> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/menu-areas/operations-and-workspaces/notifications.md).

# Notifications

Use the shell bell and notification centre for assigned work, while organisation administrators control secure SMTP delivery and disclosure-safe email copy.

**Who uses this:** Requirement owner, Collector, Analyst, Author, Reviewer, Recipient, Administrator.\
**Open in CORTEX:** `/notifications`.\
**In-app guide:** `/help?topic=notifications`.

**Expected result:** People can reach newly assigned actions quickly without notification state silently completing or authorising the underlying work.

## Before you start

* Select the workspace in which you perform the assigned work. Notifications from other workspaces are not disclosed in the current count or list.
* Treat a notification as a route to work, not as proof that work is still available or complete. The destination checks current authority again.
* Organisation email setup requires current organisation-administrator authority and an SMTP identity whose provider permissions match the chosen sender mode.

## What to do

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

## Open the bell

Use the bell in the workspace header. Its red badge is the bounded unread count for your current organisation, workspace and handling access. The popover shows the five newest current items.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Open or dismiss an item

Open work item marks the notification read and takes you to the source workflow in one action. If access changed before that marker could be stored, CORTEX clears the protected notification view and the destination checks current access again.

Dismiss hides the notification from your current list. Neither action changes the source task, assignment, review, release or deadline.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Use the full centre

Choose View all to review up to 20 notifications per page, including due times. Page totals and unread counts describe the last confirmed personal list.

Use Previous or Next to move through that list and Refresh after an access or assignment change. Your personal dashboard remains the complete current-work projection.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Connect approved SMTP

From Organisation settings choose Email notifications. The Before you begin panel explains administrator authority and the approved mail-service prerequisite.

Connect is the first validated step. Enable delivery, enter the SMTP DNS name and port, choose STARTTLS or TLS on connect, enter a username and password when the provider requires them, and select shared mailbox or send as recipient.

Required and conditional fields and missing-input guidance appear before Continue is available. In-app-only delivery can continue without SMTP.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Compose the organisation template

On the Compose step, edit the required static subject, heading, introduction and action label beside the live preview. The security footer is optional.

Missing or invalid copy appears immediately and blocks Continue. Dynamic work titles, task details and recipient fields are deliberately unavailable.

Reset to the packaged CORTEX default at any time. Back preserves entries.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Save and verify once

The Verify step shows all remaining issues and the audit note CORTEX suggests from your changes.

Choose Save and verify setup to retain the versioned settings and send the exact branded template, clearly marked as a test, to your retained organisation email in one action.

Save without testing is available for a changed enabled configuration when an immediate test is inappropriate. Correct TLS, credentials or provider-side send-as permission before relying on email.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Handle delivery failure

Continue using the in-app bell and dashboard. Email uses durable leases and bounded retries; it cannot remove or complete the in-app notification.

An administrator can disable delivery without hiding inbox items.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Check a deadline notice

Open the Direction requirement to check its current owner, due date and status.

Before sending email for a Direction deadline, CORTEX confirms that the recipient can still read the exact current requirement. A completed, cancelled, reassigned or changed requirement stops that email.

If the source cannot be confirmed, delivery retries and the dashboard remains the current deadline view. Scheduled deadline notices are not enabled yet.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Check the result

* Does the unread count reflect only the selected workspace?
* Does opening the destination still show the expected source record under current access?
* Does the live preview contain only organisation-approved generic copy?
* Was SMTP tested after a credential, TLS, sender-mode or template change?
* For send as recipient, has the SMTP identity been granted explicit permission for each mailbox?

## If you get stuck

<details>

<summary>Why is the bell empty?</summary>

Check the selected workspace and current access. A revoked grant, membership or handling scope hides the item and its count. The dashboard can still show other current work that has no notification event.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why does the notification centre still show the earlier page?</summary>

A temporary refresh or paging failure keeps the last confirmed personal page, counts and actions visible so you can retry. Treat that view as potentially stale and select Try again, Refresh or the same page action before repeating an item action.

If current workspace or handling access is lost, CORTEX clears the protected list and actions instead.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does reading or dismissing complete my task?</summary>

No. Read and dismissal are personal inbox markers only. Complete, respond, review or approve the source record in its own workflow.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why did email not arrive?</summary>

Ask an organisation administrator to confirm delivery is enabled and recently tested. Check junk filtering, SMTP TLS mode, credentials and shared-mailbox or send-as permissions. The in-app notification is independent.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why was a Direction deadline email withheld?</summary>

The requirement may have changed, been completed or cancelled, moved to another owner, or fallen outside your current access. Open the current Direction record and dashboard.

A source that cannot be confirmed is retried within the normal delivery limit.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can CORTEX send as each user?</summary>

Yes, when Send as recipient is selected and the configured SMTP identity has explicit provider-side send-as authority. CORTEX does not bypass or manufacture mailbox permissions.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can users see SMTP passwords?</summary>

No. The UI reports only whether a protected password exists. Saving a blank password retains the current protected value when a username remains configured; clearing the username removes the retained credential.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can an organisation include task details in its email template?</summary>

No. The template accepts static plain text only. Values are HTML-encoded, and the renderer exposes only the internal CORTEX destination. Protected titles, descriptions and recipient data remain in the authorised in-app notification.

</details>

## Responsibility and limits

* CORTEX rechecks the recipient organisation, workspace, current identity state and protective handling before inbox display and before every email attempt.
* SMTP passwords are protected with an organisation-bound Data Protection purpose and are never returned to the UI. Operators must persist and protect the node Data Protection key ring.
* Email subjects and bodies remain generic and contain no protected work title or detail. The in-app record remains the richer, handling-filtered source of notification context.
* Delivery attempts stop after a bounded retry history. Duplicate logical assignments use deterministic deduplication keys; worker leases recover after restart without authorising duplicate concurrent sends.

**Reference and scope:** CORTEX notifications are bounded attention aids. The source record, current identity grant, workspace membership and protective handling remain authoritative for every operation.

## Related workflows

* [Use your dashboard and tasking lifecycle](broken://pages/485c81fe64ee565fd4e9c6dc4601826f7ba1af8b)
* [Use Pulse and inspect retained activity](file:///7397340/assurance/pulse.md)
* [Manage accounts, grants and workspace membership](file:///7397340/assurance/access.md)
* [Onboard a customer organisation](file:///7397340/assurance/platform-administration.md)
* [Work through connection and deployment limits](file:///7397340/assurance/offline.md)