> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.incident.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# On-call notification policies

> Ensure every on-call responder is properly set up to receive pages.

On-call notification policies let you define minimum notification requirements for responders across your organization. Instead of hoping everyone configures their notifications correctly, set a policy that specifies exactly which contact methods and timing your on-call teams need, and we'll handle the rest.

When a policy is active, responders who don't meet the requirements are automatically notified and directed to update their preferences. You can also track compliance across your teams from the team members page.

<Info>
  If you have responders in Mainland China, consider setting up a separate policy for them. The available notification
  methods are different — see [On-call in China](/on-call/china-on-call).
</Info>

## Creating a notification policy

1. Navigate to [**Settings → Policies**](https://app.incident.io/~/settings/policies)
2. Select one of the **On-call notifications** templates, or create a custom policy using **Create new policy**
3. Define the notification requirements your on-call responders must meet

You can set requirements as broad or specific as you need. For example, you might require that all on-call responders have at least a mobile app notification, a voice call, and an SMS notification configured.

<Tip>
  Start with the on-call notification template for sensible defaults, then adjust the requirements to match your organization's needs.
</Tip>

## How compliance works

Once your policy is active, we check each responder's [notification preferences](https://app.incident.io/~/user-preferences/on-call-notifications) against your defined requirements. Responders who don't meet the policy are considered non-compliant and receive reminders through multiple channels:

* **Slack**: a direct message linking to their notification preferences
* **Email**: a reminder with instructions on what needs updating
* **Dashboard**: a notification in the home page timeline panel

Each reminder directs the responder to their [notification preferences](https://app.incident.io/~/user-preferences/on-call-notifications), where they can see exactly which settings need to change to meet the policy.

## Tracking readiness across your teams

A few places help you stay on top of who still needs to update their setup:

* **Team Tasks tab**: each team's **Tasks** tab lists open policy violations alongside post-incident tasks, with the affected user, team, and policy shown for each one. Use this to quickly identify responders who haven't met the policy. The team **Overview** tab also summarizes the same in an **Open tasks** panel.
* **Team members page**: the **On-call notifications** column shows a ready or not-ready indicator for each user based on your active notification policy.
* **On-call readiness insights**: a historical view of notification configuration trends and per-user breakdowns ([On-call readiness insights](/on-call/on-call-readiness-insights)).

## Policy reports

Schedule recurring reports to stay on top of on-call readiness across your organization. On-call readiness reports group outstanding violations by user, so you can see exactly who still needs to update their setup.

See [Policy reports](/admin/policies#policy-reports) for cadence, delivery channels, and setup.

## Related pages

* [On-call notifications and preferences](/on-call/notifications): how responders configure their individual notification settings
* [Contact methods](/on-call/contact-methods): adding and managing phone, SMS, and other contact methods
* [On-call readiness insights](/on-call/on-call-readiness-insights): track notification configuration trends across your organization
* [Policies](/admin/policies): the broader policy framework for managing on-call, post-mortems, follow-ups, and debriefs
* [Policy reports](/admin/policies#policy-reports): scheduled summaries of outstanding policy violations