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Vineyard & Winery Elf EN

SMS, Email and WhatsApp Alerts - real-time notifications

Updated at: 4 min read

Why do I need alerts?

You do not have to keep checking the app. VineyardElf will send you a notification via SMS, email or WhatsApp whenever something important happens:

  • A frost is approaching
  • Disease risk has increased
  • A reporting deadline is coming up
  • A sensor stopped working

You sleep - the system keeps watch!

Daily weather report 🌤️

Every day at 7:00 AM you receive a summary on WhatsApp:

🍇 Pustkowie Vineyard
📅 Friday, Dec 13

🌡️ Today: -2° / 4°C
📆 Tomorrow: -4° / 2°C
💧 Rain tomorrow: 1.5 mm

❄️ WARNING: Frost tonight: -3°C

❄️ Winter dormancy period
💡 Check the covering at the base of the vines

—
VineyardElf 🌿

During the growing season the report also includes:

  • Disease risk (powdery mildew, botrytis…)
  • Current BBCH stage
  • Suggested field tasks

What alerts can I receive?

Frost alerts ❄️

  • Warning - “Frost of -2°C forecast in 24h”
  • Alarm - “Temperature dropped to 1°C!”
  • Protection active - “Sprinkling activated in the Riesling zone”

Disease alerts 🦠

  • Rising risk - “Powdery mildew: risk 65%”
  • Spray window - “Optimal spraying conditions: today 10:00-14:00”

Calendar reminders 📅

  • In 30 days - “Harvest declaration - due in one month”
  • In 7 days - “Harvest declaration - due in one week”
  • Tomorrow - “Harvest declaration - due TOMORROW!”
  • Today - “Harvest declaration - due TODAY!”

Winery alerts 🍷

  • Temperature too high - “Tank #3: 22°C (limit 20°C)”
  • Fermentation - “Tank #1: density stable for 48h”

System alerts ⚙️

  • No data - “Weather station has not responded for 2h”
  • Low battery - “Temperature sensor: replace the battery”

How do I set up alerts?

Step 1: Add your contact details

  1. Go to Settings > Alerts
  2. Enter your details:
    • Email - for alerts and detailed reports
    • Phone - for SMS (format: +48500123456)
    • WhatsApp - for messages and daily reports

Tip: WhatsApp is the best option - you get full reports for free!

Step 2: Configure alert types

In Settings > Alerts you will find a section for each type:

Frost:

  • Warning threshold (e.g. 2°C)
  • Alarm threshold (e.g. 0°C)
  • Channels: email / SMS / WhatsApp

Diseases:

  • Risk threshold (e.g. 50%)
  • Which models trigger alerts
  • Notification channels

Calendar:

  • Reminders for reporting and compliance deadlines
  • Enabled by default for email and WhatsApp

Step 3: Choose your channels

For each alert type, choose:

  • WhatsApp 💚 - recommended, free, full reports with emoji
  • Email 📧 - detailed, with charts and links
  • SMS 📱 - fast, always works, paid

WhatsApp - how do I set it up?

WhatsApp requires a one-time activation:

  1. In Settings > Alerts enter your WhatsApp number
  2. Send a message to the Twilio Sandbox number (shown in the settings)
  3. Once activated, you will start receiving notifications

Number format: +48606273429 (with country code)

Can I set quiet hours at night?

Yes! You do not want to be woken at 3 AM by a powdery mildew risk alert?

  1. Go to Settings > Alerts > Schedule
  2. Set your quiet hours (e.g. 22:00 - 6:00)
  3. Choose which alerts are allowed to break the silence (e.g. frost only!)

IMPORTANT: Frost alerts ignore quiet hours by default - because frost happens precisely at night!

How much do notifications cost?

Channel Cost
Email Free
WhatsApp Free
SMS 50/month included, then per price list

Recommendation: Use WhatsApp - you get full reports with emoji for free!

How do I check my alert history?

Go to Alerts > History. You will see:

  • All alerts that were sent
  • Date and time
  • Content
  • Delivery status

What if an alert did not arrive?

  1. Check that the number/email is correct
  2. Review the status in the alert history
  3. Check the SPAM folder (for emails)
  4. For WhatsApp: did you activate the number?
  5. Verify that quiet hours are not enabled

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