Purpose Statement

This article explains how to configure permit automation to automatically approve permits once defined criteria—such as invoice payment and/or inspection completion—have been met. This feature helps departments streamline workflows, reduce manual approvals, and ensure timely permit issuance.

Background Information

Permit automation in First Due allows departments to eliminate manual approval steps by linking permits to invoices and inspection series. Once all required conditions are satisfied (e.g., invoice paid, inspections completed without failures), the system can automatically:

• Change the permit status to Active
• Assign an effective date
• Send the approved permit via email to the applicant

This is especially useful for high-volume permitting processes where efficiency and consistency are critical.

Required Permissions

To configure and use permit automation, users should have access to:

• Permits Module (view/edit permit types)
• Automation settings within permit types
• Invoicing module (create and manage invoices)
• Inspections module (if using inspection-based automation)
• Email/notification settings (for automated delivery)

Video

Step-by-Step Guide
 

1. Navigate to Permit Types

1. Go to the Permits Module
2. Select Permit Types
3. Open an existing permit type or create a new one

2. Enable Automation

1. Scroll to the Automation section within the permit type
2. Toggle Automation ON

3. Configure Invoice-Based Auto Approval

1. Ensure the Permit is linked to an Invoice
2. Enable automation for Invoice Payment
3. Define behavior:
   • When the invoice is paid, the permit will automatically be approved
   • The permit status will update to Active
4. (Optional) Enable Automatic Emailing to send the approved permit to the applicant

4. (Optional) Configure Inspection-Based Automation

1. Link an Inspection Series to the permit
2. Enable inspection-based automation
3. Define criteria:
   • Permit will only auto-approve if:
     • Inspection is completed
     • No failures or citations are recorded
     • Associated invoice is paid
4. If any failure or citation exists, automation will not proceed

5. Set the Effective Date

Choose how the permit’s effective date is determined:

• Option 1: Date when all criteria are met (invoice paid + inspections complete)
• Option 2: Date of the initial inspection completion

6. Create and Link an Invoice

1. Open a permit record
2. Add a fee to generate an invoice
3. Save the permit
4. Confirm the invoice is linked to the permit

7. Complete the Permit Submission

1. Add required details (e.g., signatures)
2. Save and submit the permit
3. Status should display as Submitted

8. Process Invoice Payment

1. Navigate to the Invoicing Module (or take the payment while filling out the Permit)
2. Locate the invoice linked to the permit
3. Select Apply Payment
4. Enter payment details and save

9. Verify Automation

1. Return to the permit list
2. Refresh the page
3. Confirm:
   • Status has changed from Submitted → Active
   • Permit has been automatically approved
   • Email (if enabled) has been sent

Best Practices

• Always test automation settings before deploying to production
• Ensure invoices are properly linked to permits
• Use inspection-based automation only when inspection workflows are standardized
• Enable email notifications to improve customer communication
• Avoid enabling automation if manual review is required for compliance

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: The permit did not auto-approve after payment. Why?
A: Verify:

• Account is set up for automation not manual status 
• Automation is toggled ON
• Invoice is correctly linked to the permit
• Payment was fully applied
• No inspection failures (if inspection-based automation is enabled)