Email notification types

Helix ALM has the following types of notifications that automatically email users and customers to keep them up-to-date on item status and informed about changes.

Before using notifications, an administrative user must configure Helix ALM to send email. See Configuring Helix ALM to send email.

Automation rules

Automation rules can send email when items change or on a routine basis. If you are part of a larger organization, consider using automation rules to handle most project-related communication.

An administrative user can configure the following automation rules to send email.

System notifications send email when items are added or changed. Each time a system notification rule meets the specified criteria, email is sent to users. Use these notifications to keep users informed about changes to items and new assignments. See Configuring system notifications.
Escalation rules send email based on a schedule. For example, you can configure an escalation rule to email users every Monday if an item has been assigned to them for more than one week. See Configuring escalation rules.

User notification rules

User notification rules email users about specific changes to items. For example, these rules can email users when items they added change or move to a different workflow state.

Administrative users can create user notifications when adding or editing users. This helps ensure specific users are notified about item changes. See Adding users and customers.

Users can also set up and modify their own notification rules to automatically get email about item changes they want to stay informed about. See Creating user notification rules.

Watched item notifications

Item watching notifications email users or customers about changes to a specific item if the user or customer is watching it. Helix ALM Web users also see notifications in the browser when they are logged in. Users and customers can choose to watch an item or they can be added to the list of watchers by users in security groups with the Manage Watching Users security permission enabled. See Watching issues to be notified about changes.

Closed issue notifications

Closed issue notifications automatically email users and customers when issues they submitted are closed. For example, use these notifications to automatically email customer service team members when issues close so they can update customers on the status. An administrative user can configure these notifications in the project options. See Setting notification project options.