Configuring notifications

The BMC Helix ITSM notification subsystem is available to all BMC Helix ITSM applications and is connected to the Email Engine that is provided with Action Request System. You can configure notification settings such as notification recipients (group or individual) or notification text. You can customize an individual's notification preferences. Notification preferences vary by module, such as the BMC Helix ITSM: Asset Management and BMC Helix ITSM: Change Management applications, and by event, such as asset scheduled maintenance. Default notification preferences are predefined for each module and event. If the default settings meet your needs, you do not need to customize the preferences.

Access point for the Notifications custom configuration

Go to the Custom tab of the Application Administration Console and expand the Foundation > Notification Engine command list to see the custom configuration for notifications.

To change notification availability and language

You can enable notifications for an individual and set the language in which notifications are to be delivered.

1. From the Application Administration Console, click the Custom Configuration tab.
2. From the Application Settings list, select Foundation > People > People, click Open, and search for the person.
3. Select the person, and then click the Notifications tab.
   The system default notification preferences appear in the Notifications table.
4. Specify the following values:
   • Notification Availability — Select the appropriate value for the person.

   • Notification Language— Select the language for the notifications that are received by the person. If this field is blank, English is used as the notification language.

5. Click Save.

To set notification preferences

1. From the Application Administration Console, click the Custom Configuration tab.
2. From the Application Settings list, select Foundation > People > People, and then click Open.
3. On the People form, search for and select the person.
4. On the Notifications tab, click Update Notification Preferences.
   
   The Notification Preferences form appears.
   
   
5. Click Create.
   The fields in the Notification Preferences form are cleared. Notification Preference entries are based on the information in the Module and Notification Event fields. You can use the support fields to further customize when a notification will be sent.
6. Select the module for which to customize a notification, such as BMC Helix ITSM: Asset Management or the Problem Management feature of BMC Helix ITSM: Service Desk.
7. Select the Notification Event for the customization.
   Notification events that are available vary based on the module you select.
8. (Optional) Further classify this event by selecting information in the support fields.
   For example, you can specify that assignment notifications be received for specific groups that the person is related to and not others.
9. Select Status.
10. Select Yes or No for the following required fields:

    1. In the Use Business Hours and Use Business Holidays fields, select Yes to use business hours and holidays for notifications.
       This setting might delay in sending notifications. This delay occurs due to escalation interval. For more information, see Notification Engine interface and process control.

    2. In the Individual Notifications field, select No if you do not want to receive individual notifications about assignments for the selected event and module.
    3. In the Group Notifications field, select No if you do not want to receive group notifications about assignments for your group for the specified event and module.

11. Select the notification method for the selected event and module.
    Your choices are as follows:

    Notification method	Description
    None	You do not want to receive any form of notification.
    Alert	You will receive a notification through AR System Alert.
    Email	You will receive an email notification.
    (clear)	Clears the selection in this field.

    Tip

    A notification event can be used with pager notifications. For example, you can receive a pager notification and an email notification for a specified event and module.

12. Click Add to add this custom notification to the Notification Preferences table.

    Important

    Custom notification preferences appear in the Notification Preferences table with User as the Notification Type. System-defined notification preferences have System Default as the Notification Type. Only the BMC Helix ITSM Administrators can modify or remove system default notification preferences from the list. Before you add this notification, you must read Notification Engine. Custom notification preferences take precedence over the system defaults when the application determines how to send notifications to a person.

13. To make modifications to a customized notification preference, select the preference and then click Modify.

    Important

    Only fields on the right column of the Notification Event tab and for entries that have a Notification Type (column) of User can be modified.

14. To delete a notification preference, select the item to delete, and then click Delete.

15. To add more notification preferences, repeat step 6 through step 12 until you have finished.
16. Click Close.