The Mission Control Center is designed for gate attendants and security staff to manage visitor entries and monitor incidents in real time. It provides a single interface for searching properties and residents, scanning visitor IDs, and recording entries as guests arrive at the gate.

User roles: Mission Control is typically used by guards and gate attendants. Administrators and managers can also access Mission Control to review activity, but residents do not see this page.

Accessing Mission Control

There are two ways to open Mission Control:

1. From the Dashboard: In the property header, click Enter Mission Control. This will take you directly to the Mission Control page for the selected community.

2. From the navigation bar: Click the grid icon (four small squares) on the left‑hand side of the screen. This icon is available from any page in the portal and opens Mission Control.

To leave Mission Control and return to the administrative dashboard, click Exit Mission Control in the top right corner.

Page Layout and Features

Top Toolbar

• Mission Control Center – The page heading reminds you that this workspace is for managing community entries and incidents.

• Scan Drivers License – Use this button to initiate a scan of a visitor’s government‑issued ID or driver’s license. Watchtower reads the barcode to extract information pertaining to that entrant. If the visitor has been registered with the community, a list of properties to which this visitor is registered appears.  Otherwise, the system will prompt you to create a new visitor record.   Note:  Many vendors have been registered.  Scanning IDs is specific to that individual person. 

• Exit Mission Control – Returns you to the Dashboard.

Property Search

• Enter an address, house number, or street name to search for a property within the community. Matching properties appear in a list below the search bar.

• Click a property to select it. Once selected, additional information becomes available:

  • Resident/guest list: Names associated with the property appear in the Name Search section with status tags such as Resident, Guest, Vendor, or Restricted.

  • View Property: A View Property button next to the selected property opens the full property record where you can review or edit resident information.

  • Priority Contacts: At the bottom of the page, the Priority Contacts panel lists the primary contacts for the property along with their phone numbers and priority level (e.g., Priority 1). Click the phone icon to call the contact directly on VOIP enabled devices. 

• To clear your selection and search again, click Clear inside the search box.

Name Search

• You can search for a specific person associated with that property by typing their name. The results display the person’s name, status tag, and any address to which this person is registered. 

• Each status tag indicates the visitor’s relationship to the community:

  • Resident: A permanent occupant of the property.

  • Guest: A registered guest associated with the property.

  • Vendor: An approved vendor (e.g., contractor, delivery service) for the property. Normally, Vendors are company names.  When processing a Vendor, the guard should add the employee information as needed to complete the log. 

  • Restricted: A visitor that should be denied entry.  Visitors can be restricted by an individual home.  Watchtower also allows a community to restrict globally a visitor to all properties. 
    

• New Visitor – If the person you’re looking for is not yet in the system or isn't current for that day, click this button to add a new visitor. You will be asked to enter the visitor’s name, contact information, and assign them to the appropriate property.  Note: When creating a new visitor, Watchtower defaults to only the current day.  Change this duration as needed. 

Priority Contacts

This panel lists the resident‑defined priority contacts for the selected property. Residents determine the order of this list so that guards know whom to call first when verifying an unregistered visitor at the gate. Each entry shows the person’s name, priority level, and phone number.

• When are priority contacts used? If a visitor arrives without a valid pass or pre‑registration, guards call the first contact on this list to confirm whether the visitor should be allowed entry. Guards continue down the list if they cannot reach the first contact.  Users can update their contact list directly ensuring the guards know the name, number, and order to call. 

• VOIP integration: In communities that have enabled a Voice‑over‑IP phone system, guards can initiate a call directly from Mission Control by clicking the phone icon next to a priority contact. The call is placed using the integrated VOIP solution, reducing the need for personal phones.

Because priority contacts are maintained by residents, make sure residents understand how to edit and reorder their contacts in the resident portal to reflect their current preferences.

Entry Management

Once both a property and a visitor are selected, the Entry Management panel becomes active. From here you can:

1. Allow an entry

2. Deny entry: If a visitor is restricted or does not have access, record the denial and provide a reason. This button will not activate without an entry note. 

All entries recorded through Mission Control are saved to the Entry Activity log and can be reviewed later by administrators.

Scanning Visitors’ IDs

The Scan Drivers License feature speeds up visitor processing by extracting data from a driver’s license or government‑issued ID:

1. Click Scan Drivers License

2. Center the barcode of the ID within the frame and initiate the scan

3. Watchtower will attempt to match the scanned name with existing an existing person (residents, guests, or vendors).

4. If a match is found, the associated property and visitor information will appear automatically. If no match is found, you’ll be asked whether to Create New Visitor.

Tip: Always verify that the person presenting the ID matches the photo on the ID, and confirm the property or resident they are visiting before granting access.

Best Practices for Guards

• Always verify the visitor list before creating a new visitor to avoid duplicate records.

• Use the Scan Drivers License feature to quickly identify returning visitors and retrieve their details.

• Check the Priority Contacts section when in doubt about granting access. Priority contacts may have provided special instructions regarding specific visitors.

• Record every entry or denial in the Entry Management panel for accurate record‑keeping and reporting.

• Keep personal information private—do not share visitor details outside of official duties.