How to manage identities

Identities record the government-issued IDs your agency holds for a client, such as a driver license, passport, or birth certificate. Each record stores an ID number and type, an optional scan of the document, and the issuer and date details your staff enter or extract from the scan.

### Overview

- **What it is:** The **Identities** page, a tab in the **Clients** section, where your agency files one record per identity document.
- **Why it matters:** Keeping ID numbers, issuers, and dates in one place next to the client record removes paper handling, and the built-in scan reads the details off a driver license so nobody retypes them.
- **Who uses it:** Staff who work client records, including clerks, case managers, and administrators.
- **Expected outcomes:** A searchable list of identity records, each attached to a client where you set one, with the scanned file stored alongside the ID number, type, issuer, and dates.

### Prerequisites

- Access to the **Clients** section of the main navigation
- A client record to attach the identity to (you can also attach one later)
- A scanned image or PDF of the identity document if you want to store and scan the file
- Administrator access to **Settings** if you want to change the **Identity Types** list

### How-To Steps

#### Open the Identities page

1. Click **Clients** in the main navigation.
2. Click the **Identities** tab.
3. Open a client record and click **Identities** in the client sections list instead if you want the page filtered to that one client.

#### Create an identity record

1. Enter a name or reference in the **Search clients...** box in the left column.
2. Select the client from the results so the new record attaches to them.
3. Enter the **ID Number** in the **Create Identity** card.
4. Select the **Type**, for example Driver License, State ID, or Passport.
5. Click **Create**.

#### Add the file and the issuer details

1. Click the **Edit** button in the first column of the list to open the record.
2. Click **Choose File** and select the scanned image or PDF of the document.
3. Select the **Issuer Country**.
4. Select the **Issuer State**.
5. Enter the **Issued On** date.
6. Enter the **Expires On** date.
7. Enter any **Notes** about the document.
8. Click **Save**.

#### Scan the file with Optical Character Recognition

1. Click **Scan File** in the **Optical Character Recognition** card.
2. Review the red outlines the scan draws over the copy of the image in the card, and the detected values listed underneath.
3. Click **Map Fields** to copy the license number into **ID Number** and fill **Issuer State**, **Issuer Country**, **Issued On**, and **Expires On** from the values the scan returns.
4. Compare the mapped values against the image.
5. Click **Save**.

#### Attach or change the client

1. Click **Change** in the client card on the right of the record if a client is already attached, which opens the search box.
2. Enter a name or reference in the search box.
3. Click **Search**.
4. Click **Attach** next to the correct client in the results.
5. Click **Detach** instead to remove the attached client and leave the record unattached.

#### Find and clean up records

1. Enter terms in **Search** in the **Search Identities** card.
2. Select a **Type** to narrow the list to one document type.
3. Select a **Creator** to see only the records one staff member created.
4. Check **Archived** or **Trashed** to view records that are no longer active.
5. Click **Search**.
6. Select records with the checkboxes and click **Archive** or **Trash**, then click **Confirm**.

### What to Expect

A new record appears at the top of the list right after you click **Create**, with an "Identity created" alert. Choosing a file uploads it and saves the record immediately, then the preview appears next to the form (images inline, PDFs in a frame) along with the **Open File** button in the header and a **Delete File** button under the preview. The **Optical Character Recognition** card stays hidden until a file is attached. **Map Fields** only fills the form on screen, so the mapped values are saved only when you click **Save**. The list shows **ID #**, **Type**, **Status**, **Creator**, **Created**, and **Updated** columns, and the **PDF** and **CSV** buttons export every record matching your current search, not only the rows loaded on screen. The **Audit Logs** card on the record shows Created By, Updated By, and the created and updated dates.

### Best Practices

- Select the client before you click **Create** so the record is attached from the start.
- Upload the file first, then use **Scan File** and **Map Fields** instead of typing the ID number and dates by hand.
- Check every mapped value against the image before you click **Save**, because a scan can misread worn or glossy cards.
- Set your agency's list of **Identity Types** in **Settings** > **Documents** so staff file records under labels your agency recognizes.
- Archive a replaced ID rather than trashing it, then find it later with the **Archived** filter.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can clients upload identity records through a portal?**

A: No. Identity records are created by staff on the **Identities** page. The client-facing upload form files uploads on the **Documents** page instead.

**Q: Which fields does Map Fields fill in?**

A: It copies the license number into **ID Number** and fills **Issuer State**, **Issuer Country**, **Issued On**, and **Expires On** when the scan returns those values. Other detected values such as name, date of birth, and address are listed for reference only.

**Q: Can I change the list of identity types?**

A: Yes. Enter a comma-separated list in **Identity Types** under **Settings** > **Documents**. Leave it blank to keep the standard list. **Other** is always offered.

**Q: Does every identity record need a client?**

A: No. You can create a record without a client and attach one later from the client card on the record.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The **Optical Character Recognition** card is missing.

**Symptoms:** You open an identity record and see the edit form and the client card, but no scan option.

**Solution:** The card stays hidden until the record has a file. Click **Choose File**, upload an image or PDF, and the card appears with the **Scan File** button.

**Issue:** No **Map Fields** button appears after a scan.

**Symptoms:** **Scan File** finishes but only the preview is shown, with no values to map.

**Solution:** The button appears only when the scan returns results. Upload a sharper, full-page image or PDF of the document and click **Scan File** again.

**Issue:** Mapped values are gone when you reopen the record.

**Symptoms:** **Map Fields** filled in the ID number and dates, but the record shows the old values later.

**Solution:** **Map Fields** fills the form without saving it. Click **Save** after you review the mapped values.

**Issue:** A new record is not attached to a client.

**Symptoms:** The record shows a warning that no client is attached.

**Solution:** Search for the client in the client card on the record and click **Attach**. Next time, select the client in the **Search clients...** box before you click **Create**.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to manage documents](/how-to-manage-documents)
- [How to upload and manage client documents](/how-to-upload-and-manage-client-documents)
- [How to manage comments](/how-to-manage-comments)