E-mail alerts

Automatic E-mail alerts can be setup when certain actions are performed, such as a user submitting a timesheet or holiday request, or to reminder approvers of users who are late submitting their timesheets.

This means that all users are immediately informed that they are required to take some action, such as approving a submitted timesheet.

It is important that all submissions are approved promptly to ensure up-to-date billing, resourcing and reporting. Failure to do so may for example result in inaccurate project cost analysis, or resourcing of a user who is due to be on holiday.

E-mail alerts are managed via Admin > System Settings > E-mail Alerts.

Alerts overview

Automatic e-mail alerts can be created for the following data types:

• Timesheet

• Expense sheet

• Purchase Order

• Holiday Request

• Holiday Carry Over Request  

• Reminder for late timesheets
• Reminder for outstanding approvals
  

The following users can receive e-mail alerts:

• The submitter

• The approver

• Administrators

The e-mail alerts can be sent on the following actions:

• Submission

• Approval

• Rejection

• Unapproval

• Cancel (Absence Requests only)
  

• Manual
  Note:The Manual option has been added as an enhancement to the My Work > My Approval section and Timesheet Tracking dashlet and will become available when the Timesheet data type is selected.

Creating an e-mail alert rule

You can automate e-mail alerts when certain actions are performed by setting up e-mail alert rules.

1. Go to Admin > System Settings > E-mail Alerts.

2. Click New E-mail Alert Rule.

3. Enter a Name that sufficiently discriminates the rule from others that you may create.
   

4. Choose the Types of input that should trigger the e-mail alert.

Note: If the input type is set to auto approve, the submitter will never receive an e-mail alert.

5. Choose who should receive the e-mail alerts using the E-mail To options.

6. Choose the On Action that will trigger the e-mail alert.

7. Enter the E-mail Subject that will display in subject field of the e-mail alert.

8. Enter the E-mail Body text that will provide the relevant information to the user.

Note: You can use variables to insert information related to the alerts. The available variables are:

• [SUBMITTER]: The user that submitted the timesheet, expense sheet etc.

• [APPROVER]: The user that is set up to approve the timesheet, expense sheet etc.

• [TYPE]: Whether it is a timesheet, expense sheet etc.

• [PERIOD]: The date (range) for the timesheet, expense sheet etc. or no. of days for holiday carry over requests.

• [DETAILED_INFORMATION]: Include more detail information about the item which has been submitted.*

*For submitted items only.

Note: The Preview will update as you type, providing you with an example of the E-mail Text. If you have selected multiple variables then the first one selected will be displayed within the preview.

9. Ensure the Active box is ticked. An inactive rule will not send e-mail alerts.

10. Click Save and Close

An automated e-mail will now be sent to the selected users when the subsequent actions are performed on the specified inputs. In addition, a URL link will be available in the email which the user can click on to be taken to the specified item, e.g. the submitted timesheet.

Creating Overdue Notification alerts

It is possible to set up reminder email alerts for the following situations:

• Reminder for late timesheets - for submitters, approvers and admins:

1. 1. Click New Overdue Notification
   2. Click Timesheet Reminders
      
   3. Enter an appropriate name for the alert
   4. Choose when you'd like the timesheet reminder to be sent
   5. Select the conditions for the timesheet reminder
   6. Choose who should receive the timesheet reminder
   7. Click Save & Close
      

• Reminder for outstanding approvals - for approvers and admins:

1. 1. Click New Overdue Notification
   2. Click Overdue Approvals
      
   3. Enter an appropriate name for the alert
   4. Choose when you'd like the overdue notification to be sent
   5. Select the conditions for the overdue approvals notification
   6. Choose who should receive the overdue notification
   7. Click Save & Close
      

Stopping a user from receiving e-mail alerts

As well as being able to specify which users receive the e-mail in the rule, it is possible to specify that a user never receives any e-mail alerts.

1. Go to Admin > Users > User

2. Remove the tick assigned to the Receive E-mail Alerts checkbox

3. This user will now never receive an automated e-mail alert.

Note: It is still possible to send e-mails to the user manually from My Work > My Approvals.

Note: Users can also set up mail rules in their e-mail clients (e.g. Outlook) to automatically filter e-mails received.
             Please see your mail client's help file for how this is done.

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