We created a simple automation that sends a notification with the task fields to a user when a Send Notification button is pressed.
The automation successfully sends an email to the owner of the task.
but then the automation also adds the same information to the update section of the task - and the user gets a second email telling them that the task was updated.
Is it possible to either:
a) prevent an automation from posting an update to a task
or
b) prevent email notifications from updates that are posted by automations
The only options available are to turn off email notifications from updates (but then I don’t get email notifications from actual users who are updating tasks)
I can see in the automation window that Update Task is one of the options - but why is this turned on by default with no way to prevent the automation from updating the task?
This is a common issue with automations that trigger both notifications and updates simultaneously. Unfortunately, as of now, Monday.com does not allow you to disable the automatic updates added by an automation, but here are some potential solutions to your problem:
Option A: Prevent the Automation from Posting an Update
Currently, there isn’t a built-in setting to disable updates generated by automations. However, you could review the automation recipe you’re using and see if there’s an alternative recipe that doesn’t involve updating the task. If you’re using a custom automation, you may want to try splitting it into two separate actions (e.g., notification only and no task update).
Option B: Prevent Email Notifications from Automation Updates
You can customize email notification settings to prevent emails triggered by automation-generated updates. Here’s how:
Go to Avatar Menu (Profile Icon) > Notifications.
Under Email Notifications, review the options and uncheck Task Updates or tweak them to suit your needs.
Alternatively, adjust the specific board’s notification preferences by clicking the three dots in the top-right corner of the board, then selecting Notifications.
Unfortunately, this might result in missed notifications for genuine user updates, so you’ll need to decide which trade-off works best.
Why Updates Are Added by Default
The automatic addition of updates when using certain automations is currently a default behavior in Monday.com. This helps ensure a clear audit trail but can be frustrating in scenarios like yours. It might help to submit this issue as feedback to Monday.com’s support team so they can consider improving customization for future updates.
I hope this helps clarify things and gives you some paths to try! Let me know if you need further assistance.