Alarm Functions

Alarm Filters

Alarm filters are used to set up the conditions for the alarms you want to be displayed in an Alarms pane or an Alarm View. You also use alarm filters to determine the conditions that have to be met before a sum alarm is triggered, an email notification is sent, a write to file notification is written, or an alarm is automatically assigned to a user.

For more information, see Alarm Filters .

Time Delay

Time delay prevents unintentional activation-deactivation cycles. You can delay the time before the alarm is triggered when the alarm state goes from normal state to alarm state and when it goes from alarm state to reset state.

For more information, see Time Delay .

Shunt Variable

​A shunt variable is a binary value that works as an on/off switch for the alarm.

For more information, see Shunt Variables .

Deadband

​Deadband is an area of the alarm range where no reset action occurs. The purpose of the deadband is to prevent unintentional activation-deactivation cycles.

For more information, see Deadband .

Alarm Messages

​When configuring the alarm, you can write a message that displays in the Alarms pane, Events pane, Alarm Views, and Event Views when an alarm is triggered or reset.

For more information, see Alarm Messages .

Alarm Priority

​When configuring an alarm, you define the priority of the alarm. The priority is used to inform the operator of the importance of the triggered alarm. The priority is displayed in the Alarms pane, Events pane, Alarm Views, and Event Views.

For more information, see Alarm Priority .

Alarm Categories

​You can group together alarms in categories to simplify the identification of the alarm. When the alarm is triggered, the category name is displayed together with the alarm in the Alarms pane, Events pane, Alarm Views, and Event Views. Each alarm can belong to two categories.

For more information, see Alarm Categories .

Acknowledgements

​When an alarm is triggered, you acknowledge the alarm to indicate to other users that you have responded to the alarm and intend to troubleshoot the problem that caused the alarm. The name of the user that acknowledges the alarm is displayed in the Alarms pane, Events pane, Alarm Views, and Event Views.

For more information, see Acknowledgements .

User Actions

​You can add information when handling a trigger alarm. For example, you can add a comment to the alarm or open an action note that is connected to the alarm. When configuring an alarm, you can force the user to perform different actions when handling a triggered alarm.

For more information, see User Actions .

Notifications

Notifications are used for notifying users or user groups that a certain alarm or other event, such as a schedule or an application condition, has occurred in the system. ​The notification contains a prewritten message that can be displayed as a popup message, sent as an email, sent to an SNMP manager, or written to a text file.

Automatic Assignments

A triggered alarm can be automatically assigned to a specific user or user group that is most suited to correct the problem. An assigned alarm indicates to other users that someone is working with the problem that caused the alarm. The name of the user that is assigned to the alarm and the assignment status are displayed in the Alarms pane, Events pane, Alarm Views and Event Views.

For more information, see Automatic Assignments .

Unit of Measure in Alarms

When creating an alarm, the alarm limit and deadband values inherit the unit of the monitored variable. You can change the unit of the alarm to any unit within the same unit category as the monitored variable.

For more information, see Unit of Measure in Alarms .

Alarm Attachments

You can add attachments to alarm objects, except System Information alarms. An attachment is a link pointing to an object in the system. When an alarm that has an attachment is triggered, a paperclip icon is displayed in the Alarms pane and Alarm Views. It is also possible to configure the attachment to display when the alarm is going from Normal to Alarm state.

For more information, see Alarm Attachments .

Custom Audible Alarm Alerts

A custom audible alarm alert is an audio file that is played when an alarm is triggered.

For more information, see Custom Audible Alarm Alerts .

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.

For more information, see Alarm Decoration .

Alarm Control Panel Synchronization

When you have predefined Alarm Control Panel objects, for example user actions or alarm decorators, that you want to reuse on another EcoStruxure BMS server, you configure a lead-shadow relationship on the shadow Alarm Control Panel.

For more information, see Alarm Control Panel Synchronization .