# Incomplete Mandatory Task Notifications

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/notifications/incomplete-mandatory-task-notifications

> Alert your team when a shift is clocked out while it still has an incomplete mandatory task.

Scheduling add-on - This feature requires the Scheduling add-on, which is available on Astalty Premium. See How to enable Scheduling.

## Overview

The [Incomplete Mandatory Tasks](https://app.astalty.com.au/notifications/incomplete-mandatory-tasks) notification alerts your team when a shift is clocked out while it still has an incomplete mandatory task.

[Support Tasks](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/shift-tasks) can be marked as **Mandatory** or **Optional**. In the Support Worker app, workers are prompted to complete (or skip with a reason) their mandatory tasks before they can clock out, so an incomplete mandatory task usually won't slip through when a shift is clocked out from the app.

A shift can also be clocked out in ways that don't go through that check - for example:

- an admin or coordinator clocking a worker out from the web app,
- automated or system clock-outs.

This notification is the safety net for those cases: whenever a shift is clocked out with a mandatory task still incomplete, your chosen recipients are alerted so they can follow up.

You can send the alert **immediately on clock-out** or **after a delay**, choose exactly who is notified, and decide whether they hear about it inside Astalty, by email, or both.

> **What counts as a mandatory task?**
>
> A mandatory task is a [Support Task](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/shift-tasks) added to a support with its requirement level set to **Mandatory**. At least one must be incomplete at clock-out to trigger a notification. Optional tasks never trigger it.

## Before you start

- Only Admins can manage these notifications. This can't be changed per user.

## Where to find it

1. From the left-hand menu, select **Notifications**.
2. Under the **Scheduling** group, select [Incomplete Mandatory Tasks](https://app.astalty.com.au/notifications/incomplete-mandatory-tasks).

![The Notifications page with the Category is Scheduling filter highlighted and the Incomplete Mandatory Tasks row highlighted in the filtered list.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/incomplete-mandatory-task-notification-list.png)

## Creating the notification

On the Incomplete Mandatory Tasks page, click **Create Notification** and complete the form.

![The Incomplete Mandatory Task Notifications page with no notifications created yet, and the Create Notification button highlighted.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/incomplete-mandatory-task-notification-empty.png)

### When would you like to send the notification?

Choose how soon after clock-out the alert is sent:

- **immediately** - the notification is sent as soon as the shift is clocked out with an incomplete mandatory task. This is the default.
- **A set delay after clock-out** - enter a **Period** number and choose **minutes after**, **hours after**, or **days after**. For example, `2 hours after` waits two hours before sending, giving the worker a window to go back and complete the task.

When the delay runs out, Astalty checks the shift again. If every mandatory task has been completed or skipped by then, no notification is sent.

![The Create Incomplete Mandatory Task Notification drawer with the Period unit list open and highlighted, showing immediately, minutes after, hours after and days after, with immediately selected and Email ticked.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/incomplete-mandatory-task-notification-form.png)

### Notification recipients

Choose who should receive the notification. You must select at least one recipient.

- **User Groups** - notify everyone in the selected [User Groups](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/users-settings/user-groups). The **All Users** and **Support Worker** groups aren't offered.
- **Users** - notify specific users directly.

> **Team Member group**
>
> The **Team Member** User Group covers users with the Team Member role only - Admins and Managers are **not** included. Select the **Admin** and **Manager** groups as well to reach them. Choose recipients carefully to avoid over-notifying your team.

### Notification methods

Choose how recipients are notified. You must select at least one method.

- **Within Astalty** - recipients are notified inside Astalty. Not ticked by default.
- **Email** - recipients are notified by email. Ticked by default.

Once you're done, click **Add Notification**.

## Managing the notification

Use the actions menu on a notification to:

- **Edit** - change its timing, recipients, or delivery methods, then click **Update Notification**.
- **Clone** - use an existing notification as the starting point for a new one. This is handy when you want the same timing for a different set of recipients.
- **Delete** - remove a notification you no longer need. **Delete** is also in the **Edit** view.

You can create multiple notifications with different timings and recipients. For example, an immediate in-app alert to the on-shift coordinator, and an email 1 day after clock-out to a compliance manager for anything still incomplete. Each notification covers one shift, so a compliance manager receives one email per affected shift.

![The Incomplete Mandatory Task Notifications page listing one notification sent Immediately on clock-out by email to the Admin group, with an actions menu at the end of the row.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/incomplete-mandatory-task-notification-finalised.png)

## Things to keep in mind

- The notification is triggered by the **clock-out event**, so it only applies to shifts your team clocks in and out of. Editing clock times afterwards, for example in shift approvals, doesn't trigger it.
- Deactivated users are skipped, even if they are in a selected group.
- Because the Support Worker app already prompts workers to deal with mandatory tasks before clocking out, this notification most often reflects clock-outs made from the **web app or by an automated process** - the paths that don't go through the app's check.
- When a queued notification is sent, it includes the shift's mandatory tasks that are incomplete at that time. Tasks completed or skipped during the delay are left out.
- For a full picture of task completion across your team, use the [Support Tasks Report](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/reports/support-tasks-report).