Related Occurrences

The Related Occurrences feature allows administrators to group and link multiple incident reports that share common elements, suspects, or events. Its primary purpose is to help security and administrative teams build a comprehensive view of connected activities by creating custom tracking lists. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for incident management and investigation.

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.

Creating a Related List and Linking Incidents

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

• Related Tab Counter: The Related tab on the Incident Information screen features a numeral indicating exactly how many related incidents are currently linked to the open report.

• Reciprocal Linking: Once two or more incidents are added to the same list, the relationship is reciprocal. The related incident information will automatically show up under the Related tab for all incidents included in that specific list.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Standardize List Names: Organizations should establish a standardized naming convention for related occurrence lists (e.g., by date, location, or specific event type) to ensure they are easily searchable and understood by all investigators reviewing the case.

• Provide Context: Always use the notes field when creating a new related list to briefly explain why the incidents are being linked, especially if the connection is not immediately obvious from the individual incident descriptions.