Advanced Postcode Picker and Location Picker with what3words

Advanced Postcode Picker

Configuring the plugin

Configuring the advanced postcode picker is straightforward and similar to the process of location picker plugin.

You can configure the Advanced Postcode picker on the form by selecting the plugin.

Restricting or allowing manual address entry

The advanced postcode picker enables the admin to control if they want to allow the user to enter manual address while submitting the request or restrict them.

1.         Go to Administration -> Service request and case -> Settings.

2.         Navigate to Manual address region. 

3.         Select ‘Yes’ to allow the user to add their address manually if it’s not found in the search.

4.         Select ‘No’ to restrict the user from adding the address manually.

5.         In addition to that, you can add a custom message that instructs the user to contact the council or take any action as needed.

In an ideal scenario, while submitting the request, the user will need to do the following:

1. Enter the postcode and click on Go button.
2. The pre-populated list will contain all the addresses linked to the entered postcode.
3. Select the address and lick on the next button.

There are two options available if the user enters a manual address:

These temporary addresses can be viewed under Community > Temporary.

The address will only be added with the information provided in the number and street, town or city & postcode boxes, so will not be linked to LLPG data such as UPRN.

To configure the option available, go to Administration > Service Request and Case > Settings 

If add manual address is selected as Yes, this will allow temporary addresses to be created.

If add manual address is selected as No, this allows the appropriate display message to be entered.

Note: if you are using a Service Request in any integration which requires a UPRN, it is advisable not to use the Advanced Location Picker with manual addresses.

Also, any temporary address entered in this way will not be available to be selected in the list of available addresses in any subsequent service request until it has been edited in Community > Temporary and an appropriate UPRN has been added.

Location Picker with what3words

The advanced location picker can be used where a location is not linked to a property. It facilitates the following search by having the map enabled or disabled. Please note that the what3words search functionality is a paid service.

Without Map enabled

With the map disabled the customer can type in their postcode or street record and this will then fetch the appropriate addresses and allow the customer to make the selection.

With Map enabled

With the map enabled there are further options available for the customer. They can use the same search methods as they can with the map disabled, however there is also the ability to drop a pin on the map, and to use the what3words functionality.

• Street name
  1. If Pin dropped on map – this will give co-ordinates of point selected.
  2. If street name and address selected on ‘Enter streetname/postcode 

Pin drop on map

The user does not use the ‘Go’ button, but instead moves and/or clicks on the map. The pin is placed at the clicked location.

Returned data 

what3words

The customer can retrieve a what3words address either from the what3word mobile app or website, and then enter it into the location picker within a form.

We then use the what3words API to look up the geocoordinates and place the pin at that location.

As the user types the what3words location the field will auto suggest based on the suggest API.

Returned data 

• The longitude (e.g. -0.195521) and latitude (e.g. 51.520847) coordinations, 
• The what3word value (e.g. filled.count.soap) returned from the map. 
• The nearest settlement to the what3words location (e.g. "Bayswater, London”)

This is then saved as a Service Request Location object.

How to configure what3words on the location picker

To use the what3words functionality you first need to add a location picker to a form.

For the customers who have purchased the what3words subscription service, there will be an option under Location Picker to enable the what3words search for their forms.

Any existing forms will by default have what3words disabled until enabled. However, the what3word search will appear unselected for both Yes & No as below.

Any new forms that are created will have what3words defaulted to No when the plugin is added.

The administrator can select YES to enable the What3Words with the location picker.

It is worth noting that “Show only council location” will not function when what3words or pin drop is used to select location. Also “Location within boundary” will also not function if what3words is enabled. 

Save the configuration and publish the form.

Once this is enabled, the location picker will allow searching for postcode, street name or what3words while submitting the report.

Note: what3words is a paid service. If you are interested, please contact [email protected]. Each customer will have unique subscription key to track the usage for billing purpose.