Push notifications are a powerful way to keep your users engaged with CommuteHub. This article explains how push notifications work within automated Journeys and how you can manage and customize them as a Manager or Admin.

What Are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are short messages sent directly to a user's mobile device. They help remind, motivate, and re-engage users at just the right moment.

In CommuteHub, push notifications are currently sent as part of Journeys—automated communication flows designed to guide and engage users over time. For a complete overview of how Journeys work, check out our dedicated Journeys Help Center article.

☝️Mobile app required: Users must have the CommuteHub mobile app installed to receive push notifications. Push notifications are only sent to mobile devices, not the desktop version.

Push Notifications & Journeys

CommuteHub offers several preconfigured (automated) Journeys in the Management Dashboard. As a Manager or Admin, you can enable or disable these Journeys based on your organization's needs.

Examples of Journeys include:

• Trip Log Reminder: Sent when a user hasn't logged a trip in 21 days
• Challenge Start notifications: Alerts users when a new challenge begins

☝️Note: Not all Journey include push notifications.

Only Managers or Admins have permission to enable, disable, and customize Journeys in the Management Dashboard. 

How to Enable and Customize Push Notifications

Follow these steps to manage push notifications:

1. Log into the Management Dashboard 
2. Click "Journeys" in the left sidebar
3. Select one of the preconfigured Journeys from the list
4. Stay on the Overview tab (the default view)
5. Use the toggle in the upper-right corner to enable or disable the Journey
6. Click on individual steps within the Journey to customize messages

Customizing a Push Notification

Let's use the Trip Log Reminder Notification Journey as an example. Here's how to customize the push notification step:

Step 1: Select the Push Notification Step

Click on the push notification step, which is marked with a phone icon.

Step 2: Customize the Fields

You'll see several editable fields. Here's what each one does:

Category

• We recommend not changing this field
• Users can unsubscribe from specific categories, so keeping the default ensures proper delivery

Title

• Maximum: 50 characters
• Recommended: ~20 characters for best visibility on mobile screens
• This is the bold headline users see first

Message

• Maximum: 120 characters
• Recommended: ~80 characters for optimal readability
• Keep your message clear, friendly, and action-oriented

Target URL

• Determines what happens when users tap the notification
• The link can easily be replaced with any URL from the dashboard
• We recommend keeping the default link for the best user experience
• The default typically directs users to the most relevant screen in the app

Preview

• Shows a live preview of how the notification will appear on a user's phone
• Use this to check your message before saving

Step 3: Save Your Changes

Once you're satisfied with your customizations, click the blue "Save" button at the top of the page. Your changes will be applied to the Journey.

If you have questions or run into any issues while setting up push notifications, our support team is always happy to help.