Alarm.com Cameras: Recording Rules vs. Notification Rules Explained | ASI
You’ve invested in a professional-grade video security system to protect your facility and monitor operations. You want your management team to stay informed about what’s happening at your business, but suddenly, your phone is buzzing 50 times a day. Every delivery truck, every employee walking to their car, every shadow across the loading dock—your screen is flooded with alerts.
If this sounds familiar, you aren't alone. One of the most common issues we help ASI clients resolve isn't a broken camera; it’s a misunderstanding of how the system’s brain is organized.
When managing high-definition commercial cameras, the culprit for notification overload is almost always the tricky overlap between Recording Rules and Notification Rules. Here is a breakdown of how they differ and how to calibrate them so your security system serves as an operational asset rather than a daily distraction.
The Two Rules of Video Security.
To get your commercial camera system working seamlessly, it helps to separate what the cameras remember from what the cameras tell you. The system handles this by splitting the duties into two distinct categories.
Recording Rules.
A Recording Rule dictates when a camera should capture a video clip and save it to the cloud, to ensure you have a permanent video record if you ever need to review an event.
For most commercial properties, you want your Recording Rules running 24/7. If motion occurs on your property, you want that footage securely stored.
Notification Rules.
A Notification Rule dictates when and how the system alerts you to an event, giving you real-time awareness of important activity without overwhelming your operations managers.
These are highly customizable. You can set a rule so that your shift supervisor receives a push notification only if a vehicle enters the restricted lot after hours, or an alert that sends only a text message if a person is detected near the server room.
The Tricky Part:
Here is exactly where the system gets confusing, and management phones start blowing up:
It comes down to an easily missed setting inside the Recording Rule menu. When you create a rule for a camera that records clips (which runs 24/7), you can add recipients to be notified when a clip is uploaded.
If you add a manager's phone number or email to the Recording Rule, you are telling the system to alert them whenever a clip is saved to the cloud. Your perfectly crafted Notification Rule is trying to keep the workday quiet, but your Recording Rule is bypassing it, buzzing phones around the clock for every single recorded event.
How to Fix It and Take Back Your Focus:
The fix is incredibly simple: Separate your recordings from your notifications.
Let the cameras record: Keep your Recording Rules set to capture video at all times. (or when you want them stored)
Turn off the "Recording" alerts: Open your Recording Rules in the app or the customer portal, then remove any recipients.
Control the noise with Notification Rules: Head over to the dedicated Notifications tab. This is where you should build your specific, customized alerts. Tell the system exactly who needs a push notification, which specific AI-detected events trigger it, and which hours those alerts are allowed to go out.
Serious Security Streamlines Your Operations.
A professional security solution adapts to your operational flow; it doesn’t complicate it. By separating your storage habits from your notification preferences, you ensure your ASI system captures everything required for total liability protection, while only tapping you on the shoulder when an event actually requires a professional response.