Automated alarm actions

Last modified: Wednesday March 25, 2026.

Configure automatic system responses when a zone enters an alarm state.

1. To edit existing settings, open the Zones tool, right-click the required zone, and select Edit.
2. Click Alarm Actions.
3. If required, change the Advanced settings:
   1. Merge alarms into one alarm if they occur within a specified timeframe.
4. If required and available, turn on Alta Protect monitoring service verification.
   1. Remote monitoring operators check video of the incident and verify the alarm as false or valid.
   2. If required and available, turn on Remote dispatch services.
      1. Remote monitoring operators request a police dispatch to check the site of any valid alarm.
   3. These features require an additional license and are unavailable in some regions. See Alta Protect monitoring service.
5. If required, click and add Emergency contacts.
   1. If you use the Alta Protect monitoring service, you must assign one user as an emergency contact for each alarm zone.
   2. For more information, see Add an emergency contact to a zone.
6. Use the Pre-alarm, Alarm, and Valid alarm tabs to set actions specific to those alarm phases. For a detailed description of the actions available, see Zone Notifications & webhooks.
   1. Pre-alarm: An alarm has been triggered in a zone with an entry delay. When the entry delay expires, the event becomes an alarm.
   2. Alarm: An alarm has been triggered in the zone, but not verified.
   3. Valid alarm: An active alarm can be verified as false or valid by a user or monitoring service operator.

For more information about alarm behavior, see Respond to alarms.