Rules and Alerts
Rules continuously monitor your assets and take action when conditions are met. Some rules raise alerts: a vehicle hasn't returned, equipment has left a restricted area, or a zone is over capacity. Others record events, linking tags that travel together or auto-associating items based on proximity. Define the conditions once, and Track watches 24/7.
How rules work
You define a rule with a type and parameters. The system continuously evaluates tag positions against your rules. Depending on the rule type, it either triggers an alert (for alert rules) or creates a record (for association and trip matching rules).
Alerts persist until the condition resolves. You can also configure notifications to alert your team by email or webhook in real time.
Common properties
Every rule has these properties:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Rule name | A human-readable name for the rule |
| Rule type | The type of condition to monitor (see below) |
| Severity | low, medium, high, or critical (alert rules only) |
| Apply to | All tags, or a specific list of tag IDs |
| Enabled | Whether the rule is actively being evaluated |
Rule types
| Rule type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Geofence entry and exit | Alert when a tag enters or leaves a zone |
| Geofence containment | Alert when a tag is outside all allowed locations during specified hours |
| Return to base | Alert when a tag hasn't returned to its base location within a time limit |
| Scheduled return | Alert when a tag hasn't returned to base by a specific time of day |
| Inactivity | Alert when a tag hasn't reported a position for too long |
| Dwell time | Alert when a tag stays in a location longer than expected |
| Movement detection | Alert when a tag moves from where it should be staying |
| Minimum visit frequency | Alert when a tag hasn't visited a required location within a time window |
| Unknown location | Alert when a tag is at an unregistered location |
| Zone asset count | Alert when asset count in a zone crosses a threshold |
| Proximity association | Auto-associate tags based on proximity |
| Trip matching | Record when two tag types travel from the same origin to the same destination |
Location types
Rules work with both zone types:
- Network zones: Proximity-based zones defined by hotspot or reference beacon assignments. A tag is "in" the zone when detected by a hotspot assigned to that zone. Best for indoor environments.
- Coordinate zones: Geographic boundaries drawn on the map (polygons or bounding boxes). A tag is "in" the zone when its GPS coordinates fall within the boundary. Best for outdoor environments.
Both zone types use the same location_id parameter in rules. The system handles the different zone types automatically.
Zone tags
Many rules accept zone_tags as an alternative to listing specific zone IDs. Tag your zones (e.g., parking, storage) and reference the tags in rules. The system resolves the tags to matching zones automatically. See Use zone tags to manage rules at scale.