diff --git a/assets/js/ticket.js b/assets/js/ticket.js
index b6d6e58..2e36fc0 100644
--- a/assets/js/ticket.js
+++ b/assets/js/ticket.js
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ function toggleEditMode() {
         metadataFields.forEach(field => {
             field.classList.remove('lt-display-field');
         });
+
+        // Show edit-mode selects for category/type, hide their read-mode tags
+        document.querySelectorAll('.read-mode-tag').forEach(el => { el.style.display = 'none'; });
+        document.querySelectorAll('.edit-mode-field').forEach(el => { el.style.display = ''; });
     } else {
         saveTicket();
         editButton.textContent = 'Edit Ticket';
@@ -159,6 +163,22 @@ function toggleEditMode() {
         metadataFields.forEach(field => {
             field.classList.add('lt-display-field');
         });
+
+        // Hide edit-mode selects, show and update read-mode tags
+        document.querySelectorAll('.edit-mode-field').forEach(el => { el.style.display = 'none'; });
+        var catSel = document.getElementById('categorySelect');
+        var typSel = document.getElementById('typeSelect');
+        var catTag = document.getElementById('categoryTag');
+        var typTag = document.getElementById('typeTag');
+        if (catTag) {
+            if (catSel) catTag.textContent = catSel.options[catSel.selectedIndex].text;
+            catTag.style.display = '';
+        }
+        if (typTag) {
+            if (typSel) typTag.textContent = typSel.options[typSel.selectedIndex].text;
+            typTag.style.display = '';
+        }
+        document.querySelectorAll('.read-mode-tag:not(#categoryTag):not(#typeTag)').forEach(el => { el.style.display = ''; });
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/views/DashboardView.php b/views/DashboardView.php
index 01e3780..0765e9b 100644
--- a/views/DashboardView.php
+++ b/views/DashboardView.php
@@ -14,13 +14,14 @@ require_once __DIR__ . '/../middleware/CsrfMiddleware.php';
 $nonce      = SecurityHeadersMiddleware::getNonce();
 $pageTitle  = 'Dashboard';
 $activeNav  = 'dashboard';
-$pageStyles = ['/assets/css/dashboard.css?v=20260327'];
+$_v = $GLOBALS['config']['ASSET_VERSION'] ?? '1';
+$pageStyles = ["/assets/css/dashboard.css?v={$_v}"];
 $pageScripts = [
-    '/assets/js/markdown.js?v=20260327',
-    '/assets/js/dashboard.js?v=20260327',
-    '/assets/js/advanced-search.js?v=20260327',
-    '/assets/js/keyboard-shortcuts.js?v=20260327',
-    '/assets/js/settings.js?v=20260327',
+    "/assets/js/markdown.js?v={$_v}",
+    "/assets/js/dashboard.js?v={$_v}",
+    "/assets/js/advanced-search.js?v={$_v}",
+    "/assets/js/keyboard-shortcuts.js?v={$_v}",
+    "/assets/js/settings.js?v={$_v}",
 ];
 
 // ── Pagination helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -431,6 +432,14 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
                   <td data-label="Category" class="lt-text-muted lt-text-xs"><?= htmlspecialchars($row['category']) ?></td>
                   <td data-label="Type" class="lt-text-muted lt-text-xs"><?= htmlspecialchars($row['type']) ?></td>
                   <td data-label="Status">
+                    <?php $rowDotClass = match($row['status']) {
+                      'Open'        => 'lt-dot-up',
+                      'In Progress' => 'lt-dot-warn',
+                      'Pending'     => 'lt-dot--orange',
+                      'Closed'      => 'lt-dot-idle',
+                      default       => 'lt-dot-idle',
+                    }; ?>
+                    <span class="lt-dot <?= $rowDotClass ?>" aria-hidden="true" style="vertical-align:middle;margin-right:0.3rem"></span>
                     <span class="lt-status lt-status-<?= $rowStatusSlug ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars($row['status']) ?></span>
                   </td>
                   <td data-label="Created By" class="lt-text-xs"><?= $creator ?></td>
diff --git a/views/TicketView.php b/views/TicketView.php
index 9b83e18..13db444 100644
--- a/views/TicketView.php
+++ b/views/TicketView.php
@@ -22,26 +22,46 @@ $pageScripts = [
 // Helper functions
 function getEventIcon(string $actionType): string {
     return match($actionType) {
-        'create'        => '[ + ]',
-        'update'        => '[ ~ ]',
-        'comment'       => '[ > ]',
-        'view'          => '[ . ]',
-        'assign'        => '[ @ ]',
-        'status_change' => '[ ! ]',
-        default         => '[ * ]',
+        'create'        => '[+]',
+        'update'        => '[~]',
+        'comment'       => '[>]',
+        'view'          => '[.]',
+        'assign'        => '[@]',
+        'status_change' => '[!]',
+        'attachment'    => '[^]',
+        'delete'        => '[x]',
+        default         => '[*]',
     };
 }
 
 function formatAction(array $event): string {
-    return match($event['action_type']) {
-        'create'        => 'created this ticket',
-        'update'        => 'updated this ticket',
-        'comment'       => 'added a comment',
-        'view'          => 'viewed this ticket',
-        'assign'        => 'assigned this ticket',
-        'status_change' => 'changed the status',
-        default         => $event['action_type'],
-    };
+    $det = $event['details'] ?? [];
+    switch ($event['action_type']) {
+        case 'create':        return 'created this ticket';
+        case 'comment':       return 'posted a comment';
+        case 'view':          return 'viewed this ticket';
+        case 'attachment':    return 'uploaded a file';
+        case 'delete':        return 'deleted a comment';
+        case 'assign':
+            if (is_array($det) && isset($det['assigned_to']['to'])) {
+                $to = $det['assigned_to']['to'] ?: 'Unassigned';
+                return 'assigned to ' . htmlspecialchars($to);
+            }
+            return 'assigned this ticket';
+        case 'status_change':
+            if (is_array($det) && isset($det['status']['from'], $det['status']['to'])) {
+                return htmlspecialchars($det['status']['from']) . ' → ' . htmlspecialchars($det['status']['to']);
+            }
+            return 'changed the status';
+        case 'update':
+            if (is_array($det)) {
+                $fields = array_keys(array_filter($det, fn($v) => is_array($v) && isset($v['from'], $v['to'])));
+                if ($fields) return 'updated ' . implode(', ', array_map(fn($f) => str_replace('_', ' ', $f), $fields));
+            }
+            return 'updated this ticket';
+        default:
+            return $event['action_type'];
+    }
 }
 
 // Calculate ticket age
@@ -113,6 +133,17 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
     <span class="lt-text-muted lt-text-xs">Ticket #<?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['ticket_id']) ?></span>
   </div>
   <div class="lt-btn-group">
+    <!-- Status dot indicator -->
+    <?php
+    $dotClass = match($ticket['status']) {
+        'Open'        => 'lt-dot-up',
+        'In Progress' => 'lt-dot-warn',
+        'Pending'     => 'lt-dot--orange',
+        'Closed'      => 'lt-dot-idle',
+        default       => 'lt-dot-idle',
+    };
+    ?>
+    <span class="lt-dot <?= $dotClass ?>" aria-hidden="true" title="<?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['status']) ?>"></span>
     <!-- Status select — always visible, instant workflow change -->
     <select id="statusSelect"
             class="lt-select lt-select-sm lt-status-select lt-status-<?= $statusSlug ?>"
@@ -144,6 +175,53 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
   </div>
 </div>
 
+<?php if ($priorityNum <= 2 && $ticket['status'] !== 'Closed'): ?>
+<?php
+$slaTargetHours = match($priorityNum) { 1 => 8, 2 => 24, default => 72 };
+$elapsedSeconds = time() - strtotime($ticket['created_at']);
+$elapsedHours   = round($elapsedSeconds / 3600, 1);
+$slaPct         = min(100, round(($elapsedSeconds / ($slaTargetHours * 3600)) * 100));
+$slaBreached    = $elapsedSeconds >= ($slaTargetHours * 3600);
+$alertClass     = $priorityNum === 1 ? 'lt-alert--error' : 'lt-alert--warning';
+$alertIcon      = $priorityNum === 1 ? '[ ! ]' : '[ ~ ]';
+$alertLabel     = $priorityNum === 1 ? 'CRITICAL — P1 Ticket' : 'HIGH PRIORITY — P2 Ticket';
+$progressClass  = $slaBreached ? 'lt-progress--red' : ($slaPct >= 75 ? 'lt-progress--red' : 'lt-progress--green');
+?>
+<!-- Priority alert banner — P1/P2 only, dismissible per session -->
+<div class="lt-alert <?= $alertClass ?>" id="priorityAlertBanner"
+     role="alert" aria-live="polite"
+     data-alert-id="priority-banner-<?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['ticket_id']) ?>"
+     style="margin-bottom:0.75rem">
+  <span class="lt-alert-icon" aria-hidden="true"><?= $alertIcon ?></span>
+  <div class="lt-alert-body">
+    <div class="lt-alert-title"><?= $alertLabel ?></div>
+    <div class="lt-alert-msg">
+      SLA target: <strong><?= $slaTargetHours ?>h</strong> &mdash;
+      Elapsed: <strong><?= $elapsedHours ?>h</strong>
+      <?php if ($slaBreached): ?>
+        &mdash; <span class="lt-text-danger">SLA BREACHED</span>
+      <?php endif ?>
+      <div class="lt-progress lt-progress--sm <?= $progressClass ?>" style="margin-top:0.35rem"
+           aria-label="SLA progress <?= $slaPct ?>%">
+        <div class="lt-progress-bar" style="width:<?= $slaPct ?>%"></div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+  <button type="button" class="lt-alert-close" aria-label="Dismiss"
+          onclick="(function(btn){
+            var id=btn.closest('[data-alert-id]').dataset.alertId;
+            try{sessionStorage.setItem('lt_dismissed_'+id,'1');}catch(e){}
+            btn.closest('.lt-alert').classList.add('dismissed');
+          })(this)">&#x2715;</button>
+</div>
+<script nonce="<?= htmlspecialchars($nonce, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') ?>">
+(function(){
+  var id='priority-banner-<?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['ticket_id']) ?>';
+  try{ if(sessionStorage.getItem('lt_dismissed_'+id)) document.getElementById('priorityAlertBanner').classList.add('dismissed'); }catch(e){}
+})();
+</script>
+<?php endif ?>
+
 <!-- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
      TICKET DETAIL FRAME
      ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ -->
@@ -177,7 +255,12 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
       <div class="lt-kv-row">
         <span class="lt-kv-label">Category</span>
         <span class="lt-kv-value">
-          <select id="categorySelect" class="lt-select lt-select-sm editable-metadata lt-display-field" aria-label="Category">
+          <?php $catColor = match($ticket['category']) { 'Hardware'=>'lt-tag--orange','Software'=>'lt-tag--cyan','Network'=>'lt-tag--purple','Security'=>'lt-tag--red',default=>'' }; ?>
+          <!-- Read mode tag — hidden in edit mode via CSS -->
+          <span class="lt-tag <?= $catColor ?> read-mode-tag" id="categoryTag"
+                aria-label="Category: <?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['category']) ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['category']) ?></span>
+          <!-- Edit mode select — shown only when editing -->
+          <select id="categorySelect" class="lt-select lt-select-sm editable-metadata edit-mode-field" style="display:none" aria-label="Category">
             <?php foreach (['Hardware','Software','Network','Security','General'] as $c): ?>
               <option value="<?= $c ?>" <?= $ticket['category'] === $c ? 'selected' : '' ?>><?= $c ?></option>
             <?php endforeach ?>
@@ -187,7 +270,12 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
       <div class="lt-kv-row">
         <span class="lt-kv-label">Type</span>
         <span class="lt-kv-value">
-          <select id="typeSelect" class="lt-select lt-select-sm editable-metadata lt-display-field" aria-label="Type">
+          <?php $typeColor = match($ticket['type']) { 'Maintenance'=>'lt-tag--orange','Issue'=>'lt-tag--red','Problem'=>'lt-tag--red','Upgrade'=>'lt-tag--purple','Install'=>'lt-tag--cyan',default=>'' }; ?>
+          <!-- Read mode tag — hidden in edit mode via CSS -->
+          <span class="lt-tag <?= $typeColor ?> read-mode-tag" id="typeTag"
+                aria-label="Type: <?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['type']) ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars($ticket['type']) ?></span>
+          <!-- Edit mode select — shown only when editing -->
+          <select id="typeSelect" class="lt-select lt-select-sm editable-metadata edit-mode-field" style="display:none" aria-label="Type">
             <?php foreach (['Maintenance','Install','Task','Upgrade','Issue','Problem'] as $t): ?>
               <option value="<?= $t ?>" <?= $ticket['type'] === $t ? 'selected' : '' ?>><?= $t ?></option>
             <?php endforeach ?>
@@ -592,30 +680,33 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
             $evtFmt  = date('M d, Y H:i', strtotime($event['created_at']));
             $tClass  = match($event['action_type']) {
                 'create'        => 'lt-timeline-item--green',
-                'status_change' => 'lt-timeline-item--orange',
-                'comment'       => '',
+                'status_change' => 'lt-timeline-item--cyan',
+                'comment'       => 'lt-timeline-item--green',
+                'assign'        => 'lt-timeline-item--orange',
+                'attachment'    => 'lt-timeline-item--orange',
+                'update'        => '',
+                'delete'        => 'lt-timeline-item--red',
                 default         => 'lt-timeline-item--dim',
             };
             ?>
             <div class="lt-timeline-item <?= $tClass ?>">
               <div class="lt-timeline-meta">
+                <span class="lt-timeline-icon lt-text-xs" aria-hidden="true"><?= $icon ?></span>
                 <span class="lt-timeline-actor"><?= $actor ?></span>
-                <span class="lt-timeline-action"><?= htmlspecialchars($action) ?></span>
-                <span class="lt-timeline-time ts-cell"
+                <span class="lt-timeline-action"><?= $action /* already escaped in formatAction for dynamic parts */ ?></span>
+                <span class="lt-timeline-time ts-cell lt-text-muted lt-text-xs"
                       data-ts="<?= htmlspecialchars($event['created_at'], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') ?>"
                       title="<?= $evtFmt ?>"><?= $evtFmt ?></span>
               </div>
-              <?php if (!empty($event['details'])): ?>
+              <?php if (!empty($event['details']) && !in_array($event['action_type'], ['status_change', 'assign', 'comment', 'view'], true)): ?>
                 <div class="lt-timeline-body lt-text-xs lt-text-muted">
                   <?php
                   $det = $event['details'];
                   if (is_array($det)) {
                       $parts = [];
                       foreach ($det as $k => $v) {
-                          // Delta format: { field: { from: '...', to: '...' } }
                           if (is_array($v) && isset($v['from'], $v['to'])) {
                               $label = ucfirst(str_replace('_', ' ', $k));
-                              // Truncate long values (e.g. description)
                               $from = mb_strlen((string)$v['from']) > 60
                                   ? mb_substr((string)$v['from'], 0, 60) . '…'
                                   : (string)$v['from'];
@@ -626,12 +717,11 @@ include __DIR__ . '/layout_header.php';
                                   . '<span class="lt-text-muted">' . htmlspecialchars($from) . '</span>'
                                   . ' <span class="lt-text-amber">→</span> '
                                   . '<span class="lt-text-cyan">' . htmlspecialchars($to) . '</span>';
-                          } elseif ($k !== 'old_value' && $k !== 'new_value') {
-                              // Legacy flat format fallback
+                          } elseif (!in_array($k, ['old_value', 'new_value'], true)) {
                               $parts[] = '<strong>' . htmlspecialchars($k) . ':</strong> ' . htmlspecialchars((string)$v);
                           }
                       }
-                      echo implode('<br>', $parts);
+                      if ($parts) echo implode('<br>', $parts);
                   }
                   ?>
                 </div>
diff --git a/views/layout_footer.php b/views/layout_footer.php
index 3bf8da2..b3b00d1 100644
--- a/views/layout_footer.php
+++ b/views/layout_footer.php
@@ -138,21 +138,24 @@
       if (themeBtn) themeBtn.addEventListener('click', function() { lt.theme.toggle(); });
 
       // Command palette — global navigation commands available on all pages
-      lt.cmdPalette.init([
-        {
-          group: 'Navigation',
-          items: [
-            { icon: '~', label: 'Dashboard',       kbd: 'G D', action: function() { window.location.href = '/'; } },
-            { icon: '+', label: 'New Ticket',       kbd: 'N',   action: function() { window.location.href = '/ticket/create'; } },
-          ]
-        },
-        {
-          group: 'Help',
-          items: [
-            { icon: '?', label: 'Keyboard Shortcuts', kbd: '?', action: function() { lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help'); } },
-          ]
-        },
+      var _cpCmds = [
+        { id: 'nav-dashboard',   group: 'Navigation', icon: '~', label: 'Dashboard',          kbd: 'G D', action: function() { window.location.href = '/'; } },
+        { id: 'nav-new-ticket',  group: 'Navigation', icon: '+', label: 'New Ticket',          kbd: 'N',   action: function() { window.location.href = '/ticket/create'; } },
+        { id: 'help-shortcuts',  group: 'Help',       icon: '?', label: 'Keyboard Shortcuts',  kbd: '?',   action: function() { lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help'); } },
+        { id: 'help-theme',      group: 'Help',       icon: '*', label: 'Toggle Theme',                    action: function() { lt.theme.toggle(); } },
+      ];
+      <?php if (!empty($GLOBALS['currentUser']['is_admin'])): ?>
+      _cpCmds = _cpCmds.concat([
+        { id: 'admin-templates',  group: 'Admin', icon: 'T', label: 'Templates',       action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/templates'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-workflow',   group: 'Admin', icon: 'W', label: 'Workflow',         action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/workflow'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-recurring',  group: 'Admin', icon: 'R', label: 'Recurring Tickets',action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/recurring-tickets'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-fields',     group: 'Admin', icon: 'F', label: 'Custom Fields',    action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/custom-fields'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-activity',   group: 'Admin', icon: 'A', label: 'User Activity',    action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/user-activity'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-audit',      group: 'Admin', icon: 'L', label: 'Audit Log',        action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/audit-log'; } },
+        { id: 'admin-api-keys',   group: 'Admin', icon: 'K', label: 'API Keys',         action: function() { window.location.href = '/admin/api-keys'; } },
       ]);
+      <?php endif ?>
+      lt.cmdPalette.init(_cpCmds);
     }
 
     // Patch lt.api mutating methods to auto-rotate CSRF token when server returns a new one