Automate the automation

[IjeomaO]

Scenario: 

Notification to be sent when user misses time punch

I have a master data table named Shift Booked 

This data table has two slices:

• Future Shift (user applies for shift)
• Missed Shift (user does not clock in for applied shift)

Not clocking in after 15 mins of scheduled shift time, the shift moves from future shift slice to missed shift slice.

I would like to send a notification when this happens.

Automations are triggered off 2 conditions. Event change and scheduled. How can I do this if there is no event that triggers the bot?

I can put it on a schedule but I would have to create several bots to monitor on the hour. Is there any other way as of  yet?

[WillowMobileSys]

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@IjeomaO wrote:

Not clocking in after 15 mins of scheduled shift time, the shift moves from future shift slice to missed shift slice.

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I assume that Shifts are not standardized time-slots?  I.e. that can begin/end at any time?   If so, then you will NOT be able to send the Notification as soon as late event occurs.  There are no time based events in AppSheet. 

The best you can do is run a Scheduled bot that identifies any NEW late clockings since the last run.  You can run a Bot Hourly BUT can specify the Minute of the hour on which it runs.  So you could create multiple Bots. 

For example, you could create 4 hourly Bots running at 15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute and 00 minute.  This would mean there would be no more than a 15 minute delay for the Notification to be sent.  Or in other words, it could be up to 30 minutes from the Scheduled Shift time before the Notification is sent.  

BUT let's say shifts are always scheduled in 30 minute blocks - meaning a start time is either on the hour or half-past the hour.  You can use this to tighten up the Notification sending.  In this case, create 2 Schedule Bots, one running at 16 minute and the other at 46 minute.  This gives a minute to identify the late Shift and delays the sending of the Notification by only a minute.

I hope this helps!  Please ask questions if something is not clear.

[IjeomaO]

@WillowMobileSys That is what I ended up doing but wanted to avoid.

Hopefully, sometime in the near future automations will be updated to not have so many conditions set for it to "automate" processes, tasks, and actions.

Nonetheless, thanks for the response.