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Overview

Overwatch is the lot management feature that helps you track vehicle inventory across your parking lot locations. By regularly submitting lot counts, your team maintains accurate visibility into lot occupancy, enabling better decision-making and operational efficiency.

Multi-Type Tracking

Count vehicles by type (e.g., Waiting on Stock in, Waiting on CR)

Photo Documentation

Capture photos for visual verification and records

Real-Time Data

Submissions sync instantly for team-wide visibility

Location-Based

Track counts specific to your assigned locations

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Why Track Lot Occupancy?

Accurate lot tracking provides several key benefits:
  • Inventory visibility — Know how many vehicles are at each location at any time
  • Operational planning — Anticipate capacity needs and allocate resources effectively
  • Trend analysis — Identify patterns in lot activity over time
  • Accountability — Maintain audit trail of lot conditions throughout the day
  • Communication — Share lot status with team members and administrators

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When to Submit Counts

Your administrator may provide specific guidance on submission frequency for your auction. The recommendations below are general best practices.
TimingRecommendation
Start of shiftSubmit initial counts when you arrive
Major changesSubmit when significant vehicles arrive or depart
End of shiftSubmit final counts before leaving
Scheduled intervalsFollow any schedules set by your administrator
Consistency is key! Regular submissions at predictable times help your team track trends and identify anomalies.

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Submitting a Lot Count

The submission process takes just a few minutes. Follow these steps to record an accurate lot count.

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Step-by-Step Guide

1

Open the Overwatch Tab

Tap the Overwatch tab (car icon) in the bottom navigation bar. This is your primary workspace for lot submissions.
2

Select Your Location

Tap the location dropdown at the top of the screen and select the lot you’re reporting on. You’ll only see locations assigned to you by your administrator.
If you don’t see your expected location, contact your administrator to update your assignments.
3

Review Submission Types

Once you select a location, the app displays all enabled submission types for that location. Each type represents a category of vehicles to count.Common submission types include:
  • Waiting on Stock in
  • Waiting on CR
  • Ready for Sale
  • Sold vehicles
Submission types are configured by your administrator. Different locations may have different types available.
4

Enter Car Counts

For each submission type, enter the number of vehicles you counted:
  1. Tap the count field next to a submission type
  2. Use the number keyboard to enter the count (0-999,999)
  3. Repeat for each type you need to report
Tips for entering counts:
  • You only need to enter counts for types with vehicles present
  • Leave fields empty for types with zero vehicles
  • Entries with values are highlighted in green
  • The Total Cars bar at the bottom shows your running total
5

Capture Photos (Optional)

You can add photos at two levels:Submission-level photo — A general photo of the lot:
  • Tap the camera icon in the photo section
  • Choose Take Photo or Choose from Library
  • Capture or select your image
Per-entry photos — Photos for specific submission types:
  • Tap the small camera icon (📷) next to any submission type
  • Capture or select an image specific to that entry
  • A thumbnail preview appears when an image is attached
Photos provide visual verification and can help resolve any questions about counts later. Even a quick photo of the lot overview is valuable.
6

Review Your Submission

Before submitting, verify your entry:
  • Check the location — Confirm you selected the correct lot
  • Review counts — Ensure numbers are accurate for each type
  • Check the total — The blue bar shows your total car count
  • Review photos — Make sure any photos are clear and relevant
The submit button displays how many entries you’re submitting (e.g., “Submit (3 entries)”).
7

Submit Your Count

Tap the Submit button to record your lot count.During submission:
  • A progress indicator shows upload status (especially for photos)
  • The form is disabled while submitting
  • Stay on the screen until complete
After successful submission:
  • A success message confirms “Lot count submitted successfully!”
  • The form resets automatically for your next submission
  • Your data is immediately visible to administrators
Your submission is complete! The data syncs instantly and appears in your history and administrator dashboards.

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Submission Types Reference

Submission types categorize the vehicles you’re counting. Your administrator configures which types are available at each location.

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Understanding Submission Types

Each submission type represents a specific category or status of vehicles. Here are common types you may encounter:
Purpose: Track vehicles waiting to be processed into inventory.When to use: Count vehicles that have arrived but haven’t yet been logged into the system or are awaiting initial processing.Example: A transport truck delivers 15 vehicles that are parked but not yet checked in.
Purpose: Track vehicles waiting on Condition Report completion.When to use: Count vehicles that need inspection or condition documentation before they can proceed to sale.Example: Vehicles parked in the inspection lane awaiting their condition reports.
Purpose: Track vehicles that are fully processed and available for auction.When to use: Count vehicles that have completed all processing and are ready for buyers.Example: Vehicles in the sale-ready holding area.
Purpose: Track vehicles that have been sold but not yet picked up.When to use: Count vehicles awaiting buyer pickup after sale completion.Example: Vehicles in the post-sale holding area.
Purpose: Track vehicles with issues preventing normal processing.When to use: Count vehicles flagged for problems like title issues, damage disputes, or other holds.Example: Vehicles parked in the hold lot pending resolution.
Purpose: Your administrator may create custom types specific to your operation.When to use: Follow any guidance provided by your administrator for custom submission types.Example: Location-specific categories like “VIP Vehicles” or “Corporate Fleet.”

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Type Configuration by Location

Different locations may have different submission types enabled based on their specific operations.
  • Types are enabled or disabled per location by administrators
  • Types appear in the order configured by your administrator
  • You’ll only see types enabled for your selected location
  • Contact your administrator to request additional types

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Viewing Submission History

Track your past submissions to review previous counts, verify data, and identify patterns.

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Accessing History

1

Navigate to History

From the Overwatch tab, tap the History button or navigate to the submissions history section.
2

Browse Submissions

Your submissions appear in reverse chronological order (newest first). Each card shows:
  • 📍 Location name — Which lot the submission was for
  • 🕐 Time — When the submission was made (relative time like “5m ago” or “2h ago”)
  • 📋 Entries — List of submission types with their car counts
  • 📊 Total — Sum of all vehicles in the submission
  • 📷 Photo — Thumbnail if a photo was attached
3

Load More Submissions

Scroll to the bottom of the list to load older submissions. The app loads 20 submissions at a time for performance.
  • Pull down to refresh and see the latest submissions
  • Tap “Load more” when you reach the bottom
  • “You’ve reached the end” appears when all history is loaded

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Reading Submission Cards

Each submission card displays your recorded data:
ElementDescription
HeaderLocation name with pin icon, submission time on right
Entries listEach submission type and its count (e.g., “Waiting on CR — 25 cars”)
Photo thumbnail200px preview if photo attached; tap to view full size
Total footerBlue bar showing total car count across all entries

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Viewing Full Photos

If a submission includes a photo:
  1. Tap anywhere on the photo thumbnail
  2. A full-screen image viewer opens
  3. View the photo at full resolution
  4. Tap the close button or swipe down to dismiss
Photos are helpful for referencing lot conditions at specific times. The timestamp in history tells you exactly when the photo was taken.

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Best Practices

Follow these guidelines to ensure accurate, useful lot submissions.

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Counting Accuracy

Count Systematically

Use a consistent pattern (row by row, section by section) to avoid missing or double-counting vehicles.

Count in Person

Walk the lot when possible rather than estimating from a distance.

Double-Check Large Counts

For counts over 50 vehicles, consider counting twice to verify accuracy.

Note Uncertainties

If you’re unsure about a count, make your best estimate and communicate with your team.

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Photo Guidelines

Do:
  • ✅ Capture wide shots showing the overall lot area
  • ✅ Include recognizable landmarks for reference
  • ✅ Ensure adequate lighting (natural light is best)
  • ✅ Take photos from consistent angles for comparison
  • ✅ Use per-entry photos for specific areas or issues
Don’t:
  • ❌ Take blurry or dark photos
  • ❌ Include sensitive information (license plates when unnecessary)
  • ❌ Skip photos when lot conditions are unusual

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Submission Timing

Submit your first count as soon as you arrive and complete your initial lot walk. This establishes the baseline for the day.
Submit after significant events: large arrivals, auction completions, transport departures. Don’t wait for scheduled intervals if major changes occur.
Submit a count before ending your shift. This helps the next team member start with accurate information.
Submit final counts before leaving. Include photos to document the lot’s condition overnight.

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Handling Mistakes

If you realize you made an error in a previous submission:
  1. Submit a new count — Make a fresh submission with correct numbers
  2. Note the timing — Your new submission will be timestamped appropriately
  3. Communicate — Let your team know about the correction if significant
  4. Contact admin — For major errors, administrators can help reconcile data
You cannot edit or delete past submissions. Always double-check before tapping Submit.

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Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to resolve them.

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Submission Issues

Symptoms: Error message, submission doesn’t complete, progress bar stuck.Solutions:
  1. Check your internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular)
  2. Move to an area with better signal
  3. Wait a moment and try again
  4. If photos are large, try without photos first
  5. Force close and reopen the app
Note: Your entered data remains in the form if submission fails — you won’t lose your work.
Symptoms: Expected location missing from dropdown, “No locations available.”Solutions:
  1. Pull down on the location list to refresh
  2. Check if you’re signed in with the correct account
  3. Contact your administrator to verify your location assignments
  4. Sign out and sign back in to refresh your permissions
Symptoms: Spinner that doesn’t stop, “Error loading types,” empty list.Solutions:
  1. Select a different location, then select your location again
  2. Check your internet connection
  3. Pull down to refresh the form
  4. Contact your administrator if types should be configured for your location
Symptoms: Progress stuck on photo upload, error message about image.Solutions:
  1. Try taking a new photo (original may be corrupted)
  2. Choose a photo from your library instead of camera
  3. Submit without the photo, then inform your team
  4. Check available device storage
  5. Ensure camera permissions are granted

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Camera and Photo Issues

Symptoms: Black screen, camera won’t open, “Camera access denied.”Solutions:
  1. Check camera permissions: Settings > Auction Excellence > Camera (enable)
  2. Close other apps that might be using the camera
  3. Restart your device
  4. Check if another app works with the camera to isolate the issue
Symptoms: “Choose from Library” doesn’t work, empty photo picker.Solutions:
  1. Check photo access: Settings > Auction Excellence > Photos (allow access)
  2. Grant “All Photos” or “Selected Photos” permission
  3. Restart the app after changing permissions
Symptoms: Uploaded photos show incorrectly oriented.Solutions:
  1. Hold your phone in landscape orientation when taking photos
  2. Use the edit/crop feature before confirming the photo
  3. Take a new photo with proper orientation

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Data and Sync Issues

Symptoms: Recent submission missing from history list.Solutions:
  1. Pull down to refresh the history list
  2. Check that submission completed (look for success message)
  3. Wait a moment and refresh again
  4. Check your internet connection
Symptoms: Administrator reports don’t match your submissions.Solutions:
  1. Verify you submitted for the correct location
  2. Check the timestamps — you may be looking at different time periods
  3. Review your submission history for accuracy
  4. Communicate with your administrator to reconcile

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Still Need Help?

General Troubleshooting

More solutions for common app issues

Contact Support

Reach our support team for assistance

Getting Started

New to the app? Start here

Quality Inspections

Document vehicle conditions

Problem Reports

Report issues with A3 methodology

For Administrators

Configure submission types