Solution

Automated reminders days before deadline

Are you trying to set up reminders that automatically trigger a specific number of days before important deadlines or events? While monday.com’s native “When date arrives” automation is powerful, it only works with real date columns, not formula columns.

The problem

You want to be reminded 5 days before a project deadline, 2 weeks before an event, or 3 days before a client meeting. These reminder dates need to automatically update when the main date changes. But:

• You don’t want to calculate the reminder date manually
• You want to be notified on your phone
• You can’t use a formula column in your reminder automation

The solution

Calendar Plus solves this with its date shifting automation that can:

• Add or subtract a fixed number of days from any date column
• Work with both calendar days and business days
• Preserve or discard time components as needed
• Create a "real" date from a calculated result that can be used in notification automations

Five-minute setup

We will set up a reminder for our imaginary conference organizer. Five business days before each conference, we must be reminded to send an expected headcount to the caterer.

Requirements

• A Conference start Date column.
• A Catering headcount deadline Date column.

Create the date shifting automation

In your board’s Automation center, set up the column changes and Calendar Plus’s shift date automations:

When you update the Conference start column, Calendar Plus will set a new Catering headcount deadline to five business days before the Conference start.

Create the notification automation

Now you’re ready to be notified when the deadline arrives.

In your board’s Automation center, set up the date arrives and notify automations:

🎉 Done!

You’ll get a notification 5 business days ahead of the conference start.

Upgrade ideas

Show reminder in Calendar Plus

Of course, now you can use the calculated reminder date and show it in Calendar Plus! Use a separate reminder board view, or color your items by column source. To do the latter, don’t color by group or a particular column value.

Remind x days ahead based on status column

If you need a flexible reminder date, you can have the period depend on the value of a status column. For example, the event type could determine when you need to be reminded. Perfect for different types of meetings, different lead times, etc.

Resources

• Automations documentation

Ready to stay ahead?

Calendar Plus offers a 14-day free trial so you can test date shifting automations risk-free. Just install and go.

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