Introduction to User Updates

User Updates (UUs) are a simple and versatile tool for user-system interactions and triggering user-related processes. The intuitive interface of User Updates combined with the ability to connect to multiple system functions make it a powerful tool.

User Updates can be accessed with a single tap of a button in the mobile app. Updates can contain a simple 2-word title, a text update, or a responsive form. The update can be set to include the users’ location and to send a notification of the update. All UUs (User Updates) are recorded in the user’s log as time-stamped log entries. Historical UUs can be looked up for investigation (see ‘User Search’).

UUs can be sent to the individual user via the mobile app or by the operator (via Dispatcher) or by an external party (via API). UUs can also be set to influence other operational processes (such as policies) or even trigger events in external systems (such as access control). User Updates are a simple yet powerful tool in your NowForce system.

This lesson covers:

  1. User Update settings – how administrators define and modify the behavior of User Updates.
  2. User Updates in the mobile app – how the mobile user can post updates in the user’s log.
  3. Operational tools for operator/dispatcher to monitor user-system interactions.
  4. The role of User Updates in the policy framework.

Note: User Updates are available for all mobile licenses from Monitored Reporter and above.


User Update Settings

Viewing User Update Settings:

  1. Click the gear icon to open the Settings page and select USERS> User Updates.
User Updates image 1
  1. Hover over an update’s icon and select Edit User Updates to edit that update.

Adding a New User Update

  1. Click the gear icon to open the Settings page and select USERS> User Updates.
User Updates image 2
  1. Select the + to add a new update.
User Updates image 3
  1. In the General tab, enter a Name in the box.
  2. Select an Icon from the list.

Note: You can define icons in the icon settings.

  1. Select a Category from the drop-down list.

Note: Click ‘Create new category’ to create new categories.

User Updates image 4
  1. Select the Format of the user update from the list:
  • Title only – this is the simplest format. The mobile user only needs to click the button with the title.
  • Title + text – this format allows the user to add text to the update.
  • Form – this is the more advanced format that allows the administrator to design a form that is linked to the user update. If Form is the selected option, also select a form type from the Select form drop-down list. (See ‘Customizing User Update Forms’)
User Updates image 5
  1. Add Location by setting the toggle to Yes. This option adds the user’s location to the UU. This means that the app location is saved in the user location history.

Note: this option also uploads the location of a single user for Monitored Reporter licenses that do not routinely upload app locations.

  1. Add Notifications by setting the toggle to Yes. This ensures that the UU sends a notification to the user’s mobile app.

Note: Users Can Enable and Disable UU Notifications Themselves in the Mobile App Settings

Sending User Updates from the NowForce Mobile App

  1. On the NowForce Mobile app home screen, tap Update in the main menu.

    Update in the main menu
    Or select Update in the shortcut bar on the home screen.

    Update on the shortcut bar
  2. Tap the user update you want to select.
    • Note:
      • Title and text-only UUs are sent directly to the dispatch operator upon selection.
      • Free text UUs require you to tap on the free text box and add your update, then tap the send icon (airplane) to send.
      • UUs that contain a form will open the form when the UU is selected.
  3. Tap inside the free text box to enter your message.
  4. Tap the send icon (airplane) to send your update.
  5. A pop-up message with ‘Update sent successfully’ appears.
  6. Tap X to close the message screen.

Searching for User Updates in User Logs

You can use the search function in the user logs to search for user updates based on the user update, send status, and time frame.

  1. Click the search icon on the user panel toolbar in the upper right corner.

    Search icon
  2. Select User Updates.
  3. Selecteer de gebruikersupdate waarop u wilt zoeken in het dropdown-menu Selecteer gebruikersupdates.
    • Note: You can also set the send status and time frame for the search.
  4. Click Search.
  5. The results will be displayed in the panel at the bottom of the screen.