Alert Reference
Alert rule conditions, sources, severities, channels, statuses, filters, and disabled reasons
Use this reference when you need to check how alert rule fields behave.
Sources
| Source type | Meaning | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | One recorded sensor value | One exact datapoint must be monitored |
| Function Block Set | A reusable set of matching Function Blocks or sensors | The same condition should apply to several similar controls |
Function Block Set rules match when any member matches the condition.
Conditions
| Condition | Meaning | Required fields | Good examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threshold | The measured value crosses a limit | Operator and value | Temperature > 27, grid power > 80 |
| Sustained threshold | The measured value stays across a limit for a duration | Operator, value, duration, and unit | Pump output = 0 for 30 minutes |
| No data | Exosphere has not received telemetry for the source for the configured timeout | Duration and unit | Heat meter no data for 2 hours |
Operators
| Operator | Meaning |
|---|---|
> | Greater than |
>= | Greater than or equal to |
< | Less than |
<= | Less than or equal to |
= | Equal to |
!= | Not equal to |
Duration Units
Sustained threshold and no-data conditions use Minutes, Hours, or Days.
Alert Channels
| Channel | Recipient requirement | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient has an email address | Operational alerts, daily work queues, non-urgent follow-up | |
| SMS | Recipient has a phone number | Urgent escalation where a person should react quickly |
The current rule editor supports email and SMS channels. Rule channels are sent immediately.
If you switch a channel from email to SMS, recipients without phone numbers cannot receive that channel. If you switch from SMS to email, phone-only recipients cannot receive that channel.
Contextual Create Alert
The Create alert action can appear in Inventory, chart, and dashboard views. It opens the rule editor with a source already selected.
| Source context | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Function Block | Exosphere can resolve one eligible sensor, or a configured default sensor type is eligible |
| Function Block Set | The set is available as an alert source |
| Chart | The selected chart area, data point, legend item, or series maps to an eligible sensor |
| Dashboard chart panel | The panel maps to one eligible numeric sensor |
The action also requires the Telemetry Alerts feature and edit permission.
Severities
| Severity | Use for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Informational or early-warning conditions | Room temperature slightly outside the comfort range |
| Medium | Conditions that should be reviewed during normal operations | Energy consumption higher than expected |
| High | Important operational issues that need timely action | HVAC actual value above the safe operating range |
| Critical | Urgent issues that require immediate response | Critical plant-room temperature or missing telemetry from essential equipment |
The rule list shows the highest severity configured across the rule channels.
Rule Status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | The rule is enabled and can evaluate telemetry |
| Inactive | The rule is disabled and does not evaluate telemetry |
| Disabled | Exosphere disabled the rule because a required source or destination is no longer usable |
Inactive rules can be activated again from the rule list. Disabled rules must be fixed before they can run correctly again.
Disabled Reasons
| Disabled reason | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor was deleted | The selected sensor no longer exists or is unavailable | Edit the rule and choose a valid source |
| No destinations remaining | No usable recipients remain on the alert channels | Add a recipient, external contact, or recipient group |
| Function Block Set empty | The selected Function Block Set has no usable members | Add members to the set or choose another source |
Rule List Filters
The Rules list supports:
| Filter | Use for |
|---|---|
| Search rules | Find rules by visible rule text |
| All statuses | Show all, active, or inactive rules |
| All severities | Show rules by highest configured severity |
| All tags | Show rules with selected tags |
Rule Actions
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Edit | Change the source, condition, alert channels, recipients, title, description, status, or tags |
| Duplicate | Create a copy of the rule that you can adjust before saving |
| Deactivate | Turn the rule off without deleting it |
| Activate | Turn an inactive rule back on |
| Delete | Permanently remove the rule |
Related Documentation
- Alerts Overview - How alert rules fit together
- Create an Alert Rule - Step-by-step setup
- Create Alerts from Existing Views - Contextual alert creation
- Manage Recipient Groups - Reusable recipients
- Manage Your Alert Notifications - User-level alert participation and phone settings
- Alert Rule Examples - Realistic building automation examples
- Notification & Alert Troubleshooting - Resolve rule and delivery issues