Quick answer: Commission against agreed requirements: verify every required view in the final recording by day and night, then check the complete recorder, power/network, time, access and export workflow. Log results, evidence and open items in the report. Transfer owner control through the agreed secure process and retain only authorized service access. A signature, live view or a one-day storage sample alone does not prove every requirement is met.
On this page
What gets checked before the truck leaves the shop?
Confirm the agreed design, parts, access and responsibilities before dispatch. The pre-install record should distinguish an approved result from an estimate or unresolved question, so the site team knows what can proceed and what needs a decision.
| Item | What “done” means | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Site survey on file | Camera positions, cable routes, NVR location, photos | Site survey form |
| Camera schedule | One line per camera: ID, SKU, lens, mount, box, cable length, purpose | Bill of materials |
| PoE budget | Exact supply variant, per-port/class limits, peak device demand, losses and total budget with agreed headroom | PoE budget calculator |
| Incoming bandwidth | Required streams/formats and complete input/output/decoding workload; CS-N220 P16H-AI lists 160 Mbps input, 120 Mbps with AI on | Bandwidth calculator |
| Storage | Supported drives, usable capacity and rate/policy assumptions; up to 10 TB per HDD on CS-N220 P16H-AI is a capacity row, not retention proof | Storage calculator |
| Network answers | Static or DHCP, VLAN, internet for remote viewing, who owns the firewall | Customer IT contact |
| Bench test | Exact versions and approved changes; protected storage, tested mapping, recording and temporary-access controls | Bench test routine |
| Parts kit | Boxes, mounts, anchors, glands, sealant, labels, spare cable, test gear | Order checklist |
| Compliance pack | Required evidence tied to exact clauses/SKUs/revisions; unresolved lines and approvals identified | Anabon |
Where procurement documentation is required, obtain the exact clauses and request evidence for the offered SKUs/revisions before commitment. Record what is available and what remains qualified or pending. A brand statement or distributor review does not replace the buyer’s approval or guarantee acceptance. Use the compliance documentation index to organize the requested evidence and open qualifications.
What does the install-day checklist cover?
Install day is about physical quality. Everything on this list is quicker to fix while the lift is on site.
- Install supports, connectors, glands, boxes and cable routes to their approved details. Do not improvise an open bottom or assume one sealant/box fits every camera.
- Verify labels against stable IDs, physical ports, logical channels and the actual register.
- Perform the specified cable tests, including relevant length, wiring, data and far-end power/load checks; a steady LED alone is insufficient.
- Set final aim and keep representative recorded target evidence, not only a live-view screenshot.
- Verify the approved recorder/cabinet environment, physical security, drive installation, supply and continuity design.
- Complete required protection, bonding and rated-penetration work through the responsible qualified roles and retain inspection references.
- Record permitted as-built evidence and restore/clean the site; keep unresolved acceptance items visible.
What does commissioning test, channel by channel?
Use the agreed test plan for each required task and the complete system. Compare recorded moving targets under representative day/night conditions, then playback/export and the operator response where relevant. Mark a result as pending if the necessary conditions or approvals are unavailable; do not close it merely because the site team must leave. The height and angle planning guide helps define the view-specific recorded-target checks.
Per-channel test record
| Camera ID/location | Exact SKU/revision | Port/channel/IP reference | Day recorded task and evidence | Night recorded task and evidence | Supported events/audio if approved | Result, limits and open items |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter stable ID and position | From the actual supplied label/document | Verified mapping; restricted network record reference | Test date, moving target, recorded clip and pass/pending/fail | Actual lighting/movement, clip and pass/pending/fail | Actual trigger/output/notification and approved controls | Responsible person and action/date |
System-level checks
- Time: verify the approved source, synchronization, time zone/DST and consistent recorded/exported timestamps across devices; record the actual result.
- Access: replace defaults, verify approved owner/operator/service roles and recovery arrangements, and revoke temporary access or bindings. Keep credentials out of the report.
- Retention: record usable storage, policy and representative-rate estimate separately from observed oldest available footage. A twenty-four-hour sample cannot measure a longer retention period; schedule verification over an appropriate operating interval without erasing protected footage.
- Storage: verify supported drives, recognized capacity, health indications, schedule and approved overwrite/hold behavior. A normal health flag does not guarantee future recording.
- Workload: test actual stream formats, channels, input/output, decoding, network and peak power demands against the model’s applicable limits.
- Events and I/O: test required supported triggers, outputs, notifications and operator response end to end. Use exact interface ratings/wiring instructions; an I/O count does not approve a load connection.
- Versions: record actual hardware/firmware/client versions and approved changes/recovery information.
- Remote path: test the supported approved access method from the real outside network, including required live/playback functions and correct account permissions.
- Export: use an authorized test clip, verify timestamps and play it in the intended supported recipient environment/player. Record format, player needs and evidence reference; a USB file alone is not an export pass.
What does the handover pack contain?
Agree the document set, recipients, secure transfer and walkthrough scope before handover. Check that the customer can perform the authorized tasks and understands the support and open-item process. No fixed thirty-minute session or signature establishes technical acceptance by itself.
- Provide the current commissioning record with actual results, evidence, agreed acceptance and outstanding actions.
- Include the as-built register/drawing, complete equipment identities, verified mappings and permitted photos/recorded tests in a controlled document set.
- Agree owner administration, operator and service permissions in the contract/workflow; verify secure owner transfer and revoke unauthorized temporary access. Do not retain sole administrator control by default.
- Demonstrate only the required functions supported by the exact CASE Connect/client, device and software versions. Confirm ownership/binding and actual remote access separately.
- Include written warranty/claim terms for the supplied items and any exclusions, rather than a blanket category promise.
- Record approved retention/hold/export rules, estimate versus observation, review dates and site-specific privacy responsibilities.
- Give the actual support contact, hours, agreed maintenance scope and escalation/open-item process.
The customer-facing walkthrough script is in CASE Connect: setting up remote viewing for your customer; give the customer’s IT contact a one-page security summary as well.
Commissioning report template (copy into your job folder)
Copy the project summary below together with the per-channel record above into a spreadsheet or your proposal software. Keep the agreed field names and identifiers consistent and update both records at each service visit.
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Project / site name and address | |
| Customer contact and IT contact | |
| Installer, technician(s), dates of work | |
| Recorder SKU, serial, firmware version | e.g. CS-N220 P16H-AI |
| Switch SKU(s), PoE budget used / available | e.g. CS-POE33024PF, 400W / 600W version as supplied |
| Number of channels commissioned / channel capacity | e.g. 14 / 20 |
| Supported drives, usable capacity, retention estimate and observed footage | Assumptions, observation period/date, approved policy and follow-up verification |
| Recording mode and schedule | Continuous / event / mixed |
| Time source, time zone, DST | |
| Remote access method and app | Actual approved method, exact supported client/version, ownership and outside-network test results |
| Accounts created (role, not password) | Agreed owner/operator/service control, permissions and temporary-access revocation; no credentials |
| Analytics enabled per channel | Per channel; confirmed per model and firmware |
| Authorized export test and evidence | Date, format, timestamps, intended playback environment/player and result |
| Open items and agreed completion date | |
| Written warranty/claim terms for the actual supplied equipment | SKU/revision-specific terms, exclusions and support/RMA reference |
| Customer signature / installer signature / date |
Attach the per-channel table, the as-built drawing and the photo set. Leave passwords out of every copy. Use the labeling and documentation standard to connect those records through stable identifiers.
How do you keep the checklist alive after handover?
Use the commissioning record as the maintained baseline. Set review dates from actual risk, required retention, installed instructions and the maintenance agreement rather than mandatory seven/thirty/ninety-day intervals. At each review, log changes and repeat affected tests, including access, supported client behavior, storage and required views. Reassess spare channel, power and bandwidth capacity before an expansion.
What to tell your customer
We will record the agreed day/night recording, system and access tests and identify anything still pending. You will receive the controlled equipment/evidence record and the agreed owner access through a secure handover. Any retained service access will be authorized and revocable. We will distinguish a storage estimate from observed retention and agree the follow-up needed to confirm it.
FAQ
What should a security camera commissioning report include?
Include exact equipment/revisions/versions, verified port/channel mappings, required recorded day/night task results, system workload/time/access tests, approved retention policy with estimate and observations, supported remote/client functions, export evidence, warranty references and open actions. Record the agreed acceptance and responsible parties. Keep passwords and recovery secrets out of every ordinary report copy.
How long does commissioning take for a 16-camera system?
Estimate from required views, events/integrations, site access and representative day/night conditions. Include the walkthrough and any follow-up needed for retention or unresolved tests. There is no universal half-day allowance, and twenty-four hours of recording cannot prove a longer retention period. Keep pending work and acceptance conditions explicit. Use the site survey checklist to identify access and test conditions before allowing time.
Should the customer get the administrator password?
Agree administration ownership and service permissions with the customer in the contract/workflow. Verify appropriate owner control, recovery and least-privilege operator/service access; do not keep sole administrator access merely to make the owner dependent on support. Transfer credentials separately through the approved secure channel and retain only authorized, protected and revocable service access.
Which app do I set up for the customer at handover?
Use CASE Connect where the exact device/software supports the required approved workflow, and verify each promised live, playback, notification and account function. Do not infer feature parity across clients or availability of an unverified platform. Test actual customer ownership, permissions and outside-network access before recording a pass.
What warranty wording goes into the handover documents?
Confirm the term, exclusions and claim process for the exact model and revision in writing. For hard drives, use the applicable drive-manufacturer terms. Include the applicable dated terms and claim/support route in the controlled handover set. Category badges alone do not decide start dates, exclusions, replacement, freight or a particular RMA outcome; confirm unresolved terms before making a customer commitment. Use the business-account RMA process guide to identify the authorized support route.
References
- Anabon: exact-model manuals, firmware and installation documents
- Anabon: protected bench testing and secure customer handover
