Preparing a video audit: the checklist before installing or reusing cameras

Why it pays to prepare the audit

A video audit answers one simple question: with the cameras you already have, or the ones you would need to add, can you measure what matters to your business, and under what conditions? It is the step that comes before any serious feasibility study, whether you plan to reuse an existing system or install a new one.

A poorly prepared audit wastes time: repeat visits, missing network details, no access to the recorder, the right people unavailable. A few hours of preparation on your side, on the other hand, lets the auditor focus on what matters and hand you conclusions you can act on. This checklist covers what is worth gathering before the visit.

It applies just as well to a single site as to a network of stores or branches. In the latter case, it is often more efficient to prepare one representative site in detail, then flag the notable differences at the others.

1. Write down your business questions

The starting point is not the camera; it is the decision you want to make better. “Doing AI” is not a goal; “knowing when to open more checkouts” is. Before the audit, try to write two to five specific questions, such as:

• how many visitors come in per hour and per day, and how does that change from week to week?
• at what times does the queue exceed a level you consider acceptable?
• how full are the dining room, wash bays or loading docks at different times of day?
• how long does a service, wash or loading cycle take on average?
• is a restricted area or emergency exit regularly occupied or blocked?

2. Inventory your system: cameras, recorders, streams, network

This is the most technical part, and often the least complete. There is no need to be exhaustive from day one: a simple spreadsheet, even a partial one, saves a lot of time. Gather what you can on the following:

• cameras: how many, make and model if possible, type (IP or analogue, dome, bullet, PTZ), approximate location;
• recorders: NVR or DVR, model, number of channels, storage capacity, configured retention period;
• stream access: admin credentials available (shared securely, never in a plain-text message), RTSP or ONVIF support if you know it;
• network: PoE switches, racks, whether the video network is separate from the office network, internet bandwidth, especially upload;
• power supply and space for a possible edge AI unit (comms room, rack, UPS);
• your technical contact: the installer, your IT provider or the in-house person who knows the setup.

3. Site plans, snapshots and constraints for each area

For each business question, identify the physical area involved: entrance, counter, dining room, wash bay, dock, aisle. A site plan, even a hand-drawn sketch, showing the cameras and the areas to be measured is extremely useful. Add a snapshot from each relevant camera, ideally taken at different times of day.

These snapshots often settle things quickly: does the camera see the whole area, are people or vehicles large enough in the frame, are there obstructions (shelving, pillars, parked vehicles), backlighting or reflections on a shopfront? Also note environmental constraints: night-time lighting, steam and spray at a car wash, dust in a warehouse, ceiling height, direct sunlight outdoors.

Finally, flag known swings in activity: peak days, seasonality, opening hours. They will determine how long any pilot needs to run.

4. Compliance points to prepare

Adding an analytics purpose to a CCTV system has implications under Morocco’s Law No. 09-08 on personal data protection. Your business remains the data controller: it is up to you to define the purposes and complete the formalities with the CNDP. Before the audit, it helps to dig out:

• the formalities already completed for the current system and the purposes declared;
• the signage in place and the information notice displayed;
• the footage retention period and the list of people who have access to recordings;
• areas that are excluded or should be masked (public road, workstations, private spaces);
• how employees and, where relevant, their representatives have been informed.

5. How an audit runs and what you should receive

An audit usually begins with a conversation about your goals, followed by a site visit or a remote review of streams and snapshots. The auditor checks stream access, looks at how cameras are actually framed, assesses lighting and the network, and identifies where analytics is realistic and where it is not.

At the end, you should receive a clear document, not just a quote. Deliverables to expect:

• for each business question, a reasoned answer: feasible with the current setup, feasible with adjustments (reframing, an extra camera) or not recommended;
• the list of usable cameras and any additional hardware, with the reasons behind it;
• the proposed architecture: on-site processing (edge AI), central consolidation, network requirements;
• the indicators envisaged, separating video-derived figures from those that would need an integration (POS, ERP, WMS);
• data protection points of attention and known limitations;
• a pilot proposal: scope, duration, validation method and decision criteria.

After the audit: deciding on solid ground

A good audit may also conclude that a project is not worthwhile, or that it is better to start with a single area. That is good news: better to know before you invest. When the project is judged feasible, the next step is a limited pilot whose reliability is checked against manual counts on samples.

If you are preparing a project, our Hardware and Custom Solutions pages describe the equipment and approaches we consider. And if your checklist is ready, even partly, you can request an audit through our Contact page: we will tell you what is still missing.