This guide explains the different ways you can receive notifications from Disciple.Tools.
Available Notification Channels
Web Notifications
What it is: Notifications that appear within Disciple.Tools when you’re logged in
Always available: Yes
- Shows in your notification bell icon (🔔) and on the notifications page
- Immediate visibility with direct action links
- Real-time notification counts
- Access via bell icon or
/notifications page
Email Notifications
What it is: Notifications sent to your registered email address
Always available: Yes
- Receive notifications when not logged in
- Permanent record in your email
- Delivery options: real-time, hourly digest, or daily digest
- HTML formatting with action buttons
SMS (Text Message) Notifications
What it is: Short text messages sent to your mobile phone
Availability: Only if administrator has enabled SMS through Twilio plugin
- Immediate delivery to your phone
- Works without internet connection
- Ideal for urgent notifications
- Requires valid phone number in profile
WhatsApp Notifications
What it is: Messages sent through WhatsApp to your phone
Availability: Only if administrator has enabled WhatsApp through Twilio plugin
- Rich message formatting with clickable links
- No international SMS charges
- Requires WhatsApp account with verified phone number
Channel Setup
Check Available Channels
- Go to profile settings (click your display name or hamburger menu ☰ → Settings)
- Scroll to Notifications section
- Available channels will show checkboxes for each notification type
Configuration Steps
- Web: Automatically enabled, no setup required
- Email: Verify email address, choose delivery preference (real-time/hourly/daily)
- SMS: Enter phone number in profile, enable for preferred notification types
- WhatsApp: Enter WhatsApp phone number, enable for preferred notification types
Best Practices
Avoiding Notification Overload
- Don’t enable SMS/WhatsApp for all notification types
- Use email digests for high-volume notifications
- Start with fewer channels and adjust based on usage
Channel Priority Strategy
- SMS/WhatsApp - Most urgent, immediate attention needed
- Web - Regular workflow when using Disciple.Tools
- Email - Record-keeping and when away from system
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
- Web notifications not showing: Refresh browser, check you’re logged in
- Email not arriving: Check spam folder, verify email address in profile
- SMS/WhatsApp not working: Verify phone number format, confirm administrator has enabled service