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EnviroAutomate Administrator Guide

Comprehensive guide for Tenant Admins covering Scientific Settings, System Settings, and Investigation Levels

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Written by James Pepplinkhouse

EnviroAutomate Administrator Guide

This guide covers administrative user features and functions.

Table of Contents

  1. Overview

  2. Administrator Capabilities

  3. Scientific Settings Management

  4. Investigation Levels (Core Function)

  5. System Settings Management

  6. Best Practices

  7. Getting Help

Overview

This guide covers the administrative features available to EnviroAutomate Administrators. Administrators have full access to every feature within their organisation, including overrides for shared scientific settings, creation of organisation-specific (tenant) scientific settings, and management of Tenant Offices, Users, and User Invitations.

Administrator Capabilities

What Administrators Can Access

  • Everything a Standard User can access (Dashboards, Action Items, Schedules, Sites, Projects, Fieldwork Tasks, Client Reports, Documents, Clients, Client Offices)

  • Scientific Settings (full read and override access on shared records, ability to create organisation-specific records)

  • System Settings (Tenant Offices, Users, User Invitations)

  • Client Report Config (templates and report-output settings)

Key Admin Responsibilities

  • Managing Investigation Levels and overrides

  • Creating and maintaining Analyte Suites

  • Configuring Receptors and Receptor Groups

  • Setting up and maintaining tenant Guidelines

  • Managing users, invitations, and role assignments

  • Data quality and consistency

Scientific Settings

Analyte Groups

Analyte Groups are categories that organise related chemical compounds.

Creating an Analyte Group:

  1. Navigate to Analyte Groups under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS in the sidebar.

  2. Click Create Analyte Group.

  3. Fill in the fields:

    • Name - clear, descriptive name (for example "METALS", "BTEX").

    • Abbreviation - short code (for example "METALS", "BTEX").

    • Description - detailed explanation (this may appear in report outputs).

    • Sort Order - numeric value that controls display order.

  4. Click Save.

Tips:

  • Use consistent naming across all groups.

  • Choose abbreviations that match industry practice.

  • Organise groups by chemical family or testing method.

  • Document the purpose of each group in the Description.

  • Review the list periodically for regulatory changes.

Analyte Suites

Analyte Suites are pre-defined collections of analytes or analyte groups that are tested together. They are used in report outputs to refer to a collection of analytes by a single label.

Creating an Analyte Suite:

  1. Click Analyte Suites under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Click Create Analyte Suite.

  3. Enter the suite details:

    • Name - descriptive name (for example "EPA 1828.3 Screen", "TRH/TPH/BTEXN", "TRH/TPH/MAH/Heavy Metals").

    • Description - what is included.

    • Analyte Selection - choose which analytes to include.

  4. Configure any analyte-specific settings.

  5. Click Save.

Common analyte suite types:

  • BTEX - Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes.

  • Metals - Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Nickel, Zinc.

  • Pesticides - organophosphates and other pesticides.

  • VOCs - various solvents and chemicals.

  • PAH - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Guidelines

Guidelines are regulatory standards and contamination limits set by government agencies. EnviroAutomate ships with a set of shared (global) guidelines. Administrators can override the Sort Order, Table Short Description and Table Reference Description on shared guidelines, and can create organisation-specific (tenant) guidelines.

Creating a tenant guideline:

  1. Click Guidelines under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Click Create Guideline.

  3. Enter the guideline information:

    • Name - regulatory source.

    • Jurisdiction - geographic area.

    • Type - classification (Soil, Water, Air, and so on).

    • Reference - document or regulation reference.

    • Publication Date - when the guideline was issued.

  4. Click Save.

Overriding a shared guideline:

  1. Click Guidelines under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Open the shared guideline you want to override.

  3. Click Override next to the field you want to customise:

    • Sort Order - changes the order the guideline (and its attached investigation levels) appears in report and table outputs.

    • Table Short Description - the short reference (for example "ANZG 2018", "ADWG 2025", "ANZECC 2000") used by your organisation.

    • Table Reference Description - the reference text that appears in the Word document References section and in the notes of the Excel results tables.

  4. Enter the override value and click Save.

  5. Click Close or press Esc to exit.

Receptors and Receptor Groups

Creating a Receptor Group:

  1. Navigate to Receptor Groups under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Click Create Receptor Group.

  3. Enter the group information:

    • Name - clear category name (for example "Water Dependent Ecosystems", "Sensitive Populations").

    • Matrix - select the matrix the receptor group applies to.

    • Sort Order - controls display order.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Once saved, you can add Subgroups. Subgroups are optional but useful when you want to split a group further (for example "Sand 2m to less than 4m", "Sand 4m to less than 8m").

Creating a Receptor:

  1. Click Receptors under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Click Create Receptor.

  3. Configure the receptor:

    • Name - specific receptor name (for example "Children (0-7 years)").

    • Description - exposure pathway or population details.

    • Matrix - applicable matrix (soil, fresh water, and so on).

    • Group - select the Receptor Group. This is greyed out until the matrix is selected.

    • Subgroup - if subgroups exist for the chosen group, a dropdown appears.

    • Report Colour - the colour used in report and table outputs (for example for exceedances).

    • Sort Order - controls display order.

  4. Click Save.

Common receptor types:

  • Population-based: Children (0-7, 7-12, 12-18), Adults, Elderly.

  • Environmental: aquatic organisms, terrestrial organisms, plants.

  • Pathway-based: groundwater users, soil contact workers, air inhalation.

  • Occupational: workers, site visitors, emergency responders.

Overriding a shared receptor:

  1. Click Receptors under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Open the shared receptor you want to customise.

  3. Click Override next to the field you want to change:

    • Name - rename to match your organisation's preference.

    • Description - update wording for your organisation.

    • Report Colour - change the display colour used in report outputs.

    • Sort Order - change the display order.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Click Close or press Esc to exit.

Investigation Levels: The Core Admin Function

Investigation Levels are the most critical reference data in EnviroAutomate. They define the contamination thresholds that trigger specific actions or responses. An investigation level links a matrix, concentration type, analyte, receptor, and guideline. Those reference records must exist before you can create an investigation level.

Understanding Investigation Levels

An Investigation Level represents a contamination concentration for a particular analyte, associated with a specific guideline, receptor, and receptor group.

Key components:

  1. Guideline - the regulatory standard.

  2. Analyte - the specific compound being tested.

  3. Receptor - the exposure pathway or population.

  4. Receptor Group - category of receptor.

  5. Concentration Type - how the value is expressed and the method of analysis.

  6. Matrix - what the testing is occurring in.

  7. Value - the concentration threshold.

  8. Unit of Measure - how concentration is expressed.

  9. Value Type - Numeric, Threshold, Qualitative, Not Limiting, or Undefined.

  10. Reliability / Scope - confidence and applicability.

Creating an investigation level

  1. Navigate to Investigation Levels under SCIENTIFIC SETTINGS.

  2. Click Create Investigation Level.

  3. Choose Matrix (Soil, Groundwater, Fresh Water, and so on).

  4. Specify Concentration Type (Total, Dissolved, Leachable, and so on).

  5. Select the Analyte (required).

  6. Choose the Receptor.

  7. Select the Receptor Group.

  8. Select the Guideline (required).

  9. Enter the Value (required).

    • The primary investigation level goes in the Maximum Level field.

    • Use Minimum Level when a range is required (for example pH 4 to 6).

  10. Select the Unit of Measure (ug/L, mg/kg, and so on).

  11. Set the Value Type (Numeric is usually appropriate).

  12. Configure Reliability and Scope.

  13. Enter Comments to record how this investigation level was derived. This text is used in report outputs, so be precise (for example "Where there are no guideline values for irrigation and stock watering in ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000), guidelines have been adopted from the NHMRC 2011 (updated June 2025) Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for Health.").

  14. Click Save.

Example:

Guideline: Tasmanian Government Regulation Analyte: Benzene Receptor: Children via Groundwater Ingestion Receptor Group: Sensitive Populations Value: 1.3 Unit: ug/L Matrix: Fresh Water Concentration Type: Total Concentration Value Type: Numeric Reliability: High

Advanced investigation level configuration

Concentration Type options:

  • Total Concentration - all forms of a contaminant present in any matrix.

  • Dissolved Concentration - only the dissolved phase in water.

  • Leachable Concentration - dissolved concentration derived by a laboratory leaching procedure (soil matrix).

Value Type options:

  • Undefined - use when creating an investigation level where there is no criterion. Leave Maximum Level blank.

  • Numeric - use for numeric investigation levels in the Maximum Level field. Leave Qualitative Threshold blank.

  • Not Limiting - use when the investigation level is not limiting.

  • Qualitative - use for qualitative criteria (for example LNAPL presence / absent).

  • Threshold - use for a threshold value.

Matrix options:

  • Soil (residential, commercial, industrial)

  • Fresh Water (freshwater, creek, domestic, agricultural, industrial)

  • Saline Water (marine, estuarine)

  • Sediment

  • Soil Vapour (soil pore vapour)

  • Air (indoor air, outdoor air)

  • Biota (plant or animal sample)

  • Other (solid)

Reliability options:

  • High - based on extensive research, well-established.

  • Medium - based on reasonable scientific basis.

  • Low - limited data, conservative assumptions.

  • Unknown - insufficient information available.

Filtering investigation levels

Available filters include:

  • Guideline, Analyte, Analyte Group

  • Receptor, Concentration Type, Matrix

  • Unit of Measure, Value Type

  • Min Level / Max Level (numeric range)

  • Reliability, Scope

  • Created By, Updated By

Investigation level best practices

Creation and maintenance:

  • Base all levels on current, applicable regulations.

  • Include supporting documentation and references in Comments.

  • Document assumptions and methodologies.

  • Review periodically for regulatory changes.

  • Use consistent units throughout the system.

Quality assurance:

  • Verify all values against source documents.

  • Double-check analyte and receptor selections.

  • Ensure units are consistent.

  • Validate against lab capabilities.

System Settings

Users and User Management

Viewing users:

  1. Navigate to Users under SYSTEM SETTINGS.

  2. View every user in your organisation.

  3. See name, email, role, and status.

  4. Search and filter to find a specific user.

User roles:

  • Administrator - full access within your organisation.

  • Standard User - access to Workflow, Tasks, Clients, and Client Offices. Read-only access to Scientific Settings.

Managing users:

  • Create new users with the appropriate role.

  • Tick Invite by Email on the create form to send an email invitation. The invitation appears on the User Invitations list until accepted.

  • Update user information.

  • Change a user's role assignment.

  • Activate or deactivate users.

  • Reset user passwords.

User Invitations:

  • Navigate to User Invitations under SYSTEM SETTINGS to see invitations that have been sent but not yet accepted.

  • From this list you can re-send or revoke an invitation.

Best practices:

  • Assign the lowest role that lets the user do their job.

  • Review user access regularly (quarterly).

  • Deactivate unused accounts promptly.

  • Maintain current contact information.

  • Use strong password policies.

Best Practices for Administrators

  1. Validate data - verify investigation level values against source documents.

  2. Document changes - the audit log on every record shows who changed what.

  3. Communicate - notify users of meaningful system changes.

  4. Review regularly - audit scientific settings on a monthly cadence.

  5. Maintain access - check user access regularly.

  6. Stay compliant - keep guidelines current with regulations.

Getting Help

If you need additional help:

  • Use the popover-help icon (the small question-mark next to many form fields) for in-context tips.

  • Click the AI Assistant button in the top navigation (or press Ctrl+K) to ask a question, if it is enabled for your organisation.

  • Click the ? icon in the top right of the navigation bar to open the help chat.

  • Browse the support site at https://support.enviroautomate.com for articles, videos, and walkthroughs.

Related Articles
EnviroAutomate User Guide
Sites: Receptors Tab
Sites: Investigation Levels Tab
Creating an Investigation Level
Client Report: Report Settings Tab
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