Notification Options

Notification Options

Purpose Statement

The Scheduling Notification Settings allow administrators to control automated email notifications for key scheduling events within First Due. This feature ensures that supervisors and administrators receive timely alerts when personnel submit requests or sign up for shifts, enabling faster approvals and more efficient schedule management. By configuring these settings, agencies can streamline their approval workflows and maintain better oversight of scheduling activities.

Background Information

Scheduling notifications are critical for maintaining operational readiness in fire and EMS agencies. When personnel submit shift sign-ups, time-off requests, trades, or off-roster approvals, timely notification to the appropriate supervisors ensures these requests are processed quickly, preventing scheduling gaps and maintaining adequate staffing levels.

These notification settings are centrally managed in the Scheduling Setup area and apply agency-wide. Once enabled, notifications are automatically sent to users who have the appropriate permissions for each notification type. This automation reduces the need for manual follow-up and helps prevent delays in the approval process.

Common Use Cases:

  • Alerting supervisors when shift sign-ups require approval
  • Notifying administrators of pending time-off requests
  • Informing appropriate personnel of trade requests between employees
  • Alerting managers when off-roster assignments need approval

Prerequisites:

  • Administrator access to Scheduling Setup
  • Understanding of your agency's approval workflows
  • Knowledge of which roles should receive each notification type

Required Permissions

To configure scheduling notification settings, users must have the following permissions:

Required Permission:

  • Access Scheduling 
  • Access Setup

Video


Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Scheduling Notification Settings

Step 1: Navigate to Scheduling Setup

  1. From the main navigation menu, click on Scheduling
  2. Select Setup from the dropdown menu or side navigation
  3. Locate the Notification Settings section on the Setup page



Step 2: Configure Shift Sign-up Notifications

  1. Find the Shift Sign-ups notification option
  2. Check the box to enable notifications when personnel sign up for available shifts
  3. These notifications will be sent to users with shift approval permissions

Step 3: Configure Off Roster Approval Notifications

  1. Locate the Off Roster Approvals notification option
  2. Check the box to enable notifications when off-roster assignments are submitted
  3. These notifications will be sent to users with off-roster approval permissions

Step 4: Configure Time Off Request Notifications

  1. Find the Time Off Request Approvals notification option
  2. Check the box to enable notifications when personnel submit time-off requests
  3. These notifications will be sent to users with time-off approval permissions

Step 5: Configure Trade Request Notifications

  1. Locate the Trade Request Approvals notification option
  2. Check the box to enable notifications when personnel submit shift trade requests
  3. These notifications will be sent to users with trade approval permissions



Step 6: Save Configuration

  1. Review all selected notification options
  2. Click Save or Update to apply the changes
  3. Confirm that changes have been saved successfully



InfoImportant: Notifications are only sent to users who have the specific approval permissions corresponding to each notification type. Simply enabling notifications does not grant approval permissions to users.

Best Practices

Do's:

  • Enable all relevant notifications to ensure supervisors are promptly informed of pending requests
  • Review permission assignments regularly to ensure the right personnel receive notifications
  • Test notification settings after configuration by submitting a test request to verify emails are being sent
  • Document your agency's approval workflow so personnel know expected response times
  • Coordinate with your IT department to ensure notification emails are not blocked by spam filters
  • Enable notifications during initial system setup to establish good approval workflows from the start

Don'ts:

  • Don't disable notifications without communicating to supervisors who rely on them for approval workflows
  • Don't assume notifications grant approval permissions - permissions must be assigned separately to user roles
  • Don't ignore notification delivery issues - investigate promptly if supervisors report missing notifications
  • Don't enable notifications for approval types your agency doesn't use (reduces email clutter)
  • Don't forget to train approvers on how to respond to notification emails efficiently

Tips for Optimal Use:

  • Consider your agency's typical response times when setting expectations for personnel
  • Use notifications in conjunction with dashboard alerts for maximum visibility
  • Establish clear policies about approval timeframes to maintain accountability
  • Monitor notification delivery rates to ensure system emails are reaching recipients
  • Periodically review which users have approval permissions to maintain appropriate oversight

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Issue: Supervisors are not receiving notification emails. Solution:

  1. Verify the notification type is enabled in Scheduling Setup
  2. Confirm the supervisor has the appropriate approval permission for that notification type
  3. Check that the supervisor's email address is correct in their user profile
  4. Verify emails are not being blocked by spam filters or email security settings
  5. Test with a different email domain if using a department email system
  6. Contact your IT department to whitelist First Due notification emails

Issue: Too many notification emails are being sent. Solution:

  1. Review which notification types are enabled and disable any that aren't necessary
  2. Check if multiple users have approval permissions (each will receive notifications)
  3. Consider consolidating approval permissions to fewer supervisors
  4. Establish internal policies about which requests require notifications versus dashboard-only review
  5. Use role-based permissions to limit who receives specific notification types


  1. Q: Will enabling notifications send alerts for past/pending requests? 
    1. A: No, notifications are only triggered for new requests submitted after the notification setting is enabled. Existing pending requests will not generate retroactive notifications.
  2. Q: Can notifications be sent to external email addresses or distribution lists? 
    1. A: Notifications are sent to the email addresses associated with First Due user accounts. To route notifications to distribution lists, configure email forwarding rules in your email system, or create First Due user accounts with distribution list email addresses (if your agency's policies allow).
  3. Q: Do notification emails include all request details or just alerts? 
    1. A: Notification emails typically include key information about the request (who submitted it, what type of request, date/time details) along with a link to review and approve the request in First Due. Full request details are viewed within the platform for security and data integrity.
  4. Q: What happens if someone with approval permissions is on leave? 
    1. A: Notifications will still be sent to the designated user's email address. Agencies should establish backup approval workflows, such as assigning temporary approval permissions to other supervisors during planned absences, or ensuring multiple supervisors have approval permissions for critical request types.

    • Related Articles

    • Inspection Setup - System Options

      Purpose Statement This guide demonstrates how to configure the System Options for the Inspections Module. These settings control various inspection workflows, notification preferences, scheduling parameters, and permit handling processes to optimize ...

    • Call Shift Notification Options

      Purpose To explain the Call Shift Notification Options within the setup menu. These notifications allow you to receive updates on Call Shifts. These updates can include: When a Call Shift is filled or not filled When a Call Shift is Ready for ...

    • Assets Module Setup: Notification

      Purpose Statement The Notifications Tab in the Assets Module Setup allows module managers to configure automated email alerts for critical asset management events. This feature ensures timely communication about work orders, checklist requirements, ...

    • ITM Setup: Initial Notifications

      Purpose Statement This article demonstrates setup options for ITM Initial Notifications, which allow administrators to establish automated workflows dependent on Initial System Status. This functionality ensures appropriate departmental response, ...

    • Create and Edit Permit Type

      Purpose Statement The Create and Edit Permit Types feature allows fire prevention administrators to establish and modify permit categories within the system. This functionality enables agencies to customize permit workflows, set response deadlines, ...