Notifications and Mentions

Difficulty: Beginner

Overview

Stay informed without being overwhelmed. Notifications alert you to important board activity—task assignments, @mentions in comments, due dates approaching—so you never miss critical updates. But too many notifications create noise that drowns out what truly matters.

This guide teaches you how to configure notifications intelligently, use @mentions effectively to grab teammates' attention, manage email settings to avoid inbox overload, and implement do-not-disturb periods when you need focused work time. Master notifications, and you'll stay in the loop without constant interruption.

What You'll Learn

• Types of notifications and when they trigger
• How to @mention team members effectively
• Configuring notification preferences for your workflow
• Managing email notifications and digest settings
• Understanding in-app vs email notifications
• Implementing do-not-disturb mode
• Mobile notification settings (future)
• Best practices for notification hygiene

Prerequisites

• A Waymaker account with taskboard access
• Understanding of task basics (see Basic Task Management)
• Team members collaborating on boards (see Inviting Team Members)
• Familiarity with task comments and activity (see Task Activity)

Notification Types

In-App Notifications

Bell icon (🔔) in top-right corner:

Red dot appears when you have unread notifications. Click to open notification center.

You receive in-app notifications for:

Task Assignment:

• ✅ Task assigned to you
• ✅ Task reassigned to you
• ✅ Task you created was assigned to someone else (optional)
• Notification: "You were assigned to [Task Name]"

@Mentions:

• ✅ Someone @mentioned you in a comment
• ✅ Someone @mentioned you in a task description
• Notification: "@[Name] mentioned you in [Task Name]"

Task Updates (for watched tasks):

• ✅ Task you're assigned to changed status
• ✅ Task you're watching had comments added
• ✅ Task you're assigned to is approaching due date
• Notification: "[Task Name] was moved to Done"

Due Dates:

• ✅ Task due today (morning notification)
• ✅ Task due tomorrow (day before notification)
• ✅ Task overdue (daily reminder)
• Notification: "[Task Name] is due today"

Board Activity:

• ✅ You were added to a board
• ✅ Guest accepted invitation (if you invited them)
• ✅ Board settings changed (if Board Owner/Admin)
• Notification: "You were added to [Board Name]"

Email Notifications

Sent to your registered email address:

Immediate Emails (Real-time):

• ✅ Assignment: "You were assigned to [Task Name]"
• ✅ @Mention: "@[Name] mentioned you in [Task Name]"
• ✅ Invitation: "You've been invited to [Board Name]"
• ✅ Overdue: "[Task Name] is overdue"

Digest Emails (Batched, Future Feature):

• Daily Digest (sent at 8am your timezone):

  • Summary of yesterday's activity
  • Tasks assigned to you
  • Tasks due today
  • @mentions from past 24 hours

• Weekly Digest (sent Monday 8am):

  • Summary of last week's activity
  • Tasks completed
  • Tasks still open
  • Board progress overview

Email Settings:

You can enable/disable each email type individually (see Configuring Notifications below).

Using @Mentions

@Mention Syntax

In task comments or descriptions:

Type @ followed by person's name:

@sarah Can you review this design mockup?

Autocomplete appears:

1. Type @
2. Start typing name: @sa...
3. Dropdown shows matching team members:
   • Sarah Smith
   • Sam Johnson
4. Click name or press Enter
5. Mention inserted: @sarah

@Mention renders as:

• Blue highlight: @sarah
• Clickable (opens Sarah's profile)
• Sarah receives notification

Who Can You @Mention?

You can @mention:

• ✅ Board members (anyone on the Members list)
• ✅ Guests (with Member Guest permission)
• ✅ Yourself (for self-reminders)
• ✅ Multiple people in one comment: "@tom @jane Please review"

You cannot @mention:

• ❌ People not on the board (add them first)
• ❌ Guests with Viewer permission (they can't participate in discussions)
• ❌ Deactivated users

@Mention Use Cases

Request Action:

@tom This task is blocked waiting for API changes. Can you prioritize?

Notify Stakeholder:

@jane Heads up: We've pushed the launch date to Friday. See updated timeline in description.

Handoff Work:

@sarah Design mockup is complete. Reassigning to you for development. Files attached.

Ask for Clarification:

@john What does "integrate CRM" mean exactly? Which CRM system?

Loop Someone In:

@alex FYI - We're changing the approach based on client feedback (see above comments).

Multiple People:

@design-team Please review and approve before I hand off to @dev-team

Self-Reminder:

@me Remember to update the client on Monday before standup.

@Mention Best Practices

Do:

• ✅ Be specific: "@sarah Can you review by EOD Friday?"
• ✅ Provide context: Why are you mentioning them?
• ✅ Use sparingly: @mention creates interruption
• ✅ @mention one person for action, CC others for FYI
• ✅ Check if they're available (presence indicator)

Don't:

• ❌ @mention entire team for minor updates (noise)
• ❌ @mention in every comment (loses urgency)
• ❌ Use @mentions for non-urgent info (comment without @mention)
• ❌ @mention someone repeatedly in same thread (one is enough)
• ❌ @mention people not relevant to the task

Example - Good @mention:

@sarah The client requested changes to the color palette.
Can you update the design by Thursday? Specs in attachment.

Example - Poor @mention:

@everyone Just updated the task description with a typo fix.

(Should have been: Just updated the task description with a typo fix. [no @mention needed])

Configuring Notifications

Accessing Notification Settings

1. Click Profile menu (your avatar, top-right)
2. Select "Settings"
3. Click "Notifications" tab
4. Notification preferences panel appears

In-App Notification Settings

Enable/Disable by Type:

Task Notifications:

• ☑ Assigned to me: Notify when task assigned
• ☑ @Mentioned: Notify when @mentioned
• ☑ Task updates: Notify when watched task changes
• ☑ Due date approaching: Notify 1 day before due
• ☑ Overdue tasks: Daily reminder

Board Notifications:

• ☑ Added to board: Notify when added to new board
• ☐ Board settings changed: Notify when board settings update (usually just admins)
• ☐ Member added/removed: Notify of membership changes (noisy, usually off)

Comment Notifications:

• ☑ @Mentioned in comment: Notify when @mentioned
• ☐ All comments: Notify on any comment (very noisy, not recommended)
• ☑ Replies to my comments: Notify when someone replies to your comment (future)

Toggle On/Off:

• Green toggle (☑): Notifications enabled
• Gray toggle (☐): Notifications disabled

Save Settings:

• Changes save automatically
• No "Save" button needed
• Takes effect immediately

Email Notification Settings

Same Settings panel, Email section:

Email Delivery Preferences:

• ☑ Send email notifications (master toggle)
  • If off, NO emails sent (in-app only)

Email Types (only if master toggle is on):

• ☑ Task assigned: Immediate email when assigned
• ☑ @Mentioned: Immediate email when @mentioned
• ☑ Due date approaching: Email 1 day before
• ☑ Overdue tasks: Daily email for overdue
• ☐ Board invitations: Email when added to board
• ☐ All activity: Email for every board change (DO NOT enable, extremely noisy)

Email Frequency:

• Real-time (default): Email sent immediately when event occurs
• Digest - Daily (future): One email per day summarizing activity
• Digest - Weekly (future): One email per week

Email Address:

• Notifications sent to your account email
• Update in Profile → Account Settings

Do Not Disturb Mode

Temporarily pause all notifications:

Activate DND:

1. Notification Settings → "Do Not Disturb" section
2. Toggle "Enable Do Not Disturb"
3. Choose duration:
   • 1 hour
   • 4 hours
   • Until tomorrow morning (9am)
   • Until I turn it off (manual)
4. Click "Enable"

While DND is active:

• ❌ No in-app notification popups
• ❌ No email notifications (queued or skipped)
• ✅ Notifications still appear in Notification Center (when you manually check)
• ✅ @mentions still recorded (you see them later)

DND indicator:

• Bell icon shows crescent moon: 🌙
• Hover: "Do Not Disturb until 3:00 PM"

Disable DND:

1. Click bell icon (🌙)
2. Click "Turn Off Do Not Disturb"
3. Normal notifications resume

Use Cases:

• Focused work session: 4-hour DND for deep work
• Meeting marathon: DND all afternoon
• After hours: DND from 6pm to 9am
• Vacation: DND until return date

Mobile Notifications (Future)

Planned Features (Q2 2026):

Mobile Push Notifications:

• Push notifications on iOS/Android Waymaker app
• Same triggers as in-app (assignments, @mentions, due dates)
• Configurable per device
• Quiet hours support (no notifications 10pm-8am)

Mobile Settings:

• Per-device notification preferences
• Enable/disable push entirely
• Sound and vibration settings
• Lock screen notification style

Current Workaround:

• Use email notifications on mobile
• Configure email app notifications
• Not as immediate, but functional

Notification Center

Viewing Notifications

Click bell icon (🔔) in top-right:

Notification panel opens showing:

Unread Notifications (bold):

• "@sarah mentioned you in Design homepage mockup"
• "You were assigned to Fix login bug"
• "Task 'Client review' is due today"

Read Notifications (faded):

• Previous notifications you've clicked
• Marked as read automatically

Notification Details:

Each notification shows:

• Icon: Type indicator (@ for mention, 📋 for assignment)
• Message: What happened
• Context: Task name, board name
• Time: "5 minutes ago", "2 hours ago", "Yesterday"
• Action: Click to go to task/board

Mark as Read:

• Click notification → Opens task → Marked as read
• Or click "Mark all as read" button at bottom

Clear Notifications:

• Click "Clear all" to remove read notifications
• Unread notifications remain

Notification Badges

Bell icon badge:

• Red dot: You have unread notifications
• Number (e.g., 5): You have 5 unread notifications
• No badge: All caught up

Browser Tab:

• Some browsers show unread count in page title
• "Waymaker (3)" = 3 unread notifications

Notification Etiquette

For Senders (Using @Mentions)

Be Respectful:

• @Mention creates interruption (email + in-app notification)
• Use thoughtfully, not reflexively
• Consider: Does this need their immediate attention?
• If not urgent, comment without @mention (they'll see in activity feed)

Clear Call-to-Action:

Bad: "@tom thoughts?" Good: "@tom Can you review the attached design and approve by Friday?"

Batch @Mentions:

Instead of:

• Comment 1: "@sarah I updated the description"
• Comment 2: "@sarah Also added acceptance criteria"
• Comment 3: "@sarah Can you review?"

Do this:

• Comment 1: "@sarah I updated the description and added acceptance criteria. Can you review?"

(One notification instead of three)

For Receivers (Managing Notifications)

Check Regularly:

• Check notification center 2-3 times/day
• Morning, midday, end of day
• Or whenever bell shows red dot

Respond Promptly to @Mentions:

• @Mentions usually mean someone needs your input
• Acknowledge within 24 hours (even if just "I'll look at this tomorrow")
• Reduces follow-up @mentions

Use Filters:

• If overwhelmed, disable low-priority notifications
• Keep: Assignments, @mentions (high signal)
• Disable: All comments, board changes (low signal)

Don't Ignore Overdue Notifications:

• Overdue task notifications mean you're blocking others
• Update status, reassign, or communicate if delayed

Troubleshooting

Not receiving notifications

Possible causes:

• Notifications disabled in settings
• Email in spam folder
• Browser notifications blocked
• Do Not Disturb enabled

Solution:

1. Check Settings → Notifications → Verify toggles are ON
2. Check email spam folder, whitelist noreply@waymakerone.com
3. Check browser permissions (allow notifications for waymakerone.com)
4. Check DND mode (bell icon shouldn't show 🌙)
5. Hard refresh browser (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R)

Too many notifications (overwhelmed)

Problem: Inbox flooded with emails. In-app notifications constantly popping up. Can't focus.

Solution:

1. Disable email notifications (keep in-app only)
   • Settings → Notifications → Email → Toggle OFF
2. Disable low-signal notifications:
   • Turn OFF: All comments, Board settings changed, Member changes
   • Keep ON: Assignments, @Mentions, Due dates
3. Use email digest instead of real-time (future feature)
4. Enable Do Not Disturb during focus work (4-hour blocks)
5. Unwatch tasks you're not actively involved in

@Mention didn't notify person

Possible causes:

• Person has @mention notifications disabled
• Person not on board (can't @mention them)
• Typo in name (didn't autocomplete correctly)
• Person has DND enabled

Solution:

1. Verify @mention is blue/highlighted (properly linked)
2. Check person is in Members list
3. Ask person to check notification settings
4. Try reassigning task to them (forces notification)
5. As fallback, send direct message outside taskboard

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Enabling "All activity" email notifications

Problem: Inbox flooded with hundreds of emails per week. Every task move, comment, edit triggers email. Unsubscribe from Waymaker entirely.

Solution: NEVER enable "All activity." Use selective notifications (assignments, @mentions only). Consider digest mode when available.

❌ Mistake 2: Never checking notification center

Problem: Miss task assignments, @mentions, due dates. Team frustrated by lack of response.

Solution: Check bell icon (🔔) at least 2x/day. Make it part of morning and end-of-day routine.

❌ Mistake 3: @Mentioning entire team for every update

Problem: Team ignores @mentions (boy who cried wolf). When truly urgent, no one responds.

Solution: @Mention selectively. Save @mentions for when you need specific person's attention. Use plain comments for FYI updates.

❌ Mistake 4: Ignoring overdue task notifications

Problem: Overdue reminders pile up. Blocking teammates who need your work. Task remains incomplete.

Solution: When you get overdue notification, take action same day: Complete task, update due date, reassign, or communicate delay.

❌ Mistake 5: Forgetting to disable DND after focused work

Problem: DND enabled for afternoon deep work. Forgot to disable. Missed critical @mention from client. Issue escalates.

Solution: Set DND with time limit (4 hours, not "until I turn off"). Check notification center after DND ends.

Quick Reference

@Mention Syntax:

• Type @ + person's name
• Autocomplete shows team members
• Click name or press Enter
• Person receives notification

Notification Types:

• Assignments: Task assigned to you
• @Mentions: Someone @mentioned you
• Due dates: Task due soon or overdue
• Board: Added to board, invitations

Viewing Notifications:

• Click bell icon (🔔) in top-right
• Unread notifications bold
• Click notification → Opens task → Marked as read

Configuring:

• Profile → Settings → Notifications
• Toggle each notification type on/off
• Email notifications separate section
• Changes save automatically

Do Not Disturb:

• Settings → Notifications → Enable DND
• Choose duration (1hr, 4hr, until tomorrow)
• Bell shows crescent moon (🌙) when active
• Turn off anytime

@Mention Best Practices:

• Be specific (clear call-to-action)
• Use sparingly (creates interruption)
• Batch mentions (one comment, not three)
• @Mention one person for action

Notification Hygiene:

• Disable low-signal notifications (all comments, board changes)
• Keep high-signal (assignments, @mentions, due dates)
• Check notification center 2-3x/day
• Respond to @mentions within 24 hours
• Use DND for focused work

Email Settings:

• Master toggle: Send email notifications (on/off)
• Per-type: Assignments, @mentions, due dates
• Digest mode: Daily or weekly summary (future)

Mobile (Future):

• Push notifications on Waymaker app
• Quiet hours support
• Per-device settings

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Related Articles

• Task Activity and Comments - Using comments and @mentions effectively
• Task Assignment and Ownership - Assignment notifications
• Real-time Collaboration - Live updates vs notifications
• Guest Collaboration - Notifications for guests
• Basic Task Management - Creating tasks that trigger notifications

Next Steps

You now know how to manage notifications and use @mentions effectively! Ready to continue?

1. Permissions and Access Control - Control who receives notifications
2. Real-time Collaboration - See updates instantly
3. Task Activity - Master comments and @mentions

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Overwhelmed by notifications? → Settings → Notifications → Disable low-signal types