The Community Module in Watchtower centralizes all the data that affects an entire community. Unlike the Property Module, which focuses on a single address, this section collects information across every home in the neighborhood. It is primarily used by community administrators and managers, but depending on configuration, some functionality may be visible to gate attendants who need an overview of the entire community.
From the navigation menu on the left, select the building icon labeled Community to open this module. You will see several tabs across the top of the screen, each representing a data category.
The Properties tab lists every address within your community. Use the Search for properties bar to quickly locate an address by street name or number. Selecting a property opens its details in the Property module (see related article). Administrators can also add new homes with the Create Property button. This feature is typically used during the onboarding of new communities or when a new property is constructed.
This section aggregates all guests registered by any resident in your community. A Guest is a person associated with a property who is allowed entry. You can search by name and create a new guest directly from this page using the Create Guest button.
Best practices:
When registering a new guest, always use their full legal name as it appears on their identification card. Nicknames or misspellings can prevent guards from finding them during an ID scan or a manual search.
Encourage residents to regularly review and update their guest list to ensure entries remain accurate.
Similar to guests, the Vendors tab lists all service providers associated with properties in the community. A vendor might include landscapers, pool cleaners, home health professionals, or any contractor who regularly visits. Use the search bar to find an existing vendor or click Create Vendor to add a new one.
The same naming practices apply: vendors should be recorded with their official business name or the full name of the representative. Accurate spelling helps guards locate them in the system.
The Restricted tab provides an overview of individuals who are barred from entering the community. Administrators can globally restrict a visitor here. When a person is restricted globally, they are denied entry to the entire community, regardless of the specific property they intend to visit. Each restricted record shows the visitor’s name and includes a DENY action to block entry at the gate. Use the Restrict Visitor button to add a new restriction.
Note: Only administrators and high-level managers can globally restrict visitors. Use this feature judiciously, ensuring the reason for restriction is well documented.
The Vehicles tab displays all vehicles registered across every property. It functions similarly to the property vehicles view but aggregates community-wide data. Administrators can search, review, and manage vehicle records here.
The Entries tab shows a comprehensive log of entry events at the community level. Each entry includes details like the time, visitor name (or license plate), destination property, and whether the entry was approved or denied. This tab is useful for auditing and understanding visitation patterns across the community.
Accessing the module: Click the building icon on the left navigation bar to enter the Community.
Search & filter: Each tab contains a search bar that lets you find specific records quickly. For example, type part of a street name in the Properties tab or a person’s last name in Guests.
Creating records: Only administrators and managers can create or modify records (properties, guests, vendors, vehicles, or restrictions). Gate attendants typically have read‑only access.
Global actions: Changes made in the Community module apply to every property in the community. A guest added here is available to all property records; a visitor restricted here will be denied entry anywhere in the community.
Use accurate and full names for visitors, guests and vendors to ensure seamless lookups and ID scans. Incorrect or shortened names can hinder the Name Search and delay entry processing.
Review global lists regularly to clean up old or inactive entries. Remove vendors or guests who no longer visit the community.
Understand permission levels: Restrict visitor functionality should only be used by authorized administrators after following community policy.
Cross-reference entries: Use the Entries tab to audit who entered and when. This can help identify patterns or potential issues.