Concept
Alarm Decoration
If you want to override an alarm configuration for a specific alarm or group of alarms you can use an alarm decoration rule.
An alarm decoration rule is similar to a filter. In the alarm decoration rule, you configure the conditons that have to be met before the alarm decoration rule is executed on an alarm. When configuring the alarm decoration rule, you configure the alarm properties you want the alarm decoration rule to override when an alarm that meets the conditons is triggered.
You can configure the following alarm and alarm styling properties in an alarm decoration rule:
Alarm text message
Category
Category 2
Prefix for an alarm source name
Alarm priority
Auto hide
Flashing alert
Audible alert
Custom audio
Disable state-change logging
Individual acknowledgement
Background color
Font color
Font
Cause note group
Action note group
Checklist
Required user actions
Alarm attachment (the new attachment is added to the original attachment)
If you are logged on to an automation server, an attachment used in the alarm decoration rule has to be stored on that automation server.
For example, if you configure the font, font color, and background color in an alarm decoration rule, then an alarm record that matches the alarm decoration rule criteria gets the specified colors in the Alarms pane or an Alarm View.
Another example of using Alarm Decoration is to configure an Alarm Decoration Rule for Auto Hide, Flashing Alert, Audible Alert and Disable state-change logging for System Alarms. For more information, see System Alarms .
By default, one alarm record is created for an individual alarm and the Count property is incremented for each transition to Alarm. You can create an alarm decoration rule using the Individual acknowledgement field to create individual alarm records for each transition to Alarm, enabling you to monitor and acknowledge each individual alarm transition.
In the Alarm Decoration view, a preview of the selected conditions is displayed.
You can configure more than one alarm decoration rule and an alarm can meet the conditions of more than one rule. You configure the order in which the alarm decoration rules are executed by moving them up or down in a list. When an alarm that matches the conditions is triggered, the alarm decoration rules are executed from the lowest to the highest number in the list.
When an alarm changes state, the properties configured in the alarm decoration rule are still active. The original configuration can change the alarm message and the priority. If an alarm meets the conditions of a different alarm decoration rule due to a state change, the properties change according to the configuration in this alarm decoration rule. If you have not configured any font or color properties in the alarm decoration rule, the font and color properties defined in the alarm styles are applied. For more information, see Alarm Styles View .
In a multi-server system, you create the alarm decoration rule on the Enterprise Server. The alarm decoration rule is propagated to all the automation servers in the EcoStruxure BMS. If you want to create an alarm decoration rule in the Enterprise Central and propagate it to the Enterprise Server and automation servers, you must first choose to synchronize the Alarm Control Panel in each Enterprise Server to parent server. For more information, see Synchronizing Alarm Control Panels .
Alarm Functions
Creating an Alarm Decoration Rule
Configuring an Alarm Decoration Rule
Create Alarm Decoration Rule Wizard - Filter Page
Create Alarm Decoration Rule Wizard - Presentation Page
Create Alarm Decoration Rule Wizard - User Action Page
Alarm Decoration Rule Properties – Alarm Settings Tab
Alarm Styles View
Alarm Control Panel Synchronization
Synchronizing Alarm Control Panels