Temporary absence behavior and restrictions

Question

How do temporary replacements work and what are the restrictions or exemptions as it relates to a user being notified when on temporary absence?

Environment

All versions of xMatters

Answer

Our documentation covers a number of examples for temporary absences but the take-aways are as follows:

When the temporary absence period begins, xMatters automatically begins notifying your replacement. If you did not select a replacement, the notifications are discarded. xMatters then notifies the next person in a group escalation, skipping any delay that's set up after you but respecting a delay before you (even if that delay is the first thing in the escalation). When the temporary absence ends, xMatters automatically resumes sending notifications to you. If you want to start receiving your notifications before the temporary absence period ends, you can manually delete your temporary absences.

Replacements for specific groups

When you configure a replacement to cover you for specific groups during your absence, any notifications targeting those groups will be sent to your replacement. This includes subscription notifications that target you based on your membership in a group. You will still receive any notifications that target you or your devices directly.

Replacement for all groups

When you configure a replacement to cover you for 'All Groups', any notifications that target you as part of a group or directly as a user will be sent to your replacement. This includes subscription notifications that target you as a user, or based on your membership in a group. You will still receive any notifications that target your devices directly.

In other words, if you want to bypass the temporary absence behavior and still receive notifications under some circumstances (like important subscriptions about critical issues) you can add your device to the subscription instead of your user and will in that case receive the notification even on a temporary absence.

Accept/Reject options in temporary replacement emails

If you receive a notification email related to a temporary replacement, the Accept and Reject options in that email apply only to the notification message itself. They are not used to approve or deny the temporary replacement assignment, and choosing either option does not change who is set as the temporary replacement.

Verifying the correct groups for your notifications

If you are not receiving the staffing or on-call alerts you expect while using temporary replacements, verify that your account is in the correct notification groups. Check your profile or group memberships in the notification system, or contact your local notification administrator to confirm which group(s) your account belongs to. If your role or status has changed (for example, from traveler to full-time), ask the administrator to update your group membership so you receive the appropriate notifications.