Items
Alerts
Feature Summary
The Alerts feature in GSatTrack is an essential tool for real-time monitoring and notification of important events and conditions related to your assets.The Alerts feature enhances the platform's functionality by allowing users to set up, manage, and receive notifications for a wide range of events, ensuring timely responses and proactive management.
Overview
The Alerts feature in GSatTrack enables users to define specific conditions or events that trigger notifications. These alerts can be based on various parameters, such as asset location, movement, sensor readings, and more. When an alert condition is met, the system sends notifications through predefined channels, such as email, SMS, or in-app notifications, ensuring that users are promptly informed of critical events.
This feature is particularly useful for fleet managers, logistics coordinators, and emergency response teams who need to stay informed about the status and activities of their assets. It helps in preventing potential issues, enhancing safety, and improving operational efficiency by providing real-time alerts and actionable information.
How to Use
How-To: Add Alert
Go to the navigation menu and click on ‘Add Item’
Click on ‘Add Alert’
Fill out the information for the required fields, which are:
Alert Type
- Type: Select the desired type of Alert
Rules
Alert applies to: which asset(s) or asset groups can trigger the Alert
Exclude from alert: which asset(s) or asset groups are excluded from triggering the Alert
Acknowledgement
- Does this alert require acknowledgment from the portal? If yes, an alert will appear in the alerts panel until acknowledged by a portal user.
Notifications
- Who is specifically notified about the alert
Actions
- Notifies additional asset(s) of the location for the asset that triggered the Alert
Fill out the information for any other optional fields
Click on ‘Create Asset’
How-To: Edit Alert
- Go to the navigation menu and click on ‘Manage’
- Click on ‘Alerts’
- Click on the ‘Edit’ icon next to the alert from the list
- Edit the desired information
- Click ‘Save Changes’
How-To: Delete Alert
- Go to the navigation menu and click on ‘Manage’
- Click on ‘Alerts’
- Click on the ‘Delete’ icon next to the alert from the list
- Click ‘Delete’ on the popup window
Additional Information
Key Features
- Customized Alert Configuration
The Alerts feature provides users with extensive options to customize their alerts based on their unique tracking requirements. Users can define specific parameters, thresholds, and conditions for triggering alerts. This flexibility ensures that alerts are tailored to the individual needs of different industries and applications.
- Event-Based Triggers
Users can set up alerts based on specific events or combinations of events. For example, alerts can be triggered when an asset enters or exits predefined geofences, when there is a sudden change in asset speed, when assets deviate from predefined routes, or when critical sensor readings are detected.
- Multiple Communication Channels
GSatTrack's Alerts feature allows users to receive notifications through various communication channels, including email, SMS, and in-app notifications. This ensures that users can stay updated regardless of their location or preferred method of communication.
- Real-Time Monitoring
The Alerts feature provides real-time monitoring capabilities, enabling users to receive alerts as soon as a triggering event occurs. This immediate notification allows for prompt action and response, reducing potential risks and improving operational efficiency.
- Customizable Notification Templates
Users have the flexibility to customize the content and format of their alert notifications. GSatTrack offers pre-defined notification templates that can be modified to include relevant information, such as asset name, location, time, triggering event details, and instructions for response.
- Escalation and Routing
To ensure efficient response management, GSatTrack's Alerts feature supports escalation and routing capabilities. Users can define escalation rules to automatically escalate alerts to different individuals or teams based on predefined conditions. This feature helps streamline communication and ensures that alerts reach the appropriate personnel in a timely manner.
Alert Fields
Name: An optional field to provide a name for the alert to differentiate it from others of the same type, will display in all alert notifications. Description: An optional field to provide a description of the alert, will display in the portal notifications. Resolution Procedure: Users have the option to include a text field with a resolution procedure that will display with the alert. The text field is static and will be the same every time that particular alert triggers. Photo: An optional field that allows the user to attach a photo that will display in the portal notifications.
Alert Triggers (Type Field)
Alert triggers tell the portal which conditions must be met in order to generate the alert. Users will select the triggering condition for each alert as part of the setup process from the drop-down menu in the Type field.
There is an extensive list of hundreds of potential alert triggers, which will change dynamically for each user based on the types of devices in their ecosystem. Many of them are triggered manually by the asset operator (by pressing a button, sending a message, or performing some other action), and others are triggered by the portal recognizing certain parameters about a regular position reporting event. The latter type of events occur regularly and are typically tied to other features and objects like places, geofences, chats, and messages.
Some of the most common alert events are listed below. Each ecosystem will have a different list of alert triggering conditions, as the list will be based on the type of data that can be sent by devices in the ecosystem.
Alarm/emergency This alert triggers whenever an asset reports an emergency event and is typically triggered manually by the asset operator directly from the device. Emergency alerts also trigger special notification popovers in the portal interface.
Check in/OK Many devices come with a manual check-in button that allows operators to send manual check-ins to the portal. Alerts can be configured to notify users whenever an asset reports one of these check-in events.
Distance Traveled For assets that support odometer reporting, a distance traveled alert can be configured whenever the asset’s odometer meets or exceeds the threshold. These alerts are often used to manage maintenance needs, but can also be used to warn managers and drivers of overuse.
Enter Fence Tied to geofences, the Enter Fence alert will be triggered whenever its asset(s) enter the bounds of a specified geofence.
Exit Fence Tied to geofences, the Exit Fence alert will be triggered whenever its asset(s) leave the bounds of a specified geofence.
Far from Asset Tied to other assets, the Far from Asset alert will be triggered whenever the asset(s) selected in the Rules section are a specified distance or greater from the reference asset.
Geofence Dwell Tied to geofences, the Geofence Dwell alert will be triggered whenever its asset(s) remain within the bounds of a specified geofence for an indicated period of time.
Harsh Acceleration For assets that support detection and reporting of operating conditions, alerts can be set to trigger when those assets report harsh behavior like acceleration, braking, and turning.
Harsh Braking For assets that support detection and reporting of operating conditions, alerts can be set to trigger when those assets report harsh behavior like acceleration, braking, and turning.
Harsh Turning For assets that support detection and reporting of operating conditions, alerts can be set to trigger when those assets report harsh behavior like acceleration, braking, and turning.
Heartbeat While the Heartbeat alert can be tied to a biometric sensor that reports the operator’s heartbeat, the alert can be triggered for any asset that fails to report to the portal for a specified amount of time.
Help Some assets send status messages and have a button or protocol for messages to request help. This type of alert will monitor for those assets that can send help messages.
Help Cancel Some assets send status messages and have a button or protocol for messages to request help. This type of alert will monitor for those assets that cancel previously sent help messages.
I/O I/O alerts trigger when an asset reports an Input value as part of its I/O map. To configure this type of alert, use the I/O Mapping Template and filters in the Rules section of the Add Alert form.
Low Battery As the name implies, Low Battery alerts can be configured to notify portal users when the asset reports a low charge remaining in its internal battery.
Movement Whether reported as moving or reporting a speed greater than 2.24 m/s, Movement alerts will trigger whenever an asset’s position report meets one of the aforementioned conditions. Movement alerts are unique in that they will also notify users when the asset is no longer moving.
Near Asset Tied to other assets, the Near Asset alert will be triggered whenever the asset(s) selected in the Rules section are a specified distance or less from the reference asset.
On Backup Power For devices with multiple power sources, alerts can be triggered to notify portal users when the backup power source is in use.
On Main Power For devices with multiple power sources, alerts can be triggered to notify portal users when the backup power source is in use.
Position The Position alert triggers whenever the asset tied to it reports a position.
Powered Off As the name implies, this alert triggers whenever an asset has reported that it has powered off.
Powered On As the name implies, this alert triggers whenever an asset has reported that it has powered on.
Raw Data The Raw Data alert is triggered whenever the asset reports a non-standard message with raw data or otherwise unparsed information.
Sensor Data (GSatSolar) GSatSolar devices with paired BLE sensors in the field will report sensor values back to GSatTrack. Follow the steps for how to add an alert but use the below sub steps for step 3.
When choosing “Alert Type” select “Sensor Data” under “GSatRancher/GSatSolar”
In the “Alert Options” window select the Sensor Type, Index, and Conditions that should trigger the alert.
Speed Speed alerts are triggered whenever an asset reports a speed in excess of a defined limit.
Started The Started alert can be configured to trigger whenever an asset has reported a startup, whether of itself or of a defined action, like a trip log, operating cycle, or movement.
Stationary Dwell The Stationary Dwell alert will be triggered when the asset reports stationary positions for a specified dwell time in the same location.
Stopped The Stop alert can be configured to trigger whenever an asset has reported a stop, whether of itself or of a defined action, like a trip log or operating cycle.
Text Message Assets can send text messages to the portal (they appear in the Chats tab for the asset), and this alert will allow the portal to notify the user with more than just an in-app notification.
Text Message Status Update Assets that can send and receive text messages also update the status of those messages (for example: sent, delivered, read), and those updates can trigger alerts in the portal to keep users updated with regard to message status.