Overview
Escalation chains define what happens when an alert is not acknowledged. Instead of sending a single notification, an escalation chain sends alerts through multiple tiers of contacts with increasing urgency. If the first person doesn't acknowledge within the configured time window, the alert escalates to the next tier.
This feature requires a Pro tier subscription or higher.
Creating an Escalation Chain
Navigate to Settings > Alerts for your device. The escalation chain editor lets you:
- Name your chain — Give it a descriptive name like "Production Floor Critical" or "After-Hours Oncall."
- Add tiers — Each tier represents a level of escalation. Tier 1 fires immediately; Tier 2 fires if Tier 1 isn't acknowledged, and so on.
- Reorder tiers — Use the move-up and move-down buttons to change escalation order.
Configuring Each Tier
Each tier has three settings:
Contact
Who receives the alert at this tier. You can specify:
- Email address — Sends an alert email.
- Phone number — For SMS or phone call delivery.
- Team member — Select a user from your team by name.
Channels
How the alert is delivered. Select one or more:
- Push notification — In-app notification via the notification center.
- SMS — Text message to the contact's phone number.
- Phone call — Automated voice call.
- Email — Alert email with sensor details and breach information.
Acknowledgment Window
How long to wait before escalating to the next tier. Set this in minutes. For example, if Tier 1 has a 15-minute window and the contact doesn't acknowledge, the alert moves to Tier 2 after 15 minutes.
The final tier has no acknowledgment window — it is the terminal tier and continues alerting until the condition resolves.
Assigning Chains to Alerts
Once you've created an escalation chain, assign it to individual alert configurations:
- Go to the Alarm Thresholds editor on any sensor card.
- In the alert configuration, select an escalation chain from the dropdown.
- When that sensor breaches its threshold, the selected chain activates.
Alerts without an assigned chain use the default behavior (single push notification).
Example: Brewery Temperature Monitoring
- Tier 1 (0 min): Push notification + email to the brewmaster. Ack window: 10 minutes.
- Tier 2 (10 min): SMS + phone call to the shift manager. Ack window: 15 minutes.
- Tier 3 (25 min): Phone call to the plant manager. Terminal tier — continues until resolved.
Current Limitations
The escalation chain editor and alert assignment are fully functional in the webapp. Cloud Functions for actual SMS and phone call delivery (via Twilio) will be added in a follow-up release. Push notifications and email are available now.
Related Documentation
- Alarm Thresholds — Setting up per-sensor alert thresholds
- Notification Center — In-app alert inbox
- Subscription Tiers — Feature availability by plan