How To Create and Trigger Custom Alerts

Alert presets let one Alert Box display automatic stream events or alerts triggered by Action Builder.

Add an Alert Box

  1. Open Settings → Overlays → Open Overlay Builder.
  2. Create or select an overlay.
  3. Choose Alert Box and click Add.
  4. Position and resize it on the canvas.
  5. Use the Inspector to configure its layout and style.
  6. Save the overlay and add its URL to OBS.

Use Test Widget to check its position before going live.

Create an Alert Preset

  1. Open Settings → Overlays and find Alert Presets.
  2. Click New Alert Preset.
  3. Name it and choose its alert context.
  4. Enter the default title and message.
  5. Optionally choose visual media and a sound from the Media Library.
  6. Set the duration, layout, typography, colors, and animation.

Create separate presets when follows, raids, subscriptions, or custom alerts should look different. Preset text supports the variables shown in SheevChat for that alert context.

Route Stream Events Automatically

In Automatic Alert Routing:

  1. Enable automatic routing.
  2. Enable each event you want to show.
  3. Select the preset that event should use.

SheevChat can route supported follows, subscriptions or memberships, gifted subscriptions, raids or hosts, Twitch Bits, Kick KICKs, and Super Chats. Available events depend on the connected platform.

Trigger an Alert with Action Builder

You can trigger an alert from a Command, Automation, Timer, or SheevPad button:

  1. Open or create the item.
  2. In Action Builder, choose Alerts → Trigger Alert.
  3. Select the Overlay Builder source and saved alert preset.
  4. Optionally override its title, message, media, sound, or duration.
  5. Add the action, save the item, and test it.

Leaving an override empty uses the preset's value. This makes one reusable preset useful for many actions.

When an overlay contains several Alert Boxes, assign a different preset to each box. A Trigger Alert action using that preset targets the matching box, letting follows, raids, celebrations, and other alerts use separate areas.

Bind an Alert Box Directly to a Source

An Alert Box can listen to an existing source without adding a Trigger Alert action:

  1. Select the Alert Box in Overlay Builder.
  2. Expand Trigger Source.
  3. Under Play when, choose Stream event, Command, Timer, or Automation.
  4. Select the exact event or saved item.
  5. Set Variable Context to the matching alert type.
  6. Insert supported variables into the alert title or message.
  7. Save and test the source.

Choose Manual / explicit action when the box should only respond to tests or Trigger Alert actions.

Direct bindings inherit variables from their source. They are separate from Automatic Alert Routing, which maps native stream events to saved Alert Presets.

Example: SheevPad Celebration Button

  1. Trigger Alert using a celebration preset.
  2. Send chat message announcing the moment.

Keep the Alert Box visible in the saved overlay being shown. If you use Master Overlay, the active target must contain the Alert Box.

Common Problems

  • Nothing appears: Confirm OBS uses the correct saved-overlay or Master Overlay URL and that the active overlay contains an Alert Box.
  • Automatic event does not fire: Enable both Automatic Alert Routing and that event's rule, then assign a preset.
  • Action has no preset to select: Create and save an Alert Preset first.
  • Wrong Alert Box plays: Give each box a distinct preset and select the intended preset in the Trigger Alert action, or review each box's direct Trigger Source.
  • Bound source does not appear: Save the Command, Timer, or Automation first, then reopen Overlay Builder.
  • Media or sound is missing: Confirm it still exists in the Media Library.
  • Alert is cut off: Resize the Alert Box or adjust the OBS Browser Source dimensions.