Setting Up Reminders

This guide shows you how to create and manage reminders for your Ally devices. Reminders are personal notes with due dates for maintenance tasks, inspections, or follow-up activities.

What are reminders? Unlike alarms that trigger automatically based on device data, reminders are manual scheduling tools. They help you track maintenance schedules, battery replacements, inspections, and other time-based tasks.

Creating Reminders

Step 1: Access Reminders

1. Go to Device Administration
2. Click on a device
3. Click Reminders tab
4. Click + Add new reminder

Step 2: Configure Reminder

1. Enter reminder Name (e.g., "Replace battery", "Annual inspection", "Firmware update")
2. Select Overdue date (when the task is due)
3. Set how many days before due date to display notification (yellow indicator)
4. Set how many days before due date to display warning (red indicator)
5. Click Save

Example configuration:

• Name: "Replace battery"
• Overdue date: June 1, 2025
• Notification: 14 days before (displays yellow indicator starting May 18)
• Warning: 7 days before (displays red indicator starting May 25)

Viewing Reminders

The Reminders tab displays reminders in two sections:

Active Reminders:

• Upcoming reminders (not yet due)
• Overdue reminders (past due date)
• Each shows status indicator:

• Gray - More than notification days away
• Yellow - Within notification period
• Red - Within warning period or overdue

Completed Reminders:

• Reminders you've marked as done
• Archived for record keeping
• Shows completion date

Marking Reminders Complete

When you finish a task:

1. Go to the device's Reminders tab
2. Find the reminder in the Active section
3. Click the checkbox next to the reminder name
4. The reminder moves to the Completed section

Completed reminders remain visible for your records but no longer show active status indicators.

Editing Reminders

To modify an existing reminder:

1. In the Reminders tab, find the reminder
2. Click the edit icon (pencil)
3. Update the name, dates, or notification settings
4. Click Save

Deleting Reminders

To remove a reminder:

1. Click the trash icon next to the reminder
2. Confirm deletion

Both active and completed reminders can be deleted.

Common Reminder Use Cases

Battery Replacement Schedule

For eTRVs:

• Name: "Replace battery"
• Due date: Based on expected battery life (typically 1-2 years)
• Notification: 30 days before
• Warning: 7 days before

Tip: Create reminder immediately after installing new batteries, setting due date to estimated replacement date.

Annual Inspections

For all devices:

• Name: "Annual inspection - Check valve operation"
• Due date: 1 year after installation or last inspection
• Notification: 60 days before (time to schedule technician)
• Warning: 14 days before

Warranty Expiration

For tracking warranty periods:

• Name: "Warranty expires"
• Due date: Warranty end date
• Notification: 90 days before (time to identify and report issues)
• Warning: 30 days before

Firmware Updates

For scheduled updates:

• Name: "Check for firmware update"
• Due date: Quarterly or semi-annually
• Notification: 7 days before
• Warning: 1 day before

Seasonal Maintenance

Heating season preparation:

• Name: "Pre-winter system check"
• Due date: September 15 (before heating season starts)
• Notification: 30 days before (August 15)
• Warning: 14 days before (September 1)

Calibration Checks

For Room Sensors:

• Name: "Temperature sensor calibration check"
• Due date: Every 6 months after installation
• Notification: 14 days before
• Warning: 3 days before

Reminder Management Best Practices

💡 Tips for effective reminder management:

• Set realistic due dates: Base dates on manufacturer recommendations and actual usage patterns
• Use consistent naming: Start with action verb (Replace, Check, Inspect, Update)
• Longer notification periods for scheduling: Tasks requiring technicians need more advance notice
• Create recurring pattern: After completing a reminder, create a new one for the next occurrence
• Track completion dates: Use completed reminders to track maintenance history
• Group related reminders: For buildings with many devices, coordinate reminder dates to reduce site visits

Reminder vs Alarm: When to Use Each

Use Reminders for:

• Time-based maintenance tasks
• Scheduled inspections
• Warranty tracking
• Periodic checks (monthly, quarterly, annually)
• Non-urgent follow-ups

Use Alarms for:

• Immediate device issues (offline, low battery)
• Threshold violations (temperature too low/high)
• Automatic detection of problems
• Issues requiring immediate response
• Real-time monitoring needs

Creating a Maintenance Schedule Template

For standardized maintenance across multiple devices:

New Device Installation Reminders:

1. 30 days: "Check initial performance"
2. 6 months: "First maintenance check"
3. 1 year: "Annual inspection"
4. 2 years: "Replace battery" (for eTRVs)
5. 3 years: "Warranty expires"

Apply this template to each new device at installation time.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Reminder Doesn't Show Warning Color

Check current date is within warning period. Verify warning days setting is correct (less than notification days). Refresh the page to update status indicators.

Problem: Can't Find Completed Reminder

Check the Completed section (separate from Active). Use device search if you're not sure which device the reminder was for. Completed reminders remain until manually deleted.

Problem: Accidentally Marked Reminder Complete

Completed reminders cannot be un-completed. Delete the completed reminder. Create a new reminder with the same details.

Problem: Too Many Reminders to Manage

Prioritize critical maintenance only. Combine similar tasks into single reminders. Consider using alarms for issues that can be automatically detected. Delete reminders for tasks you're not actually performing.