---
title: "Alerts by email and text message - Workflow Suite"
description: "Get told when a workflow run fails, a workflow is turned off or your plan's runs are used up: by email on every plan, by text message on paid plans."
canonical: "https://docs.workflow-suite.app/alerts"
---

# Alerts by email and text message

An automation that stops quietly is worse than none. Workflow Suite tells you when something needs your attention: by email on every plan, and by text message on the paid plans.

## Open the settings

On the app's **Home** page, select the bell button, **Notification settings**.

## Email alerts

| Alert | When |
| --- | --- |
| **Quota warning** | Your plan usage crosses the **Threshold** you choose |
| **Quota exceeded** | Runs start getting blocked, at 100 % of your plan |
| **Workflow run failed** | A workflow run stops at a failed step. At most one email per workflow per hour |
| **High failure rate** | An unusual share of function runs fail in a short window. You set the **Failure threshold**, the **Window (minutes)** and a **Minimum volume** below which it stays quiet |
| A workflow was turned off by the app | Always sent, it has no switch. See [Loop protection](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/loop-protection.md) |

On the Unlimited plan the quota alerts do not apply.

The failure email names the workflow and the error, and links to the run. The message of a **Fail the run** step appears in it, so write it for the person who gets the email. See [Wait, Log and Fail the run](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/wait-log-and-fail.md).

Test runs and debug sessions never send an alert.

### Recipients

The shop owner's email address is verified by Shopify and included by default. Select **Disable** next to it if only specific recipients should get alerts.

Under **Add recipient** you can add up to 2 more addresses. Each one gets a confirmation email and shows **Pending confirmation** until its link is opened. Only confirmed recipients get alerts.

## Text message alerts

The urgent alerts can also reach you by text message, so a stopped automation does not wait in an inbox. Text message alerts are part of the paid plans. Email alerts stay available on every plan.

1. In **Notification settings**, go to **Text message alerts**.
2. Under **Add phone number**, enter your number.
3. Enter the **Verification code** you receive. It is sent by text message and valid for 10 minutes.
4. Choose which alerts to send:
   - **Workflow turned off** - when the app turns a workflow off itself, for example because it ran too often.
   - **Quota exceeded** - when the run limit is reached and new runs are paused.
   - **Workflow run failed** - when a run stops at a failed step. At most one per workflow per hour.

No text message is sent until a number is verified.

| Plan | Text message alerts per month |
| --- | --- |
| Free | None |
| Starter | 20 |
| Grow | 100 |
| Unlimited | 300 |

When the allowance is used up, further text messages are skipped until the next month and marked **Allowance used up** under **Recently sent**. Emails are not affected.

> [!NOTE]
> **Alerts are not the Send email step**
> Alerts are emails from the app to you, about the app. Emails your workflows send to customers or your team go out through your own sender and are set up in the workflow. See [Send email and email senders](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/send-email.md).
>
> To alert your team about something in your store, such as a high-risk order, build it into a workflow with a Slack, Discord or Teams message or a Send email step.

## Over the Developer API

The alert switches and thresholds can be read and changed over the API. Phone numbers and recipients are added in the app only, because each needs a confirmation by the person who owns it. Phone numbers and addresses are returned masked. See [Developer API and MCP](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/developer-api-and-mcp.md).

## Related

- [Run history and troubleshooting](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/run-history-and-troubleshooting.md)
- [Plans, runs and extra runs](https://docs.workflow-suite.app/plans-runs-and-extra-runs.md)