Monitoring (value monitor) and notification
- 1 Notifications setup
- 2 Monitoring setup
- 2.1 Monitoring Regular Updates - watchdog setup
- 2.2 Setup procedure
- 2.3 Values Monitoring
- 2.4 Setup procedure
- 2.4.1 Safety Band Monitor
- 2.4.2 Tab “Basic”
- 2.4.3 Tab “Notifications”
- 2.4.4 Tab “Advanced Options”
- 2.4.5 Value monitor configuration in the component CMP widget
- 2.4.6 Simple Logic Expression
- 2.4.7 Tab „Basic“
- 2.4.8 Tab „Notifications“
- 2.4.9 Tab „Advanced Options“
- 2.5 Copying Monitors / Identical Monitor Values for Multiple Components
Flowbox provides advanced monitoring and notification features that enable proactive supervision of system components, ensuring operational reliability, early detection of issues, and automated countermeasures.
Notifications setup
Notification Types
To enable notifications, it is necessary to configure notification service providers. Without proper configuration, notification options remain hidden. The setup is carried out by the Flowbox system provider.
E-Mail
Requires an accessible SMTP server.
Users must have their contact email defined in their profile.
Notifications are sent with subject and body text that can include Flowbox variables (e.g., current value of a monitored property).
SMS
SMS delivery is always subject to mobile operator charges.
Supported methods:
USB GSM modem (e.g., HWg SMS G3, Huawei E3372 with SIM card inserted).
Vonage service (via user registration at https://www.vonage.com/ ).
EuroSMS service (via user registration at http://www.eurosms.com ).
SMS via e-mail (if the customer’s mail server supports this).
Users must have their phone number stored in their profile.
Pushover
Integration with Pushover.
Notifications can be prioritized.
Users must have their personal or group Pushover key defined in their profile.
Flowbox System Alerts
All notifications are stored within Flowbox.
Accessible via the “eye” icon in the top-right status bar.
Display includes counts of warnings and critical alarms.
Sending notifications to individual users
A user can be defined as a person who receives notifications from all components available to him (typically an administrator).
In “Manage Users,” under user settings on the “Advanced” tab, it is possible to enable “Component Notifications.” Once enabled, the user will receive notifications from all components for which they have permission to view value monitors.
Definition of Notification Group
Notification group provides settings of group notification preferences for group of users.
It provides following setting options:
Rules definition
Event sources
Recipients of notification (users)
Owners (option to delegate notification group management to specific user(s))
For access go the setting menu → Manage users → Notification group
Select New notification group in top-right corner.
Type the notification group name and select notification rules for each type of notification (critical/warning/recovery).
In Tab Even sources select what type of notification and sources should trigger the notifications.
Notification kinds
Flowbox defines 4 types of notification kinds - that can be set within each component in its settings in tab Monitor.
Notification kinds:
Value monitor - monitoring of measured value(s) and triggering based on set rule(s)
Update watchdog - monitoring of communication with device/sensor/technology (updates monitoring)
Service reminders - monitoring of service maintenance (periodical check of some device, reminder for some periodical operational task etc.) - if defined
Hardware events and alarms - in case the integrated technology provides alarms or incidents it is possible to provide incident management by FLOWBOX - for instance BACNet PLCs. (i.e. alarm/incident is generated/provided to flowbox by 3rd party HW)
Alert cause filters
Options for selected alarms/incident to define whitelist/blacklist
Notification sources
Definition of alarm sources. Options to select whole system, or Zones, Realms, Components, Value Watchers, Tags.
Recipient Tab
Selection of users.
Owners Tab
Options to delegate ownership for management of notification group to other group of users.
Once we have notification group set we can set up the individual monitors (value monitor, watchdog monitor, service reminder, HW events and alarms for each desired component in Flowbox.
Monitoring setup
Monitoring Regular Updates - watchdog setup
This function is intended for monitoring the functionality and reliability of a sensor (watchdog) – i.e., whether FLOWBOX is receiving data from the sensor. It can be used to check, for example, a cut cable, IP network availability, wireless coverage, or a depleted battery.
Example |
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If no new values are read from a temperature sensor for 15 minutes, a warning is displayed. If no new data is received for 30 minutes, a critical alarm is triggered. |
Setup procedure
In Component Settings, select the Monitoring option.
WD Warning – If a component has not been updated for the specified number of minutes, a warning is triggered and a notification is sent.
WD Critical – If a component has not been updated for the specified number of minutes, a critical alarm is triggered and a new notification is sent.
Values Monitoring
Value monitors enable comprehensive monitoring of defined component parameters (data values from components). Both simple conditions and complex expressions can be set for evaluation.
Example
Example |
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In a server room, temperature monitoring ensures hardware protection. If the temperature drops below 15 °C, an alarm is only triggered after six hours to avoid unnecessary interventions during short fluctuations. Once active, the system can automatically switch on backup heating. To prevent rapid on/off switching when conditions normalize, the heating is switched off only 24 hours after the temperature rises above 15 °C. |
Setup procedure
In the left menu, under Diagnostics, select Value Monitors.
From the drop-down list, select the component for which you want to set up a monitor and click the New Monitor button. Two types of monitors are available – a Simple Logic Expression and a Safety Band Monitor.
Safety Band Monitor
Using a band monitor is suitable for checking whether a value remains within a defined tolerance band – for example, the temperature in a freezer being between -10 and -20 °C. Two bands can be defined – warning and critical. The monitor is suitable for monitoring HACCP processes.
Further monitor settings are configured in the tabs.
Tab “Basic”
Name – The name of the monitor (included in notification messages – e.g., in the subject line of an email)
Enable – Allows the given monitor to be easily deactivated/activated
Input – All outputs from the selected component are available (temperatures, consumption, etc.)
Thresholds – It is possible to check whether the value is too low or too high, or only one of these
Warning Band – Allows disabling warnings for high or low values and keeping only the alarm for critical values active
Upper Limits – When the value rises above the set limit, the alarm is activated
Lower Limits – When the value falls below the set limit, the alarm is activated
Hysteresis – Defines by how much the value must rise/fall above/below the set limits before activating/deactivating the alarm
Delays - time hysteresis for activation/recovery
Alarm history - alarm/incident will be recorded in history database
Delay – Option to define a time hysteresis for triggering the alarm
Activation Delay – The time period during which the condition must be met for the monitor to activate. This eliminates the possibility of input value fluctuations.
Example |
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In a meat cooling room, the temperature must remain below 10 °C, but it may temporarily exceed this (for up to 1 hour), for example after new goods are brought in. Therefore, the warning should only be activated if the value is above 10 °C for at least one hour. Max. Interruption – The time for which the activation delay interval can be interrupted without resetting the activation delay countdown. Deactivation Delay – The period during which the monitor remains active even after the input condition is no longer met (e.g., fan run-on). |
Tab “Notifications”
Here you can configure specific parameters for notifications sent from the system. The settings can be adjusted separately for the three monitor states – Warning, Critical, Crit. Recovery and Recovery. Notifications are sent by default when transitioning between these states. It is also possible to configure repeated notifications for the duration of an active warning/critical state, with a specified repetition interval. The message text is customizable, and FLOWBOX expressions can be used to insert, for example, the current value of the monitored parameter.
Example of message text:
The temperature in "Meat Cooling Room 1" is higher than the set limit ({this.temp}°C).Along with the notification, any FLOWBOX command can also be executed. This makes it possible, for example, to carry out partial countermeasures before the operator arrives.
Tab “Advanced Options”
Sampling – Defines the time interval between condition checks.
Gating – Allows you to define additional conditions that must be met for the value check to occur.
Example |
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Monitoring the temperature in a refrigerator only during nighttime, because during the day the door is opened regularly. Or, conversely, not monitoring the refrigerator temperature if the security alarm is disarmed, meaning people are at home/at work. |
Value monitor configuration in the component CMP widget
The value monitor can be configured directly in the component CMP widget. The configuration is available in the Component settings under History Tab → WD bands on panel. This setting applies only to Safety band type value monitors.
Simple Logic Expression
It is a monitor used to check whether a certain condition has occurred – for example, high water level, high water consumption, etc.
The monitor settings are divided into tabs.
Tab „Basic“
Name – The name of the monitor
Enable – Allows the given monitor to be deactivated/activated
Input – All outputs from the selected component are available (temperatures, consumption, etc.)
Delays – Option to define a time hysteresis for triggering the alarm
Activation Delay – The period during which the condition must be met for the monitor to activate. This eliminates the effect of input value fluctuations.
Alarm history - alarm/incident will be recorded in history database
Example |
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Waiting for direct sunlight before starting the pump for heating the pool from the solar panel, but ensuring the sunlight is stable and clouds will not return shortly. Max. Interruption – The time for which the activation delay interval can be interrupted without resetting the activation delay countdown. Recovery Delay – The period during which the monitor remains active even after the input condition is no longer met (e.g., fan run-on). |
Example - Consumption Monitoring |
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If we want to monitor the consumption of electricity/water/gas/etc., it is not suitable to simply track the Consumption parameter, because this property stores a cumulative number (similar to what we see on the actual meter) that only keeps increasing. In this case, we can either monitor Instantaneous Demand, or we must define an interval in which we want to monitor the differential value. Next to the Input, click Input Expression and then type, for example: |
Tab „Notifications“
Here you can set up notification group that will be receiving notification about alarm/incident.
Available since FLOWBOX version 3.34
Where it can be used | Variable | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
All Value Monitors | component_id | 6450f53eab4fdd3dcb0f4423 | Internal ID of the component on which the value monitor is set |
| component_alias | default:apt52 | Component Alias |
| component_name | Apartment 52 | Value Name (translated, if a translation exists) |
| realm_id | 6304c750d538371b310e807c | Internal ID of the realm in which the value monitor component is located |
| realm_alias | default | Realm Alias |
| realm_name | Default Realm | Realm Name (translated, if a translation exists) |
| watchdog_id | 6450f5b3adf2f9f7390c40c9 | Internal ID of the value monitor |
| watchdog_name | temperature monitoring | Value Monitor Name (translated, if a translation exists) |
| event | high_warn | Name of the event that occurred |
| level | warning | Event Level |
| datetime | 2024-06-17T10:40:02+02:00 | Event timestamp in text format |
| timestamp | 1718613602 | Event timestamp in numeric format |
| date | 2024-06-17 | Date |
| time | 10:40:02 | Time |
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Simple Value Monitor | condition | this.temp > 30 | Tested expression |
| condition_value | 1 | Expression result |
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Band Value Monitor | value | 35.3 | Input value (result of the expression in the value monitor) |
| value_fmt | 35,3 °C | Input value, formatted with unit |
| property | temp | Monitored variable |
| property_name | Temperature | Name of the input variable |
| unit | °C | Unit of the input variable |
| threshold | 30 | Exceeded threshold (the threshold value that triggered the current event) |
| threshold_fmt | 30,0 °C | Exceeded threshold, formatted with unit |
Along with the notification, any FLOWBOX command can also be executed. This makes it possible, for example, to carry out partial countermeasures before the operator arrives.
Example |
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We want to monitor the temperature in a refrigerator. If the temperature rises above 5 °C, an email will be sent and at the same time the blinds will be closed to prevent the sun from shining on the refrigerator. In the case of flapping (temperature fluctuating around the monitored value of 5 °C), we can additionally start the air conditioning to lower the room temperature. Finally, when the refrigerator temperature drops below 5 °C and the alert ends, we can switch off the air conditioning. |
Tab „Advanced Options“
Sampling – Defines the time interval between condition checks.
Gating – Allows you to define necessary conditions for the monitor to be active or inactive.
Example |
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For example, monitoring the refrigerator temperature only at night, because during the day the door is opened regularly. Or, conversely, not monitoring the refrigerator temperature if the security alarm is disarmed, meaning people are at home/at work. |
Copying Monitors / Identical Monitor Values for Multiple Components
If your installation contains multiple identical sensors for which you require the same monitor value settings, use this function. For example, you may be monitoring temperature and humidity in storage rooms and need the same monitor settings for sensors in ten rooms.
Select one sensor as the master (from which the monitors will be copied and with which the settings will be synchronized), configure all the value monitors you want to apply to all sensors, and save the settings – for example:
Go to the settings of the component that should have the same monitor settings as the master. In the Parent Component configuration, set the master (source) component (where you already configured the monitors) and save the settings:
Repeat the same step (2) for all components that should inherit the monitors.
Return to the monitor settings of the master component. A new Force sync button will now appear here. By clicking this button, all value monitors set on the master component will be copied to the components that have it defined as their parent.
In the settings of the dependent components, you can now see that new monitors have been created and are linked to the parent component:
If you change the monitor settings of the master component, the changes will be applied to all dependent monitors.
In a dependent component, the monitor can be unlinked from the master by clicking the chain icon. After that, the settings will no longer be synchronized, and you can modify them independently.
In the monitor definition of the master component, it is recommended to use variables in the notification text, for example:
"Warning – the temperature in the storage room {this.name} is slightly outside the defined range, currently {this.temp} °C"
(the variable {this.name} will automatically insert the component name into the text)