Automating workflows with Rules and Alerts

Written By Kelson Reiss

Last updated About 2 months ago

Required role: Admin · Tier: Pro (Rules & Alerts)

Rules turn repeatable design decisions into automatic suggestions. Configure them in Monterra under Configuration > Automation. Each rule watches projects for a condition you define, then proposes an action that designers see as an alert inside the project.

What rules trigger on

Pick the rule type that matches what you want to automate:

  • If Rule. Fires when a project meets a condition you build with AND / OR groups against equipment counts, equipment fields, or project-level values. Use Except IF to invert the match.
  • For Rule. Fires once per project, or once per N pieces of equipment (chargers, panels, transformers, raceway runs, custom markers). For raceway, pick Number of runs or Distance of run.
  • Range Rule. Fires when a project value lands inside a numeric band. Define non-overlapping ranges, each with its own actions.

Available actions:

  • Add Map Element (qty + equipment type and subtype)
  • Add Additional Cost (from the cost library)
  • Add Percentage Adder (from price book defaults)
  • Reminder (free-text note shown to the designer)

Set up a rule end to end

  1. Go to Configuration > Automation.
  2. Click + Add rule.
  3. Set Name and Description.
  4. Pick a Rule type.
  5. Build the condition. For an If Rule, click into the condition row to pick a variable, operator, and value, then use + Add condition or + Add group to combine clauses.
  6. Under THEN (or ADD for For Rules), click + Add Action, pick the action type, then fill in the quantity and target.
  7. Leave the rule toggled Inactive until you have tested it.
  8. Click Save Rule.

Who sees alerts

Alerts surface in the project's right drawer under the Alerts tab for anyone opening that project. Designers act on each card:

  • Apply runs the action (adds the element, cost, or adder).
  • Skip hides the card on this project only.
  • Dismiss removes it permanently for this project.

Access to the Automation page itself requires the edit_defaults permission. The Alerts tab is gated by the Rules & Alerts module on the org's plan.

Test before publishing

  1. In the rule list, keep the new rule's toggle on Inactive.
  2. Open a sandbox project that should match the condition.
  3. Temporarily flip the rule to Active, reload the project, and open the Alerts tab.
  4. Confirm the expected card appears with the right action and quantity. Click Apply to verify the result on the design.
  5. Flip back to Inactive, undo the test changes, then flip to Active for production once correct.

Inactive rules never evaluate, so toggling is the safe way to stage changes.

Common recipes

  • Every charger needs a bollard. For Rule, every 1 charger, Add Map Element: bollard, qty 1
  • Sites over 200 kW get a project management line. If Rule, total load > 200, Add Additional Cost: project management
  • Trenching markup scales with run length. Range Rule on total raceway distance, with bands like 0 to 500 ft (5%), 500 to 1500 ft (8%), 1500+ ft (12%) using Add Percentage Adder
  • Remind the designer to confirm utility coordination on large jobs. If Rule, charger count >= 6, Reminder with your standard checklist text

Tips

  • Inverting an If Rule with Except IF is cleaner than building a long NOT chain.
  • Name rules with the trigger first, action second (>200kW -> add PM line) so the list stays scannable.