Pre-Plans: Annotation Color Palettes

Pre-Plans: Annotation Color Palettes

Purpose Statement

  • This article explains how to create, update, and delete color entries in the Annotation Color Palette within the Pre-Plan module.
  • Standardizing annotation colors improves clarity and ensures consistency across all Pre-Plans, helping responders quickly interpret visual information during incidents.

Background Information

  • The Annotation Color Palette allows departments to define and reuse specific colors for annotation elements (lines, shapes, text, etc.).
  • Standardized color usage supports faster decision-making and improves the visual consistency of Pre-Plans.
  • It is strongly recommended that departments establish an SOP, SOG, or Policy to define color usage standards (e.g., red for “Do Not Enter,” blue for “Water Supply”).
Notes
BEST PRACTICE: Standardization of coloring across a departments preplans makes the information much easier for personnel to quickly reference the information that they need to make timely decisions on an incident. It is recommended that a SOP, SOG or Policy be created to standardize the Pre-Plan process. This will ensure consistency of data entry and provide a reliable and consistent Pre-Plan Program.
  
Warning
Changes to the color palette affect all users and Pre-Plans across the account.

Required Permissions

To manage the Annotation Color Palette, users must have the following permissions assigned via Admin > Roles and Permissions:

  • Pre-Plans - Read
  • Pre-Plans - Edit
  • Pre-Plans - Publish
  • Pre-Plan Annotation Color - Create
  • Pre-Plan Annotation Color - Update
  • Pre-Plan Annotation Color - Delete

These permissions are typically assigned to admin or training officer roles.










Video


Step-by-Step Guide

1. While editing a Pre-Plan, select an annotation to edit, and then select the Color dropdown list.





2.  To create a color palette select ADD at the bottom of the Color dropdown list.





3. Using the Color palette, the color slider or the Hex field select the desired color. 





4.  Add the name of the color or a description of what the color will represent (i.e. Supply Line, EVAC Zone etc.). Then Select Save
Notes
As a best practice to make standardization easier,  you can name the color palette items to represent certain features on the pre-plan, as in this case Supply Lines. Other examples could be Dangerous Access, Do Not Enter or EVAC Zone, etc.





5.  To update an established entry in the color palette:
Choose the Pencil icon next to the color you wish to modify





6.  To delete a Color Palette item, select the Trash Can Icon




Best Practices

  • Establish a department-wide color standard to ensure consistency.
  • Use intuitive color associations (e.g., red for danger, green for access).
  • Label colors clearly to reflect their intended use.
  • Limit the number of colors to avoid confusion and visual clutter.
  • Review and update the palette periodically to reflect operational changes.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why can’t I add or edit colors?
A: Check your role permissions under Admin > Roles and Permissions. You may not have the required annotation color permissions.

Q: Will deleting a color remove it from existing annotations?
A: No. Existing annotations will retain their color, but the deleted color will no longer be available for new annotations.

Q: Can I share a color palette across multiple users?
A: Yes. The color palette is global and shared across all users in the account.

Q: Can I use hex codes for precise color matching?
A: Yes. You can enter a hex code directly in the color picker.



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