Notifications Overview

Plotwise notifications keep you informed about permit activity in real-time. When our backend scraper detects changes to permits you're tracking, you'll receive alerts via email, SMS, or both - based on your preferences.

How Notifications Work

The notification system follows a simple flow:

1. Change Detection: Our backend scraper continuously monitors jurisdictions for permit updates
2. Webhook Trigger: When a change is detected, the scraper sends a webhook to the Plotwise dashboard API
3. Recipient Lookup: The dashboard finds all users tracking that permit across all organizations
4. Preference Filtering: Users are filtered based on their notification preferences (event scopes and channels)
5. Notification Delivery: Email and/or SMS notifications are sent to users who opted in

Event Scopes

Plotwise categorizes permit changes into 8 Event Scopes. You can choose which types of changes you want to be notified about:

See Event Scopes Reference for detailed examples of each scope.

Delivery Channels

Choose how you want to receive notifications:

Email Notifications

• Sent to your account email address
• Includes full change details with links to permit details
• Can include multiple changes in digest format (future feature)
• No opt-in required beyond selecting event scopes
• See Email Notifications for details

SMS Notifications

• Sent to your phone number (E.164 format required)
• Concise messages (320 character limit) with link to full details
• Requires explicit opt-in consent for Twilio compliance
• Message & data rates may apply
• See SMS Notifications for opt-in requirements

Both Channels

• Receive notifications via both email and SMS
• Useful for time-sensitive permits where you need immediate alerts
• Configure in Notification Preferences

Global vs. Per-Permit Notification Settings

Plotwise offers two levels of notification control:

Global Notification Preferences

Set your default notification behavior in Account Settings → Notifications:

• Event Scopes: Select which types of changes trigger notifications (checkbox matrix)
• Alert Channel: Choose email, SMS, or both
• Master SMS Toggle: Enable or disable all SMS notifications

These preferences apply to all permits on your watchlist by default.

Per-Permit Notification Toggles

Override global settings for individual permits in the Watchlist table:

• Each permit has a notification toggle in the table
• Turn off notifications for specific permits you want to track passively
• Useful for low-priority permits or permits where you only want to check status manually

Notification Frequency

Plotwise sends notifications immediately when changes are detected:

• Real-time delivery: No delays or batching (currently)
• One notification per change: Each event scope change triggers a separate notification
• No duplicate notifications: If multiple users in your organization track the same permit, each receives their own notification based on individual preferences

Future features will include:

• Digest mode: Bundle multiple changes into a single daily or weekly summary
• Quiet hours: Suppress notifications during specific times
• Priority filtering: Only receive notifications for high-priority permits

Multi-Organization Behavior

If you belong to multiple organizations (e.g., permit expediters managing client companies):

• Each organization's permits trigger notifications independently
• Your notification preferences apply across all organizations
• A permit tracked in Organization A won't send notifications for Organization B's members unless they also track it
• Switch between organizations using the navbar dropdown

Notification Content

Email Format

Email notifications include:

• Permit number and project name
• Change summary (what changed and to what value)
• Event scope category (Status, Inspections, etc.)
• Link to permit details page
• Organization name and logo

SMS Format

SMS notifications are concise (320 character limit):

Plotwise: Permit #2024-001234 status changed to Approved. View details: https://plotwise.com/permits/...

See SMS Notifications for message format details.

Compliance & Opt-In

Plotwise complies with Twilio SMS regulations and TCPA requirements:

• SMS opt-in required: You must explicitly consent to receive SMS alerts
• Opt-in surfaces: Three places to opt in (onboarding, marketing contact form, dashboard settings)
• STOP/HELP keywords: Reply STOP to unsubscribe, HELP for assistance
• Consent tracking: We record consent timestamp and source for compliance
• Easy opt-out: Disable SMS anytime in notification settings

See SMS Opt-In Evidence for full compliance documentation.

Who Should Use Notifications?

Notifications are valuable for all user personas:

Solo Contractors: Enable SMS alerts for Status and Inspections so you never miss a status change or inspection date.

Office Admins: Use email notifications for comprehensive change tracking, and enable SMS for urgent alerts like expiring permits.

Permit Expediters: Configure email notifications for all event scopes to stay on top of client permits, and use per-permit toggles to mute low-priority permits.

Property Managers: Enable Inspections and Alerts notifications to track upcoming inspections and permit expirations across your portfolio.

Next Steps

Related Documentation

• Email Notifications
• SMS Notifications
• Managing Preferences
• Event Scopes Reference
• SMS Opt-In Evidence
• Watchlist Overview