Creating a New Site

Sites are the physical locations where your guards operate. Each site has its own geofence, checkpoints, post orders, and guard assignments.

Accessing Site Management

1. Navigate to Operations > Sites in the sidebar (shortcut: `G` then `S`).
2. You will see a list of all your company's sites.

Creating a Site

1. Click the Add Site button.
2. Fill in the site details:

Basic Information

• Site Name — A descriptive name (e.g., "Downtown Office Tower", "Warehouse Complex A").
• Site Code — A short unique identifier (e.g., "DOT-001").
• Address — Full street address. Start typing and select from address suggestions.
• Client — Which client this site belongs to (select from your clients list).
• Status — Active or Inactive.

Contact Information

• Site Contact Name — Primary on-site contact person.
• Contact Phone — Emergency phone number for the site.
• Contact Email — For site-related communications.

Operational Settings

• Operating Hours — When the site is active (24/7 or specific hours).
• Default Shift Template — Pre-assign a shift pattern to this site.
• Guard Capacity — Maximum number of guards on-site at once.
• Timezone — Override the company default if the site is in a different timezone.

1. Click Create Site.

Setting Up the Geofence

A geofence defines the geographic boundary of the site. Atlock alerts you when guards enter or leave this boundary.

1. Open your newly created site.
2. Go to the Geofence tab.
3. You will see a map centered on the site address.

Drawing a Geofence

Circle Geofence (Simple)

1. The default is a circular geofence.
2. Adjust the radius slider to set the boundary size.
3. Drag the center point if the address marker isn't perfectly placed.

Polygon Geofence (Precise)

1. Click Switch to Polygon.
2. Click on the map to place boundary points.
3. Close the polygon by clicking on the first point again.
4. Drag individual points to refine the boundary.
5. This is useful for irregularly shaped sites (L-shaped buildings, campus areas).
6. Click Save Geofence.

Tip: Use satellite view on the map for more accurate geofence placement around buildings.

Adding Checkpoints

Checkpoints are specific locations within a site that guards must visit during patrols.

1. Open the site and go to the Checkpoints tab.
2. Click Add Checkpoint.
3. Configure the checkpoint:
   • Name — Descriptive label (e.g., "Main Entrance", "Parking Garage Level 2").
   • Location — Click on the map to place the checkpoint, or enter coordinates.
   • Type — NFC, QR Code, or GPS-based.
   • Instructions — What the guard should check/do at this point.
4. Click Save.

NFC Checkpoints

If using NFC tags:

1. Select NFC as the checkpoint type.
2. After creating the checkpoint, go to Operations > Patrols > NFC Tags.
3. Register the NFC tag and link it to this checkpoint.
4. Physically install the NFC tag at the checkpoint location.

QR Code Checkpoints

1. Select QR Code as the checkpoint type.
2. Atlock automatically generates a unique QR code.
3. Click Download QR Code to print and install at the location.

Managing Post Orders

Post orders are standing instructions for guards at this site:

1. Go to the Post Orders tab within the site.
2. Click Add Post Order.
3. Write the instructions (supports rich text formatting).
4. Set the effective date range.
5. Guards will see these orders in their mobile app when assigned to this site.

Site Documents

Upload reference documents for the site:

1. Go to the Documents tab.
2. Click Upload Document.
3. Select files (maps, emergency plans, client contracts, etc.).
4. Documents are accessible to guards on the mobile app.

Viewing Site Activity

Passdown Logs

• Go to the Passdown tab to see shift handover notes.
• Guards log passdowns at the end of each shift.

Reports

• Go to the Reports tab to see all reports filed at this site.
• Filter by date range and report type.

Editing a Site

1. Open the site from the Sites list.
2. Click Edit Site (pencil icon).
3. Modify any fields.
4. Click Save Changes.

Archiving a Site

When a site is no longer active:

1. Open the site.
2. Click Edit Site.
3. Change status to Inactive.
4. Inactive sites:
   • Are hidden from scheduling and assignment lists.
   • All historical data is preserved.
   • Can be reactivated at any time.

Tips & Best Practices

• Use descriptive names — Include the neighborhood or building name for easy identification.
• Set up geofences carefully — Too small and guards will trigger false breach alerts; too large and breaches won't be detected.
• Place checkpoints at key locations — Entrances, exits, vulnerable areas, and high-value zones.
• Keep post orders current — Review and update post orders monthly or when client requirements change.
• Upload site maps — Guards appreciate having a site map available in the mobile app.

Troubleshooting

Geofence alerts triggering incorrectly

• The geofence radius may be too small. GPS accuracy is typically 5-15 meters.
• Increase the radius by 10-20 meters as a buffer.
• Check the breach alert delay setting (a few seconds delay filters GPS jitter).

Checkpoints not appearing for guards

• Verify the guard is assigned to the site.
• Ensure the checkpoint is in Active status.
• For NFC checkpoints, verify the NFC tag is registered and linked.

Can't create a site

• You need the `sites.create` permission.
• Verify your role in Access Control.

Related Articles

• Configuring Geofences and Boundaries
• Setting Up NFC Checkpoints at a Site
• Managing Post Orders for a Site
• Creating Zones and Areas