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
- Navigate to the Administrator tab. 
- 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
- Click New Rule in the top-right corner. 
- Enter a Rule Name and a Rule Description (optional, but helpful for clarity). 
- Set the Status to On. - This ensures your rule becomes active as soon as it’s saved. 
 
Step 3: Define the trigger
- Under Trigger, select the Form to which the rule will apply. 
- 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). 
 
- 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
- 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. 
 
 
- 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 
 
 
Step 5: Save and review
- Review your configuration to confirm the rule logic and audience settings are correct. 
- 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: