How do I configure Time-Based Alerts?

Time-based alerts in Apricot Enterprise let administrators trigger automated notifications linked to specific dates — such as participant birthdays, compliance deadlines, or overdue check-ins. These alerts ensure caseworkers stay informed and proactive without manually tracking key dates.

Step 1: Go to the Rules & Alerts area

1. Navigate to the Administrator tab.

2. Open Workflow Station, then select Rules & Alerts.

   • You’ll see a list of any existing rules configured for your site.

Step 2: Create a new rule

1. Click New Rule in the top-right corner.

2. Enter a Rule Name and a Rule Description (optional, but helpful for clarity).

3. Set the Status to On.

   • This ensures your rule becomes active as soon as it’s saved.

Step 3: Define the trigger

1. Under Trigger, select the Form to which the rule will apply.

2. Choose the Event Type — scroll to the bottom of the list to find the Time-Based Alerts options.

   • Examples include:

   • Day Of – Fires when the selected date field matches today’s month and day (e.g., birthdays).

   • Upcoming – Fires a set number of days before the selected date (e.g., compliance due dates).

   • Time Passed – Fires a set number of days after the selected date (e.g., follow-up reminders).

3. For a “Day Of” alert, select the Field that contains the date the rule should monitor (for example, Date of Birth).

   • When the date matches today’s month and day, the alert will fire automatically.

Note: Only date-type fields can be used for time-based alerts.

Step 4: Configure the alert action

1. In the Action section:

   • Write the Notification Message — what users will see when the alert is triggered.

   • Choose the Notification Type:

     • In-product, Email, or Both.

2. Define your Audience — who will receive the alert.

   • You can target recipients by:

     • Site, Program, Role, or Specific User.

   • Alternatively, choose by User Type such as:

     • Standard and Guest Users

     • Admin Users

     • All Users

Note: If you only see Admin users, check that the intended standard user’s role has been given form access before continuing. Standard users will only appear if their Role has been granted at least View permission for the form associated with the rule. You can set this up in one of two places:

• In Access Control > Roles, open the Role and assign at least View permission for the specific form.
• In Form Designer, open the form, select Form Permissions, and grant the Role permission to at least View records of the form.

Step 5: Save and review

1. Review your configuration to confirm the rule logic and audience settings are correct.

2. Click Save to activate the time-based alert.

   • Once saved, the rule will automatically generate alerts when its date condition is met

What else do you need help with?

Learn more about Rules & Alerts in Apricot:

• Understanding Rules and Alerts

• How do I configure Rules & Alerts?

• How do I manage rules in Rules & Alerts?

• How do I manage alerts notifications?

• How do I identify unsupported fields and conditions in Rules & Alerts?

FAQs and Additional Resources

• Video: Enabling Rules and Alerts

• Video: Time-Based Alerts Overview

• Video: Configuring Time-Based Alerts

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