Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Verkada System
Verkada offers a powerful, integrated security platform, but sometimes new users can feel that certain features they expected are unavailable or "limited." Unlike a simple hardware purchase, Verkada's capabilities are intrinsically linked to your software license and the permissions assigned to your user account. This isn't a fault, but a core part of its enterprise-grade security and management structure.
This guide will help you understand why certain features might not be visible or accessible to you, explaining the role of licensing, user permissions, and how you can ensure you're getting the most out of your investment.
Is It a Problem or a Permission? Identifying the "Limited Features"
First, let's clarify what these limitations often look like within the Verkada Command platform.
- Missing Analytics: You can see live feeds and historical footage, but the advanced "People Analytics" or "Vehicle Analytics" tabs are not present.
- Greyed-Out Options: Buttons for features like "Archive," "Share," or "Live Link" are visible but greyed out and cannot be clicked.
- No Access Control Integration: You have Verkada cameras and access control, but you cannot see or manage doors within the Command dashboard.
- Limited Admin Panel: When you go to the "Admin" section, you're missing options to add new users, create sites, or manage camera settings.
- API and Integrations Tab is Missing: You are looking to integrate Verkada with other software but cannot find the necessary API settings.
If you are experiencing any of these, the cause is almost certainly related to licensing or user roles, not a technical malfunction.
The Key Factor: Understanding Verkada Licensing
Verkada's business model is built on hardware and a recurring software license. The license you purchase for each device dictates which features are enabled for it across the entire organisation.
Common License Tiers and Features
- Standard License: This foundational license typically includes core functionalities like unlimited cloud backup of footage, continuous recording, and standard user management. It provides the essential viewing and storage capabilities.
- Advanced Licenses (Analytics): To unlock powerful AI-driven features, you often need an advanced license. This includes:
- People Analytics: Features like attribute search (clothing colour, gender appearance), face search, and occupancy trends.
- Vehicle Analytics: The ability to search for vehicles by type, colour, and number plate.
- Cloud Backup License: While footage is stored on the camera's solid-state drive, a separate license is often required for extended cloud archiving beyond the standard retention period.
- API Access: Using Verkada's API for custom integrations typically requires a specific license entitlement.
What to do: If you believe your organisation should have these features, the first step is to talk to your system administrator or the person who manages your Verkada account. They can confirm which license tier your organisation has purchased.
The Second Key Factor: Your User Role and Permissions
Verkada is designed for organisations with many users, so it has a robust role-based access control system. A system administrator can create highly specific roles for different users, granting them only the permissions they need to do their job. This is a critical security feature.
Common Permission-Based Limitations
- Site-Specific Access: You may only have permission to view cameras at a specific location or "Site." If you try to view cameras at another site, they won't appear.
- Live-Only Viewers: A common role is "Live-Only Viewer," which allows a user to see the live stream from a camera but not review any historical footage.
- No Sharing or Archiving: For data privacy and security, many users are not given the ability to download (archive) or share video clips with others. This is a permission that must be explicitly granted by an administrator.
- Limited Settings Access: Most users will not have access to the Admin panel to change camera settings, manage other users, or view audit logs. This is reserved for administrative roles.
What to do: If you are unable to perform an action like sharing a video or viewing a specific camera, contact your internal Verkada administrator. They can review your permissions and adjust your user role if your job requires access to those additional features.
How to Maximise Your Verkada Experience
- Communicate Internally: The most important step is to communicate with your team. Understand who the Verkada administrator is within your organisation.
- Review Your Needs: If your team needs features like People Analytics to investigate incidents more quickly, discuss the benefits of a license upgrade with your account manager.
- Request Appropriate Permissions: If your role requires you to save and share footage for incident reports, request that your user role be updated to include "Archiving" and "Sharing" permissions.
- Utilise Training: Take advantage of Verkada's online documentation and training resources. They provide excellent guides on how to use all the features that are available to you.
By understanding that Verkada's features are governed by licenses and permissions, you can have more productive conversations internally and ensure your organisation is leveraging the full power of its security platform.