Auction Excellence - Parking Lot Management & Quality Inspection

Overview

The Staffing Dashboard (part of the unified Analytics Module) replaces the Excel-based staffing workflow with an integrated solution for CR (Condition Report) writer capacity planning. By combining Check-In and CR data from native tables (check_in_records and cr_inspections), the dashboard calculates staffing requirements based on vehicle arrival patterns, sale type mix, and historical CR completion rates.

Native Tables (Epic #1072): Check-In and CR data is now stored in typed native tables (check_in_records, cr_inspections) with proper columns and indexes. Custom auction-specific fields are stored in a custom_fields JSONB column. The v_vehicle_journey view joins the two tables for cross-analysis. CSV imports are tracked in the import_batches audit table.

Arrivals Analysis

Track vehicle check-ins by hour with 3-week moving averages

Staffing Calculator

Calculate required CR writer headcount per hour

Writer Productivity

Monitor individual CR writer performance (management only)

Activity Rates

Configure global and per-session activity rate settings

Accessing the Staffing Dashboard

The Staffing Dashboard is accessible within the unified Analytics module.

Open Analytics Module

Click Analytics in the sidebar navigation

Navigate to Staffing

Click the Staffing tab in the Analytics navigation bar

Select Date Range

Use the date picker to choose your analysis period (default: 3 weeks)

Review Arrivals

Analyze vehicle check-in patterns by hour and sale type

Calculate Staffing

View required headcount based on arrival rates and activity settings

Direct URL: You can access the Staffing Dashboard directly at /auctions/[auctionId]/analytics/staffing. Legacy URLs like /staffing-model automatically redirect to this location.

Datasets

The Staffing Model uses two native data tables that work together to provide comprehensive staffing insights.

Check-In Records (`check_in_records`)

Tracks vehicle arrivals at your auction facility. CSV imports are auto-detected and mapped to typed columns.

Field	Description	Example
check_in_date	Timestamp of vehicle arrival	2024-01-15 09:30:00
check_in_user	Person who checked in the vehicle	John Smith
facilitation_location	Auction location	Big Valley AA
vin	Vehicle Identification Number	1HGBH41JXMN109186
stock_number	Internal stock identifier	STK-2024-0123
sale_type	Lease or Consignment	Lease
seller_name	Seller/consignor name	ABC Motors
grade / grade2	Vehicle condition grades	A / B+
primary_inspector	Assigned inspector	Jane Doe
photo_count	Number of photos taken	24
Vehicle Year, Make, Model	Vehicle details	2023 Honda Accord

CR Inspections (`cr_inspections`)

Contains condition report completion information. CSV imports are auto-detected and mapped to typed columns.

Field	Description	Example
created_date	When CR record was created	2024-01-15 10:00:00
start_date	CR writing start time	2024-01-15 10:05:00
stop_date	CR writing end time	2024-01-15 10:25:00
edit_time	Time spent writing CR	20 minutes
edit_type	Completed CR or Edited	Completed CR
inspector_name	CR writer name	Mike Johnson
vin	Vehicle Identification Number (join key)	1HGBH41JXMN109186
stock_number	Stock identifier (join key)	STK-2024-0123
status	CR status	Closed
age	Days since check-in	1
CR days	Days from check-in to CR completion	0
Inspection time	Duration of inspection	25 minutes

Vehicle Journey View

The v_vehicle_journey view automatically joins check_in_records and cr_inspections by VIN (primary) or stock_number (fallback) for cross-analysis.

Join Key	Check-In Field	CR Field
VIN (primary)	`vin`	`vin`
Stock Number (fallback)	`stock_number`	`stock_number`

The workflow follows: Check-In (vehicle arrives) → CR (condition report completed). The time between these events is a critical staffing metric. The v_vehicle_journey view calculates days_to_cr_start and days_to_cr_complete automatically.

Vehicle Journey Analysis

The vehicle journey view enables cross-analysis of check-in and CR data:

Feature	Description
Vehicle Journey Tracking	Track vehicles from arrival through CR completion
Processing Time Analysis	Calculate time from check-in to CR completion
CR Completion Rates	Measure what percentage of check-ins get CRs
Backlog Visibility	Identify vehicles checked in but not yet CR’d

Importing Data

Import Check-In and CR CSV files using the Native Import Wizard. The wizard auto-detects the target table based on column patterns.

Navigate to Analytics

Go to Analytics in the sidebar, then click Datasets tab

Click Import Data

Click the Import Data button

Upload CSV File

Drag and drop your CSV file or click to browse

Auto-Detection

The system analyzes your columns and auto-detects the target table (Check-In Records or CR Inspections). You can override the detection.

Column Mapping

Review the auto-mapped columns. Core columns are mapped to typed database columns; unmapped columns go to custom_fields JSONB.

Import Mode

Choose Create or Update (merges by match column, default VIN) or Replace All (clears existing data first).

Complete Import

Click Import to process the data. Progress is shown in real-time with row counts.

Import Audit Trail

All imports are tracked in the import_batches table with:

Source filename, target table, import mode
Row counts (created, updated, skipped)
Status lifecycle: pending → processing → completed/failed/rolled_back
Rollback support via the Import History page

Custom Field Definitions

Admins can define per-auction custom fields at Analytics → Fields:

Feature	Description
Core Fields	Built-in typed columns (12 for Check-In, 14 for CR) — display name editable, cannot be deleted
Custom Fields	Auction-specific fields stored in `custom_fields` JSONB
Field Types	text, number, date, boolean, select (with predefined options)
Drag-and-Drop	Reorder fields for UI display preference

New imports using Create or Update mode append/update data. This builds your historical dataset over time for more accurate moving averages.

Location Filter

The Staffing Dashboard supports filtering all data by facilitation location using the standard FilterBar component.

Using the Location Filter

View Available Locations

When your imported datasets contain facilitation_location data, a location filter chip appears in the FilterBar at the top of the dashboard.

Select a Location

Click the location filter chip and select a specific location from the dropdown to filter all dashboard sections to that location.

View Filtered Data

All sections update to show data for the selected location only — Arrivals, Staffing Calculator, Writer Productivity, and Quick Stats.

Clear Filter

Click the X on the location chip or select the “All” option to return to the unfiltered view showing all locations.

The location filter syncs with URL search params via the useFilterBar hook, consistent with the Quality and Rocks pages. Share a filtered URL to give colleagues the same view.

The location filter only appears when facilitation_location data exists in your imported check-in datasets. If no location data is available, the filter is hidden.

Arrivals Analysis

The Arrivals section visualizes vehicle check-in patterns to understand when vehicles arrive at your facility.

Check-ins by Hour Chart

The primary arrivals visualization shows a 3-week moving average of check-ins per hour.

Reading the Chart

Element	Description
X-Axis	Hours of the day (6 AM - 6 PM typical)
Y-Axis	Average number of vehicles checking in
Line	3-week moving average of check-ins
Data Points	Hover to see exact values per hour

Why 3-Week Moving Average?

The 3-week moving average smooths out daily variations:

Reduces noise from unusually busy or slow individual days
Captures patterns like day-of-week variations
Provides stability for staffing planning
Reflects trends without overreacting to outliers

Use the date range selector to adjust the analysis period. A longer period provides more stable averages but may miss recent trend changes.

Lease vs Consignment Breakdown

Analyze arrivals by sale type to understand the mix of vehicles requiring CRs.

Sale Type	Description	CR Implications
Lease	Lease return vehicles	Require detailed CR (longer write time)
Consignment	Dealer/consigned vehicles	Standard CR (variable CR rate)

Sale Type Visualization

The dashboard shows:

Pie Chart - Overall distribution of Lease vs Consignment
Stacked Bar - Hourly breakdown by sale type
Trend Line - How the mix has changed over time

Lease units typically require more CR writing time due to detailed inspection requirements. This is factored into staffing calculations.

Daily and Hourly Heatmap

The heatmap provides a visual overview of arrival patterns across days and hours.

Heatmap Feature	Description
Rows	Days of the week
Columns	Hours of the day
Color Intensity	Volume of arrivals (darker = more)
Hover Details	Exact count for any cell

Use the heatmap to identify peak arrival times that require maximum staffing and slower periods where staff can focus on other tasks.

Staffing Calculator

The Staffing Calculator section converts arrival data into actionable staffing requirements.

Headcount by Hour

The primary output shows how many CR writers are needed for each hour of operation.

Column	Description
Hour	Time of day
Lease Arrivals	Expected lease vehicle arrivals
Consignment Arrivals	Expected consignment arrivals
CR Work Hours (Lease)	Hours of CR work for lease units
CR Work Hours (Consignment)	Hours of CR work for consignment
Total CR Work Hours	Combined work hours needed
Required Headcount	Number of writers needed

Calculation Methodology

The staffing calculation follows this formula:

Required Headcount = (Lease Arrivals × Lease CR Rate × Lease Time per CR) +
                     (Consignment Arrivals × Consignment CR Rate × Consignment Time per CR)
                     ÷ 60 minutes

Variables Explained

Variable	Description	Example
Arrivals	3-week average check-ins per hour	15 vehicles
CR Rate	% of vehicles that receive a CR	85%
Time per CR	Average minutes to complete CR	25 minutes
Activity Rate	CRs per hour (60 ÷ Time per CR)	2.4 CRs/hour

Activity Rate Configuration

Activity rates are the key inputs that translate arrivals into staffing needs.

Access Activity Settings

Click the Settings icon in the Staffing Calculator section

View Current Rates

See the current global activity rate settings

Adjust Values

Modify any rate for the current session (or save as global default)

Apply Changes

Click Apply to recalculate staffing with new rates

Editable Activity Rates

Setting	Description	Default
Lease CR Time	Minutes to write Lease CR	30 min
Consignment CR Time	Minutes to write Consignment CR	20 min
Lease CR Rate	% of Lease units receiving CR	100%
Consignment CR Rate	% of Consignment units receiving CR	75%
INOP %	Inoperable vehicles (adjusted time)	5%
Certification %	Units requiring certification	10%

Session overrides don’t affect the global defaults. To update defaults for all users, use the Global Settings page.

Lease Unit Adjustments

Lease units have additional factors that affect staffing:

Factor	Description	Impact
INOP %	Inoperable vehicles requiring different handling	Increases time per CR
Certification %	Units requiring certification inspection	Additional time required
Detailed Inspection	Lease returns need more thorough CR	Higher base time

Adjust INOP % and Certification % based on historical patterns. These vary seasonally and by seller relationship.

Work Hours Breakdown

The calculator displays work hours broken down by sale type:

Breakdown	Calculation
Lease Work Hours	Lease Arrivals × Lease CR Rate × (Lease CR Time ÷ 60)
Consignment Work Hours	Consignment Arrivals × Consignment CR Rate × (Consignment CR Time ÷ 60)
Adjustment Hours	Additional time for INOP and Certification
Total Work Hours	Sum of all work categories

Writer Productivity

The Writer Productivity section is only visible to users with management-level permissions (Owner, Admin roles).

The Writer Productivity section provides individual performance metrics for CR writers.

Individual Writer Metrics

Metric	Description
Writer Name	CR writer’s name
CRs Completed	Total CRs in selected period
Avg CR Time	Average time to complete a CR
Activity Rate	CRs completed per hour
Same Day %	CRs completed same day as check-in

Performance Analysis

High Performers

Indicators:

Avg CR Time at or below target
High Same Day % (>90%)
Consistent daily output

Action: Consider for mentoring others or handling complex units

Average Performers

Indicators:

Avg CR Time within 20% of target
Same Day % between 70-90%
Steady output with some variation

Action: Monitor for improvement opportunities, provide targeted coaching

Below Target

Indicators:

Avg CR Time significantly above target
Same Day % below 70%
Inconsistent output

Action: Identify barriers (training, tools, assignment), provide support

Outlier Identification

The dashboard highlights writers with metrics significantly outside the norm:

Flag	Meaning
Red highlight	Avg CR Time >50% above average
Yellow highlight	Avg CR Time 25-50% above average
Green highlight	Top quartile performance

Performance outliers may have valid explanations (complex vehicles, training new hires, equipment issues). Always investigate context before drawing conclusions.

Time per CR Trends

Track how individual writer performance changes over time:

Improving - CR time decreasing over weeks
Stable - Consistent performance
Declining - CR time increasing (investigate)

Date Range Selection

Control the analysis period for all Staffing Model visualizations.

Using the Date Picker

Click Date Range

Click the date range button in the top-right corner

Select Preset or Custom

Choose a preset range or select custom dates

Apply Selection

Click Apply to update all charts and calculations

Recommended Date Ranges

Analysis Goal	Recommended Range
Daily Planning	Last 3 weeks (default)
Trend Analysis	Last 3 months
Seasonal Comparison	Same period last year
Specific Event	Custom range around event dates

The 3-week moving average used in arrivals calculations always uses the most recent 3 weeks of data within your selected range.

Global Settings

Configure default activity rates and other settings that apply to all users.

Accessing Global Settings

Navigate to Staffing

Go to Analytics → Staffing tab

Open Settings

Click the Settings (gear icon) button in the Staffing Calculator section

View Current Defaults

See all global activity rate settings

Modify Settings

Update values and add notes for changes

Save Changes

Click Save to update defaults for all users

Global vs Session Settings

Setting Type	Scope	Persistence
Global	All users	Saved permanently
Session	Current user only	Until browser closes
Report Override	Specific analysis	Saved with report

Use session overrides for “what-if” scenarios without affecting other users’ views. Save to global only when you’ve validated new activity rates.

Audit Trail

Changes to global settings are logged:

Logged Information
Who made the change
When the change was made
Previous value
New value
Optional change notes

Export Functionality

Export staffing data and visualizations for reports and presentations.

CSV Export

Navigate to Data View

Go to the data table you want to export

Apply Filters

Set date range and any other filters

Click Export

Click the Export button

Select Format

Choose Export as CSV

Available Exports

Export Type	Contents
Arrivals Data	Hourly check-in counts by sale type
Staffing Requirements	Calculated headcount by hour
Writer Productivity	Individual writer metrics
Full Dataset	Combined CheckinModel and CR_Data

Chart Export

Export visualizations as images:

Format	Use Case
PNG	Presentations and documents
SVG	Scalable graphics for high-resolution
Copy to Clipboard	Quick paste into other applications

Exported charts include the date range and any active filters in the title for reference.

Best Practices

Effective Staffing Model Usage

Maintain Data Quality

Regular Imports:

Import CheckinModel and CR_Data weekly
Verify data completeness after each import
Address any schema validation errors promptly

Data Hygiene:

Review and clean up duplicate records
Ensure consistent VIN formatting across systems
Document any known data gaps

Calibrate Activity Rates

Initial Setup:

Start with industry defaults
Collect 4-6 weeks of actual data
Compare calculated vs actual staffing needs

Ongoing Calibration:

Review rates quarterly
Adjust based on process changes
Document reasons for rate changes

Regular Reviews

Daily: Check today’s staffing requirements
Weekly: Review arrivals patterns and adjust upcoming schedules
Monthly: Analyze writer productivity trends
Quarterly: Recalibrate activity rates based on actuals

Stakeholder Communication

Share weekly staffing forecasts with supervisors
Export arrival charts for planning meetings
Use writer productivity data for 1:1 discussions
Document staffing decisions and outcomes

Common Scenarios

Scenario	Recommended Approach
Planning next week’s schedule	Review arrivals forecast, adjust for known events
Investigating CR backlog	Check arrivals vs staffing, review writer productivity
Onboarding new CR writer	Set realistic expectations based on average metrics
Preparing for busy season	Analyze same period last year, adjust rates
Justifying staffing request	Export charts showing arrival trends and gaps

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Import failing or incomplete

Solutions:

Verify CSV has all required columns (VIN, stock_number, dates)
Check date formats match expected patterns
Remove any special characters from column headers
Ensure file is saved as UTF-8 encoding
Split large files (>50MB) into smaller batches

Arrivals data seems incorrect

Solutions:

Verify the date range is correct
Check if all expected CheckinModel imports completed
Look for duplicate imports affecting averages
Confirm data source matches expected location

Staffing calculations don't match expectations

Solutions:

Review activity rate settings (session vs global)
Verify CR Rate percentages are accurate
Check if INOP % and Certification % are realistic
Compare against historical actuals to calibrate

Writer productivity not showing

Solutions:

Verify you have management permissions (Owner/Admin)
Check if CR_Data has been imported for the period
Ensure inspector_name field is populated in imports
Contact admin if you should have access

Data not joining correctly

Solutions:

Verify VIN format is consistent across both datasets
Check stock_number format matches between systems
Ensure overlapping date ranges between datasets
Review for leading/trailing spaces in join key fields

Getting Help

If issues persist:

Export your data - Include sample records showing the problem
Note the error message - Capture exact text of any errors
Document steps to reproduce - What actions led to the issue
Contact support - Email with details above

Analytics Module

Return to the unified Analytics overview

Saved Queries

Create custom queries from staffing data

User Management

Manage user permissions for productivity access

Settings

Configure auction-wide settings

Need Help?

Getting Started

Complete admin dashboard overview

Contact Support

Reach out to our support team

Getting Started

User & Location Management

Operations

Analytics Module

Account

Data Management

Configuration

​Overview

Arrivals Analysis

Staffing Calculator

Writer Productivity

Activity Rates

​Accessing the Staffing Dashboard

​Datasets

​Check-In Records (check_in_records)

​CR Inspections (cr_inspections)

​Vehicle Journey View

​Vehicle Journey Analysis

​Importing Data

​Import Audit Trail

​Custom Field Definitions

​Location Filter

​Using the Location Filter

​Arrivals Analysis

​Check-ins by Hour Chart

​Reading the Chart

​Why 3-Week Moving Average?

​Lease vs Consignment Breakdown

​Sale Type Visualization

​Daily and Hourly Heatmap

​Staffing Calculator

​Headcount by Hour

​Calculation Methodology

​Variables Explained

​Activity Rate Configuration

​Editable Activity Rates

​Lease Unit Adjustments

​Work Hours Breakdown

​Writer Productivity

​Individual Writer Metrics

​Performance Analysis

​Outlier Identification

​Time per CR Trends

​Date Range Selection

​Using the Date Picker

​Recommended Date Ranges

​Global Settings

​Accessing Global Settings

​Global vs Session Settings

​Audit Trail

​Export Functionality

​CSV Export

​Available Exports

​Chart Export

​Best Practices

​Effective Staffing Model Usage

​Common Scenarios

​Troubleshooting

​Common Issues

​Getting Help

​Related Documentation

Analytics Module

Saved Queries

User Management

Settings

​Need Help?

Getting Started

Contact Support

Overview

Accessing the Staffing Dashboard

Datasets

Check-In Records (`check_in_records`)

CR Inspections (`cr_inspections`)

Vehicle Journey View

Vehicle Journey Analysis

Importing Data

Import Audit Trail

Custom Field Definitions

Location Filter

Using the Location Filter

Arrivals Analysis

Check-ins by Hour Chart

Reading the Chart

Why 3-Week Moving Average?

Lease vs Consignment Breakdown

Sale Type Visualization

Daily and Hourly Heatmap

Staffing Calculator

Headcount by Hour

Calculation Methodology

Variables Explained

Activity Rate Configuration

Editable Activity Rates

Lease Unit Adjustments

Work Hours Breakdown

Writer Productivity

Individual Writer Metrics

Performance Analysis

Outlier Identification

Time per CR Trends

Date Range Selection

Using the Date Picker

Recommended Date Ranges

Global Settings

Accessing Global Settings

Global vs Session Settings

Audit Trail

Export Functionality

CSV Export

Available Exports

Chart Export

Best Practices

Effective Staffing Model Usage

Common Scenarios

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Getting Help

Related Documentation

Need Help?