Summary
ServiceBox users may occasionally experience an overflow of email notifications if they are set up to receive email notifications for job status changes, job completions, and To Do alerts. This article provides guidance on how to manage these notifications to prevent receiving redundant information and to ensure a more streamlined communication process within the ServiceBox system.
Understanding Notifications in ServiceBox
Notifications in ServiceBox are designed to keep users updated on various job-related activities. However, it's possible to receive these updates either as emails or as in-app alerts, in addition to appearing on your computer's screen to the left of your login Username, as a red circle with a white number in it. It's crucial to distinguish between the two:
- Emails are sent directly to your inbox.
- Alerts appear as red circles within the ServiceBox application, notifying users of changes or actions needed.
Managing Email Notifications
Adjusting Notification Preferences per User
To reduce inbox clutter:
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Go to Users under your login menu.
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Review each user's notification settings.
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Uncheck any alert types (like every To Do alert or scheduling change) that aren't necessary for that user.
Understanding Closed Work Order Notifications from the 'Close Work Order Setup' in the Work Order tab of your site's Settings
Work Order 'Is Closed' emails can be customized to reduce the frequency of notifications. For example, if a status such as 'Complete' is not indicated as 'Is Closed,' it should not trigger an email notification.
In the following example, you will see that the emails are sent when the Work Order statuses are 'closed', 'Invoiced', or 'In Review'.
Emails will be sent when a Work Order's Status is set to 'In Review', in addition to 'Closed' and 'Invoiced', as shown in the screenshot below. The status 'Completed' will not send an email as its status is not indicated as 'Is Closed' in the first column.
Note: We can also enable the user assigned to a work order to receive email alerts for Statuses set to Yes for 'Is Closed' and 'Send Email.' To enable this feature, reach out to our support team through the 'Help' button in ServiceBox or via email at support@jobboxsoft.com.
To review and update these settings
Navigate to Settings > Work Order > Statuses
Understanding Work Order Alerts
Ensure Work order alerts (emails or App 'Alerts' page only) are set as per your User setups. Use caution with the 'Schedule Changed' Alert. While it can be helpful, receiving an alert for every change can be overwhelming. Consider whether only the Scheduled User needs these alerts, rather than both the Assigned User and Scheduled User.
In the following example, you will notice that an alert is set to send when the Alert Type for Work Order is 'Assigned' and 'Scheduled Change'. When 'Scheduled Changed' is set to send notifications to the Assigned WO User & Scheduled User, both these Users will receive a notification every time the scheduled work order is changed. It is advisable to disable these notifications.
To review and update these settings
Navigate to Settings > Work Order > Alerts
To Do Alerts Options - Always Set a Date and Time For Every To Do
For To Do tasks, it's beneficial to receive immediate notifications when tasks are assigned or due. However, it's necessary to balance the need for immediate notifications against the inconvenience of redundant alerts.
In the following example, you will see that alerts are sent when the To Do Alert Types are 'Assigned' or 'Due Now'. This is very useful when initially setting up a To Do for a task DUE IN THE FUTURE. It may be an annoyance if you set a lot of tasks as 'Due Now' via the date and time settings when you are setting up the To Do 'right now'.
To review and update these settings
Navigate to Settings > To Do > Alerts
Recommended Best Practices
Limit Email Notifications
Office staff: Consider relying more on computer screen notifications for reminders.
Field Techs: In-app alerts are best used with ServiceBox on their Smartphone or Tablet rather than email notifications. This approach can help users stay informed without cluttering their email inbox.
Option for everyone:
- Rely on the red notification circles in the ServiceBox to notify users of changes or actions required
- Deactivate 'Send Email Alert' on the user profile to minimize email alerts
- Keep App Notifications Enabled
Conclusion:
To manage your ServiceBox notifications more effectively and avoid multiple emails, customize your notification settings, understand the triggers for various alerts, and use in-app or computer screen notifications to stay up to date. By fine-tuning these settings, you can ensure a more productive and less cluttered workflow.
Need Help?
Click the Help button in your ServiceBox account or email support@jobboxsoft.com. Our support team is happy to assist you.