> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.elationhealth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Premium Scheduling Guide — Creating scheduling alerts

> Step-by-step instructions to create scheduling alerts that show schedulers a message when a patient and search match your conditions.

Scheduling alerts show a message to schedulers when the patient and the search match conditions you define. Use them to surface booking policy at the moment a scheduler books. For example, you can create an alert to:

* Send a patient with the "Collections" patient tag to the billing department.
* Indicate that a specific clinician is not credentialed with a certain insurance carrier and should not be scheduled for patients with that carrier.
* Indicate which clinicians are taking new patients.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Premium Scheduling is a product for Premium EHR customers only. If you are interested in upgrading to the Premium EHR subscription to use this feature, click the **I need help** button to notify Elation and a member of the Elation Team will reach out to assist you. If you have Premium EHR and **Scheduling alerts** does not appear under **Settings > Calendar & Booking**, click **I need help > Contact Elation Support**.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Premium Scheduling is currently in early access and is only available to a select number of practices.

## How scheduling alerts work

A scheduling alert has a name, a message, and optional conditions. When a scheduler searches in [Find Open Slots](https://help.elationhealth.com/articles/premium-scheduling-guide-finding-open-slots.md) and an alert's conditions match, the message appears above the results. It appears again in the booking dialog after the scheduler picks a slot.

* Alerts are advisory. They never block booking.
* An alert appears only when all of its conditions match. An alert with no conditions appears for every booking.
* Alerts apply to Find Open Slots only. They do not appear when staff create an appointment with **+ Appointment**.

## Create an alert

**1. Open Scheduling alerts**

Go to **Settings > Calendar & Booking** and select **Scheduling alerts**.

**2. Add an alert**

Click **Add alert**.

**3. Name the alert and write the message**

Enter an **Alert name** that helps your team find it later, such as "Provider credentialing". In **Alert message**, enter the text schedulers see. Write it as an instruction they can act on.

**4. Set conditions**

Choose the conditions that decide when the alert appears. Leave a condition empty to match any value.

* **Appointment types**
* **Provider**
* **Location**
* **Patient sex**
* **Min age** and **Max age:** Set one or both. Elation shows a summary such as **Ages 18–64** or **Age 65 and older**.
* **Insurance carrier** and **Insurance plan:** Choose a carrier first. Insurance plan becomes available after you do.
* **Tags:** Search for and add patient tags.

**5. Turn the alert on and save**

Make sure **Active** is selected, then click **Save alert**.

![New alert dialog with fields for Alert name, Alert message, appointment types, provider, location, patient sex, age range, insurance carrier and plan, tags, and an Active checkbox](https://mintcdn.com/elationhealth/ipNX_S-hBGCsU_7b/images/premium-scheduling-alert-dialog.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ipNX_S-hBGCsU_7b\&q=85\&s=ab28e9a36d244184ad724af9bb4b42d4)

The alert appears on the **Scheduling alerts** page with a summary of its conditions, such as **1 tag** or **Age 65 and older**. An alert with no conditions shows **Matches all bookings**.

![Scheduling alerts tab in Calendar & Booking settings listing three alerts named Collections, Geriatric, and Medicare, each with a condition summary, its message, and Edit and Delete buttons](https://mintcdn.com/elationhealth/ipNX_S-hBGCsU_7b/images/premium-scheduling-alerts-list.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ipNX_S-hBGCsU_7b\&q=85\&s=cb7ef6a30df1d52a94fdfa81fa86b36d)

## Edit, turn off, or delete an alert

* **Edit:** Click **Edit** on the alert, make changes, and click **Save alert**.
* **Turn off:** Edit the alert and clear **Active**. The alert is kept but no longer appears for schedulers.
* **Delete:** Click **Delete**, then confirm. Deleting an alert cannot be undone.

Only users who can edit **Calendar & Booking** settings see **Add alert**, **Edit**, and **Delete**.

> [!TIP]
>
> Write one alert per policy. Short, specific messages are easier for schedulers to read and act on while a patient waits.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why isn't my alert showing?

Check that the alert is **Active** and that every condition matches the patient and the search. If you set an appointment type, provider, or location condition, the scheduler must have searched for it. Insurance conditions match the policies on the patient's chart.

### What happens when more than one alert matches?

The alerts stack. Elation displays every matching alert to the scheduler, one above the other.

### Can an alert stop a scheduler from booking?

No. Schedulers can dismiss an alert and book anyway.

### Do alerts show for appointments created from the Calendar?

No. Alerts apply to Find Open Slots, not to appointments created with **+ Appointment**.

## Related Articles

* [Premium Scheduling Introduction](https://help.elationhealth.com/articles/premium-scheduling-introduction.md)
* [Premium Scheduling Guide — Finding open slots](https://help.elationhealth.com/articles/premium-scheduling-guide-finding-open-slots.md)
* [Calendar Guide — How to set up the provider calendar](https://help.elationhealth.com/articles/calendar-and-booking-settings.md)