Skip to main content

Too Many Notices

If you're feeling overwhelmed by appointment alerts, SpotPatrol offers several ways to control notification frequency and timing without missing opportunities. Lots of appointment notices is great if you're able book something quickly. But here are some strategies you can use to reduce the clutter and find something that works for you without being overwhelmed.

Quick Solutions​

Stop All Notifications Immediately​

If you need a complete break from notifications:

  1. Go to your dashboard Notification Methods section
  2. Click "Stop All Notices" in the footer
  3. A header appears showing "Notifications Disabled" with an easy re-enable button

This is perfect when you've found an appointment or need a temporary pause.

Reduce Contact Methods​

Turn off specific notification types while keeping others active:

  • Email only: Turn off SMS and browser notifications
  • SMS only: Turn off email and browser notifications
  • Browser only: Turn off email and SMS notifications

Each contact method has an individual toggle switch in your dashboard.

For more details about managing your contact methods, see our Notifications guide.

Advanced Controls​

Same-Day Appointment Blocking​

Most Helpful

If you can't use same-day appointments but they're creating notification floods, enable same-day blocking to stop alerts for appointments available today. For complete details, see our Date Range Filters guide.

Optimize Your Date Ranges​

Narrow date ranges (like "next 30 days" instead of "next 6 months") significantly reduce notification volume. Set multiple specific windows around your travel plans rather than one broad range. For detailed instructions, see our Date Range Filters guide.

Set Up Quiet Hours Effectively​

Quiet Hours suppress notifications during specific times while monitoring continues 24/7. You can set multiple quiet periods throughout the day for complex schedules - like sleep protection (10 PM-8 AM) plus meeting blocks (1-3 PM). Each period can have different contact type settings, so you might suppress SMS during work hours but keep email active. For complete setup instructions, see our Quiet Hours guide.

Use Time Filters Strategically​

Control which appointment times generate notifications - morning person (6 AM-12 PM), after work (5-8 PM), weekends only, etc. Empty time slots mean no notifications for those periods, making this a powerful volume control. For detailed instructions, see our Time Filters guide.

Reduce Location Count​

If you're monitoring all 6 possible locations, consider removing ones with low activity. Check "Avg Daily Openings" to see which centers actually have appointments and focus on your most active, convenient locations. For help choosing locations, see our Location Selection guide.

Understanding Same-Day Release Patterns​

High-Volume Locations

Some enrollment centers have predictable patterns that can create notification floods:

10-minute release cycles: Certain locations release same-day appointments in batches every 10 minutes throughout business hours. This can generate 30+ notifications per day from a single location.

Strategy: If you notice a location sending frequent same-day alerts you can't use, either enable same-day blocking or remove that specific location temporarily.

When You've Found an Appointment​

Stop All Notifications Immediately​

Post-Booking Action

After successfully booking an appointment:

  1. Mark as found: Go to your dashboard Notification Methods section
  2. Click "Successfully Booked Appointment?" - This updates your status
  3. Click "Stop All Notices" - Immediately stops all future notifications
  4. Confirmation: A header shows "Notifications Disabled" with easy re-enable option

Why this matters: Even after booking, you might continue getting alerts for weeks unless you actively stop them.

For more information about post-booking actions, see our Found an Appointment guide.

Keep Monitoring for Better Options​

Some users prefer to continue monitoring after booking to find:

  • Earlier appointment dates
  • More convenient locations
  • Better time slots

Tip: Use more restrictive filters (shorter date ranges, specific times) to reduce volume while still catching potentially better opportunities.

Quick SMS Controls​

Reply "STOP" to Unsubscribe​

Reply "STOP" to any SMS alert to immediately unsubscribe from all future text messages. Note: This requires going back to your dashboard to re-enable SMS later.

SMS-Specific Quiet Hours​

Set SMS-specific quiet hours while allowing emails to continue normally. You can create multiple quiet periods throughout the day with different contact type settings. This is great for:

  • Sleeping hours (texts wake you up, emails don't)
  • Work meetings (texts are more disruptive)
  • Family time and focus periods
  • Business hours with different rules than personal time

For complete SMS management options, see our Notifications guide.

Summary​

The goal is staying informed without feeling overwhelmed. The most effective approach combines several strategies:

  • Same-day blocking if you can't use immediate appointments
  • Focused locations (3-5 active centers) rather than monitoring everything
  • Strategic time filtering to match your actual availability
  • Quiet hours during sleep or focus periods

Remember, all monitoring continues 24/7 regardless of notification settings - you're just controlling how and when you're alerted.

Still getting too many alerts? Contact us and we'll help you fine-tune your notification preferences.