The **Appeals Report** in OPSCOM provides administrators with a centralized view to review, manage, and action user appeals against violations. This feature allows for detailed examination of appeal information, recording decisions (uphold, reduce, cancel), adding comments, and notifying appellants, ensuring a fair and transparent appeal process.
### Setup & Configuration
##### System Settings
Before you can process Appeals, you must have this module enabled.
After enabling the appeals module, you need to decide whether or not you want to enable ***Reset Appeal on Association.*** This setting will allow users who have a **violation associated to their vehicle,** but have not made an **account**, the same amount of time to appeal a violation as a user who already had their account configured. Once they create and associate their account to the vehicle, with this setting enabled, the appeal time frame will be reset, and the user will have the amount of days specified under **Appeal days** to appeal the violation, **from the date they associated the account.**
1. Hover over **System Configuration**, and click **System Settings.**
2. On the **Violations** tab, ensure the **Enable Appeals Module** setting is enabled. If it is not, please contact .
3. There are a number of settings you can use to help manage appeals once this module is enabled:
- You can choose the number of days a user has to appeal a violation in the **Appeal Days** box.
- In the **Appeal Notification Email** box, enter the email address you would like to receive notifications of new appeals to.
- In the **Automated Notification Email** box, enter the email address you would like automated reports sent to.
- **Enable Adjustments** should be toggled on if you want Fines to be adjusted without going through the Appeals process.
- If you wish to allow appeals through Fax or Email you should enable the **Enable Fax for Appeal Format** or **Enable Email for Appeal format** checkboxes. These appeals will be handled outside of OPSCOM.
- **Remove Discount when Appeal Made** should be enabled if you want to disallow the discount once an appeal has been made.
- **Enable Appeal Evidence Uploads** should be enabled if you want users to be able to submit PDFs or PNGs as evidence for their appeals.
- **Reset Appeal on Association** should be enabled if you want your users to get the specified appeal time reset on account association, if they hadn't had the chance to make their account yet.
##### Email Templates
1. Hover over **System Configuration,** then **Templates & Design,** and click **Email Templates**.
2. Follow the [steps in this wiki article](https://opscom.wiki/books/setup-configuration-for-admins/page/email-templates) to setup the Appeal Decision email template. This is the template that will be used to communicate to the Appellant your decision.
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### Using this Feature
##### Accessing Appeal Details
The **Appeals Report** page allows you to access detailed appeal information and take action on each submitted appeal.
1. Hover over **Violations,** then **Appeals,** and click **Appeals Report**.
2. On the **Appeals Report** page, search for Appeals you wish to review.
3. Click **View Info** beside the person's name to access the full details of that appeal. The **User Appeal History** screen displays all information related to the appeal, including user history, and user/vehicle details.
##### Actioning an Appeal
Here, you can make a decision on the appeal:
1. Locate the **Appeal Management** section.
2. Choose one of the following options under **Action Taken**:
- **Uphold**: The appeal is denied, and the original fine amount remains.
- **Reduce Violation**: The appeal is partially granted. A new field will appear allowing you to enter a new, reduced fine amount.
- **Cancel Violation**: The appeal is fully granted, and the violation is voided.
3. In the **Comments to Send to Appellant** box, enter your detailed comments explaining your decision regarding the appeal.
4. Click the **Submit** button when finished to process the appeal. You will see a message indicating the appeal has been processed.
5. The system will automatically email the user with your decision using the **Appeal Decision** email template you setup.
##### Alternative Method: Actioning Appeals Directly from Violation Information
Administrators can also manage appeals directly from the **Violation Information** page. While administrators can make changes to basic violation information, remember that once a user pays for the violation, the primary comments fields become locked. For further comments, administrators must use the **Violation Notes** section.
1. Access the **Violation Information** page for a specific ticket (e.g., by clicking the ticket number from the Appeals Report or searching for the violation).
2. Click **Edit**.
3. Click the text **Ticket has not been appealed. Show appeals form** (highlighted in **Blue**) to reveal the Appeals section.
4. The **Appeals Area** fields are:
- **Ticket Appealed**: Displays the date the appeal was filed and how it was filed (e.g., "Online Appeal").
- **Fine Action**: Choose from **Upheld**, **Reduced**, or **Cancelled**.
- **Offense Value**: This amount can be manually edited if **Reduced** on appeal. It will automatically be reduced to `0.00` if **Cancelled**. You can also edit the Offence Value directly.
- **Appeal Reason**: The reason provided by the user for launching the appeal. This field can be viewed by the user.
- **Appeal Admin Comment**: This field is for **private** appeal notes that are **not viewable by the user**. Use this for internal administrative comments.
5. Change the **Actioned per:** field by selecting the Admin account making the changes from the picker.
6. Click **Update this Violation**. A message will appear confirming that the violation has been updated.
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### Best Practices & Considerations
- **Timely Review**: Process appeals promptly to ensure fairness and maintain a good relationship with users.
- **Clear Communication**: Ensure your "Comments to Send to Appellant" are clear, concise, and professional, explaining the decision effectively.
- **Internal vs. External Comments**: Differentiate between **Comments to Send to Appellant** (public) and **Appeal Admin Comment** (private) to maintain appropriate communication and internal notes.
- **Consistency**: Apply appeal decisions consistently according to your organization's policies.
- **Reporting**: The Appeals Report provides valuable data for analyzing appeal trends, common reasons for appeals, and the outcome of appeal decisions. Use this information to inform future policy adjustments.
- **Payment Lock**: Be aware that once a violation is paid, its comments section becomes locked, necessitating the use of **Violation Notes** for any subsequent administrative comments.
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