The out-of-the-box SharePoint alert system provides a number of properties you can set when creating or updating an alert to customize how and when an alert is delivered. Alert Manager 2007 extends the SharePoint alerting system by exposing some of the alerting system's hidden features. Alert Manager 2007 also provides some additional feature not available by the SharePoint alerting system. This page describes each alert property in detail and the circumstances required to make each property available.
* Click the alert property to navigate to the detailed description
Property : Alert Title
The alert title property is used as the title of the alert. The title can be used to identify the alert from the Manage Alerts page. The title property is also used as the subject of the e-mail notification sent for the alert.
[Alert Title Property]
Property : Alert Template
A SharePoint alert template defines the characteristics of each alert. Characteristics include the available alert property options such as Alert Change Types, Alert Filters and Alert Frequencies. The alert template also defines the look and feel of the e-mail body sent by each alert. Each SharePoint list is associated with an Alert Template. When a new alert is created for a list the list's alert template will be applied to the new alert.
Alert Manager 2007 provides the ability to change the alert template being applied to the alert. To apply a different alert template simply click the Alert Template Drop-Down box and select Change Alert Template.
[Apply an existing alert template]
Alert Manager 2007 also provides the ability to create a new alert template on the fly. This option lets the user define a custom e-mail body which will be used by the alert when notifications are sent. To use a custom alert template for your alert click the Use a new custom template link located in the bottom left area of the control. Enter the Subject and body of the custom e-mail message. Tokens may be used to in the e-mail subject and body. Valid tokens will be replaced with the corresponding list item content before the notification e-mail message is sent. To insert a token click the Global tokens link or the List tokens link to expand the list of available tokens. Place your cursor in the edit control at the location you would like the token to be inserted and and click the token name.
[Apply a new alert template]
Property : Alert Recipients
An alert recipient is a SharePoint User, Domain User, Domain Group or SharePoint Group defined as the target of an alert. In addition, there is a special type of alert recipient named a Dynamic Recipient. When using a Dynamic Recipient the creator of the alert defines a column in the list which contains a reference of the user to alert. A great example of Dynamic Recipient is the AssignedTo column of a task list. The User defined int he AssignedTo column will be notified when an alert is generated.
Alert Manager 2007 provides a number of different interfaces to define an alert recipient. The interface will change depending on the type of user the alert is targeting. When using the Add Alert interface you will be presented with a recipient picker. You may select one or more SharePoint User, Domain User or Domain Group as valid recipients. An alert will be created for each recipient defined by the recipient picker.
When using the Add Alert to SharePoint Group option you will also be presented with a recipient picker. However, each recipient must be a valid SharePoint Group. An alert will be created for each SharePoint Group defined by the recipient picker. When an alert is sent each member of the SharePoint Group will receive an e-mail notification. You must use a custom alert template when using the Add Alert To SharePoint Group feature.
[Standard Recipient Picker]
To use a Dynamic Recipient click the Use a dynamic recipient link located at the bottom right of the control. Next, select the column name containing the reference to a user that will receive the alert e-mail notification. Only column types defined as a user look-up field will be displayed in the Dynamic Recipient list. The dynamic recipient option is only available when using the Add Alert feature.
[Dynamic Recipient]
When using the Add Alert to Large Group option you select one or more SharePoint Users, Domain Users and Domain Groups on a previous page. The Send Alert To control will show you the first 10 recipients you have selected. An alert will be created for each recipient selected. User without e-mail address will have alerts created but will not receive alert e-mail notifications until an e-mail address is provided for their account. Click the Modify Users link to change the list of selected recipients.
[Large Group of Recipients]
Property : Change Type
The alert change type property defines the actions that trigger alert notifications. Each alert template defines a list of alert change types which can be applied to the alert. Alerts targeting a list item typically do not specify a change type.
Property : Alert Filter
The alert filter property defines which list items trigger alerts. Each alert template defines a list of available alert filters which can be applied to the alert. You can also apply a list's view as your alert filter. Only list items contained inside the view will send alert notifications.
Alert Manager 2007 provides the ability to create an alert filter on the fly. The build filter control operates similar to the view's filter control. Select the desired filter column and filter condition and provide a filter value. Filter conditions can inspect the new column value, old column value or a both the new or old column values. For example, 'Title' will match both the new or old column value. 'Title/New' will only match new column values and 'Title/Old' will only match old column values.
For boolean columns use the value '1' to match Yes values and '0' to match No values.
* - It is recommended to keep your custom filter simple to make sure you are targeting the correct list items. For complex filters it is recommended that you create a view first so you can verify the target list items.
Property : Alert Frequency
The alert filter property defines the when alert notifications are delivered. Each alert template defines a list of alert filters which can be applied to the alert.
