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.
- **Single Group Assignment:** **Remember that a lot may only belong to one Lot Group**. While assigning a lot group is not mandatory, it is highly useful for organizing similar inventory. - **Multiple Zone Assignments:** You can assign the exact same zone to multiple distinct lots (e.g., applying a "RED Zone" configuration to both the Red Lot and the Green Lot). - **Enforcement Flexibility:** Patrol officers can select either a Lot Group or a Lot Zone during field enforcement, providing flexibility in how they monitor different parking areas. - **Permit Alignment:** **Ensure any permits tied to the lot reflect the same zone settings** to avoid compliance and validation issues for your users.