TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
  • Understanding Groups and Configurations
  • ⚠️ June 25 Update: What You Need to Know
    • Configuration Behavior Based on Previous Setup
    • New Configuration Flexibility
• ▶️ Training Video: Commercial Permits Refresh
• Viewing and Managing Groups
  • Fields in the Active Tab
• Creating a Group
  • Step 1: Group Details
  • Step 2: Add Admins
• Managing Group Details
• Viewing and Managing Configurations
  • Configuration Details Displayed
  • Actions for Active Configurations
  • Actions for Archived Configurations
• Creating a Configuration
  • Configurations and Waitlists
  • Checkout Options
    • Option 1: Add Configurations to Cart
    • Option 2: Add Configuration as Unpaid
• Assigning Permits
• Manage Permits Page
• End-User Portal (CMRpay)
• In Summary
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Overview

Commercial Permits allow organizations like businesses, schools, or property managers to manage multiple parking permits under one account. Rather than purchasing permits individually, these organizations can request permits in bulk through configurations tied to a group. This streamlined structure simplifies large-scale permit management and gives both cities and organizations more control and visibility into their permit programs.

Understanding Groups and Configurations

• A Group represents the organization requesting permits (e.g., a company, university, or property manager).
• A Configuration is a specific batch of permits requested under that group. Each configuration can have different permit types, rules, and cycles, even within the same group.

⚠️ June 25 Update: What You Need to Know

As of June 25, 2025, a new version of the Commercial Permits system will go live. Here’s what you need to know about how this change affects your existing groups and configurations:

• You do not need to recreate your groups. Existing groups will continue to work as expected. You can archive groups that are no longer needed.
• Existing configurations will retain their current behavior. No action is required unless you want to take advantage of new flexibility around permit purchases.

Configuration Behavior Based on Previous Setup

• If a configuration was previously set up as “allotment,” the max quantity must be purchased upon renewal.
• If it was set up as “on demand,” at renewal, the group admin must purchase at least the number of permits currently active, with the option to purchase more (up to the maximum).
• The following settings will not change: permit type, cycle, permission, status, max quantity, and price. The permit price can still be overridden at any time. All other fields are locked.

New Configuration Flexibility

As part of the new changes being introduced (see the remainder of this document for more details), configurations will now allow group admins to purchase only a subset of the maximum quantity, rather than being required to buy the full amount.

To allow partial purchases in future cycles:

1. Let the current configuration expire.
2. Disable auto-renew at least 7 days before the renewal date to prevent it from renewing automatically.
3. Create a new configuration with updated settings.
4. Group admins will be able to pay for the new configuration in CMRpay.

✅ Over 90% of current configurations are set up as “allotment” and will require full purchase unless you take the steps above. However, if you’re happy with how your current configurations behave, you don’t need to do anything and they will continue working as they do today.

Need help? Contact your Customer Success representative or reach out to Support.

▶️ Training Video: Commercial Permits Refresh

Looking for something specific? Click the YouTube logo or the "Watch on YouTube" link in the video player to open it in a new tab. There, you can jump to chapters for each topic and view the video full screen.

Viewing and Managing Groups

To access your groups:

1. From the portal home page, go to Permits > Commercial Permits in the side menu.
2. You'll see a searchable list of all groups created by your agency, organized into Active and Archived tabs.

Fields in the Active Tab

• Group ID: System-generated unique identifier.
• Group Name: Name of the business or organization.
• # of Configurations: Number of active, unpaid, or issued configurations created under the group (excludes canceled and expired).
• Permits Purchased: The total number of permits available, based on the maximum quantity set in all active configurations.
• Permits Issued: The number of permits that have been assigned to users.
• Archive: A quick-action button to archive the group. This option is only available if there are no active or unpaid configurations.
  • Note: Archiving a group is permanent and cannot be undone. Only use this action if the group will no longer be used.

Click on any group to view full details.

From the Archived tab, you can delete a group entirely.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: You can now archive groups. While archived groups are no longer editable, their data is retained for reporting. Archived groups cannot be restored.

Creating a Group

Click Create to open a side-drawer and complete the following two steps:

Step 1: Group Details

• Group Name: Name of the business or organization
• Street Address: Business address
• Phone Number: Primary contact number

Step 2: Add Admins

• Add at least one group admin (Name and Email required). These admins will manage permit assignments and payments in CMRpay.
• After clicking Create Group and Invite, admins will receive an email to create their login credentials for CMRpay.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Billing model and payment method are no longer set at the group level. These are now built into the configuration setup to simplify the process.

Managing Group Details

When you click into a group, you’ll land on the Group Details page, which includes several informational sections (or "cards"):

• Group Details: Name, address, and phone number of the Group.
• Admin Details: Names and contact info of group admins, with an option to resend email invites to admins.
• Configurations: All active and archived configurations, with significantly more detail available. (See next section.)
• Payments: A log of payment activity, including refunds and reversals.
  • Note: Refunds apply to full configurations, not individual permits.
  • Partial refunds can be processed manually.
• Notes: Internal notes for the group.
• History: A record of all actions taken on the group.
• Documents: Upload or review relevant documents.

Editable fields can be updated directly. Groups can also be deleted from this page if no permits are issued.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: The Group Details view now shows significantly more useful information, including refunds and reversals on the Payments card.

Viewing and Managing Configurations

Within the Group Details page, you’ll find a list of configurations, organized into Active and Archived tabs.

• Configurations are automatically archived when they expire and are not renewed.
• Each configuration displays expanded details in a collapsible section.

Configuration Details Displayed

• Configuration Status
• Permit Type
• Permit Cycle
• Permit Permission
• Cost per Permit: Default rate unless overridden.
• Qty Purchased: Permits actually purchased by the group admin.
• Qty Available: Permits allocated to the group during setup.
• Qty Assigned: Permits that have been assigned to individuals.
• Renewable: Based on permit settings.
• Auto-Renew Status: Whether auto-renew is enabled.
• Card on File: Last four digits of card used for auto-renew.
• Valid Dates: Start and end dates for the configuration.

Actions for Active Configurations

• Edit Configuration: Override the rate
• Purchase Permits: Opens checkout flow.
• Extend Configuration: Renew active permits with payment via back office.
• Extend Configuration without Payment: Renew active permits without payment.
• Disable Auto-Renew: Only visible on configurations where auto-renew has been enabled; allows the ability to override and disable from back office.
• View Assigned Permits: View and manage individual permit assignments.
• Archive Configuration: Cancels all active permits and prevents further management by the group. No system notifications are sent to the admin.

Actions for Archived Configurations

• Delete Configuration: Removes the configuration entirely.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: The Configuration Details card now allows for significantly more visibility and management, including: tabbed views for active and archived configurations, more detail displayed such as auto-renew and card-on-file visibility, and the ability to extend without payment.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: The back office admin is now able to disable auto-renew manually on a per configuration basis as needed.

Creating a Configuration

From the Group Details page, click Add Configuration. Each configuration includes:

• Permit Type
• Permit Cycle
• Permit Permission
• Permit Block (where applicable): When setting a cycle on a configuration, you can now select the next upcoming cycle in addition to the current one, which was previously the only option.
• Max Quantity: Defines the number of permits the group can purchase. This cannot be changed after setup.
  • Note: The ability to change the max quantity is an upcoming improvement.
• Require Purchase of Max Quantity: Enforces full purchase upfront.
• Override Cost: Override the base permit cost; overrides carry into future cycles. Can be changed at any time after setup.
  • Note: This disables all automated proration and overrides.

You can add multiple configurations at once.

Configurations and Waitlists

Permits purchased through either the back office or CMRpay will automatically bypass the waitlist and count toward the set limit for that type, cycle, or permission when a waitlist is enabled. It's important to note that assignment doesn't affect this; any purchased permit counts toward the limit, while permits that are merely allotted in a configuration (but not yet purchased) do not. Be sure to monitor purchases closely to avoid exceeding set limits.

Checkout Options

Option 1: Add Configurations to Cart

• Uses the familiar cart system from individual permits and Spotblock.
• Allows purchase of multiple configurations (and multiple products) at once.

• You can update permit quantities and override rates in the cart.

• Subtotals and grand total are clearly displayed.
• Select payment method and reference number before checkout.
• Optionally select a payment date; defaults to current timestamp if left blank.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: This flow records the payment but does not process it. Once checkout is complete, the configuration becomes Active, and permits are ready for assignment.

Option 2: Add Configuration as Unpaid

• Marks the configuration as Unpaid, allowing the group admin to purchase permits directly in CMRpay.
• No city staff action is required for initial purchase.

Either option will trigger a CMRpay pop-up for the admin to view and manage their new configuration.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: The Create Configuration functionality now has the ability to go through a cart-style checkout for multiple configurations.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Ability to Create Configuration for a future cycle.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Purchase only a subset of the permits in a configuration; no need to buy all of them unless the configuration specifically requires it.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Group admins can now purchase initial permits directly via credit card in CMRpay, no back office payment required.

Assigning Permits

Once a configuration is active, click View Assigned Permits to assign or unassign individual permits. The permits within the configuration are sorted into tabs for All Permits, Assigned, and Unassigned. Each permit shows: 

• Permit Number
• Name and LPN (blank until assigned)
• Issue Date and End Date
• Status (purchased and available for assignment)

Click Assign Permit to open a side drawer where you enter the required info (usually name and vehicle details). Then choose:

• AssignPermit and Continue (use for batch entering assignments for many permits at once)
• Assign Permit and Close

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: The Assign Permits functionality now enables batch assignment for speed and efficiency.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Individual permit details are no longer editable. All settings are managed at the configuration level to reduce error.

Manage Permits Page

In the standard Manage Permits search view: 

• Permits tied to configurations show a group icon.
• Clicking the permit takes you to the configuration’s Assign Permits view, not the individual permit.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Prevents accidental editing of individual commercial permits. Previously, staff could modify permits without realizing they were part of a configuration. This update ensures that all edits happen in context.

End-User Portal (CMRpay)

Group admins in CMRpay can:

• Accept new configurations via a one-time pop-up.
• View all configurations linked to their group.
• Purchase some or all of the allocated permits.
  • They do not need to purchase the full quantity (unless required to by the configuration setting).
  • They can increase the amount of permits purchased from cycle to cycle, up to the configuration maximum.
  • Currently, they cannot purchase fewer permits than in the previous cycle. (Improvement coming soon).

Once a configuration is active (at least one permit purchased), group admins can click on the configuration name to:

• Assign purchased permits.
• Reassign permits if needed.
• View assigned permits and search by assignee name or LPN.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Group admins can now purchase initial permits directly via credit card in CMRpay, no back office payment required.

✅ NEW IMPROVEMENT: Group admins can purchase only a subset of the permits in a configuration; no need to buy all of them unless the configuration specifically requires it.

In Summary

The new Commercial Permits flow builds on the core idea of groups, but breaks things out in a way that’s easier to manage, scale, and hand off to admins. With better tools, clearer status tracking, and a more structured checkout flow, this update gives both cities and group customers more control and fewer headaches.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is a group?
A: A group is a designated entity (such as a business, property, or organization) that can be assigned commercial permit configurations. The group serves as the anchor for contact details, assigned admins, and the permit configurations tied to it.

Q: What is a configuration?
A: A configuration defines the rules for a set of permits, including pricing, quantity, duration, renewal settings, and any restrictions. It’s what group admins interact with when purchasing permits.

Q: Who manages groups?
A: City staff create and manage groups in the back office. They assign one or more group admins (parties of the groups themselves) who are responsible for paying for and assigning permits.

Q: Can a group have more than one configuration?
A: Yes. A group can have multiple active or archived configurations. Each configuration has its own details and lifecycle.

Q: How do group admins purchase permits?
A: Group admins receive a CMRpay link via email. After accepting the configuration, they can check out and pay for the permits online using CMRpay.

Q: Do group admins have to buy all the permits in a configuration?
A: Not necessarily. Unless the configuration requires full purchase, group admins can choose how many permits to buy, up to the maximum quantity set by the city.

Q: Can permits be assigned after purchase?
A: Yes. Once the group admin has paid, they can assign each permit to a vehicle and, depending on configuration settings, may also be required to add a name or address.

Q: Can permits be reassigned later?
A: Yes, the group admin can reassign permits as needed.

Q: What happens when a configuration expires?
A: Once expired, permits can no longer be renewed or purchased. If that group still needs permits, a new configuration will need to be created.

Q: Can groups or configurations be archived?
A: Yes. Archiving hides old or unused groups and configurations from the active management views while keeping records intact.

Q: Can individual commercial permits be edited?
A: No. All permit rules come from the configuration. Individual permits can be assigned or reassigned, but the other settings are not editable per permit.

Q: How can I tell if a permit is part of a commercial group?
A: In the Manage Permits search, commercial permits display a group icon. Clicking on the permit will redirect you to the group configuration it belongs to.

Q: What happens if the group admin doesn’t pay?
A: No permits are issued until payment is made. The configuration remains pending and does not consume permit numbers.

Q: Can commercial permits be used for employee parking?
A: Yes. Many cities use commercial permits to support employer-based parking programs, especially for fleets or rotating staff.

Q: How is billing handled?
A: Billing is tied to the configuration. Group admins check out and pay through CMRpay. The city sees payment status and history in the back office.

Q: How are commercial permits different from regular permits?
A: Commercial permits are managed in bulk by an administrator associated with a group or business. Regular permits are purchased and renewed individually by each resident or permit holder.

Q: How do commercial permit purchases interact with the waitlist?
A: Permits purchased through the back office or CMRpay will bypass the waitlist and immediately count toward the limit set for that permit type, cycle, or permission. Assignment does not impact this. Once a permit is purchased, it counts. Permits that are allotted but not yet purchased do not count toward the limit. To avoid overselling, it’s important to track commercial permit purchases closely when a waitlist is enabled.