Select Maintenance > Alert > Alert Settings to access this function.

The Aloha POS system supports several alert types. You configure each alert type using the Alert Settings function and the type of alert you create determines the configuration options available to you. After you define the alert requirements, access the Jobcodes tab to assign the job codes that can receive the alert, and then the Subscribers tab to stipulate the products using the alerts engine. The Aloha POS system is currently the only product available as a subscriber.

Alert types

The Alerts feature supports the following alert types:

Break rule alerts help you maintain compliance in states that mandate employee breaks. Use break rule alerts to notify managers and employees when an employee has not yet taken a break within the defined break time threshold. The job code under which an employee clocks in determines the applicable break rule alerts they can receive. You can configure a break rule alert to display on the Front-of-House (FOH) terminal only.

Overtime alerts help managers monitor the hours worked by multiple employees throughout a shift to reduce overtime exposure and to ensure the restaurant meets compliance regulations for employees that are due for and have not yet taken required rest or meal breaks. Using overtime alerts, managers no longer rely on reports to determine employees that may be approaching overtime or those who require breaks for a given shift. You can configure an overtime alert to display on the FOH terminal only.

Custom alerts provide an unlimited variety of ways to set up reminders, such as an alert sent to an employee to clean the bathrooms, or an alert sent to a manager to place a food order. You can configure a custom alert to display on the FOH terminal and/or print to a printer.

Approaching workweek hours threshold alerts provide the ability to comply with reporting requirements for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Companies must track employees who work more than 30 hours in a week. This alert notifies managers when individual employee weekly worked hours approach 30.

Settings tab

Use the Settings tab to easily determine the number and name used to uniquely identify a record. You also use this tab to activate an alert and establish the alert criteria.

Group Bar: Settings

Display name — Specifies a descriptive name to display when the alert appears on the FOH screen. The display name can contain up to 28 characters. If you do not enter a display name, the alert type appears as the name on the FOH screen. Documented Version: v12.3

Active — Indicates this alert is active and in use. Documented Version: v12.3.

Priority — Specifies the order in which alerts appear in the FOH. The default value is ‘1.’ Documented Version: v12.3.

Dismiss at end of day — Prevents the alert from appearing again after the EOD process runs. The EOD process dismisses the alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Alert expiration days — Specifies the number of days an alert that has not been dismissed can remain on the FOH Alerts screen before being dismissed by the Alert Engine.’ A valid entry is between ‘1’ and ‘14.’ Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Break rule

The ‘Break rule’ group bar appears only when you select ‘Break rule’ as the alert type.

Break rule — Specifies the break rule to apply to this alert. Documented Version: v12.3

Hours worked before alerting for the 1st break — Specifies the number of hours and minutes an employee must work before the first break alert appears, in HH:MM format. For example, type 02:45 if you want the alert to appear two hours and 45 minutes after an employee begins their shift. Documented Version: v12.3.

Hours worked before alerting for the 2nd break — Specifies the number of hours and minutes an employee must work before the second break alert appears, in HH:MM format. For example, type 04:45 if you want the alert to appear four hours and 45 minutes after an employee begins their shift. Documented Version: v12.3.

Hours worked before alerting for the 3rd break — Specifies the number of hours and minutes an employee must work before the third break alert appears, in HH:MM format. For example, type 06:45 if you want the alert to appear six hours and 45 minutes after an employee begins their shift. Documented Version: v12.3.

Hours worked before alerting for the 4th break — Specifies the number of hours and minutes an employee must work before the fourth break alert appears, in HH:MM format. For example, type 08:45 if you want the alert to appear eight hours and 45 minutes after an employee begins their shift. Documented Version: v12.3.

Hours worked before alerting for the 5th break — Specifies the number of hours and minutes an employee must work before the fifth break alert appears, in HH:MM format. For example, type 10:45 if you want the alert to appear 10 hours and 45 minutes after an employee begins their shift. Documented Version: v12.3.

Alert even if break is waived — Enables the alert to appear regardless of whether the employee waived the break. Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Overtime

The ‘Overtime’ group bar appears only when you select ‘Overtime’ as the alert type.

Hours to alert before overtime begins — Specifies the number of hours and minutes prior to an employee reaching overtime to send an alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Alert only for weekly overtime — Enables the alert to appear only when an employee is approaching overtime based on hours worked for the week, and not on hours worked for the day. Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Custom schedule

The ‘Custom schedule’ group bar appears only when you select ‘Custom’ as the alert type.

Alert every — Allows you to specify the interval at which the alert is to reappear or print. For example, if you want an alert to reappear or print every 20 minutes, type ‘00:20,’ in HH:MM format. Documented Version: v14.1.

Activation schedule — Designates the activation schedule to use to determine the frequency at which the system sends the alert. Related Requirements: You define activation schedules in Maintenance > System Settings > Activation Schedules. Documented Version: v12.3.

Start time — Indicates the start time defined in the selected activation schedule in Maintenance > System Settings > Activation Schedules. Documented Version: v12.3.

End time — Specifies a time, at which to end the custom alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Activation start date — Indicates the date you want the alert to become active at the store. Documented Version: v12.3.

Activation end date — Indicates the date you want the alert to no longer be active at the store. Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Text

The ‘Text’ group bar appears only when you select ‘Custom’ as the alert type.

Line 1 through Line 10 — Specifies the text to appear for the custom message. Each line allows 25 characters of text. Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Approaching workweek hours threshold

The ‘Approaching workweek hours threshold’ group bar appears only when you select ‘Approaching workweek hours threshold’ as the alert type. To comply with reporting requirements for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, companies must track employees who work more than 30 hours in a week. This alert notifies managers when individual employee weekly worked hours approach 30.

Hours to alert before employee reaches workweek hours threshold — Specifies the number of hours prior to reaching the 30-hour threshold, to alert the manager using the calculation, ‘Hours worked + hours to alert before employee reaches full time equivalent of workweek >= Workweek hours threshold.’

Include hours scheduled for the rest of the week — Includes the employee scheduled hours in the calculation as follows: ‘Hours worked + hours scheduled till end of week + hours to alert before employee reaches full time equivalent of workweek >= Workweek hours threshold.’

Employees included — Enables you configure the alert to include ‘Full time only,’ ‘Part time only,’ or ‘Full time & part time’ employees.

Jobcodes tab

Use the Jobcodes tab to establish the job codes to receive the alert when the criteria is met.

Group Bar: Jobcodes

Jobcodes — Designates one or more job codes to receive the alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Subscribers tab

As of this publication, the only subscriber available for the Alerts function is the Aloha POS.

Group Bar: Subscribers

Subscribers — Specifies the subscriber to receive the alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Filter — Determines the application that receives the alert based on the selected subscriber. An employee with ‘View alerts’ and ‘Dismiss alerts’ selected in Maintenance > Labor > Pos Access Levels > Access Level tab under the ‘System’ group bar is considered a manager and can view their own alerts and any alerts sent to managers. Documented Version: v12.3.

Send alert to terminals — Determines if you want the alert and its content to appear on the POS terminals as the destination path. This option is automatically preset for you for a break rule or overtime alert. Documented Version: v12.3.

Send alert to printer — Determines if you want the alert and its content to print to a printer as the destination path. This option is only available for a custom alert. Documented Version: v12.3.