Alexa notification on door knock

So the new notification option in Alexa has been working great. I have an echo dot notify us when the front door or balcony doors have been opened. But what I am trying to do is to get her to notify us when there’s a knock at the front door.

I’m using a V3 hub and the new multipurpose sensor on the front door. To simplify this post I’ll say I can automate it via CoRE using either a virtual contact sensor or virtual motion sensor but the issue is Alexa doesn’t seem to get triggered based on virtual devices which is weird. For example I created a virtual motion sensor and in Alexa it will show when motion has been detected or not but it just won’t trigger a routine based on the virtual motion sensor.

Anyone found a way to do what I am trying to do?

Try Virtual Contact or Virtual Switch.

In webCoRE:
If physical sensor gets triggered
Then with virtual switch
Turn on
Wait X seconds
Turn off

I have and it shows in Alexa that the virtual contact changed state but the routine just doesn’t get triggered in Alexa for some reason.

I have several virtual devices, but not all of them show up under Routines. They ALL show up under Devices in the Alexa app. Trying to determine how some appear there (I have two created for use with ActionTiles to go True or False based on when all windows are open/closed and all doors are open/closed and those are in both lists, but other devices aren’t in the latter list. Hhmm.

(Update: It turns out that only devices set to a type of Contact or Motion Sensor will appear in both Devices and Routines.)

Mine show up but the routines don’t get triggered. Did yiu get them to trigger with a vurtual device?

Yes. When that happens you need to Disable to SmartThings skill (in the Alexa App) and then re-Enable it (which will require you to sign back into your SmartThings account.

Removing the skill and readding it fixed the problem. I now get an announcement when the front door gets knocked thanks to webcore, a virtual contact sensor and Alexa :grinning:

@toyanucci I am trying to do the same thing to get Alexa to notifiy me when certain things take place. In my example I have a WebCore Piston that alerts me via text when the washer and/or dryer is done. I am a bit confused on how you tell Alexa exactly what to say? In my example, I get a text saying 'The washer is done" when the power from the washer outlet drops to 3watts or below. I would like Alexa to say the same thing. Can you let me know your thoughts. Or maybe share your piston as well?

Update - I figured out the Alexa side of things. How to get her to say what I want her to. I then created a virtual contact switch in ST because of others stating contact and motion detection is the only thing that can currently trigger Alexa. All that is good and I see the contact switch in Alexa and am able to set a routine off of it… But I am still stuck on how to make that virtual contact change from closed to open in WebCore to trigger Alexa to do her thing when the dryer is done.