System-Generated Tasks and Reminders

Tasks and reminders, also referred to as alerts,  are essentially a virtual to-do list. They are designed to assist you in tracking your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks so important items are not missed.

There are two types of alerts in the VaCMS:

• System-generated tasks / reminders

• Manually created tasks / reminders

This QRG highlights system-generated alerts that appear in the VaCMS. Most system-generated alerts will auto-delete when you perform the stated action. Others must be manually disposed of after completing the action.
Special Reminder: Always search for any alerts associated with a case and ensure they are disposed of before closing the case. If alerts are still associated with a case after it is closed, you must submit a Help Desk ticket to have them removed. For more information about disposing alerts, see the Removing or Disposing Alerts section, below..

Alerts appear according to business rules set in the VaCMS. Each alert also has a unique number of days you must take action; in other words, a due date. If an alert is not completed by its due date, it may escalate to your primary supervisor.

The primary worker assigned to a case will receive all alerts. Any other workers assigned to the case will not receive most alerts for the case. This means that if the primary worker receives an alert, especially on a multi-program or mixed case, the primary worker should be sure to communicate with the other workers assigned to the case as the alert may impact them. This communication will be determined within the local office.

As stated previously, most system-generated alerts will auto-delete when you perform the stated action. For example, the VaCMS generates an alert when an application has been registered and assigned, and a case action in progress, but eligibility results haven’t been authorized within 30 days of the start of the application. The alert will say: Application <Application Number> pending 30 days.

If you run eligibility and authorize the results within five days of receiving the alert, it will disappear from your list. If you don’t do so within five days, it will escalate to your supervisor.

Some alerts must be manually disposed of after completing the task. For example if a case is transferred from another worker to you, you will receive an alert saying: Case <Case Number> with Case Status <Case Status> was transferred to your caseload. You should confirm that this occurred, taken any action necessary, then manually remove the alert from your list.

If you ever notice that you have taken action in response to an alert you receive but the alert still displays on your list, you know you need to manually dispose of the alert.

To learn more about disposing alerts, or to learn about creating and editing manual alerts, refer to the Creating, Reviewing, Editing and Deleting Tasks / Reminders QRG.

Updated 04/25/2016