# General error messages

## General error messages

Check the Notifications screen for error-message behaviour.
The Notifications screen is the place where notification requests, reminders,
and assignment actions appear.

| If you need to… | Go to |
| --- | --- |
| Reach the notification list and identify its visible tabs | [Open Notifications and identify the visible message](#open-notifications-and-identify-the-visible-message) |
| Distinguish notification content from an error message | [Inspect the notification state](#inspect-the-notification-state) |
| Check what is known about a failed notification operation | [When a notification operation fails](#when-a-notification-operation-fails) |
| Continue after checking the result | [Continue from the result](#continue-from-the-result) |
| Get help with a failure that still needs investigation | [Getting help](doc:getting-help) |

The screen has no success or error message entries. Switching notification tabs does
not show an error, validation, confirmation, or success message.

## Before you start

The Notifications screen shows notification activity and provides controls for
notification requests, marking notifications as read, and accepting or declining
assignments.

Prerequisites

- Know whether you are checking notification loading, **Mark all as read**, or an
  assignment action.
- Open the notification route `/notifications`.
- Treat the response to a failed request as unconfirmed.

The screen loads notifications when it is opened outside the popup. The
notification-list, mark-all-as-read, and accept-or-decline failure cases remain
`UNVERIFIED`.

There are no notification form fields, and the screen has no validation groups or
inline validation message text.

## Open Notifications and identify the visible message

Check the notification screen to identify the message or notification category
currently visible.

Prerequisites

- You know the notification route `/notifications`.

Steps

1. Open `/notifications`.
2. Confirm that the route is `/notifications`.

   ![Look at the Notifications screen, its tabs, and the visible notification list.](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/04ca7f9d9511bd3cf921c054e76e95bf.png)

3. Select one notification category.

   | If you need to… | Select |
   | --- | --- |
   | See all notification categories | **All** |
   | See requests | **Requests** |
   | See feedback | **Feedback** |
   | See reminders | **Reminders** |
   | See followed notifications | **Following** |

4. Check the period label and the notification message area.

   ![Look at the Following view and its empty-state message.](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/a34d31406f4d84966b0448505e336795.png)

5. Check the selected view.

   | If you see… | Then… |
   | --- | --- |
   | An empty list | Read `No New Notifications`. |
   | Notification activity | Use the visible notification content to identify the category and period. |

**Result:** The Notifications screen remains at `/notifications`, with the selected
category visible and the current notification content or `No New Notifications` on
screen.

## Inspect the notification state

Notification content tells you what activity needs attention; it is separate from an
error message about the notification operation itself.

Prerequisites

- You are on `/notifications`.

Steps

1. Check the notification tabs **All**, **Requests**, **Feedback**, **Reminders**, and
   **Following**.
2. Check for **Mark all as read** when you need to change the read state of the
   notification list.
3. For an unseen task or activity assignment, check for **Decline** and **Accept**.
4. When the selected view has no notifications, read `No New Notifications`.

   ![Look at the Requests view and its visible notification content.](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/80c9b432b65060e37f87e017fbbac4c2.png)

The notification request and reminder text belongs to Notifications. In the
Notification row, an Assignment result is `Accepted` or `Declined`.

The screen has no field labels or dialogs. Switching notification tabs does not show
an error, validation, confirmation, or success message.

**Result:** You can distinguish notification content, assignment controls, and the
empty-state message `No New Notifications` from an error message.

## When a notification operation fails

Compare a failed operation with the cases below when notification loading, marking
all notifications as read, or accepting or declining an assignment does not produce
the expected result.

| What you are checking | What to look for | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notification list request fails | Check whether an error message appears after the operation fails. | `UNVERIFIED` |
| Mark-all-as-read request fails | Check whether an error message appears after the operation fails. | `UNVERIFIED` |
| Accept or decline request fails | Check whether an error message appears after the operation fails. | `UNVERIFIED` |

**Result:** The failed-operation outcome is `UNVERIFIED`.

## Continue from the result

Notification content questions belong to Notifications rather than to the general
error-message list.

Steps

1. Confirm that the route remains `/notifications`.
2. Choose where to continue.

   | If you are checking… | Continue at… |
   | --- | --- |
   | Notification content | [Open Notifications and identify the visible message](#open-notifications-and-identify-the-visible-message) |
   | A failed operation | [When a notification operation fails](#when-a-notification-operation-fails) |
   | A failed-request response that still needs investigation | [Getting help](doc:getting-help) |

**Result:** You remain on `/notifications` after the check.