Utility Buttons
App Configuration / Utility Buttons — Production view
Utility Buttons are the quick-action tiles displayed on the home screen of the HqO tenant app. Use this page to create, configure, reorder, and manage the buttons that give tenants fast access to the features and services most relevant to your building.
Overview
Navigate to HqO Admin > App Configuration > Utility Buttons to manage the buttons shown on your property's app home screen.
The page displays all configured utility buttons in a sortable table. Buttons appear to tenants in the same order shown here, left-to-right on the home screen grid.
⚠️ Note: Utility Buttons are scoped to the currently selected building. Use the building selector in the top bar to switch between properties.
Utility Buttons table
Each row in the table represents one button:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Order | Display order of the button on the home screen. Use the ▾ selector to change position. |
| Title | The label shown to tenants on the home screen button. |
| Icon | Icon image displayed on the button (mobile app). |
| Web image | Image displayed when the button appears in the web app. |
| Type | Internal (loads a native HqO module) or External (opens a URL). |
| Module | For Internal buttons — the HqO module to load (e.g., Access, Standard). |
| External URL | For External buttons — the URL opened when the tenant taps the button. Supports token substitution (e.g., {token}). |
| Permission(s) | Access restriction — None (all users), Single (one specific permission), or role/tenant-based restrictions. |
| Status | Live (visible to tenants) or other states. Use the ▾ selector to change. |
The table footer shows the total item count (e.g., "Showing 11 items").
Core workflows
Creating a utility button
- Click Create utility button in the top right.
- Enter a Title — this is the label tenants will see.
- Select the Type: Internal or External.
- For Internal: select the Module from the available options.
- For External: enter the External URL the button should open.
- Optionally upload an Icon (mobile) and Web image (web app).
- Set Permission(s) to control who can see the button, or leave as None for all users.
- Set the Status to Live to make the button visible.
- Save the button.
Reordering buttons
- Locate the button you want to move in the table.
- Click the ▾ dropdown in the Order column.
- Select the new position.
- The home screen grid updates immediately.
Editing a utility button
- Click the button's Title in the table to open the edit page.
- Update any fields as needed.
- Save your changes.
Deleting a utility button
- Locate the button in the table.
- Click Delete at the end of the row.
- Confirm the deletion. The button is removed from the home screen immediately.
Changing a button's status
- Locate the button in the table.
- Click the ▾ dropdown in the Status column.
- Select Live to make it visible, or another state to hide it from tenants.
Settings
Button types
| Type | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Internal | Opens a native HqO module directly in the app (e.g., Access control, Amenity listing). |
| External | Opens a URL in a web view within the app context. Supports dynamic token injection via {token} in the URL. |
Permissions
| Permission | Who sees the button |
|---|---|
| None | All users at this building. |
| Single | Users with a specific permission assigned. |
| Role/tenant-based | Restricted to specific tenant organizations or user roles. |
Token substitution in External URLs
For External buttons that require authentication, use {token} in the URL. HqO replaces {token} with the user's session token at the time of tap, enabling seamless SSO with supported third-party services.
Example:
https://example.com/launch?accessToken={token}&buildingUuid=<uuid>
FAQ
How many utility buttons can I have? There is no hard limit. However, the home screen grid is optimized for up to 8–10 buttons — beyond that, users must scroll to see additional buttons.
What is the difference between Utility Buttons and Features? Features (under the Features tab) define the full configuration of an HqO capability including audience rules. Utility Buttons define the home screen shortcuts that launch those features — a button can link to a feature, an external URL, or a native module.
Can one External URL serve multiple buildings?
Yes. Configure the URL with building-specific query parameters (e.g., buildingUuid) to handle routing on the destination side.
What happens when a button's status is not "Live"? Non-live buttons are hidden from the tenant home screen but remain in the admin table for future activation.
Need help?
Contact your HqO account team or email appsupport@hqo.co.