Notification Channels & Digests
Comprehensive guide to notification channels and email digest options for Community Networks on itemID.
Notification Channels
Community Networks uses three notification channels to keep members informed about alerts, sightings, and community activity. Each channel serves a different purpose and can be configured independently.
In-App Notifications
Every community event creates an in-app notification accessible via the notification bell icon. These are always enabled and cannot be turned off β they serve as the baseline notification system.
- New alerts in subscribed topics
- Sighting reports on your alerts
- Alert resolutions
Email Notifications
Email notifications can be configured per community subscription with four frequency options:
| Frequency | Behavior | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Instant | Email sent immediately for each alert | Small communities, high-priority topics |
| Hourly | Bundled summary every hour | Active communities with moderate traffic |
| Daily | Summary at 8:00 AM | Low-priority overview, busy users |
| None | No email notifications | Users who prefer push or in-app only |
Email Digest Details
Hourly and daily digests bundle alerts into a single email:
- Only includes alerts from your subscribed topics
- Up to 20 alerts per digest email
- Each alert appears only once (tracked via
last_digest_attimestamp) - Only active alerts are included β resolved or expired alerts are excluded
- A link to update your notification preferences is included in every digest
Push Notifications
Browser push notifications deliver real-time alerts to your device β even when itemID is not open.
Requirements
- A modern browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari 16.4+
- On iOS: app must be installed to Home Screen (PWA mode)
- Push must be enabled in your subscription tier
- Browser notification permission must be granted
Push triggers
- New alert created in a subscribed topic
- New sighting report on your alert
- Alert resolution
Push notifications link directly to the relevant page. Clicking a notification opens or focuses the correct window.
Changing Notification Preferences
Each community subscription has its own notification settings:
- Navigate to your community page
- Open the Notification Preferences section
- Adjust email frequency, push toggle, alert radius, and topic subscriptions
- Save your preferences
Changes take effect immediately for push and in-app. Email digest frequency changes take effect on the next scheduled digest run.
Rate Limiting
To prevent notification fatigue in dense communities, the system applies per-recipient throttling:
- Max 5 instant emails per hour per subscriber
- Max 10 push notifications per hour per subscriber
- Overflow is queued and included in the next digest