Reload Alerts
Overview of the actions Butler can take when a reload task fails, is aborted or succeeds.
Platform Support
Client-managed and cloud versions of Qlik Sense support different source triggers (reload failed/stopped/succeeded) and alert destinations (email, Teams, Slack, etc).
Check each section below for information about which triggers and destinations are supported for each version.
Qlik Sense Deployment Types
Butler's reload alerting capabilities vary depending on your Qlik Sense deployment:
Client-Managed Qlik Sense
Client-managed Qlik Sense environments provide the most comprehensive alerting capabilities through Butler's integration with the Qlik Sense logging system.
Available Alert/Data Destinations:
- Email Notifications - Rich HTML emails with script logs and custom formatting
- Slack & Teams - Real-time messages to collaboration platforms
- Incident Management - Integration with New Relic, Signl4, and other platforms
- Data Storage - InfluxDB metrics and MQTT publishing
- File System - Automated script log storage and webhooks
- Webhooks - Send HTTP callbacks to custom endpoints
Trigger Events:
- Reload task failures
- Reload task aborts
- Reload task successes
Qlik Sense Cloud
For Qlik Sense Cloud (SaaS) deployments, Butler's alerting capabilities are more limited due to platform restrictions.
Available Features:
- Basic webhook notifications (where supported)
- Limited API-based monitoring
- External monitoring integrations
Limitations:
- No direct access to Qlik Sense logs
- No real-time event detection
- Limited customization options
Key Capabilities
Rich Alert Content
Butler's alerts include comprehensive context for effective incident response:
- Application Metadata: App name, ID, owner information
- Task Details: Task name, ID, execution duration
- Error Information: Detailed error messages and codes
- Script Logs: Last lines of the reload script for troubleshooting
- Server Context: Host information and environment details
- Historical Data: Previous execution history and patterns
Flexible Targeting
Control who receives alerts and when:
- Custom Properties: Use Qlik Sense custom properties to control alerting per task
- App Ownership: Send alerts directly to app owners
- Environment-Based: Different alert destinations for production vs. development
- Severity-Based: Route critical alerts to different channels
- Business Hours: Adjust alert frequency based on time of day
Template Customization
Personalize alerts using Handlebars templating:
- HTML Email Templates: Rich formatting with CSS styling
- Slack Message Blocks: Interactive messages with buttons and formatting
- Teams Adaptive Cards: Rich cards with structured information
- Custom Fields: Include any available metadata in your templates
Integration Architecture
How Butler Detects Reload Events
For client-managed deployments, Butler uses log4net appenders to monitor Qlik Sense scheduler logs:
Alert Processing Flow
- Event Detection: Log appender captures reload failure in Qlik Sense logs
- Message Parsing: Butler extracts task, app, and error information
- Context Enrichment: Additional metadata retrieved from Qlik Sense APIs
- Template Processing: Handlebars templates populated with event data
- Multi-Channel Delivery: Alerts sent to configured destinations
Best Practices
Alert Design
Prioritize Information:
- What failed (app/task name)
- When it failed (timestamp)
- Why it failed (error message)
- Where to investigate (links to QMC, logs)
- Who to contact (escalation information)
Avoid Alert Fatigue:
- Use severity levels appropriately
- Implement rate limiting for repeated failures
- Group similar alerts together
- Provide clear escalation paths
Operational Integration
Incident Response:
- Link alerts to runbooks and troubleshooting guides
- Include direct links to Qlik Sense QMC and affected apps
- Provide escalation contact information
- Track alert resolution in incident management systems
Monitoring Integration:
- Correlate reload alerts with system monitoring data
- Include performance metrics in alert context
- Track alert patterns for capacity planning
- Integrate with broader observability platforms
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Alerts Not Received:
- Verify log4net appender configuration in Qlik Sense
- Check Butler connectivity to Qlik Sense servers
- Validate SMTP/webhook credentials and network access
- Review Butler logs for error messages
Missing Alert Content:
- Confirm template field syntax and availability
- Check Qlik Sense API permissions for metadata retrieval
- Verify custom property configurations
- Test templates with sample data
Performance Issues:
- Monitor alert processing latency
- Check for network connectivity problems
- Review rate limiting and throttling settings
- Optimize template complexity and size
Getting Started
Start with InfluxDB or email notifications for reload failures, then gradually add more destinations and customize templates based on your team's workflow and requirements.
Log Appender Dependency
Butler's client-managed alerting relies on proper log4net appender configuration. Ensure appenders are correctly installed and configured in your Qlik Sense environment before expecting alerts to work.
Next Steps
- Setup Guide - Complete configuration walkthrough
- Client-Managed Alerts - Detailed client-managed capabilities
- Template Fields - Available template variables
- Incident Management - Advanced alerting integrations