Complete Setup Guide

Everything you need to go from zero to a fully running Pinpoint 311 deployment, step by step.

15–30 min basic · 45–60 min full production

Setup Guide

Get Running

Server, code, config, start & login · ~15 min

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Prerequisites

Get the Code

Configure .env

Start the System

Connect Services

Auth0, AI, Maps, staff, email & SMS

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Auth0 SSO

Google Cloud (AI, KMS, Secrets)

Google Maps

Add Staff Users

Email (SMTP)

SMS (Optional)

Make It Yours

Boundaries, services, branding & legal

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Boundaries

Services & Departments

Branding & Legal

Go Live

Domain, checklist & maintenance

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Custom Domain

Go-Live & Maintenance

Get Running

Server, code, config, start & login

Steps 1–5

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Set Up Your Server

Get a server, SSH in, and install Docker

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1a. Get a Server

You need a Linux server (Ubuntu recommended). Use any cloud provider — Oracle Cloud (free tier), AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, or an on-premise machine.

Minimum Specs	Details
CPU	1 vCPU (2+ recommended for production)
RAM	1 GB minimum (2+ GB recommended)
Disk	20 GB+
OS	Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS recommended

1b. SSH Into Your Server

From your local machine, connect to the server using SSH:

# Replace with your server's IP address and key file ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-server-ip # Or if using password auth: ssh ubuntu@your-server-ip

💡 All remaining steps are run on the server, not your local machine.

1c. Install Docker & Docker Compose

First, check if Docker is already installed:

docker --version && docker compose version

If Docker is not installed, run these commands:

# Install Docker using the official convenience script curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sudo sh # Allow your user to run Docker without sudo sudo usermod -aG docker $USER # Log out and back in for group changes to take effect exit

SSH back in, then verify Docker is working:

docker --version docker compose version

💡 If Docker is already installed, skip this step entirely.

1d. Open Firewall Ports

Your cloud provider's firewall (security groups / network rules) must allow inbound traffic on these ports:

Port	Protocol	Purpose
22	TCP	SSH access (already open if you can connect)
80	TCP	HTTP — web traffic & Let's Encrypt certificate validation
443	TCP	HTTPS — secure web traffic (auto-enabled with a domain)

Where to configure this depends on your cloud provider:

Provider	Where to Open Ports
Oracle Cloud	Networking → Virtual Cloud Networks → Security Lists → Add Ingress Rules
AWS	EC2 → Security Groups → Edit Inbound Rules
Google Cloud	VPC Network → Firewall → Create Firewall Rule
DigitalOcean	Networking → Firewalls → Create Firewall

If your server also has a local firewall (e.g. ufw on Ubuntu), open the ports there too:

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp sudo ufw allow 80/tcp sudo ufw allow 443/tcp sudo ufw enable

⚠️

If port 80 or 443 is blocked, your site won't load and SSL certificates won't auto-provision. This is the most common setup issue — make sure both ports are open before running docker compose up.

Recommended (Optional)

Service	Why
Google Cloud	Maps, Vertex AI (Gemini), Translate, Secret Manager
Auth0 Account	Staff SSO, MFA, passkeys — free tier
Custom Domain	e.g. `311.yourtown.gov`
SMTP Server	Confirmation & status emails

Download the Latest Release

Get the stable release package from GitHub

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On your server, download and extract the latest release:

# Auto-download the latest release VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/Pinpoint-311/Pinpoint-311/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | cut -d'"' -f4) curl -L "https://github.com/Pinpoint-311/Pinpoint-311/archive/refs/tags/${VERSION}.tar.gz" -o pinpoint.tar.gz tar -xzf pinpoint.tar.gz cd Pinpoint-311-${VERSION#v}

💡 Or download directly from the Releases page — click the latest version and download "Source code (tar.gz)".

Configure Environment Variables

Set your database password and secret key

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# 1. Generate a secure 32-byte secret key first openssl rand -hex 32 # 2. Copy the config file and edit it cp .env.example .env nano .env

🔒

Your .env file never leaves your server. This ensures your API keys and Resident Data stay securely within your own infrastructure.

⚠️

Crucial DNS Step: If you are using a custom domain (e.g., 311.yourcity.gov), you MUST point your DNS A-Record to this server's IP address before moving to Step 4. If you set DOMAIN below but the DNS is not pointed, the server will fail to start and throw SSL Protocol errors.

Required variables

Variable	What to set
`DOMAIN`	Your domain (e.g., `311.yourcity.gov`), or `localhost` for local testing
`DB_PASSWORD`	A strong, unique database password
`SECRET_KEY`	Paste the secure key you generated above
`ADMIN_EMAIL`	Your admin contact email

💡

Most API keys can be configured later via the Admin Console. You only need DB_PASSWORD, SECRET_KEY, and DOMAIN to start.

Start the System

Build and launch all services

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Build & Start (recommended)

docker compose up --build -d

Verify

docker compose ps

You should see backend, frontend, db, redis, caddy, and worker — all Up or healthy.

Access points

Portal	URL
Resident Portal	`http://localhost/`
Staff Dashboard	`http://localhost/staff`
Admin Console	`http://localhost/admin`
Research Lab	`http://localhost/research`
API Docs	`http://localhost/api/docs`

One-click admin access for initial setup

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After the containers start, you need to log into the Admin Console to configure your system.

Option A: Browser (Recommended)

Open http://your-server-ip/login in your browser
You'll see a "Welcome to Pinpoint 311" card with an "Enter Admin Console" button
Click the button — you'll be automatically logged in as admin

💡 If your browser shows an SSL error, use port 8000 instead: http://your-server-ip:8000/login

Option B: Terminal

Alternatively, run this on the server:

curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/api/auth/bootstrap

Copy the login_url from the JSON response and open it in your browser.

⚠️

Bootstrap access is one-time only — once you configure Auth0 (Step 6), the button disappears and all logins go through SSO.

💡

If the login page doesn't load, containers may still be starting: docker compose ps — all services should show "healthy".

Connect Services

Auth0, AI, Maps, staff, email & SMS

Steps 6–11

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Configure Auth0 (SSO)

Zero-password staff authentication with MFA

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1. Create an Auth0 account

Go to auth0.com and create a free account (or use your organization's existing tenant). The free tier supports up to 7,000 active users.

2. Create an application

In the Auth0 Dashboard, go to Applications → Create Application
Choose Regular Web Application
In the app's Settings tab, copy the Domain, Client ID, and Client Secret

3. Configure callback URLs

Setting	Value
Allowed Callback URLs	`https://311.yourtown.gov/api/auth/callback`
Allowed Logout URLs	`https://311.yourtown.gov/staff`
Allowed Web Origins	`https://311.yourtown.gov`

⚠️

Common Issue: The callback URL must exactly match your domain with /api/auth/callback appended. A single typo here will cause staff logins to fail silently.

4. Enable MFA (recommended)

In the Auth0 Dashboard, go to Security → Multi-factor Auth and enable MFA. Staff will be prompted to set up a second factor on their first login.

5. Social login (optional)

Under Authentication → Social, add Google and Microsoft connections so staff can log in with their existing work accounts.

6. Enter credentials in Admin Console

Go to Setup & Integration → Auth0, enter your Auth0 Domain, Client ID, and Client Secret, and save.

🔒

Once Auth0 is configured, bootstrap access is automatically disabled. All staff logins use Auth0 SSO with passkey support.

Google Cloud (AI, KMS & Secrets)

Vertex AI, Translation, KMS encryption & Secret Manager

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1. Create or select a GCP project

Go to console.cloud.google.com and create a new project or select an existing one. Note your Project ID (not the project name).

💡

Billing must be enabled on your GCP project even if you stay within the free tier. Most API usage for a single municipality will fall within Google's generous free quotas.

2. Enable APIs

Go to APIs & Services → Library and enable all four:

API	What it powers
Cloud KMS API	PII encryption at rest (HSM-backed, FIPS 140-2)
Cloud Translation API	Multi-language support (109 languages)
Vertex AI API	AI request analysis, priority scoring, photo assessment, duplicate detection
Secret Manager API	Enterprise secrets vault for production credentials

3. Create KMS Key Ring & Key

Navigate to Security → Key Management:

Create Key Ring — name it (e.g., pinpoint311) and select a location (e.g., us-central1)
Create Key inside the ring (e.g., pii-encryption), purpose: Symmetric encrypt/decrypt
Optional: Set automatic rotation (e.g., every 90 days). After rotation, use the Re-encrypt All PII Data button in Admin Console to migrate historical data

4. Create a Service Account

Go to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts → Create. Grant it these roles:

Role	Purpose
`Cloud KMS CryptoKey Encrypter/Decrypter`	Encrypt/decrypt PII data
`Cloud Translation API User`	Translate submissions
`Vertex AI User`	AI-powered analysis
`Secret Manager Admin`	Manage secrets vault

5. Download the JSON key

On the Service Account page, go to Keys → Add Key → Create new key → JSON. Download and keep this file secure — it's your master credential.

6. Enter in Admin Console

Go to Setup & Integration → Google Cloud:

Enter your Project ID, KMS Location, Key Ring, and Key ID
Upload or paste your Service Account JSON key
Click Save GCP Settings

7. Migrate Secrets (optional)

Click Migrate to Secret Manager to vault all API credentials (Maps key, SMTP password, Twilio token, etc.) into GCP.

⚠️

Two bootstrap keys (GCP_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_JSON and GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT) always stay in the local DB — they're the master keys needed to access Secret Manager itself.

Configure Google Maps

Location picker, boundary maps, address autocomplete

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1. Create an API key

Go to Google Cloud Console → Credentials
Click Create Credentials → API key

2. Restrict the key

Restriction	Value
API restrictions	Maps JavaScript, Places, Geocoding
Website restrictions	`https://311.yourtown.gov/*`

3. Enter in Admin Console

Go to Setup & Integration → Google Maps and paste your API key. If you activated Secret Manager in Step 7, this key is automatically vaulted into GCP.

4. Enable 3D buildings (optional)

For 45° tilt, rotation, and 3D buildings on the map:

Go to Google Cloud Console → Maps → Map Management
Create a Map ID with map type: Vector
Enter the Map ID in Admin Console → Google Maps → Map ID

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No extra cost — same Dynamic Maps pricing ($7 per 1,000 loads, $200/month free credit from Google). Most municipalities never exceed the free tier.

Add Staff Users

Invite team members and assign roles

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In the Admin Console, go to Staff Management and add your team:

Role	Access Level	Best For
Admin	Full Admin Console + all operations	IT staff, department heads
Staff	View, manage, and resolve requests	Field workers, dispatchers
Researcher	Privacy-preserved analytics only	Analysts, council members

Staff log in via Auth0 SSO — no passwords stored in the system.

🔐

Staff PII (names, emails, phone numbers) is now encrypted with Google KMS since Step 7 was configured. All personal data is protected at rest.

Email Notifications

SMTP for submission confirmations & status updates

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Choose your SMTP provider

Provider	Host	Port	Username
Gmail	`smtp.gmail.com`	`587`	Your Gmail address
SendGrid	`smtp.sendgrid.net`	`587`	`apikey` (literal)
Org relay	Your server's SMTP host	Varies	Varies

⚠️

Gmail users: You must enable 2FA on your Google account first, then generate an App Password under Security → App Passwords. Use the app password as your SMTP password.

Enter the host, port, from address, username, and password in Admin Console → Setup & Integration → Email (SMTP) and click Save SMTP Settings.

✉️

All notification emails automatically include your municipality's branding (logo, colors, name) — set those up in Step 14.

SMS Notifications (Optional)

Twilio or custom HTTP API for text alerts

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Option A: Twilio (recommended)

Create an account at twilio.com
Note your Account SID and Auth Token from the Console Dashboard
Go to Phone Numbers → Manage → Buy a number — get a number with SMS capability
In Admin Console → SMS Notifications, select "Twilio" and enter your credentials

Option B: Custom HTTP API

If you have an existing SMS gateway, select "Custom HTTP API" and provide your endpoint URL. Pinpoint sends a POST request with:

{ "to": "+1234567890", "message": "Your request #123 has been updated..." }

💡

SMS is fully optional. Email notifications cover all the same status updates. SMS adds real-time text alerts for residents who opt in.

Make It Yours

Boundaries, services, branding & legal

Steps 12–14

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Municipality Boundaries

GeoJSON service area

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Requests outside the boundary are automatically rejected. Get your file from:

Your GIS department
Census TIGER/Line
geojson.io — draw manually

Upload in Setup & Integration → Municipality Boundaries.

Services & Departments

Categories, routing, custom questions

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In Admin Console → Services, create categories (Pothole, Streetlight, etc.):

Setting	Description
Routing	Township Handled, Third-Party, or Road-Based
Department	Which team handles it
Questions	Follow-up questions per service

💡

Road-Based routing splits jurisdiction per street — all configured without code.

Branding & Legal

Logo, colors, privacy policy, terms of service

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Branding

In Admin Console → Branding:

Municipality Name — headers, emails, portal
Logo — nav, emails, portal
Primary & Secondary Colors
Font

Auto-applied to Resident Portal, all emails, SMS, and Staff Dashboard.

Legal Documents

In Branding → Legal Documents:

Privacy Policy — data collection, retention, rights
Terms of Service — includes non-emergency disclaimer
Accessibility — WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508

All support Markdown formatting. Sensible defaults included.

Go Live

Domain, checklist & maintenance

Steps 15–16

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Custom Domain

Auto HTTPS via Let's Encrypt

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1. Point DNS

Type	Name	Value
A	`311.yourtown.gov`	Your server IP

2. Update .env

DOMAIN=311.yourtown.gov

3. Restart Caddy

docker compose restart caddy

Caddy auto-provisions SSL and redirects HTTP → HTTPS.

Go-Live Checklist & Maintenance

Launch verification, backups, updates

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Pre-Launch Checklist

✓	Item
☐	Secure DB_PASSWORD and SECRET_KEY (not defaults)
☐	Auth0 configured, bootstrap disabled
☐	Google Maps key working
☐	Municipality boundary uploaded
☐	At least one service category
☐	At least one department with staff
☐	SMTP email configured and tested
☐	Branding set (logo, name, colors)
☐	Legal documents reviewed
☐	Custom domain with HTTPS
☐	Full lifecycle test: submit → staff → resolve → email

Automatic Updates (Optional)

# Enable docker compose up -d watchtower # Disable docker compose stop watchtower # Status docker compose ps watchtower

💡

Works perfectly without Watchtower. Use for hands-off updates, or disable for manual control.

Database Backups

Automated (recommended): Configure S3-compatible storage in Admin Console → Setup & Integration → Database Backups:

Field	Description
`S3 Bucket`	Your bucket name (AWS S3, Oracle Object Storage, MinIO, etc.)
`Access Key`	IAM access key with s3:PutObject, s3:GetObject permissions
`Secret Key`	Corresponding secret key
`Encryption Key`	Passphrase for AES-256 backup encryption — store this securely
`Endpoint`	Optional: Custom endpoint for Oracle/MinIO (leave blank for AWS)

⚠️

Privacy note: Backups contain a full database snapshot including resident PII. Without the encryption key, backups are unreadable. Keep this key in a separate, secure location.

Manual: Take a one-off backup any time:

docker compose exec db pg_dump -U township township_db > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

Manual Updates

# Download the new release VERSION=v1.1.6 # Replace with latest version curl -L "https://github.com/Pinpoint-311/Pinpoint-311/archive/refs/tags/${VERSION}.tar.gz" | tar -xz # Copy your .env into the new version cp .env Pinpoint-311-${VERSION#v}/ cd Pinpoint-311-${VERSION#v} # Rebuild and restart docker compose up --build -d

Database Migrations

Migrations run automatically on startup. To run manually:

docker compose exec backend alembic upgrade head

View Logs

docker compose logs -f backend

Record Retention

State	Period
Texas	10 years
NJ, PA, WI	7 years
NY, MI, WA, CT	6 years
CA, FL, most	5 years (default)
GA, MA	3 years

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You're all set,let's get you deployed.