---
title: "Capacity Alerts"
description: "Set up email notifications for when your store approaches 75% or 100% of its order capacity."
contentType: "docs"
locale: "en"
localized: true
source: "https://orderrules.com/docs/notifications/capacity-alerts"
slug: "notifications/capacity-alerts"
---
## Get Notified Before You Hit the Limit

Capacity alerts send you an email when your order count reaches a percentage of your configured limit. This gives you a heads-up so you can prepare before orders are automatically blocked.

## Setting Up Capacity Alerts

1. Go to **Settings** from the dashboard
2. Scroll to **Notification Settings**
3. Enter your email address
4. Select your **alert threshold** (the percentage that triggers the warning)
5. Set a **cooldown period** to prevent repeated emails
6. Click **Save**

## How the Threshold Works

You choose the percentage at which you want to be notified. Options range from 70% to 95%.

```
Daily Limit: 50 orders
Threshold:   75%

Alert fires at: 38 orders (75% of 50)
```

**Recommended settings:**
- **75%** -- gives you time to plan and prepare
- **85%** -- the default, a good balance of timely and quiet
- **95%** -- only alerts when you are nearly at capacity

## The 100% Alert

You always receive an email when your limit is fully reached (100%), regardless of your threshold setting. This tells you orders are now blocked.

```
Subject: OrderRules Alert: Daily Limit Reached

Your daily order limit (50) has been reached.
Orders are now blocked until midnight.
```

### Choosing a threshold

| Threshold | You hear about it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 70–75% | Early, with time to plan | More emails on busy days |
| 85% | The default, balanced | Enough warning without noise |
| 95% | Only when nearly full | Little time left to react |

The **100% alert always fires**, whatever your threshold — that's the one telling you orders are now blocked. A cooldown sets the minimum gap between emails so a rush doesn't flood your inbox.

## Cooldown Period

To avoid being flooded with emails during a rush, the cooldown sets a minimum gap between alerts.

**Example with a 60-minute cooldown:**
- 10:00 AM: 75% alert sent
- 10:20 AM: 85% reached -- no alert (cooldown active)
- 11:00 AM: cooldown expires
- 11:05 AM: 90% reached -- alert sent

Set the cooldown to 60-120 minutes for most stores.

## Sending Alerts to Multiple People

Enter multiple email addresses separated by commas:

```
owner@mybakery.com,manager@mybakery.com
```

Everyone on the list receives the same alerts.

## Testing

After saving your settings, click **Send test email** to confirm delivery. If nothing arrives within two minutes, check your spam folder and verify the email address.

## Related

- [Capacity Alert Emails](/docs/order-limits/email-alerts)
- [Daily Summary Email](/docs/notifications/daily-summary)
- [Daily Order Limits](/docs/order-limits/daily-order-limits)