The Alerts tab allows you to monitor market conditions and receive notifications when those conditions are met. You can set alerts based on price, portfolio metrics, calendar, events, news, chart studies, rating changes, or custom thinkScript conditions.
Alert setup
Before creating an alert, configure how you would like to receive notifications:
- Click the Setup button in the top-right corner of the platform and select Application Settings. This will bring up the Application Settings window.
- Navigate to the Notifications tab.
- Enter an email address to receive alerts. Click Get confirmation code to confirm your email and follow the instructions.
- If you prefer to get an SMS message, click Add number. Confirm the number by following the instructions.
- In the main area of the window, choose the types of alerts and how you want to receive them.
- Click Apply settings.
Alerts on price and other conditions
After you set up notifications, you can proceed to create the actual conditions for alerts. Here is how you can create alerts on price, volatility, and Greeks on the Alerts tab:
- Type in a symbol you would like to be alerted on. This will populate the Alerts page similar to All products.
- Click on the value in the field you wish to be alerted to. For example, to create an alert on the bid reaching a certain level, click in the Bid column. This will bring up the Create Alert on Price window which is divided into three sections:
- Condition Setup: Define the conditions that trigger the alert.
- Notify with: Choose how you want to receive the alert.
- Options: Control alert timing, expiration, and reverse crossover behavior.
- After configuring the alert, click Create in the lower-right corner of the window..
To create alerts for other conditions such as portfolio metrics, calendar events, news, and rating change, click on the Notify me on drop-down and select the desirable alert type.
Notify with
Use the Notify with section to choose how you want to be notified when the alert is triggered. You can select one or multiple notification methods.
- Sound: Select Play Sound to play an audible alert when the condition is met. You can choose the sound from the dropdown list and use the play button to preview it. Sound notifications are delivered directly through the thinkorswim® platform.
In addition to default sounds, you can also use custom sounds. To do this, select Edit custom sounds… from the dropdown list. This opens the Edit Custom Sounds dialog, where you can upload and manage your own audio files. - Email: Select Send an e-mail to all specified e-mail addresses to receive an email notification when the alert is triggered. Email notifications are sent to the addresses configured in Setup > Application Settings > Notifications. If no email address has been added and confirmed, this option will be unavailable.
- Text message: This option allows you to control when SMS notifications are sent. Text message notifications require a phone number to be added and confirmed in Setup > Application Settings > Notifications. If no phone number is configured, text message options will be unavailable.
- Mobile push notification: Select Send push notifications to mobile devices to receive alerts on your mobile device through the thinkorswim mobile app.
Use the Send the following text in messages section to control what information is included in alert notifications.
Options
Use the Options section to control when the alert becomes active, how long it remains active, and whether an additional alert is created when the condition reverses.
• Submit: Activate the alert immediately or at a specified time.
• Expire: Set an expiration date and time for the alert or leave it unspecified.
• Remind me: Receive a notification before the alert expires.
• Reverse crossover alerts: Create a new alert for when the opposite condition is met.
These settings affect the lifecycle and behavior of the alert, without changing the underlying study condition.
Alerts on studies
You can set alerts on study values and thinkScript-based conditions. To learn more, refer to Study alerts.
