Alerting

You can monitor records to detect when an item of interest changes or is viewed by someone else. To monitor items of interest, you add alert definitions to records (single or multiple) and to queries. When a change is detected, an alert is raised. On receiving an alert, you can drill down into the detail to find out what changed, who viewed the record, or mark the alert for follow up later.

Enabling alerting

Alerting is enabled in iBase Designer, and is only available for SQL Server databases. For more information, see Configuring alerting in the iBase Designer documentation.

Adding alert definitions

You add an alert definition so that alerts are raised when:
  • A record is viewed or changed
  • A record in the Query results is viewed or changed
  • Additional records appear in, or no longer appear in, the Query results
Alert definitions are not linked to the queries or records they are based on. For example, modifying, copying, or deleting a Query does not affect any alert definitions based on it.

Where are alerts found?

Depending how alerting is set up, you might see one alert for each item of interest:
  • In the alerting status bar
  • In the alerting Inbox
  • As an email message
  • In your Windows™ system tray (most recent alert only)
Click Refresh Settings to set the frequency at which you receive new alerts. Your system administrator sets the frequency for email messages.

How are alerts followed up?

To view the item on which the alert was raised:
  • Click the alert in the alerting status bar
  • Click the alert in the alerting Inbox

Which types of action raise alerts?

There are four types of alert:
Record Viewed alerts
A Record Viewed alert is raised whenever the record is:
  • Displayed in a record list, for example as a result of finding, browsing, or opening a set
  • Displayed in Show or on a datasheet
  • Displayed when soft deleted records are purged or restored
  • Listed or viewed in Audit Viewer or the Audit History (but not when you are setting up alert definitions or viewing alerts)
  • Listed as a link end record
  • Viewed on an iBase link chart
  • Exported or sent to an Analyst's Notebook chart
The alert is raised when the record is first shown or listed.
Record Changed alerts
A Record Changed alert on entities is raised when:
  • Any entity fields are changed
  • New links are added to the entity
  • The strength or direction of any link to the entity is changed
  • The entity is deleted
  • Any links to the entity are deleted
  • Entities or links are soft deleted or restored
Note: Changing a field on any links to the entity is not a change to the entity itself.
A Record Changed alert on links is raised when:
  • Any link fields are changed
  • The strength or direction is changed
  • A link end entity is replaced by a different link end entity
  • The link is deleted
  • A link end entity is deleted causing the link to be deleted
  • Link end entities or links are soft deleted or restored
Note: Changing a field on any link end entities is not a change to the link itself.
Records Added alerts
A Records Added alert is raised whenever an extra record is found that matches the selection criteria for the Query. This might be for the following reasons:
  • New record added that matches the Query
  • Changed so that it now matches the Query
  • Restored (having previously been soft deleted)
  • Changes to your permissions, which mean that you can now see more records
Records Removed alerts
A Records Removed alert is raised whenever a record that previously matched the selection criteria for the Query is no longer found. This removal can be for the following reasons:
  • Changed so that it no longer matches the Query
  • Deleted
  • Changes to your permissions, which mean that you can now see fewer records
Note:
  • Alerting is available in SQL Server databases only
  • You can only add alert definitions if you are permitted to do so
  • Email alerts can only be sent if your system administrator has enabled this feature
Further details for administrators are available in the Administration Center.