Documentation: Send Notification Node¶

Overview¶

The Send Notification Node allows you to automatically send in-app notifications to users within the Netsocs platform. Users will receive notifications in real-time in their notification center, accessible from the bell icon 🔔 in the interface.

When to Use This Node¶

Use this node when you need to:

Alert users about critical system events (cameras offline, device failures)
Notify about security detections (motion, unauthorized access)
Inform about important state changes (temperature out of range, alarms)
Confirm completed actions (successful backups, finished tasks)
Send reminders or system updates

Node Configuration¶

Notification node configuration form

Step 1: Notification Title¶

In the "Notification Title" field, enter the title that will appear in the notification
Keep the title concise and descriptive (less than 50 characters recommended)
Example: "Motion Detected", "System Updated", "Camera Offline"

Note

The title is the first thing users will see. It should clearly communicate the notification's purpose.

Step 2: Notification Type¶

In the "Notification Type" field, select the type based on message severity
Available options:
Info - General informational messages (updates, state changes)
Warning - Warnings that require attention but are not critical
Error - Critical issues requiring immediate action
Success - Confirmations of successfully completed actions

Note

The notification type determines the color and icon displayed. Choose the appropriate type for the message importance.

Step 3: Select Recipients¶

Click the "Add Users as Targets" button
A modal will open with the list of available users
Use the search bar to find users by name or email
Select one or more users by checking the corresponding boxes
Click "Add Selected" to confirm

User selector for notification targets

Note

You must select at least one user. Selected users will appear as tags in the "Notification Targets" field. You can remove a user by clicking the "X" on their tag.

Step 4: Notification Message¶

In the "Notification Message" field, write the detailed content
Provide enough context: what happened, where, when
If action is required, clearly indicate what the user should do
You can use line breaks for better readability

Example:

Motion detected at Main Entrance.
Time: 14:30:45
Camera: CAM-001

Step 5: Additional Configuration (Optional)¶

In the "Data Configuration" tab you can add rich media:

Images¶

In the "images" array, add image URLs separated by commas
Images must be publicly accessible or accessible within your network
Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
Example: https://cdn.netsocs.com/snapshots/cam001.jpg

Videos¶

In the "videos" array, add video URLs separated by commas
Videos must be publicly accessible or accessible within your network
Supported formats: MP4, WebM, OGG
Example: https://cdn.netsocs.com/clips/event-12345.mp4

Custom Color¶

In the "color" field, enter a hexadecimal code
Format: #RRGGBB (example: #b80a0a for dark red)
If not specified, the default color based on type will be used

Note

Rich media is optional but enhances user experience by providing visual context.

JSON Structure¶

The node configuration generates the following JSON:

{
  "title": "Titulo",
  "type": "info",
  "targets": ["4b78cb66-bd26-43f9-a458-a7b73495dd3d"],
  "message": "Texto de notificacion",
  "data": {
    "images": ["https://imagen.com/...."],
    "videos": ["https://video.com/...."],
    "color": "#b80a0a"
  }
}

Required Fields¶

title - Notification title
type - Type: info, warning, error, or success
targets - Array of user IDs
message - Message body

Optional Fields¶

data.images - Array of image URLs
data.videos - Array of video URLs
data.color - Custom color in hexadecimal

Usage Examples¶

Example 1: Simple Security Alert¶

Configuration:

Title: Motion Detected
Type: warning
Recipients: Security team
Message: Motion detected at Main Entrance at 14:30:45

JSON:

{
  "title": "Motion Detected",
  "type": "warning",
  "targets": ["security-team-id"],
  "message": "Motion detected at Main Entrance at 14:30:45"
}

Example 2: Critical Error with Custom Color¶

Configuration:

Title: Camera Offline
Type: error
Recipients: System administrator
Message: Camera CAM-001 has disconnected. Last seen: 14:45:30
Color: #b80a0a (dark red)

JSON:

{
  "title": "Camera Offline",
  "type": "error",
  "targets": ["admin-id"],
  "message": "Camera CAM-001 has disconnected. Last seen: 14:45:30",
  "data": {
    "color": "#b80a0a"
  }
}

Example 3: Notification with Image and Video¶

Configuration:

Title: LPR Detection
Type: info
Recipients: Parking operator
Message: Vehicle detected. Plate: ABC123. Location: Main Entrance
Images: Plate capture
Videos: Event clip

JSON:

{
  "title": "LPR Detection",
  "type": "info",
  "targets": ["operator-id"],
  "message": "Vehicle detected. Plate: ABC123. Location: Main Entrance",
  "data": {
    "images": ["https://lpr.example.com/plate-abc123.jpg"],
    "videos": ["https://lpr.example.com/event-12345.mp4"]
  }
}

Example 4: Backup Confirmation¶

Configuration:

Title: Backup Completed
Type: success
Recipients: IT administrator
Message: Daily database backup completed successfully at 03:00 AM

JSON:

{
  "title": "Backup Completed",
  "type": "success",
  "targets": ["it-admin-id"],
  "message": "Daily database backup completed successfully at 03:00 AM"
}

Example 5: Warning Multiple Recipients¶

Configuration:

Title: Temperature Alert
Type: warning
Recipients: IT team, Facilities manager
Message: Server room temperature has reached 28°C. Check cooling system

JSON:

{
  "title": "Temperature Alert",
  "type": "warning",
  "targets": ["it-team-id", "facilities-manager-id"],
  "message": "Server room temperature has reached 28°C. Check cooling system"
}

Where Users See Notifications¶

Notification Center¶

Users see a bell icon 🔔 in the Netsocs header
A numeric badge shows the count of unread notifications
Clicking opens a panel with all notifications
Notifications are delivered in real-time (no refresh needed)

Details View¶

Clicking a notification opens the full view
Shows title, message, date/time, and attached media
Users can mark as read or delete the notification

Troubleshooting¶

Notification is not being sent¶

Verify that target users exist in the system
Deleted users cannot receive notifications
Confirm user IDs in identity settings
Check all required fields
title, type, targets, and message are mandatory
The type field must be exactly: info, warning, error, or success (lowercase)
Test the automation
Use the "Test" button in the automation editor
Check automation logs for error messages

Error: "Invalid notification type"¶

Cause: The type field contains an incorrect value

Solution:

Use only these values (lowercase): info, warning, error, success
❌ Incorrect: Info, ALERT, notice
✅ Correct: info, warning, error, success

Error: "No valid targets specified"¶

Cause: The targets array is empty or contains invalid IDs

Solution:

Use the user selector to choose at least one valid user
Verify that selected users have not been deleted
The field must be an array: ["user-id"] not just "user-id"

Images or videos are not displaying¶

Verify URL accessibility
Open URLs in a browser to confirm they work
Ensure you use https:// (not http://)
Verify they don't require authentication
Check file formats
Images: JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP
Videos: MP4, WebM, OGG
Confirm complete URL format
✅ Correct: https://example.com/image.jpg
❌ Incorrect: example.com/image.jpg (missing protocol)
❌ Incorrect: https://example.com/image (missing extension)

Custom color is not applying¶

Cause: Incorrect color format

Solution:

Use hexadecimal format with 6 characters: #RRGGBB
✅ Correct: #b80a0a, #ff0000
❌ Incorrect: b80a0a (missing #), #b80 (too short), red (not supported)

Users are not receiving notifications¶

Check user notification settings
Some users may have disabled in-app notifications
Verify in user account settings
Confirm user permissions
User must be active (not disabled)
Verify user has permission to receive notifications
Check notification center
Notifications may be marked as read
Verify user is viewing the correct notification center

Best Practices¶

1. Choose the Right Type¶

info - Routine updates, state changes
warning - Situations requiring attention
error - Critical issues
success - Confirmations of completed actions

2. Write Clear Messages¶

Keep titles short (less than 50 characters)
Include relevant details: what, where, when
If action is required, clearly state what to do
Use line breaks to improve readability

3. Target the Right Users¶

Only notify those who need to know
Use roles and responsibilities to determine recipients
Avoid over-notifying (notification fatigue)
Consider creating user groups for common recipients

4. Use Rich Media Strategically¶

Attach images for visual confirmation (camera snapshots)
Include videos for motion events or incident review
Don't overload with too many attachments
Consider file sizes for performance

5. Custom Colors with Purpose¶

Use consistent colors to categorize (blue: doors, red: alarms)
Ensure good contrast and accessibility
Document your color scheme for the team

6. Test Before Deploying¶

Always test with real users before production
Verify media loads correctly
Confirm notification is clear and actionable
Test with different user accounts

Industry Use Cases¶

Security and Access Control¶

{
  "title": "Unauthorized Access Attempt",
  "type": "error",
  "targets": ["security-team-id"],
  "message": "Failed access attempt at Server Room.\nCard ID: Unknown\nTime: 15:42:18",
  "data": {
    "images": ["https://cdn.netsocs.com/access/failed-attempt.jpg"],
    "color": "#dc3545"
  }
}

System Monitoring¶

{
  "title": "Server CPU High",
  "type": "warning",
  "targets": ["it-admin-id"],
  "message": "CPU usage has exceeded 85% for 5 minutes.\nServer: PROD-WEB-01\nCurrent Usage: 92%",
  "data": {
    "images": ["https://monitoring.example.com/cpu-graph.png"],
    "color": "#ffc107"
  }
}

Video Analytics¶

{
  "title": "Vehicle in Restricted Area",
  "type": "info",
  "targets": ["parking-admin-id"],
  "message": "Vehicle detected in restricted area.\nPlate: XYZ789\nLoading Zone - 16:15:30",
  "data": {
    "images": ["https://lpr.example.com/plate-xyz789.jpg"],
    "videos": ["https://lpr.example.com/event-67890.mp4"]
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions¶

Q: Can I send notifications without selecting recipients?
A: No, you must select at least one user. Notifications without recipients will fail.

Q: Will users see notifications immediately?
A: Yes, notifications are delivered in real-time via WebSocket. Users don't need to refresh the page.

Q: Can I use variables in messages?
A: Yes, you can use variables like {{eventType}}, {{location}}, etc. based on available data in your automation.

Q: Are notifications saved in history?
A: Yes, users can see all their notifications (read and unread) in the notification center.

Q: Can I delete already sent notifications?
A: Users can delete their own notifications. Administrators cannot delete other users' notifications once sent.

Q: Is there a limit on message size?
A: It's recommended to keep messages concise (less than 500 characters). Very long messages may affect readability.