[HOW TO] Make Traffic/Departure Notifications work in Cortana

[gpobernardo]

If you're not seeing Cortana remind you to depart for appointments (provided that the appointment has a location), try this: (Update: Scroll down to the bottom of this post.)

1. Make sure that the location is listed as a favourite in the Microsoft Maps app.

2. Create the appointment using Cortana (not using the Calendar app [Update: Scroll down]). It doesn't matter if the appointment was created by speaking into Cortana or by typing. Complete all the details, including the location within Cortana. You may have to rephrase the "command" if the location is not recognized. The template that worked for me is "Schedule [name of appointment] at [time] in/at [place]".*

3. Once the appointment is created, you may then tap on the appointment within Cortana to edit it, i.e. change the status, the reminder time, etc. But make sure to access the appointment from within Cortana, not the Calendar app.

That's it. Traffic notifications should work for all your appointments created in this manner - at least for now.

Let us know if this worked for you, too!

*- For some reason, do not include punctuation marks in the command if you're going to type - it seems to disturb the ability of Cortana to recognize syntax... even if it's just a period at the end of the sentence!


UPDATE: Found another work around - you can set appointments in your Calendar app as well, just make sure you type in the name of the place in the location exactly as it was saved in your favourites in your maps app. Do NOT let the location be automatically filled in (with the address in parenthesis) - you will have to type the entire name manually.

It seems that traffic updates and departure reminders work if the location in the appointment does not contain the address in parenthesis - just the complete name of the location.

Incidentally, Cortana only includes the name of the location without the address, thus making the reminders work.

 

[mary beth hale]

Tried this and it worked. Thanks!

 

[Ashwani Kumar Singh]

I will also try this now

 

[missionsparta]

How do you get it to work with what time to leave for work with traffic updates? I cant seem to get that portion to work.

 

[missionsparta]

Anyone?

 

[Bagzton]

I'm gonna try this. Thanks!

 

[gpobernardo]

How do you get it to work with what time to leave for work with traffic updates? I cant seem to get that portion to work.

Bing doesn't currently support all countries in providing traffic details in maps. However, you can still receive time to leave for work updates through Cortana, as described in the original post - the only difference is that if your country isn't supported yet Cortana will remind you as if there was no traffic on your streets.

To repeat, you can either use Cortana to set your location and time based appointment, or you can do it as follows:

1. Save the location you wish to go to in your Maps app as a Favorite.
2. After a few moments, go to your Calendar app and set an appointment at a certain time and with that Location - you should notice that as you begin typing the location it should appear in a drop down menu.
3. Do NOT* tap on the location in the drop down menu - you'll have to type in the name you have typed exactly as it appears in the drop down menu (which is exactly how it was when you saved it as a Favorite in your Maps app earlier).
4. Then, all you have to do is set the time and wait for the reminder to be delivered to you.

Let us know if this helps.

*- This was the finding in an update in the original post. You may try to tap on the drop down menu (which would list your location complete with the address) in case the proposed method doesn't work.

 

[missionsparta]

Bing doesn't currently support all countries in providing traffic details in maps. However, you can still receive time to leave for work updates through Cortana, as described in the original post - the only difference is that if your country isn't supported yet Cortana will remind you as if there was no traffic on your streets.

To repeat, you can either use Cortana to set your location and time based appointment, or you can do it as follows:

1. Save the location you wish to go to in your Maps app as a Favorite.
2. After a few moments, go to your Calendar app and set an appointment at a certain time and with that Location - you should notice that as you begin typing the location it should appear in a drop down menu.
3. Do NOT* tap on the location in the drop down menu - you'll have to type in the name you have typed exactly as it appears in the drop down menu (which is exactly how it was when you saved it as a Favorite in your Maps app earlier).
4. Then, all you have to do is set the time and wait for the reminder to be delivered to you.

Let us know if this helps.

*- This was the finding in an update in the original post. You may try to tap on the drop down menu (which would list your location complete with the address) in case the proposed method doesn't work.

I live in the U.S. And have done all that and it wont alert me to leave work. I wonder if it is because I work midnights.

 

[gpobernardo]

I live in the U.S. And have done all that and it wont alert me to leave work. I wonder if it is because I work midnights.

This is an interesting hypothesis - I would test the traffic notifications for late night appointments and see if it still works. The latest notification I've received was for an 8:30PM appointment.

You may want to set an experimental appointment which occurs while the sun is up (or before 8 PM) and see if you would be notified - if this is convenient for you.

 

[missionsparta]

This is an interesting hypothesis - I would test the traffic notifications for late night appointments and see if it still works. The latest notification I've received was for an 8:30PM appointment.

You may want to set an experimental appointment which occurs while the sun is up (or before 8 PM) and see if you would be notified - if this is convenient for you.

Problem with that is that that proves it will follow and appointment I manually enter. The real issue is if it will come up with a commute automatically if it is on flip-side hours.

 

[gpobernardo]

Problem with that is that that proves it will follow and appointment I manually enter. The real issue is if it will come up with a commute automatically if it is on flip-side hours.

I know, but first we want to know if the "normal appointments" actually work in your phone. If those before-late-night appointments don't work, then those "flip-side hour" appointments also won't work. We're testing the hypothesis.

 

[8mir]

Works fine

 

[Byrese]

Has it always been like this? I remember using Cortana without doing all of this. Like through my calendar app...i think.

 

[Big Papa Smurf]

Has it always been like this? I remember using Cortana without doing all of this. Like through my calendar app...i think.

Same here.
Still won't alert me in the AM for work. Its saved as a favorite. Used to till I did my first TP. Then nothing.

 

[Chris_Kez]

Shouldn't these "time to leave" reminders just work? You should be able to create an appointment or a meeting from Cortana, from a calendar app on your phone, from the web or from desktop Outlook; and add the address however you want, even if it is not a Favorite. And as long as the location is someplace other than where you are, you should be able to get a departure alert.

 

[Big Papa Smurf]

Yes.. It should... I set up 3 random events to the same place to see which will activate with Cortana.. So far 0/1...
1/3. But wont tell me about work. Or when to go home.

 

[gpobernardo]

Looks like this thread got buried in my list of posted threads, hence the delay in coming back.

At any rate, Cortana has been flawlessly reminding me to depart/leave for reminders using the method above. I'm also being reminded to go to the airport whenever I'm tracking a certain flight that happens to land or depart in a nearby airport. Lastly, Cortana is also "automatically" reminding me either to go to work (if I'm at home) in the morning and to go home (if I'm at "work") later in the afternoon towards the evening, based on the start and end of the day set in my outlook calendar account.

 

[Chris_Kez]

Your earlier post suggested that you need to have the location in Favorites, and then *NOT* tap on the name when it appears in the drop down. Is this what's working for you?

 

[gpobernardo]

Your earlier post suggested that you need to have the location in Favorites, and then *NOT* tap on the name when it appears in the drop down. Is this what's working for you?

Exactly; it has been like this for me since the original post date. Why?

 

[Chris_Kez]

Just triple-checking so we can all enjoy this feature. Thank you!

That said, Microsoft really needs to make this work more intelligently.