Guard ManualElite Security app
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How to use the patrol app

Everything a guard needs: signing in, starting a patrol, scanning checkpoints, visiting clients, reporting problems and what to do when something goes wrong. Read it once from top to bottom, then come back to the part you need.

1Video lessons

Watch these first. They are short and show the real app. Use Wi-Fi if you can; each video is a few megabytes.

Your first patrol: sign in, start, scan, endabout 1 min
Reporting a problem, clients and no signalabout 1 min

2Before your first shift

You need these things. Check them at home, not on the street at night.

  • A smartphone with a working camera and internet (mobile data or Wi-Fi). Android with Chrome works best. iPhone with Safari also works.
  • Location (GPS) switched on. The app checks that you are really standing at each QR code.
  • Your guard code (for example G001) and your PIN (4 to 8 numbers). The admin gives you these.
  • The app address, which the admin also gives you. It ends in /app.
  • A charged battery. The app uses GPS and the camera. Carry a power bank on long shifts.
Keep your PIN secret.Never let another guard scan with your code. Every scan carries your name, the time and where your phone was.

3Open the app and sign in

Guard sign-in screen
The sign-in screen
  1. Open the app address the admin gave you in Chrome (Android) or Safari (iPhone).
  2. Type your Guard code, for example G001. Capital or small letters do not matter.
  3. Type your PIN.
  4. Leave Keep me signed in on this phone ticked. Always. The app needs it to send your scans, your reports and your position.
  5. Tap Sign in. You now see your home screen with your name at the top.

Put the app on your home screen

Then you can open it with one tap, like any other app.

  • Android (Chrome): tap the ⋮ menu at the top right, then Add to Home screen (or Install app).
  • iPhone (Safari): tap the Share button (square with an arrow), then Add to Home Screen.
You only sign in once.The phone remembers you. You do not need to sign in again each shift. If the app ever asks you to sign in again, just do it; nothing is lost.

4Your home screen

Guard home screen
Home screen during a patrol
What you seeWhat it means
GPS / GPS offGreen GPS: the phone knows where you are. Grey GPS off: no location yet. Scans need GPS, so wait for it to turn green, or step outside.
online / offlineWhether the phone has internet right now. Offline is OK; your work is saved (see No signal).
☰ menuSend saved items, update the app, install a QR code, open this manual, sign out.
Today First LastHow many check-ins you made today, and the time of your first and last one.
Start patrol Checkpoint End patrolChoose what your next scan is for. The gold one is selected.
Big gold scan buttonOpens the camera to read a QR code. Its words change with your choice: Scan to start patrol, Scan checkpoint or Scan to end patrol.
Report a security issueTell the admin about something wrong (see Report).
Today's patrolYour check-ins today, newest first. Start, Point or End shows the type.
My reportsYour last reports and whether the admin marked them Open or Resolved.
Keep the app open on your screen while you walk.The admin's live map only sees you while the app is open. When the screen is off or you switch to another app, your position stops updating (your scans still count).

5Start your patrol

Do this at the first checkpoint of your round. Ask the admin which one is the starting point.

  1. Check that the GPS chip is green.
  2. Tap Start patrol. It turns gold and the big button now says Scan to start patrol.
  3. Tap the big button. Allow the camera if the phone asks.
  4. Point the camera at the QR code and hold still. The app reads it by itself, beeps and vibrates.
  5. You see a green ✓ Patrol started with the checkpoint name and time. Tap anywhere to close it.
  6. Tap Checkpoint now so your next scans count as normal checkpoints.
Start patrol selected
Start patrol selected
Green tick: Patrol started
Success
Night time?If your phone supports it, a Torch button appears while the camera is open. Tap it to light up the QR code.

6Scan checkpoints

At every checkpoint on your round:

  1. Make sure Checkpoint is selected (gold).
  2. Stand right next to the QR code. Tap Scan checkpoint.
  3. Point the camera at the code. Wait for the beep and the green ✓ Checked in.
  4. Look at Today's patrol: the checkpoint is now at the top of the list.
  5. Walk to the next checkpoint and repeat.

Scanning with the phone's normal camera

If the in-app scanner will not start, open your phone's Camera app and point it at the QR code. Tap the link that appears. The patrol app opens and asks Check in here?. Tap Yes, check in.

Use the in-app scanner for Start and End.A scan from the phone's Camera app is always saved as a normal checkpoint. To start or end a patrol, use the big button in the app.

Scanning the same code twice

If you scan the same checkpoint again within about a minute, you see ! Already checked in. That is fine; the first scan counts. Nothing extra is saved. The admin can change this time.

7Visiting a client's gate

Some homes and businesses (the clients) have their own QR code at the gate. Scan it the same way as a checkpoint.

Client card after a scan
The client card
  1. Scan the client's QR code. A card opens showing ✓ Visit logged, the client's name and address.
  2. Read the notes on the card. They tell you things like a gate code, dogs, or who to call.
  3. To phone the client, tap 📞 Call ….
  4. If something is wrong at this property, tap Report an issue here. The report is linked to this client.
  5. Otherwise tap Done.
New gate? If the card shows 📍 Save this gate's location, the gate is not on the map yet. Stand right at the QR code, tap the button and wait for good GPS, then Send this location. The admin confirms it.

If you scan a client's code again within a minute, the card opens again and says Visit already logged, so you can still call or report.

8End your patrol

  1. At your last checkpoint, tap End patrol. The scan button turns light grey and says Scan to end patrol.
  2. Scan the QR code. You see ✓ Patrol ended, and the End-of-shift report opens by itself.
  3. Check the numbers at the top (check-ins, patrol points, clients). If a point was missed, tap why.
  4. Tap ✓ All quiet, or Things to report and tick what you noticed (lights out, gate or fence, noise…).
  5. Write a short note if there is something the supervisor or the next guard should know, then tap Send shift report.
  6. Open the ☰ menu. If it says Everything is sent., you are done. If items are waiting, tap Send saved items now when you have signal.
Residents see your work.Each client gets a daily report showing when their gate was checked and how many rounds were done. The supervisor may also share your shift note with them, so write it clearly and politely. You can open the report again any time from ☰ menu → End-of-shift report.
Do not sign out at the end of a shift.Just close the app. Signing out is only for when a different guard will use this phone.

9Report a security issue

If someone is in danger, get help first.Call your supervisor or the emergency services first. Then send the report so the admin has the details and the exact location.
Report an issue form
The report form
  1. Tap Report a security issue on the home screen (or Report an issue here on a client card).
  2. Choose what is happening:
    • 👤 Suspicious person or car
    • 🚪 Break-in or theft
    • 🔥 Fire
    • 🚑 Medical emergency
    • 💡 Broken light, gate or fence
    • ❗ Something else
  3. Check Urgent: needs help now. It ticks itself for fire, medical and break-in. Untick it if it is not urgent; tick it for anything else that needs help now.
  4. Under Details, write what you saw and exactly where. For example: "Two men climbing the wall at the back of Plot 12, Kudu Road."
  5. Tap 📷 Add photo to take a picture, if it is safe.
  6. Look at the location line. 📍 Location added means your position is attached. If it says Location not available, write the place in the details.
  7. Tap Send report. You see ✓ Report sent. The admin sees it straight away, at the top of their dashboard.

Your reports appear under My reports on the home screen. When the admin deals with one, it changes from Open to Resolved.

10No signal? Your work is saved

If your phone has no internet, or the system itself can't be reached, the app still opens and saves your scans and reports on the phone:

  • A scan shows ⏳ Saved on phone with No signal or The system can't be reached right now.
  • A report shows ⏳ Report saved on phone.
  • A yellow line on the home screen says how many items are waiting.

When signal comes back, the app sends them by itself (it tries every 15 seconds while it is open). To send them straight away: ☰ menu → Send saved items now.

Three things to remember
  • Saved scans must be sent within 7 days, or the phone throws them away.
  • Do not sign out while items are waiting. They cannot be sent without your sign-in.
  • A saved scan keeps the time you scanned. The admin sees it marked Uploaded later, with when it arrived.
  • Open the app with signal at least once after it is updated, so the phone keeps a copy for offline use.

11Installing a new QR code

Only when the admin asks you to fix a new QR code in place. This tells the system where the code is, so later scans can be checked.

Install checkpoint screen
Waiting for good GPS
  1. Fix the printed QR code firmly where the admin said: at eye level, out of the rain, easy to reach at night.
  2. Open the ☰ menu → 📍 Install a checkpoint QR code.
  3. Scan the code you just put up.
  4. Stand right next to it, outside if possible. Watch GPS accuracy. It must be 60 m or better. It turns green when it is good enough.
  5. Tap Send this location. You see ✓ Location sent. The admin checks it on the map before it is used.

If the screen says This checkpoint is already on the map, there is nothing to do. Tell the admin if the code has been moved.

12What the messages mean

MessageWhat it means and what to do
✓ Checked in / Patrol started / Patrol endedSaved. Carry on.
! Already checked inYou scanned this code less than a minute ago. The first scan counts. Carry on.
! Checked in, but far awaySaved, but your phone looked too far from the code, so the admin sees it marked as far. Next time stand right at the code and wait for green GPS.
✕ Too far from this checkpointNot saved. Your phone says you are not at the code. Walk to the code, wait a few seconds for GPS, and scan again.
📍 Location neededNot saved. The phone gave no location. Turn on Location, allow it for the browser, and scan again.
📍 Getting your location…Wait up to about 12 seconds. The scan sends after.
⏳ Saved on phoneNo signal. It sends by itself later. Do not sign out.
✕ Unknown QR codeThis is not one of our codes, or it was replaced. Do not use it. Tell the admin.
✕ Checkpoint not in useThe admin switched this code off. Tell the admin if you think it is a mistake.
! Slow downToo many scans in a short time. Wait a moment and try again.
! Sign in againYour sign-in on this phone ended, for example because the admin changed your access. Sign in again. The code you scanned is kept and you are asked to check in after.
✕ Camera blockedThe phone did not allow the camera. See Problems and fixes.

13Problems and fixes

"Wrong guard code or PIN."

Check the code and PIN carefully. If it still fails, the admin can set a new PIN for you. If your account was switched off, the admin must switch it back on.

The camera does not open ("Camera blocked")

  • Android (Chrome): tap the icon to the left of the web address → Permissions → Camera → Allow. Then reload.
  • iPhone: Settings → Safari → Camera → Allow.
  • Still not working? Scan with the phone's normal Camera app instead (see Scan checkpoints).

"📍 Location is off" or GPS stays grey

  • Swipe down from the top of the screen and turn on Location.
  • Android: tap the icon to the left of the web address → Permissions → Location → Allow.
  • iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Safari Websites → While Using the App, and switch on Precise Location.
  • Close the app fully and open it again. Step away from tall walls and trees.

The app looks old or something is not working

☰ menu → Update the app. The app reloads with the newest version. You stay signed in.

A QR code is damaged, missing or will not scan

Wipe it clean and try with the torch. If it still fails, send a report with 💡 Broken light, gate or fence or ❗ Something else, take a photo, and tell your supervisor.

New phone, or someone else will use this phone

On the old phone: ☰ menu → Sign out (only after Everything is sent). On the new phone, sign in with your guard code and PIN.

14Patrol rules

  • Scan only where you really are. The system records your phone's position with every scan, and the admin sees how far you were from the code.
  • Never share your PIN, and never scan for another guard.
  • Never photograph, copy or share a checkpoint QR code. If you think a code was copied, tell the admin; they can replace it.
  • Keep the app open and the phone charged during your patrol.
  • Start every patrol with Start patrol and finish with End patrol.
  • Report everything unusual, even small things like a broken street light.

Elite Security · by Mbalala Solutions. Questions about this manual? Ask your patrol admin.
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