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

# Reminders and notifications

> Choosing what Bumara tells you about and where — in-app, email or WhatsApp.

Notifications are the difference between knowing a deadline is coming and finding out from a
penalty. Five minutes setting these up is the highest-value five minutes in Bumara.

## Where notifications reach you

| Channel      | Best for                          | Notes                                                                     |
| ------------ | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **In-app**   | Everything                        | The bell icon. Always on, always the complete record                      |
| **Email**    | Deadlines, submissions, approvals | Goes to your account email address                                        |
| **WhatsApp** | Urgent items                      | Available as an add-on. See [Plan and billing](/account/plan-and-billing) |

In-app notifications cannot be turned off — they are your record of what you were told. Email and
WhatsApp are configurable per category.

## What Bumara tells you about

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Deadlines">
    * A filing is due soon
    * A filing is due today
    * A filing is now overdue
    * An authorisation is about to expire
    * A business name registration is due for renewal
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Tasks and assignments">
    * A task has been assigned to you
    * A task you own is due
    * A task has been blocked
    * Someone commented on a task you are on
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Submissions">
    * Your submission request has been received
    * Someone has picked it up
    * It has been lodged with the regulator
    * The regulator has accepted it
    * It needs correction
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Messages">
    * A new message from the Bumara team
    * A reply on an existing message
    * A message is waiting on you
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Payments">
    * A fee is due
    * A payment has been verified
    * A payment failed
    * An invoice you issued has been paid
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Compliance health check">
    * Your assessment has started
    * A finding has been confirmed
    * Your assessment is complete
    * A dispute has been resolved
    * A recommendation has been released for you to act on
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Payroll">
    * The cutoff day is approaching
    * A pay run is awaiting approval
    * Payslips have been distributed
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Inventory">
    * An item has fallen to its reorder level
    * A stock count has been posted
    * A transfer has been received
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Setting your preferences

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings, then Notifications">
    Your preferences are personal — they do not affect colleagues.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose channels per category">
    For each category, decide whether you want email, WhatsApp, or in-app only.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set deadline reminder timing">
    How far ahead you want warning. See below.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Effective immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Deadline reminders

The setting that matters most. Bumara can remind you at several points before a due date.

A sensible pattern:

| When               | Channel                   | Why                                    |
| ------------------ | ------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| 14 days before     | Email                     | Enough time to gather documents        |
| 7 days before      | Email                     | Time to complete the checklist         |
| 3 days before      | Email and WhatsApp        | Time to request submission comfortably |
| On the due date    | Email and WhatsApp        | Last chance                            |
| After the due date | Email and WhatsApp, daily | It is now overdue                      |

<Warning>
  Do not set your only reminder for the due date itself. By then it is too late to gather a missing
  document, chase an approval, or clear a payment. Reminders exist to give you room to act.
</Warning>

## Who gets what

Different people need different things:

| Role                   | Should certainly receive                                                     |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Owner**              | Deadlines, submissions accepted or rejected, payments, health check outcomes |
| **Finance**            | Deadlines, payment requests, invoices paid, messages                         |
| **HR / Payroll**       | Payroll cutoff, pay run approvals, payroll deadlines                         |
| **Department manager** | Task assignments, monthly input reminders                                    |
| **Admin**              | Messages, task assignments, submission status                                |

Each person sets their own. Make it part of onboarding a new colleague — an unset preference means
someone is not being told about work they own.

## Managing the volume

If you are getting too many notifications:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Do not turn them all off">
    The usual response, and the one that leads to a missed deadline.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Narrow the channels instead">
    Keep deadlines and submissions on email; move the routine ones to in-app only.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check your reorder levels">
    Constant low-stock alerts usually mean levels are set too high, not that the alerts are wrong.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check who is assigned to what">
    You may be receiving notifications for tasks that should belong to someone else.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reduce the reminder frequency">
    Rather than turning deadline reminders off.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The notification centre

The bell icon holds everything, whether or not it was also emailed.

| Action            | Effect                                             |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Open**          | Marks it read and takes you to the relevant record |
| **Mark all read** | Clears the unread count without opening each       |
| **Filter**        | By category, to find something specific            |

Nothing is lost by dismissing a notification. The underlying task, filing or message is still there.

## If notifications are not arriving

| Check                                        | Action                                               |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Your email address is correct                | Settings → Profile                                   |
| The message is in spam                       | Mark it as not spam, and add Bumara to your contacts |
| Your preferences allow that category         | Settings → Notifications                             |
| Your role gives you access to that area      | You are not notified about what you cannot see       |
| Your WhatsApp number is correct and verified | Settings → Notifications                             |
| The WhatsApp add-on is active                | See [Plan and billing](/account/plan-and-billing)    |

<Note>
  In-app notifications always work. If you are receiving those but not emails, the problem is
  delivery, not Bumara — start with your spam folder.
</Note>