Vehicle Tracking with Verizon Hardware
This document will explain how to activate and set up the optional Verizon tracking system. This allows you to display your vehicle location using any of these Verizon products (these products are subject to availability by Verizon):
- Verizon Connect – Reveal and Reveal Starter®
- Verizon Fleetmatics®*
- Verizon Networkfleet®*
- Verizon Fleet Complete®*
- *Note: Verizon seems to be using the product name of Reveal and Reveal Starter to replace the other product names listed.
Please keep in mind that these services do cost extra. Please contact your account manager for pricing information.
Aptora’s Schedule Board Mapping System (SBMS) allows you to see your appointments and work orders on a local map. What you see on the map depends on what Profile and date range you have selected on the Home tab (the schedule board screen). What you see on the map is basically the same as what you see on the schedule board.
Track the Vehicle with Installed Verizon Hardware
You can track your vehicles with hardware that is installed in that vehicle. We support Verizon Networkfleet®, Verizon Fleetmatics®, and Fleet Complete®. Each of these options requires purchase from their respective companies. Verizon products must be purchased through Verizon and they have their own fees. Here is a link to Verizon: https://www.verizonconnect.com/solutions/gps-fleet-tracking-software/
We integrate with these products by communicating with their service and displaying the location of their device (your vehicle) on our map. You still have your own account with Verizon or Fleet Complete and you still have all the same features that they offer through their website interface. In addition to what they offer you, we display your vehicle’s location on our map. All tracking data is stored inside the Total Office Manager database.
Note: This article does not cover how to setup your vehicles in the Verizon portal. We assume you already have that setup and working.
Prerequisites for Customer
- Own Total Office Manager and Aptora Mobile II along with an active support plan.
- Aptora Mobile II is installed, operational, and updated.
- Aptora Mobile II must be running for the Verizon or Fleet Complete tracking system to work.
- Own the Schedule Board Mapping System (SBMS). This is the map feature built into the schedule board.
- You need a GPS Tracking license for each asset you wish to track. These are purchased through Aptora. Please speak to your account manager for more information. This is separate from your Aptora Mobile II user licenses.
- For Verizon or Fleet Complete integration, you must have their system completely installed and operational. This means you will need a monthly plan and their GPS Trackers installed in one or more of your vehicles. You will need to purchase GPS Trackers as normal. Each device is plugged into the ODB-II port of the vehicle. You will need to contact Verizon to create a new developer account and turn on developer services. This allows us to communicate with their service (through their API). We tell you how to do that below.
Verizon® Networkfleet Integration
Registering the Tracking Device
- Use the developer account to create a new Client Key. We have had clients tell us they called Verizon for help with obtaining a Client Key and Verizon tried to sell them a service. This should not be required.
- Go to https://developer.networkfleet.com/login/auth
- From the Getting Started menu option at the top of the page, click Getting Started and look for the Key Management Page hyperlink. This link may work: https://developer.networkfleet.com/clientRegistration/index
- Click the “Register New Client” button.
- Enter a Client ID and Client Secret
- Document the Client ID and Client Secret for later use
Verizon® Fleetmatics Integration
Registering the Tracking Device
For Fleetmatics only, you will need to call your Verizon sales representative and request a Developer’s Key. As of the date this article was created, they did not have a way to obtain one through their website.
Activating Your Aptora Schedule Board Map
If you have not already activated the mapping feature in Aptora’s schedule board, you will need to get that done next. When you invest in the mapping option, you will be given a registration number by your Aptora Account Manager. When you attempt to open the schedule board map, it will ask you for that registration number.
Enter Your Credentials in Aptora Mobile II
You need to enter your Verizon or Fleet Complete credentials into AMII.
- Log into AMII as Administrator.
- Click More | Settings | Application.
- At the top of the Application Settings screen, select GPS Tracking.
- Select your GPS provider in the TypeId selection dropdown.
- Enter your User Name and Password. These are provided by your GPS company, not Aptora. Aptora cannot access this information.
- Tip: The User Name typically starts with “Rest@”.
- If you are using Fleet Complete, enter your Client ID. That is also provided by Fleet Complete.
- Click the Update Settings button at the top. You can now log in as a regular user if you wish.
Setting Up the Assets to be Tracked
You need to tell Total Office Manager what devices it needs to look for and track. Please make sure all assets in Total Office Manager have the required information.
Vehicles with Tracking Devices Installed
- Your vehicle’s VIN number. Important: This is to match the Verizon or Fleet Complete record to the corresponding Total Office Manager Vehicle Asset. This must be the same VIN entered in Verizon’s system.
- The “Track on Schedule Board Map” option is checked. Please be sure that you do not check more of these boxes than you have tracking licenses from Aptora. For example, if you setup ten assets to track and you have five actual tracking licenses from Aptora, your map will display only five assets.
Enter the Vehicles as Assets
There is a model number in Verizon Reveal (Fleet Complete) that has to be entered in the Total Office Manager > Asset > Model Number field. If they do not match, the Aptora system will not work. See the field shown below “Model:”.
Accessing GPS Tracking Information
In addition to using your schedule board map, we offer you the ability to access a complete set of GPS tracking records.
- In Total Office Manager, click Reports | Custom Data Views. This will open a CDV form. From the main menu at the top, click Data Views and select GPS Tracking List. You can print preview, export, or build custom reports using the data.
- In Aptora Mobile II, click More | Lists | GPS Tracking List. A list should open with your tracking information. This list is grouped by source (e.g.: Android, Apple, Verizon).
- You can expand on the Source column to see all the activity from that source.
- The Contact Information will display specific names and locations of the GPS coordinates (when available).
- You can click a button that will open a map) depending on your mobile device) and display that location on that map.
Note: We have no control over what map is opened and how those results are displayed. That operation is performed by the mobile device.
Mapping and GPS Tips
- All of these tracking options must be purchased. Your account manager will need to enter the correct information on their side for the system to operate. You will need to enter certain registration information that is covered in this article.
- You can set the refresh rate of your Total Office Manager map from two to ten minutes. We recommend no quicker than every five minutes. Each refresh freezes the schedule board for a moment.
- Verizon devices report their data every two minutes or longer (per device). Your map has its own sync cycle. It will likely not be in sync with the device’s refresh integral.
- When the vehicle is traveling below ten miles per hour, Verizon returns a heading of zero.
- We have had clients tell us they called Verizon for help with obtaining a Client Key and Verizon tried to sell them a service. This should not be required.
- When entering your Verizon credentials, keep in mind that you are not entering your regular website login information. You are entering your special Developer’s credentials called API Developer Client Key. At this time, we don’t attempt to validate those credentials when they are entered.
- Be sure that you do not have the same VIN in two or more assets that are being tracked. This will create multiple GPS entries.
- Verizon has a series of videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNXltE8HxEnTJbmoD_49gQw