Training Module 23 — Notification Preferences

GoClubPro User Training | Area: Notification Setup & Management

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What Users Need to Learn

GoClubPro sends notifications through multiple channels. Users need to understand:

• What types of notifications exist
• How to configure which notifications they receive
• How to choose between email, push, and in-app alerts
• How to avoid notification fatigue without missing critical alerts
• How admins see notification delivery status

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1. Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Accessing Notification Preferences

1. Click your name/avatar in the navigation.
2. Go to Player Profile.
3. Click the Notification Preferences section (or tab).
4. You'll see a list of notification types, each with delivery channel toggles.

Configuring Each Notification Type

For each event type, you can toggle delivery channels:

• In-app (Alerts tab): Always available; cannot be disabled.
• Push notification: Requires PWA installed + browser permission granted.
• Email: Sent to your registered email address.

Configure each notification type individually:

Turning Off Notifications Temporarily

If you want to mute notifications for a period (e.g., holiday):

1. Profile → Notification Preferences.
2. Disable Push Notifications globally (toggle at the top).
3. Email notifications continue unless you also disable them.
4. Re-enable when you return.
5. Note: In-app Alerts always accumulate while you're away — you'll see them when you return.

Unsubscribing from Email Notifications

If you receive too many emails:

1. Open any GoClubPro email.
2. Click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom.
3. This takes you to a page where you can select which email categories to unsubscribe from.
4. Changes apply immediately.
5. Alternatively: Profile → Notification Preferences → disable email for specific event types.

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2. Simple Explanation (Beginners)

GoClubPro can tell you what's happening in three ways:

1. In-app alerts (the red badge in the app — always on)
2. Push notifications (pop-up on your phone, like a text message)
3. Emails (sent to your inbox)

You decide which events trigger which delivery method. For important things (squad selection, fixture changes), use push notifications. For less urgent things (comment replies, routine posts), in-app only is enough.

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3. Advanced Explanation (Power Users)

Notification architecture:

• In-app alerts are stored in the database and retrieved on login/refresh — no delivery mechanism needed.
• Push notifications use Web Push (service worker + browser push service). Delivery is not guaranteed — devices may suppress pushes when in Do Not Disturb or low battery mode.
• Emails are sent via Resend (transactional email provider). Delivery to inbox depends on domain reputation and recipient's spam filters.

Priority hierarchy: For time-sensitive notifications (squad selection, fixture changes), configure push + email. Push is faster; email is the fallback if push fails.

Email frequency control: Some users prefer email summaries (daily digest) over individual notification emails. GoClubPro doesn't currently offer a digest mode — each event triggers a separate email. Manage this by restricting email to critical events only.

Admin visibility: Club Admins can see notification delivery status for broadcasts they send — they can see whether push and email were sent, but not whether they were read/opened by individual members.

Role-specific default notifications: When a user is assigned a new role, GoClubPro applies role-appropriate default notification settings. For example, a new Treasurer automatically gets payment reminder notifications enabled. Users can override these defaults.

Do Not Disturb interaction: Push notifications respect the device's Do Not Disturb settings. For time-sensitive game-day communications, members should add GoClubPro to their DND exception list if they want to be reached.

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4. Visual Description (Text-Based)

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NOTIFICATION PREFERENCES │
│ │
│ Push Notifications: ✅ Enabled (globally) │
│ Email Notifications: ✅ Enabled (globally) │
│ │
│ EVENT TYPE IN-APP PUSH EMAIL │
│ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Squad selected ✅ ✅ ✅ │
│ RSVP reminder ✅ ✅ ✅ │
│ Fixture change ✅ ✅ ✅ │
│ Payment reminder ✅ ✅ ✅ │
│ New post (Noticeboard) ✅ ❌ ❌ │
│ Comment reply ✅ ❌ ❌ │
│ Admin broadcast ✅ ✅ ✅ │
│ Fine approved ✅ ❌ ❌ │
│ Claim status change ✅ ❌ ✅ │
│ Join request approved ✅ ❌ ❌ │
│ │
│ [ Save Preferences ] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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5. Tooltips & Hints

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6. FAQ — Notification Preferences

Q: I keep getting email notifications I don't want. How do I stop them? A: Profile → Notification Preferences → disable email for the specific event types generating unwanted emails. Or use the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email.

Q: I want notifications for match selection but nothing else. Is that possible? A: Yes — in Notification Preferences, disable push and email for all event types, then re-enable them only for "Squad selected".

Q: My push notifications stopped working after I updated my phone. A: Your notification permission may have been reset. Go to device Settings → Apps → GoClubPro → Notifications → re-enable. Or open the app and re-accept the notification prompt if it appears.

Q: Can my club admin force me to receive certain notifications? A: Admins cannot override your personal notification preferences. However, they can see whether you're receiving broadcasts and follow up directly if needed.

Q: I'm getting duplicate notifications (push AND email for the same event). A: This is expected if you have both enabled. If you only want one: disable email for that event type and rely on push only.

Q: How do I know if a notification email was sent? A: Check your inbox (including spam). If you expected an email and didn't receive it, check your Alerts tab in-app — in-app alerts are always delivered even if email fails.

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7. Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

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8. Short Onboarding Script

Notifications — Stay Informed, Not Overwhelmed

Set up your preferences in Profile → Notification Preferences:

• Essential (keep on): Squad selection, Fixture changes, Payment reminders
• Optional (your choice): RSVP reminders, Admin broadcasts
• Suggest turning off email for: Noticeboard posts and comment replies

Push = instant. Email = backup. In-app Alerts = always on.

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9. Long Training Guide

Finding the Right Notification Balance

The goal is to get notified for things that require your action, without being overwhelmed by events that are just informational.

Critical (always on, push + email):

• Squad selected — you need to know if you're playing
• Fixture change — time or location changed; affects your planning
• Payment reminder — outstanding fees need to be paid

Important (push or email — not both):

• RSVP reminder — you need to respond; one delivery channel is enough
• Admin broadcast — important club-wide message

Informational (in-app only):

• Noticeboard posts — read when you open the app
• Comment replies — check when you're in the app
• Fine approved — you'll see it when you check Payments
• Claim status — email makes sense here since it may require bank transfer

Club admin consideration: Encourage members to set up notifications correctly at season start. A broadcast explaining the recommended notification setup reduces the number of members who "didn't know" about their squad selection or a fixture change.

For Clubs with High Noticeboard Activity

If your club posts frequently to the Noticeboard (daily updates, match summaries, etc.), members will experience email/push fatigue if Noticeboard notifications are enabled. Strong recommendation:

• Noticeboard posts: in-app only
• Admin broadcasts only: email + push

This way, routine social content doesn't displace critical operational alerts in members' consciousness.

Notification Troubleshooting for Admins

If members report they're not receiving notifications:

1. Ask them to check Profile → Notification Preferences — are the right channels enabled?
2. Check their device settings — notifications might be blocked at the OS level.
3. Verify they have the PWA installed (required for push).
4. Remind them that in-app Alerts are always available as a fallback.

For critical communications (e.g., fixture cancelled same day), don't rely solely on push/email — also post on the Noticeboard and consider a direct message via your club's external communication channel (WhatsApp, etc.) as a backup.

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10. Micro-Training (Quick Tips)

⚡ QUICK TIPS — Notification Preferences

✅ Minimum: keep Squad selected + Fixture change as push
✅ Turn off email for Noticeboard posts — inbox stays clean
✅ In-app Alerts tab: always on, always there, check daily
✅ Push failing? Check device Settings → Apps → Notifications
✅ DND on your phone? Add GoClubPro to exceptions list
✅ Email is your fallback when push fails — keep it for critical events

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11. Troubleshooting

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Module 23 of 26+ | Next: Module 24 — Multi-Club & Role Switching