What an MDT adds to a FiveM server
An MDT is the records interface used during roleplay; a dispatch system routes incidents to responders. Decide which workflow you need before selecting a package. A department may need report writing, case review and vehicle lookup as well as incoming incident notifications.
Evaluate a candidate against your actual server stack: framework, character identity, job definitions, inventory or vehicle integrations and record storage. A screenshot demonstrates an interface, not whether those connections work on your server. This guide concerns FiveM workflows and does not establish GTA VI compatibility.
The PS MDT revision used for this guide
We reviewed Project Sloth commit 0be47ae0b76c9af8e0bf5dc9c4dc369b1587e476 on November 7, 2026. Its README identifies PS MDT v3 and describes QBCore and QBX support through ps_lib. Its README lists ps_lib, oxmysql, ox_lib and screenshot-basic as dependencies, with ps-dispatch and ps-multijob as recommended optional integrations. The screenshot-basic guide explains that capture resource and its upload distinctions.
The README warns against assuming backward compatibility with ps-mdtv1. It documents database setup, configuration in config.lua and a frontend build when web/dist is absent. Review those instructions against your installed version before planning a change. This article has not executed a migration or tested a live server.
Preserve a recoverable copy of your existing configuration and data, then rehearse the intended update in a separate staging environment. Record which version created the existing records. A successful fresh installation does not prove that historical records survive an upgrade.
Check access before investigating missing data
The reviewed configuration covers job names or types and duty restrictions. Separate the right to open the interface from permission to perform a specific operation. Use test characters with different intended responsibilities, rather than testing everything with one administrator.
The matrix below is a proposed acceptance plan. Set its expected outcomes from your department policy and actual resource configuration. Do not infer that the package enforces these exact outcomes by default.
| Scenario | Expected result to define | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian opens the MDT | Allowed or denied according to policy | Character role and observed response |
| Ordinary officer reads a case | Which department records are visible | Case identifier and role |
| Supervisor changes a record | Which edit actions are permitted | Before and after state |
| Off-duty character reconnects | Whether duty restrictions apply | Duty state and access result |
| Different department searches | Which records may be shared | Expected and actual visibility |
| Server restarts after saving | Which records remain available | Saved identifier and restart result |
Treat uploads and audit forwarding as separate integrations
The README describes optional FiveManage keys for images and log forwarding. Missing image credentials prevent uploads; without log forwarding credentials, the documented audit trail remains local. An image failure therefore needs a different diagnosis from a missing saved report.
When testing uploads, use a non-sensitive sample and record whether the failure happens at capture, transfer or display. Keep credentials out of screenshots and public support reports. For audit verification, compare the local record with the intended external destination; observing one does not prove the other received it.
Diagnose a blank interface or missing record systematically
For a blank interface, record the first relevant loading error and inspect the expected frontend output for your revision. Compare an unmodified staging build with the customized interface. Avoid changing job permissions to repair a missing JavaScript asset.
For a missing record, reproduce with one test character and a unique test identifier. Establish whether saving returned an error, whether the record can be retrieved immediately and whether it survives reconnect and restart. Record the first point where behavior differs from the expected workflow.
For an integration issue, test the originating resource and the MDT separately. A dispatch call can arrive while a case link fails, and a vehicle lookup can fail while reports still save. The smallest reproducible failure makes a support report more useful than a general claim that the MDT is broken.
Connect the MDT to a complete police workflow
Plan one staged incident from beginning to end: report the incident, route it through dispatch, assign a responder, record the case and retrieve it after reconnecting. Test voice communication separately with a second player. Keep the resource revision and expected result beside each step.
Our PS Dispatch guide covers alert delivery checks; the police-script guide covers the surrounding job workflow. These proposed checks help define readiness, but this guide does not claim measured server capacity, migration success or runtime compatibility for your installation.
Questions, answered.
What does MDT mean in FiveM?
Mobile data terminal: an in-game interface used for roleplay records and department workflows.
Is an MDT the same as dispatch?
No. Record management and incident routing are distinct workflows, even when a resource integrates both.
Can I upgrade an old PS MDT installation without checking migrations?
Do not assume so. The reviewed v3 README warns that it is not backward compatible with ps-mdtv1. Rehearse changes against your actual data and revision.
Sources & editorial notes
Source review: November 7, 2026. Platform announcements can change. This guide separates published facts from Magnate’s original analysis and preparation advice.
- Project Sloth — PS MDT pinned README Version-specific setup and permissions; reviewed November 7, 2026, without running a server or migration.
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