# Using Dashboard to set alarm, does not set Mode **URL:** \ **Category:** SmartApps & Automations\ **Created:** [August 25, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795 "2017-08-25T16:31:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![arnb](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/arnb/32/82103_2.png) [@arnb](https://community.smartthings.com/u/arnb)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/1 "2017-08-25T16:31:24Z")
On my system when setting the Smart Home Monitor from the Dashboard to Armed(Away), Armed(home) or Disarmed it seems that the related SH Routines in Automation do not execute, nor can I find a way to set this. This causes the Mode to become mismatched/disassociated with the Alarm State creating failures in any Apps or Pistons that rely on the Mode setting. Am I missing something or is this how SmartThings functions? ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/2 "2017-08-25T16:33:44Z")
> [@arnb](#): > > On my system when setting the Smart Home Monitor from the Dashboard to Armed(Away), Armed(home) or Disarmed it seems that the related SH Routines in Automation do not execute, nor can I find a way to set this. This causes the Mode to become mismatched/disassociated with the Alarm State creating failures in any Apps or Pistons that rely on the Mode setting. > > Am I missing something or is the way SmartThings functions? It sounds like you may be confused about the difference between smart home monitor armed status and “mode.” That’s a common issue. Read the following FAQ (this is a clickable link) and see if it clears up the confusion: > [@FAQ: Armed/Disarmed states vs Away/Home modes confusion](https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-armed-disarmed-states-vs-away-home-modes-confusion/53367): > > Hello, I’m brand new to SmartThings, and I’m trying to configure Smart Home Monitor to alert not just on door open/close sensors and motion sensors, but also on certain vibration sensors when it is in the Armed state. I can’t find a way to do that. I can use Custom to make a vibration alert based on Away/Home/Night “modes”, but these appear to be totally separate from the Armed/Disarmed states. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![lmosenko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@lmosenko](https://community.smartthings.com/u/lmosenko)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/3 "2017-08-25T16:34:06Z")
You should be changing the mode and that should Arm/DisArm your location. ---
**Author:** ![rhoffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ea924/32.png) [@rhoffer](https://community.smartthings.com/u/rhoffer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/4 "2017-08-25T16:42:16Z")
You can use routines to change the mode and SHM and other things. Using the SHM on the dashboard will only change the SHM status. You can add the routines in the favorites on the dashboard for easy access. ---
**Author:** ![arnb](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/arnb/32/82103_2.png) [@arnb](https://community.smartthings.com/u/arnb)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/5 "2017-08-25T16:43:09Z")
It works fine when I tap on an automation routine and only use automation routines. However, if I tap on Goodbye in the automation routines, then go to the Dashboard and tap Disarmed, the IDE Location shows Alarm System Status: Disarmed Current Mode: Away Is this what occurs on your system? ---
**Author:** ![lmosenko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@lmosenko](https://community.smartthings.com/u/lmosenko)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/6 "2017-08-25T16:44:29Z")
You should be Changing the Mode and having it DisArm. ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/7 "2017-08-25T16:45:41Z")
The Mode “Away” is _not_ connected in any fashion to the Smart Home Monitor Armed Status “Armed Away”-- you have to set up something, most commonly a routine, to change one if the other one changes. You can also use webcore for this. But you have to have a rule that ties them together. Again, see the FAQ to understand the difference between these two variables. 🕶 > [@FAQ: Armed/Disarmed states vs Away/Home modes confusion](https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-armed-disarmed-states-vs-away-home-modes-confusion/53367?source_topic_id=96795): > > Hello, I’m brand new to SmartThings, and I’m trying to configure Smart Home Monitor to alert not just on door open/close sensors and motion sensors, but also on certain vibration sensors when it is in the Armed state. I can’t find a way to do that. I can use Custom to make a vibration alert based on Away/Home/Night “modes”, but these appear to be totally separate from the Armed/Disarmed states. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![arnb](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/arnb/32/82103_2.png) [@arnb](https://community.smartthings.com/u/arnb)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-dashboard-to-set-alarm-does-not-set-mode/96795/8 "2017-08-25T16:47:07Z")
> [@rhoffer](#): > > You can use routines to change the mode and SHM and other things. Using the SHM on the dashboard will only change the SHM status. You can add the routines in the favorites on the dashboard for easy access. This kind of sums it up, but to me it feels like the ST app is rather Schizophrenic or suffering from cognitive dissonance.