If you’re drowning in dashboards and still missing key changes in your business, you’re not alone. Setting up custom alerts in Domo can help, but only if you do it right. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually notice when their business KPIs go sideways—without getting so many pings that they start ignoring them all.
Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what actually works, what’s a waste of time, and how to set up alerts that are useful (not just another distraction).
Why Custom Alerts Matter (and How They Go Wrong)
Custom alerts sound great on the surface. Set a rule, get notified when something changes, and act fast. But in reality, most companies either don’t use alerts at all, or they set up too many—so people start ignoring them (hello, alert fatigue).
A good alert is simple, specific, and tells you something actionable. A bad one is vague, fires too often, or goes to the wrong people. The goal isn’t to watch every number like a hawk; it’s to catch the stuff that matters before it snowballs.
1. Get Clear on Which KPIs Actually Need Alerts
Before you even open Domo, figure out what’s worth getting alerted about. Not every dip or spike deserves attention. Ask yourself:
- Which KPIs have a real impact on our business if they change suddenly?
- What thresholds mean “drop everything and look” versus “just keep an eye on it”?
- Who actually needs to know when something changes?
Pro Tips: - Start small. One or two critical KPIs per team is plenty to begin with. - If you’re not sure about a threshold, talk to the people who own the process—not just the data team. - Ignore vanity metrics. No one needs a Slack ping every time your website gets five more visitors.
2. Know the Types of Alerts Domo Offers (and When to Use Them)
Domo gives you a few ways to set up alerts. Here’s what matters:
- Simple threshold alerts: Get notified when a metric crosses a specific value. Good for things like “Revenue drops below $10,000.”
- Change alerts: Get notified when a value changes by a certain percent or amount. Useful for “Churn rate jumps by more than 2% week-over-week.”
- Smart Alerts (with anomaly detection): Domo tries to spot unusual patterns for you. Sometimes helpful, but don’t trust them blindly—auto-generated alerts can be noisy.
- Custom alerts based on Beast Modes or calculated fields: Great if your KPI isn’t a straight number (e.g., a ratio or rolling average).
What to skip:
Don’t bother setting up alerts on metrics that bounce around all the time. You’ll just train yourself to ignore real signals.
3. Design Alerts That Are Actionable, Not Annoying
The best alert isn’t just “something happened.” It’s “here’s what to do next.” When setting up your alerts:
- Be specific: “Sales dropped below $50K” beats “Sales changed.”
- Add context: Use alert messages to tell users what the KPI means, why it matters, and who to notify.
- Set reasonable thresholds: Too sensitive? You’ll get spammed. Too loose? You’ll miss the moment. Tune it over time.
How to set up an alert in Domo:
- Go to the relevant card or dataset for your KPI.
- Click the alert (bell) icon.
- Choose your condition—threshold, percentage change, or anomaly.
- Set the trigger value or logic.
- Decide who gets notified, and how (email, app, mobile push, Slack, etc.).
- Add a clear, helpful message. Don’t just use the default.
- Save and test your alert.
Pro Tips: - Use “AND/OR” logic if you want more complex triggers (e.g., “Revenue drops AND traffic drops”). - If the KPI is calculated, create a Beast Mode formula first, then base your alert on that. - Test with a fake or low threshold to make sure it works—then change it back.
4. Get Notifications to the Right People (and Only Them)
Not everyone needs every alert. If you send everything to everyone, people stop paying attention.
- Assign alerts based on responsibility: Only notify the people who can act. For example, a warehouse stockout alert should go to inventory managers, not the whole ops team.
- Leverage Domo’s user groups: Set up groups by department or project. Assign alerts to those groups instead of individuals whenever possible—it’ll save headaches later.
- Let people opt out: If someone doesn’t want an alert, let them unsubscribe. Forced alerts are ignored alerts.
What not to do: - Don’t CC the CEO on every alert. Set up escalation rules for truly major stuff. - Don’t forget to update alert recipients when people change roles or leave.
5. Avoid Alert Fatigue by Managing Frequency and Volume
If your phone or inbox lights up every half hour, you’ll start tuning out. Here’s how to keep alerts meaningful:
- Set cool-down periods: In Domo, you can adjust how often an alert fires. Use it. For example, only get one alert per day per KPI.
- Batch notifications: If you have related KPIs, consider a daily summary instead of a dozen separate pings.
- Regularly audit alerts: Once a quarter, review which alerts are firing and whether people care. Kill the ones that don’t add value.
Pro Tip:
Track how often each alert triggers, and how often it leads to action. If it’s all noise, fix or delete it.
6. Make Alert Reviews Part of Your Routine
KPIs and business priorities change. Your alerts should too.
- Schedule a quarterly review of all active alerts. Are they still relevant? Are the thresholds right?
- Ask the people getting alerts if they’re helpful, annoying, or missing something important.
- Document each alert: Who owns it, what it means, and where to find it in Domo.
Don’t get sentimental about old alerts. If it’s not helping, turn it off.
7. Don’t Rely on Alerts Alone
Alerts are great for catching surprises, but they’re not a replacement for regular KPI reviews. Sometimes, trends don’t trip an alert but still matter. Make sure someone still looks at the dashboards at least weekly.
And remember: Domo’s alerting is only as good as your data. If your data isn’t up to date or is full of errors, your alerts will be too.
Honest Takes: What Works, What Doesn’t
Works well: - Tight, well-defined alerts on critical KPIs. - Clear, actionable messages. - Alerts targeted to the right people.
Doesn’t work: - Setting up alerts on every metric “just in case.” - Vague or generic alert messages. - Over-relying on anomaly detection—good for backup, but not a substitute for knowing your business.
Ignore: - Vanity metrics. - Alerts nobody reads. - Alerts that just state the obvious (“Report ran successfully.”)
The Bottom Line: Start Simple, Iterate Often
Good alerts in Domo don’t have to be fancy. Pick your most important KPIs, set clear rules, and get them to the right people. Don’t be afraid to kill alerts that don’t help. Keep it simple, pay attention to what works, and you’ll actually catch the stuff that matters—without getting buried in noise.
Remember, the goal isn’t to watch everything. It’s to know when something actually needs your attention. Set up your alerts, let them run, and tweak as you go. You’ll catch more, stress less, and finally get some peace in your inbox.