Setting Alerts for

Investments

Morningstar DirectSM Cloud Editions

Direct
Copyright © 2019 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.
The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied
or distributed; (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely; and (4) does not constitute advice of any kind.
Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this
information. Any statements that are nonfactual in nature constitute opinions only, are subject to change without
notice, and may not be consistent across Morningstar. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Contents

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
When is an alert triggered? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Exercise 1: Subscribe to an alert for an existing list. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Exercise 2: Subscribe to an alert for a new list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What are the notification options in a Morningstar Manager Research alert? . . . . . . . . . 9
Exercise 3: Subscribe to an alert for Morningstar Manager Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
How can I view multiple Morningstar Manager Research alerts 
from a daily or weekly email? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Exercise 4: Change a list’s or security’s alert settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
What happens to alerts if a list is removed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Change an alert type’s settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Exercise 5: Respond to an alert notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Exercise 6: Explore a price alert notification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Exercise 7: View past alert notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
What are the alert types? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
How can I use the Research area with Morningstar Manager Research alerts? . . . . . . . 23
Exercise 8: Create a Morningstar Manager Research alert in the Research area . . . . . 23
Exercise 9: Modify a Morningstar Manager Research alert 
in the Morningstar Research area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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Setting Alerts for Investments

In this guide, you will learn how to create alerts in Morningstar DirectSM Cloud Editions Overview
to receive a notification when the alert is triggered. By setting an alert, you ensure you
are notified when a significant change—such as a manager change or Morningstar
Rating™ change—happens to an investment in a list you’ve saved.

When an alert you

set is triggered, a
notification appears here.

When you see that an alert has been triggered, you can do the following:
g see what value triggered the alert and what the new value is for the investment
g read a Morningstar report or research about the investment(s) in question, or
g open the investment in an workbook to conduct further analysis.
In this manual, you will learn about the following:
g When is an alert triggered? (page 5)
g Subscribe to an alert for an existing list (page 6)
g Subscribe to an alert for a new list (page 8)
g What are the notification options in a Morningstar Manager Research alert?
(page 10)
g Subscribe to an alert for Morningstar Manager Research (page 11)
g How can I view multiple Morningstar Manager Research alerts from a daily or
weekly email? (page 12)
g Change a list’s or security’s alert settings (page 13)
g What happens to alerts if a list is removed? (page 15)
g Change an alert type’s settings (page 16)
g Respond to an alert notification (page 17)

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Setting Alerts for Investments When is an alert triggered?

g Explore a price alert notification (page 19)

g View past alert notifications (page 20)
g What are the alert types? (page 22)
g How can I use the Research area with Morningstar Manager Research alerts?
(page 23)
g Create a Morningstar Manager Research alert in the Research area (page 23)
g Modify a Morningstar Manager Research alert in the Morningstar Research area
(page 26)

A notification message is displayed in the header of Morningstar Direct Cloud Editions When is an
as soon as an alert is triggered. The timing of this depends on the type of alert. For alert triggered?
example, an alert for a change to the Morningstar Rating cannot happen until
month-end processing is complete and new Morningstar Rating statistics are available
for all funds. Other alerts, such as that for a manager change, are triggered as soon as
the information is available in the Morningstar database.
 Note: With a Morningstar Manager Research alert. you can specify how often you want to
receive a notification. See Exercise 4 on page 12.

You can subscribe to alerts for the following:

g an existing list (Exercise 1 on page 5), and
g a new list you have just created (Exercise 2 on page 7).

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 1: Subscribe to an alert for an existing list

The first step is to subscribe to alert notifications. You can choose the alerts to be Exercise 1: Subscribe
notified of, and the lists to monitor. To subscribe to an alert notification for an existing to an alert for
list, do the following: an existing list
1. From anywhere in Morningstar Direct Cloud Editions, in the header, hover the cursor
over the Menu icon, then select Lists & Screens. The Lists & Screens page opens.

Notice the highlighted selections.

2. In the row of the list to be subscribed to, hover the cursor over the Actions icon. When
the Actions menu opens, select Add/Edit Alerts. The Add Alerts window opens.

Notice the highlighted selections.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 1: Subscribe to an alert for an existing list

3. When you locate an alert type you want to associate with the list, do the following:
g Click its slider, and
g Select your preferred delivery method(s) (In Direct and/or Email).
 Note: If you deselect In Direct, you will not receive notifications as described in this guide.

This slider is in the On position.

You can select both In

Direct and Email.

4. Scroll down to see more alert types.

 Note: Each alert type includes a description.

5. When you have finished selecting alert types and delivery methods, click Save.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 2: Subscribe to an alert for a new list

You can also subscribe to alert notifications after creating a new list. To subscribe to an Exercise 2: Subscribe to
alert notification for a new list, do the following: an alert for a new list
1. In the Grid View, create a new list or open an existing one to use as the basis for a
new list.
2. When you are satisfied with the list’s contents, from the Lists & Screens menu, select
Save (for a new list) or Save As (for an existing list you have edited). A dialog box opens,
prompting you to enter a name for the list.

If you are creating a new list,

this field displays Untitled.

3. Name the list and click Save. A dialog box opens, prompting to you add alerts.

Use a unique name.

4. Click Add Alerts. The Add Alerts window opens.

Click here.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 2: Subscribe to an alert for a new list

5. Locate an alert type you want to associate with the list, then do the following:
g Click its slider, and
g Select your preferred delivery method(s).
 Note: A Morningstar Manager Research alert offers additional delivery options, See What are
the notification options in a Morningstar Manager Research alert? on page 9.

This slider is in the On position.

You can select both In

Direct and Email.

6. Scroll down to see more alert types.

7. When you have finished selecting alert types and delivery methods, click Save.

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 What are the notification options in a Morningstar
Setting Alerts for Investments Manager Research alert?

If you subscribe to a Morningstar Manager Research alert, you are notified when What are the notification
Morningstar analysts release new research mentioning your tagged securities or lists. options in a Morningstar
You can select how often you want to receive an alert notification and how you want Manager Research alert?
the alert notification to be delivered—in the application or in your email. The details
are described in this table:

Delivery Method Notification Frequency

Direct Cloud Immediately: Receive an alert notification as soon as

the information is published.

Daily: Receive only one notification a day. A daily

notification might include multiple alerts.

Email Immediately: Receive an alert notification as soon as

For more information about email the information is published.
alerts, see How can I view Daily: Receive only one notification a day. A daily
multiple Morningstar Manager notification might include multiple alerts.
Research alerts from a daily or
weekly email? on page 11. Weekly: Receive only one notification a week. A weekly
notification might include multiple alerts.
 Note: The email comes from
MorningstarDirectNotifications.

Keep the following in mind when selecting daily or weekly notifications:

g Daily notifications are sent at 6 a.m. (Chicago time) and only when one or more
alerts have been triggered in the previous 24 hours.
g Weekly notifications are sent on Thursdays at 10 a.m. (Chicago time) and only
when one or more alerts have been triggered in the previous seven days, and
g If an alert has not been triggered during the time period, you will not receive
a notification.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 3: Subscribe to an alert for Morningstar Manager Research

Do the following: Exercise 3: Subscribe to

1. Create an alert for a new or existing list, as you did in Exercise 1 on page 5 and
an alert for Morningstar
Exercise 2 on page 7. Manager Research
2. When the Add Alerts dialog box opens, scroll down to Morningstar Manager Research
and click its slider.

The alert types are listed alphabetically.

3. Select one or both of the following for the notification method:

g Direct Cloud, and/or
g Email.
4. If you have chosen to be notified in Direct Cloud, select how often you will receive
notifications. The options are as follows:
g Immediately, or
g Daily.
 Note: To learn more about the notification options, read What are the notification options in a
Morningstar Manager Research alert? on page 9.

Morningstar Manager Research

is the only alert type offering
these options.

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 How can I view multiple Morningstar Manager Research alerts from a
Setting Alerts for Investments daily or weekly email?

5. If you have chosen to receive notifications in email, select how often you will receive
deliveries. The options are as follows:
g Immediately
g Daily, or
g Weekly.
 Note: To learn more about the notification options, read What are the notification options in a
Morningstar Manager Research alert? on page 9.

Weekly delivery is available

only when you select Email.

6. Click Save. An message opens, notifying you that the alert has been saved.

If you have selected Daily or Weekly email notifications, and multiple alerts have been How can I view multiple
triggered, the email contains only a single document. In that document, you find a link Morningstar Manager
to each triggered alert. You must click each link to view an individual alert. Research alerts from a
daily or weekly email?
You can also access all the alerts at once. The email contains a “Click here” link to the
Alerts page in the Morningstar Research area. By clicking that link, you can view all
your triggered Morningstar Manager Research alerts together.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 4: Change a list’s or security’s alert settings

When you first subscribe to alert notifications for securities or lists, you choose which Exercise 4: Change a
alerts to activate and how to be notified (either in the application or via Email). You can list’s or security’s
later decide to modify the alert settings, such as which alerts to monitor, how to be alert settings
notified, and what threshold needs to be met (for certain alert types).
Before adding, editing, or deleting an alert from a list, it can be helpful to know the
list’s contents.
In this exercise, you will view a list’s contents and then change its alert settings.
To modify alert settings, do the following:
1. From anywhere in Morningstar Direct Cloud Editions, in the header, click the
Notifications icon. The Notifications flyover opens from the right.

Click this icon

2. At the top of the flyover, click the Settings icon, then from the Settings menu, select
Notification Settings. The Notification Settings page opens.

Note the highlighted

selections.

3. Do one of the following:

g If you are changing a list’s alert settings, go to step 4 on page 13.
g If you are changing a security’s alert settings, go to step 6 on page 13.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 4: Change a list’s or security’s alert settings

4. Before changing a list’s alert settings, it can be helpful to first review the list’s contents.
Hover the cursor over the list row. View List appears to the right of the list name. Click
View List.
 Note: From View List, you cannot make changes, such as delete a security.

Security View is
selected by default.

Click here to
display the list’s
contents.

Scroll down to
see more of
the list.

5. Click away from the list to close it.

Now you can decide whether to change the list’s alert settings, knowing it will affect the
notifications you receive about the list’s securities.
6. Click a security or list to edit its alert settings. The Edit Alerts window opens.

Security View is
selected by default.

This list is selected.

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Setting Alerts for Investments What happens to alerts if a list is removed?

7. Locate the alert you want to change. You can change any or all of the following:
g Click the slider to the left of the alert’s name to enable or disable the alert
g Add or remove a delivery method, and
g Modify other settings specific to that alert type, such as a threshold.

Some alert types

require additional
settings, such
as a threshold.

8. When you have finished editing the alerts, click Save.

If you delete a list for which alerts have been set (or if a list someone shared with you is What happens to alerts
subsequently unshared), then the alerts for that list are also removed from the Alerts if a list is removed?
page. The next time you visit the Notification Settings page, you will see a message
noting that this change has taken place.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Change an alert type’s settings

If you decide to change an alert type’s setting or the lists or securities it is associated Change an alert
with, use the Alert Type View. type’s settings
Do the following:
1. From anywhere in Morningstar Direct Cloud Editions, in the header, click the
Notifications icon. The Notifications flyover opens from the right.

Click this icon

2. At the top of the flyover, click the Settings icon and from the Settings menu, select
Notification Settings. The Notification Settings page opens.

Note the highlighted

selections.

3. Select Alert Type View. In this view, your active alert types are listed, along with the
number of securities and lists associated with each alert.

Click here to view alerts

by type.

This alert is associated

with two securities and
one list.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 5: Respond to an alert notification

4. Click an alert type to edit its settings. The Edit Alerts window opens.
5. In the Edit Alerts window, you can do any of the following for each list and
security displayed:
g Change the delivery method(s), and/or
g Remove the alert type from that list or security.

Click here to remove

this alert type from
this list or security

6. When you have finished editing the alert type, click Save.

When an alert is triggered, a number appears on the Notifications icon in the header. Exercise 5: Respond to an
The number on the Notifications icon is also displayed if you are tagged in a note, or if alert notification
a subscription from Morningstar Research has new content. The only way to see
whether the notification pertains to an alert is to click the Notifications icon.
When the Notifications icon shows a number, do the following:
1. In the header, click the Notifications icon. The Notifications flyover opens.
2. Click an alert to read more about it. The Alert panel opens.

Click an alert to
learn more about it.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 5: Respond to an alert notification

3. At the bottom of the Alert panel, click one of the options described in this table.

Click this option… To do this…

View Morningstar Report Open the Morningstar Report for the security in a
flyover panel.

View Morningstar Research Open a new tab and see stories and articles from
Morningstar analysts about the security.

See Markets Data Open the Markets - Equity workbook and conduct
research on the investment.

Click here to
collapse the
Alert panel.

Click an option to
learn more about
the investment.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 6: Explore a price alert notification

In Exercise 5 on page 17, the example showed an Absolute Price Threshold alert. Did Exercise 6: Explore a
you notice that the alert included information in addition to the price change? In price alert notification
addition to price, the price alerts—Absolute Price Threshold and Percent Change from
Last Close Price—offer the following information:
g recent news about the security, and
g the Morningstar analysis of the security when compared to its competitors.

This toggle defaults to

Key Ratios. Click to
select, Quote, Short
Interest, or News.

Click here to view

information about
the investment’s
competitors.

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 7: View past alert notifications

Older alert notifications do not display in the Notification flyover, but you can download Exercise 7: View
a spreadsheet of your alert history. You can filter the contents of the spreadsheet by past alert notifications
date range, security, and alert type.
To download your alert history, do the following:
1. From anywhere in Morningstar Direct Cloud Editions, from the Menu, select Alerts. The
Alerts page opens, displaying the list of your past alert notifications.

Note the highlighted selections.

2. (Optional) On the right side of the page, in the Filter panel, set the parameters of the
content to download by doing any of the following:
g Enter dates in the Date Range fields and click Apply
g Search for one or more securities, and/or
g Click one or more Alert Type checkboxes.

Alerts
banner

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Setting Alerts for Investments Exercise 7: View past alert notifications

3. In the upper-left corner of the page, click the Export icon. A system navigation
window opens.

Click here.

4. Navigate to the location where you want to save the list of alerts, and if you want,
change the name of the file.

This shows a sample

of a default filename.

5. Click Save.
6. Open the file, which is a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet displays the following:
g Date Triggered
g Alert Type
g Security Name, and
g Symbol.
The content of the other columns depends on the alert type.

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Setting Alerts for Investments What are the alert types?

The alert types are described in this table. What are the alert types?

This alert… is triggered when…

Absolute Price Threshold the price of the security increases or decreases to the dollar-value threshold you specify.
 Note: In addition to price data, an Absolute Price Threshold alert displays recent news and the
Morningstar analysis of the security when compared to its competitors.

Controversy Score vs a fund’s Controversy Score rank compared to its category increases or decreases.
Category Rank
A low value indicates fewer controversies for a fund’s holdings relative to the holdings of
other funds in its category, and is therefore preferable to a high value.

Fund Manager Change the individual or individuals who are employed by the advisor or sub-advisor who are
directly responsible for managing the portfolio changes.

Gross Expense Ratio a change occurs in the percentage of fund assets used to pay for operating expenses and
management fees, including 12b-1 fees, administrative fees, and all other asset-based costs
incurred by the fund, except brokerage costs.

Low Carbon Designation a fund’s low carbon designation changes.

To receive the Low Carbon designation, a fund must have a 12-month average Portfolio
Carbon Risk Score below 10 and a 12-month average Fossil Fuel Involvement % of less than
7% of assets.

Morningstar Analyst Change the Morningstar Analyst Rating changes.

Morningstar Category Change the Morningstar Category changes.

Morningstar Equity Style Box the Equity Style Box changes.

Change

Morningstar Fixed Income Style the Fixed Income Style Box changes.
Box Change

Morningstar Manager Research Morningstar publishes new research that mentions your securities.
 Note: A Morningstar Manager Research alert has delivery options other alert types do not
(Exercise 3 on page 10), and it can be created and modified from the Morningstar Research area
(How can I use the Research area with Morningstar Manager Research alerts? on page 23).

Morningstar Quantitative the Morningstar Quantitative Rating changes.

Rating Change

Morningstar Rating Change the Morningstar Rating changes.

Name Change the name of a security changes.

Net Expense Ratio (Prospectus) the net expense ratio (prospectus) changes.

Obsolete Type Change an investment has stopped pricing because it has been liquidated or merged.

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 How can I use the Research area with Morningstar Manager
Setting Alerts for Investments Research alerts?

This alert… is triggered when…

Open/Closed to New a fund's status changes to open or closed to new investors.

Investors Change

Percent Change from Last the price of the security increases and/or decreases from its last closing price by the
Close Price percentage you specify.
 Note: In addition to price data, a Percent Change from Last Close Price alert displays recent news
and the Morningstar analysis of the security when compared to its competitors.

Ticker Change the ticker assigned by the exchange on which an investment trades changes.

As you learned in Exercise 3 on page 10, you can create a Morningstar Manager How can I use the
Research alert to be notified when Morningstar analysts release new research. In Research area with
these next exercises, you will learn how to create and modify a Morningstar Manager Morningstar Manager
Research alert from the Research area. Research alerts?

To create a Morningstar Manager Research alert in the Research area, do Exercise 8: Create
the following: a Morningstar
1. On the header, hover the cursor over the Menu icon, then select Morningstar
Manager Research
Research. The Morningstar Research page opens. alert in the Research area

Note the highlighted selections.

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 Exercise 8: Create a Morningstar Manager Research
Setting Alerts for Investments alert in the Research area

2. In the Navigation pane on the left, under My Research, select Alerts. The Morningstar
Manager Research Alerts page opens.

Click here to access

Morningstar Manager
Research alerts.

3. Click Manage Alerts. The Edit Alerts page opens.

 Note: When one of your Morningstar Manager Research alerts is triggered, it is shown here in
addition to being displayed on the Notifications list.

Click here.

4. In the Search for lists and securities field, enter the name of one of your lists (or a
keyword in the name).
5. From the search results, select a list. A new Edit Alerts dialog box opens.

Note the highlighted selections.

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 Exercise 8: Create a Morningstar Manager Research
Setting Alerts for Investments alert in the Research area

6. Select one or both of the following for the notification method:

g Direct Cloud, and/or
g Email.
7. If you have chosen to be notified in Direct Cloud, select how often you will receive
notifications. The options are as follows:
g Immediately, or
g Daily.
 Note: To learn more about the notification options, read What are the notification options in a
Morningstar Manager Research alert? on page 9.

Morningstar Manager Research

is the only alert type offering
these options.

8. If you have chosen to receive notifications in email, select how often you will receive
deliveries. The options are as follows:
g Immediately
g Daily, or
g Weekly.
 Note: To learn more about the notification options, read What are the notification options in a
Morningstar Manager Research alert? on page 9.

Weekly delivery is available

only when you select Email.

9. Click Save. An message opens, notifying you that the alert has been saved.

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 Exercise 9: Modify a Morningstar Manager Research
Setting Alerts for Investments alert in the Morningstar Research area

When modifying a Morningstar Manager Research alert, you have the option of using Exercise 9: Modify
the Morningstar Research area. a Morningstar
Manager Research
Do the following:
alert in the Morningstar
1. On the Morningstar Research page, in the Navigation pane on the left, under My Research area
Research, select Alerts. The Morningstar Manager Research Alerts page opens.

Click here to access

Morningstar Manager
Research alerts.

2. Click Manage Alerts. The Edit Alerts page opens.

 Note: When one of your Morningstar Manager Research alerts is triggered, it is shown here,
as well as displayed on the Notifications list.

Click here.

Your Morningstar Manager Research alerts are listed.

 Note: You can use the Search for lists and securities field to create a new Morningstar
Manager Research Alert. See step 4 on page 24.

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 Exercise 9: Modify a Morningstar Manager Research
Setting Alerts for Investments alert in the Morningstar Research area

3. In any listed Morningstar Manager Research alert, you can do the following:
g change the notification method(s)
g change the notification frequency, or
g click the X to delete the alert.

You can change any of these options.

4. Click Save. An message opens, notifying you that the alert has been saved.

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