings are correctly configured to limit the maximum number of vehicles a user can register. Detailed setup instructions can be found in the Limiting Active Vehicles article.

User Side: End-users can self-manage their active vehicle list through the public-facing user portal, provided their assigned user type grants them the necessary permissions and limits.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following concepts and instructions to monitor user accounts, ensuring vehicle counts remain consistent with permit requirements.

Understanding Active Vehicle Status

An active vehicle is defined as any license plate the system recognizes as ready to be assigned to a parking permit.

The maximum number of vehicles a user can have marked as active is strictly determined by their assigned User Types.

Managing Vehicle and Permit Mismatches

Administrators must regularly monitor accounts to catch discrepancies between vehicles and active permits.

  1. Hover over the main menu and click Reports.

  2. Click the Active Vehicle Report.

  3. Review the generated report to identify all customers who have a higher number of active vehicles than active permits.

  4. Contact the affected users to request they deactivate any excess vehicles, or manually deactivate the extra vehicles through the User - Vehicles Tab if organizational policy allows.

Feature Active Vehicle Count Active Permit Count
Definition Number of license plates marked as Ready. Number of valid permits purchased for the current period.
Rollover Status Sticky (Carries over year to year). Reset (Only current permits count).

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User - Parking Tab

The User Profile Parking Tab allows administrators to manually purchase both standard and temporary parking permits on behalf of a specific user. Its primary purpose is to serve as a centralized hub for managing a user's parking permissions, overriding lot allocations when necessary, and facilitating direct administrative sales. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for permit allocation and user profile management.

Setup and Configuration

Before permits can be assigned to users, your overarching lot parameters must be established in the system.

Admin Side: Before permits can be sold from a user's profile, all parking lots, permit types (e.g., yearly, monthly, temporary), and associated costs must be configured in the system. Instructions for configuring these foundational settings can be found on the Pricing & Lot Admin page.

User Side: Users can also purchase standard and temporary permits for themselves directly through the public-facing user portal, provided the lot is visible to their assigned user type and there is available inventory.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's parking profile and manually process a permit purchase.

Navigating to the Parking Tab

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Enter the search criteria (such as name, username, email, or account number) to find the desired user.

  3. Click the user's Username from the search results to open their profile page.

  4. Click the Parking tab to navigate to the Manage Lots screen for that user.

Purchasing a Standard Permit

  1. Locate the desired parking lot on the Manage Lots screen.

  2. Click the Standard Permit button associated with that specific lot.

  3. Review the details on the Confirm Parking Permit Registration screen, including the location, permit type, and cost. You may have the option to manually edit the permit number and permit cost on this screen.

  4. Click the Purchase this Permit button to proceed to the payment process and finalize the registration.

If you attempt to purchase a standard permit for a lot that has no available inventory, the system will prevent the transaction. You can instead click the Waitlist link next to the lot to immediately add the user to the queue.

Purchasing a Temporary Permit

  1. Click the Temporary Parking Permit button on the Manage Lots screen.

  2. Click the Select a lot drop-down menu and choose the appropriate lot on the Temp. Parking Permit Registration screen.

  3. Enter the start and end dates for the permit.

  4. Choose the temporary permit type (e.g., all day or hourly).

  5. Select the vehicle the permit will be assigned to.

  6. Confirm the generated Permit Number.

  7. Enable the DNTT (Do Not Ticket or Tow) checkbox if this temporary permit should prevent violation issuance.

  8. Click the Confirm this Permit button.

  9. Review all the details one final time on the Confirm Parking Permit Registration screen.

  10. Click the Purchase this Permit button and proceed with the payment process.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User - Payments Tab

The Payments tab allows administrators to process user payments for various outstanding items such as lockers, parking permits, and violations. Its primary purpose is to facilitate phone-in payments, in-person transactions, and to assist users who are unable to complete the payment process themselves. This article is intended for administrative staff with payment processing permissions.

Setup and Configuration

This feature requires no special configuration to be used directly on the user profile, provided your foundational financial settings are established.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure that the organization's payment gateway and item pricing have already been configured globally. For more details on these initial setups, please refer to the Payment Gateway Configuration and Pricing & Lot Admin articles.

User Side: Users can also process their own payments directly through the public-facing portal for most standard items and violations, provided they have an active account.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's account and manually process an outstanding payment.

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Enter the search criteria to find the specific user and click their Username from the search results to open their profile page.

  3. Click the Payments tab to view a list of outstanding items, such as violations or permits.

  4. Enable the checkbox next to each item you wish to include in the current payment.

  5. Click on any item name highlighted in blue to view more detailed information. If you make any changes in the detail view, you must click the Update button to save them.

  6. Click the Proceed to Payment button once all necessary items are selected.

  7. Review the transaction summary on the Payments Due screen, click the Payment Type drop-down menu, and choose the correct payment method.

  8. Click the Submit Payment Information button.

  9. Verify that all payment details are correct on the final confirmation screen and click the Confirm Payment Information button.

  10. Review the Transaction Details screen. You may click Adjust to modify the payment total (e.g., applying a discount) or click Cancel Transaction to abort the payment process.

  11. Click the Process Manually button to complete the transaction.

For credit card transactions utilizing an integrated payment gateway, the final step may occur automatically without needing to click the manual processing button. Once the payment is accepted, a transaction confirmation number will be displayed.

While selecting items in step 4, you have the option to click the Remove button next to an item. The remove action is permanent and cannot be undone. Use this with extreme caution, as the item will be completely removed from the user's account, not just excluded from the current transaction.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User - History Tab

The History tab provides OPS-COM administrators with a comprehensive log of a user's financial transactions, permit activity, and system-recorded events. This feature serves as a central hub for auditing accounts, performing necessary adjustments, and providing effective user support.

Setup & Configuration

The History tab is a core component of the User Profile Overview and requires no additional setup or configuration to function.

Using this Feature

The History tab allows you to view and interact with a user's historical data. The Recent History view displays the 100 most recent records, including entries for Locker, Parking, Enforcement Adjustment, Address, and Mail Records.

Accessing the User History Tab

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Search for the user using their name, username, email, or account number.

  3. Click the user's username to open their Profile Page.

  4. Hover over the History tab.

  5. Click Recent History to view the activity log.

Available Actions & Buttons

The History tab includes several functional elements to assist in account management:

Best Practices & Considerations

Periodically reviewing the History tab is a recommended best practice for verifying that adjustments and permit changes are accurately reflected in the user's account.

User Management

Review Emails Sent to Users

The Sent Mail History feature provides a comprehensive log of all automated and mass communications dispatched to a specific user. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to verify that critical messages, such as violation notices, invoices, and payment receipts, have been successfully delivered by the system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for user communications and troubleshooting.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a core logging function and does not require any specific configuration to activate.

Admin Side: This feature is enabled by default. The system automatically logs communications generated by system tasks and user actions without any necessary administrative setup.

User Side: Users receive these emails in their personal inboxes but do not have a dedicated interface within the public portal to view their historical sent mail log.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to access a user's profile and view their specific communication history.

Accessing a Users Email History

  1. Access the target user's profile using the administrative search tools.

  2. Click the History tab.

  3. Click History and choose Sent Mail.

Key Information Displayed

The Sent Mail page displays a list of all system-generated communications sent to the user, including the following key details and available actions:

The following types of internal and automatic messages are commonly logged in the Sent Mail history:

Best Practices and Considerations

This history log strictly tracks emails sent directly through OPS-COM's automated systems. It does not log manual correspondence sent from personal or external email clients (e.g., Outlook, Gmail).

User Management

User - Incident History

The User Incident History page provides a comprehensive list of all disturbance incidents associated with a specific user profile. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to quickly review a person's history on the premises to understand behavioral patterns and retrieve details about past events. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for security, dispatch, and incident management.

Setup and Configuration

This feature displays data logged through the Dispatch Logs and Incident Reporting modules. No special configuration is required to access the page itself, but incidents must be correctly created and explicitly associated with the user during the initial logging process for them to populate here.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions enabled to view user profiles and access incident reports.

User Side: End-users do not have access to view internal incident history logs, notes, or dispatcher reports via the public-facing user portal.

Incidents can automatically be distributed to various departments, internal or external parties, or even local police. Detailed instructions for configuring this functionality can be found on the Incident Distribution page.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate to a user's incident history and interact with the available records.

Accessing the History

  1. Access the target user's profile using the administrative search tools.

  2. Click the Incident History tab to view the list of associated incidents.

Key Information Displayed

The page lists all disturbance incidents the selected user has been involved in. Each entry in the list displays the following key information:

Available Actions and Buttons

Administrators can perform the following actions directly from the history list:

The accuracy of this page depends entirely on correct data entry during the reporting phase. Ensure that all new incidents are accurately logged and associated with the correct users to maintain a complete and reliable history. Whenever possible, attempt to get suspects to identify themselves with a government-issued ID to ensure the correct profile is tagged.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

User Company Editor

The User Companies feature allows administrators to group individual users under a single corporate account. Its primary purpose is to streamline permit management, billing, and reporting for your business-to-business clients. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing corporate accounts and user billing.

Setup and Configuration

Before you can link users to a business, you must establish the foundational company profile.

Admin Side: Administrators must create the company profile and establish key details (such as the invoice email and account number) before attempting to link individual users.

User Side: End-users cannot create companies themselves; however, users designated as a Company Manager can self-manage their employees' profiles via the public portal once the administrator grants them access.

Creating a New Company

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Companies.

  2. Click the Create New Company button to open the Company Create window.

  3. Fill in the company's information in the provided fields, including the Account Number, Company Name, Address, Contact Name, and Invoice Emails.

  4. Click the Add New Company button.

It is highly recommended to establish the complete company profile first before you begin associating users with it. This ensures all foundational details are correctly in place from the start.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to search for existing companies, assign users to a corporate account, configure manager roles, and archive defunct companies.

Searching for a Company and Viewing Users

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Companies to access the Company Search page.

  2. Search for a specific company by entering its name or account number into the search field.

  3. Click the hyperlinked number in the Users column to redirect to the User Search page. This action displays a filtered list of all users assigned to that specific company and clearly indicates which users currently hold the manager or billing roles.

Adding Users to a Company and Assigning Roles

  1. Locate the specific user profile you wish to modify using the administrative search tools.

  2. Enter the company's name into the Company field on their profile and select it from the drop-down list.

  3. Enable the Company Manager checkbox to allow the user to access and view the profiles of other people within the same company.

  4. Enable the Company Billing Account checkbox to designate the user as the primary contact responsible for the company's payment method. This allows them to pay for permits and violations for all users they manage.

  5. Click the Submit button to save the changes to the user's profile.

Archiving a Company

  1. Locate the company you wish to archive on the Company Search page.

  2. Click the Edit button.

  3. Click the Archive button located in the top-right corner of the Company Edit screen.

A company cannot be archived if it currently has any users associated with it. You must first navigate to each associated user's profile and remove them from the company before the system will allow you to archive the record.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Bulk User Type Change

The Bulk User Type Change tool allows administrators to move all users from one designated user type to another in a single operation. Its primary purpose is to efficiently manage large-scale user role updates, such as transitioning students to an alumni status at the end of an academic year. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system user roles and permissions.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard administrative tool and does not require extensive initial configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure that both the original user type (the classification you are moving users out of) and the destination user type (the classification you are moving users into) are already created in the system. Instructions for creating and managing these roles can be found on the User Types wiki page.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to select an existing user type and securely migrate all of its members to a new classification.

  1. Hover over User Management and click Bulk Type Change.

  2. Review the list of existing user types on the screen. A number badge next to each name clearly indicates the current count of users assigned to that type.

  3. Locate the specific user type you wish to move users out of.

  4. Click the drop-down menu next to that user type and select the new user type you want to move the users into.

  5. Click the Save Changes button.

  6. Click the Confirm Changes button on the final confirmation prompt to execute the migration.

  7. Wait for the system to process the update and automatically refresh the page. Verify the change by reviewing the updated user counts for the affected user types.

This action is permanent and cannot be undone. It will immediately move all users from the original type to the new one. Always double-check your selections before clicking the final Confirm Changes button.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Merge User

The Merge Users tool allows administrators to combine two separate user profiles into a single, primary account. Its primary purpose is to maintain a clean database by resolving duplicate profiles resulting from user error, name changes, or other data discrepancies. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user accounts and system data integrity.

Setup and Configuration

Before a user profile can be selected in the merge tool, it must meet specific criteria. If you cannot find a user when searching in the merge tool, first navigate to that user's profile to verify these settings.

Admin Side: Administrators must ensure the target user profiles meet the following conditions:

  1. Ensure the user account is actively enabled.

  2. Ensure the user has a specific User Type assigned to their profile.

User Side: End-users do not have the ability to merge accounts. This is strictly an administrative function.

Using this Feature

The merge process involves selecting a source profile (FROM User) to merge into a destination profile (TO User).

The Merge Process

  1. Hover over User Management and click Merge Users.

  2. Review the two search sections displayed on the page. The profile on the left is the source account that will be merged and then archived (FROM User). The profile on the right is the destination account that will remain active (TO User).

  3. Enter search criteria (such as name, email address, student number, or employee number) in both sections to locate the two user profiles.

  4. Select the correct user profile from the search results in each section.

  5. Click the Merge button to proceed.

  6. Review the confirmation screen showing which user will be merged into the other.

  7. Click the Merge button again to finalize the action.

Data is only transferred from the FROM User if a corresponding record does not already exist on the TO User. The merge tool does not overwrite or duplicate existing records on the destination profile.

Transferred Data and Profile Status

When the merge is successfully completed, the following actions occur:

The merge process is irreversible and results in the permanent archival of the FROM User profile. Always double-check that you have selected the correct source and destination accounts before finalizing the merge.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Bulk Email Users

The Bulk Email Users tool allows administrators to compose and send mass email communications to targeted groups. Its primary purpose is to efficiently broadcast important operational announcements based on specific criteria such as user type, permit status, or assigned parking lot. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user communications.

Setup and Configuration

This tool is a core administrative feature and does not require specialized setup to activate.

Admin Side: This tool is available by default. However, the effectiveness of the recipient filtering depends entirely on having accurate and up-to-date user data in the system, including correct user types, lot assignments, and profile statuses.

User Side: End-users do not interact with the configuration of this tool; they simply receive the dispatched mass emails in their personal inboxes.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to define a targeted recipient list, compose a message, and dispatch a mass email.

Defining the Recipient List

  1. Hover over User Management and click Email Users.

  2. Select either a User Type Group, User Type, or Locker User Type on the Email Users page to begin defining your audience.

  3. Refine your recipient list by selecting options from the Filter by, Select by Lot, or Select by Locker Area menus.

  4. Click the Prepare Email button to generate the final recipient list based on your chosen criteria and reveal the email composition tools.

To select multiple options within a single filter box (e.g., to email users in three different lots simultaneously), hold the Ctrl key (or Cmd on a Mac) and click each desired option. To deselect an option, hold the same key and click it again.

Composing and Sending the Email

After preparing the email, a new composition section will appear on the page.

  1. Click the View Recipient List button to review the exact list of users who will receive the email, or click the Export Recipient List button to download a CSV file for external review.

  2. Enter your message details into the Subject and Message fields.

  3. Click the Choose File button and select the desired attachment if you wish to include a document or image.

  4. Click the Send Email button when your message is finalized.

  5. Click Yes on the prompt to confirm the action and queue the email for delivery.

Sending a mass email is an irreversible action. Always proofread your subject line and message content carefully for accuracy and clarity before clicking the Send Email button.

Best Practices and Considerations

User Management

Generate Mail Merge

The Generate Mail Merge tool allows administrators to export user mailing addresses from the system into a downloadable file format. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly provide data for Microsoft Word's Mail Merge feature, enabling the mass production of physical letters and communications. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing user communications and mass mailings.

Setup and Configuration

This tool is a standard administrative feature and does not require any specific system configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any system settings. However, they must have access to Microsoft Word (or a compatible word processor) on their local workstation to utilize the exported data.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to generate and download the necessary CSV file for their physical mail merge.

Generating the CSV File for Export

  1. Hover over User Management and click Generate Mail Merge.

  2. Wait for the system to generate the mailing list based on your total user records.

  3. Click the CSV button to export and download the file to your local computer.

In databases with an exceptionally large volume of user records, this export tool may not function as expected or could time out. If you encounter issues exporting the full list, please contact OPS-COM Support for assistance.

Composing and Initiating the Mail Merge

  1. Open Microsoft Word on your local computer after successfully downloading the CSV file.

  2. Import the downloaded CSV file into your document using the software's native mail merge tools.

Depending on your specific version of Microsoft Word, the exact steps for importing a data source may differ. Please refer to the official Microsoft Mail Merge documentation for detailed, software-specific instructions on completing the merge.

Best Practices and Considerations

Forms Module

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Forms Module

Forms Admin

The Forms module allows organizations to create and manage digital forms for special requests and communications with users. Its primary purpose is to streamline data collection and digitize specialized workflows directly within the system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for setting up, configuring, and managing these digital forms.

Setup and Configuration

Administrators must ensure they have the appropriate role permissions assigned before attempting to create or modify forms.

Admin Side: Administrators require specific permissions to access the form builder tools.

  1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management, and click Manage Roles.

  2. Select the relevant administrator role and click the Permissions button.

  3. Navigate to the Users tab and enable the Edit Forms and View Forms checkboxes.

  4. Click the Save button to apply the changes.

The Forms module has been refactored with new functionality, and new forms are currently only operational on the OPS-COM app. Any existing forms created in the old format are not compatible and must be recreated using the new form builder.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to access the module and utilize the available form management tools.

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Forms, and click List Forms to view the complete list of existing forms.

Available Actions and Buttons

Once on the list page, administrators can interact with forms using the following actions:

Best Practices and Considerations

Forms Module

Viewing Form Entries

The Viewing Form Entries feature allows administrators to view, search, and manage user submissions for custom digital forms. Its primary purpose is to provide the tools necessary to review submitted data, edit information, and communicate directly with the submitter. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing form data and processing user requests.

Setup and Configuration

Before you can search for and manage form entries, the foundational forms must be established in the system.

Admin Side: This functionality requires that a digital form has already been created and submitted by users. The specific search options available on the Form Entries page are strictly dependent on which fields were marked as "searchable" during the form's initial setup. Instructions for configuring these field settings can be found in the Creating New Forms article.

User Side: End-users submit form entries via the public-facing platform or OPS-COM app, but they cannot view the administrative entry management backend.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to search for specific form submissions and manage them individually from the entry view page.

Searching for Form Entries

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Forms, and click List Forms.

  2. Locate the desired form in the list and click the entries button.

  3. Enter a date range using the Start date and Up to and including fields on the Form Entry Search page.

  4. Select which searchable columns will be displayed in the results list using the Show in results multi-select box.

  5. Click the toggle more options button to filter by specific answers. This reveals text boxes for each searchable field where you can enter a targeted search query.

  6. Click the search button to generate the list of entries.

  7. Click an individual entry from the results list to view its full details.

Working with an Individual Entry

The Entry View page displays the submitter’s information and all of their submitted answers. Administrators can perform the following actions from this page:

Visual Cues: Fields marked as Admin-Only are clearly indicated by a blue border. Hovering your mouse over this border will display a helpful administrative tooltip.

Best Practices and Considerations

Forms Module

Form Field Types

The Form Field Types reference provides a detailed overview of the various field types available when building a custom digital form. Its primary purpose is to help administrators understand the function and configuration options for each individual field, enabling them to create effective and user-friendly forms. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for designing and deploying digital forms.

Setup and Configuration

This feature involves utilizing the available building blocks within the form creation tool.

Admin Side: No special system configuration is required to use these form fields. For a complete guide on building a form from scratch, please refer to the Creating a New Form article.

Using this Feature

Administrators can utilize the following field types when designing their custom forms. Each field type includes specific configuration options.

Checkbox Group

Used to allow a user to select one or more options from a list.

Date Field

Used to get a date from the user, who will be presented with a calendar date picker.

Header

Used to display a header or subheader on the form. This is a display-only field.

Number

Used to accept numerical digits only.

Paragraph

Used to display a block of text on the form, such as for instructions. This is a display-only field.

Radio Group

Used to allow a user to select only one option from a list.

Select Menu

Presents a drop-down list of options. This is ideal for questions with many choices to save screen space.

Text Field

Used to allow a user to input a single line of text.

Text Area

Similar to a Text Field, but provides a larger, multi-line area for text input.

Keep your end-users in mind when designing forms. Leveraging field limitations (like Max Length or Min / Max dates) proactively prevents data entry errors and saves administrative time later during the review process.

Best Practices and Considerations

Forms Module

Forms

The Forms module allows administrators to create, manage, and deploy custom digital forms for end-users. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly collect specific information for organizational processes such as applications, appeals, or feedback. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for building and managing digital forms.

Setup and Configuration

The primary setup step involves creating and configuring a new form using the three-tab interface.

Admin Side: Administrators build the forms using the administrative interface.

This is a refactored module. Existing form data from older versions of the system is not compatible, and old forms must be recreated using this new tool. To view the different options available for form building, please refer to the Form Field Types article.

User Side: Users do not configure forms but will interact with and submit the published forms based on the availability schedule defined by the administrator.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to navigate the form builder and manage their existing digital forms.

Creating a New Form

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Forms, and click List Forms.

  2. Click the Add Form button on the Forms List page.

  3. Enter a Title and Description for your form on the Form Basics tab.

  4. Enable the Visible checkbox to make it accessible to users.

  5. Set a Show At and Hide At date and time to schedule the form's exact availability.

  6. Navigate to the Post Form Actions tab to configure what happens after a user submits the form.

  7. Select Mail to specific email to automatically send a notification email to an administrator upon submission.

  8. Define the Completion Text message that will be displayed to the user after they successfully submit the form.

  9. Navigate to the Questions tab.

  10. Drag and drop the desired field types from the right-hand panel into the questions area on the left.

  11. Click the edit icon on each field to configure its specific options, such as its Label, Help Text, and whether it is a required field.

Managing Forms in the List

Administrators can perform several actions on existing forms directly from the Forms List page:

Understanding Question Options

When editing an individual question field, the following options are available to refine data collection:

Best Practices and Considerations

Vehicle Management

OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

Vehicle Management

Search by Plate

The Search by Plate feature is a powerful tool for locating vehicles within the system. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to quickly identify a vehicle's owner, review its permit and violation history, and perform related actions directly from a single centralized interface. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and enforcement personnel.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard part of the vehicle management module and does not require any special configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any system settings. The search results are automatically drawn from existing user, vehicle, permit, and violation data already present within the system.

Using this Feature

Administrators and enforcement personnel can use the following instructions to perform targeted vehicle searches and interact with the resulting data.

Performing a Vehicle Search

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Vehicles, and click Search by Plate.

  2. Enter your criteria into one or more of the standard search fields:

    • Plate: Enter the full or partial license plate number.

    • Make: Enter the manufacturer of the vehicle (e.g., Honda, Ford).

    • Type: Enter the body style of the vehicle (e.g., Sedan, SUV).

    • Colour: Enter the primary color of the vehicle.

  3. Enable the Fuzzy Search checkbox if you are using a partial plate number to broaden the results.

  4. Enable the Electric Vehicle checkbox to filter results specifically for electric vehicles.

  5. Select a Date Range to filter for LPR events or pay station permits within a specific timeframe. Leave this field completely blank to search the vehicle's entire historical record.

  6. Click the Search button to execute the query.

Interpreting Search Results and Available Actions

The search results will dynamically appear in a list below the search form. Each row provides specific information and quick-access icons for a vehicle record.

Be extremely cautious when using the Add Violation Icon. Always ensure you have identified the correct vehicle and associated user from the results list before issuing a new ticket to prevent enforcement errors.

A single license plate may appear in multiple rows if it is registered to different users (e.g., family members sharing a car) or has a separate pay station history not formally linked to a registered user account. Review all results carefully to ensure you are acting on the correct record.

Best Practices and Considerations

Vehicle Management

Merge Vehicles

The Merge Vehicles feature allows administrators to combine two existing vehicle records into a single, unified record. Its primary purpose is to correct duplicate entries, accurately associate vehicles with their correct user profiles, and consolidate all historical data, such as violations, into one primary vehicle record. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for maintaining data accuracy and comprehensive vehicle histories.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard administrative tool and does not require specific system configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators must have the appropriate system role permissions assigned to manage vehicle records and user profiles.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to search for existing vehicle records and consolidate them.

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Vehicles, and click Merge Vehicles to open the interface.

  2. Enter the vehicle plate or VIN of one or both vehicles you intend to merge into the search fields.

  3. Click the Search button.

  4. Select the secondary vehicle (or vehicles) from the results on the left side. These are the records whose information and history you want to transfer.

  5. Select the primary vehicle from the results on the right side. This is the single vehicle record that will permanently remain after the merge.

  6. Click the Merge button.

  7. Confirm the merge action in the subsequent prompt.

  8. Wait for the confirmation screen to appear, indicating the successful completion of the process.

This process associates the secondary vehicle's data to the primary record, bringing along all historical information, including outstanding violations. If the primary vehicle is associated with a user, this process will correctly link all the consolidated violation history to that user's profile.

Best Practices and Considerations

Merging vehicles is a permanent and irreversible action. Once two vehicles are merged, the secondary vehicle records are effectively absorbed into the primary, and the action cannot be undone. Always verify your selections before proceeding to prevent data loss or incorrect associations.

Vehicle Management

DNTT - Do Not Ticket or Tow

The Do Not Ticket or Tow (DNTT) feature allows administrators to apply a temporary condition on a vehicle to prevent ticketing or towing. Its primary purpose is to grant temporary parking exceptions for specific time frames, such as for VIPs, special events, or service vehicles. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking exceptions and enforcement operations.

Setup and Configuration

The DNTT feature is a standard administrative tool and is enabled by default, requiring no overarching system configuration.

Admin Side: While the core feature is available by default, an administrator's assigned user role must specifically have the Manage Vehicle permission enabled to successfully access and run the Vehicle DNTT Report.

User Side: End-users cannot apply, edit, or view DNTT flags for their own vehicles via the public-facing portal. This is strictly an administrative enforcement tool.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to apply the flag from a user's profile, manage existing exceptions, and review usage through reports and handheld devices.

Applying a DNTT Flag to a Vehicle

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Click the Vehicles tab once you have opened the target user's profile page.

  3. Locate the specific vehicle in the list and click the Add DNTT button.

  4. Set the exact start and end date and time for the parking exception using the From Date / To Date fields.

  5. Specify a particular lot or area where the exception is valid using the Location field. If left blank, the system will assume the DNTT applies to all locations globally.

  6. Enter a clear and concise reason for the DNTT in the Note field.

  7. Click the Save Changes button.

The Note field is mandatory and serves as the most critical piece of information for your field officers. Always write a clear, concise note explaining exactly why the DNTT was issued (e.g., "Guest of Dean for event in building A until 4 PM"). This note will be directly visible to enforcement officers using the OPS-COM App.

Editing or Deleting an Active DNTT

  1. Click the Vehicles tab on the user's profile.

  2. Click the Edit DNTT button next to the vehicle possessing the active flag.

  3. Click Modify to update the active details, or click Delete to remove the DNTT exception entirely.

Viewing DNTT Status on Handheld Units

Enforcement officers can easily see active DNTT flags in the field to prevent accidental violation issuance.

  1. Tap Search Vehicles on the OPS-COM App.

  2. Enter the license plate to perform a database search.

  3. Tap the vehicle record in the results list to view the full details, including the expiry time and the administrator's explanatory note. Any vehicle with an active DNTT will be clearly indicated in the initial results list.

Using the Vehicle DNTT Report

This report provides a searchable historical log of all DNTT flags issued by administrators.

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Vehicles, and click Vehicle DNTT Report.

  2. Enter a Date Range to find DNTTs that were active during that specific period.

  3. Filter by Number of Instances to find vehicles with a history of multiple DNTT records.

  4. Click the Search button.

Best Practices and Considerations

Vehicle Management

Active Vehicle Report

The Active Vehicle Report is an investigative tool designed to identify users who have more active vehicles registered on their profile than they have valid permits. Its primary purpose is to help administrators detect potential permit abuse, outdated vehicle lists, or other data discrepancies that could affect parking enforcement and lot management. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This report is a standard administrative feature and does not require any specific configuration.

Admin Side: No specific setup is required to run the report. It automatically analyzes existing user, vehicle, and permit data to provide a focused list of users whose vehicle counts may require review. The allowable limit for extra vehicles is determined by your overarching user type settings.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to access the report and interpret the generated data.

  1. Hover over User Management, hover over Vehicles, and click Active Vehicles Report.

  2. Wait for the report to run automatically when the page loads.

Key Information Displayed

The report is specifically designed to display a list of all users who have at least one more active vehicle than they do valid permits. For each user meeting the criteria, the report will display:

To calculate the exact amount of unauthorized extra vehicles, add the number of active permits to the number of allowed extra vehicles. Subtract that total from the number of Active Vehicles. This final number indicates how many vehicles the user is over their allowed limit.

This report is strictly an investigative tool, not a definitive list of violators. A discrepancy can easily occur for legitimate reasons, such as a user forgetting to remove an old vehicle after selling it, or temporarily adding a rental car to their profile.

Best Practices and Considerations

Vehicle Management

Tracking Electrical Vehicles

The Tracking Electrical Vehicles feature allows both administrators and users to officially designate specific vehicles as electric within the system. Its primary purpose is to provide the data necessary for managing access to dedicated charging stations, reporting on sustainability metrics, and applying EV-specific parking policies. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for vehicle management and parking policy enforcement.

Setup and Configuration

The EV flag feature is universally enabled by default and does not require any special system configuration to activate. The functionality is immediately available on all vehicle information pages.

Admin Side: Administrators have the ability to manually apply or remove the EV designation for any user's vehicle directly from the administrative portal.

User Side: End-users can self-manage their profiles and flag their own vehicles as electric through the public-facing online portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to manually flag a vehicle as electric and generate specialized reports based on these designations.

Flagging a Vehicle as an EV

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

  2. Enter your search criteria to locate and select the specific user whose vehicle you wish to manage.

  3. Click the Vehicles tab located on the user's profile.

  4. Click the license plate link for the specific vehicle you wish to edit.

  5. Enable the Electric Vehicle checkbox within the vehicle information pop-up window.

  6. Click the Save Changes button.

Identifying and Reporting on EVs

Administrators can identify electric vehicles in the system using two primary methods:

User Portal Experience

Users can follow a similar, streamlined process to designate their own vehicles as electric:

  1. Log into the OPS-COM user portal.

  2. Navigate to the page listing the active vehicles associated with the account.

  3. Click the Edit button for the desired vehicle.

  4. Enable the Electric Vehicle checkbox in the vehicle details window and save the changes.

Much like the administrative view, end-users can visually identify their own EVs by the blue thunderbolt icon displayed directly next to the vehicle's license plate in their vehicle list.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

🚀 The Evolution of OPSCOM: Introducing Project Eevee & Project Butterfly

The OPS-COM platform is currently undergoing a strategic transformation to modernize workflows and increase system flexibility. Its primary purpose is to optimize permit and lot management through new hierarchical structures and automation, significantly reducing the administrative effort required to manage complex pricing tiers. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators interested in the upcoming architectural improvements to the system.

Setup and Configuration

As this initiative represents a fundamental architectural shift currently in active development, there are no immediate setup steps required within your live environment.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any active settings. However, familiarizing your management team with the upcoming container hierarchies and automated logic will prepare your organization for a smooth operational transition.

User Side: End-users do not need to perform any setup. They will seamlessly benefit from the enhanced workflows and interfaces as the updates are iteratively deployed to the public portal.

Understanding the Platform Enhancements

The OPS-COM development team has identified three primary areas for platform enhancement to support increasingly complex organizational needs.

Strategic Improvement Areas

Project Eevee The Proof of Concept

To ensure the new platform architecture is completely stable, the development team is utilizing the Lockers module as the initial proof-of-concept model, internally known as Project Eevee.

Project Eevee introduces a new organizational "Container" hierarchy. This structural change allows administrators to define a price once and have it apply intelligently across the entire inventory based on user type and specific timeframes.

The Container Hierarchy: The new organizational structure allows inventory to be nested intuitively, flowing from Region → Campus → Building → Floor → Unit.

Future Development Project Butterfly

Once Project Eevee is fully proven and optimized within the locker environment, the development team will initiate Project Butterfly. This phase represents a total reimagining of the existing parking permitting system, seamlessly integrating the efficiencies, automation, and hierarchical controls developed during the Project Eevee phase into your entire parking inventory.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Locker Search

The Locker Search tool allows administrators to find, view, and manage lockers within the system. Its primary purpose is to filter for specific lockers, review renter information, manage public visibility, and access detailed rental histories. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for locker inventory and rentals.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard administrative tool and requires no special system configuration.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any overarching settings, as the search tool draws directly from existing locker inventory data.

User Side: End-users do not have access to this administrative search tool. They can only view and manage their own assigned lockers via the public-facing user portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to filter their locker inventory and perform both individual and bulk actions on the results.

Performing a Locker Search

  1. Hover over Locker Management and click Search.

  2. Enter your criteria into one or more fields (e.g., Locker Area, Locker Status, Renter Name, Locker Number) on the Locker Search page.

  3. Click the Retrieve button to run the search.

The search results will dynamically appear in a list below the search form. Each row represents a single locker record.

Available Actions and Buttons

The following actions can be performed directly on the search results page.

Page-Level Actions:

These actions apply to the entire list of lockers returned by your search.

Row-Level Actions:

These actions apply only to a single locker in the list.

Always click the Update Records button after making changes to the User Visible column. Whether you use the bulk Mark All buttons or change individual checkboxes, your changes will not be saved to the database until you click the Update Records button.

The Locker History is a valuable audit tool. Use it to resolve disputes about previous rentals or to track the maintenance history of a specific locker over its lifecycle.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Locker Switch

The Locker Switch tool allows administrators to reassign a user to a different locker or swap locker assignments between two users. Its primary purpose is to provide a clear workflow for managing locker changes due to user requests, maintenance needs, or other administrative requirements. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing locker inventory and assignments.

Setup and Configuration

This tool is a standard feature within the locker management module and does not require any specific configuration to activate.

Admin Side: The tool strictly relies on existing locker and user rental information already being present in the system. No additional setup or configuration is needed before using the switch tool.

User Side: End-users do not have access to the locker switch functionality on the public portal. They must request any locker changes or swaps directly through an administrator.

Using this Feature

The Locker Switch tool allows for two distinct actions: moving a single user to a new locker (Switch) or exchanging lockers between two users (Swap). Administrators can perform a switch or swap by following these steps:

  1. Hover over Locker Management and click Locker Switch.

  2. Select the Locker Area and Locker Number for the locker being changed in the Old Locker section.

  3. Verify that the correct user's name is displayed before proceeding.

  4. Select the Locker Area and Locker Number for the destination locker in the New Locker section.

  5. Click the Switch Old to New button to move the user from the old locker to a new, vacant locker.

  6. Click the Swap Old with New button instead if you need to exchange locker assignments between the user of the old locker and the user of the new locker.

  7. Enter any relevant notes in the Reason for Action text box on the Locker Switch Confirmation page.

  8. Click the Switch User Lockers button to finalize the change and view the final Locker Information Updated confirmation page.

Carefully choose between the Switch and Swap functions based on occupancy. Selecting the Swap action when the new locker is vacant may result in a system error. Conversely, selecting the Switch action when the new locker is already occupied by another user will completely unassign that original user from their locker.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Awaiting Payment (Lockers)

The Lockers Awaiting Payment report is an administrative tool used to manage and communicate with users who have pending locker payments. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with a centralized view of unpaid locker reservations and offer quick actions for sending payment reminders. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This report is a standard feature within the locker management module and does not require any specific configuration.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any settings. The report automatically pulls from existing unpaid locker reservation data.

User Side: End-users do not have access to this administrative report, but they will receive the email notifications dispatched from it to their registered email addresses.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to generate the report, filter results, and communicate with users who have pending payments.

Generating the Report

  1. Hover over Locker Management and click Awaiting Payment.

  2. Use the drop-down menus on the Lockers Awaiting Payment page to filter by Locker Area and select a Sort Type (e.g., by building area, by user).

  3. Click the Search button to generate the list.

Available Actions and Buttons

The report provides several actions for managing the listed users and their respective lockers:

Best Practices and Considerations

Establish a regular cadence (such as weekly or bi-weekly) for reviewing this report and dispatching reminders. If a user fails to pay after multiple reminders, you can confidently clear their reservation to make the locker available for other users.

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Midnight List - Lockers

The Midnight List is a system-generated report displaying lockers with pending transactions that are scheduled to be automatically cleared out of the system at midnight. Its primary purpose is to help administrators review and manage unpaid locker reservations before they expire and the lockers return to the available public inventory. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing locker assignments and billing.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard automated administrative process and does not require any specific manual configuration to activate.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any settings for this list to generate. The system automatically populates the list based on unpaid locker reservations that have reached their designated expiration timeframe.

User Side: End-users do not have access to this administrative list. They will simply see their reservation expire and the locker disappear from their profile if it is cleared.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use this list to review impending locker expirations and take action on unpaid reservations before the automated midnight clearing process occurs.

Managing the Midnight List

Because this list acts as a queue for automated system actions, administrators must proactively manage the items awaiting payment if they wish to prevent a locker from being cleared.

  1. Navigate to the Midnight List page to review the specific lockers scheduled to be cleared at the end of the day.

  2. Review the users and locker numbers on the list to determine if any payments are currently in transit or if deadline extensions are warranted.

  3. Follow the detailed step-by-step instructions in the Clear Locker Items Awaiting Payment article to process payments, manually clear the items, or manage the pending reservations before the midnight deadline.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Non Returning Users Report

The Non Returning Users Report is an administrative tool designed to identify students who rented lockers in a previous semester but did not secure a rental for the current term. Its primary purpose is to help administrators investigate potential unauthorized locker usage or track student attrition between semesters. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for locker management and enforcement.

Setup and Configuration

This report is a standard feature within the locker management module and does not require any special configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any overarching settings. The system automatically pulls data directly from existing locker rental records and established sales windows.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to generate the report and effectively compare past locker rentals against current active terms.

Generating the Report

  1. Hover over Lockers Management and click Non-Returning Users Report.

  2. Click the Yearly drop-down menu under the Old Semesters section and choose the appropriate Old Sales Window.

  3. Click the Yearly drop-down menu under the Current Semesters section and choose the appropriate Current Sales Window.

  4. Click the Search button to generate and view the report. The results will automatically appear in a table.

  5. Click the Export button to download and save the generated data as a spreadsheet file for external review.

Best Practices and Considerations

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Locker Sales Windows

The Locker Sales Windows tool allows administrators to create and manage the specific timeframes during which users can purchase lockers. Its primary purpose is to control the public availability of locker inventory for distinct rental periods, such as by semester or academic year. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing locker operations.

Setup and Configuration

The core setup for this feature involves creating the primary sales windows that define your rental periods.

Admin Side: Administrators must build and configure the active sales periods in the backend before any lockers can be sold.

  1. Hover over Locker Management and click Sales Window.

  2. Click the Add Sale Window button on the Manage Locker Sales Window page.

  3. Fill in the required information in the pop-up window that appears.

  4. Click the Save Changes button. The new sales window will be created with an "Inactive" status by default.

User Side: End-users do not configure sales windows. They simply log in and select from the active windows presented to them during the locker purchasing process on the user portal.

Using this Feature

Once sales windows are successfully created, administrators can manage their visibility and operational status using the provided interface tools.

Available Actions and Buttons

Administrators can perform the following actions to manage their locker sales periods:

If the Edit button is faded and unavailable, it indicates that the sales window already has active locker sales associated with it and can no longer be modified by an administrator. Please contact OPS-COM Support for assistance in this case.

Best Practices and Considerations

Deactivating a populated sales window instantly removes locker assignments. Always verify the window is completely empty or truly expired before disabling its active status.

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Allocate Lockers

The Allocate Lockers tool allows administrators to set up and manage locker inventory by creating a hierarchical structure of buildings and areas. Its primary purpose is to streamline the bulk addition of lockers and efficiently manage their status and public visibility. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for locker management and facility setup.

Setup and Configuration

Setting up your locker inventory is a hierarchical process that involves creating parent buildings, defining specific areas within those buildings, and finally adding individual lockers to those areas.

Admin Side: Administrators must completely configure the building and area hierarchy before any locker numbers can be successfully added to the system.

User Side: End-users do not have access to the locker allocation configuration. They interact only with the published inventory when renting a locker via the public-facing user portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to build out their locker hierarchy and populate their inventory.

Accessing the Locker Allocation Page

  1. Hover over Lockers Management and click Allocate.

Create a Building

  1. Click the Add Building button on the Manage Locker Numbers page.

  2. Enter the building name and location in the Building Name and Location fields.

  3. Click the Save Changes button.

Create a Building Area

  1. Click the Add Area button within the newly created building's section.

  2. Enter the necessary details in the Area Name and Description fields.

  3. Select the appropriate Locker User Types that are permitted to rent lockers in this specific area.

  4. Choose a Sales Window type (such as Yearly, Monthly, Semester, or Other) from the options.

  5. Click the Save Changes button.

Add Lockers to an Area

  1. Click the + symbol next to the specific area where you want to add lockers.

  2. Enter individual locker numbers, with each number on a new line, in the Specific Lockers field, or enter a start and end number for a sequential range in the Locker Range fields. You can also apply an optional Prefix or Postfix.

  3. Enable the Visible checkbox if you want the lockers to be immediately available for users to see and rent.

  4. Click the Add Lockers button.

Managing Existing Lockers

Once your locker inventory is created, you can interact with it using the following actions:

Best Practices and Considerations

Archive with caution: Archiving lockers completely removes them from the active inventory. While they can technically be restored later, this action should be used very carefully. If the lockers have current or past rental history associated with them, archiving them may disrupt your historical reporting and user data.

OperationsCommander & Locker Management

Locker Troubleshooting

The Locker Troubleshooting guide outlines a basic test to verify if locker availability is configured correctly when utilizing Locker UserTypes. Its primary purpose is to help administrators quickly identify and resolve configuration issues that prevent specific user groups from viewing or renting lockers. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for locker management and system configuration.

Setup and Configuration

This troubleshooting process relies on verifying existing system configurations rather than setting up a new feature.

Admin Side: Administrators must verify that specific Locker UserTypes have been correctly created and assigned to both the user profiles and the designated locker areas.

User Side: End-users must be assigned the correct Locker UserType by the system or an administrator to successfully view restricted locker inventory on the public portal.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following step-by-step basic test to troubleshoot and verify locker availability.

Performing the Basic Availability Test

  1. Hover over User Management and click User Search to locate a user who is reporting issues, or select a designated internal test account.

  2. Verify that the correct Locker UserType is actively assigned to the user's profile settings.

  3. Hover over Lockers Management and click Allocate.

  4. Locate the specific building area where the missing lockers reside.

  5. Verify that the exact same Locker UserType assigned to the user is actively selected in that area's permission settings.

  6. Log into the user portal as the test user to confirm that the lockers in that specific area are now visible and available for rental.

If the assigned user types match perfectly but the lockers are still not visible on the user portal, verify that the individual lockers are marked as Visible in the allocation inventory and that an active Sales Window is currently open for that specific area.

Best Practices and Considerations

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

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Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Permit Search

The Permit Search tool is 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 article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This tool is a standard administrative feature and utilizes existing permit and user data within the system. It does not require any specific initial configuration.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any settings. The search page automatically populates based on your active permit inventory and user assignments.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to find specific groups of permits and perform a variety of bulk and individual management actions.

Performing a Permit Search

  1. Hover over Parking Management and click Permit Search.

  2. Enter your search criteria into the designated fields.

  3. Click the Toggle More Options button to expand additional filters.

  4. Check the Archived Permit Data or Include Only Active Permits checkboxes under the expanded options to refine your search further.

  5. Click the Retrieve button to generate your results.

Visual Cues and Status Indicators

At the top of the search results, a legend provides a quick overview of the permits found based on their status:

Available Actions and Buttons

Administrators can perform actions on both a bulk and individual level directly from the search results page.

Bulk Actions:

  1. Select a report or action from the drop-down menu at the top of the results (e.g., Generate Mailing List, Generate User Usage Report, Send Email to Permit Users, Generate Status Report, Generate Permits for Printing).

  2. Click the Perform Selected Action button to proceed and apply the action to all permits in the current list.

Individual Actions:

Best Practices and Considerations

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Permit Switch

This administrative tool allows OPS-COM administrators to manage parking assignments by swapping permit locations or transferring permit ownership between users. This feature is essential for processing permit transfers and updating parking assignments efficiently.

Setup and Configuration

This feature is a standard administrative tool and requires no specific setup or configuration. Its functionality is based on existing user and permit data already present within your OPS-COM environment.

Using this Feature

The Permit Switch tool provides two primary functions for managing permit assignments: swapping permits and moving permits between users.

Swapping Permits

Use this process to exchange permit assignments between two users or to move one user to a different, vacant permit.

  1. Select the lot and permit number for the first permit in the Current Permit fields.

  2. Select the lot and permit number for the second permit in the New Permit Lot fields.

    • Note: Permits already assigned to other users will be highlighted and will display the name of the current owner.

  3. Click the Switch two permits button.

  4. Review the price difference on the confirmation screen and select either the Full Price or Prorated Price radio button.

  5. Enter a mandatory Reason for Action.

  6. Click the Switch User Permit button to finalize the swap.

Moving a Permit from One User to Another

Use this process to transfer ownership of a specific permit from one user to another.

  1. Locate and Select the user who currently holds the permit using the first user search field.

  2. Review the list of their assigned permits that appears.

  3. Select the specific permit you wish to move.

  4. Locate the user who will be receiving the permit in the second user search field that appears.

  5. Click the Move Permit button.

  6. Click Ok in the confirmation dialog to finalize the transfer.

Best Practices and Considerations

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Awaiting Payment - Permits

The Awaiting Payment Permits report is an administrative 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 efficient tools for sending payment reminders and processing payments. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This report is a standard feature of the permit management module and does not require any specific configuration.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any settings. The report automatically aggregates and displays data based on user permit reservations and their current payment status.

User Side: End-users do not have access to this administrative report, but they will receive the email notifications and payment reminders dispatched from it to their registered email addresses.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to generate the report, filter results, and communicate with users who have outstanding permit payments.

Generating the Report

  1. Hover over Permit Management and click Awaiting Payment.

  2. Wait for the Permits Awaiting Payment screen to load, displaying all users with pending payments.

  3. Click the drop-down menu at the top of the page and select a specific lot to filter the list.

Available Actions and Buttons

The report provides several actions for managing the listed users and their pending payments:

Best Practices and Considerations

Establish a regular cadence (such as weekly or bi-weekly) for reviewing this report and dispatching reminders. Consistent communication helps reduce the number of abandoned reservations and ensures timely revenue collection.

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Using the Basic Waitlist Report

The Basic Waitlist Report provides administrators with a centralized view of all users currently on waitlists, organized by parking lot. Its primary purpose is to help manage demand, facilitate user communication, and streamline the process of offering permits to waitlisted individuals. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

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

Admin Side:

User Side: You can configure the option to allow users to see their rank on the waitlist.

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

  2. Navigate to the Permits tab and enable the Show Waitlist Rank checkbox.

  3. Refer to the User Experience page for more details on the front-end view.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to access the report and interact with waitlisted user data.

  1. Hover over Permits, hover over Waitlists, and click Waitlist Report.

  2. View or edit details about a user waiting to purchase a permit in a specific lot directly on the Waitlist Report screen.

Key Information Displayed

This screen allows the admin to quickly see:

Visual Cues & Status Indicators: Blue Highlight: The user does not currently have a permit assigned to them. Yellow Highlight: The user does currently have a permit assigned but has not yet purchased it.

Available Actions & Buttons

Best Practices and Considerations

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Managed Waitlist

The Managed Waitlist system automates the process of assigning available permits to waitlisted users. Its primary purpose is to reserve available permits, notify designated administrators, and allow them to manually assign the permit to a user within a specific timeframe before it is released back to the waitlist. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking inventory and waitlists.

Setup and Configuration

Before utilizing the managed waitlist, administrators must enable the core system settings and configure waitlists for individual lots.

Admin Side:

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

  2. Click the Permits tab.

  3. 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 explicitly enable waitlists on individual lots for them to be used.

Enabling Waitlists on Individual Lots:

Instructions for enabling waitlists for specific lots can be found on the Pricing & Lot Admin page, under the Standard Permits section. Waitlists can be set up for individual lots or configured as grouped waitlists that cover multiple locations. Configure the Only Allow Waitlist after lot is Full setting to determine whether users will see the option to join a waitlist even before all permits for a designated lot are sold out, or only once the lot reaches full capacity.

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 the Waitlist Email Templates article.

User Side:

Administrators can configure the option to allow users to see their rank on the waitlist via the public portal.

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

  2. Navigate to the Permits tab and enable the Show Waitlist Rank checkbox.

To see exactly how this appears to the end-user, refer to the User Experience page.

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

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to manage waitlist assignments, process extensions, and communicate with users.

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 addresses set up in the Waitlist Email Managers field. The permit will be actively reserved for assignment to users on the waitlist.

  1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Waitlists, and click Waitlist.

  2. Click the Assign button to associate the selected user to the permit you wish them to have on the Waitlist screen.

Releasing or Extending an Assigned Permit

If the amount of time you set in the Waitlist Reservation Duration passes and the user has not purchased a permit, the admin will be sent an automated email. The admin then has the option to release the permit so it can be assigned again, or to extend the user's time to pay.

  1. Return to the Waitlist page and click the Permit icon beside the target username.

  2. Click the Release Permit button to remove the association, or click the Extend button to add 10 more days directly from the Parking Permit Information page.

Available Actions and Buttons

Administrators can utilize the following buttons from the main Waitlist screen:

Best Practices and Considerations

Permit Management - ParkAdmin

Setting Permit State for a Lost or Stolen Permit

This article describes the process for managing a lost or stolen permit. Its primary purpose is to guide administrators through switching a user to a replacement permit and changing the original permit's status to remove it from active circulation. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

Setup and Configuration

This process utilizes standard administrative search and permit management tools, requiring no specific system configuration to function.

Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any special settings to use this feature. The standard permit states are built into the system by default.

User Side: End-users cannot mark their own permits as lost or stolen; they must report the issue directly to an administrator to securely process the replacement and update the permit state.

Setting a permit's state to Lost or Stolen immediately removes it from active circulation. It will no longer be available for purchase or assignment from the Admin Portal, purchase from the User Portal, or selection within the permit switching tool.

Using this Feature

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

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 prematurely remove the old permit from circulation, making it completely unavailable for the switch process.

Switching the User to a New Permit

Setting the Old Permit State to Lost or Stolen

  1. Use the Quick Search bar again to find the original permit number (e.g., PW21).

  2. Click the permit number link from the search results to open the permit details page.

  3. Click the Permit States drop-down menu and select Lost or Stolen.

  4. Wait for the system to confirm the update. The old permit is now officially out of circulation and will no longer appear in available permit lists.

Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    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. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to make one-time price adjustments for a single transaction without affecting the permit's default price for other users. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

    For an administrator to use this feature, their user role must have the specific price editing permission enabled.

    Admin Side:

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click Admin Management then Manage Roles.

    2. Select the administrator role you wish to modify.

    3. Locate the permissions list for that specific role.

    4. Enable the Edit Unpaid Permit Cost checkbox.

    5. Save the changes to the role.

    User Side: End-users do not have access to alter permit pricing. They will simply see the final, adjusted price reflected in their cart once an administrator completes the process.

    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

    1. Click the edit cost button that appears next to the permit price while booking a permit for a user.

    2. Enter the new price and a clear comment explaining the reason for the change in the fields that appear.

    3. Proceed with booking the permit as normal to see the adjusted price reflected in the user's cart.

    Editing from the Permit Information Page

    1. Navigate to the cart and click the permit name link to open the Permit Info Page for a permit that is already in a user's cart but remains unpaid.

    2. Click the edit cost button.

    3. Enter the new price and an explanatory comment.

    4. Click the Update Permit button to save the change.

    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 directly visible in the notes on the Permit Info Page.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Selling Permits Using Tablet Kiosks with OPSCOM

    The tablet kiosk feature allows organizations to configure a tablet as a dedicated self-service kiosk for selling temporary guest permits. Its primary purpose is to provide a streamlined way for visitors to purchase parking without staff assistance or the need for a personal user account. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for facility setup and temporary permit management.

    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 the system, 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.

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

    2. Click the name of the lot you want to feature on the kiosk.

    3. Click the Temporary Permits tab.

    4. Locate the QR code section and copy the guest permit booking link displayed directly below the code to use in the tablet configuration step.

    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 (e.g., setting permits 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.

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

    2. Click the General System Settings tab.

    3. Enable the Enable Kiosk Compatible Mode toggle.

    4. Click the Save Settings button.

    Enabling this mode makes the following changes only to guest booking pages: After a successful transaction, the user is returned to the initial booking page instead of a receipt page, making it ready for the next user. The main navigation menu, header, and footer are hidden to prevent users from navigating away or attempting to log in on a public device.

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

    2. Tap the app to open it and configure its initial settings.

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

    4. Enable Fullscreen Mode.

    5. Disable the Show Action Bar and Show Address Bar options.

    Explore the app's advanced settings, such as navigating to Web Auto Reload and configuring 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 the device settings.

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

    2. Navigate to Settings, tap Security and privacy, and tap 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 securely 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 strictly as a locked-down, single-purpose device for guest purchases.

    End-User Workflow

    1. Approach the tablet, which will already display the permit booking page for the designated lot.

    2. Enter plate information and complete the payment process. The user cannot navigate to other apps, web pages, or system settings during this flow.

    3. View the confirmation message upon successful payment.

    4. Wait for the page to automatically reset to the start of the booking process for the next user in line.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    QR Code User Experience

    The QR Code User Experience allows parkers to quickly purchase a temporary permit for a specific lot by scanning a physical QR code. Its primary purpose is to provide a streamlined checkout process for both guest parkers and registered users, facilitating rapid parking payments via mobile devices. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators to understand the mobile end-user workflow.

    Setup and Configuration

    This feature primarily relies on the physical placement of generated QR codes and the user's mobile device.

    Admin Side: Administrators must generate the lot-specific QR codes from the lot administration tools and post them visibly in the physical parking locations. No other specific system configuration is required for the checkout flow itself.

    User Side: End-users simply need a mobile device with a camera capable of scanning QR codes. They can choose to check out as a guest or log into their user portal for an accelerated payment process.

    Using this Feature

    The workflow varies slightly depending on whether the parker is checking out as a guest or as 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, entirely removing the need for manual data entry in the field.

    Key Information Displayed

    Whether checking out as a guest or a registered user, the following key information is displayed:

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Real-Time Parking Map

    The Real-Time Parking Map feature provides a publicly accessible, interactive map displaying real-time lot availability. Its primary purpose is to allow users to easily find parking and purchase temporary permits directly from the interface, while simultaneously providing administrators with live lot statistics. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

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

    To use this feature, you must first contact an OPS-COM support staff member and have them enable it on your production system.

    Adding the Map to an OPS-COM Page

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

    1. Hover over System Configuration, click Content & Designs, then Pages and Content Blocks.

    2. Create a new page or edit an existing one that will host the map.

    3. Add the [real-time-map] and [real-time-legend] shortcodes into the content area, ensuring each is on its own line.

    Configure Individual Lots

    For each lot you want to display on the map, you must configure its map marker and temporary permit settings.

    1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Lot Administration, and click Pricing and Lot Admin.

    2. Select the lot you wish to edit and click the Zones and Location tab.

    3. Set a map marker and enter a public-facing description in the Location field.

    4. Click the Temporary Parking tab for the selected lot.

    5. Set the Maximum number of Temp Permits, a 30-day usage setting, and the Daily Cost and Hourly costs.

    6. Enable the Allow this lot to appear on the Real-Time Parking Map checkbox to finalize its visibility.

    Configure Special Spots (Optional)

    1. Hover over Lot Administration and click Manage Special Space Types.

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

    3. Navigate back to the specific lot within the Pricing and Lot Admin module.

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

    Using this Feature

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

    Public User View

    1. Navigate to the public map URL (e.g., [https://yourdomain.parkadmin.com/real-time](https://yourdomain.parkadmin.com/real-time)).

    2. Hover over a map marker to quickly see the lot name and description.

    3. Click a map marker to display detailed availability and information about special spots.

    4. Click the Book Now button to proceed directly to the temporary permit purchase screen.

    Administrator View

    1. Hover over Parking Management and click Real-Time Map to open the internal view.

    2. Click on the map markers to display detailed lot statistics. This includes Pay by Plate machine capacity (if applicable), all other spaces availability, and special spaces (such as handicap and pregnancy spaces).

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    QR Code Guest Temporary Permitting

    The QR Code Guest Temporary Permitting feature allows administrators to configure specific parking lots so guests can self-register for temporary parking permits via a scanned QR code. Its primary purpose is to streamline the guest parking process for both free and paid scenarios, enabling visitors to quickly obtain a valid permit directly from their mobile device. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

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

    QR codes also work for users who are already logged into an account. They must have an active session on the same browser to use their stored account information to checkout, and they must hold the correct user type for that lot. Users who wish to pay for a temporary permit with saved cards must first log in to their account, navigate to their permits, and click Parking map to use the accelerated checkout process.

    System-Wide Configuration

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

    1. Hover over System Configuration, click Users, and then click Types.

    2. Confirm that a user type named Guest User exists. If it does not, you must add it.

    3. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

    4. Navigate to the Temp Permits tab.

    5. Enable the Enable QR Codes checkbox.

    The Guest User type is absolutely 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. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Lot Administration, and click Pricing and Lot Admin.

    2. Select the desired lot to configure.

    3. Select Guest User as the User Type for the lot on the General tab. Removing this user type will instantly disable the QR code feature for this specific lot.

    4. Click the Temporary Parking tab.

    5. Set the hourly or daily costs in the pricing section. Enter $0.00 for the applicable timeframes for free parking, or enter the correct amounts for the durations you wish to offer for paid parking.

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

    Visibility Options: If you wish to use the lot for QR code functionality alone, excluding standard and temp permitting through the user portal, set the Visibility to User drop-down menu to Hidden but Accessible on the General tab. If you wish to use this lot for temporary permits exclusively, enable the This lot is for temporary parking only checkbox.

    Daily Cost permits strictly 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

    Once configured, you can brand the QR code and deploy it for public use.

    Branding the QR Code

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

    Accessing and Deploying the QR Code

    1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Lot Administration, and click Pricing and Lot Admin.

    2. Select the configured lot and click the Temporary Parking tab.

    3. Locate the QR code and its associated links in the QR code configuration section.

    Available Actions

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Parking Logix - Parking Sensor Integration

    This article outlines how to configure and enable the Parking Logix integration within OPS-COM, allowing administrators to sync parking sensor data for real-time monitoring and display. This feature is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and user-facing parking maps.

    Setup and Configuration

    Follow these steps to integrate Parking Logix sensors with your OPS-COM system.

    Enable Parking Logix Integration

    1. Navigate to System Settings.

    2. Select Third Party settings.

    3. Enable the Parking Logix Integration checkbox.

    Adding the Lot Group

    1. Create a new lot group for each lot where you are collecting sensor data.

    2. Enter the required API code when configuring each group.

      • Note: It is possible, though unlikely, to have multiple API keys if lot access is split across several keys.

    3. Navigate to the Lot Administration tool.

    4. Open the LPR Settings Tab for the desired lot.

    5. Assign the previously created lot group to the lot.

    Enable the System Task

    1. Contact OPS-COM support by emailing support@ops-com.com to enable the required system task for sensor communication.

    2. Once the system task is active, verify the integration by navigating to Manage Parking Lot Groups to confirm that lot counts are updating correctly.

    Displaying the Map on the User Side

    To display the parking map to end users, you must insert the integration short code into your site pages.

    1. Navigate to System Messaging.

    2. Edit the desired page where the map should appear.

    3. Enter the short code [parking_logix] into the page content.

      • You may add parameters such as only, show, filter, or name to the short code to restrict the list to specific lots.

    VXJimage.png

    By design, the map will only display lots that have a group assigned and a valid API key stored.

    image.png

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Pay Station Status

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

    Setup and Configuration

    This tool is a standard administrative feature and does not require any specific system configuration.

    Admin Side: Administrators do not need to configure any internal settings. However, this feature strictly relies on a successful, active integration with your organization's external pay station hardware to continually populate its data.

    User Side: End-users do not interact with this administrative lookup tool. They only interact with the physical pay station hardware in the parking lots.

    Using this Feature

    Administrators and enforcement staff can use the following instructions to actively filter for pay station transactions and view specific vehicle details.

    Performing a Status Lookup

    1. Hover over Parking Management, 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.

    3. Click the Validity Filter drop-down menu to show only Valid, Non-Valid, or All records.

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

    5. Click the Search button to generate the list.

    Available Actions

    Best Practices and Considerations

    The data displayed on this page is pulled directly from your integrated pay station system. Any discrepancies in the data should first be investigated directly at the physical pay station terminal or within its dedicated management software.

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Zebra Sticker Printers

    The Zebra Sticker Printers feature provides a comprehensive guide for configuring dedicated Zebra sticker printers for use with the OPS-COM Admin Portal. Its primary purpose is to enable the accurate printing of physical permit stickers by setting up a custom layout, system messages, and local printer settings. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for hardware setup and permit fulfillment.

    Setup and Configuration

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

    Phase 1 Create the OPSCOM Layout Template

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

    2. Click the Create Layout button on the Layouts List page.

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

    4. Click Toggle Templates on the next screen 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. Hover over Tools and click Source Code in the content editor box.

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

    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 exactly.

    5. Navigate to Printing Preferences and select the new stock as the default after creating the stock.

    Phase 4 Configure Browser Print Settings

    Before proceeding, you must temporarily disable the auto-print script. Navigate back to your layout template in OPS-COM (System Config then 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 necessary browser settings.

    Using this Feature

    Once all configuration steps are complete, administrators can use the following instructions to print permit stickers directly from the Admin Portal.

    1. Navigate to the Parking Permit Information page for the desired permit.

    2. Click the green print button located next to the Update Permit button.

    3. Use the browser's print dialog that appears to print the sticker.

    4. Uncomment the code in the Scripts section of your layout template to re-enable automatic printing after confirming the print settings are perfectly aligned.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Printing Permit from Home Setup

    The Permit Printing from Home feature allows end-users to generate and print a physical copy of their parking permit directly from the user portal. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with the tools to configure printable permit templates and enable self-service printing to streamline permit distribution. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

    Configuring this feature is a two-part process. Administrators must first enable the feature within the system settings and then customize the associated print templates.

    Admin Side:

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

    2. Click the Permits tab.

    3. Enable the Enable User Permit Printing checkbox.

    4. Click the Save Settings button.

    Locating the Permit Print Templates:

    The printable permits are generated from standard system messages.

    1. Hover over System Configuration, click Content and Design, and then click Pages and Content Blocks.

    2. Click the Messages tab.

    3. Locate and edit the messages where the System Location column is labeled permitPdf (for regular printed permits) and permitTempPdf (for temporary printed permits).

    User Side: Once the global setting is enabled, users will see a new option to print their active permit directly from the user portal interface. For a detailed guide on the user-facing process, please refer to the Printing Your Parking Permits Made Easy! article.

    Using this Feature

    Administrators interact with this feature primarily by designing and updating the system message templates that generate the final PDF document.

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

    Available Shortcodes

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

    To quickly use the recommended default template provided by the system, you can leave the content editor body as the default text. However, ensure you actively edit the document to change any placeholder logos or generic company names to match your specific organizational branding.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Validator Admin Groups

    The Validator Admin Groups article outlines how to configure, manage, and assign permissions for the Validator Tool. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to effectively organize validation groups, assign specific roles, and define management zones for permit validation operations. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

    Configuring validator groups involves creating the core group structures, adding members, and assigning management zones to individual administrators.

    Admin Side: Administrators must completely configure these groups and permissions before staff can effectively use the validation tools.

    User Side: End-users do not interact with validator groups or backend administrative permissions.

    Creating a Validator Group

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click Admin Management then Manage Groups.

    2. Click the Parking Validator module.

    3. Click the Add New button in the top right corner.

    4. Complete the Group Name, Module, Validator Comment, Admin Members, and Default Validation Hours fields in the newly opened window.

    5. Click the Save Group button.

    The Default Validation Hours value serves only as an automatically populated preset. There is currently no way to enforce a strict limit, and administrators may manually override this duration.

    Adding Members to a Group

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click Admin Management then Manage Groups.

    2. Click the Edit button next to the relevant Administrator Group.

    3. Click on the Admin Members bar to select and add additional members.

    4. Click the Save Group button at the bottom of the page.

    Zones and How They are Assigned

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click Admin Management then Edit Admin Users.

    2. Select the specific Admin User you wish to edit.

    3. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the Parking Validation Lot Zones window.

    4. Select the specific zone or zones that this administrator will manage.

    5. Click the Update User button to finalize the changes.

    Using this Feature

    The Validator Tool utilizes distinct roles to accurately manage access to system data and dictate deletion capabilities. Understanding these roles is critical for secure system operation.

    Role Access & Deletion Capabilities
    Super Admin Has full access to all groups. Can view all current, pending, past, and archived validations, and delete entries at any time. 
    Group Manager Can view their own groups and associated current/pending validations. Can delete entries pre-validation and up to 15 minutes past the start date.
    Validator Admin

    Can view and delete their own entries pre-validation or within the 15-minute grace period.
    Validator Entry

    Can delete any future, current, or past validations.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Archived information is not purged from the system. While archived entries are functionally considered deleted from active views, the historical data is permanently retained to maintain system data integrity and auditing capabilities.

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Public-Facing Lot Pages

    This article outlines how to create and configure custom public-facing pages that display parking lots for user booking. This feature allows OPS-COM administrators to provide a streamlined, branded parking selection and purchase experience.

    Setup and Configuration

    Custom pages are managed through the Pages and Content Blocks section.

    1. Navigate to System Configuration, select Content & Designs, and click Pages and Content Blocks.

    2. Create or edit a page to serve as your Lot List or Lot Detail page.

    3. Insert the appropriate Shortcode into the body of the page layout to render the desired functionality.

    Shortcodes must be typed exactly as they appear in the documentation, or they will not function correctly.

    Using this Feature

    The public-facing lot experience consists of two distinct subpages: the Lots List and the Lot Detail.

    Lots List Page

    The Lots List page displays all available parking lots to the user. You can place this module on any custom page.

    Shortcode Option Description
    [lots_list include_hidden=1] Includes lots that are otherwise set to be hidden from the user.
    [lots_list only_text2parkme=1] Restricts the list to show only lots with Text2ParkMe enabled.

    You can chain options together in a single shortcode. For example: [lots_list include_hidden=1 only_text2parkme=1].

    Lot Detail Page

    The Lot Detail page provides specific information for a single selected lot. This page is coded to function specifically when the path is set to --lots-detail, which dynamically fetches information for the selected lot ID.

    Use the following shortcodes to customize the layout of your Lot Detail page:

    Shortcode Description
    [values show=lotname] Displays the name of the lot.
    [values show=lottype] Displays the initial of the lot type.
    [values show=lotnameid] Displays the lot ID.
    [values show=defaultcost format=currency] Displays the cost to rent a permit for the lot.
    [values show=location] Displays the address or location description.
    [values show=textcode] Displays the Text2ParkMe code for the lot.
    [values show=ratePer10Min format=currency] Displays the Text2ParkMe rate for the lot.
    [lot show=buy_now] Displays the purchase button. Redirects unauthenticated users to the login screen.
    [lot show=map] Displays a map based on the lot's stored latitude and longitude.
    [lot show=photo] Displays the photo assigned to the lot.

    User-Side Results

    image.png

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Validate Parking Report

    The Validate Parking Report allows administrators to view and export historical records of parking validations within a specified timeframe. Its primary purpose is to help track, review, and audit validation activity across your system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing and auditing parking validations.

    Setup and Configuration

    Before an administrator can access this report, they must have the correct permissions assigned to their user role.

    1. Navigate to your administrator role management settings.

    2. Enable the View Validator Report checkbox for the appropriate administrator role.

    3. Save the updated permissions.

    Using this Feature

    Follow these steps to generate and view the Validate Parking Report.

    1. Hover over Parking Management and click Parking Validation Report.

    2. Enter the desired date range into the search fields to define your reporting period.

    3. Click the Search button to generate the record listing.

      image.png


    Available Actions

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Excel Exports: Exporting your report data to Excel is highly recommended if you need to filter, sort, or share validation records with external stakeholders or accounting departments.

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Managing Validator Records

    This article outlines the process for adding and managing parking validations using the Validator Tool. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to manually validate parking for specific vehicles and remove incorrect validation entries to maintain accurate reporting. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

    There is no specific configuration required to manage validator records, provided your administrative user role has the appropriate permissions to access the Parking Validation tools.

    Using this Feature

    The Validator Tool allows administrators to quickly assign validations to vehicles and manage existing entries if an error was made during data entry.

    Adding a Validation Record

    1. Enter the vehicle's license plate in the Plate field.

    2. Click the Lot Zone drop-down menu and choose the appropriate lot.

    3. Enter the required time frame in the Valid Between Dates fields.

    4. Click the Validate button to create the record.

    Once a record is successfully created, it will automatically appear in the Validate Parking Report.

    Deleting a Validation Record

    If an entry was made in error, it can be removed using the management tool.

    1. Hover over Parking Management and click Parking Validation then Manage Validations.

    2. Enter the Plate Number and select the Lot Zone associated with the record you wish to locate.

    3. Click the Delete button next to the relevant record to select it with a checkmark.

    4. Click the Archive button when prompted to confirm the removal.

    A pop-up message will appear confirming the deletion of the record. Once archived, the record is immediately removed from the Validate Parking Report.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Branding the Validator Tool

    This article outlines how to customize the visual appearance of the Validator Tool pages using the system messaging editor. This allows organizations to brand the validator interface with custom headers, text, and layouts to provide a consistent user experience. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and design.

    Setup and Configuration

    To customize the look and feel of the Validator Tool, you must first access the specific system messages associated with these pages.

    1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Messaging.

    2. Click the Messages tab to access the list of editable system messages.

    3. Locate the three specific messages used for the Validator Tool:

      • Validator Entry

      • Validator Manage

      • Validator Report

    Using this Feature

    Administrators can edit the content and layout of the Validator Tool pages using either a visual WYSIWYG editor or direct HTML code.

    1. Click the Edit button next to the specific Validator page you wish to modify.

    2. Enter a descriptive title for your page in the Title field.

    3. Enter a unique identifier for the page in the appropriate field.

    4. Select the desired language setting for your page.

    5. Modify the page layout and design using the visual WYSIWYG editor.

    6. Click the Tools menu and select <>Source code if you prefer to edit the page using straight HTML.

    7. Save your changes to apply the new branding to the selected Validator page.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    The Validator - a Parking Validation Utility

    The Validator tool allows administrators to quickly issue temporary parking validations for specific lot zones based on vehicle license plates. Its primary purpose is to help manage guest or temporary parking permissions efficiently, ensuring compliant access for authorized visitors without requiring a full permit purchase. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and designated parking validators.

    Setup and Configuration

    Before staff can use the validation utility, administrators must configure the appropriate roles, assign users, and ensure lots are properly zoned.

    Configuring Roles and Users

    1. Create a new role specifically for validation staff (e.g., "Parking Validator"). For detailed instructions, refer to the Managing Roles and Permissions page.

    2. Add the Create Temp Permit Entries permission to this new role.

    3. Create or edit an administrative user profile for the staff member who will manage validations.

    4. Assign the newly created validation role to the user.

    5. Select the specific lot zones this user is authorized to manage and save the profile.

    Configuring Lot Zones

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

    2. Click the specific lot name to open its settings.

    3. Click the Zone & Location tab and select the zone associated with the lot to link it to the validator utility.

    The zones assigned to the validator's administrative profile must match the zones configured within the specific lots for the tool to function correctly.

    Using this Feature

    The validation tool can be accessed via the desktop portal, and the resulting permissions are verifiable in real-time by enforcement officers using the Android handheld application.

    Creating a Validation Record (Desktop)

    1. Log in to the OPS-COM admin portal. Users with restricted, validation-only access will only see the Create Validations menu item.

    2. Click Create Validation Records to open the utility.

    3. Enter the required license plate numbers into the provided field.

    4. Enter a comment for record-keeping purposes.

    5. Click the lot zone drop-down menu and choose the area where the vehicle is permitted to park.

    6. Select the valid date range for the permission to be in effect.

    7. Set the valid time frame by selecting the appropriate hourly blocks (e.g., selecting blocks from 7 AM to 7 PM).

    8. Select the specific days of the week you wish the validation to be in effect.

    9. Click the Validate button to apply the permission.

    Key Information Displayed & Advanced Features

    Viewing Validations on Android Handhelds

    Enforcement officers can verify these temporary permissions directly from the field.

    1. View the active vehicle list. Parkers who are validated through this tool will appear as a Temp Parker on the Android version of OPS-COM.

    2. Tap the specific plate number to open an expanded view detailing the validator-created permission and the associated lot zone.

    3. Tap the green Validator rectangle to trigger a pop-up showing the validation reference number and the exact expiry date of the permission.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Apply Temp Permit to User Vehicles

    This article explains how to configure and issue a single temporary parking permit that applies to multiple vehicles on a user's profile. This feature streamlines the permitting process for administrators managing users who need temporary access for more than one registered vehicle. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

    Setup and Configuration

    Before issuing a temporary permit for multiple vehicles, you must configure the specific lot to allow this functionality.

    1. Navigate to Lot Administration and select the lot you wish to configure.

    2. Click the Temporary Parking tab.

    3. Enable the Allow temp permits to be used over 30 days checkbox.

    4. Enable the Allow all vehicles on profile to receive the permit checkbox.

    5. Save your lot configuration changes.

    Using this Feature

    Once the lot is configured, administrators can issue the multi-vehicle temporary permit directly from the user's profile.

    1. Navigate to the desired user's profile and click the Parking tab.
    2. Click the Temporary Parking Permit button.
    3. Select the configured lot within the Temporary Parking Permit Registration window.
    4. Set the start date and end date.
    5. Click the Apply to all Vehicles button. 
    6. Click the Confirm This Permit button to proceed to the confirmation window.
    7. Verify that all intended vehicles are listed, then click the Purchase this Permit button.
    8. Select the method of payment on the payment screen then click the Submit Payment Information button.
    9. Select Confirm Payment Information to proceed.
    10. Click the Process Manually button to finalize the transaction.

    Upon completion, you will be taken to the Transaction Details screen, where you can view a final record of the purchase.

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Date Range Requirement: The selected date range between the start date and end date must be for a period longer than 30 days. If the duration is 30 days or less, the Apply to all Vehicles button will not activate.

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    LPR Audit Log

    The LPR Audit Log allows administrators to view and track License Plate Recognition (LPR) camera and chalking events. Its primary purpose is to help monitor entry, exit, patrol, and tracking activities across the parking system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for monitoring LPR activity and auditing vehicle movements.

    Setup and Configuration

    There is no specific setup or configuration required to use the LPR Audit Log, provided your administrative user role has the appropriate permissions to view LPR and violation data.

    Using this Feature

    The LPR Audit Log provides a centralized view of all LPR-related events, along with filtering tools to help you find specific records.

    1. Hover over Violations and click LPR and Chalking then View Audit Log.
    2. Review the initial screen to see the default audit log display.
    3. Click Toggle More Options to expose the filtering capabilities.
    4. Select a specific camera from the Camera selection drop-down menu to filter by location.
    5. Select a specific event from the Event type drop-down menu to narrow the search results.

    Event Type Definitions

    When filtering by Event type, you can select from the following five categories:

    Best Practices and Considerations

    Permit Management - ParkAdmin

    Viewing and Editing LPR Events

      The License Plate Recognition (LPR) Capture Log is a tool designed to track, filter, and audit real-time and historical license plate reads. Its primary purpose is to help administrators monitor automatic data ingestion from fixed camera feeds as well as manual or mobile inputs from parking enforcement users. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      This reporting and auditing tool does not require any specific setup or configuration to function. Its capabilities are based on existing camera integrations, handheld device data, and the LPR permissions already assigned to your administrator profile.

      Using this Feature

      The LPR Capture Log consists of a comprehensive search interface and a detailed results table.

      Hover over Violations and click LPR and Chalking then View Events to access the log.

      Search and Filtering Interface

      Use the top section of the log to locate specific plate records using the following fields:

      1. Enter full or partial plate numbers in the Plate field. To perform a strict match, type the exact plate number (e.g., ABC123).

      2. Enable the Perform Fuzzy Search checkbox to use approximate string matching, which helps catch optical character recognition (OCR) anomalies or close variations.

      3. Click the Make drop-down menu and choose a specific vehicle manufacturer, or leave it as the default Any.

      4. Click the Colour drop-down menu and choose a specific vehicle color, or leave it as the default Any.

      5. Define a strict search window using the Start Date and Up To and Including date pickers.

      6. Click the Toggle More Options button to expand the interface and reveal advanced metadata filters:

        • Cameras: Scroll and select specific physical entry or exit lanes to track exact movement patterns.

        • Event Type: Click the drop-down menu and choose Entry, Exit, Patrol, or Tracking.

        • Device Type: Scroll and select the software agent or integration platform delivering the data (e.g., ANY, PL8RDR / Vaxtor, or User / Other).

      Key Information Displayed

      Once your search is executed, the LPR Captures Results Table displays the following information:

      Column Name Description
      Actions Provides interactive icons to manage the record.
      Licence Plate Image Displays the actual image of the captured license plate.
      Permit Displays an active permit badge icon if the plate is successfully cross-referenced with a valid parking permit.
      Plate Shows the license plate number detected by the camera or handheld device.
      Make / Model / Color Lists the declared vehicle descriptors (e.g., NISSAN / WHITE).
      Writer Identifies the intake route and assigned user or camera logic.
      Source Identifies the software module or entity passing the data.
      Device Dictates the hardware source classification, such as a fixed camera name or the handheld device name.
      Recorded Provides the exact timestamp log of the capture event.

      Visual Cues and Status Indicators

      The Writer column utilizes specific icons and directional tags to quickly communicate how a read was captured:

      Best Practices and Considerations

      The Start Date and Up To and Including date parameters only restrict results generated by Pay Station data and LPR records. These filters do not retroactively filter out base vehicle profiles based on their original database creation date or account history.

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Improve LPR Read Rates

      The Improve LPR Read Rates guide provides administrators and enforcement personnel with instructions on how to physically and digitally optimize License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras. Its primary purpose is to help increase the accuracy and speed of plate reads through physical adjustments, exposure tuning, bounding box modifications, and system configurations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and enforcement staff.

      Setup and Configuration

      Optimizing your LPR read rates involves a combination of physical camera adjustments, web interface configuration, and handheld settings.

      Physical Camera Setup

      VJUimage.png

      Web Interface Configuration

      Administrators can use the web interface to fine-tune how the camera processes images and characters.

      Adjusting Character Dimensions: You can tweak character dimensions to improve regional reads (for example, Ontario plates).

      1. Navigate to the Web Interface Page and select Plate Reader then Camera OCR.

      2. Set CHAR SIZE Min W to 10.

      3. Set CHAR SIZE Max W to 50.

      4. Set CHAR SIZE Min H to 30.

      5. Set CHAR SIZE Max H to 100.

      AsGimage.png

      Improving Exposure for Dark Plates:

      1. Set Max Shutter to 500.

      2. Set Max Gain to 256. If images are too dark, this setting can be increased, but it is not recommended to exceed 1000.

      3. Set Iris Level to 15.

      4Pdimage.png

      Adjusting the Bounding Box: The bounding box restricts the specific area analyzed by the LPR camera, ignoring unnecessary background information. Measurements for height are calculated from the top of the screen, and width from the left of the screen.

      9ISimage.png

      1. Navigate to the Plate Reader Settings.

      2. Edit the pixel values to narrow the read area. The default full-frame settings are:

        • Win MinX Pixel: 0

        • Win MinY Pixel: 0

        • Win MaxX Pixel: 1279

        • Win MaxY Pixel: 1023

      3. Increase the Min values or decrease the Max values to shrink the bounding box horizontally (X) or vertically (Y).

      4. Click the Apply button to save the changes.

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

      Handheld Unit Configuration

      For NOREAD results, you can adjust settings directly on the Android handheld device to process vanity plates or challenging reads.

      1. Tap System Settings.

      2. Tap Include NOREAD (ie. vanity) Results.

      3. Set the percentage to 50% to start.

      4. Tweak this percentage later based on how the system reacts in the field.

      Using this Feature

      The LPR system utilizes advanced algorithms and human corrections to continually improve its read accuracy during daily operations.

      Fuzzy Searching

      The PL8-RDR system inherently supports fuzzy searching based on user-supplied values. If the LPR system "sees" ABC123, it will automatically validate against similar visual patterns such as A8C123, ABC128, or A8C12B based on time of day and active permits.

      Manual Corrections

      You can actively improve plate reads by making manual corrections and verifying correct plates on the system. The system uses an algorithm that includes your human updates as part of its read score. Therefore, if a plate is consistently misread and corrected by an administrator or guard, it is highly probable that the system will return the human-updated version in the future.

      If you see a score of 100% in the LPR report, that indicates the system determined a human-updated version was the best match. A raw algorithmic read score of 100% is theoretically impossible with standard LPR cameras.

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Text2ParkMe - Active Permits

      The Text2ParkMe Active Permits report allows administrators to view a real-time list of all currently active and unexpired Text2ParkMe parking sessions. Its primary purpose is to help monitor mobile parking payments and easily audit current lot usage. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      There is no specific configuration required to access this report, provided that the Text2ParkMe feature is active in your environment and your administrative user role has the appropriate reporting permissions.

      Using this Feature

      This report automatically displays all Text2ParkMe permits that are currently active and have not yet expired as soon as the page is opened.

      1. Hover over Parking Management and click Permit Management then Text2ParkMe - Active Permits.

      2. Review the automatically generated list of active permits.

      3. Enter your desired criteria into the User, Plate, or Lot Name search fields to narrow down the results.

      4. Click the Filter Report button to update the listing based on your search criteria.

      5. Click any Username link in the results to navigate directly to that specific user's profile.

      Key Information Displayed

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Because this report automatically populates active permits upon opening, you do not need to click search to see current activity. Simply accessing the page provides an immediate snapshot of current Text2ParkMe usage.

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Text2ParkMe - Usage

      The Text2ParkMe Usage report allows administrators to search and generate detailed records of historical and current mobile parking transactions. Its primary purpose is to help audit parking lot utilization and track user specific permit activity over time. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      There is no specific configuration required to access this report, provided that the Text2ParkMe feature is active in your environment and your administrative user profile has the appropriate reporting permissions enabled.

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can use this reporting tool to filter and review Text2ParkMe parking data based on specific search criteria.

      1. Hover over Parking Management and click Temporary Permits then Text2ParkMe followed by Current Usage.

      2. Enter your desired search criteria into the User, Plate, Lot, and/or date range fields.

      3. Click the Search button to generate the report.

      Key Information Displayed

      Best Practices and Considerations

      To generate a broad system-wide report, leave the User, Plate, and Lot fields blank and only apply a date range before clicking the Search button.

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Refundable Parking Deposits

      The Refundable Parking Deposits feature allows administrators to associate mandatory deposit fees—such as those for access cards or physical hang tags—with specific parking lots. Its primary purpose is to ensure that required deposits are automatically included in the total cost during the permit purchasing process and to track assigned inventory numbers. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      Before a deposit can be charged during a permit sale, administrators must apply the pre-configured deposit types to the appropriate parking lots.

      Admin Side:

      1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Lot Administration, and click Pricing and Lot Admin.

      2. Click the specific lot name you wish to apply the deposit to.

      3. Click the Standard Permits tab to view the available deposit types.

      4. Click the deposit you wish to apply from the Deposits list. Hold the Ctrl or Shift key to select multiple deposit types simultaneously.

      5. Save your lot configuration changes.

      Once a deposit type is successfully associated with a lot, it will automatically be included in the purchase of a permit in that lot for administrative transactions only.

      User Side: End-users do not interact with the setup or configuration of refundable deposits.

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can use the following instructions to process a permit sale that includes a mandatory deposit and accurately record the assigned physical inventory.

      Processing a Permit with a Deposit

      1. Navigate to a user's profile and click the Parking tab.

      2. Click the Standard Parking Permit link to begin the permit purchasing process.

      3. Select the lot you wish to register the client to (ensure it is a lot configured with a deposit).

      4. Click the Register Permit button.

      5. Review the Confirm Parking Permit Registration window. Verify that the required deposits are included and listed correctly in the Total Owing costs.

      6. Click the Purchase this Permit button to begin the payment process.

      Editing Assignable Text (Access Cards and Hang Tags)

      During the payment process, administrators can record specific identifiers for the physical items being handed out (such as an access card number or a hang tag number).

      1. Click the specific Deposit Item name (e.g., Access Card Deposit) on the payments screen.

      2. Enter the physical item's number in the Assigned Text field within the Deposit Information pop-up window.

      3. Click the Update Deposit button.

      4. Verify that the assigned number now appears on the Payments screen under the Deposits section.

      5. Proceed with completing the purchase and processing the payment in the usual manner.

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Access Cards - Search

      The Access Cards Search tool allows administrators to locate and review access card assignments within specific parking lots. Its primary purpose is to help efficiently query access card data based on lot assignment or specific card number ranges. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      There is no specific configuration required to access this search tool, provided your administrative user role has the appropriate parking and permit management permissions enabled.

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can use this tool to filter and review access card assignments based on specific search criteria.

      1. Hover over Parking Management and click Permit Management then Access Cards followed by Search.

      2. Click the Lot Name drop-down menu and choose the lot you want to search.

      3. Enter the numerical parameters in the Access Card Range fields to narrow down the search to specific cards.

      4. Click the Retrieve button to generate the report.

      Key Information Displayed

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Lot Visibility: Only lots that currently have access cards associated with them will be listed in the Lot Name drop-down menu. If you do not see a specific lot, verify its setup within your lot configuration settings.

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Hang Tag Printing

      The Hang Tag Printing feature allows administrators to batch search, email, and physically print parking permit hang tags. Its primary purpose is to streamline the distribution of physical permits by generating appropriately formatted print files that fit standard windowed envelopes and perforated hang tag paper. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for permit fulfillment and physical tag distribution.

      Setup and Configuration

      This feature relies on existing permit data and user profile configurations. However, specific physical printer settings must be configured locally to ensure the hang tags print correctly.

      Admin Side: Administrators must configure their local web browser print settings to match the required margins before printing. Do not select the "Shrink to Fit" setting; instead, always use "100%" scale.

      Recommended Printer Margins:

      Margin Inches Millimeters
      Left 0.88 22.35
      Right 0.254 6.45
      Top 0.96 24.38
      Bottom 0.169 4.29

      User Side: End-users must have the correct mailing address properly filled out on their profile if the permits are being physically mailed to them.

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can use the following instructions to retrieve, email, and print physical hang tags.

      Retrieving Permits for Printing

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

      2. Select the specific time period from the Semester drop-down menu on the Vehicle Hang Tag Printing screen.

      3. Select the files that you want to retrieve for printing.

      4. Enable the checkbox if you only want to print tags for which the payment has been fully processed.

      5. Select the lot from the Permit Lot Name drop-down menu, or enable the corresponding checkbox to disregard the lot type.

      6. Select the distribution method and the permitted range.

      7. Click the Retrieve button to submit the search criteria.

      Visual Cues & Status Indicators The search results will display below the criteria fields. Any permits that were paid via Payroll Deduction will be visually highlighted in the results list.

      Available Actions and Buttons

      Once your list is generated, you can interact with the results using the following options:

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Temporary Permit Printing

      The Temporary Permit Printing feature allows administrators to search, retrieve, and batch-print temporary parking permits. Its primary purpose is to help efficiently generate physical hang tags or dash passes for users needing short-term parking access. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      There is no specific configuration required to use this feature, provided your administrative user role has the appropriate permit management permissions enabled.

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can use this tool to print multiple temporary permits at once through a system search, or print individual permits directly from a user's account.

      1. Hover over Parking Management and click Permits then Temp Permit Printing.

      2. Click the Retrieve drop-down menu and choose the permit types you want to display.

      3. Click the Permit Lot drop-down menu and choose the specific lot you are printing for.

      4. Enter the Start Date and the Up to and Including date to define your search range.

      5. Click the Retrieve button to generate the list of permits below the search criteria.

      6. Enable the checkbox for each permit you wish to print from the generated list.

      7. Click the print selected hang tags button to generate the physical permits.

      image.png

      Printing from User History

      If you only need to print a single permit, it is often faster to do so directly from the user's profile.

      1. Navigate to the specific user's profile and access their history.

      2. Locate the Temp Permit section within their records.

      3. Click the printer icon located under the Permit # column to print that specific permit.

      Kzximage.png

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Releasing a Permit

      The permit release feature allows administrators to remove an active permit assignment from a user profile and return it to the available system inventory. Its primary purpose is to help effectively manage permit cancellations, user account closures, or lot reassignments. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

      Setup and Configuration

      There is no specific configuration required to release a permit. This function is a standard administrative tool available to users with the appropriate permit management permissions enabled on their account.

      Using this Feature

      If you already know the specific permit number, you can bypass the initial steps by using the Permit Search tool to locate the permit directly. If you do not know the permit number, follow the steps below starting from the user's profile.

      1. Navigate to the user profile for whom you wish to release a permit. Click the specific permit number located on the user dashboard. 

        image.png


      2. Click the permit number again from within the permit detail screen. This will direct you to the permit search screen where the release action can be performed.
      3. Enter a descriptive note in the comment field to track the reason the permit is being released.
      4. Click the Release This Permit button.
      5. Click OK in the pop-up window to confirm the release of the permit.

      A confirmation message will appear on the screen to verify the action was successful. Now, when you search for this permit, it will appear as available in the system.

      Best Practices and Considerations

      Permit Management - ParkAdmin

      Clearing Items Awaiting Payment - Midnight List

      The Midnight List and its associated system tasks allow administrators to view and automatically clear unpaid permits and lockers sitting in user shopping carts. Its primary purpose is to free up unpaid inventory by returning items to the system after a specified timeframe. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for inventory management and system configuration.

      Setup and Configuration

      To automate the clearing process, you must configure the timeframe for both permits and lockers within your system settings.

      Setting Up to Automatically Clear Permits

      1. Hover over System Configuration, click System Setting, and then click Permits.

      2. Click to enable the Clear Unpaid Permits toggle.

      3. Click Payments.

      4. Enter the desired number of hours into the Clear Payments After X Hours field using numbers only.

      5. Toggle on the Clear - No Payment scheduled task. Instructions for this can be found on the Scheduled Tasks wiki page.

      Automated_Permit_Expiration_System_Workflow.png

      Setting Up to Automatically Clear Lockers

      1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

      2. Click Lockers.

      3. Click to enable the Clear Unpaid Lockers at Midnight toggle.

      4. Enter the desired number of hours into the Clear Payments After X Hours field using numbers only.

      5. Toggle on the Clear - No Payment scheduled task.

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

      Using this Feature

      Administrators can manually review the Midnight List for both permits and lockers to see which items are pending removal.

      Viewing Permits without Payments

      1. Hover over Parking Management, click Reports, and then click Midnight List.

      2. Review the report displaying all users with permits in their cart that do not have an associated payment.

      Viewing Lockers without Payments

      1. Hover over Locker Management and click Midnight List.

      2. Review the report displaying all users with lockers in their cart that do not have an associated payment.

      Available Actions

      From either Midnight List report, you can perform the following actions:

      Best Practices and Considerations

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Permit Waitlist Feature Overview

        The Permit Waitlist feature allows OPS-COM administrators to efficiently manage users waiting to purchase a permit in a specific lot or lot category. Its primary purpose is to save administrative time and ensure a fair, organized allocation process when parking inventory is limited.

        Setup and Configuration

        Configuration steps vary depending on which waitlist management method your organization chooses to utilize. Detailed setup instructions for each method can be found on their respective wiki pages:

        Using this Feature

        The OPS-COM Waitlist can be leveraged in two distinct ways depending on your organization's workflow needs.

        Basic Waitlist Report

        When a user joins a waitlist, administrators can utilize this report to manually track and communicate with waiting users.

        Managed Waitlist Functionality

        If enabled, this advanced functionality streamlines and automates parts of the permit assignment process for waitlisted users.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Rollover: Auto Selection and Automatically Processing Payments

        This article outlines how to automatically process payments for recurring permits (rollovers) using user credit cards stored on file. Its primary purpose is to help administrators streamline the permit renewal process by batch-processing payments for the upcoming term. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

        Setup and Configuration

        Before utilizing this feature, ensure the following system and user requirements are met:

        Using this Feature

        The Rollover Payment Processing tool allows you to select and process recurring permit payments in batches.

        Processing Rollover Payments

        1. Hover over Permits and click Process Payments for Rollovers.

        2. Review the generated list on the rollover page.

        3. Enable the checkbox for the payment types you wish to process.

          • Note: If an invoice or permit displays None Set, the user must manually log in and process the payment to secure the permit for the next sales window.

        4. Click the Process Payments for Rollovers button to initiate the batch transactions.

        Visual Cues and Status Indicators

        Resolving a Locked Permit

        If a permit is locked (displaying the lock pad icon), it 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 rollover screen.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Do not attempt to re-process a locked permit through the rollover screen. A locked permit indicates an incomplete transaction. The lock must be cleared via manual intervention through the user's cart to avoid processing errors.

        Automatically Processing Invoices by a Company Manager: Invoices will only be picked up by the automated rollover processing if a user with a valid subscription is designated as the Billing Recipient on the company record. If this is missing, the rollover processing will skip the invoice.

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Preventing Permit Rollover after Cancellation

        This article outlines how to stop an active permit from automatically renewing during the rollover process. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators and end users to cancel future recurrences of a permit while maintaining the current active status until expiration. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

        Setup and Configuration

        There is no specific configuration required to use this feature. The ability to prevent permit rollovers is a standard function available to both administrators and end users within their respective portals.

        Using this Feature

        The process for preventing a permit from rolling over can be completed by an administrator on behalf of a user, or by the end user directly through their portal.

        Administrator Side

        1. Navigate to the specific user's Profile page.

        2. Click the permit button associated with the active permit to reveal the Parking Permit Information window.

        1OPimage.png

        3. Click the Rollover State drop-down menu and choose Prevent Rollover.

        4. Enter a comment to explain why the state is being changed. This field is mandatory.

        5. Click the Update Permit button to apply the changes.

        6. Review the confirmation message that appears, verifying the flag has been changed.

        User Side

        1. Locate the active permit on the User Dashboard.

        2. Click the permit button to open the permit details.

        5suimage.png

        3. Click the drop-down menu in the Permit Information window and choose Not Renewing.

        Feature Results

        When administrators process permit rollovers for the upcoming season or month, permits that have had their state altered will be excluded from the main processing queue. Instead, these permits will appear in a separate list titled Permits that will not be rolled over.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Enabling Permit Rollovers without Previous Payment

        This article outlines how to configure the system to allow permit rollovers without requiring a previous payment or a payment method on file. Its primary purpose is to provide administrators with the flexibility to process permit renewals for users who are billed through alternative methods, such as payroll deduction or student accounts. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and permit management.

        Setup and Configuration

        Follow these steps to adjust your system settings and allow rollovers without payment.

        1. Hover over the System Config menu and click System Settings.
        2. Click Permits within the system settings menu. 
        3. Disable the Require Payment for Rollovers checkbox.
        4. Click the Save Settings button to apply your changes.

        The Require Payment for Rollovers setting is enabled by default to ensure automated payment collection during the renewal process.

        Using this Feature

        Once the configuration is updated, the requirement for a previous payment is removed from the rollover logic.

        1. Proceed with the standard rollover process to allocate permits for the next period.

        2. Verify that user permits successfully roll over regardless of their immediate payment status.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Feature Overview - Rollover/Renew Permits

        The permit rollover and renewal feature allows administrators to transition active permits from an expiring sales window to a new one. Its primary purpose is to maintain continuous parking access for patrons while seamlessly automating the billing process for the extended validity period. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators managing recurring permit billing.

        Setup and Configuration

        Before executing a permit rollover, you must configure a new sales window and ensure your system is properly set up to handle automatic payments and notifications.

        1. Configure a new sales window with a start date equal to or greater than the end date of the previous sales window. Detailed instructions can be found on the Permit Sales Window Management page.

        2. Navigate to System Settings then Permits and toggle the Show Permit Renewal Status to Users setting to control visibility on the user portal.

        3. Review your payment gateway settings. To process automatic credit card renewals, your gateway must allow the direct charging of client cards (this will not work with hosted-only payments). Users must also have a valid card saved as their Prime Credit Card.

        4. Navigate to the Email Templates page to customize the Payment Success and Payment Failure templates to ensure accurate communication is sent to users upon renewal.

        Using this Feature

        The rollover utility allows you to move users in bulk, manage individual exceptions, and process payments simultaneously.

        Initiating a Rollover and Selecting Options

        1. Hover over Permits and click Sales Window.

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

        3. Select the current expiring sales window in the From Sales Window drop-down menu.

        4. Select the target sales window you are rolling permits into.

        5. Select the specific user types you wish to process, or leave it as the default All User Types.

        6. Click the Show Lots button to generate a list of eligible lots below the search form.

        Managing Individual Permits

        You can include or exclude specific permits from the rollover batch before processing.

        1. Click the Holders or Renewing button next to a specific lot to view a list of its associated permits.

        PLRimage.png

        2. Toggle the renewable status for any individual permits (e.g., if a specific permit holder is not returning).

        3. Click the Update Permits button 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.

        Processing the Rollover

        1. Verify the Process Payment option is toggled on for users with automatic payment subscriptions (e.g., Payroll Deduction, Prime Credit Card).

        2. Uncheck the checkbox under Rollover for any user you wish to exclude entirely.

        3. Click the Rollover Permits button to finalize the process.

        Exporting Rollover Data

        1. Click the Export Users button on the Permit Rollover page to download an Excel spreadsheet of all users associated with the selected lot for external reconciliation.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Sales Window Dates: Ensure your new sales window is configured accurately. A rollover cannot be performed unless the new sales window has a start date that is equal to or greater than the end date of the previous sales window.

        Task Processing Delays: The rollover action is executed by a background system task. Emails are not sent the instant you click the button; there is a brief delay between clicking Rollover Permits and the dispatch of user notifications.

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

        Single Allocate

        The Single Allocate tool allows administrators to add individual permits to a specific parking lot, rather than generating an entire block or range of numbers. Its primary purpose is to help efficiently manage one-off permit additions and make quick inventory adjustments. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

        Setup and Configuration

        There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use the Single Allocate feature. It is a standard administrative tool available to users with the appropriate lot and permit management permissions.

        Using this Feature

        Follow these steps to allocate a single permit number to an existing lot.

        1. Hover over Parking Management and click Lot Administration then Allocate.

        2. Locate the lot you wish to add a permit to on the Permit Number Allocation page.

        3. Click the Add Permits To Lot button.

        4. Enter the desired permit number into the appropriate field on the Add Permits screen.

        5. Click the Add Permits button to finalize the allocation.

        A pop-up message will appear on the screen confirming that your changes were successfully made.

        Best Practices and Considerations

        Permit Management - ParkAdmin

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

        This article outlines the critical factors that determine a lot's visibility and availability to end-users when they are purchasing permits in OPS-COM. Its primary purpose is to help administrators understand and configure these settings correctly to ensure that parking lots are accessible to the intended user groups. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

        Setup and Configuration

        Configuring lot visibility requires adjusting system-wide settings as well as lot-specific user type permissions.

        Admin Side:

        System-Wide Visibility Setting

        1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

        2. Click the Permits tab.

        3. Locate the Show Only Visible lots setting.

        Enable the Show Only Visible lots 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, hover over Lot Administration, and click Pricing and Lot Admin.

        2. Click Add New Lot (or click an existing Lot Name to edit).

        3. Enable the Visible radio button in the Visibility to User setting on the General tab.

        4. Select the appropriate User Types that are allowed to see and purchase permits for this lot in the Lot Access section. Hold the Ctrl key to select multiple user types.

        5. Click the Update Lot button.

        6. Disable the This lot is for temporary parking only checkbox on the Temporary Permits tab.

        Allocate Permits to the Lot

        1. Follow the steps in the Adding Permits to a Lot (Allocation) article to add and verify your permits.

        Set Up a Permit Sales Window

        1. Follow the steps in the Permit Sales Window Management article to setup your Sales Window.

        User Side: End-users do not configure these settings. They simply log in and view the lots that their specific User Type has been granted access to during active sales windows.

        Using this Feature

        Administrators should interact with the system using the impersonation tool to test and verify that the lot is properly visible to the correct user types.

        Testing Lot Visibility

        1. Hover over User Management and click User Registration to create a new test user, or click User Search to find an existing one.

        2. Verify that the test user's User Type (e.g., Full Time Staff) matches one of the user types you allowed to access the newly configured lot.

        3. Click the Login as User button for your test user.

        4. Navigate to Permits on the User-Side Dashboard.

        5. Verify 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 remain safely hidden on the user side.

        Best Practices and Considerations

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Permit Sales Window Management

          Permit Sales Windows define the specific timeframes during which parking permits can be purchased and when they are valid. Its primary purpose is to help administrators create, configure, and activate sales windows so permits align accurately with organizational academic terms or operational periods. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Administrators use the Manage Permit Sales Window page to create, configure, and define the dates for sales windows.

          Admin Side:

          1. Hover over Parking Management and click Sales Windows.

          2. Click the +Add Sale Window button.

          3. Enter a descriptive name for your sales window in the Name field.

          4. Choose your allocation timeframe from the Allocation Type drop-down menu:

            • Monthly: Used for permits valid on a month-to-month basis.

            • Yearly: Used for full-year or annual permit cycles.

            • Semester: Tailored for academic terms (e.g., Fall, Winter, Spring/Summer).

            • Other / Alternate A / Alternate B: Options for unique or non-standard timeframes that do not fit standard categories.

          5. Enter your Sale Start Date, Permit Start Date, and End Date.

          6. Choose a color for your sales window.

          7. Click the Save Changes button. The newly created sales window will now appear in the list on the Manage Permit Sales Window page.

          Defining Key Dates

          When creating a new sales window, you must accurately define the following key dates to dictate availability:

          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. However, these permits will strictly be valid for parking from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

          User Side: End-users do not configure sales windows. They simply purchase permits during the active windows configured by administrators.

          Using this Feature

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

          Activating the Sales Window

          1. Locate the sales window you wish to activate on the Manage Permit Sales Window screen.

          2. Click the drop-down menu in the Active column for that specific sales window.

          3. Choose Active.

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

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Adding Permits to a Lot (Allocation)

          This article outlines the process for adding permits to specific parking lots. Its primary purpose is to enable the efficient management of your permit inventory by allowing permits to be added individually, sequentially, or with custom prefixes and postfixes so lots always have available inventory for sale. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          This process is a standard administrative function and does not require any specialized system configuration.

          Admin Side: Administrators simply need to ensure that the target parking lot has already been created and configured within the system before attempting to allocate permits to it.

          User Side: End-users do not interact with the permit allocation process. They will only see the resulting permits available for purchase on the user portal once the allocation is complete and a sales window is active.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can use the following instructions to generate new permit inventory and verify that it has been correctly added to the system.

          Adding Permits

          1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Lot Administration, and click Allocate.

          2. Locate the specific lot to which you want to add permits on the Permit Number Allocation page and click the Add Permits to Lot button.

          3. Enter the desired permit numbers into the provided fields using one of the following methods:

            • 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 the word "to" (e.g., 1 to 20 or 50 to 200). The system will automatically generate all numbers within that range.

            • Prefix: Enter text in the Prefix field. This text will be added before each generated permit number (e.g., entering "Staff" generates Staff01, Staff02).

            • Postfix: Enter text in the Postfix field. This text will be added after each generated permit number (e.g., entering "-East" generates 01-East, 02-East).

          4. Click the Add Permits button.

          5. Click the Add Permits button again on the confirmation pop-up to confirm and finalize the process. Wait for the success message to 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 and confirm their accurate generation.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Choose the most efficient entry method: For small, specific additions, individual entry is efficient. However, for larger inventories, utilizing ranges combined with prefixes or postfixes will save significant administrative time.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Setup Lots to Use Text2ParkMe

          The Text2ParkMe feature allows users to pay for temporary parking, receive expiration reminders, and extend their parking time via SMS text messaging. Its primary purpose is to provide a convenient, mobile-friendly payment option for temporary parkers while increasing overall compliance. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking lots and temporary permit configurations.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before you can configure individual lots to use Text2ParkMe, there are two mandatory system prerequisites that must be established with the assistance of the OperationsCommander team.

          Using this Feature

          Once the system prerequisites are met, administrators must manually enable and configure the Text2ParkMe settings for each applicable lot.

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

          2. Click the specific Lot Name to open its settings.

          3. Click the Temporary Permits tab.

          4. Fill out all required fields located within the red box area.

          5. Enter a clear display name in the Text Code field. This is the specific code that users will see and use when choosing this lot to park in.

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

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Text Messaging Fees: Be aware that standard text messaging fees do apply to the end user based on their individual cellular phone plans. It is best practice to display a brief disclaimer regarding standard messaging rates on your physical lot signage.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Permit Allocations

          The Permit Allocations module allows administrators to generate, assign, and manage permit numbers within specific parking lots. Its primary purpose is to help effectively control lot inventory, whether you are adding new permit blocks, issuing single permits, or archiving old records. This article serves as a directory for OPS-COM administrators to navigate the various allocation tools.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific global configuration required to access the allocation tools. These features are standard administrative functions available to users with the appropriate lot management and permit allocation permissions enabled on their account profile.

          Using this Feature

          The allocation menu provides several distinct utilities depending on your current inventory needs. Because each tool serves a specific function, please navigate to the following wiki articles for detailed, step-by-step instructions:

          To access the general allocation dashboard within the system:

          1. Hover over Parking Management and click Lot Administration then Allocate.

          2. Locate the specific lot you wish to manage to begin using the allocation tools.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Inventory Audits: Regularly review your lot allocations before the start of a new sales window or academic semester. Archiving unused permits and accurately generating new ranges ensures that your users have a smooth purchasing experience and prevents accidental over-selling.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Planning Lot Groups and Lot Zones

          This article explains how to configure Lot Groups and Lot Zones to organize parking inventory within your system. Its primary purpose is to help administrators streamline enforcement operations and apply shared validation parameters across multiple locations. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before applying zones to specific lots, you must first create the Lot Zone within your system settings.

          Creating a Lot Zone

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

          2. Click the Add Lot Zone button.

          3. Enter a descriptive long name and short name into the respective fields to define the zone.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can assign lots to specific groups and zones directly from the lot administration settings.

          Applying a Lot Group to a Lot

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

          2. Click the specific Lot Name to open the lot settings.

          3. Click the General tab.

          4. Click the lot group drop-down menu and choose the group you wish to apply to your lot.

          Applying a Lot Zone to a Lot

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

          2. Click the specific Lot Name to open the lot settings.

          3. Click the Zone & Location tab.

          4. Click the zone drop-down menu and choose the zone you wish to apply to the lot.

          5. Set the valid dates by configuring the Days or Range with Sales Window parameters.

          6. Set the valid times by entering the Start Time and End Time.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Lot Groups vs. Lot Zones: A Lot Group allows you to group similar lots together to be seen as a single entity (enabling enforcement across multiple lots). A Lot Zone is a grouping mechanism allowing specific validation parameters (times and dates) to be applied to one or more lots.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Setting Up for Event Parking

          The Event Parking feature allows administrators to configure exclusive parking lots that can only be booked by users who have been given a direct link or QR code. Its primary purpose is to help ensure that only authorized event attendees can reserve and purchase parking for specific occasions by utilizing visibility restrictions and passwords. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Setting up a lot for exclusive event parking involves two main configurations: hiding the lot from the general public and applying an access password.

          Because the configuration steps for these features are extensive, please refer to their dedicated wiki articles for full step-by-step instructions:

          1. Configure the lot to be hidden from standard public view. Instructions can be found on the Lot Visibility Options page.

          2. Secure the lot to ensure only authorized users can book space. Instructions can be found on the Lot Passwords page.

          Using this Feature

          Once your event lot is properly hidden and secured with a password, administrators distribute access to the lot outside of the standard OPS-COM user portal.

          1. Generate the direct URL link or QR code for your specific event lot.

          2. Distribute the direct link via email to your event attendees, or display the QR code on physical event signage or ticketing materials.

          3. Ensure the attendees are also provided with the configured lot password.

          4. When a user clicks the link or scans the QR code, they will be directed to the hidden lot and prompted to enter the password to complete their parking reservation.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          QR Code Generation: Using a free online QR code generator to turn your direct lot link into a scannable image is highly recommended for on-site event parking, allowing users to scan and pay directly from their mobile devices as they arrive.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Pricing and Lot Admin

          The Pricing and Lot Admin page is a central management tool for administrators to create new parking lots, define their characteristics, and configure pricing and permit settings. Its primary purpose is to allow comprehensive control over lot visibility, access, permit types, and advanced features, helping efficiently manage parking inventory. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Creating and configuring parking lots is divided into several detailed tabs within the lot editor.

          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).

          Accessing the Lot Editor

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

          2. Click the Add Lot button to create a new configuration, or click an existing Lot Name link to modify it.

          General Tab

          1. Enable the This lot is archived checkbox to safely archive the lot, making it unavailable for new sales while retaining historical data.

          2. Select an option from the Visibility to Users drop-down menu (e.g., Visible, Not Visible, or Hidden but Accessible).

          3. Enter the full, descriptive name for the lot in the Lot Name field.

          4. Enter an abbreviated name in the Lot Short Name field.

          5. Group similar lots together using the Lot Group feature to display them as a single entity.

          6. Choose Common Lot to allow any user type to park, or choose User Type Lot to restrict access (hold the Ctrl key to select multiple allowed user types).

          7. Enter a Lot Password to prevent users from booking a permit unless they have the required code.

          8. Fill out the Special Parking Spaces section if your lot has dedicated spots like EV charging or ADA spaces.

          9. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          Zone & Location Tab

          1. Enter a description of the lot's physical location in the Location Description field.

          2. Upload an Image to be displayed next to the lot name.

          3. Configure a Zone for this lot by selecting a zone and specifying days or a range within the sales window.

          4. Move or click Create a Map Marker in the Map Detail section to pinpoint the location and automatically populate GPS coordinates.

          5. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          Standard Permits Section

          1. Enter the base cost in the Default Cost field.

          2. Choose Enabled, Use Default Setting, or Disabled for Prorated Sales.

          3. Enable the This lot can be used for a second permit checkbox to allow users to purchase multiple permits for this lot.

          4. Enable the Allow the use of Waitlist with this lot checkbox if you want the waitlist to be active.

          5. Enable the Only Allow Waitlist after lot is full checkbox if you want a waitlist to activate only when permits are completely sold out.

          6. Group multiple lots onto the same waitlist by entering a text value in the Waitlist Lot Category field.

          7. Choose the applicable timeframe from the Lot Sales Window drop-down menu.

          8. Enable the Hang Tag Settings if printing physical tags is required.

          9. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          If a user joins a waitlist that is part of a Waitlist Lot Category, they will automatically be added to all individual lot waitlists associated with that specific group and assigned the identical ranking. This ensures that if a permit becomes available in any one of those grouped lots, the user is eligible to purchase it.

          Temporary Parking Tab

          1. Enable the This lot is for temporary parking only checkbox if the lot is strictly exclusive to temporary parking.

          2. Set the maximum number of daily temporary permits in the Max Permits per Day field.

          3. Enable Allow temp permits up to 30 days or Allow temp permits to be used over 30 days under the Permit Duration settings. Disable these settings entirely if you do not wish to charge a daily fee.

          4. Enable Allow all vehicles on profile to receive the permit to automatically apply the temporary permit to all vehicles on a user’s profile.

          5. Enter the maximum fee for parking beyond 6 hours in the Daily Cost field.

          6. Enter the hourly fee for parking in the Hourly Costs fields. If the lot has a flat rate, simply leave these fields blank.

          7. Enter the monthly cost for parking permits that extend beyond 30 days in the Over 30 Days Monthly Cost field.

          8. Enable the Allow this lot to appear on the Real-Time Parking Map checkbox to display the lot on the public map.

          9. View, link to, download, print, or add a Logo Image to the QR Code directly from this section.

          10. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          Flex Permits Tab

          1. Enable the Enable Flex Permits checkbox.

          2. Click the Add New button to create a new time slot with a specified price and color code.

          3. Click the Edit button to modify existing time slots, pricing, or colors individually. Alternatively, use the Time Slot Chart and the Select button to click and drag time slot information to apply to multiple times and dates simultaneously.

          4. Click the Clear button to quickly remove all pricing configurations, click Fill to populate the chart with uniform pricing, or click Reload to revert to previously saved settings.

          5. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          Lot LPR Settings & Additional Settings Tabs

          1. Set a grace period in the Free Parking Time field during which patrons can register their license plate with a pay-by-plate meter without incurring a charge.

          2. Enter the applicable integration data into the Banner Detail Code field (used strictly for the Banner system).

          3. Click the Update Lot button to save changes.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators use the main dashboard of the Pricing and Lot Admin page to view a high-level summary of all lot data and access specific administrative functions.

          Key Information Displayed

          Available Actions & Buttons

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Lot Visibility Options

          The Lot Visibility Options feature provides administrators with enhanced control over parking lot visibility and accessibility. Its primary purpose is to allow you to define exactly how and when users can view and book permits for specific lots, ensuring that spaces can be precisely tailored for various scenarios, including event parking and restricted access. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Lot visibility can be configured individually within the Lot Edit Page or adjusted in bulk on the View All Lots Page by selecting one of three distinct access options.

          Admin Side:

          Configuring Visibility on the Pricing & Lot Admin Page

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

          2. Click the specific Lot Name you wish to configure.

          3. Select the desired option via the radio buttons under the Visibility to Users setting on the General tab.

          4. Click the Update Lot button to save your changes.

          Configuring Visibility on the View All Lots Page (Bulk Action)

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

          2. Locate the Visibility column for each lot on this main overview page.

          3. Click the current visibility icon next to the desired lot (or lots) to immediately change the status using the radio buttons that appear. This allows you to quickly change the visibility status of multiple lots at once without entering the full edit page.

          Using this Feature

          The three lot visibility options provide granular control over user access. Depending on the setting chosen, the lot will behave differently for end-users interacting with the system.

          Visibility Options Explained

          Visual Cues & Status Indicators On the administrative dashboard, each visibility state is represented by a unique icon in the Visibility column. A standard icon indicates a Visible lot, a slashed icon indicates a Not Visible lot, and an alternative icon indicates a Hidden But Accessible status.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Using Permit Proration

          The permit proration feature allows administrators to sell a parking permit that is valid for a shortened portion of an active sales window, automatically adjusting the overall cost accordingly. Its primary purpose is to accommodate users who need to begin parking partway through a standard term, such as a student arriving mid-semester or a new employee starting mid-month. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for permit sales and lot configuration.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before an administrator can prorate a permit during checkout, the specific lot must be configured to allow proration.

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

          2. Click the specific Lot Name to open the lot settings.

          3. Click the Standard Permits tab.

          4. Enable the Proration checkbox to allow price adjustments for this lot.

          5. Click the Update Lot button to save your changes.

          Using this Feature

          Once the lot is configured, administrators can prorate a permit directly from a user's profile during the assignment process.

          1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

          2. Locate the desired user and click their username to open their profile.

          3. Click the Parking tab to begin purchasing a permit.

          4. Click the Standard Parking Permit button for the configured lot. The full price of the permit will be displayed initially.

          5. Select the desired permit number and choose the adjusted start date for the permit.

          6. Verify that the system automatically adjusts the price. A prorated label will appear next to the new cost.

          7. Click the Purchase this Permit button to finalize the transaction.

          Visual Cues and Status Indicators

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Admin Permissions: In addition to configuring the lot, ensure that the administrative user attempting this process has the necessary Proration permission enabled on their specific administrative role profile. If they do not, they will be unable to execute the proration.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Archiving and Restoring Permits

          The Archiving and Restoring Permits feature allows administrators to remove permits from a given lot's active inventory without permanently deleting them from the system. Its primary purpose is to help efficiently manage lot allocation by safely archiving unused or seasonal permits and easily restoring them when they are needed again. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this feature. Archiving and restoring permits is a standard administrative tool available to users with the appropriate lot and permit management permissions.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can use the allocation tool to seamlessly archive existing permits or restore previously archived ones.

          Archiving Permits

          1. Hover over Parking Management and click Lot Administration then Allocate.

          2. Locate the specific lot you wish to manage.

          3. Click the Archive Permits drop-down menu and choose Selected Permits to remove a specific portion, or choose All Permits to remove the entire lot's inventory.

          4. Select the specific permits you wish to archive if you chose the selected option.

          5. Click the Remove button to initiate the archiving process.

          6. Click the Remove button again on the confirmation screen to complete the action.

          Restoring Permits

          1. Hover over Parking Management and click Lot Administration then Allocate.

          2. Locate the specific lot and click the Add Permits To Lot button.

          3. Enter individual permit numbers directly into the Permits text box, or generate a range by entering the prefix, postfix, and the starting and ending sequence numbers (e.g., 01 to 10).

          4. Click the Add Permits button to begin the restoration process.

          5. Click the Add Permits button on the confirmation popup to finalize the restoration.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Restoration Messaging: When restoring a previously archived permit, the confirmation popup will explicitly indicate that the permits are "restored" rather than "created." This verifies that the system has successfully pulled the existing permit data from the archive.

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Flex Permits

          Flex permits allow administrators to specify variable prices for a parking lot, with the possibility of assigning a different price for every hour of the week. Its primary purpose is to provide advanced customization of permit prices, making it highly useful for dynamic pricing scenarios such as making permits more expensive during peak hours. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Flex permits are counted as a type of temporary permit, functioning similarly to standard hourly permits. Administrators manage these settings directly within the lot editor by defining time slots and applying them to a weekly grid.

          Admin Side:

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

          2. Click on the lot you wish to edit and select the Flex Permits Tab.

          3. Enable the Enable flex permits checkbox to allow the use of flex permits for this lot. If disabled, users will not have the option to select flex permits, even if the grid is filled out.

          4. Click the Add New button to create a new price category.

          5. Fill in the Name (a user-friendly identifier) and Price fields, pick a Colour to represent this price, and click the Save Changes button.

          6. Click one of the selectable colours in the Options section to make it your active color (indicated by a blue outline).

          7. Click and drag your mouse across the appropriate cells in the Hourly Cell Grid to assign that specific hourly price to times in the week.

          8. Click the Update Lot button to save the cell price layouts to the database.

          Time Slot Limitations: Once a time slot price category has been created by an administrator, there is currently no way to delete it. Additionally, any sections left blank (using the default option) on the hourly cell grid will automatically be set to free.

          User Side: End-users do not interact with the setup or configuration of flex permits. They will simply see the available flex permit options and price ranges when booking from the portal, real-time map, or guest checkout.

          Using this Feature

          Once configured by an administrator, users can purchase flex permits through standard booking channels. The final price is dynamically calculated using the prices associated with each specific hour selected within the booking.

          User-Side Portal Bookings

          1. Navigate to the permits page. Lots with flex permits enabled will display a preview of the flex permit price range.

          2. Select the Flex option to view the input requirements to book a permit.

          3. Enter the Date, Start Time, and Duration (up to a 12-hour limit). If a booking exceeds the bounds of the current day, the user will be required to pick a shorter duration.

          4. Select a Vehicle stored on the account, or enter a new plate as a guest vehicle.

          5. Review the calculated cost. Selecting a different day will automatically cause the flex prices box to reload with the new day's prices.

          6. Click to reserve the permit, which adds it to the user's cart for checkout.

          Real-Time Map & QR Code / Guest Checkout

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Permit Management - ParkAdmin

          Lot Passwords

          The Lot Passwords feature allows administrators to restrict access to specific parking lots by requiring a password during the permit booking process. Its primary purpose is to help control lot reservations for specific groups or events, ensuring only authorized users can secure a permit. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Administrators must configure the password settings directly within the specific lot's profile to enforce the restriction.

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

          2. Click the specific lot name to open the lot editing page.

          3. Enter the required password string into the Password field.

          4. Enable the Use Lot Password checkbox to enforce the restriction.

          5. Save your changes to apply the password protection to the lot.

          Feature Dependency: The Use Lot Password setting cannot be enabled if the Password field is left blank. You must set a password first before you can enforce it.

          Using this Feature

          Once a lot is password-protected, the system handles access differently for end-users and administrators.

          User Experience

          When an end-user attempts to access a password-locked lot, they are immediately redirected to a password input screen.

          1. Enter the required password to access the permit reservation page.

          2. Proceed with the standard permit booking process.

          Once the password has been input, the user will not need to enter it again for that single lot until their session data is cleared. If they attempt to access a different password-protected lot, they will be prompted for that specific lot's password.

          Administrative Access

          Administrators are not restricted by lot passwords on the administrative side of the system. You will not be prompted to enter the password when booking or allocating a permit on behalf of a user.

          Visual Cues and Status Indicators

          3Llimage.png

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.


          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Violations From Static Cameras / Mailout Violations

          The Violations From Static Cameras feature allows administrators to generate parking infractions based on chalk records captured by static License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras. Its primary purpose is to automate the identification of unauthorized or overtime vehicles, streamlining the workflow for issuing mail-out violations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before you can actively generate violations from static camera logs, there are system prerequisites that must be met and initial mapping that must be configured.

          Ensure that the OPS-COM support team has configured your static cameras with the necessary settings to report on the correct lot group and GPS location. Additionally, if you need to change your default ticket prefix (e.g., TT-), you must contact support@ops-com.com to have this adjusted.

          Admin Configuration

          1. Navigate to your lot configuration settings.

          2. Map your specific Lot Groups to the appropriate Offence Location to ensure incoming camera data is categorized correctly for enforcement.

          Using this Feature

          Once configured, static camera logs will populate in the system as they are captured, allowing administrators to filter the data and issue violations accordingly.

          1. Hover over Violations, hover over LPR and Chalking, and click Create Violations From Static Cameras.

          2. Click the Report Type drop-down menu to filter the logs (e.g., choose No Permit & Over Lot Time to only list vehicles that have no permits and have exceeded the lot group's free parking duration).

          3. Click the Vehicle Status drop-down menu to further segment the search results based on system registration.

          4. Click a specific log row from the generated list to display the violation entry form.

          5. Review the entry and exit camera images provided to verify the chalk record.

          6. Enter the required infraction details into the form and submit the violation.

          Key Information Displayed

          image.png

          1xuimage.png

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Spoiling a Violation

          The Spoiling a Violation feature allows administrators to void or invalidate an issued parking ticket within the system. Its primary purpose is to help correct enforcement errors or dismiss a ticket that was issued incorrectly, effectively removing its active penalty status. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can manually change the status of an active ticket to spoiled by editing the specific violation record.

          1. Search for the specific violation using the Quick Search or Violation Search tool.

          2. Click the Ticket # link from the search results to open the violation details.

          knD2025-05-26-13-24-46.png

          3. Click the Edit button located at the top right of the violation screen.

          4. Click the Spoiled drop-down menu and choose Spoiled (changing it from the default Valid - not spoiled).

          5. Click the Submit button to save the updated violation details.

          Once submitted, the ticket will be successfully updated and will display as Spoiled the next time you query it in a search.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Cancelling a Violation

          The Cancelling a Violation feature allows administrators to formally dismiss an issued parking ticket within the system using the internal appeals workflow. Its primary purpose is to help correct enforcement errors or process an approved appeal, effectively voiding the ticket and removing any associated financial penalties from the user's account. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this feature. Cancelling a violation is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate violation management and appeals permissions enabled on their account.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can manually cancel an active ticket by accessing the appeals section within the specific violation record.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

          2. Enter the specific ticket number into the Search Text field.

          3. Click the Search using only text button.

          4. Click the Ticket Number link from the search results to open the violation details.

          qhiimage.png

          5. Click on the Edit button

          6. Click on the Show Appeals Form link to reveal the administrative action fields.

          7. Click the Fine Action drop-down menu and choose Cancelled.

          8. Enter the reason for the cancellation into the Appeal Admin Comment field.

          8. Click the Update this Violation button to finalize the status change.

          Visual Cues and Status Indicators

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Appeals Form Utilization: Even if a user did not formally submit an online appeal through their user portal, administrators still utilize the Show Appeals Form section to process a backend cancellation. This ensures the administrative decision and reasoning are officially recorded in the system.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Hiding Zero Dollar Violations

          The Hiding Zero Dollar Violations setting allows administrators to automatically filter out violations that carry no financial penalty from standard views and searches. Its primary purpose is to declutter the system interface and streamline reporting by only displaying actionable, fine-bearing tickets. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration.

          Setup and Configuration

          Administrators can enable this global filter directly within the core system settings.

          1. Hover over 'System Config' and click 'System Settings'

          2.  Click 'Violations' to open the specific Violations settings menu.

          3. Enable the Hide Zero Dollar Fines checkbox to automatically hide zero-dollar violations across the system.

          4. Save your changes to apply the new configuration.

          Using this Feature

          Once this setting is enabled, no further daily interaction is required. Zero-dollar violations will automatically be excluded from standard administrative searches, ticket lists, and general reports, allowing your team to focus exclusively on violations requiring payment or active follow-up.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Data Retention: Keep in mind that while zero-dollar violations are hidden from general administrative views, they are not deleted. They remain permanently recorded in the system backend for auditing purposes and are still factored into automated repeat offender tracking logic.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Search Repeat Offenders Report

          The Search Repeat Offenders report allows administrators to identify vehicles and users that have accumulated multiple parking violations. Its primary purpose is to help enforcement teams track chronic offenders, manage warnings, and apply appropriate penalties or towing actions. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this report. Access to the Search Repeat Offenders page is a standard administrative feature available to users with the appropriate violation management and reporting permissions enabled on their profile.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can use this reporting tool to filter violation data and output specific counts based on either the vehicle or the user profile.

          MtMimage.png

          1. Hover over Violations and click Search Repeat Offenders.

          2. Enter specific dates into the Start Date and End Date fields to specify the date range in which the violations were received.

          3. Click the Ticket Category drop-down menu and choose a specific violation category to narrow the results.

          4. Enter a numerical value into the Number of Violations field to set the minimum threshold a user or vehicle must meet to appear on the report.

          5. Click the Processed Value drop-down menu and choose Unprocessed, Processed, or Warning Only to categorize violations based on their current status.

          6. Enable the Unknown Users Only checkbox to exclusively show violations assigned to vehicles without a known user tied to them.

          7. Click the Search By drop-down menu and choose Vehicle/Plate or User/Driver to determine how the output data will be grouped.

          8. Click one of the green export buttons located at the top right of the search results to export the data in your chosen format.

          Key Information Displayed

          The data grouped in the output varies depending on whether you selected Vehicle/Plate or User/Driver in your search parameters.

          Visual Cues and Status Indicators

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Restricting Payment of Violations in Court Requested Conviction (CRC) Status

          The Court Requested Conviction (CRC) payment restriction feature allows administrators to block users from paying for parking tickets that have been escalated to court or a collections agency. Its primary purpose is to ensure that escalated violations are handled through the proper legal or administrative channels, while still allowing authorized staff to override the block if necessary. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and collections management.

          Setup and Configuration

          Configuring this feature requires adjusting global system settings to restrict the users, followed by updating role permissions to grant specific administrators override capabilities.

          Configuring Global Restrictions

          1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

          2. Locate the settings pertaining to collections.

          3. Enable the Prevent Violation Payment checkbox to stop users from paying escalated fines.

          4. Enable the Prevent Purchases checkbox to stop users with escalated fines from buying new permits.

          5. Save your settings.

          Configuring Administrative Overrides

          1. Hover over System Configuration and click Manage Roles.

          2. Select the role you wish to grant override abilities to (e.g., Primary Admin).

          3. Click Permissions to access the role settings.

          4. Click the Violations tab.

          5. Enable the Pay Violations In Collections checkbox. This allows the administrator to manually process payments on violations that are in collections. (A)

          6. Enable the Purchase While Outstanding checkbox. This allows the administrator to process purchases (like permits) for a user, even if they have a violation sent to collections. (B)

          7. Save your role changes.

          nY4image.png

          The Purchase While Outstanding administrative permission is only necessary if the Prevent Purchases setting has been enabled in the global system settings.

          Using this Feature

          Once configured, the system automatically handles how CRC and collections violations are presented to different user types.

          End User Experience

          When a user views a violation with the "Sent to CRC" status in their portal, they will see a notice indicating the violation has been sent to collections. The system will remove their ability to pay the fine online. If the user attempts to bypass this by using the OPS-COM Quick Pay or Guest Payments portal, they will receive the same message disallowing the transaction.

           

          izsimage.png

          Administrator Experience

          Administrators viewing the same user profile will see the "Sent to Collections" status. However, if the administrator's role has the override permissions enabled, the payment fields and buttons will remain active, allowing them to manually collect and process the payment on behalf of the user.

          8RXimage.png

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Printing the Certificate of Parking Infraction

          The Certificate of Parking Infraction (commonly known as Form 11) feature allows administrators to generate and print official legal notices for specific parking violations. Its primary purpose is to produce a properly formatted PDF document that includes all required auto-filled information and officer signatures for legal processing. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for violation management and system configuration.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before you can generate a certificate, you must ensure the Form 11 template is created within your system settings and determine if you require digital signatures from your enforcement officers.

          Create and Edit the Form 11 Template

          1. Hover over Content & Designs and click Pages and Content Blocks.

          2. Click the Messages tab and look for the item with the System Location value of form11.

          3. If the template does not exist, click the Create Page/Message button.

          4. Select Message from the Page Type drop-down menu.

          5. Enter form11 into the Identifier field.

          6. Click the Save Messaging button.

          To edit an existing template, click the Edit button next to the form11 entry in the Messages tab to access the text editor.

          Adding a Digital Signature Requirement

          You can configure the system to require enforcement officers to capture a digital signature when issuing a ticket on their handheld devices.

          1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

          2. Click Violations to open the violation settings menu.

          3. Enable the specific setting to use signatures on tickets.

          4. Save your configuration changes.

          image.png

          Using this Feature

          Once configured, administrators can generate the document from the web portal, and officers can apply their signatures in the field.

          Handheld Signature Capture (Android)

          Print Form 11

          1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

          2. Locate the specific violation and click the Ticket Number to open the details page.

          3. Click the Action drop-down menu and choose Generate (title of form) (e.g., Generate Form 11).

          4. Open the downloaded PDF file to view, save, or print the final Certificate of Parking Infraction.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Form 11 Content Configuration: Although it is possible for administrators to edit the Form 11 template text manually, it is strongly recommended to request the initial form content configuration directly from OPS-COM support. The layout is highly specific and relies on complex shortcodes to accurately auto-fill dynamic legal information such as dates, license plate numbers, and fine amounts.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          MTO Annual Report

          The MTO Annual Report allows administrators to generate a summary of Ministry of Transportation (MTO) related violation data over a specified timeframe. Its primary purpose is to help compile the necessary yearly statistics and compliance metrics required for official external reporting. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this feature. The MTO Annual Report is a standard administrative tool available to users with the appropriate violation reporting permissions enabled on their account.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can use this reporting tool to pull required MTO data for any given date range, such as a full calendar year.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Reports then MTO Report.

          2. Enter the desired starting date into the Start Date field.

          3. Enter the desired end date into the Up To and Including field (e.g., January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, for a full year-end report).

          4. Click the Search button to generate the report.

          Key Information Displayed

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Reporting Periods: While typically used for year-end reporting, you can adjust the date range to pull data for specific quarters or months if you need to perform internal audits throughout the year.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Collections - Flag as Sent to Collections

          The Flag as Sent to Collections feature allows administrators to manually update a violation's status to bypass standard automated notification workflows, such as the Notice of Impending Charge (NIC) and Certificate of Request for Court (CRC) processes. Its primary purpose is to efficiently process violations that are being handled externally by a collections agency or to accommodate users requesting to go directly to trial. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators handling violation management and collections.

          Setup and Configuration

          To use this feature, the specific administrative role must have the correct permissions enabled by a Primary Admin.

          1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management then Manage Roles.

          2. Locate the specific role you want to edit and click the Permissions button.

          3. Click the Violations tab.

          4. Enable the Manage Collections checkbox.

          5. Click the Save Settings button to apply the changes.

          Using this Feature

          Once the correct permissions are assigned, administrators can manually apply this flag to individual tickets from the search screen.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

          2. Search for the specific violation you wish to flag.

          3. Click the specific ticket # link in the results to open the Violation Information page.

          4. Click the Action drop-down menu and choose Flag as Sent to Collections.

          5. Click the Ok button to confirm the status change.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          One-Time Process: Once a violation has successfully gone through the collections workflow, the system permanently marks it as such. A ticket cannot re-enter the collections process a second time.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Municipal Violations and Collections

          The Municipal Violations and Collections process allows Ontario-based municipal clients to manage violation offenses through the Provincial Offenses Act (POA) or the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS). Its primary purpose is to automate the retrieval of vehicle owner data from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) for unregistered vehicles, facilitating the distribution of notice letters and processing for court collections. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators managing municipal parking enforcement workflows.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before utilizing the MTO lookup and Court Requested Conviction (CRC) workflows, your municipality must be approved by the MTO as an Authorized Requester. Contact ARIS@ontario.ca to request a RAW data account.

          Once approved, administrators must configure four specific provincial codes within the system to ensure compatibility with the Ontario court system.

          1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

          2. Select the Collections component.

          3. Enter the required values into the following designated fields based on your specific municipality:

            • Case Court: A 4-digit number (e.g., 3060).

            • Case Jurisdiction: A 3-digit number (e.g., 658).

            • Agency Code: 3 alphanumeric characters followed by 3 numbers (e.g., BYL390).

            • Disbursement Code: 1 alphanumeric character followed by 3 numbers (e.g., M525).

          4. Click the Save Settings button.

          If your municipality uses an extra-detailed version of the notice letter where one notice is sent out for each individual violation rather than in bulk, you must disable the Include All Unpaid Violations setting within this same configuration menu.

          Using this Feature

          The lifecycle of a municipal violation involves several stages of exporting data, importing MTO responses, and escalating unpaid tickets.

          Exporting Data for the MTO

          When violations reach a specific age of non-payment (e.g., 15 days), administrators export the unknown vehicle data to request owner information from the MTO.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Collections then Vehicle Lookup Export.

          2. Configure your search criteria using the Minimum number of violations, Vehicle province or state, and Date range fields.

          3. Click the export format button that matches your account type (e.g., Aris Raw Data Account or Aris Abstract Account).

          4. The system will generate and download a text file formatted for the MTO.

          Importing the MTO Response File

          Once the MTO returns the file containing the registered owner information, it must be imported into the system to generate notice letters.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Collections then Vehicle Lookup Import.

          2. Click to choose the returned MTO file from your local computer.

          3. Click the Import button. A confirmation message will appear in the top right of the page once complete.

          4. You can now generate and print your mail-out notices using the Notice Letter Report page.

          Sending Violations to Court

          If a ticket remains unpaid after notice letters are sent (e.g., on day 65), it is eligible to be sent to the Ontario court system for collections.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Collections then Send to Court.

          2. Specify the number of days since the violation was issued to filter the list.

          3. Apply any required administrative fees using the provided field.

          4. Click the export button to generate the required text file for the Ontario court system.

          5. To generate a printable summary of these cases for your court date, hover over Violations and click Collections then Sent to Court Report, and click Export.

          Flagging Paid Records from Court

          When the court provides a report indicating a violation was successfully paid, it must be manually updated in OPS-COM.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Collections then Flag as Paid by Court.

          2. Enter the applicable date range and click the Search button.

          3. Select the specific violations that were resolved.

          4. Click the Flag as paid button. These tickets will now appear on the Daily Processed Report with a payment type of paid by court.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          [!WARNING] MTO Data Purging (ARIS Rules): ARIS regulations dictate that information retrieved from the MTO is only temporarily stored within the OPS-COM system. Once a violation has been cancelled, paid, or sent to collections, all associated MTO personal data will be automatically and permanently purged from the system.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Managing Violation/Citation Appeals

          The Appeals Report provides administrators with a centralized view to review, manage, and action user appeals against parking violations. Its primary purpose is to allow for the detailed examination of appeal information and the recording of formal decisions (uphold, reduce, or cancel), ensuring a fair and transparent dispute process. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          Before you can process appeals, the module must be enabled and configured within your system settings, and your communication templates must be established.

          System Settings Configuration

          1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

          2. Click the Violations tab.

          3. Ensure the Enable Appeals Module checkbox is enabled. (If it is not, please contact support@ops-com.com).

          4. Configure the following fields to dictate how your system handles the appeals process:

            • Appeal Days: Enter the number of days a user has to appeal a violation after issuance.

            • Appeal Notification Email: Enter the email address that should receive notifications when new appeals are submitted.

            • Automated Notification Email: Enter the email address that should receive automated appeal reports.

            • Enable Adjustments: Enable this checkbox if you want to allow fines to be adjusted without going through the formal appeals process.

            • Enable Fax for Appeal Format / Enable Email for Appeal format: Enable these checkboxes to allow appeals to be submitted outside of the OPS-COM portal.

            • Remove Discount when Appeal Made: Enable this checkbox to automatically forfeit any early-payment discounts once an appeal is initiated.

            • Enable Appeal Evidence Uploads: Enable this checkbox to allow users to submit PDF or PNG files as supporting evidence for their appeals.

          Reset Appeal on Association: Consider enabling the Reset Appeal on Association checkbox. This setting allows users who have a violation associated with their vehicle, but have not yet created an account, the same amount of time to appeal a violation as a registered user. Once they create and associate their account to the vehicle, the appeal timeframe will reset, giving them the full number of days specified in your settings to appeal.

          Email Templates

          1. Hover over System Configuration, hover over Templates & Design, and click Email Templates.

          2. Set up the Appeal Decision email template. Detailed instructions for this can be found on the Email Templates page. This is the template the system will use to automatically communicate your final decision to the appellant.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators have two distinct methods for actioning an appeal: through the centralized Appeals Report, or directly from an individual violation's information page.

          Accessing and Actioning via the Appeals Report

          1. Hover over Violations, hover over Appeals, and click Appeals Report.

          2. Search for the specific appeal you wish to review.

          3. Click the View Info button beside the person's name to access the full details on the User Appeal History screen.

          4. Review the user history and vehicle details, then locate the Appeal Management section.

          5. Click the Action Taken drop-down menu and choose one of the following options:

            • Uphold: The appeal is denied, and the original fine amount remains.

            • Reduce Violation: The appeal is partially granted. Enter the new, reduced fine amount into the field that appears.

            • Cancel Violation: The appeal is fully granted, and the violation is voided.

          6. Enter your detailed explanation into the Comments to Send to Appellant box.

          7. Click the Submit button to process the appeal and trigger the automated decision email.

          Actioning Appeals Directly from Violation Information

          1. Access the Violation Information page for a specific ticket by using the Violation Search tool.

          2. Click the Edit button.

          3. Click the Ticket has not been appealed. Show appeals form link to reveal the hidden appeals section.

          4. Review the Appeal Reason provided by the user.

          5. Click the Fine Action drop-down menu and choose Upheld, Reduced, or Cancelled.

          6. Edit the Offense Value field if you are manually reducing the fine (this automatically sets to 0.00 if cancelled).

          7. Enter any private, internal notes into the Appeal Admin Comment field.

          8. Select your administrator account from the Actioned per drop-down menu.

          9. Click the Update this Violation button to save the changes.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Payment Locks: Once a user pays for a violation, the primary comments fields become permanently locked. If you need to add further comments to a paid ticket after the fact, you must use the separate Violation Notes section.

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Edit a Violation

          The Edit a Violation feature allows administrators to modify the details of an existing parking ticket, including processing appeals and updating fine amounts. Its primary purpose is to help correct enforcement errors, adjust penalties, or formally void a ticket while maintaining an accurate system record. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature. Editing a violation is a standard administrative tool available to users with the appropriate violation management and appeals permissions enabled on their account profile.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can update basic ticket information or process manual appeals directly from the violation record.

          Accessing the Edit Window

          1. Search for the specific violation. Detailed instructions can be found on the Search for a Violation page.

          2. Click the specific TICKET# link from the returned records on the Violation Search screen to open the Violation Information window.

          3. Click the Edit button located at the top right of the screen, or select it using the Action drop-down menu.

          Modifying Violation and Appeal Details

          1. Make any necessary changes to the basic violation information on the Edit Violation Information window.

          2. Click the Ticket has not been appealed. Show appeals form text link to reveal the appeals section.

          3. Configure the specific fields within the Appeals Area as needed:

            • Ticket Appealed: Select the date in the first drop-down menu and how the appeal was filed in the second drop-down menu.

            • Fine Action: Choose Upheld, Reduced, or Cancelled.

            • Offense Value: Manually edit this amount if the ticket is reduced on appeal. If the ticket is cancelled, this value will automatically reduce to 0.00. You can also edit the offense value directly regardless of the appeal status.

            • Appeal Reason: Enter the reason for launching the appeal. This field is viewable by the user.

            • Appeal Admin Comment: Enter your private administrative notes. These notes are not viewable by the user.

          4. Select the specific administrator account making the changes from the Actioned per: drop-down menu.

          5. Click the Update this Violation button to save your changes. A message will appear on the screen confirming that the violation has been updated.

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Related Video

          Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

          Paying a Violation

          The Paying a Violation feature allows administrators to manually process fine payments on behalf of users directly from the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to help facilitate in-person or over-the-phone transactions, ensuring accurate reconciliation within the user's account and the system's financial records. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

          Setup and Configuration

          There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this feature. Processing a payment manually is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate payment processing and violation management permissions enabled on their account profile.

          Using this Feature

          Administrators can locate an unpaid violation and guide it through the manual checkout process in just a few steps.

          1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

          2. Enter the specific violation number into the Search Text field.

          3. Click the specific ticket number link in the search results to view the Violation Information window.

          4. Click the Make Payment button.

          5. Select the items the user wishes to pay by enabling the corresponding checkboxes on the Payment Due screen.

          6. Click the Proceed to Payment button.

          7. Select the payment type you wish to process the item with (e.g., cash transaction).

          8. Click the Submit Payment Information button.

          9. Click the Confirm Payment Information button on the confirmation screen to continue.

          10. Click the Process Manually button on the Transaction Details window to finalize the payment.

          Key Information Displayed

          Once the system processes the payment, it will return you to the final Transaction Details page. Several key pieces of information are recorded and displayed here:

          Visual Cues and Status Indicators

          Best Practices and Considerations

          Multiple Item Selection: The Payment Due screen will display all outstanding balances associated with the user's profile. Always ask the user if they wish to clear multiple outstanding items at once. You can select multiple violations or unpaid permits simultaneously by enabling their respective checkboxes, streamlining the checkout process into a single, efficient transaction.

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Search for a Violation

            The Search for a Violation feature allows administrators to locate specific parking citations within the system using text, date, and time parameters. Its primary purpose is to help enforcement teams quickly access, review, and manage ticket records to process payments, handle appeals, or update information. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system setup or configuration required to use this feature. Accessing the search tool is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate violation management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can perform broad text-based searches or narrow down the parameters to find violations issued within a highly specific timeframe.

            Searching by Text

            1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Type the license plate number or specific violation number into the Search Text field.

            3. Click the Search using only text button.

            Searching by Date and Time

            1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Type your query into the Search Text field.

            3. Click the with time link beside the date field to reveal the time selection interface.

            4. Select the specific date and the corresponding start time block (e.g., 1600 hours for 4:00 PM).

            5. Set the up to and including date and time block in the same fashion to create your time bracket.

            6. Click the Search with text and date range button to execute the targeted search.

            Managing Search Results

            Once a search is executed, the returned records will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.

            1. Click the specific Ticket Number link from the results list to open the Violation Information window.

            2. Click the Edit/Update button to display the modification screen and adjust the ticket details if required.

            Available Actions From the Violation Information window, administrators can take several actions, including processing a manual payment, adding internal notes to the violation, or linking the violation to a specific incident if your system utilizes the Incident module.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Ticket Number Formats: Ticket numbers are composed of two parts: the core ticket number and the security PIN (e.g., 3-001005-11). While administrators can search using only the core ticket number (the first part), end-users must enter both parts to successfully look up their ticket on the public portal for security reasons.


            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Configure Violations to a Person

            The Configure Violations to a Person feature allows administrators to issue citations directly against an individual's profile rather than attaching them to a specific vehicle license plate. Its primary purpose is to help enforcement teams track non-vehicular offenses, such as smoking, alcohol-related infractions, or personal conduct breaches on property. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To issue personal violations, you must first enable the system-wide setting and then configure specific ticket categories to accept user-based assignments.

            Enabling the Global Setting

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Enable the Link violations to users checkbox to allow issuing violations by person.

            4. Save your settings.

            KKNimage.png

            Configuring the Ticket Category

            1. Hover over Admin Options and click Violations then Manage Ticket Categories.

            2. Select the specific ticket category you wish to update (e.g., Municipal).

            3. Locate the Violation Applies To setting.

            4. Select Users to restrict this category strictly to individuals.

            5. Save your changes.

            Using this Feature

            Once the category is properly configured, the violation entry form will dynamically adjust when this specific ticket type is selected by an administrator or patrol officer.

            1. Begin the standard process for manually entering a violation.

            2. Click the Ticket Type drop-down menu and choose the newly configured category.

            3. Locate the Apply violation to: section that appears on the form.

            4. Click the A Person option to attach the offense directly to the individual instead of a license plate.

            5. Search for the specific user and finalize the violation entry.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Creating a Violation on the Admin Portal

            The Manual Violation Entry feature allows administrators to record parking citations directly into the system via the web interface. Its primary purpose is to digitally log handwritten tickets or citations created from a patrol laptop, ensuring all violation data remains centralized for tracking, reporting, and court processing. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before utilizing the web entry portal, administrators can adjust specific global settings to manage how these tickets are generated and printed.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Enter a specific prefix into the Prefix to go in Front of Ticket Number field to easily differentiate admin portal tickets from handheld device tickets (e.g., TT-).

            4. Enter the starting sequence into the Next Number for Printing field if you wish to have the system automatically generate your ticket numbers.

            5. Enable the Drivers License on Tickets checkbox to print this information on citations issued from a patrol laptop.

            6. Enable the Signature Required on Tickets checkbox to include a signature line on the printed ticket.

            7. Save your settings.

            The exact print dimensions for tickets issued via a laptop can be adjusted within the Printable Area for Tickets section on this same settings page.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before utilizing the web entry portal, administrators can adjust specific global settings to manage how these tickets are generated and printed.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Enter a specific prefix into the Prefix to go in Front of Ticket Number field to easily differentiate admin portal tickets from handheld device tickets (e.g., TT-).

            4. Enter the starting sequence into the Next Number for Printing field if you wish to have the system automatically generate your ticket numbers.

            5. Enable the Drivers License on Tickets checkbox to print this information on citations issued from a patrol laptop.

            6. Enable the Signature Required on Tickets checkbox to include a signature line on the printed ticket.

            7. Save your settings.

            The exact print dimensions for tickets issued via a laptop can be adjusted within the Printable Area for Tickets section on this same settings page.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can issue violations to a specific vehicle, a specific person, or both, depending on the offense type being cited.

            Entering a Violation for a Vehicle

            1. Hover over Violations and click Violation Entry.

            2. Select the Ticket Writer and choose the Ticket Category from their respective drop-down menus. (The Ticket Number will populate automatically if auto-generation is enabled in your settings).

            3. Click the Toggle More Options button to reveal additional parameters, such as the Spoiled checkbox (to void the entry), the Warning checkbox (to issue without a fine), or the Towing fee field.

            4. Click the Search Vehicles button to find vehicle information using the license plate or VIN.

            5. Click the specific Plate number from the search results to associate it with the violation. If the vehicle is unregistered, follow the prompts to add a new vehicle record.

            6. Select the Location and the specific Offences from their respective drop-down menus.

            7. Click the Attachments button to upload any supporting photographic evidence from your computer.

            8. Click the Record this Violation button to review the details.

            9. Click the Record this Violation button again on the confirmation screen to finalize the entry.

            Entering a Violation for a Person

            1. Hover over Violations and click Violation Entry.

            2. Complete the initial ticket details and open the extra options if necessary.

            3. Click the Search Users button to locate the individual by name, ID number, or driver's license. If the person refuses to provide ID, enable the Failed to Identify checkbox instead.

            4. Click the Select button from the search results to associate that user with the violation. If the user does not exist, follow the prompts to add a new user profile.

            5. Complete the remaining location, offense, and attachment fields.

            6. Click the Record this Violation button, review the details, and click it again to submit.

            Available Actions and Status Indicators

            When searching for a vehicle or person during the entry process, several icons provide quick access to related profile data:

            Once a violation is successfully submitted, the final completion screen offers quick action buttons allowing you to Print a copy of the ticket, View the newly entered details, Search Violations, view Search Recent Violations, or quickly Enter Another violation.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Security PIN on Violations - How is it used

            The Security PIN on Violations feature appends a randomized, two-character code to the end of a printed parking ticket to act as a secure access password. Its primary purpose is to allow unregistered guest users to safely look up, pay, or appeal their citations online while preventing malicious users from searching sequential ticket numbers to view other people's data. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            By default, the system is configured to generate a random PIN on newly issued tickets. Administrators can disable or re-enable this feature directly within the core system settings.

            1. Hover over System Config and click System Settings.

            2. Click Violations to open the specific violation settings menu.

            3. Disable the Include Random PIN on Handheld Tickets checkbox to stop generating PINs on newly printed tickets, or enable it to turn the feature on.

            4. Save your configuration changes.

            Using this Feature

            The ticket PIN primarily impacts how unregistered users access their violations on the public-facing portal. It's the additional dash and two digits at the end of a violations ticket (e.g., the -8T in TT-10016-8T) and is only used as a password for the ticket when appealing it. 

            Eb0image.png

            Guest User Access

            1. Navigate to the main OPS-COM user login screen.

            2. Click the Lookup your Ticket box.

            3. Enter the complete ticket number, including the appended PIN, into the search field.

            4. Click the check mark button to retrieve the ticket record.

            Once authenticated, the user will be presented with a secure screen allowing them to pay or appeal the ticket. The retrieved ticket record will automatically drop the PIN from the visual display once the user is inside the payment portal.

            When an administrator searches for a violation internally via the system search tools, the PIN is not strictly required. Searching for the core ticket number (e.g., TT-10016) will successfully return the violation. Searching for the full string including the PIN (e.g., TT-10016-8T) will also return the exact same ticket record.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Reporting and Mailouts: The Security PIN is only utilized for initial online lookup validation. It is intentionally excluded from backend data exports. Automated FTP reports, internal data exports, and physical mailed notice letters will exclusively display the core ticket number (e.g., TT-10016) without the appended PIN.

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Ticket Warnings Explained

            This article provides a breakdown of the layout and specific details displayed on both the front and back of OPS-COM violation and warning tickets. Its primary purpose is to help administrators understand the information presented to violators, as well as clarify the operational differences between issuing a warning and spoiling a ticket. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system setup or configuration required for this overview. Ticket templates and layouts are generally configured in conjunction with OPS-COM support during your initial system onboarding.

            Key Information Displayed

            Whether an enforcement officer issues a standard violation or a warning, the printed ticket displays specific, standardized information for the user.

            bjXimage.png

            Front of the Ticket/Warning

            The front of the ticket contains the core details of the infraction:

            Back of the Ticket/Warning

            The back of the ticket provides the violator with the necessary administrative details and organizational policies:

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Understanding Warnings vs. Spoiled Tickets: While neither a warning nor a spoiled ticket requires payment from the user, they serve two entirely different purposes within the OPS-COM system.

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Notice Letter Templates

            The Notice Letter Templates page allows administrators to manage, create, and edit the content and appearance of system-generated notice letters. Also known as a Notice of Impending Conviction (NIC) letter, its primary purpose is to inform users of outstanding violations slated for the Ontario court system collection process. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and communication design.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system setup required to begin using templates, but you must navigate to the dedicated design menu to access the editor.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Content & Designs then Notice Letter Templates.

            2. Review the overview list of all notice letter content currently in the system.

            Multi-Language Support: If your OPS-COM portal supports multiple languages, you must create and configure different content and templates for each language installed on the site.

            Using this Feature

            The templates page is divided into specific components that control either the text content or the visual styling of the physical letters.

            Managing Template Types

            Administrators can edit four distinct elements to build a complete notice letter:

            Editing the Layout

            Clicking into any of the templates above will open a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) content editor. While minor text adjustments can be made directly in the visual view, it is highly recommended to edit the raw HTML source code to prevent print alignment issues.

            1. Click Tools in the editor menu.

            2. Click Source Code to open the HTML view.

            3. Apply your formatting changes directly to the HTML code, or paste in code designed from an external HTML editor.

            image.png

            Inserting Short Codes

            Notice letters use short codes as placeholders that automatically pull specific user or vehicle data from the database when the letter is generated (e.g., using [values show=vehicle.plate] to output "ABC123").

            1. Scroll to the bottom of the edit content page, below the content box, to view the list of usable short codes.

            2. Highlight the specific short code you wish to use.

            3. Right-click the highlighted text and click Copy.

            4. Click the desired area within the content editor where you want the information to appear.

            5. Press Ctrl and V on your keyboard simultaneously to paste the short code.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            [!WARNING] Pasting Short Codes: Always use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + V) to paste short codes into the editor. Right-clicking inside the content editor will open a proprietary formatting menu rather than your browser's standard paste option.

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Notice Letter Report

            The Notice Letter Report allows administrators to identify and manage users who are eligible to receive a Notice of Impending Conviction (NIC) letter. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) workflow by generating physical notice documents for outstanding violations before they are escalated to the Ontario court system for collections. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before generating letters, administrators must enable the report and configure how the system consolidates these notices.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Enable the Enable Letter Report checkbox to make the report page available in the main menu.

            4. Click the Collections tab to configure additional notice settings:

              • Enable the Send Letter To All checkbox to include users in the report list who have already had a notice letter sent to them via email.

              • Enable the Include All Unpaid Violations checkbox to consolidate all of a user's unpaid violations onto a single notice letter. If this is disabled, the system will generate a separate letter for each individual violation.

            5. Save your configuration changes.

            Using this Feature

            The Letter Report page is divided into printable and unprintable sections based on whether the system has the required user details to generate the document.

            Generating Notice Letters

            1. Hover over Violations and click Reports then Letter Report.

            2. Review the Printable Violation Notice Report section to see all violations currently eligible for a notice letter.

            3. Click the Print button next to a single violation, or select multiple violations and print them simultaneously. The notice letters will be generated as a PDF file and downloaded by your web browser.

            4. Click the Upload button to manually attach a document if a letter was already sent to the user outside of the standard system generation process.

            Managing the Unprintable Violation Notice Report

            Viewing and Regenerating Issued Letters

            1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Click the Toggle additional options button in the top right to expand the search parameters.

            3. Enable the Notice Letter Issued checkbox and perform your search.

            4. Click the specific Ticket Number to open the violation information window.

            5. Scroll to the bottom of the window to view the attached notice letters.

            6. Click the Print button to re-download the letter, or click the Trash icon to archive it.

            M12image.png

            Archiving a notice letter does not delete it from the system. It simply flags it as archived, allowing the violation to reappear on the main Letter Report page so a new notice can be generated (useful if your letter template was recently updated).

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Notice Letter Templates: The visual appearance and layout of your notice letters are configured separately from this report. To design or edit the content of these templates, hover over System Configuration and click Content & Designs then Notice Letter Templates.

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Auto Email Notifications for Warnings

            The Auto Email Notifications for Warnings feature allows administrators to automatically dispatch email notices to users who have received a violation marked as a warning. Its primary purpose is to efficiently communicate zero-dollar infractions to users without requiring manual email processing by administrative staff. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To use this feature, administrators must enable the global setting, configure the email template, and ensure the corresponding system task is active.

            Enabling the Global Setting

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Scroll down to locate the Violations sub-menu.

            3. Enable the Send Notices For Warnings checkbox.

            4. Click the Save Settings button.

            Configuring the Email Template

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Content & Designs then Email Templates.

            2. Click the Edit button next to the New Warning Notice template.

            3. Adjust the layout and content of the warning letter as needed and save your changes.

            jYUimage.png

            Enabling the System Task

            For the warning notices to be sent out automatically, the associated system task must be active.

            1. Hover over Tools and click View System Task Logs.

            2. Ensure the New Violation Notices task is enabled.

            Task Frequency: The frequency at which this system task runs can be adjusted, but it must be updated manually in the database by the OPS-COM team. Please contact support@ops-com.com for assistance with modifying this schedule.

            Using this Feature

            Once configured, the system handles the distribution of warning notices automatically based on the scheduled system task. No daily manual intervention is required.

            Available Actions and Functionality

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Violations/Citations and Appeals - OPSCOM ViolationAdmin

            Appeal Evidence Uploads Overview

            The Appeal Evidence Uploads feature allows users to directly attach supporting files, such as images and text documents, to their violation appeals. Its primary purpose is to centralize all appeal-related information within the system, eliminating the need for administrators to request and track evidence through separate email channels and streamlining the overall review process. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To use this feature, administrators must ensure both the core appeals module and the specific evidence upload setting are active within the system settings.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Ensure the Enable Appeals Module checkbox is enabled. (If it is not available, please contact support@ops-com.com).

            4. Enable the Enable Appeal Evidence Uploads checkbox to allow users to submit files as evidence for their appeals.

            5. Save your configuration changes.

            Default Settings and Limits: The evidence upload setting is enabled by default for organizations using the appeals module. Users can upload multiple files per appeal. Supported file types include JPG, PNG, and PDF, with a maximum file size limit of 12MB per file.

            Using this Feature

            This feature seamlessly integrates directly into the existing appeal submission and review workflows for both users and administrators.

            Administrator Experience

            When an administrator accesses a submitted appeal through the standard appeals report or violation information screen, any attached supporting files will be securely displayed directly on the review page. This provides immediate, centralized access to all relevant evidence without needing to search through external emails or documents before recording a decision.

            User Portal Experience

            When a user submits an appeal through the public portal, they will be prompted with an intuitive option to attach their supporting image and text files in one single submission. Detailed instructions on how users navigate this specific upload process can be found on the User Portal Experience page.

            Best Practices and Considerations

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            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payroll Deduction Settings

            The Payroll Deduction Settings feature allows administrators to control whether users can select payroll deduction as a valid payment method for parking violations and temporary permits. Its primary purpose is to easily toggle these internal payment options on or off during the user checkout process to align with your organization's current financial policies. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Controlling the availability of payroll deductions is managed through the global system settings. Because these settings use a "disable" logic, administrators must explicitly uncheck the boxes to make the payment options available to end-users.

            Admin Configuration

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Payments component to open the payment control menu.

            3. Locate the payroll deduction settings area within the menu.

            4. Enable the Disable Payroll Deduction for Violations checkbox to stop users from paying for citations via payroll deduction, or disable the checkbox to allow the payment method.

            5. Enable the Disable Payroll Deduction for Temp Permits checkbox to stop users from purchasing temporary permits via payroll deduction, or disable the checkbox to allow the payment method.

            6. Save your system settings.

            Using this Feature

            Once configured, the system automatically handles how payment methods are presented to the end-user.

            User Checkout Experience

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Reversing the Logic: Remember that these settings are framed in the negative. To turn the payroll deduction feature ON for your users, you must make sure the respective checkboxes are disabled (unchecked).

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Setting up Quick Pay/Guest Payments

            The Quick Pay and Guest Payments feature allows guest users to look up and pay for violations directly from the user portal without needing to create or log in to an account. Its primary purpose is to streamline the payment process for end-users, thereby reducing the volume of administrative inquiries and support tickets. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            For Guest Payments to function properly, you must first designate which payment types are available for guests and then activate the feature within the system's global settings.

            Payment Provider Compatibility: A compatible third-party payment provider that supports guest transactions must be configured in your OPS-COM system before enabling this feature. For detailed instructions, refer to the Setting up a third-party Payment Provider page here.

            Enable Specific Payment Types

            1. Hover over System Configuration, click Payments, then click Setup Payment Types.

            2. Create a new payment type or click the Edit icon next to an existing payment type that you wish to enable for guests.

            3. Click the Settings tab.

            4. Enable the Enable for Guest Payments checkbox.

            5. Click the Save button to confirm the change.

            6. Repeat these steps for all payment types you want to make available for guest payments.

            Activate Global Setting

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Click the Violations tab.

            3. Enable the Enable Anonymous Violation Payments checkbox.

            4. Click the Save Settings button.

            Using this Feature

            Once Guest Payments are fully configured, a dedicated button will automatically appear on the public portal's main login page, allowing users to search for and pay their violation fines without logging in.

            For detailed instructions on how end-users interact with this interface, please refer to the Quick & Easy Guest Payments page.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payment Reconciliation: Submitted / Processed

            The Payment Reconciliation page allows administrators to effectively track and manage the status of payments within a defined time period. Its primary purpose is to reconcile the dollar value of received payments with your bank or credit card merchant by accurately comparing the amounts charged between the two systems. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial reporting and auditing.

            Setup and Configuration

            To effectively filter reconciliation data, administrators can create designated groups and assign specific members to them.

            You must have the View Payments permission enabled on your profile to access this report. This permission can be added to your role by a Primary Admin.

            Creating a Payment Reconciliation Group

            1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management then Manage Groups.

            2. Click the Payment Reconciliation module tab.

            3. Click the Add New button in the top right corner.

            4. Enter a name for the group into the Group Name field.

            5. Set the purpose of the group using the Module drop-down menu.

            6. Add the appropriate staff to the group using the Admin Members selection area.

            7. Click the Save Group button. The new group will appear at the bottom of the Administrator Groups list.

            Adding Members to an Existing Group

            1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management then Manage Groups.

            2. Click the Edit button next to the specific Administrator Group you wish to modify.

            3. Click the Admin Members bar to select and add additional members to the group.

            4. Click the Save Group button at the bottom of the window to apply your changes.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can filter results to view either submitted or processed payments based on specific criteria.

            1. Hover over Payments and click Payment Reconciliation.

            2. Define the start and end dates for the payments you wish to view using the Filter by Date Range fields.

            3. Select the specific payment methods you want to include in the results using the Filter by Payment Type drop-down menu.

            4. Filter reconciliation data based on specific designated groups using the Filter by Admin Group drop-down menu.

            5. Click the Search button. The results will display directly below the search criteria.

            6. Click any column header within the results table to reorder and sort the data.

            Available Export Actions

            The report page offers various export options (displayed as green buttons) that allow administrators to generate files for external use:

            Best Practices and Considerations

            [!WARNING] Avoid using the Daily Payments Itemized report for reconciliation tasks. While the Daily Payments Itemized report shows received payments, it is not recommended for financial reconciliation. It may display tax differently and can lead to rounding errors, making exact dollar-value comparisons inaccurate.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Accepting a Student Account Payment from the Admin Portal

            The Student Account Payment feature allows administrators to process transactions by billing a user's internal institutional account directly from the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate purchases, such as permits or lockers, for students who pay their parking fees through their central student tuition or university finance accounts. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before you can accept a student account payment, ensure this specific payment type has been created and enabled within your global payment settings.

            For detailed instructions on configuring new payment methods, please refer to the Managing Payment Types page.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can guide an unpaid item through the checkout process using a student's central account in just a few steps. The following example demonstrates this process using a permit purchase.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's profile and initiate the purchase or assignment process (e.g., selecting a permit in the General Monthly Lot).

            2. Choose the specific permit to assign to the user.

            3. Click the Purchase this Permit button to continue.

            4. Click the Proceed to Payment button on the subsequent payment due page.

            5. Select Student Account from the payment method options on the payment selection screen.

            6. Click the Submit Payment button.

            7. Review the options presented on the Transaction Details screen:

              • Process Manually: This option will complete the transaction.

              • Cancel and Keep: This option will terminate the transaction but return the permit or locker to an awaiting payment status on the user's profile.

              • Cancel and Release: This option will terminate the transaction and release the permit or locker back into the pool of available inventory.

            8. Click the Process Manually button to finalize the transaction.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Reconciling Funds: To ensure your institution's finances remain balanced, run a Daily Payments Itemized report filtered specifically by the Student Account payment type. This report should be provided to your financial department on a regular schedule to allow them to manually retrieve the appropriate funds from the central student accounts.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payment for a locker from the Admin Portal

            The Locker Payment feature allows administrators to assign a locker and process the associated payment on behalf of a user directly from the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate locker rentals and handle in-person transactions, ensuring accurate inventory and financial tracking. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your locker inventory and payment methods are already established. Processing a locker payment is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate user management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can navigate the assignment and checkout process for a locker in just a few steps from a user's profile.

            XQ8image.png

            1. Navigate to the specific user's profile on the admin portal.

            2. Click the Lockers menu item to open the locker registration page.

            3. Select the desired building from the list of locations with available lockers.

            4. Choose the specific locker area within the building (e.g., Women's locker room).

            5. Select the specific locker number you wish to assign to the user.

            6. Click the Reserve Locker button to continue.

            7. Verify the assignment information on the confirm locker registration page and click the Confirm Info button.

            8. Click the Proceed to Payment button on the payment due page.

            9. Select the desired payment method (e.g., Cash) from the payment selection section.

            10. Click the Submit Payment button.

            11. Review the options presented on the Transaction Details screen:

              • Process Manually: This option will complete the transaction and finalize the rental.

              • Cancel and Keep: This option will terminate the transaction but return the locker to an awaiting payment status on the user's profile.

              • Cancel and Release: This option will terminate the transaction and immediately release the locker back into the pool of available inventory.

            12. Click the Process Manually button to finalize the transaction.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Managing Incomplete Transactions: If a user forgets their wallet or needs to step away during an in-person transaction, use the Cancel and Keep button. This safely holds the specific locker under their profile for future payment without forcing you to restart the entire assignment process when they return.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Admin Portal Permit Purchase with Credit Card

            The Admin Portal Permit Purchase with Credit Card process allows administrators to manually purchase and assign a parking permit on behalf of a user. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate over-the-phone or in-person permit sales while securely processing payments through your integrated payment provider. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your third-party payment provider and permit inventory are already established. Processing a permit purchase is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate user management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can navigate the assignment and checkout process for a permit using a credit card in just a few steps.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's dashboard on the admin portal.

            2. Click the Parking tab to begin the assignment process.

            3. Choose either the next permit available or select a specific permit number on the Confirm Parking Permit Registration page.

            4. Click the Purchase this Permit button to continue.

            5. Review the items listed on the Payments Due screen.

            6. Choose the appropriate credit card payment provider from the available payment methods.

            7. Click the Submit Payment Information button.

            8. Click the Submit Payment Information button again on the confirmation screen to proceed to the external payment gateway.

            9. Fill out the payment provider's input form with the credit card details.

            10. Click the Make Payment button to complete the purchase.

            Key Information Displayed

            Best Practices and Considerations

            [!WARNING] Payment Security: When taking a payment over the phone, never write down or permanently store the user's credit card information. Always enter the details directly into the payment provider's secure gateway in real-time to maintain strict PCI compliance.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Daily Payments - Itemized

            The Daily Payments Itemized report allows administrators to view a detailed breakdown of all submitted and processed payments within a specific date range. Its primary purpose is to help track individual transaction items, such as permits, deposits, and violations, for financial tracking and daily reporting. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to access this report. Running the daily itemized report is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial and payment management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can filter the daily payments by date range, payment status, and payment type to generate a highly specific financial report.

            1. Hover over Payments and click Daily Payments - Itemized.

            2. Select your desired date range using the provided date fields.

            3. Filter the results by choosing specific payment types from the drop-down menu.

            4. Choose to filter the report by either submitted or processed payments.

            5. Click the List Payments button to generate the results.

            Key Information Displayed

            Available Action & Button

            The report offers two distinct Excel export options depending on how you need the data organized for external use:

            image.png

            image.png

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Reconciliation Tasks: While this report provides an excellent itemized view of daily transactions, it is not recommended for strict bank reconciliation tasks (comparing system payments directly to bank merchant payments). Itemized reports can occasionally display tax differently and lead to rounding errors. Always use the Payment Reconciliation page for direct bank statement comparisons.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Admin Portal Cash, Cheque or Debit Payment

            The Admin Portal Manual Permit Payments feature allows administrators to process in-person, offline transactions—such as cash, cheque, money order, or debit card—when assigning a parking permit to a user. Its primary purpose is to facilitate front-desk permit sales while ensuring these off-gateway payments are securely and accurately logged within the system's financial records. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your manual payment types and permit inventory are already established. Processing a manual payment is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate user management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            If you need to add or edit the manual payment methods available at your front desk, instructions can be found on the Managing Payment Types page.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can navigate the assignment and checkout process for a manual permit purchase in just a few steps.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's dashboard on the admin portal.

            2. Click the Parking tab and click the Standard Permit button to access the permit purchase screen.

            3. Choose either the next permit available or select a specific permit to assign to the user on the Confirm Parking Permit Registration page.

            4. Click the Purchase this Permit button to proceed.

            5. Select the desired manual payment type (e.g., Cash, Cheque, Money Order, or Debit Card) from the available options.

            6. Click the Submit Payment Information button on the Payment Due screen.

            7. Review the options presented on the Transaction Details screen:

              • Process Manually: This option will complete the transaction. You should select this option at the exact moment you physically collect the cash, cheque, money order, or process the external debit card.

              • Cancel and Keep: This option will terminate the transaction but keep the permit in an awaiting payment status on the user's profile.

              • Cancel & Release: This option will terminate the transaction and immediately release the permit back into the pool of available inventory.

            8. Click the Process Manually button to complete the transaction.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Managing Incomplete Transactions: If a user realizes they forgot their wallet or chequebook during an in-person transaction, use the Cancel and Keep button. This safely holds the specific permit under their profile for future payment without forcing you to restart the entire assignment process when they return.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Paying for a Violation from the Admin Portal

            The manual violation payment feature allows administrators to accept and process ticket payments on behalf of users directly from the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate in-person or over-the-phone ticket resolutions, ensuring all offline transactions (such as cash or cheque) are accurately recorded in the system's financial logs. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your manual payment types are already established. Processing a manual payment is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate violation management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can locate an unpaid violation and guide it through the checkout process in just a few steps.

            Searching for the Violation

            1. Type the specific violation number into the quick search bar and click the resulting drop-down link, or hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Enter the ticket number or license plate number into the Search Text field.

            3. Click the Search Using Only Text button.

            4. Click the specific ticket number link from the search results to open the Violation Information window.

            jFoimage.png

            Processing the Payment

            1. Click the Action drop-down menu and choose Make Payment.

            2. Review the awaiting items displayed on the payment screen. Disable the checkboxes for any items the user wishes to pay for at another time.

            3. Click the Proceed to Payment button.

            4. Select the specific payment type you wish to use (e.g., Cash) from the available options.

            5. Click the Submit Payment Information button.

            6. Click the Submit Payment Information button again on the confirmation screen to proceed.

            7. Update the Comment field on the Transaction Detail screen if necessary.

            8. Click the Process Manually button to finalize the payment and generate the transaction receipt.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            [!WARNING] Physical Collection: Always collect the physical funds or process the debit terminal transaction before clicking Process Manually. Clicking this button completes the transaction and logs the money as successfully secured in your system's financial records.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payment Data Export via Banner SFTP

            The Payment Data Export via Banner SFTP feature automatically exports payment and violation data into a CSV file specifically formatted for integration with the Banner system. Its primary purpose is to ensure seamless financial data synchronization by appending the necessary detail codes and term codes to user transactions. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system configuration and financial integrations.

            Setup and Configuration

            There are several items that must be carefully configured across different system modules in order for the right information to display in the exported CSV file.

            Admin Side:

            User Profile Configuration

            1. Configure a unique user ID in the User Profile. This information will likely be populated automatically via a user data import.

            Lot Administration Configuration

            Each lot requires a unique banner detail code established during the preliminary planning phase of your project.

            1. Hover over Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin.

            2. Click the specific lot name to access the configuration screens.

            3. Click the Additional tab.

            4. Enter the required code into the Lot Detail Code field.

            5. Save your lot configuration changes.

            Ticket Categories Configuration

            1. Hover over Violations and select Ticket Categories (or Manage Ticket Categories).

            2. Click Edit on the category you wish to configure.

            3. Enter the detail code for the ticket category (e.g., entering PRKB for the Boot Fee category).

            4. Save your category changes.

            Sales Window Configuration

            You must enter a Term Code specifically used for permits on the sales window configuration page so it appears on the permit purchases export.

            1. Hover over Permits and select Sales Window.

            2. Click Edit to access the configuration screen for the desired window.

            3. Enter the appropriate code in the Banner Term Code field.

            4. Click the Save Changes button.

            Activate Script to Run on a Schedule

            1. Click View System Task Logs from the main options menu.

            2. Ensure the associated system task is set to active and has an active schedule set (e.g., verifying the task is set to run at 2:00 am nightly).

            User Side: End-users do not interact with the setup or configuration of the Banner export. They simply select the appropriate payment method during checkout.

            Using this Feature

            Once configured, the system automatically handles the data export based on your scheduled tasks. Administrators can verify the workflow by performing a test transaction on the user portal.

            Performing a Test Transaction

            1. Navigate to the user portal and click the Permits menu item.

            2. Select the lot you wish to purchase a permit in.

            3. Click the Reserve Permit button.

            4. Click Continue to Checkout to view your cart.

            5. Select Banner Payment as your payment type. This can be configured so that Banner Payment is the only selection available to the user.

            6. Click the Submit Payment button.

            7. Click Confirm Payment on the refreshed screen to finalize the transaction and generate the online receipt.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Search Payments

            The Search Payments tool provides a dedicated interface to locate specific transactions and run pre-configured payment status reports. Its primary purpose is to help administrators quickly find individual payment records using unique identifiers, as well as audit unprocessed or daily payments for accurate financial tracking. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to access this search tool. Running payment searches is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial and payment management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can locate specific transactions using unique identifiers or utilize pre-configured reporting links to pull lists of payments based on their payment type and current processing status.

            Searching by Unique Identifier

            1. Hover over Payments and click Search.

            2. Enter the specific text string into the Confirm Code, Transaction ID, or Order ID field on the Payments Reporting form.

            3. Click the associated search button. If the code exists in the system, the screen will automatically refresh to display the specific transaction details for that purchase.

            2O2image.png

            Using Pre-Configured Searches

            The search tool includes several pre-configured search links located below the main search fields. These links help you find grouped payment information quickly. Some reports require you to set a date range, while others will automatically pull all relevant data.

            Click any of the following links on the search page to generate the respective report:

            Reviewing the Daily Processed or Submitted Payments Report

            When you select the List Daily Processed/Submitted Payments option, you must specify your search parameters.

            1. Select the desired date range using the provided fields.

            2. Select whether you wish to search for submitted payments or processed payments.

            3. Click the search button to generate the report.

            Key Information Displayed: The resulting report is divided into two distinct sections. The first section provides a highly detailed itemized list of all individual payments within the selected timeframe. The second section provides a concise daily summary table for quick financial reference.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Regular Audits: Regularly use the pre-configured List ALL unprocessed payments search link to identify and resolve any pending transactions. Ensuring all manual cash, cheque, or internal payments are marked as processed keeps your financial reporting accurate and up to date.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Banner Report

            The Banner Report feature allows administrators to generate a consolidated list of pending user payments intended to be processed through an external Banner ERP system. Its primary purpose is to export this batch payment data for institutional processing and simultaneously mark those associated items as paid within OPS-COM. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specialized system configuration required to access this report, provided your institution utilizes a Banner system for student or staff financials. Generating the report is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial reporting and payment management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can use this tool to define the payment batch parameters, export the data for Banner, and mark the items as resolved in OPS-COM.

            Generating and Exporting the Report

            1. Hover over Payments and click Banner Report.

            2. Select the demographic you wish to report on from the User Types drop-down menu.

            3. Select the specific item you are processing (e.g., yearly permits) from the Choose Item Type drop-down menu.

            4. Select the end date of the billing period using the Up To and Including date picker.

            5. Enter the appropriate payment identification code into the Banner Code field (e.g., 100).

            6. Enter the exact item representation code into the Detail Code field (e.g., YP2020).

            7. Enter your specific administrator ID into the Admin Code field to track who is making this payment report.

            8. Click the Export to Excel button to download a spreadsheet of the selected names and payments. This file can then be imported directly into Banner to facilitate payment through central student or staff accounts.

            gwAimage.png

            Marking Items as Paid

            Once the report parameters are set and you are ready to resolve the balances in OPS-COM:

            1. Click the Mark as Paid button to begin the internal payment process.

            2. Click the Confirm button on the popup window to finalize the transaction.

            Export Before Paying: Always click the Export to Excel button before clicking the Mark as Paid button. Once you mark the items as paid in OPS-COM, they are cleared from the pending queue. If you do not have the exported spreadsheet saved, you will not be able to process the actual transfer of funds within your Banner system.

            Key Information Displayed and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Flex Payments

            The Flex Payments process allows administrators to create a prepaid credit balance on a user's account by issuing a zero-dollar placeholder permit and applying a manual negative adjustment. Its primary purpose is to provide flexible funding options for specific user groups, allowing them to apply this prepaid credit toward future parking purchases on the user portal. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To utilize flex payments, administrators must first configure a dedicated zero-dollar lot and allocate placeholder permits to it.

            Configuring the Flex Payment Lot

            1. Hover over Lot Administration and click Pricing & Lot Admin.

            2. Create a new lot and enter a descriptive name (e.g., Flex Payment Lot).

            3. Set the cost of the lot to $0.00.

            4. Select the specific demographic utilizing flex payments from the Usertype drop-down menu (e.g., Full Time Staff).

            5. Set the Sales Window to Yearly.

            6. Save your lot configuration.

            7. Hover over Lot Administration and click Allocate.

            8. Add a block of dummy permits to this new lot (e.g., FLX001 through FLX010).

            oiJimage.png

            Lot Visibility: This placeholder lot does not need to be visible to standard users, as this functionality is executed exclusively from the administrative portal. You can safely hide this lot from public view in the lot settings.

            Using this Feature

            Once the placeholder lot is established, administrators can apply a flex credit to a user's account by "selling" them one of the zero-dollar permits and adjusting the transaction total.

            Applying the Flex Credit

            1. Navigate to the specific user's profile and click the Parking tab.

            2. Select a permit from the newly created Flex Payment Lot.

            3. Click the Purchase this Permit button to proceed.

            4. Click the Proceed to Payment button on the Payments Due screen.

            5. Select a manual payment type, such as Cash, and process it as a zero-dollar purchase.

            6. Click the Adjust button on the final confirmation screen to open the adjustment interface.

            7. 2YDimage.png

            8. Enter a negative value to represent the credit amount (e.g., -200.00).

            9. Enter a clear description in the Comment field (e.g., Flex Payment Adjustment).

            10. Click the Add Adjustment button.

            Key Information Displayed

            Do Not Process the Credit: After adding the negative adjustment, do not attempt to process a refund or payout for the credit balance. Leave the negative balance on the user's account so the system recognizes it as available funds they can apply toward future permit purchases.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payroll Deduction Workflow

            The Payroll Deduction Workflow allows administrators to process permit payments by assigning the transaction cost directly to a user's internal payroll account. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate staff and employee parking purchases by logging the transaction for deferred collection through your organization's payroll system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before you can process a purchase using this workflow, ensure that the Payroll Deduction payment method is active in your system.

            1. Verify that the Payroll Deduction payment type is enabled for the specific user groups (e.g., Staff or Faculty) permitted to use this feature.

            2. Check your global payment settings to ensure the deduction option is not disabled for standard permit purchases.

            For detailed instructions on configuring these payment toggles, please refer to the Payroll Deduction Settings page.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can process a permit purchase using the payroll deduction workflow directly from the administrative portal in just a few steps.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's profile and initiate the permit purchase process until you reach the Payments Due screen.

            2. Click the Proceed to Payment button.

            3. Select Payroll Deduction from the available payment type selection tool.

            4. Click the Submit Payment Information button to continue.

            5. Review the details on the confirmation screen to ensure the purchase amount and permit assignment are correct.

            6. Click the Confirm Payment Information button.

            7. Click the Process Manually button on the Transaction Detail screen to complete the purchase.

            Tracking Deductions: Use the Payroll Deduction Report to accurately track these specific purchases. Generating this report allows you to export the necessary data for your finance or human resources department so they can physically collect the funds from the employees' paychecks.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Admin Portal Violation Payments with Credit Card

            The Admin Portal Violation Payments with Credit Card process allows administrators to manually process parking ticket payments using a user's credit card directly through the administrative portal. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate over-the-phone or in-person electronic payments while securely processing the transaction through your integrated payment provider. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your third-party payment provider is already established and credit card payment types are enabled in your environment. Processing a payment is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate violation management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can locate an unpaid violation and process a credit card payment in just a few steps.

            1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Type the specific ticket number into the Search Text box and perform the search.

            3. Click the specific Ticket # link from the search results to open the Violation Information window.

            4. Click the Actions drop-down menu and choose Make Payment.

            5. Review the awaiting items displayed on the user's payment screen. Disable the checkboxes for any items the user does not wish to pay for at this time (such as unrelated permits or deposits).

            6. ulhimage.png

            7. Click the Proceed to Payment button.

            8. Select the applicable credit card option (e.g., Credit Card, MasterCard, or Visa) from the payment type drop-down menu.

            9. Enter the required credit card details into the secure payment form.

            10. Click the Submit Payment Information button.

            11. Click the Confirm Payment Information button on the confirmation screen to finalize the transaction.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Available Action for External Payments

            Payment Security: When taking a credit card payment over the phone, never write down or permanently store the user's credit card information. Always enter the details directly into the payment provider's secure gateway in real-time to maintain strict PCI compliance.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Failed Payments Report

            The Failed Payments Report allows administrators to search and review a list of unsuccessful payment transactions within a specific date range. Its primary purpose is to help identify exactly why a user's transaction did not process by providing access to detailed transaction records and specific payment provider error codes. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to access this report. Running the failed payments report is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial reporting and payment management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can generate a list of unsuccessful transactions and drill down into the specific error details in just a few steps.

            1. Hover over Payments and click Search Failed Payments.

            2. Enter the specific date range you wish to report on using the provided date fields.

            3. Click the Search button.

            4. Review the generated list of failed payments displayed for the selected time period.

            5. Click the specific Confirmation Code link to open the full transaction record and view detailed failure information.

            Understanding Provider Error Codes: While some payment gateways return a detailed text explanation indicating exactly why a payment failed, other providers will simply supply a numerical error code (e.g., Response Code 481).

            Key Information Displayed

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Mark Items as Paid

            The Mark Items as Paid feature allows administrators to efficiently update the payment status of outstanding items in bulk. Its primary purpose is to streamline administrative workflows when resolving unpaid balances for specific user demographics, item types, or lists of recovered violations returned by a collection agency. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specialized system configuration required to access this tool. Processing bulk payments is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial reporting and payment management permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can execute bulk payment updates either by defining broad system criteria or by entering a specific list of ticket numbers.

            Marking Items Paid by Criteria

            This method is useful for clearing out legacy balances or waiving fees for specific groups up to a certain date.

            1. Hover over Payments and click Mark Items Paid.

            2. Select the target demographic you wish to update from the User Type drop-down menu (e.g., Full Time Staff).

            3. Select the specific item you are marking as paid from the Choose Item Type drop-down menu (e.g., Locker Rentals).

            4. Select the end date for the adjustment period using the Up To and Including date picker.

            5. Click the corresponding action button to process the bulk payment update for all items matching your selected criteria.

            Bulk Marking Violations Paid

            This method is primarily used when outstanding violations have been sent to collections, and the administrative office receives a return list of successfully retrieved payments from the collection agency.

            1. Hover over Payments and click Mark Items Paid.

            2. Click the Bulk by Number button located next to the Violations option.

            3. Enter the specific violation numbers into the text tool, ensuring each ticket number is separated by a line return.

            4. Select Violations Paid Through Collection (or the most appropriate payment type) from the drop-down list.

            5. Click the Mark Listed Paid button to complete the process and apply the payments.

            u4Uimage.png

            Exclude PINs from Violation Numbers: When entering violation numbers into the bulk tool, you must not include the PIN associated with the ticket. For example, if a ticket is listed as 2-001345-92 (where 92 is the PIN), you should only enter 2-001345.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payment Adjustments

            The Payment Adjustments feature allows administrators to process financial refunds, release inventory, and reverse processed transactions for permits, lockers, and violations. Its primary purpose is to correct billing errors or process user cancellations while ensuring accurate financial tracking and inventory management within the system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to access the adjustment and refund tools. Processing payment adjustments is a standard administrative function available to users with the appropriate financial reporting, inventory management, and refund processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can process refunds and release associated inventory directly from a user's transaction history. The process varies slightly depending on the type of item being adjusted.

            Releasing a Permit

            Releasing a permit removes it from the user's account and makes it available in the system inventory, but it does not automatically issue a financial refund.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's dashboard.

            2. Click the specific permit number located under the parking section.

            3. Click the permit number again from the permit details screen to open the permit search view.

            4. Enter a descriptive reason in the Comment field to track why the permit is being released.

            5. Click the Release this permit button. The permit will immediately appear as available in the system inventory.

            Refunding a Violation

            Refunding a violation payment reverses the financial transaction and reinstates the fine on the user's account.

            1. Navigate to the user's history and locate the paid violation.

            2. Click the Processed link next to the item to access the transaction details.

            3. Click the Refund button.

            4. Enter a descriptive reason in the Comment field on the Refund Payment Record window.

            5. Click the Refund Payment Record button.

            6. Click the Process This Adjustment button on the Adjustment Information screen.

            Adjusting Violations to $0: Do not attempt to adjust a violation fine directly to $0 using the payment adjustment tool. If a violation fine needs to be removed or zeroed out, administrators should use the designated warning or appeal workflows to waive the fee properly.

            Refunding a Locker or Temporary Permit

            Refunding a locker or temporary permit reverses the financial transaction and automatically releases the inventory.

            z7simage.png

            1. Navigate to the user's profile history and locate the locker or temporary permit transaction.

            2. Click the process date link to access the transaction details.

            3. Click the Refund button.

            4. Enter a descriptive reason in the Comment field.

            5. Click the Refund Payment Record button.

            6. Click the Process This Adjustment button.

            Processing Multi-Item Refunds

            If a single transaction contains multiple item types (e.g., a permit and a violation purchased together), clicking the Refund button on that transaction will process both items according to their business rules. The payment will be refunded, the permit will be released back into available inventory, and the violation will return to an awaiting payment status.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Electronic Fund Transfer Configurations

            The Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) feature allows administrators to export batch payment data into a flat file for external bank processing and subsequently reconcile the returned transaction statuses. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly manage recurring subscriptions or bulk payments directly through your banking institution. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            If your organization plans to use EFT as a payment method, you must configure your specific bank client number in the system. This identifier is provided by your banking institution (e.g., Royal Bank of Canada) and dictates where the funds will be deposited.

            Tomahawk Assistance: Depending on your initial onboarding process, the Tomahawk support team may have already entered this information for you.

            wv1image.png

            To verify or update this configuration:

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

            2. Scroll down to locate the Payments section.

            3. Enter your bank-provided client number into the appropriate EFT configuration field.

            4. Save your system settings.

            Using this Feature

            The EFT workflow consists of two main administrative phases: generating the export file to send to your bank, and later updating the system based on the bank's transaction report.

            Creating EFT Files for the Bank

            Once user subscriptions are properly set up and you have performed a system rollover, you can generate the flat file containing the pending EFT information.

            1. Hover over Payments and click EFT Export.

            2. Download the generated flat file.

            3. Submit this file to your banking representative for processing according to your institution's specific procedures.

            Marking EFT Items as Paid or Failed

            After your bank processes the flat file, they will provide you with a return report detailing which submitted payments were successful and which were declined (e.g., due to insufficient funds). You must manually update these statuses in OPS-COM.

            1. Hover over Payments and click EFT Process.

            2. Review the list of pending transactions on the Electronic Funds Transfer Process window.

            3. Adjust the state for each payment using the available checkboxes.

            4. Click the Mark as Indicated button to finalize the process and update the system records.

            Available Actions and States:

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Paying a Violation Anonymously on the Administrator Interface

            The Anonymous Violation Payment feature allows administrators to process parking ticket payments without tying the transaction to a registered user account. Its primary purpose is to quickly facilitate in-person or over-the-phone payments from guests or unregistered users who wish to resolve a citation. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to access this feature, provided your manual and electronic payment types are already established. Processing an anonymous payment is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate violation management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            If you need to configure new payment methods, instructions can be found on the Managing Payment Types page.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can search for an unpaid violation and process the transaction anonymously in just a few steps.

            1. Hover over Violations and click Search.

            2. Enter either the specific ticket number or the license plate number into the Search Text field.

            3. Click the Search using only text button.

            4. Click the specific Ticket Number link from the search results to open the Violation Information pop-up screen.

            5. Click the Make Anonymous Payment button to proceed to the checkout process.

            6. Enable the ticket checkbox to select the specific violation you wish to pay on the Payments Due window.

            7. Click the Proceed to Payment button.

            8. Select the appropriate method of payment from the available payment type drop-down menu.

            9. Click the Submit Payment button.

            10. Click the Confirm Payment Information button on the final confirmation screen to complete the transaction.

            Confirm Ticket Details: Always verify the license plate and violation details with the user before clicking the Make Anonymous Payment button. Because the payment is not tied to a searchable user profile, correcting a payment applied to the wrong ticket can be administratively difficult.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Permit Purchase by an Admin

            The Admin Portal Permit Purchase process allows administrators to assign a standard parking permit and process the associated transaction on behalf of a user. Its primary purpose is to seamlessly facilitate in-person or administrative permit assignments while accurately logging the financial transaction in the system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            There is no specific system configuration required to use this feature, provided your parking lots, permit inventory, and payment methods are already established. Processing a permit purchase is a standard administrative action available to users with the appropriate user management and payment processing permissions enabled on their account profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can assign a permit and guide it through the checkout process in just a few steps.

            1. Navigate to the specific user's profile and click the Parking menu item.

            2. Click the Standard Permit option.

            3. Select the desired lot from the drop-down menu.

            4. Review the purchase details on the confirmation screen. By default, the system will select the next available permit in the sequence. To assign a specific permit, expand the permit number drop-down menu and make your selection.

            5. Click the Purchase this Permit button.

            6. Review the items on the Payments Due screen and click the Proceed to Payment button.

            7. Select the desired payment method (e.g., Cash) from the payment type drop-down list.

            8. Click the Submit Payment Type button.

            9. Click the Confirm Payment Information button to proceed to the transaction screen.

            10. Review the options available on the Transaction Details screen:

              • Process Manually: This option will complete the purchase and finalize the transaction.

              • Cancel & Keep: This option will terminate the checkout process but keep the permit reserved in an awaiting payment status on the user's profile for future processing.

            11. Click the Process Manually button to complete the purchase.

            Key Information Displayed

            Available Action & Button

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Managing Incomplete Transactions: If a user needs to finalize their payment at a later time, use the Cancel & Keep button. This safely holds the assigned permit under their profile without forcing you to restart the entire assignment process when they return to pay.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Transact Campus/CashNet Hosted Payment Setup

            The Transact Campus and CashNet Hosted Payment integration allows institutions to securely process parking and violation transactions through their existing CashNet merchant account. The primary purpose of this configuration is to ensure successful communication and data transfer between the OPS-COM environment and the external CashNet payment gateway. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and IT staff responsible for configuring financial integrations.

            Setup and Configuration

            Setting up this integration requires a coordinated exchange of information between your organization and the OPS-COM support team, followed by specific URL configurations within your CashNet portal.

            Information to Provide to OPS-COM Support

            To begin the setup process, you must supply specific configuration details from your CashNet system to the OPS-COM support team.

            Exact Matches Required: The item codes provided to OPS-COM must match exactly what is configured in your CashNet system. Any discrepancy between the systems will cause the transactions to fail.

            Configuring CashNet Store Settings

            Once OPS-COM support has your details, they will provide you with specific URLs containing your unique hosted ID. You must enter these into your CashNet Store Settings.

            1. Navigate to your CashNet Store Settings page.

            2. Enter the provided complete payment URL into the Sign-out & Complete payment field.

            3. Enter the provided incomplete payment URL into the Sign-out & Incomplete field.

            4. Select Append Data using GET from the Pass information to calling system drop-down menu.

            URL Format Example: The URLs provided by OPS-COM will look similar to [https://hostedpayments.parkadmin.com/hook/cashnet/CLIENTS-UNIQUE-HOSTED-ID/?a=r](https://hostedpayments.parkadmin.com/hook/cashnet/CLIENTS-UNIQUE-HOSTED-ID/?a=r). You must ensure the placeholder text is replaced with your actual unique identifier.

            Configuring CashNet HTTP Notifications

            You must also configure CashNet to send transaction notification data back to OPS-COM so the system knows when a payment has cleared.

            1. Navigate to the HTTP Notifications configuration section within CashNet.

            2. Enter the provided callback URL into the Successful & Failed Transactions field.

            3. Select Name Value Format (POST) from the Select format for HTTP content drop-down menu.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once fully configured and tested, the CashNet payment gateway will automatically handle electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal or when administrators process credit card payments via the administrative portal.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            TouchNet (uPay) Hosted Payments

            The TouchNet uPay Hosted Payment integration allows institutions to securely process parking and violation transactions through their existing TouchNet merchant account. Its primary purpose is to ensure successful communication and financial data transfer between the OPS-COM environment and the TouchNet payment gateway. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and IT staff responsible for configuring financial integrations.

            Setup and Configuration

            Setting up this integration requires a coordinated exchange of information between your organization, your TouchNet Account Manager, and your OPS-COM Account Manager.

            Gathering Required Credentials

            You must obtain the following configuration details from your TouchNet Account Manager for both your Sandbox (Test) and Production (Live) environments:

            Providing Details to OPS-COM: Once you have gathered these credentials, you must provide them to your OPS-COM Account Manager to complete the backend configuration. Please note that additional charges for setup may apply.

            Configuring the T-Link Web Service

            OperationsCommander's parent company, Tomahawk Technologies, is a certified TouchNet Ready Partner.

            1. When configuring the T-Link in your TouchNet account, look for a partner selection drop-down menu.

            2. Select Tomahawk Technologies from the list.

            If you do not have the ability to configure a T-Link web service URL and your TouchNet Account Manager has not supplied one, you must request that TouchNet set up a uPay site for you that explicitly supports T-Link web services.

            General Ledger Codes

            OperationsCommander's TouchNet integration currently supports multiple General Ledger (GL) codes. This allows you to route funds to different accounts based on the item type.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once fully configured and tested by the OPS-COM support team, the TouchNet payment gateway will automatically handle electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal or when administrators process credit card payments via the administrative portal.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Sandbox Testing: Always provide both your Sandbox and Production credentials to your OPS-COM Account Manager. This ensures the integration can be thoroughly tested in a safe, simulated environment before live financial transactions are actively processed.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            SchoolPay

            The SchoolPay Hosted Payment Setup process allows administrators to configure SchoolPay as an integrated payment gateway within the system. Its primary purpose is to enable users to securely pay for items—such as permits, lockers, and violations—directly through the SchoolPay platform during checkout. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before adding the payment type, ensure you have your specific SchoolPay account credentials (Username, Password, and Item ID) readily available.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Payments then Setup Payment Types.

            2. Click the Add Type button.

            3. Select SchoolPay - Hosted from the provider drop-down menu.

            4. Click the Next Step button.

            5. Enter a clear, descriptive name in the Type Name field (e.g., Online Credit Card Payment).

            6. Select the specific user groups who should have access to this payment method from the Enabled for User Types list.

            7. Leave the Enable for Text2ParkMe and Enable for Permit Renewal Payments checkboxes disabled.

            8. Enable the Enable for Guest Payments checkbox if you intend to allow anonymous checkout on your portal.

            9. Select Email Address from the Prompt Information field.

            10. Enter your Username, Password, and Item ID into the respective credential fields.

            11. Select whether you are using your Production or Sandbox credentials from the environment drop-down menu.

            12. Click the Update Payment Type button to save and activate the gateway.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once configured, the SchoolPay integration automatically handles electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal.

            The standard user checkout flow proceeds as follows:

            1. Select the SchoolPay payment type during the OPS-COM checkout process.

            2. Enter a valid email address when prompted by the system.

            3. Click the confirmation button to be securely redirected to the external SchoolPay system.

            4. Enter the required credit card details on the SchoolPay interface.

            5. Click Finish to process the funds and automatically redirect back to the OPS-COM portal.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Unsupported Features: The OPS-COM SchoolPay integration does not currently support the Text2ParkMe or Permit Renewal payment features. Do not enable these specific checkboxes during configuration, as they will cause checkout errors.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            PayPal

            The PayPal Hosted Payment Setup process allows administrators to configure PayPal as an integrated payment gateway within the system. Its primary purpose is to enable users to securely pay for items—such as permits, lockers, and violations—using their PayPal accounts during checkout. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before adding the payment type in OPS-COM, ensure you have successfully created a merchant account with PayPal and have your designated PayPal email address readily available.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Payments then Setup Payment Types.

            2. Click the Add Type button.

            3. Select the PayPal option from the provider drop-down menu.

            4. Click the Next Step button.

            5. Enter your designated PayPal email address into the credential configuration fields.

            6. Select your required operational currency from the available options.

            7. Select whether you are configuring the gateway for production use (live transactions) or a sandbox environment (testing).

            8. Click the Update Payment Type button to save your credentials and activate the gateway.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once configured, the PayPal integration automatically handles electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal.

            The standard user checkout flow proceeds as follows:

            1. Select the PayPal payment type during the OPS-COM checkout process.

            2. Click the confirmation button to be securely redirected to the external PayPal system.

            3. Log in to the PayPal interface or enter the required credit card details as a guest.

            4. Confirm the payment details to process the funds and automatically redirect back to the OPS-COM portal.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            OpenEdge Hosted Payments

            Sign up for your new OpenEdge Account Here:  OPSCOM / OpenEdge.

            On the sign up form you will be asked for Representative Information. Here is the correct information to enter:

            Credentials Required:

            Your OpenEdge Account Manager can provide you with the following information:

            This will be given to you for both a Sandbox and a Production environment.

            Create OpenEdge Payment Type:

            You can create a new payment type by selecting System Configuration ( icon in the OPSCOM admin side menu ) → Payments → Setup Payment Types →Add Type.

            image.png


            Select "EdgeExpress - Hosted" as your provider → Next Step.

            image.png

            You should now be brought to the "Edit Payment Type" page:

            image.png

            Type Name: The Type name can be whatever you want it to be, though please note this will also be the name displayed to users when using payment checkout and selecting a payment method. You can reference the specific hosted payment provider such as OpenEdge/Edge Express or something more generic such as "Online Credit Card Payment", "Online payment", "Credit Card", etc. Really it's up to you and what you think makes most sense to your site users when making a payment, also might depend on what payment methods your OpenEdge/EdgeExpress.

            Enabled for User Types: Select the User Types you wish this new Payment Type to be visible to so they can select it during payment checkout. You can change these user types at any time

            There are additional required configuration fields in the Settings area:

            image.png

            Enable for Text2ParkMe: if you aren't using this module leave the button unchecked.

            Enable for Permit Renewal Payments: if you aren't using this feature leave the button unchecked.

            Enable for Guest Payments: if you aren't using this feature leave the button unchecked.

            Prompt Information: Only "Email Address" is supported with OpenEdge Hosted Payments at this time.

            Credentials:

            As referenced above, your OpenEdge Account Manager can provide you with the following credentials:

            Don't forget to save your new payment type by clicking the "Update Payment Type" button along the bottom of the page:

            Done, the new OpenEdge/Edge Express hosted payment type has been added to your OPSCOM system and you should be ready to test the payment/checkout process using this new payment type. 

            To test: Using a test user, add a vehicle if none already present, then purchase a $1.00 permit or violation using the new payment type. Complete and pay for the transaction. Once complete the test user will receive an email receipt showing the successful payment. Confirm that your company has received the payment into your bank account to verify that the setup is working correctly. 

            For some additional reference/clarification this is what the OpenEdge hosted payment page looks like to website users during the checkout/payment process:

            image.png

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Moneris Checkout

            The Moneris Checkout Hosted Payment configuration allows administrators to process secure online transactions through a fully integrated Moneris merchant account. Its primary purpose is to enable reliable payment processing—including pre-authorizations and stored cards for recurring billing—directly within the OPS-COM checkout flow. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Properly configuring Moneris Checkout involves two key stages: generating and configuring the settings within your Moneris merchant account, and then mirroring those exact settings within your OPS-COM environment.

            Gathering Required Credentials

            Before beginning the configuration in OPS-COM, you must create a profile in your Moneris account and obtain the following credentials:

            embedded-image-8c6xeq2r.png

            Moneris Portal Configuration

            1. Log in to the Moneris Merchant Resource Center.

            2. Click Admin in the main menu and select Moneris Checkout Config.

            3. Locate your specific checkout profile and click to edit it.

            4. Select I have my custom order form and want to use Moneris simply for payment processing under the Checkout Type settings.

            5. Navigate to the Payment section and set the Transaction Type to your preferred method (preauthorize is highly recommended).

            6. Disable the Tokenize Card option in the Payment section, as card tokenization for recurring payments is handled separately by the Moneris Vault.

            7. Disable the Enable Fullscreen checkbox under the Branding and Design section to prevent the form from taking over the entire screen during checkout.

            8. Select Use Own Page for the order confirmation setting so Moneris correctly redirects users back to the OPS-COM receipt page.

            OPS-COM System Configuration

            Once your Moneris portal is configured, you must add the payment type to OPS-COM. Detailed step-by-step instructions for adding the gateway can be found on the Payment Types Setup page.

            Important: When configuring the gateway in OPS-COM, your Transaction Type setting (Pre-auth vs. Purchase) and your Security settings (AVS/CVV requirements) must exactly match what you configured in the Moneris portal.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once fully configured, Moneris automatically handles electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal or when administrators process credit card payments via the administrative portal.

            Moneris Vault for Stored Payments

            Moneris Vault is a complementary service used for tokenizing and storing credit cards for future, automated use. This feature is heavily utilized for parking permit rollovers and the Text2ParkMe feature. To utilize this functionality, ensure your hosted_token_id is actively entered in your OPS-COM payment settings.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Moneris Hosted Paypage

            The Moneris Hosted Paypage integration allows administrators to securely process parking and violation transactions through their Moneris merchant account via a hosted checkout page. Its primary purpose is to ensure secure communication and financial data transfer between the OPS-COM system and the external Moneris payment gateway. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and IT staff responsible for configuring financial integrations.

            Setup and Configuration

            Setting up this integration requires you to retrieve unique keys from your Moneris account, provide them to OPS-COM, and configure specific callback URLs within the Moneris portal.

            1. Log in to your Moneris account using the Development portal ([https://esqa.moneris.com/mpg/](https://esqa.moneris.com/mpg/)) or the Production portal ([https://www3.moneris.com/mpg](https://www3.moneris.com/mpg)).

            2. Hover over Admin and click Hosted Paypage Config.

            3. Copy the specific ps_store_id and hpp_key displayed at the top of the configuration page and provide them to your OPS-COM representative to connect the systems.

            4. Enter the required OPS-COM callback URL into the Approved URL and Declined URL fields on the main configuration page.

            5. Enter the required OPS-COM callback URL into the Async Response URL field within the Response/Receipt Data configuration section.

            6. Enter the required OPS-COM callback URL into the Response URL field within the Security Features configuration section.

            7. Modify the settings within the Paypage Appearance section to customize the visual design of the checkout page your customers will see. Use the preview button to verify your changes.

            8. Enable the desired options within the Email Receipts configuration section.

            Environment URLs: The callback URL you must enter into the Moneris configuration fields depends entirely on the environment you are configuring.

            Production/Live: Use [https://hostedpayments.parkadmin.com/hook/moneris/](https://hostedpayments.parkadmin.com/hook/moneris/)

            Development/Testing: Use [https://hostedpayments.preview.parkadmin.com/hook/moneris/](https://hostedpayments.preview.parkadmin.com/hook/moneris/)

            You will use this exact same URL for the Approved URL, Declined URL, Async Response URL, and Security Response URL fields.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once fully configured, the Moneris Hosted Paypage automatically handles electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal.

            During checkout, the user is securely redirected to the customized Moneris payment page to enter their card details. Once the payment succeeds or fails, Moneris automatically redirects the user back to the OPS-COM portal where an on-screen receipt is displayed and the transaction is logged in the user's account history.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Simulating Payment Declines: When testing your integration in the development environment, Moneris provides a Penny Value Simulator chart in their developer documentation. Use specific penny amounts to force certain callback responses (such as an expired card or insufficient funds error) from the test gateway to ensure OPS-COM handles the declined payments properly.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Chase E-xact Hosted Payments

            The Chase E-xact Hosted Payment configuration allows administrators to process secure online transactions through the Chase E-xact payment gateway. Its primary purpose is to safely redirect users to a Hosted Payment Page (HPP) during checkout, ensuring sensitive payment data is securely handled outside of OPS-COM before posting the transaction results back to the system. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To configure the Chase E-xact integration, you must gather specific credentials from your merchant account so they can be entered into the system.

            1. Log in to your Chase E-xact merchant portal.

            2. Retrieve your exact Company Name, your E-xact ID (Gateway ID), and the Password used to access your account.

            3. Hover over System Configuration and click Payments then Setup Payment Types.

            4. Click the Add Type button.

            5. Select the Chase E-xact option from the provider drop-down menu.

            6. Click the Next Step button.

            7. Enter your Company Name, E-xact ID, and Password into the respective credential configuration fields.

            8. Click the Update Payment Type button to save your credentials and activate the gateway.

            Using this Feature

            Because this integration utilizes a Hosted Payment Page (HPP) with a Relay Response, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once configured, the Chase E-xact integration automatically handles electronic routing when users process transactions on the user portal.

            The standard user checkout flow proceeds as follows:

            1. Select the Chase E-xact payment type during the OPS-COM checkout process.

            2. Click the confirmation button to be securely redirected to E-xact's external payment form.

            3. Enter the required credit card details on the secure HPP.

            4. Confirm the payment details to process the funds.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Bambora Checkout

            The Bambora Checkout Hosted Payment configuration allows administrators to process secure online transactions through a fully integrated Bambora (Wordline) merchant account. Its primary purpose is to enable reliable payment processing and tokenized profiles directly within the OPS-COM checkout flow by utilizing secure authorization headers. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            To properly configure your Bambora payment type in OPS-COM, you require two separate encoded authorization headers: the Payment Authorization Header and the Profile Authorization Header. Both require your Bambora Merchant ID (MID) and a specific API access passcode to generate.

            Generating the Payment Authorization Header

            1. Log in to your Bambora account.

            2. Select Administration, click Account Settings, and then select Order Settings from the left navigation menu.

            3. Scroll down to the API access passcode section.

            4. Click the Generate New Code button if the field is empty.

            5. Click the Update button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

            6. Locate and copy your Merchant ID from the top right of your Bambora account.

            7. Navigate to the Bambora encoding tool URL provided by your implementation specialist.

            8. Paste your Merchant ID and the new API access passcode into the appropriate fields.

            9. Click the Encode button.

            10. Copy the generated Payment Authorization Header. Ensure you only copy the string starting with the word Passcode (e.g., Passcode MzAw...). Do not copy the Authorization: prefix or the quotation marks.

            Generating the Profile Authorization Header

            1. Select Configuration and click Payment Profile Configuration from the left navigation menu in Bambora.

            2. Ensure the API access passcode option is selected under the Security Settings section.

            3. Click the Generate New Code button if the field is empty.

            4. Click the Update button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

            5. Navigate back to the Bambora encoding tool.

            6. Paste your Merchant ID and this specific Profile API access passcode into the appropriate fields.

            7. Click the Encode button.

            8. Copy the generated Profile Authorization Header, again ensuring you only copy the string starting with the word Passcode.

            Use a Text Editor: Temporarily paste your generated headers into a program like Notepad while switching between Bambora and OPS-COM. This ensures you do not lose the copied strings during the multi-step configuration process.

            Adding the Payment Type in OPS-COM

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Payments then Setup Payment Types.

            2. Click the Add Type button.

            3. Select Bambora - Checkout from the Provider list.

            4. Click the Next Step button.

            5. Enter a clear, descriptive name into the Type Name field (e.g., Online Credit Card Payment).

            6. Select the specific user groups who should have access to this method from the Enabled for User Types list.

            7. Enable or disable the checkboxes for Enable for Text2ParkMe, Enable for Permit Renewal Payments, and Enable for Guest Payments based on your operational needs.

            8. Select Billing Details from the Prompt Information drop-down menu if you are enforcing AVS in your Bambora account, or select Email Address if AVS is not required.

            9. Paste your copied headers into the Profile Authorization Header and Payment Authorization Header fields under the Production Credentials section.

            10. Enable the Validate Card when adding subscriptions checkbox if you want the card validated immediately by the payment provider when it is first added as a subscription method in a user's profile.

            11. Leave the Phone Number Field set to hidden unless specifically required by your fraud detection settings.

            12. Click the Update Payment Type button at the bottom of the page to save your configuration.

            AVS and Prompt Settings Match: You must align your OPS-COM prompt information with your Bambora AVS settings. If Address Verification Service (AVS) is enabled in Bambora, you must set OPS-COM to prompt for Billing Details. If you only prompt for Email Address while AVS is active, transactions will fail to process.

            Using this Feature

            Because this is a backend payment gateway configuration, administrators do not manually interact with this feature on a daily basis. Once fully configured, the Bambora Checkout integration automatically handles electronic routing and card tokenization when users process transactions on the user portal or when administrators process manual credit card payments via the administrative portal.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Authorize.Net

            The Authorize Net Hosted Payment Setup process allows administrators to configure Authorize.Net as an integrated payment gateway within the system. Its primary purpose is to enable users to securely pay for items using an external hosted payment form while automatically syncing the transaction data back to the user's OPS-COM profile. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before configuring the payment type in OPS-COM, ensure your Authorize.Net merchant account is fully established and properly configured for online transactions.

            Verifying Merchant Profile Settings

            Your account must be properly configured for e-commerce transactions to process payments from the portal.

            1. Log in to your Authorize.Net portal.

            2. Click Account and then select Merchant Profile.

            3. Verify that the Product Type is set to Card Not Present (CNP) and the Market Type is set to eCommerce under the Business Information heading.

            Generating API Credentials

            To connect the systems, you must provide three unique pieces of identification to the Tomahawk Technologies (OPS-COM) support team.

            1. Click Account and navigate to the API credentials area.

            2. Locate your API Login ID (this was defined during your initial account creation).

            3. Select the option to generate a new transaction key and click Submit to reveal your Transaction Key.

            4. Select the option to generate a new signature key and click Submit to reveal your Signature Key.

            5. Copy these three specific values and supply them to your OPS-COM representative to complete the backend system integration.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators manage the appearance and security behavior of the hosted checkout page directly from the Authorize.Net portal. Because OPS-COM handles the transaction handoff automatically, administrators do not manually process these specific web payments on a daily basis.

            Customizing the Payment Form

            1. Click Account and select Payment Form.

            2. Adjust the form styling to present a consistent look and feel for your end users.

            3. Disable the shipping address fields to remove checkout confusion, as shipping is not required for parking transactions.

            Configuring Address Verification Service

            If you are utilizing Address Verification Service (AVS) for enhanced fraud protection, you must configure the hosted form to enforce these rules.

            1. Navigate to the payment form settings.

            2. Set the specific billing address fields to required. This ensures the gateway captures the data necessary to perform the AVS check against the provided credit card.

            Keep Billing Details Visible: Even though OPS-COM automatically connects the final payment to the logged-in user, it is highly recommended to keep the billing details visible and editable on the payment form. Users frequently use credit cards belonging to someone else (such as a spouse, parent, or corporate account), and the billing information must match the cardholder, not necessarily the OPS-COM user profile.

            Receipt and Response Pages: You do not need to manually configure the receipt page or response details within Authorize.Net. As part of the secure payment protocol, OPS-COM automatically supplies this routing information and handles the final receipt generation on the user portal.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Hosted Payments

            The Hosted Payments functionality allows organizations to integrate secure, third-party payment gateways with the OPS-COM platform. Its primary purpose is to facilitate online transactions for user purchases—such as permits, lockers, and violations—while maintaining strict PCI compliance by redirecting sensitive credit card data to the provider's secure servers. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Because OPS-COM supports a wide variety of hosted payment providers, the specific configuration steps depend heavily on your chosen merchant gateway. However, all hosted payment integrations are managed from the same centralized administrative menu.

            1. Hover over System Configuration and click Payments then Setup Payment Types.

            2. Click the Add Type button.

            3. Select your specific merchant gateway from the provider drop-down menu.

            For detailed, step-by-step instructions on generating the required API credentials and configuring the backend settings for your specific gateway, please refer to the appropriate integrated wiki article below:

            Maintain Credential Security: Never share your payment gateway API keys, passwords, or token IDs openly. If your gateway credentials expire or are reset within your merchant portal, you must immediately update them within your OPS-COM payment settings to prevent site-wide checkout failures.

            Supported Hosted Payment Providers

            Limited Support Providers

            Testing Integrations: Always perform a small test transaction before going live with a newly configured hosted payment provider. Most providers offer a sandbox or development environment that allows you to verify the checkout flow and ensure payments are routing correctly back to OPS-COM without affecting real financial records.

            Using this Feature

            Because hosted payments rely on backend API connections and secure redirects, administrators do not manually interact with the web payment feature on a daily basis once the initial configuration is complete.

            The standard user checkout flow for a hosted payment proceeds as follows:

            1. Select the designated hosted payment type during the OPS-COM checkout process.

            2. Click the confirmation button to be securely redirected to the external provider's hosted payment form.

            3. Enter the required credit card details on the secure webpage.

            4. Confirm the payment details to process the funds.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Technical Schematic - Step #1

            This article outlines the system logic and automated workflow for processing new violations and preparing them for collections. Its primary purpose is to help OPS-COM administrators understand how the platform evaluates user contact information to issue notices and automatically flags eligible violations for the collections pipeline.

            Setup and Configuration

            The initial phase of the collections process relies on automated system logic triggered by the age of the violation and the user's profile data. This workflow requires no daily manual setup, but administrators should understand the underlying conditions that drive the automation.

            When a violation reaches an age greater than the configured AutoNoticeDays, the system evaluates the primary driver's profile to determine the appropriate notification method and sets the corresponding flags:

            The initial ticket should generally be issued in the system on the same day the physical violation occurred to ensure the AutoNoticeDays calculation remains accurate.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators interact with this automated workflow primarily through the reporting modules when finalizing which items move to formal collections.

            Access the Send to Collections report to review flagged items. Review the populated list of violations. Items will only appear on this report if they have an associated Violation Notice, carry a Violation.AutoNotice flag of 1 or 2, and have aged exactly 30 days past the date they were initially flagged. Select the specific items or users from the generated list that require escalation. Process the selected items to officially send them to collections.

             Warning: Items will not appear on the Send to Collections report until the full 30-day waiting period has elapsed following the initial AutoNotice flagging. Administrators must account for this buffer period in their collections schedule.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Automatic Violation Notice

            The Automatic Violation Notice script automates the delivery of new and past-due violation emails to system users. This feature helps OPS-COM administrators streamline the collections process by ensuring timely communication regarding outstanding citations, whether via email or printed letters. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing violation notices, appeals, and collections.

            Setup and Configuration

            Administrators must configure the system settings and notice literature before the automated scripts can accurately process and send emails.

            Configuring Notice Settings

            1. Hover over System Config and click Notice Literature to configure the text templates for your emails.

            2. Hover over Tomahawk Options and click System Settings to set the Auto Notice Days, which dictates the number of days until a violation is considered due.

            3. Hover over System Settings and click Collections.

            4. Enable the Include All Unpaid Violations checkbox to allow the system to group all violations associated with a user into a single report.

            Enabling the Include All Unpaid Violations checkbox means that selecting a single violation in the list will generate a report for all violations associated with that user. This action will subsequently remove all of their associated violations from the pick-list on the Printable Violation Notice Report page.

            Configuring the NIC Letter (Ontario MTO)

            For organizations processing a Notice of Impending Conviction (NIC) for Ontario courts, a specific letter format must be established.

            1. Hover over System Messaging and click the Messages tab.

            2. Edit the Notice Letter to match your required NIC formatting.

            Using This Feature

            Once configured, the Automatic Violation Notice script runs automatically. The primary administrative interaction involves reviewing system emails and managing physical letters for users who cannot be reached digitally.

            Notice Email Summary

            The system will automatically send four distinct types of emails:

            Managing the Letter Report

            Users without an email address on file are automatically added to the Letter report so administrators can print and physically mail their overdue notices.

            1. Hover over Violations and click Letter report.

            2. Review the list of users. The results will be divided into two categories:

              • Printable Violation Notices: Notices ready to be printed and mailed.

              • Unprintable: Notices that cannot be processed due to an incomplete or missing mailing address.

            Resending a NIC Letter

            Once a NIC letter has been generated and sent, a copy is stored within the associated violation record.

            1. Search for the specific violation ticket or locate it on the user's profile.

            2. Click the ticket number to open the detailed ticket view.

            3. Click the Overdue Letter button to view and resend the notice.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Collections Module

            The Collections Module provides OPS-COM administrators with a streamlined process for managing and recovering overdue violation funds. Its primary purpose is to identify unknown users through regional vehicle lookups and compile reports of accounts with outstanding balances to be sent to external collection agencies. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial enforcement and collections.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before fully utilizing the Collections Module, administrators should verify that the automated system processes are active.

            1. Verify that your system is configured to send overdue notices each night.

            2. If these automated emails are not being generated, contact Tomahawk Support to have the feature enabled on your system.

            Using this Feature

            The Collections Module is currently located within the Violations management area. It allows administrators to retrieve owner information from license plates and generate specific reports for collection agencies.

            Accessing the Module

            Hover over Violations and click Collections to access the module's drop-down menu of reporting and export tools.

            Available Actions and Reports

            Managing Unknown Users

            For unknown vehicles, administrators can export license plate data to identify the registered owners.

            The Collections Module allows OPS-COM administrators to manage overdue violation funds, identify unknown users, and process accounts for external collection agencies. This module streamlines the collection workflow by automating overdue notices and facilitating data exchange with provincial transport ministries, such as the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO).

            System Logic and Workflows

            Understanding the background automation is critical for managing the collections process.

            Known Report Inclusion Logic

            The system uses specific parameters to determine which accounts are packaged into the Known Report. A user is included based on the user type and days overdue if they meet either of the following conditions:

            Automated Overdue Notices Workflow

            Each night, the system searches for overdue violations and cross-references the associated vehicles and users.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            For a visual representation of the preliminary steps and workflows leading up to a collection, please review the Technical Schematic - Step #1 documentation.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            What does a refund look like in the system?

            The refund process allows OPS-COM administrators to reverse completed transactions directly from a user's profile. This feature helps administrators return purchased items (like permits or lockers) back to active inventory or reverse payments for accounting purposes, such as handling Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF). This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and user account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            Processing refunds is a core administrative function that does not require any additional system setup or configuration. It is accessed entirely through the individual user's profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators interact with the refund feature by locating the original transaction in the user's history and initiating a reversal.

            Processing a Refund

            1. Search for and open the target user's profile.

            2. Click the History tab and select All Records.

            3. Locate the specific transaction you wish to refund.

              • For standard permits, temporary permits, or lockers, click the Processed date link.

              • HLoimage.png

              • For violations, click the Processed text link.

              • 0quimage (1).png

            4. Click the Refund button on the Transaction Details screen to open the refund window.

            5. Enter an internal Requisition Code if required by your organization (this is optional).

            6. Enter the total Refund Amount, ensuring you include applicable taxes.

            7. Enter a required justification in the comment field.

            8. Click the Refund Payment Record button to proceed, and accept any on-screen confirmations to continue.

            9. Select the desired refund type from the Adjustment Information window.

            10. Click the Process This Adjustment button to finalize the transaction.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Once the refund is processed, the system updates the user's profile to reflect the changes:

            Handling NSF Payments

            Sometimes, a payment fails after it is recorded (e.g., a bounced cheque, known as Non-Sufficient Funds or NSF). Administrators must "refund" this payment in the system to create an outgoing record that neutralizes the failed incoming payment, keeping financial reporting accurate.

            Ensure you are certain about releasing all items on a transaction before clicking the Refund Payment Record button. Once a permit is released back to inventory, it can be purchased immediately by another user.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Cancel Transaction

            The Cancel Transaction feature allows OPS-COM administrators to void an incomplete or erroneous payment directly from a user's profile. Its primary purpose is to provide flexibility in managing user accounts by either reserving a permit for future payment or releasing it back into the system's inventory. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and user account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            Canceling a transaction is a core administrative function that requires no additional system setup or configuration. It is accessed entirely through the individual user's profile.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators interact with this feature by locating the transaction in the user's history and selecting the appropriate cancellation method.

            Step-by-Step Instructions

            1. Search for and select the target user to open their profile.

            2. Hover over the History tab and click All Records.

            3. Locate the specific transaction and click the associated link to open the Transaction Details screen.

            4. Click either the Cancel & Keep or Cancel & Release button based on the required outcome.

            5. Click OK on the confirmation prompt to finalize the cancellation of the transaction.

            Available Actions and Buttons

            On the Transaction Details screen, you are presented with two distinct options for handling the cancellation:

            Best Practices and Considerations

            The Cancel & Release action is final for that specific transaction. Once the permit is released back into the system, you will need to process a completely new transaction if the user decides they want the permit after all.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Adjustments

            The Transaction Adjustments feature allows OPS-COM administrators to modify the financial balance of an existing transaction by adding a charge or applying a partial reimbursement. Its primary purpose is to correct payment discrepancies or issue partial credits without canceling the entire transaction. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and user account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            Making a transaction adjustment is a core administrative function that requires no additional system setup. It is accessed entirely through the individual user's profile within the administrative portal.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can initiate an adjustment directly from the transaction record. Adjustments can be made before a transaction is completed or after the payment has been processed.

            Step-by-Step Instructions

            1. Verify you are working in the correct user profile by checking the name displayed in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

            2. Open the Transaction Details screen for the specific item you need to modify.

            3. Click the Adjust link located on the transaction record to open the adjustment window.

            4. Enter your internal organization's Requisition Code in the associated field, if applicable.

            5. Set the amount sign to positive to charge the user an additional amount, or change the amount sign to a negative to apply a reimbursement.

            6. Enter the specific dollar amount of the adjustment.

            7. Enter a detailed explanation in the comments field to document the reason for the financial change.

            8. Click the Add Adjustment button at the bottom of the screen. You will be returned to the Payment Details screen, and the new adjustment will be listed below the original transaction.

            9. Click the Not processed link next to the new entry to open the adjustment verification window.

            10. Verify that all adjustment details and amounts are correct.

            11. Click the Process this Adjustment button at the bottom of the screen to finalize the change.

            The adjustment process does not release items back into the system inventory. If an item (such as a permit or locker) needs to be released and made available for another user to purchase, it must be done separately using the system's refund or release functionality.

            Visual Cues and Status Indicators

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Related Video

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Adjusting a violation to zero dollars

            This article outlines how OPS-COM administrators can adjust a violation fine to zero dollars, convert a ticket to a warning, or process a financial adjustment for a paid citation. These tools allow administrators to correct billing errors, grant leniency, or override existing citations directly from a user's profile.

            Setup and Configuration

            Adjusting a violation is a core administrative function that requires no special system setup or configuration. All adjustments and edits are performed directly from the user's profile within the administrative portal.

            Using this Feature

            There are multiple ways to adjust a fine to zero dollars. The method you choose depends on whether the ticket has already been paid and whether you want to maintain the ticket as an active offense or convert it to a warning.

            Editing the Ticket Fine Amount

            Use this method to reduce the fine to zero before the ticket is paid, while keeping it registered as an active violation.

            1. Locate the specific violation you wish to reduce within the user's profile.

            2. Click the specific ticket number to access the Violation Information detail screen.

            3. Click the Edit button in the upper right corner to open the Edit Violation Information page.

            4. Scroll down to the listed offense and change the dollar value of the fine to $0.00.

            5. Click Update this Violation to save your changes.

            Changing the Ticket to a Warning

            Use this method to cancel the fine completely by changing the state of the ticket to a warning.

            1. Locate the specific violation within the user's profile and click the ticket number.

            2. Click the Edit button in the upper right corner.

            3. Enable the Warning checkbox to change the state of the ticket.

            4. Click Update this Violation to save your changes.

            Processing an Adjustment

            Adjustments to fines are performed after the initial fine has already been paid.

            1. Navigate to the user's history and locate the paid violation you wish to zero out.

            2. Click the Adjust link on the left side of the transaction record.

            3. Enter the specific amount you wish to reduce the fine by in the Create Adjustment Record window. For example, if the user paid a discounted rate of $40.00 for a $50.00 ticket, enter 40.00.

            4. Enter a detailed reason for the reduction in the comments field.

            5. Save the adjustment to apply the credit to the user's account.

            Processing an adjustment creates a credit on the user's account in the Payments tab. This adjustment balance can be applied to a future payment or processed fully as a system refund.

            Adjusting Through Appeals

            A fine can also be adjusted or reduced to zero through the formal appeals process, which allows users to contest the citation before an administrator makes a final ruling.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Types of Reimbursement

            The OPS-COM system provides three primary methods for modifying or reversing financial transactions: cancellations, adjustments, and refunds. Understanding the differences between these options helps administrators accurately manage user accounts, correct billing errors, and maintain proper inventory levels. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and user account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            Managing reimbursements, adjustments, and cancellations are core administrative functions. They require no special system setup and are accessed directly through the individual user's profile within the administrative portal.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators must choose the correct financial action based on whether the transaction has been paid and what should happen to the associated items.

            Cancel Transaction

            Use this action to void a transaction before a payment is processed.

            Adjustments

            Use this action to alter the cost of an item before it is paid for, or to alter the value of a transaction after it has been paid for. Adjustments can be positive (charging more) or negative (reimbursing a portion of the cost).

            Refunds

            For a detailed look at this process, see What does a refund look like in the system?. Use this action to return funds and cancel a transaction after it has been paid for.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            If there is more than one item in a transaction, processing a refund will reimburse and release ALL items associated with that purchase. If you only need to reimburse a single item within a multi-item transaction, you must process an adjustment for the financial value and manually release the specific item separately.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payment Processing Models

            This article outlines the architectural methods OPS-COM uses to handle financial transactions. Its primary purpose is to help administrators understand the differences between integrated gateways and hosted payment pages, ensuring secure and compliant transaction routing. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

            Setup and Configuration

            Selecting and configuring a payment processing model is a foundational step in your system setup. Because the configuration steps vary significantly by provider, you must configure your specific merchant account settings within the system.

            For detailed setup instructions regarding your specific provider, please refer to the dedicated wiki articles for your processor (e.g., TouchNet (uPay) Hosted Payments, Moneris Hosted Paypage, or Bambora Checkout).

            Understanding the Processing Models

            OPS-COM supports different architectures for processing user payments, though the industry standard heavily favors hosted solutions for security reasons.

            G8Yimage.png

            Using Hosted Payments

            This is the preferred and industry-standard method for handling payments within the OPS-COM platform.

            Key Information Displayed / Process Flow:

            1. The user confirms their cart items and initiates the checkout process in OPS-COM.

            2. The system directs the user away from OPS-COM to the payment provider's secure hosted payment page.

            3. The user supplies their sensitive payment details directly to the payment provider. No payment details are exposed to or captured by OPS-COM.

            4. The payment provider processes the transaction and sends a secure notification back to OPS-COM.

            5. OPS-COM receives the notification, marks the transaction as complete, and updates the user's profile accordingly.

            Using a Gateway

            This legacy method involves handling the payment data flow more directly through the application.

            The Gateway model is actively being phased out as a method for handling payments. Organizations still using a direct gateway should plan to migrate to a hosted payment solution to maintain security standards.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Need help migrating from a legacy gateway to a modern hosted payment provider? Contact the OPS-COM support team to discuss your transition plan and ensure uninterrupted payment processing.

            OperationsCommander Payments and Transaction Flow

            Payments and Transaction Flow

            The OPS-COM system utilizes a standardized three-step transaction flow to manage the lifecycle of user purchases, such as parking permits. Understanding this workflow helps administrators accurately track financial commitments and manage inventory status from the initial reservation to final payment. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and user account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            The payment transaction flow is an inherent system process within OPS-COM and does not require specific module configuration to function. However, administrators should ensure their payment methods and gateways are correctly configured before users attempt to make purchases.

            Using this Feature

            The lifecycle of an item purchase consists of three primary stages: linking the item, making a payment promise, and processing the payment.

            Step 1: Linking the Item to a User

            A user or an administrator links an item, such as a permit, to a user's account.

            The system utilizes an automated midnight clearing list. If a user reserves an item but does not proceed to the next step to establish a promise of payment, the system will automatically release the permit back into the available inventory at midnight.

            Step 2: Making a Promise of Payment

            The user or administrator selects a specific payment type (e.g., cash, cheque, or payroll deduction) to finalize the reservation.

            Step 3: Processing the Payment

            Once the physical payment (cash, cheque, etc.) is received by the office, the administrator must finalize the transaction in the system.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            Re-Sending an Invoice

            The Re-Sending an Invoice functionality allows administrators to quickly generate and deliver a duplicate copy of a billing statement to a client. Its primary purpose is to assist users who may have accidentally deleted or misplaced their original invoice email. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for account management and billing support.

            Setup and Configuration

            Resending an invoice is a core administrative function that requires no special system setup or configuration. The feature is accessed directly through standard search modules within the administrative portal.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators have two options for locating and resending an invoice to a user. You can locate the document by navigating through the specific user's transaction history or by searching for the document directly using the global invoice search tool.

            If a client reports not receiving their initial invoice, advise them to check their spam or junk email folders before you issue a duplicate copy.

            Resending via User Search

            1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

            2. Enter the user's information and initiate the search.

            3. Click the username within the results section to access the user's profile.

            4. Hover over the History tab and click All Records to access the complete list of the user's transactions.

            5. Click the specific invoice number that needs to be resent to open the invoice preview page.

            6. Click the Re-send Email button. The invoice email will be immediately resent to the user, and the subject line will indicate that it is a resent invoice.

            Resending via Invoice Search

            1. Hover over Permits and click Invoice Search.

            2. Enter the necessary search criteria and initiate the search.

            3. Click the target invoice number from the generated results list to open the invoice preview page.

            4. Click the Re-send Email button to issue the duplicate email to the user.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            Cancelling an Invoice

            This article explains how to cancel an existing invoice within the OPS-COM system. This feature allows administrators to invalidate an issued invoice to make necessary adjustments—such as removing users or modifying permits—before re-issuing a corrected version. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for company billing and financial management.

            Setup & Configuration

            There is no specific module setup required to use the invoice cancellation feature. It is a standard administrative tool available to staff with the appropriate billing and permit management permissions.

            Using this Feature

            To cancel an invoice, administrators must use the dedicated search page. Invoices cannot be removed or cancelled directly from a user's individual payment tabs.

            Cancelling the Invoice

            1. Hover over Permits and click Invoice Search.

            2. Enter the necessary search criteria to locate the specific invoice.

            3. Click the Cancel button located next to the invoice record you wish to void.

            4. Accept the confirmation prompt in the pop-up window to finalize the cancellation.

            Invoices cannot be cancelled if they have already been paid. To cancel an invoice that has a completed payment associated with it, you must first access the transaction records and cancel the payment itself before attempting to cancel the invoice.

            Visual Cues & Status Indicators

            Best Practices & Considerations

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            Invoice Search

            The Invoice Search feature allows administrators to locate, view, and export billing records within the system. Its primary purpose is to help administrators manage company invoices, audit payment statuses, and generate targeted revenue reports. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial management and company billing.

            Setup and Configuration

            The Invoice Search tool is a core administrative feature that requires no additional system setup or configuration.

            Using this Feature

            Administrators can use this tool to filter and locate specific invoices, view copies of the billed documents, and export financial data for external reporting.

            Searching for an Invoice

            1. Hover over Permits and click Invoice Search.

            2. Enter the desired search criteria (such as date ranges, paid status, or cancelled status) to filter the results.

            3. Click the Toggle More Options button in the top right of the search menu to reveal additional search filters if necessary.

            4. Click the Search button to generate the list of matching invoices.

            5. Click the specific Invoice Number within the results list to view a copy of the actual invoice sent to the user or company.

            Available Actions and Buttons

            The document generated by the Export button will specifically display the revenue for the selected date range organized by lot, making it an excellent tool for lot-specific financial auditing.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            Permit Invoicing

            The Permit Invoicing feature allows administrators to generate, manage, and distribute billing statements for permit purchases to companies and individual users. Its primary purpose is to streamline financial operations by automating invoice creation and email delivery based on active sales windows. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for financial processing and corporate account management.

            Setup and Configuration

            Before generating invoices, administrators must configure the system's baseline invoice settings and ensure companies and users are properly flagged to receive billing communications.

            Configuring Invoice Settings

            1. Hover over System Config and click System Settings.

            2. Locate and open the Payments menu option.

            3. Set your desired starting invoice number.

            4. Verify that your permit invoice template is fully configured on the system templates page.

            Setting Company Invoice Contacts

            1. Hover over User Management and click Companies.

            2. Enter the necessary search criteria to locate the target company.

            3. Click the Edit button next to the company information.

            4. Enter the recipient email addresses into the Invoice Emails field. You can add multiple recipients by separating the addresses with a colon (:) or a comma (,).

            Configuring Users for Invoices

            Users must be designated correctly within their profiles to receive invoices, whether they are part of a company or acting as an individual.

            Using this Feature

            Once the system and users are configured, administrators can generate and send invoices in batches based on active permit sales windows.

            Creating and Sending Invoices

            1. Hover over Permits and click Prepare Invoices.

            2. Click prepare invoices next to the specific sales window that has outstanding permits.

            3. Review the populated list of invoices. All invoices are selected by default; toggle off any specific invoices you wish to exclude from the batch.

            4. Set the Billing Date and Due Date for the invoices being processed.

            5. Click Send Invoices to schedule the emails for delivery.

            6. Click the calendar icon in the top navigation bar to monitor the status of the invoicing task.

            7. Click the blue X button to clear the task once it displays as complete.

            Key Information Displayed

            When the invoice is emailed to the selected companies or individuals, it will automatically include:

            Best Practices and Considerations

             Please note that currently, only permits assigned to user types other than 'Student' or 'Staff' will be shown as available for invoicing in the system.

            OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

            Sending Invoices in Advance of Payment

            This process allows OPS-COM administrators to roll over active permits and issue formal invoices to users or companies prior to capturing any automated payments. This feature is essential for accommodating clients who require a generated invoice to process payments through their internal accounting departments before authorizing a transaction.

            Setup and Configuration

            This workflow utilizes the standard permit rollover functionality. Ensure that your target users or companies are already configured to receive invoices within their profiles before beginning this process.

            Using this Feature

            The process involves initiating a permit rollover, deliberately bypassing the automated payment trigger, and then manually generating the invoice for the reserved permits.

            Generating Invoices During a Rollover

            1. Hover over the Permits menu and click Active Sales Window.

            2. Click Rollover Users to open the permit rollover window.

            3. Deselect the preferred payment method within the wizard setup. This critical action ensures the rollover completes without automatically charging the user's saved payment profile.

            4. Click Rollover Permits. The system will process the renewal and place the permits into an "awaiting payment" state, making them eligible for invoicing.

            5. Hover over the Payments Menu and click Prepare Company Invoices.

            6. Review the list of users and companies in the Prepare Invoice window who are now queued for invoicing.

            7. Click the Prepare Invoice button. The system will generate an email with the invoice included in the body of the message and send it to the designated contacts.

            Re-Sending an Invoice

            If a client mistakenly deletes their invoice email or requests a duplicate copy, administrators can easily resend the document using one of two methods.

            Method 1: Through User History

            1. Search for the specific user and click their username to open their profile.

            2. Hover over the History tab and click All Records to view their transactions.

            3. Locate and click the specific invoice number to open the preview screen.

            4. Click the Re-Send Email button. The system will dispatch a new email featuring a "Re-sent" prefix in the subject line.

            Method 2: Through Invoice Search

            1. Hover over the Permits menu and click Invoice Search.

            2. Enter the target invoice number in the search criteria and click the search button.

            3. Click the Invoice Number in the results list to access the invoice preview window.

            4. Click the Re-Send Email button.

            Best Practices and Considerations

            Advise users to open the downloaded PDF in a dedicated PDF reader and ensure their printer settings are configured with the print scale set to 100%. This guarantees the invoice prints with the correct formatting and layout.

              OPSCOM Company Manager and Invoicing - FinanceAdmin

              Company Setup and Invoices

              The Company Setup and Invoicing process allows organizations to manage bulk permit purchasing and consolidated billing for their employees. Its primary purpose is to centralize account management and simplify the payment workflow for corporate clients. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing company profiles and financial transactions.

              Setup and Configuration

              Creating a company profile and assigning the proper user roles requires configuration from the administrative portal.

              Creating a Company (Admin Side)

              1. Hover over User Management and click Companies.

              2. Click the Create New Company button.

              3. Enter the organization's details in the Account Number, Company Name, Address (Company), Invoice Emails, Contact Name, and Address (Contact) fields.

              4. Enable the Receives Invoice checkbox to ensure the company can be billed.

              5. Click the Add New Company button to save the information. A green confirmation message will display.

              Assigning Users to the Company (Admin Side)

              1. Hover over User Management and click User Search to locate the target user.

              2. Click the user's profile to open it and click the Edit button.

              3. Indicate that the user is a Company Member and associate them with the newly created company.

              4. Enable the Company Manager and Company Billing Account checkboxes if this user will be responsible for managing and paying for the company's permits.

              5. Click the Submit Registration Information for Processing... button to save the profile.

              Important Billing Setup Requirements                                                                   
              - Invoice Preparation: Every corporate account requires a designated billing manager. If you do not assign a user with both the Company Manager and Company Billing Account flags, you will be unable to prepare invoices for that company.
              -Rollover Processing: You MUST designate a user with a valid subscription as the Company Billing Account for each company. If this is not set, invoices will be skipped and will not be processed by the automated rollover processing.

              Using this Feature

              Once the company and its users are configured, the designated company manager can reserve permits, and the administrator can generate the corresponding invoices.

              Purchasing Permits (User Side)

              1. Log into the user portal as the designated company manager.

              2. Click the Company Users icon.

              3. Click the Login as User button to the right of the specific employee's name. A blue message will appear confirming you are logged in as another user.

              4. Click the Parking icon and select the desired permit for the user.

              5. Log out of the user portal once the permit is reserved. Do not click the Proceed to payment button if the permits will be paid via a consolidated corporate invoice.

              Preparing Invoices (Admin Side)

              1. Hover over Allocations and click Prepare Invoices.

              2. Click the Prepare Invoices button beside the active sales window.

              3. Review the generated invoice, which will display the permits reserved by the company manager.

              4. Click the Send Invoices button to email the invoice to the designated company contact. An icon in the top right menu bar will indicate the progress of the invoice creation.

              If an error occurs during the invoicing process, you can cancel the invoice from the administrative portal, correct the error on the user's profile, and reissue the invoice.

              Paying an Invoice (User Side)

              1. Log into the user portal as the designated company manager.

              2. Click the Payments icon to view the outstanding invoice.

              3. Click Continue to Checkout and submit the payment using the preferred method.

              Best Practices and Considerations

              OperationsCommander Vehicle and People Alarms

              OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

              OperationsCommander Vehicle and People Alarms

              Generic Alarms

              Generic Alarms provide a flexible notification system for various non-specific alerts, often originating from external system integrations or unknown user and vehicle IDs. The primary purpose of this feature is to help administrators capture and manage unprofiled activities or external system events within a single, actionable feed. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for monitoring dispatch alerts and configuring system integrations.

              Setup and Configuration

              To utilize generic alarms, administrators must configure the baseline system settings and assign the appropriate viewing permissions to administrative roles.

              System Settings

              1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

              2. Navigate to the Alarms tab to configure the following settings:

                • Generic Alarm Append Threshold: Define the number of minutes before an alarm will create a new dispatch log entry instead of appending to an existing one.

                • Generic Alarm Dispatch SubID: Set a specific subID to maintain consistency across all generic alarms.

                • Allowed Alert Emails: Enter the email addresses of the specific external systems that are authorized to populate alerts into OPS-COM.

              Setting up Alarm Permissions

              Administrators must have the appropriate dispatch permissions enabled to view and interact with alarms.

              1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management, and click Manage Roles.

              2. Click the Permissions button next to the administrative role you wish to modify.

              3. Scroll to the Dispatch category within the Editing Permissions screen.

              4. Enable the checkboxes for permissions related to alarms, such as View Alarms, Clear Alarms, and Add Alarm Comment.

              5. Click Save Permissions at the bottom of the page to apply the changes.

              Using this Feature

              Generic alarms streamline incoming alerts by parsing external data and grouping repetitive notifications.

              How Generic Alarms Get Pushed to the System

              Generic alarms are typically triggered by two main mechanisms:

              Integration with ITS-Networking Alert Systems requires specific configuration by the OPS-COM Team before it can be utilized. Please contact support to discuss setup procedures and potential recurring fees.

              Dispatch Logs and Alert Rollups

              To prevent notification fatigue and keep the alert feed actionable, OPS-COM manages high volumes of alerts using a rollup feature.

              Clearing and Viewing Alarms

              Administrators can manage their active alerts directly from the personal dashboard.

              1. Hover over the bell icon located at the top-right of your screen to display a list of current active alerts.

              2. Click a specific alert from the list to reveal the available actions.

              3. Click Go To Entry to navigate directly to the Dispatch Log Report and review the specific details of the alert.

              4. Click Clear Alarm to acknowledge the alert and remove the icon from your personal dashboard view.

              Clearing an alarm from your dashboard does not delete the corresponding dispatch log record, which remains securely accessible for historical tracking. Note that clearing an alarm only removes it from your account; other administrators will continue to see the alert until they clear it themselves.

              Best Practices and Considerations

              OperationsCommander Vehicle and People Alarms

              People Alarms

              People Alarms provide a critical safety and monitoring feature by allowing administrators to flag specific user profiles with alerts. When an event associated with a flagged user occurs, the system triggers a visual alarm, notifying relevant administrators to take appropriate action. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for monitoring user activity, safety protocols, and system alerts.

              Setup and Configuration

              Before administrators can effectively use the alarm system, the necessary baseline settings must be established and dispatch permissions must be assigned to the correct administrative roles.

              System Settings Configuration

              1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

              2. Navigate to the Alarms tab.

              3. Configure the People Alarm Append Threshold to set the number of minutes before an alarm will create a new dispatch log entry instead of appending to an existing one.

              4. Configure the People Alarm Dispatch SubID to establish consistency across your logs.

              5. Enter the allowed email addresses into the Allowed Alert Emails field to specify which external systems can populate alerts into OPS-COM.

              Setting up Alarm Permissions

              1. Hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management and click Manage Roles.

              2. Click the Permissions button next to the administrative role you wish to modify.

              3. Navigate to the Dispatch category within the Editing Permissions screen.

              4. Enable the View Alarms, Clear Alarms, and Add Alarm Comment checkboxes.

              5. Click the Save Permissions button at the bottom of the page to apply the changes.

              Adding People Alarms to Users

              1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

              2. Search for and select the specific user you wish to flag.

              3. Click the Edit button next to the Basic Profile Information section to open the Edit User Profile window.

              4. Enable the People Alarm toggle.

              5. Enter a specific, actionable note in the Alarm Comment field.

              The License Plate Alarm and Plate Alarm messages will both share this exact same comment. Additionally, even if a user's profile does not have alarms explicitly toggled on or an alarm comment associated, the system will still generate an alert if an API call for a specific student/staff number triggers an alarm.

              Using this Feature

              Administrators view and manage active alarms and dispatch logs directly from the top-right panel on the administrative dashboard.

              Viewing and Managing Alarms

              image.png

              1. Locate the alarms panel in the top-right corner of the screen to view active notifications.

              2. Check the generic alarms section, indicated by a bell icon, for alerts routed from an API call containing an unknown student or staff account number.

              3. Locate the specific alarm in the panel and click the clear option to dismiss the notification from your active view once it has been addressed.

              Clearing an alarm only removes the alert from the specific administrator who cleared it. The alarm will remain visible for all other administrators until they choose to clear it for themselves. Cleared alarms can still be accessed and reviewed from the Dispatch Log Report for historical reference.

              Visual Cues and Status Indicators

              Best Practices and Considerations

              OperationsCommander Vehicle and People Alarms

              Plate and Vehicle Alarms

              The OPS-COM alarm system provides critical real-time notifications for specific events, such as when a flagged vehicle is scanned or a user triggers a security alert. Its primary purpose is to help administrators and field officers rapidly identify and respond to vehicles of interest. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and details how to configure permissions, attach, manage, and clear plate and vehicle alarms for both profiled users and unprofiled vehicles.

              Setup and Configuration

              To utilize plate and vehicle alarms, administrators must configure the baseline system settings and assign the appropriate dispatch permissions to administrative roles.

              System Settings

              1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

              2. Navigate to the Alarms tab.

              3. Configure the Vehicle Alarm Append Threshold to set the number of minutes before a new alarm creates a new dispatch log entry instead of appending to an existing one.

              4. Configure the Plate Alarm Dispatch SubID to establish consistency across your dispatch logs.

              5. Enter the approved email addresses into the Allowed Alert Emails field to specify which external systems are permitted to populate alerts into OPS-COM.

              Setting up Alarm Permissions

              1. Hover over System Configuration and click Admin Management then Manage Roles.

              2. Click the Permissions button next to the administrative role you wish to modify.

              3. Navigate to the Dispatch category within the Editing Permissions screen.

              4. Enable the View License Plate alarms, Receive License Plate alarms via email, View People alarms, and Receive People Plate alarms via email checkboxes.

              5. Click the Save Permissions button at the bottom of the page to apply the changes.

              Using this Feature

              Plate alarms are triggered automatically whenever a flagged license plate is scanned or read by the system.

              Understanding Plate Alarms

              Alarms will trigger from the following sources:

              When a Plate Alarm is triggered, an alert appears in the OPS-COM system, and an audible ding sounds for officers using mobile LPR units. If a fixed camera triggers the alarm, the specific camera's name will be listed in the alert.

              Manually chalking vehicles from the handheld unit does not trigger an alert. Only LPR reads and violation entries initiate the alarm sequence.

              Attaching an Alarm to a Plate Without a Profile

              Plates can exist in the system without a full user profile if they are initially entered via a new violation, a violation warning, a chalking record, or an incident report.

              If a plate only has a chalking record associated with it, you must issue a violation to it or link it to an incident to access the vehicle information fields required to add an alarm. Chalking records alone do not provide direct edit access to vehicle details.

              1. Hover over Violations and click Vehicles then Search by Plate.

              2. Enter the target plate and execute the search.

              3. Click the Vehicle Info icon next to the search result.

              4. Click the Edit Vehicle button.

              5. Enable the Vehicle Alarm checkbox.

              6. Enter an actionable note in the Alarm Comment field.

              7. Click the Update Vehicle button to apply the alarm.

              Adding Plate Alarms to Specific Profiled Plates

              1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

              2. Search for and select the user's profile.

              3. Click the Vehicles tab within their profile.

              4. Click the target plate to open the vehicle information window.

              5. Click the Edit Vehicle button.

              6. Enable the Vehicle Alarm checkbox.

              7. Enter your note in the Alarm Comment field.

              8. Click the Update Vehicle button.

              Adding a Plate Alarm to All Vehicles on a User Profile

              You can rapidly apply a vehicle alarm to every vehicle associated with a user directly from their primary profile settings.

              1. Hover over User Management and click User Search.

              2. Search for and select the user's profile.

              3. Click the Edit button next to the Basic Profile Information section.

              4. Enable the Plate alarm checkbox.

              5. Enter your alert message in the comment field.

              6. Click the Update button to apply the alarms.

              The People Alarms and License Plate Alarms for this user will share the exact same message if both are enabled simultaneously on the user's profile

              Best Practices and Considerations

              OperationsCommander Vehicle and People Alarms

              The Differences Between Alerts, Plate, Vehicle Alarms and DNTT

              The OPS-COM system provides distinct flagging features—Alerts, Plate and Vehicle Alarms, and Do Not Ticket or Tow (DNTT) statuses—to help administrators and field officers identify specific vehicles during patrols. Understanding the operational differences between these statuses ensures that vehicles are appropriately monitored or properly exempted from enforcement. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing vehicle profiles and dispatch operations.

              Setup and Configuration

              These flagging tools are configured directly on individual vehicle profiles within the administrative portal.

              Configuring DNTT

              The DNTT feature allows administrators to schedule enforcement exemptions and restrict them to specific physical locations.

              1. Navigate to the relevant Vehicle Profile in the administration portal.

              2. Locate the DNTT configuration section.

              3. Enter the Start Date and End Date to define the exact validity period of the exemption.

              4. Specify the applicable Location if the exemption is site-specific.

              5. Click the Save button to apply the status.

              Configuring Alerts and Alarms

              Alerts and Alarms are general security and monitoring flags that are not limited by schedule or location.

              1. Navigate to the relevant Vehicle Profile.

              2. Locate the Alerts/Alarms configuration section.

              3. Enter the necessary details or select the appropriate alarm type from the drop-down menu.

              4. Click the Save button to activate the flag.

              Unlike DNTT statuses that expire based on a schedule, standard Alerts and Alarms remain active indefinitely until they are manually removed by an administrator.

              Using this Feature

              Administrators and enforcement personnel interact with these features primarily through handheld scanning devices or License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras in the field.

              Visual Cues and Status Indicators

              Available Actions

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

              IncidentAdmin

              Active Dispatch Logs (BETA)

              The Active Dispatch Logs feature allows administrators and dispatchers to record, track, and manage all incoming inquiries and automated system alerts. Its primary purpose is to provide a centralized dashboard of all open dispatch entries and seamlessly link them to actionable incident reports for further tracking. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and dispatch personnel.

              Setup and Configuration

              The Active Dispatch Logs feature is a core component of the Incident module. While it requires no special setup to operate, users must have the appropriate incident and dispatch management permissions enabled on their administrative role to view, edit, or assign incidents to logs.

              Using this Feature

              The Active Dispatch Logs page serves as the primary workspace for dispatchers to view all open logs that require follow-up, add new records, and assign tasks to other administrators.

              Accessing and Creating Logs

              1. Hover over the Incidents icon, click Dispatch, and select Active Dispatch Logs to view all open entries.

              2. Click the Add Log button in the top right of your screen to create a new record.

              3. Select the appropriate Source and Category from the drop-down menus.

              4. Type the necessary details into the Note section.

              5. Click Save Log to keep the record open and active, or click Save Log & Close if the dispatch is already resolved.

              If a dispatcher clicks the incident number link within a log but receives an error, ensure their administrative role has the proper permissions configured to view and edit incidents.

              Adding Additional Log Notes

              1. Click the blue plus icon under the actions column of an existing log to add a separate, attached note.

              2. Select the Source and Category, and enter the supplemental details.

              3. Click Save Log to append the note, or click Save Log & Close to append the note and close the entire dispatch log.

              Assigning a Log to an Incident Report

              1. Click the Assign button under the actions column to attach the log to an incident or assign an admin user to act on it.

              2. Select either A new incident or An existing incident.

              3. Assign the log to an admin user. If you selected an existing incident, search for the incidents already assigned to an admin user or manually enter the incident number.

              Closing Dispatch Logs

              1. Click the red X icon under the actions column when a log has been fully dealt with.

              2. Click the Confirm button in the pop-up window to remove it from the active list.

              Searching Contacts

              1. Click the Search Contacts button to open the Search Contact History window. Depending on the width of your monitor, this button will be located either on the right side of the screen or along the bottom of the page.

              Visual Cues and Status Indicators

              Available Actions and Buttons

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              Viewing an Incident

              The View Incident screen allows OPS-COM administrators to review, edit, and manage comprehensive details of a security event. Its primary purpose is to provide a centralized hub for tracking dispatch logs, linked individuals, related vehicles, and assigned tasks associated with a specific incident. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and dispatch personnel responsible for incident management.

              Setup and Configuration

              Accessing and interacting with the View Incident screen relies heavily on the administrative roles and permissions configured within the system.

              To review and modify these settings, hover over System Configuration, click Admin Management, and click Manage Roles.

              Viewing Permissions

              To simply view an incident page, an administrator must have one of the following baseline permissions:

              If an incident is locked, administrators with the Incident Administrator permission can view the specific reason for the lock. Administrators with the View/Edit Confidential Information permission will see an additional Confidential Info section near the bottom of the page.

              Editing Permissions

              To access the edit options for an incident, the administrator must meet one of the following requirements:

              Using this Feature

              Administrators can navigate to the View Incident screen from multiple areas in the system, including search results, reports, and active dispatch logs. Once on the page, the interface is divided into functional tabs and side buttons.

              Managing Tabs and Details

              Managing Tasks and Assignments

              Side Actions and Buttons

              The buttons on the right side of the screen dynamically change based on your permissions and the state of the incident:

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              Filling out the Incident Form (WIP)

              The Incident Form allows OPS-COM administrators to record, track, and manage comprehensive details regarding security or operational events. Its primary purpose is to centralize essential incident data, from basic descriptions to involved parties and follow-up tasks, ensuring accurate and organized record-keeping. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and security personnel responsible for incident management.

              Setup and Configuration

              Accessing and filling out the Incident Form is a core function of the IncidentAdmin module. It requires no specialized setup, but administrators must have the appropriate incident creation and editing permissions assigned to their user role to interact with these fields.

              Using this Feature

              When creating a new incident or modifying an existing record, administrators will interact with two primary sections: the basic overview and the detailed record tabs.

              Basic Incident Information

              The top section of the report captures the essential, high-level information about the event. Ensure the following core fields are completed accurately:

              Detailed Incident Tabs

              Below the basic information, the incident report allows administrators to record granular details using a series of specific tabs. Click each tab to link relevant data to the main incident report:

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              Incident Checklist

              The Incident Checklist provides a standardized form for administrators and investigators to ensure all critical investigative steps are completed before closing an incident. Its primary purpose is to help maintain comprehensive, consistent, and legally sound records for audits and internal reviews. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and security personnel responsible for managing and closing incident reports.

              Setup and Configuration

              The Incident Checklist is a core component of the IncidentAdmin module and requires no additional system setup. However, administrators must have the appropriate permissions to view and edit incidents to access and complete this form.

              Using this Feature

              Administrators must navigate to an active incident report to access and fill out the checklist. The form requires users to select standard responses (e.g., Yes, No, Not Required) and provide clarifying remarks for each step of the investigation.

              Accessing the Checklist

              1. Navigate to and open the specific incident you wish to update.

              2. Click the Checklist tab within the incident record.

              3. Click the Open Checklist button to launch the form.

              Depending on your organization's specific subcategory configurations, filling out this checklist may be a mandatory system requirement before an administrator is permitted to close the incident report.

              Checklist Fields Defined

              When filling out the checklist, provide specific details in the remarks fields to justify your selections.

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              My Incident Tasks

              The My Incident Tasks feature provides a centralized dashboard for administrators to view and manage tasks assigned specifically to them. Its primary purpose is to streamline workflow and ensure timely follow-up on active security or operational events. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators who are part of an incident investigation or response team.

              Setup and Configuration

              Accessing the task dashboard requires no special system setup or configuration. It is a core component of the incident management module. However, for a task to appear on this list, an administrator must be actively assigned as a primary investigator, case manager, or individual task owner within an active incident report.

              If you are a Case Manager or Shift Supervisor, you can use the blue drop-down menu to view the tasks assigned to other administrators on your team. This allows you to easily monitor the workload and progress of ongoing investigations.

              Using this Feature

              Administrators can use this page to filter, view, and directly access the incident reports containing their assigned tasks.

              Accessing Your Tasks

              1. Hover over Incidents and click My Tasks.

              2. Click the blue drop-down menu and select your name to populate the list of tasks assigned to your account.

              3. Click the specific Incident Number from the results table to open the detailed incident information page and review the task requirements.

              Key Information Displayed

              Once your name is selected, the task table will display:

              Best Practices and Considerations

              IncidentAdmin

              View Cameras

              The View Cameras feature allows administrators to access integrated security camera feeds directly from the OPS-COM portal. Its primary purpose is to help security personnel and dispatchers monitor live activity and gather visual context for incident management. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

              Setup and Configuration

              Accessing the camera feeds requires your organization to have an active, configured security camera integration within the OPS-COM system.

              Additionally, administrators must have the appropriate incident and camera viewing permissions assigned to their user role to see the menu option. No additional user-side configuration is required once the system integration is complete.

              Using this Feature

              Administrators can launch the external camera viewer directly from the primary navigation menu.

              1. Hover over the Incidents icon and click View Cameras.

              2. Click the Launch Cameras button on the center of the page.

              3. View and manage the camera feeds in the new browser window that opens.

              Available Action and Button

              If you click the Launch Cameras button and the new window fails to load the video feeds, verify that your active session with your external camera provider has not timed out or require a separate login.

              Best Practices and Considerations

                IncidentAdmin

                Related Occurrences

                Setup and Configuration

                There is no special module configuration required to use the Related Occurrences feature, as it is a standard component of the incident management system. However, administrators must have the appropriate permissions to view and edit incidents to create and modify related lists.

                Using this Feature

                Administrators can link incidents by creating a named list and adding the relevant incident numbers to that group.

                1. Hover over Incidents and click Search Incidents.

                2. Enter the target incident number in the Occurrence# field and execute the search to open the Incident Information screen.

                3. Click the Related tab along the top of the form.

                4. Click the Track Related Occurrences button.

                5. Click New Related List to begin creating a connection group.

                6. Enter a descriptive name in the Name field (e.g., Suspicious Activity March 20) and provide context in the Notes field.

                7. Click the Save button. A search box will now appear at the bottom of the screen.

                8. Enter the current incident number you are viewing into the search box and click Search.

                9. Click the Add button next to the result to add it to your new list.

                10. Enter the second incident number you wish to relate into the search box and click Search.

                11. Click the Add button to add this second incident to the same list.

                You can return to the Track Related Occurrences screen at any time to add additional incidents to an existing list as an investigation develops.

                Visual Cues and Status Indicators

                Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Dispatch Logs

                  The Dispatch Logs feature allows dispatchers and administrators to record, track, and manage incoming communications, system alerts, and operational tasks. Its primary purpose is to maintain a centralized and actionable record of all dispatch activities to ensure timely follow-up and resolution. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and dispatch personnel.

                  Setup & Configuration

                  The Dispatch Logs tool is a core component of the incident management system. It requires no specialized setup, but administrators must have the appropriate dispatch and incident management permissions enabled on their user role to view, create, or close log records.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this page to create new manual logs, review automated system alerts, append notes, assign tasks, and print records.

                  Reviewing and Creating Logs

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon, click Dispatch, and select Dispatch Logs to open the View/Edit Dispatch Log Records page.

                  2. Select an option from the Create New Log Record drop-down menu to define the source contact for a new log.

                  3. Select the appropriate Category from the drop-down menu on the Add New Log Record screen.

                  4. Type any required details into the Note section.

                  5. Click the Add New button at the bottom of the screen to save the information. The new log will now appear at the top of the Dispatch Log Records list.

                  Adding Notes and Assigning Logs

                  When an assignment is made, the incident number will appear directly in the listing of Dispatch Log Records. You can click this link at any time to quickly access, view, or edit the associated incident report.

                  Viewing Rolled-Up Alerts

                  1. Click the + symbol to the left of a specific log to expand and view all available associated records or rolled-up alerts.

                  2. Click the specific link for the dispatch number if you need to add further information to the initial log.

                  a3Fimage.png

                  Printing and Closing Logs

                  1. Select the appropriate source in the list of current dispatch logs and click the Print Selected button to generate a printed list of those specific logs.

                  2. Click the C in the Status column of a specific log to individually change its status to closed once it has been resolved.

                  3. Enable the checkboxes next to multiple log records to prepare them for bulk closure.

                  4. Click the Close Selected button to instantly close all checked logs.

                  Best Practices & Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incident Distribution Feature

                  The Incident Distribution feature allows dispatchers to email incident details directly to pre-configured user groups. Its primary purpose is to streamline communication and enable faster response times by eliminating the need to manually copy information to external email clients. This guide is intended for OPS-COM administrators and dispatch personnel.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  Before this feature can be utilized, an administrator must create distribution departments and assign users to them. These departments define the pre-configured recipients for incident emails.

                  Creating a Distribution Department

                  1. Hover over System Configuration, click Distribution, and select Departments and Users.

                  2. Click the List All button beside the Departments section.

                  3. Click the Plus button.

                  4. Enter a descriptive name in the Department Name field. This name will be visible to dispatchers.

                  5. Click Save Changes.

                  Adding a Contact to a Department

                  1. Navigate to the Departments and Users page and click the List All button beside the Users section.

                  2. Click the Plus button.

                  3. Click the Department drop-down menu and select the group this contact should belong to.

                  4. Enter the contact information, ensuring a valid address is placed in the email address field.

                  5. Click Save & Send Invite.

                  Contacts invited to view distributions are not the same as standard parkers or admin users. They exist strictly to access the incident distribution module, and they receive a specific invitation link to view internal incident reports when you click save and send.

                  Managing Existing Distribution Groups

                  1. Navigate to the Distribution Group Admin page.

                  2. Click the Edit button to modify the group name or the list of associated email addresses.

                  3. Click the Delete button to permanently remove a group from the system.

                  Using this Feature

                  Once distribution groups are configured, dispatchers can quickly send vital incident details directly from an active incident's main information page.

                  Sending an Incident Email

                  1. Navigate to the Incident Information page for the relevant incident.

                  2. Click the Email Incident button to open the distribution pop-up window.

                  3. Click the Select Recipient drop-down menu and choose the appropriate distribution group.

                  4. Enter any relevant instructions or context in the Comments text box.

                  5. Click the Send Email button to distribute the information to the group.

                  Key Information Displayed

                  The automated email sent to the distribution group will extract and display the following key details from the incident report:

                  Ztiimage.png

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  View Open Incidents

                  The View Open Incidents feature provides a centralized list of all currently unresolved security or operational events within the system. Its primary purpose is to help administrators and dispatchers easily track, access, and manage active cases that require further attention or investigation. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and security personnel.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Open Incidents report is a core component of the incident management system and requires no specific module setup. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident viewing or editing permissions assigned to their user role to access the page and interact with the records.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this page to quickly pull up a list of all active cases and navigate directly to the detailed incident form for updates.

                  Accessing the Report

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon and click View Open Incidents.

                  2. Review the populated list on the Open Incidents Report page.

                  3. Click a specific Incident No link to open, view, or edit the details of that particular incident.

                  Key Information Displayed

                  The Open Incidents Report provides a high-level summary of active cases, displaying the following information:

                  While any administrator with access to this report can view the list of open incidents, your ability to make changes or add notes after clicking an Incident No link depends entirely on your specific user role editing permissions.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incident Summary Report by Sub-Location

                  The Incident Summary Report by Sub-Location allows administrators to filter and view incident records based on specific physical areas within their organization. Its primary purpose is to help security and administrative teams quickly analyze incident trends in targeted zones over a specified timeframe. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators handling security and incident management.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  There is no specific module setup required to run this report, as it is a core feature of the incident management system. However, administrators must have the appropriate reporting and incident viewing permissions assigned to their user role. Ensure that your organization's sub-locations are accurately defined within your system settings for the most effective reporting.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this report to generate an overview table of incidents that occurred within a selected area and timeframe, with the ability to drill down into specific case details.

                  Running the Report

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon, click Reports, and select Sub-Location Report.

                  2. Select the specific dates you want to search in the date range fields on the Search Incidents page.

                  3. Select the specific sub-location you wish to analyze from the provided drop-down menu.

                  4. Click the Search button once all criteria have been entered.

                  5. Click the Details link to the right of a specific incident in the results table to view or edit that individual report.

                  Key Information Displayed

                  Available Actions and Buttons

                  If you click the Details link and cannot edit the resulting incident record, verify that your administrative user role has the required permissions to edit incidents, or check if the incident has already been locked or closed.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incidents Summary Report by Category

                  The Incident Summary Report by Category allows administrators to filter and view incident records based on specific incident classifications. Its primary purpose is to help security and administrative teams track and analyze event trends across various categories within a specified timeframe and location. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for security reporting and incident management.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Incident Summary Report by Category is a standard reporting feature within the incident management module and requires no specialized system setup to run. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident viewing and reporting permissions assigned to their user role to access this page.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this report to generate a high-level overview of incidents grouped by category, with the ability to drill down into specific sub-category reports for more detailed information.

                  Running the Report

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon, click Reports, and select Report By Category.

                  2. Enable the checkboxes next to the specific categories you want to include in your report.

                  3. Select the desired date range to narrow the reporting window.

                  4. Select a specific location and sub-location from the drop-down menus if you wish to filter the results geographically.

                  5. Click the Search Incidents button at the bottom of the screen once you have set your criteria.

                  You do not need to select an option in every single section or filter. Only apply filters to the specific criteria you want to investigate; leaving a filter blank will simply include all data for that parameter.

                  Key Information Displayed and Available Actions

                  Once the search is executed, a results table will appear at the bottom of the page providing an overview of the incidents that occurred in each selected category.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incidents Summary Report

                  The Incident Summary Report allows administrators to generate a comprehensive list of all incident records within a specified time frame. Its primary purpose is to provide a broad overview of security events and facilitate data exports for external analysis or record-keeping. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for incident management and reporting.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Incident Summary Report is a standard reporting feature within the incident management module and requires no specialized system setup to run. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident viewing and reporting permissions assigned to their user role to access this page.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this report to generate a high-level overview of incident occurrences over a defined period and quickly export the resulting data.

                  Running the Report

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon, click Reports, and select Summary Report.

                  2. Enter the desired date range in the Start Date and End Date fields.

                  3. Disable the Show only items with Summaries checkbox if you wish to include all incident records in the results, even those that currently lack a summary.

                  4. Click the Search Incidents button at the bottom of the criteria section to generate the report.

                  Key Information Displayed and Available Actions

                  Once the search is executed, the results will display in a table at the bottom of the Incident Summary Report page.

                  By default, the system filters the report to only show incidents that contain a completed summary. Ensure you toggle the checkbox if you are auditing incomplete reports or need a raw count of all events.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Recent Incidents Summary Report (Last 30 Days)

                  The Recent Incidents Summary Report provides a quick, pre-filtered overview of all security and operational events logged within the past 30 days. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to monitor recent activity, track ongoing cases, and identify immediate trends without having to manually configure search dates. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for day-to-day incident management.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Recent Incidents report is a standard feature within the incident management module and requires no specialized system setup to run. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident viewing permissions assigned to their user role to access the page.

                  Additionally, the ability to download this report requires explicit authorization. To grant this access, ensure the export permission is specifically enabled on the administrative role for any user who needs to extract this data.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this page to quickly pull up a list of the last 30 days of activity and navigate directly to detailed incident forms.

                  Accessing the Report

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon and click Recent Incidents.

                  2. Review the populated table containing all incidents recorded in the previous 30 days.

                  Available Actions and Buttons

                  This specific report is hardcoded to only display data from the immediately preceding 30 days. If you need to view historical incidents beyond this timeframe, you must use the standard Incidents Summary Report where you can manually define a custom date range.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incident Reports

                  The Incident Reports section provides a centralized hub for tracking, analyzing, and exporting data related to security and operational events. Its primary purpose is to help administrators and security teams monitor incident trends across various timelines, locations, and categories. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for incident management and statistical reporting.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The incident reporting suite is a core component of the incident management module and requires no specialized system setup to operate. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident viewing and reporting permissions assigned to their user role to access these pages and generate data.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can access a variety of specific reports to filter and analyze incident data based on their exact operational needs.

                  Accessing Incident Reports

                  1. Hover over the Incidents menu and click Reports.

                  2. Select the specific report you wish to run from the available drop-down options.

                  Available Reports

                  The following reporting tools are available to help you analyze your organization's incident data. Click on any of the report names below to navigate to their specific instruction articles:

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Editing Incidents

                  The Editing Incidents feature allows administrators to modify existing incident reports, add new information, and manage the case status. Its primary purpose is to ensure that records remain accurate, detailed, and up-to-date as investigations progress. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators, dispatchers, and security personnel.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  There is no specific module configuration required to edit incidents. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident editing permissions assigned to their user role to view the edit options and make changes to the records.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can quickly update incident details directly from the main incident information page.

                  Modifying an Incident

                  1. Navigate to the Incident Information page of the specific record you wish to modify.

                  2. Click the Edit Incident button to switch the page into editing mode.

                  3. Enter or change any necessary information within the provided fields.

                  4. Click the Update Incident Details button to save your changes to the system.

                  5. Click the View Incident button to exit editing mode and return to the main incident summary view.

                  Available Actions and Buttons

                  The sidebar on the Incident Information page provides several quick actions for managing the report:

                  Clicking the Distribute Incident or Download Incident buttons will automatically lock the incident from being edited further. Ensure all details are final, accurate, and completely resolved before executing these actions.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Incident Entry

                  The Incident Entry feature allows administrators and dispatchers to formally create and document new security or operational events within the system. Its primary purpose is to capture comprehensive event details, including involved individuals, vehicles, and missing property, to ensure accurate case management and reporting. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and security personnel.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Incident Entry feature is a core component of the incident management module and requires no specialized system setup. However, administrators must have the appropriate incident creation and editing permissions assigned to their user role to access this page and generate new reports.

                  Using this Feature

                  The incident entry process is broken down into two main phases: searching for and linking related entities (people, vehicles, property), followed by entering the specific narrative details of the event.

                  Accessing the Form

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon and click Incident Entry.

                  2. Click the Create a New Incident button on the Opened Incidents page to begin a new report, or click a specific Incident Number link to view the details of an existing active incident.

                  Step 1 Linking People Vehicles and Property

                  1. Click the appropriate link on the Step 1 screen to search by Users, Vehicles, or Missing Property.

                  2. Click the Enter Specific Incident Details button to bypass this step entirely if the incident is not associated with any specific individuals, vehicles, or property.

                  3. Click the Add User to Incident button at the bottom right once you locate the correct individual via the search fields.

                  4. Click the Add a New Individual to the Database button if no user is found. This will open the Quick Registration Form where you can enter the new individual's details into the system.

                  5. Select the appropriate classification from the Relation drop-down menu to identify the person's exact relationship to the incident (e.g., victim, witness, prime suspect).

                  6. Click the Save User Details button.

                  7. Click the Search for Additional Individuals button to link more people, or use the appropriate links to attach vehicle and property details.

                  8. Click the Enter Specific Incident Details button at the bottom right to proceed to the next phase of the report.

                  Step 2 Entering Incident Information

                  1. Review the summary of the people, vehicles, and missing property you linked, which will now appear at the top of the Step 2 page.

                  2. Enter the comprehensive narrative and factual details of the event into the provided Incident Information fields.

                  3. Click the Choose File button beside the Attach Image line, select your local file, and click Open to upload and attach photographic evidence to the report.

                  4. Click the Save Incident button at the bottom of the page once all information has been submitted.

                  When filling out the specific details on the incident form, OPS Number is an abbreviation for the Other Police Services Number used for external tracking, and PON Summons is an abbreviation for Provincial Offences Notice Summons.

                  Post-Creation Actions

                  Once the incident has been saved, the system will automatically redirect you to the Recent Incidents Summary Report (Last 30 Days) screen.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Search Incidents

                  The Search Incidents feature allows administrators to locate and review recorded security and parking incidents within the system. Its primary purpose is to help track ongoing investigations, update case statuses, and manage officer task assignments by querying data across incidents, people, and vehicles. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  While the search module is ready for use out of the box, administrators must configure underlying data models to maximize its effectiveness.

                  1. Ensure that operational locations and compliance classifications are pre-populated. Setup and management instructions can be found on the Viewing an Incident page.

                  2. Ensure administrative accounts possess the required security clear level toggled within their User Profile to view or modify search results.

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators interact with three tailored search tabs on this screen. Each tab queries a distinct data subset within the incident management database.

                  1. Hover over the Incidents icon and click Search Incidents.

                  2. Identify the appropriate search section on the screen: Incident Search, People Search, or Vehicle Search.

                  3. Enter the desired parameters within the chosen module.

                  4. Click the Search button at the bottom of that specific section to execute the query.

                  Incident Search Criteria

                  The Incident Search module filters files based on system metadata, investigative context, and operational timelines.

                  People Search Criteria

                  This module isolates incident records based on the profile data of involved subjects, including complainants, witnesses, or suspects. Administrators can search using standard identity fields, including first name, last name, phone number, employee or student ID number, or driver's license details.

                  A dynamic information banner automatically generates at the top of the search results to summarize user profile metrics if the search parameters include at least one complete identifier, the database returns exactly one distinct user profile, and the input data matches the profile field exactly. This banner will not display if the query results in multiple partial matches.

                  Vehicle Search Criteria

                  This module locates incident files linked to specific automotive property. Administrators can track down records by entering descriptive vehicle parameters, such as license plate states, makes, models, colors, or permit identifiers associated with the vehicle at the time of the event.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  Configuring Incidents

                  The Incident Configuration feature provides the foundational settings required before your organization can effectively utilize the incident management module. Its primary purpose is to allow administrators to define standardized categories, identification flags, and descriptive drop-down lists, ensuring consistent data entry across all incident reports. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for system setup and maintenance.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  Before dispatchers and officers can begin logging events, administrators must pre-configure several standardized data lists.

                  Navigate to your incident configuration settings to establish the parameters for the following modules.

                  Configuration Categories

                  The descriptive data entered into the Ext. User Profile Options fields will only be visible within the incidents module to assist with investigations. These specific physical descriptions will not appear on a user's standard parking or general system profile.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  IncidentAdmin

                  IncidentAdmin Workflow

                  The IncidentAdmin workflow provides a comprehensive framework for reporting, tracking, and resolving security events on your property. Its primary purpose is to guide administrators through the complete lifecycle of an incident, from initial dispatch entry and task assignment to final resolution and statistical reporting. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and security personnel.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  Because this workflow encompasses the entire incident management module, there is no single setup step. Instead, administrators must ensure that all foundational elements—such as categories, flags, and physical locations—are properly established in the system prior to use.

                  Detailed setup instructions for these prerequisites can be found on the Configuring Incidents Configuring Incidents page. Additionally, administrators must have the appropriate roles and permissions enabled to create, view, edit, and report on incidents.

                  Using this Feature

                  The incident workflow generally follows three main phases: initiation, investigation and tracking, and reporting.

                  Initiating an Incident

                  Security events are typically brought to the administration's attention through direct observation by patrol staff, phone calls from individuals, administrative requests, or surveillance camera footage.

                  Entering these events into the system is handled through two primary modules, which can be utilized in any order depending on your organization's procedures:

                  While dispatch logs and incident entries can be generated independently, dispatch logs can be directly linked and assigned to an incident report. This preserves the initial call data and integrates it seamlessly into the final investigative file.

                  Tracking and Managing Investigations

                  Once an event is recorded in the system, security administrators can track the progress of the investigation and manage follow-up activities. The core workflow highlights during this phase include:

                  Generating Reports

                  The final phase of the workflow involves analyzing the collected data. IncidentAdmin provides a suite of reporting tools to help administrators review records and operational efficiency:

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  Security with OperationsCommander

                  OperationsCommander works hard to maintain an up to date product wiki! If you have any questions or if you feel something is missing, post about it in the community.

                  Security with OperationsCommander

                  Enhanced Admin Security: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) with OperationsCommander

                  Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) provides a critical layer of security for OPS-COM administrator accounts by requiring an email-delivered One-Time Password (OTP). Its primary purpose is to significantly strengthen account protection and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system data. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The MFA feature offers three distinct configuration levels for your organization's administrative portal. Currently, modifying your site's overall MFA setting requires assistance from our team. If you wish to adjust your configuration, please contact support@ops-com.com.

                  Available Configuration Options

                  Using this Feature

                  Depending on your organization's configuration, you will interact with the MFA prompt during the standard login process or when performing critical account updates.

                  Authenticating a Login

                  When MFA is set to Visible or Required, the system will prompt you to authenticate your identity after entering your username and password.

                  1. Enter your standard administrator credentials on the login screen.

                  2. Check your associated email inbox for the automatically generated One-Time Password (OTP).

                  3. Enter the OTP into the provided MFA prompt on the screen to access the administrative portal.

                  Mandatory Security Actions

                  Regardless of your site's overall MFA configuration level (Hidden, Visible, or Required), an OTP is always mandatory when performing the following security-sensitive actions:

                  In OperationsCommander, the MFA email is classified as a mandatory security communication. These authentication emails will always be sent to the administrator, even if they have explicitly unsubscribed from all email communication categories on their user profile.

                  Originally requested on this community item!

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  Security with OperationsCommander

                  Resetting an Administrator's Forgotten Password

                  The Administrator Password Reset feature allows users to securely recover access to their OPS-COM administrative accounts. Its primary purpose is to provide a self-service method for resetting forgotten credentials quickly without requiring manual intervention from a primary system administrator. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators who need to regain access to their portal.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  This feature is available by default on the Admin Login page and requires no specialized system setup to function. However, the system relies on the email address recorded in the user's profile to deliver the reset link.

                  Administrators with system configuration access can customize the automated email sent during this process by navigating to the Email Templates page and modifying the Lost Passwords template.

                  Using this Feature

                  If an administrator has forgotten their login credentials, they can initiate a secure reset process directly from the login screen.

                  1. Navigate to the Admin Login page and click Forgot your Username or Password.

                  2. Enter the valid email address currently associated with your administrator profile.

                  3. Click the Send Reminder button to trigger the automated email. The screen will refresh to display a confirmation message.

                  4. Check your email inbox for the password reset message and click the provided secure link.

                  5. Enter your email address into the recovery interface.

                  6. Enter your new password, and type it a second time in the confirmation field.

                  7. Click the Reset Password button to finalize the change.

                  8. Log in to the OPS-COM administrative portal using your newly created password.

                  If you do not receive the password reset email within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folders. The system will only send the email if the address entered exactly matches an active administrator profile.

                  Best Practices and Considerations

                  Athletics Module

                  The Athletics Module is a stand-alone interface designed specifically for registering athletic facility members, managing their vehicles, and issuing parking permits. Its primary purpose is to streamline the administration of athletic users in a dedicated portal separate from standard campus or municipal parking operations. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for athletic parking management.

                  Setup and Configuration

                  The Athletics Module operates independently of the standard administrative portal and cannot be accessed through the typical OPS-COM navigation menus. No specialized system setup is required, but administrators must know the specific URL to log in.

                  To access the module, navigate to your standard administrative URL, but replace /admin with /athletics: https://[client_ID][.parkadmin.com/athletics](https://.parkadmin.com/athletics)

                  Using this Feature

                  Administrators can use this module to perform the entire lifecycle of an athletics parking profile, from initial registration to permit printing.

                  Registering an Athletics Member and Vehicle

                  1. Click Athletics User Registration on the main module page to open the quick registration form.

                  2. Enter the new user's information into the provided fields.

                  3. Click the Submit Registration Information for Processing button.

                  4. Review the confirmation screen and click the Information Correct button to proceed.

                  5. Click the Associate a vehicle with this user link when prompted.

                  6. Fill in the required vehicle details on the form.

                  7. Click the Add New Vehicle button to save the vehicle to the user's profile.

                  Purchasing a Permit

                  1. Review the updated user information screen, which will now display the assigned vehicle.

                  2. Select the desired permit (e.g., Company Staff Lot) from the available options.

                  3. Click the Purchase this Permit button to complete the transaction and generate a confirmation message on the screen.

                  Athletics User Search

                  1. Click Athletics User Search from the main module page to locate existing members.

                  2. Enter your desired search criteria into the provided fields.

                  3. Click the Search button to generate a list of matching users.

                  Available Actions & Buttons (User Search):

                  The search function within this module is restricted by design. Only individuals who have been explicitly assigned the "Athletics" user type within the system will appear in these search results.

                  List Current Athletics Users

                  1. Click List Current Athletic Users to view an active directory of all members assigned the Athletics user type.

                  2. Click a specific username to view a detailed breakdown of their profile and associated vehicles.

                  3. Click a specific permit number to trigger a pop-up window displaying detailed permit information.

                  4. Click a specific vehicle plate number to view additional registered details about that vehicle.

                  Permit Printing

                  1. Click Print Permits from the main module page or directly from a user's detailed profile screen.

                  2. Select the appropriate Permit Lot from the drop-down menu.

                  3. Select the specific Permit Text (permit number) from the drop-down menu.

                  4. Click the Print Selected Hang Tag button to generate a printable version of the permit.

                  Best Practices and Considerations