Before you start
You need the free Telegram app on your phone, signed in. Telegram alerts are set up from the manager portal, one manager at a time: each manager links their own Telegram account.
For your team and the shop tablet, use push notifications instead: see setting up the shared iPad.
Link your Telegram
- In Unpickle, open Settings (the cog at the top right), then Notifications.
- Under Telegram notifications, press Connect Telegram.
- On a computer, scan the QR code with your phone’s camera. On your phone, tap the link under Or open the link. Either one opens the Unpickle bot in Telegram.
- Press Start in the bot chat.
- The bot replies Account linked. Back in Unpickle, the card now says Connected with your Telegram username.
The QR code and link work once and run out after an hour. If yours has expired, press Cancel and Connect Telegram again for a new one.
In the bot chat, send /status to check you’re connected and to which shop, or /help to see the commands. To stop all Telegram alerts, press Unlink on the same settings card.
Choose which alerts you get
Every alert has its own switch under Preferences on the same Notifications page. The choices apply to your Telegram and to push notifications on your devices. The 7am, 1pm and 6pm alerts follow your shop’s time zone, set in Settings, Shop details.
What each alert means
✏️ New delivery: [supplier]
Someone logs a new delivery.
Setting: New delivery created
📦 Delivery arrived: [supplier]
Someone starts checking a delivery. There is no separate "arrived" button: ticking the first item is what marks it as arrived.
Setting: Delivery arrived
✅ Delivery checked, all correct: [supplier]
Every item on a delivery has been checked and marked OK.
Setting: Delivery correct
❌ Delivery has problems: [supplier]
Every item has been checked and at least one is Damaged or Missing. The message lists what is wrong.
Setting: Delivery incorrect
⚠️ Incomplete delivery needs attention
A delivery with problems has been left unresolved for 10 minutes or more. Sent once per delivery.
Setting: Incomplete delivery alerts
🗓️ 2 deliveries expected today: [suppliers]
Every morning at 7am, if anything is due that day. Nothing is sent on days with no deliveries.
Setting: Daily deliveries overview
⏰ Delivery running late: [supplier]
At 1pm, for each supplier whose delivery is due today and hasn’t arrived yet. A nudge to give them a call.
Setting: Delivery might be running late
⚠️ Delivery overdue: [supplier]
At 6pm, for each supplier whose delivery has passed its last expected date without arriving.
Setting: Delivery overdue
🟡 Running low, 🟠 Last one or 🔴 Out: [item]
Someone on the team reports an item running low, or a stock count comes in below its minimum. A repeat report of the same item only pings you again if it gets more urgent ("Now out: …"). Managers only.
Setting: Something’s running low
New task assigned
A manager assigns a one-off task to you specifically.
Setting: Task assigned to you
Acting on a low-stock alert
Low-stock alerts can come with ✅ Ordered and 🙈 Dismiss buttons. Tap one to update the report straight from Telegram, without opening the app. The same actions are on the Stock page, under Running low. When the item next arrives on a delivery and is checked OK, the report closes by itself.
For what to do about a delivery with problems, see checking deliveries.