UNDERSTANDING OCCUPANCY AND ADJUSTMENTS

The Flash PARCS Capacity settings have multiple components that affect occupancy or the Available Spaces calculations. This article covers understanding the setting options and best practices for occupancy management.

The Capacity Settings and Counts are viewable in the Flash Admin portal when AutoCapacity is enabled for the location. The counts and adjustments are always viewable in the Flash Valet app under the Flash PARCS tab. 

Access Via Flash Admin Portal

1. Go to https://portal.flashvalet.com and log in to the Admin Portal.

2. Select the Locations tab on the left menu and choose a location. The Capacity Count fields are located on the default Location Details page.

3. If using Logical Zones, select the Logical Zones tab from the top menu and choose a Logical Zone. 

Capacity Count fields at the Logical Zone level

Access Via Flash Valet App

Log into the Flash Valet app. Select the Flash PARCS Tab. Scroll to the Ticket Counts section.

Flash PARCS Capacity

The Flash PARCS Capacity equals the total number of parking spots in the parking facility.

What affects the capacity?

The Flash PARCS Capacity is a static number and shouldn’t be changed unless the physical space in the parking facility changes.

Current Count

The Current Count is the occupancy count based on the number of current Issued Tickets.

What affects the Current Count?

• The Current count will increase for each issued ticket (ticket issued on entry).
• The Current Count will decrease for each completed ticket (scan out on exit).
• Soft closing tickets through any soft close method will decrease the current count by the number of soft closed tickets.

What is Soft Closing? 

Soft closing is a method used to close an issued ticket, removing it from the list of currently active tickets, and consequently reducing the parking facility's occupancy count. When a transient ticket is soft closed, it remains scannable at the exit, allowing for the calculation of the amount due based on the ticket's original entry time.

Adjustment Count

Any occupancy adjustment outside of tickets issued or completed by a PARCS kiosk equals the Adjustment count. This would be any time tickets are soft closed or if the Actual count is inflated.

What affects the Adjustment Count?

• Soft closing tickets through the following soft close methods will increase the adjustment count by the number of soft closed tickets.

1. Clean Up Tickets.
2. Monthly Reset to Neutral (via Admin portal or customer support portal).
3. Soft close ticket via Flash Valet app.

• If a ticket is soft closed but still parked in the facility when the vehicle exits, the adjustment count will decrease and the current count won’t be altered. The current count won’t be changed because the current count was reduced when the ticket was initially soft closed, reducing again would soft close another ticket unnecessarily.
• Any Vend exceptions (manual gate vend) on an entry will increase the Adjustment count. 
• If the Adjustment count is greater than 0, a vend exception on exit will decrease the Adjustment Count.
• If the Adjustment count is 0, a Vend exception on exit will soft close the oldest transient ticket, increasing the Adjustment Count.
• Increasing the Actual Count greater than the Current Count field will increase the Adjustment count.
• Decreasing the Actual Count to less than the Current Count field will not alter the Adjustment. The Actual Count field should only be edited after a physical count of vehicles. If the vehicles were counted an adjustment amount is not needed.

Actual Count

The Actual Count will always equal the Current Count plus the Adjustment amount. 

What affects the Actual Count?

• Since the Actual Count is the sum of the Current Count and Adjustment any changes made to the current and adjustment count (explained above) will have an effect on the Actual count. 
• The Actual Count field is an open field allowing the user to alter the Actual Count.

Count Inflation Example - Capacity = 100

Count Decrease Example - Capacity = 100 

Entering 90 in the Actual Count field will soft close the oldest 10 transient tickets from the Current Count, decreasing the Current Count to 90, but adjusting the actual count won't alter the Adjustment since this should only be used when a physical count is performed. 

Available Spaces

Available Spaces equals how many parking spots should be currently open in the parking facility. The available spaces are calculated by the Flash PARCS Capacity minus the Actual Count.