Overview

Objects in Forerunner represent the physical and geographic entities you manage—such as properties, infrastructure, facilities, or any other asset in your jurisdiction. Objects serve as the foundation for organizing your data, providing geographic context for records, files, and workflows.

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What are objects?

An object is any location-based entity you track in Forerunner. Each object has these characteristics:

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Different kinds of objects

Forerunner organizes objects into two main types:

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Properties

Properties represent land parcels, buildings, and structures—the traditional foundation of community management in Forerunner. Properties include:

• Parcel identification and boundaries
• Address and location data
• Assessor and ownership information
• Flood zone designation
• Associated records and documents

Properties integrate with your existing parcel data and can be searched by address, parcel ID, or coordinates. Most floodplain management workflows center around properties.

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Custom objects

Custom objects extend Forerunner beyond properties to manage any geographic asset. Examples include:

• Stormwater infrastructure (inlets, pipes, outfalls)
• Critical facilities (shelters, fire stations, hospitals)
• Community boundaries and districts
• Environmental features and natural resources
• Utility infrastructure

Custom objects support flexible attributes, custom symbology on maps, and can be organized into groups for easier management.

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Common workflows

Objects support a wide range of community resilience workflows: Floodplain management - Track properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area, manage elevation certificates, document substantial improvements, and maintain compliance records Infrastructure management - Map and monitor stormwater systems, track maintenance activities, document inspections, and manage capital improvement projects Emergency response - Identify critical facilities, track damage assessments, coordinate response activities, and document recovery progress Inspections and compliance - Schedule and track property inspections, document violations, manage code enforcement cases, and maintain audit trails Community engagement - Provide property information to residents, share public records, and enable self-service lookups on your public website

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Key features

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Map visualization

Every object appears on the map, providing geographic context for your work. Click any object on the map to view its details, related records, and attached files. Custom objects can be styled with unique colors, icons, and labels for easy identification.

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Table views

Browse objects using powerful table views with filtering, sorting, and column customization. Create saved views for common searches and export data for reporting.

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Object detail pages

Each object has a detail page showing:

• Overview - Object attributes, location, and key information
• Records - All records attached to this object
• Files - Documents, photos, and uploads
• Tasks - Action items and assignments
• Activity - History of changes and interactions

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Flexible attributes

Both properties and custom objects support configurable attributes—additional fields that display relevant information. Property attributes might include flood zone, elevation data, or repetitive loss status. Custom object attributes are defined when the object type is created.

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Attachments and relationships

Objects serve as containers for related information:

• Records - Create records linked to objects to track workflows, inspections, and activities
• Files - Attach documents like elevation certificates, photos, and permits
• Tasks - Assign tasks related to specific objects
• Comments - Add notes and collaborate with your team

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Getting started with objects

New to objects in Forerunner? Here’s where to begin:

1. Explore the map - Navigate to the map view and zoom to your community to see properties and other objects displayed geographically
2. Click on an object - Select any object on the map to open its detail panel and see what information is available
3. Browse object tables - Navigate to a table view (like Properties) to see objects in list format with filtering options
4. View object details - Click “View details” from the map panel or table to open an object’s full detail page
5. Review attached records - Check the Records tab on an object to see what workflow information has been captured
6. Attach a file - Upload a document to an object to see how file attachments work

As you become more familiar with objects, explore creating records, using saved table views, and working with custom object categories.