How to Perform a Validation Alarm Test

The SmartSense Validation Test Alarm is used to conduct quarterly validation of your system. The validation test will trigger an alarm on all assets at the scheduled date and time, sending notifications to selected recipients, and generating an incident as a record of the event.  After logging into the SmartSense web app, users with the Administrator role can schedule the validation test for their respective location, district, division, or organization.

Note: This is an automated process. Do not remove sensors/probes from their assets.

Create a Validation Alarm

1. Navigate to the ADMIN tab then select ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT from the dropdown.
2. Click on the ASSETS ALARM tab.
3. Select +NEW ASSET ALARM.
   
   
   
   
4. Fill out the fields below as shown:
   • Apply Alarm To: select the hierarchy level you would like to validate. You can choose an organization, division, district, or individual location (depending on your access).
   • Asset: leave blank
   • Tags: select the tag that applies to the group of assets you want to test or leave the tag blank and apply it to all assets.
   • Alarm Name: the recommended naming convention is:
     “Division (District/Location, if applicable) Validation Test Date.”
     • Example 1: Validation Test January 2025
     • Example 2: Region 2 Validation Test 1/15/25
   • Alarm Type: Validation Test
   • Select Date & Time: select the date and time you would like the validation test alarm to be triggered. Must be scheduled at least 1 hour in advance and there is no limit to how far out it can be scheduled (i.e., you can schedule a year’s worth of validation tests in advance; create a new validation test alarm for each quarter
     
     
     
     
   • Notification Settings: select the recipient role and contact method. You can add additional roles/contact methods by clicking “Add new notification delay”
     

     Note: recipients will receive one notification per asset (i.e., if a location has 6 assets, they will receive 6 phone calls/emails/text messages/push notifications). It is recommended to not select “notify when alarm is closed” checkbox.

     
     

5. Click SAVE to complete alarm creation.
6. At the scheduled date and time, SmartSense will trigger a Validation Test Alarm. All alarm notifications will be sent as specified. A Validation Test incident will be generated as well.

When the Validation Test Alarm is triggered, incidents will generate and appear in the HIGH SEVERITY INCIDENTS section of the Dashboard. The incident cards will be blue to distinguish them from other alarm types. The alarm will generate an incident for each asset (unless otherwise specified by using environment tags when creating the alarm).

Respond to a Validation Test

1. Click on the INCIDENT CARD.
   
   
   
   
2. Select CORRECTIVE ACTIONS and use the Custom Text option to document that you received the alarm notification(s).
   
   

   Note: If you do not put in a comment and close out the incident it will come back as a fail vs pass.

    

3. Click the Status dropdown and change the incident status from NEW to CLOSED.
   
   
   
   
4. Repeat for each incident. Once all Validation Test incidents are closed, the validation test is complete.

Validation Test Reporting

There is a delay with report syncing (this is normal behavior) but the report should be synced by the following day.

1. Click on the REPORTS tab and select INCIDENT SUMMARY.
   
   
   
   
2. Use the hierarchy to filter the respective division, district, or location you wish to include in the report.
   
   
   
   
3. Click the FILTERS icon to filter by Threshold Type. Select Validation Test then click APPLY. You may also filter for Incident Start Date if you wish to specify a date range.
   
   
   
   
4. The Incident Details section of the report will include each Validation Test alarm and details such as location/site, start date and time, and asset name. Below is an example of how to filter by asset name:
   
   
   
   
5. This report can be exported by clicking the export icon in the upper right corner (click the icon in the Incident Details section of the report if you only want to export that section).