Purpose Statement

The General Settings within the Events and Activities Setup allow agencies to configure foundational options that control how events are created, tracked, and managed within the system. These settings impact payroll tracking, timekeeping, system behavior, and apparatus display preferences.

Configuring these options ensures accurate compensation tracking, streamlined event management, and alignment with your agency’s operational workflows.

Background Information

The Events and Activities Module is used to manage department events such as public education events, standbys, details, community outreach, and other non-incident activities.

The General Settings section controls system-wide behaviors for:

• Payroll and stipend tracking

• Time Clock functionality

• Default scheduling times

• User inactivity handling

• Apparatus display preferences

Some settings apply across multiple modules:

• Payroll Summary is also available in:

  • Incident Documentation Module

  • Training Module

• Activity Types are configured in the Personnel Module Setup because they apply across Events, Incidents, and Training.

Certain features, such as Time Clock Enablement, require additional modules (Scheduling and Time Clock) to be active.

Required Permissions

To configure General Settings for Events and Activities, users should have:

• Admin-level permissions

• Access to:

  • System Configuration / Setup

  • Events and Activities Module Settings

  • Personnel Module Setup (for Activity Types)

  • Scheduling Module (if using Time Clock)

  • Time Clock configuration permissions

If Time Clock or Scheduling options are not visible, verify that:

• The modules are enabled for your agency

• The user role includes appropriate configuration permissions

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to Events and Activities Setup

• Log in to First Due.

• Select Events and Activities.

• Navigate to Setup

• Open the General tab.

Step 2: Enable Payroll Summary (Optional)

• Locate the Enable Payroll Summary toggle.

• Turn the toggle On to activate payroll tracking within events.

When enabled:

• A Payroll Summary tab will appear during event creation.

• Users can track:

  • Stipends

  • Event compensation

  • Volunteer pay

• Payroll Summary becomes available within the Events and Activities Module.

Important Notes:

• Payroll Summary is also accessible in:

  • Incident Documentation

  • Training Module

• Activity Types used for payroll must be configured under:

  • Admin → Personnel Module Setup → Activity Types

Step 3: Enable Time Clock for Events (Optional)

• Locate Time Clock Enablement.

• Toggle the feature On to allow users to clock in for events.

When enabled:

• Users can clock in/out of events using First Due’s Time Clock functionality.

Requirements:

• Scheduling Module must be enabled.

• Time Clock functionality must be enabled.

• Proper permissions must be assigned to users.

If either module is not enabled, this feature will not function.

Step 4: Set the Default Start of Day

• Locate the Default Start of Day setting.

• Select the desired default start time.

• Choose from 15-minute increments (e.g., 06:00, 06:15, 06:30).

This setting:

• Establishes the default start time when creating new events.

• Helps standardize scheduling across the organization.

Step 5: Configure Event Inactive Time

• Locate the Event Inactive Time setting.

• Set the desired inactivity threshold.

This determines:

• How long a user can remain inactive before being removed from specific sections of the Events and Activities Module.

Important:

• This does not log the user out of First Due.

• It only removes them from the active area within the Events module.

This helps prevent:

• Stale sessions

• Inaccurate participation tracking

• Conflicts in collaborative event management

Step 6: Configure Associated Apparatus Display

• Locate the Associated Apparatus Display setting.

• Choose how apparatus will appear when linked to an event:

  • Apparatus Name

  • Associated Dispatch Unit

This setting controls:

• How apparatus are displayed within event records.

• How users identify assigned resources.

Choose the option that aligns with:

• CAD integration naming conventions

• Internal fleet identification standards

• Operational preference

Best Practices

• Enable Payroll Summary if your agency tracks stipends, overtime, or volunteer compensation.

• Standardize Activity Types in the Personnel Module to maintain consistent reporting across:

  • Events

  • Incidents

  • Training

• Confirm Scheduling and Time Clock modules are fully configured before enabling Time Clock for events.

• Set a Default Start of Day that aligns with shift change times.

• Use Event Inactive Time to prevent long-open sessions during large or multi-user events.

• Align apparatus display settings with how personnel commonly reference units (e.g., Engine 1 vs. E1).

Avoid:

• Enabling Time Clock without proper module setup

• Overlooking Activity Type configuration when using Payroll Summary

• Setting inactivity timers too short, disrupting active event management