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Alerts Guide

Learn how to set up alerts in CloudWise to monitor your AWS spending and detect cost anomalies.

Types of Alerts​

CloudWise offers two types of alerts:

Alert TypeDescriptionAvailability
Budget AlertsManual threshold-based alertsAll tiers
Anomaly DetectionAutomatic cost spike detectionShield tier

Budget Alerts​

Budget alerts notify you when your AWS costs reach specific thresholds you define.

Setting Up Budget Alerts​

Step 1: Navigate to Alerts​

  1. Log into your CloudWise dashboard
  2. Go to Settings → Alerts
  3. Click "Create Alert"

Step 2: Configure Your Alert​

  1. Alert Name: Give your alert a descriptive name
  2. Threshold Amount: Set your spending limit (e.g., $500)
  3. Notification Email: Enter the email address to receive alerts
  4. AWS Account: Select which account to monitor

Step 3: Save and Activate​

  1. Review your settings
  2. Click "Create Alert" to save
  3. Your alert is now active and will monitor your monthly spending

How Budget Alerts Work​

  • Monthly Monitoring: Alerts track your spending for the current calendar month
  • Email Notifications: You'll receive an email when your threshold is reached
  • Slack Notifications: Optionally receive real-time Slack messages with spend breakdowns
  • Real-time Updates: Alerts check your spending regularly throughout the month

Slack for Budget Alerts​

Budget alerts can send to their own dedicated Slack channel, separate from other notification types.

  1. Go to Settings → Notifications
  2. Find the Budget Alerts card
  3. Enable Slack notifications and paste a webhook URL
  4. Click Test Connection to verify

For full setup instructions including creating a Slack webhook, see the Slack Integration Guide.

Anomaly Detection (Shield Tier)​

Anomaly detection automatically identifies unusual cost patterns without you needing to set specific thresholds.

How It Works​

  1. CloudWise analyzes your last 30 days of AWS costs
  2. Statistical analysis (z-score) identifies spending above 2 standard deviations from normal
  3. Alerts are sent via email and/or Slack when anomalies are detected

Setting Up Anomaly Detection​

  1. Go to Settings → Notifications
  2. Enable Cost Anomaly Detection
  3. Configure your threshold percentage (default: 20%)
  4. Optionally connect Slack for instant alerts

Slack Integration​

CloudWise supports per-category Slack channels. Each notification type (budget alerts, anomaly detection, waste detection, stale data, remediation) can route to its own Slack channel.

  1. Create a Slack incoming webhook at api.slack.com/messaging/webhooks
  2. In CloudWise, go to Settings → Notifications
  3. Enable Slack notifications on the category you want
  4. Paste the webhook URL and click Test Connection

For the full multi-channel setup, see the Slack Integration Guide.

Managing Your Alerts​

Viewing Active Alerts​

  • Go to Settings → Alerts to see all your configured alerts
  • Each alert shows its threshold, target account, and current status

Editing Alerts​

  1. Click on an existing alert in the alerts list
  2. Modify the threshold amount or notification email
  3. Save your changes

Deleting Alerts​

  1. Click on the alert you want to remove
  2. Click "Delete Alert"
  3. Confirm the deletion

Best Practices​

Setting Appropriate Thresholds​

  • Start with conservative limits based on your expected monthly spend
  • Consider setting multiple alerts at different levels (e.g., $500, $1000, $1500)
  • Review and adjust thresholds monthly based on actual usage

Email Management​

  • Use a shared team email for alerts that affect multiple people
  • Ensure alert emails don't go to spam folders
  • Test alerts with low thresholds initially to verify delivery

Multiple AWS Accounts​

  • Set up separate alerts for each AWS account you're monitoring
  • Consider different threshold levels based on each account's typical usage
  • Use descriptive names to identify which account each alert monitors

Troubleshooting​

Not Receiving Alert Emails​

  1. Check your spam/junk folder
  2. Verify the email address is entered correctly
  3. Ensure your AWS account has cost data available
  4. Contact support if the issue persists

Alerts Not Triggering​

  1. Verify your AWS account is properly connected
  2. Check that Cost Explorer is enabled in your AWS account
  3. Ensure sufficient time has passed for cost data to be available (costs can take 6-8 hours to appear)

Need Help?​

If you need assistance with budget alerts, contact our support team or check the FAQ section in the Help Center.