PermitNerd App Support

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User Training & Support Guide

Overview

PermitNerd is a permit intelligence and tracking application built for monday.com. It allows users to search, visualize, analyze, and track building permits across major U.S. cities, then pin the most relevant permits directly to their monday boards for ongoing visibility.

This guide walks through every feature of the app from first launch to advanced analytics and AI assistance.

1. Authentication & App Authorization

Purpose

Before PermitNerd can function, it must be authorized to connect to the user’s monday.com account.

Steps:

Go to the monday.com App Marketplace.
Search for PermitNerd.
Click install.
Once installed, open the PermitNerd app from your monday.com workspace.
Click “Connect to PermitNerd”.
You will be redirected to monday.com’s authorization screen.
Review the permissions requested (read boards, create items, update items).
Click Authorize.

Result:

PermitNerd securely connects to your account.
Your connection is saved so you do not need to reauthorize on every visit.
Once connected, the button changes to “Manage Connection.”

Managing your Plan

Your subscription to PermitNerd is managed directly in the monday app marketplace. You can find more information on billing here: How do I pay for a monday app?

2. Selecting a City

Purpose

Permit data is city-specific. Selecting a city tells PermitNerd which municipal dataset to load.

Steps

After authentication, you land on the City Selection screen.
Use the dropdown to select a city (e.g., San Francisco, Chicago, Austin).
Once selected, the app automatically routes you to the Search Building Permits page.

Notes

You can change cities at any time.
City selection updates all data, filters, maps, and contact information.

3. Search Building Permits Page (Primary Workspace)

This is the main working screen for most users.

What You See:

City selector dropdown
Search & filter controls
City contact information
Permit results table
Access to Map View
Access to Pinned Permits

4. Changing the City Mid-Session

Purpose

Users often work across multiple cities and jurisdictions.

Steps

Click the City dropdown at the top of the page.
Select a different city.
The page refreshes automatically with the new city’s data.

Result

Filters reset appropriately.
Permit list updates.
City contact info changes.

5. Filters (Advanced Search)

Purpose

Filters allow users to narrow thousands of permits into a relevant working set.

Available Filters (varies slightly by city)

Permit Number
Address / Street
Permit Type
Permit Status
Application Date range
Issue Date range
Project Type
Zoning / Land Use (where available)

How Filtering Works

Multiple filters can be applied simultaneously.
Filters stack logically (AND behavior).
Results update instantly.

Example Use Cases

Find all Issued electrical permits in the last 90 days.
Identify Filed permits that have not yet been approved.
Locate permits within a specific neighborhood or zoning area.

6. City Contact Information

Purpose

PermitNerd displays the most relevant city department contacts so users don’t waste time searching externally.

Information Displayed

Department name
Phone number
Email address
Website link
Office hours (if available)

Where It Appears

On the Search page
On the Map View page

7. Permit Results List

Each row represents a permit and typically includes:

Permit Number
Address
Permit Type
Permit Status
Application Date
Issue Date
Last Updated Date

Interaction

Click a row to open the Permit Detail Modal.
Hover actions may show quick details or pin icons.

8. Permit Detail Modal

Purpose

The modal provides a deep dive into a single permit.

What You See

Full permit metadata
Status history (where available)
Project description
Zoning / land use data
Dates and timelines

Actions Available

Review full permit details
Click Pin to Board

9. Pinning a Permit to a Board

Purpose

Pinned permits become part of your operational workflow inside monday.com.

Steps

Open a permit’s modal.
Click “Pin to Board.”
Select the target monday.com board.
Confirm the action.

Result

A new item is created on your selected board.
Permit data maps into predefined columns.
The permit becomes trackable alongside your projects.

10. Map View

Purpose

Map View allows users to visualize permits spatially instead of in a list.

How to Access

Click Map View from the main navigation.

Core Behavior

Same dataset as Search View.
Same city selector.
Same filters.
Displayed geographically instead of in rows.

11. City Selection in Map View

Steps

Use the city dropdown in Map View.
Select a city.
The map reloads with that city’s permit data.

12. City Contact Info in Map View

The same authoritative city contact information appears alongside the map.
This ensures users never lose access to jurisdiction details while exploring spatial data.

13. Map Feature Pills (Visual Layers)

These pills control how information is rendered on the map.

Zoning

Displays zoning boundaries and parcels.
Clicking a zone reveals zoning classification and rules.
Useful for feasibility and planning analysis.

Status Pins

Pins are color-coded by permit status.
Instantly shows where permits are filed, issued, or active.

Type Pins

Pins are grouped and colored by permit type.
Helps identify construction patterns (electrical, plumbing, structural).

Heatmap

Shows permit density.
Hotter areas indicate higher construction or permitting activity.
Useful for market analysis and opportunity spotting.

14. Map Style Modes

These control the visual aesthetic of the map.

Day

Bright, standard map view.
Best for general navigation.

Dawn

Softer tones with early-morning lighting.
Reduced contrast.

Dusk

Warmer colors with evening lighting.
Highlights city contours.

Night

Dark mode map.
Ideal for long work sessions and presentations.

Satellite

Real-world satellite imagery.
Best for site context and terrain awareness.

15. Zoom & 3D City View

Zooming

Scroll or pinch to zoom in/out.
Higher zoom reveals building-level detail.

3D Mode

At close zoom levels, buildings render in 3D.
Useful for understanding site density and surroundings.

16. Pinned Permits Dashboard

Purpose

This is the command center for all permits you’ve saved.

Widgets Explained

Total Pinned Permits

Count of all permits pinned across boards.

Permit Status Health

Breakdown of permits by status.
Highlights risk areas (stalled or aging permits).

Aging of Filed / Issued Permits

Shows how long permits have remained in each stage.
Identifies bottlenecks.

Estimated Expiration Window

Predictive view of when permits may expire.
Helps prevent lapses and delays.

Estimated Average Approval Time

Historical estimation based on city data.
Useful for planning timelines.

Permit Type Distribution

Visual breakdown by permit category.
Reveals workload composition.

Permit Expiration List

Focused list of permits nearing expiration.
Action-oriented view.

Map

Visual representation of pinned permits only.

Pinned Permit List

Full table of pinned permits for review and navigation.

17. AI Assistant — Percy

Who and what is Percy?

Percy is not a chatbot. Percy is a permit-aware AI assistant designed to help with real-world construction, compliance, and client communication tasks.

What Percy Can Do

Answer questions about permits and statuses
Explain delays or risks
Help draft executive summaries
Assist with client responses
Troubleshoot permit issues
Translate permit data into plain English

Example Uses

“Explain why this permit might be delayed.”
“Summarize these permits for a client update.”
“What risks do I have with these filed permits?”

Percy understands context, city rules, and your pinned data.

Final Notes

PermitNerd is designed to reduce friction, risk, and guesswork in permit management.
All data updates dynamically based on city selection.
Pinned permits integrate directly into monday.com workflows.
AI assistance bridges the gap between raw data and real-world decisions.