Omnilert Desktop Alert v2

Omnilert now provides a desktop application for receiving/viewing alerts directly on PCs; Omnilert Desktop Alert v2. 

Once installed, the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 will run silently in the system tray. This lightweight client application can then be targeted for full-screen desktop alerts and also includes a desktop version of the Omnilert App to view mobile app messages and use app features (submitting tips, viewing resources, using the panic button) right on your PC.

Important Note: This desktop alert product is an extension of the Omnilert App. In order to use the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 app on your desktops, you will first need to complete the basic configuration for the Omnilert App. (If you haven't set up the Omnilert App, perform that setup before continuing.)

Once configured, be sure to "activate" the Desktop Alert endpoint before attempting to install the client app on your PC.

Configuring the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2

This desktop client application is an extension of the Omnilert App functions. You must first configure the Omnilert App for your Omnilert service to take advantage of this desktop version's features.

The Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 can be configured in the Endpoints > Active list of Omnilert. (If not yet activated, check the Endpoints > Inactive)

Details tab

The Details tab allows you to set the display name for this endpoint. The display name impacts how this endpoint is listed in the Endpoints list and on the Send Message page.

The 'Default select' option can be checked if you wish for the desktop endpoint to be selected by default when composing new messages.

Configuration tab

The two primary settings for desktop alert displays are found on the Configuration tab:

• Display duration: Controls how long (in seconds) a message will display on the screen for desktop clients after receiving the alert.  (30 seconds minimum)
• Alert expiration: Determines how long (in seconds) will a new message be available for desktops to pick up and display the alert. If an alert expires before a desktop can retrieve it, it will not be displayed at all. (30 seconds minimum)

We recommend a minimum length of 30 seconds for these settings.  However, a longer expiration will give more time for PCs to retrieve the alert. 

• Enable user acknowledgment: This setting allows the end-user to click an "Acknowledge" button for full-screen alerts. Clicking that button will end the full-screen alert and mark the message as "Acknowledged" by that desktop. 
• Enable automatic inactivation: Omnilert will automatically deactivate desktop devices if they have not been active in a long time. This process frees up desktop alert license seats for new PCs when old computers disappear (decommission or get reformatted) from your network. Once checked, you'll see a dropdown to select how long you'd like PCs to be permitted to be inactive before they are automatically inactivated by Omnilert.

Inactive desktops do not receive any alerts and cannot connect to Omnilert's network until the desktop device is reactivated in the device list.

Devices tab

The Devices tab is a searchable list of all of the desktop clients that have been installed and registered to your Omnilert account. The list displays the following information:

• Username: The subscriber username that is linked to the desktop client installed.
• Personal Access Code: The subscriber app PAC. (See Personal Access Code)
• Hostname: The computer hostname provided by the desktop device.
• Version: The ODA client version installed on the PC. 
• Device ID: The device's Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) returned by the desktop client device during installation on that computer. 
• Last Active: The last activity from the client app on that computer. Activities recorded include app startups, client check-ins, and retrieving alerts or a list of alerts. The activity date can help you determine if a client PC is running the app and/or can communicate with Omnilert's servers.
• Active: Whether or not the device is permitted to receive alerts. By default, all newly installed client desktops are "active". An administrator can set a specific desktop to "inactive" by selecting it from the list and choosing "Deactivate" from the blue menu.

What is an "Inactive" desktop client?

A desktop client becomes "Inactive" if/when an admin "Deactivates" the device in the Omnilert interface.

Deactivating a desktop device will prevent that desktop from launching and/or receiving any future desktop alerts. (If it connects again, that inactivated computer will display an error to the end-user instructing them that their device has been inactivated.)

Note: By default, desktops can be set to automatically "deactivate" after 30, 60, 90, or 120 days of inactivity.  This helps ensure that decommissioned/destroyed computers do not continue to utilize license seats in perpetuity. You can adjust this option on the Configuration tab.

How to reactivate Inactive desktops

If desktop devices need to be reactivated, this can be done via the Devices tab in your desktop alert endpoint settings.  

First, locate the desired desktop(s) in the Devices list.

You can use the filter at the top of the list to filter the view on "Inactive" to quickly filter out active devices.

Then select the desired devices (or multiple desktops) and choose Activate from the menu at the top of the list. This will reactivate those desktops so that they may continue to use Desktop Alert.

Deleting desktop devices

To delete a desktop device, select the desired device(s) in the list and then choose Delete from the menu at the top of the list. Deleting a device will remove that device from Omnilert's list of desktop devices.

If the desktop device is running the ODA client when it's deleted, it will become "logged out" of the system, and the PC will display a "Validation Error" until the client app is quit/restarted.

However, deleting a device does not prevent that desktop from re-registering with Omnilert.

So, if the client machine closes/reopens the app or enters a new Personal Access Code, it will become reconnected.

Please note: Deleting an "Inactive" desktop device will remove it from the inactive list. However, if that same desktop (Device ID) tries to register later, it will be returned to the Inactive devices list and display a "Validation Error".

Installers tab

The Installers tab provides convenient access to download the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 installation files for Microsoft Windows. 

You will see the latest version number presented below each installer. 

One way to distribute this application would be to simply host the installer files on your servers and then provide a download link to your subscribers on your website or file-sharing system of choice.

If you are distributing this client application through a software management system (e.g. Microsoft SCCM), you can download updated installers from this page to push out to your networked computers.

Sending 'App Invites'

Omnilert can include app installer links as part of your Omnilert App "Send invites" feature. This feature will send an email to any subscriber whose PAC has not been activated in the client app. 

Simply include the text variable {{desktop_app_download_link}}within your invitation template. This variable will insert Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 installer download links for Windows app invite emails sent by Omnilert. 

License seats

Additionally, you will see that this screen displays the total number of desktop "seats" that are in use. This can help you to determine how many desktop clients are being used by your subscribers. 

Installing the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 client app

The Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 client app must be installed and running on a client PC for that computer to receive alerts.

Supported Operating Systems:

• Microsoft Windows 10 or later

Installation Guides

Select the appropriate link below:

• Installation Guide (Windows)

Note: Be sure to "activate" the Desktop Alert endpoint before attempting to install the client app on your PC.

Automatic Updates

As of v1.3.4, the Omnilert Desktop Alert client app will automatically check for updates when the client application starts. If a new version is available, the end-user will be prompted to run the update. 

(You can also check for updates on demand using the "Check for Updates" option in the man menu while the app is running.)

Omnilert can provide instructions for disabling automatic updates on distributed systems. However, disabling updates will require your team to reinstall the application if/when a new version is released.

Running the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2

By default, the Omnilert desktop client app will launch upon login to the local Windows computer.

If the application is closed, it can be run from the standard applications folder on that PC.

Sending full-screen alerts to the Omnilert Desktop Alert v2

To target alerts for desktop screens, simply select the "Omnilert Desktop Alert" endpoint when sending an alert message. 

Please note: The name for your Omnilert Desktop Alert v2 endpoint may vary as the endpoint's name is customizable! (See "Configuring an endpoint" for more information.) 

Selecting the "Omnilert Desktop Alert" option will send this message to the full-screen display on any desktop computers running the Omnilert desktop client app for the selected subscriber group(s). 

The full-screen alert's display will include the following elements:

• The "subject" line of the message will display in red at the top of the screen.
• The "body" text content will display in black text with a white background for maximum visibility. 
• A button to silence the alert sound appears when/if the mouse is moved.
• A button to acknowledge (and end) the full-screen alert appears when/if the mouse is moved. (If "Acknowledge" is enabled for the alert.)
• Any URLs included in the text content will be displayed as clickable links.
• Image URLs will generate a second page with the image displayed (gif, jpg/jpeg, png, mp4 formats supported). Arrows at the bottom of the display will allow the recipient to switch pages.
• If the message is too large to fit on-screen, the content will scroll upward after a short delay.
• If there are image links included, the screen will automatically alternate between the text content and the image after a delay.