Who is this article for?

Administrators who manage automated email reminders.

Email Reminder Administration permissions or System Setting Administration, Scheduled Tasks Administration permissions are required. 

Email reminders are automated notifications designed to alert users about upcoming tasks, due dates, or required actions. These reminders help maintain compliance and ensure timely task completion.

This article walks you through example configurations for the most common use cases.

1. Reminder types

1.1. Document Review Reminder

• Purpose: Ensures documents are reviewed and updated regularly to maintain compliance.
• Functionality: Sends reminders when a document is nearing its review date or has expired.
• Use case: A lab procedure document set to expire annually triggers a reminder 30 days before expiration.

When configuring this reminder, we recommend:

• Setting the Start Time to 30 days before expiration.
• Using Frequency as weekly to avoid spamming users.
• Assigning Recipients to include the document owner and their supervisor.

Ensure that document review cycles are defined in the document metadata or lifecycle settings.

1.2. Workflow Step Reminder

• Purpose: Keeps workflows moving by notifying users of pending steps.
• Functionality: Sends reminders for steps that are due soon or overdue; can escalate to supervisors.
• Use Case: A Corrective Action Request workflow sends a reminder if the investigation step isn’t completed within 5 days.

When configuring this reminder, we recommend:

• Setting the Start Time to 1–2 days before the step is due.
• Using Daily frequency for critical workflows.
• Assigning Recipients as the step assignee and optionally escalate to a manager if overdue.

You can configure escalation rules in the workflow settings to notify higher-level users if steps are delayed.

1.3. Training Due Reminder

• Purpose: Ensures timely completion of training assignments.
• Functionality: Sends reminders before and after training due dates; supports compliance tracking.
• Use case: A new SOP requires technician training within 10 days. Reminders begin 5 days before the deadline.

When configuring this reminder, we recommend:

• Setting the Start Time to 5–7 days before the training due date.
• Using the Daily or Every 3 Days frequency depending on urgency.
• Assigning Recipients to include the trainee and their supervisor.

Ensure training assignments have due dates and are linked to the correct user roles.

1.4. Task Overdue Reminder

• Purpose: Promotes accountability for task completion.
• Functionality: Sends recurring reminders for overdue tasks; can escalate if needed.
• Use case: An equipment calibration task sends daily reminders until marked complete.

When configuring this reminder, we recommend:

• Setting the Start Time to 0 (i.e., the day after the due date).
• Using Daily frequency until the task is completed.
• Assigning Recipients as the task owner and optionally their supervisor.

Use task reports to monitor completion rates and identify bottlenecks.

2. Customising reminders

To improve clarity for recipients, we recommend customising email templates for each reminder type.

3. Monitoring reminders

To verify delivery or troubleshoot issues:

1. Navigate to Reports.
2. Select Email Logs.
3. Use filters to narrow results by:
   • Reminder type
   • Recipient
   • Date range

This helps track which reminders were sent and when.

4. Example reminder scenarios

Because your email reminders control the status of Inbox items as well as the emails associated with them, this section describes a couple setup scenarios and how the Inbox items and emails work in conjunction with Email Reminder - Scheduled Task.

4.1. Uniform offsets with weekly reminder task

Email Reminders are set up for Proactive, Late, and Expedited type items, and Late is determined by when an item enters the user's Inbox.

The offsets for each Reminder are set 5 days apart, and each builds on the time the item originally enters the user's Inbox. The Due Date is 4/20 at 11:40. After that point, the item is late. These dates and times only designate when an item changes status in the Inbox, from Proactive to Late to Expedited.

Emails are sent for the above items when the Email Reminder Scheduled Task runs. In this scenario, the Scheduled Task is set to run weekly at 12pm, and next at 12:00pm on 4/15.

Setup overview

• Reminder Types: Approaching Due Date, Late, Expedited
• Offset Timing: 5, 10, and 15 days respectively from the time the item enters the user’s Inbox
• Scheduled Task: Runs weekly at 12:00 PM

Timeline example

• Inbox Entry: 4/10/10 at 11:40
• Due Date: 4/20/10 at 11:40
• Inbox colour changes:
  • Green (entry): 4/10
  • Yellow (Approaching Due): 4/15
  • Orange (Late): 4/20
  • Red (Expedited): 4/25

Email behaviour

When set up this way:

1. No reminder is sent on 4/10 when the item enters the Inbox.
2. The first Scheduled Task runs on 4/15 at 12:00 PM, the item is now Late so a Late reminder is sent.
3. On 4/22, another Late Reminder is sent.
4. On 4/29, the item is now Expedited, so an Expedited Reminder is sent to the manager.
   A Late reminder is also sent again to the user.

This cycle continues every 7 days until the item is completed.

The reminder system tracks the item’s status based on when it entered the Inbox and sends emails accordingly when the Scheduled Task runs.

4.2. Varying offsets with weekly reminder task

The offsets for each reminder are set at varying lengths, and each builds on the time the item originally enters the user's Inbox. The Due Date is 4/17 at 11:40am. After that point, the item is late. In this scenario, the Scheduled Task is set to run weekly at 12pm, and next at 12:00pm on 4/10.

Setup overview

• Reminder Types: Approaching Due Date, Late, Expedited
• Offset Timing: 3, 7, and 21 days respectively from Inbox entry
• Scheduled Task: Runs weekly at 12:00 PM

Timeline example

• Inbox Entry: 4/10/10 at 11:40
• Due Date: 4/17/10 at 11:40
• Inbox colour changes:
  • Green: 4/10
  • Yellow (Approaching Due): 4/13
  • Orange (Late): 4/17
  • Red (Expedited): 5/1

Email behaviour

When set up this way:

1. On 4/10 at 12:00 PM, the item is still Green, but since it’s within 7 days of the Approaching Due Date offset, an Approaching Due Reminder is sent.
2. On 4/17, the item becomes Late, and a Late Reminder is sent.
3. On 4/24 and 5/1 additional Late Reminders are sent.
4. On 5/1, the item becomes Expedited, and an Expedited Reminder is sent to the manager.
   A Late Reminder is also sent to the user.

This continues weekly until the item is completed.

Important
The system has a built-in rule that Approaching Due Date reminders are only sent if the item is within 7 days of the offset date.

Further reading

• Configuring automated email reminders
• Status Icon Legend