How SNAP helps rental car companies and shuttle operators accomplish on-demand vehicle documentation using manual snap creation from the web UI.
Introduction
Not every vehicle capture needs to be automated. For low-volume locations, ad-hoc documentation, or situations where you need to capture a specific vehicle right now, manual snap creation is the answer. You select a site, choose one or more cameras, capture images, and optionally run LPR—all from the SNAP web interface.
Manual snaps support the same features as automated ones: multiple images per snap, LPR, Vehicle Recognition, and configurable snap types (Rental, Shuttle, or custom). The workflow is simple: select site → capture → review → save. Results appear in report search and daily reports like any other snap.
This guide covers the manual workflow, camera selection, LPR options, and best practices for efficient manual capture.
Why This Feature Matters — Flexibility and Control
- On-demand: Capture when you need it, not on a schedule.
- Control: Choose which cameras and how many images per snap.
- Simplicity: No API or webhook setup required.
- Consistency: Manual snaps use the same LPR and reporting as automated snaps.
- Low-volume friendly: Ideal for sites with fewer captures per day.
What You Get When You Use This Feature
Your Workflow
- Open snap creation: Navigate to Snap > Create (or Create Report).
- Select site: Choose the site where the vehicle is located.
- Select cameras: Pick one or more cameras to capture from.
- Capture: Click capture for each camera; images appear in the preview.
- Run LPR (optional): Enable LPR to read plates from captured images.
- Save: Add notes, set snap type, and save. The snap is created and appears in reports.
What the Feature Produces
- Snaps: Full snap records with images, LPR results, and metadata.
- Report URLs: Direct links to snap details for sharing.
- Searchability: Manual snaps appear in report search and daily reports.
Understanding the Results
Snap Creation
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Site | Location where the vehicle was captured |
| Cameras | Cameras used for capture |
| Images | Number of images in the snap |
| Plate | Primary plate text (if LPR ran) |
| Type | Rental, Shuttle, or custom |
| Notes | Optional notes for the snap |
Snap Details
After saving, the snap details page shows images, plate history, LPR confidence, and optional vehicle recognition data.
Reports and Deliverables
- Snap details: Full view with images and metadata.
- Report search: Filter by date, site, plate, type.
- Daily reports: Manual snaps are counted separately from automated snaps in daily reports.
Best Practices
- Capture from multiple angles: Use multiple cameras when available for better LPR and coverage.
- Add notes for context: Notes help when searching or reviewing snaps later.
- Set snap type early: Rental vs Shuttle makes filtering easier in reports.
- Verify LPR before saving: If confidence is low, consider recapturing or adjusting camera.
- Use for training: Manual capture is a good way to train staff before rolling out automation.
Conclusion
Manual snap creation gives you on-demand vehicle documentation from the web UI. Select site, capture, run LPR, save—and your snap is in the system. For higher volume, use webhooks and API automation. Explore Snap > Create to get started.
The post Manual Snap Creation: A Complete Guide to On-Demand Vehicle Documentation first appeared on C2IT Labs.