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Quick start: location → source → scan → report

Requires: A running RD Analytics server (see Getting started and Installation if you have not installed yet). Sign in as Engineer or System admin. Viewers can follow along in read-only mode but cannot create or run.

Application home — start of the quick start workflow

This guide walks through the core workflow in the application sidebar: Locations → Sources → Scans → Reports.

Tip

Merging is optional and used when you need to combine outputs from multiple scans. Skip it for this quick start.

Before you begin

  1. Sign in to RD Analytics (default first install: admin@localhost / admin — change the password after login). If someone else installed the server, use the account they gave you.
  2. Confirm you see Locations, Sources, Scans, and Reports in the sidebar. If not, see User roles and access.
  3. Have a sample video file ready, and note a name for your demo site (for example, Demo Site).

Step 1 — Create a location

A Location represents a physical or logical site (for example, a junction or facility). Sources are associated with locations.

  1. Open Locations in the sidebar.
  2. Create a new location (use Add or the create action on the list page).
  3. Enter a Name (for example, Demo Site) and fill required fields.
  4. Save the location.

Verify: The location appears in the Locations list and opens on the details page when selected.

Step 2 — Add a source and upload media

A Source is a video input (typically a Video file or batch of files).

  1. Open Sources in the sidebar.
  2. Create a new source and assign it to the location from Step 1.
  3. Complete source-specific fields (type, name, upload as required).
  4. If the source type uses file media, open the source and use the Files tab (or create-time upload) for your sample video.
  5. On Details, optionally set Rotate and resize width/height if the footage orientation needs correction.
  6. Wait for upload and processing indicators to finish before continuing.

Verify: The source appears in the Sources list with the correct location. The Files tab shows your uploaded media when applicable.

Step 3 — Create and configure a scan

A Scan is the analysis setup for your source video — not the video itself. You choose modules, draw geometry (lines/areas), then run processing so reports have data. One source can have several scans (different setups on the same footage). Open scans from the global Scans list or from a source.

  1. Open Scans in the sidebar (or open your source and select the Scans tab).
  2. Create a new scan linked to your source (from the source Scans tab).
  3. Open the scan configuration workspace (click the scan row).
  4. Review AI processing settings (defaults are enough for a first demo if vehicle detection and tracker are available). Use Add only if you need optional slots.
  5. Draw the required Active area so it covers the roadway (or scene) you care about.
  6. Open Draw settings, add at least one Counting line across the path vehicles should cross. Reports primarily show counts from line crossings — without a counting line, a completed scan leaves report widgets empty.
  7. Save the configuration.
  8. Use the video player and timeline to confirm the frame and time range look correct.
  9. Set scan status to PENDING, then start processing (config page or list Run / Run selected).

Verify: Scan status moves through QUEUED / PROCESSING to COMPLETED. If status is FAILED, open the error hint on the list or see Scan failed and video preview.

Step 4 — View and build a report

Reports display widgets (tables, charts, filters, totals) backed by scan data.

  1. Open Reports in the sidebar.
  2. Create a new report or open an existing one.
  3. Open report details (row Edit action) to set metadata (name and description).
  4. Open the report view (click the report row).
  5. Leave mode on Single scan, select your scan, set the time range if needed.
  6. Select Apply to load widget data.
  7. To change layout: enter edit mode, add widgets by type (table, chart, filters, total, and others), then Save the layout.

Verify: After Apply, data widgets show values for your completed scan and selected time range.

What you built

flowchart LR
  LOC[Location] --> SRC[Source]
  SRC --> SCAN[Scan]
  SCAN --> RPT[Report]
Entity Role in this guide
Location Where the source is deployed
Source Video input and media
Scan How the source video is analyzed (configure → run → results for reports)
Report Visualization and export of results

Next steps

Troubleshooting

Problem What to do
Missing sidebar items Check User roles and access
Upload fails Confirm disk space and file format; retry from Files tab
Scan stays FAILED See Scan failed and video preview
Report shows no data Confirm scan COMPLETED, time range includes processed data, then Apply. For a first demo, confirm the scan has at least one Counting line and an Active area, then re-run if you added geometry after the last run
Yellow bar: real-time disconnected See Real-time connection disconnected