Setting Up Custom Notifications Using Autopilot Rules
This guide walks through how to create custom Autopilot notification rules, so your team is alerted when specific shipment conditions are met.
The example below covers a common use case: notifying your team when a load is not tracking two hours before pickup.
You can watch the video or see the steps below
What This Rule Will Do
Trigger 2 hours before pickup
Check whether the load is not tracking
Ensure the load is still active (not cancelled or delivered)
Send an email notification to internal team members on the load
Step 1: Create a New Custom Rule
Navigate to Autopilot Rules
Click Create Rule.
Select Create Custom Rule.
Note: If your organization has multiple workspaces, and you want to create one notification that applies to all workspaces, set this rule up in the Enterprise workspace.
Step 2: Configure the Trigger Timing
We want the rule to run two hours before pickup.
Under the timing section, select:
Number of hours before
Enter:
2 hours
Select the reference time:
Origin – Earliest
How “Origin Earliest” Works
Appointment loads: Earliest and latest times are the same, so this works as expected.
First-Come, First-Served (FCFS) loads: This represents the start of the receiving window.
This makes it a safe default if you want one rule to cover both appointment and FCFS loads.
Step 3: Add Shipment Status Safeguards (Recommended)
This prevents alerts from firing on irrelevant or completed loads.
Add a condition for Shipment Status.
Choose Has any of.
Select:
Carrier Assigned
In Transit
This ensures the load has a carrier and is active.
Step 4: Add the Tracking Condition
Now define the core logic of the rule.
Add a new condition.
Select Tracking Status.
Choose:
Is not tracking
At this point, the rule will only trigger when a load is:
Approaching pickup
Actively assigned
Not tracking
(Optional) Step 5: Split Rules by Appointment vs FCFS
If you want different logic for appointment loads vs FCFS loads, you should create separate rules.
To Target Appointment Loads Only
Add condition: Origin is First-Come, First-Served
Set it to: No
To Target FCFS Loads Only
Add condition: Origin is First-Come, First-Served
Set it to: Yes
This allows you to:
Trigger based on earliest time for appointments
Trigger based on latest time or window close for FCFS loads
For this walkthrough, we’ll keep a single generic rule that covers both.
Step 6: Configure the Notification Action
Click Actions.
Choose Send Email.
You could also send chat messages to drivers or dispatchers, but this example focuses on internal alerts.
Select Recipients
Choose Team Members to notify everyone assigned to the load.
"Team Members" in Chain are added based on logic your management determined when we set up your company.
Alternatively, select Custom Email if you want alerts sent to a shared inbox (e.g.
tracking@yourcompany.com).
Step 7: Customize the Email Subject and Body
Subject Line Example
Use dynamic variables so alerts are easy to identify
Example subject:
Load Not Tracking Alert – #Shipment-Number - #Origin-address to #Destination-address
Use # to insert available variables (shipment number, references, etc.). The variable picker may appear as you type.
Email Body Example
Load #{Shipment Number} is not tracking and is currently two hours before pickup. Route: {Origin City, State} → {Destination City, State}Notes:
Address variables typically resolve to city + state.
Variable names may differ slightly—adjust based on what your editor shows.
Step 8: Save and Enable the Rule
Click Save.
Toggle the rule to Enabled when ready.
Once enabled, the rule will automatically evaluate loads and send notifications when conditions are met.
Enterprise vs Workspace Rules (Important)
Rules created inside a workspace only apply to that workspace.
Rules created in the Enterprise workspace can be applied globally.
In the Enterprise workspace:
You’ll see an option labeled something like Apply to all child workspaces.
Enable this if you want the rule enforced company-wide.
You can identify enterprise-level rules by hovering over them—they’ll indicate they were created at the enterprise level.
Summary
Autopilot custom rules allow you to:
Trigger alerts at precise times
Combine shipment, tracking, and appointment logic
Notify the right people automatically
Scale rules across individual workspaces or your entire organization
This example can be easily adapted for other scenarios like late deliveries, missed check-ins, or post-delivery follow-ups.