SeeClickFix Automation: API Alternative for Community Reporting, City Maintenance Sync, and Department Routing

Introduction

SeeClickFix is a community reporting and 311-style platform used by local governments and municipalities to collect resident reports of infrastructure issues—potholes, streetlights, graffiti, code violations, and more—and manage response and resolution. While SeeClickFix provides web-based dashboards and admin tools, the platform has limited or restricted API access for many government users. Browser automation provides a reliable solution to automate community reporting of infrastructure issues, sync resident feedback with city maintenance and work order systems, and route issues to departments automatically through the SeeClickFix web interface, enabling streamlined citizen services and operational efficiency.

Why Use Browser Automation for SeeClickFix?

• Limited API Access: SeeClickFix has restricted or no API access for many government users and jurisdictions
• Community Reporting: Automate ingestion, triage, and creation of issues from community reports and external sources
• Resident Feedback Sync: Sync resident feedback and issue status with city maintenance, CMMS, or work order systems
• Department Routing: Automate routing of issues to the correct department (public works, parks, code enforcement, etc.) based on category or rules
• Infrastructure Issues: Track potholes, streetlights, signage, sidewalks, and other infrastructure from report to resolution
• Work Order Integration: Export or push SeeClickFix issues into city maintenance and dispatch systems
• Status Updates: Keep residents and internal systems in sync with status changes and resolution
• Dashboard-Only Features: Many admin and reporting views are only available through the web interface

Setting Up SeeClickFix Automation

Here's how to automate SeeClickFix workflows using browser automation:

import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const response = await fetch("https://api.anchorbrowser.io/api/sessions", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "anchor-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    'headless': false,
    'proxy': { 'type': 'residential', 'country': 'US' }
  }),
});

const { id } = await response.json();
const connectionString = `wss://connect.anchorbrowser.io?apiKey=YOUR_API_KEY&sessionId=${id}`;

const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(connectionString);
const context = browser.contexts()[0];
const ai = context.serviceWorkers()[0];
const page = context.pages()[0];

await page.goto("https://seeclickfix.com/");

await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
  prompt: 'Log in to SeeClickFix (admin or jurisdiction dashboard) using the provided credentials. Complete any security verification and wait for the dashboard to load.'
}));

Automating Community Reporting of Infrastructure Issues

Automate creation and triage of issues from community reports or external feeds:

const automateCommunityReporting = async (page, ai, report) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Admin dashboard, Issues, or Create Issue section in SeeClickFix'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Click Create New Issue or Add Report'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Create an issue with: Title/Summary: ${report.title}, Description: ${report.description}, Category: ${report.category}, Location/Address: ${report.location}, Lat/Lng if provided: ${report.lat || ''}, ${report.lng || ''}. Attach or link any photo URL if provided. Submit the report.`
  }));
  
  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
  
  const issueId = await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Read the new issue ID or confirmation number from the screen and return it'
  })).catch(() => null);
  
  return { issueId };
};

const batchCreateInfrastructureIssues = async (page, ai, reports) => {
  const created = [];
  for (const report of reports) {
    const result = await automateCommunityReporting(page, ai, report);
    created.push({ report, issueId: result.issueId });
    await page.waitForTimeout(1000);
  }
  return created;
};

Syncing Resident Feedback with City Maintenance

Export SeeClickFix issues and sync with city maintenance, CMMS, or work order systems:

const syncResidentFeedbackWithMaintenance = async (page, ai, filters) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Issues list, Reports, or Export section in SeeClickFix admin'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Filter issues: status ${filters.status || 'open'}, category ${filters.category || 'all'}, date range ${filters.startDate || 'start'} to ${filters.endDate || 'end'}. Include resident comments and status history if visible.`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Export the list of issues including: issue ID, title, description, category, location, address, lat/lng, status, created date, updated date, and any assigned department or assignee. Export as CSV or Excel if available.'
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  const exportPath = await download.path();
  
  const issues = await parseCSV(exportPath);
  for (const issue of issues) {
    await createOrUpdateWorkOrderInMaintenance(issue);
    await page.waitForTimeout(300);
  }
  return { exportPath, count: issues.length };
};

Exporting Issues for City Maintenance

Export open or acknowledged issues in a format ready for maintenance systems:

const exportIssuesForMaintenance = async (page, ai, category, dateRange) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Issues or Reports section in SeeClickFix'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Filter by category ${category || 'all'} and created/updated date from ${dateRange.start} to ${dateRange.end}. Include open, acknowledged, and in progress issues.`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Export issue data including: issue ID, title, description, category, address, latitude, longitude, status, created date, reporter (if allowed), and comments count. Export as CSV or Excel.'
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Routing Issues to Departments Automatically

Automate routing of issues to the correct department based on category or rules:

const routeIssuesToDepartments = async (page, ai, routingRules) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Issues list or Queue in SeeClickFix admin'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Filter to show unassigned or unrouted issues (e.g., status New or Open, no department assigned)'
  }));
  
  const issueList = await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Extract the list of issues on this page: issue ID, category, title, and current assignee/department. Return as structured data.'
  })).catch(() => null);
  
  const issues = issueList ? JSON.parse(issueList) : [];
  for (const issue of issues) {
    const department = getDepartmentForCategory(issue.category, routingRules);
    await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
      prompt: `Open issue ${issue.id} and assign or route it to department: ${department}. Save. Return to list.`
    }));
    await page.waitForTimeout(500);
  }
  return { routed: issues.length };
};

function getDepartmentForCategory(category, rules) {
  return rules[category] || rules.default || 'Public Works';
}

Assigning Issues by Category

Assign or reassign issues to departments based on category:

const assignIssueToDepartment = async (page, ai, issueId, department) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Search for or open issue ${issueId} in SeeClickFix`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Assign or route this issue to department: ${department}. Update status if required (e.g., Acknowledged or In Progress). Save changes.`
  }));
  
  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
  return true;
};

Updating Issue Status from Maintenance

Update SeeClickFix issue status when work is completed in your maintenance system:

const updateIssueStatus = async (page, ai, issueId, status, notes) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Open issue ${issueId} in SeeClickFix`
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Update status to ${status}. Add a comment or note: ${notes || 'Updated by maintenance sync'}. Save.`
  }));
  
  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
  return true;
};

Syncing with External Systems

Export issues and feedback for GIS, asset management, or reporting:

const syncToExternalSystem = async (page, ai, dataType) => {
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: 'Navigate to the Export or Reports section in SeeClickFix'
  }));
  
  await ai.evaluate(JSON.stringify({
    prompt: `Export ${dataType} (issues, reports, or feedback summary) in the format required for our maintenance, GIS, or reporting system. Include location, category, status, and dates.`
  }));
  
  const download = await page.waitForEvent('download');
  return await download.path();
};

Best Practices

• Security: Use secure credential storage and support MFA where required for SeeClickFix admin access
• Rate Limiting: Add delays between requests (5–10 seconds) to avoid triggering rate limits or blocks
• Data Validation: Verify exported issue data before syncing with city maintenance or work order systems
• Error Handling: Implement retry logic for transient failures and session timeouts
• Resident Privacy: Handle reporter and comment data according to privacy and retention policies
• Routing Rules: Maintain a clear mapping of categories to departments and update when categories change
• Duplicate Prevention: Track which issues have already been sent to maintenance to avoid duplicate work orders
• Audit Trail: Log automation actions for accountability and citizen transparency
• Session Management: Handle session timeouts and re-authentication for scheduled sync jobs

Resources

• Anchor Browser Documentation - Complete API reference and guides
• Anchor Browser Playground - Try browser automation in your browser

Conclusion

Browser automation provides a flexible and reliable alternative to API access for SeeClickFix community reporting and city operations. By leveraging intelligent browser agents, you can automate community reporting of infrastructure issues, sync resident feedback with city maintenance systems, and route issues to departments automatically—workflows that aren't easily achievable through manual processes or limited API access. Whether you need to ingest reports, push issues to work orders, or keep departments and residents in sync, browser automation enables efficient citizen services for governments using SeeClickFix.

Start automating your SeeClickFix workflows today and streamline your community reporting and city maintenance operations!