Verkada cameras leverage artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyze the movement of people and vehicles. This data, combined with third-party data integrations via Helix, provides a powerful series of capabilities that go beyond physical security.

There are four types of widgets you can add to your dashboards:

Occupancy Trends: Monitor entry, exit, and total people and vehicles inside a space.
Queue Trends: Monitor queue lengths and customer wait times.
Helix Trends: Visualize custom events you have configured using third-party data.
Conversion Trends: See what percentage of visitors convert into customers.

Data in widgets is not retroactive. Widgets will not populate data generated before the widget was configured.

Create a dashboard

In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.
In the left navigation, select Camera Analytics.
Next to My Dashboard, click .
On Sites:
1. Select the sites to trigger an alert.
2. Click Done to continue.
On People with Access:
1. Search for and add Command users who should receive the alerts.
2. Click .
On Timezone: Use the dropdown to select the timezone for the site.
Click Save.
In the top left, click Untitled Dashboard and enter a descriptive name.

Occupancy Trends Widget

The Occupancy Trends widget counts the number of people or vehicles entering and exiting a specific area. This is done by drawing virtual lines on camera feeds and defining IN and OUT directions.

Configuration

In the top right, select Widget > Occupancy Trends.
Under Occupancy Type, click Select > People or Vehicles.
Under Sites > your site, click Cameras.
1. Select the cameras that cover your entrance/exit.
2. Click Next.
3. Click Select Lines. You can draw lines across multiple cameras to cover different entry points. Draw a digital line along the path people take to enter your store and define the correct IN and OUT directions. Each camera supports up to five lines.
4. Click Done.
In the top right, click Save.

Best practices

Choose a one-directional path: This feature works best in locations like doors and hallways. Mount cameras on the ceiling directly in front of the path.
Install the camera 8-12 feet (3-4 meters) from the digital line: This distance provides the most accurate data.
Position vertically between 40°- 60°: The camera should be positioned no more than 40° - 60° degrees vertically from the location of the digital line.
Minimize occlusions: Draw the line in a part of the frame that is not blocked by objects and where people are less likely to overlap.
Ensure good illumination: Significant differences in lighting on either side of the line can impact accuracy. Avoid placing lines in naturally dark areas.
Ensure good visibility: People must be clearly visible for at least a second on both sides of the line before crossing it. Avoid placing lines right at a corner or on an opaque door that opens inwards.

Queue Trends Widget

The Queue Trends widget measures the number of people or vehicles present in a defined area (e.g., a checkout line or drive-thru) and the average wait time.

Configuration

In the top right, select Widget > Queue Trends.
Under Queue Type, click Select > People or Vehicles.
Under Sites > your site, click Cameras.
1. Select the cameras pointed at your queueing area.
2. Click Next.
3. Click Edit Regions. Draw a polygon that covers the entire queue area. Each camera supports only one queue region.
4. Click Done.
In the top right, click Save.

Best practices

Use a top-down view: A camera positioned directly above the queue region, such as a ceiling-mounted fisheye camera, yields the best results.
Install the camera 8-12 feet (3-4 meters) above the queue region: For high ceilings, use a drop pole with a pendant cap mount to achieve this distance.
Properly angle the lens: For non-fisheye cameras, angle the lens as close to 90° (straight down) as possible while still capturing the entire queue region.
Minimize occlusions: Ensure objects do not block the region and is in an area where people are less likely to overlap.
Ensure good illumination: Consistent lighting in and around the queue region is critical for accuracy.
Ensure good visibility: People and vehicles must be clearly visible before entering the queue region.

Helix Trends Widget

The Helix Trends widget displays information about custom third-party events you have integrated into the platform over specified time periods.

Configuration

In the top right, select Widget > Helix Trends.
Under Helix Type, click Select > the Helix Event you want to report on.
Select a mode to choose how the data is displayed:
- Count of all events: total number of transactions
- Sum of an attribute: total sales revenue
- Average of an attribute: average transaction value or discount percentage
1. Click Done.
(Optional) Under Filtered by Attribute, add conditions to filter for specific events (for example, Discount = True or Transaction_Value > 100).
In the top right, click Save.

Conversion Trends Widget

The Conversion Trends widget combines point-of-sale data (from Helix) with foot traffic data (from an Occupancy Trends widget) to reveal how effectively your traffic translates into purchases.

You must have an Occupancy Trends widget already set up to use this feature.

Configuration

In the top right, select Widget > Conversion Trends.
Under Occupancy Trends, click Select > an existing Occupancy widget you want to use to source people counts.
Under Helix Event, click Select > the Helix Event that represents a sales conversion, such as a transaction event.
(Optional) Under Filtered by Attribute, add conditions to filter for specific transactions (for example, purchases over $100).
In the top right, click Save.

General best practices

Optimize Loading Docks: Use Queue Trends and Occupancy Trends to monitor loading docks, improve vehicle flow, and reduce delays.
Boost Operational Visibility: Use Occupancy Trends and Helix Trends to track throughput across key checkpoints and enhance supply chain efficiency.

Export data

All data displayed on your dashboard widgets can be exported for further analysis.

CSV Download: To download the data for a specific widget, click
In the top right corner of the widget, select Download.
API Access: Use Verkada’s API endpoints to export camera analytics data directly into third-party software. See our API documentation for more information.