SharpTools Rule Engine Walk-through | Complex Automation Simple (2020)

[@SimplySmart123]

What amazing rules will you create?

[@SimplySmart123]

For sure. I just set them up in the SmartThings app since there are a ton of devices I want to turn off when I leave. You can also add additional rules in SmartThings. We use our phones as presence sensors.

[@SimplySmart123]

Yea is probably different but not too hard. I just switched to the new app so I will be doing more videos on it soon.

[@rickwilbergbroker-exprealt3109]

I wish I would have watched this before I set up a few routines. I didn't realize that you did not have to have a trigger to initiate a rule. That being said I created several virtual switches and set the rule to trigger if you turn that switch "on" or "off". I would have skipped all that if I had watched this first. Another helpful and easy to follow video.

[@SimplySmart123]

Thank you Rick! I have been meaning to get this video out for awhile. Sorry I couldn’t solve your issues before you had it!

[@rickwilbergbroker-exprealt3109]

@@SimplySmart123 I created several routines for my wife. I first tried with the button, but she could nor remember if it was 1 click for this light or 2 clicks for that light. So now I have an Amazon HD8 sitting on her nightstand in the Fire HD Dock that is constantly charging it. I have fully kiosk running and the screen saver is a dashboard with just the new clock tile so it works like a normal alarm clock you would have on your nightstand. I took off the motion sensor for the camera so now if she touches the screen the dashboard with the rules appears for 15 seconds then goes back to the clock. She is quite happy since it is self-explanatory as for as what I have named the rules.

[@SimplySmart123]

Making your Smart Home usable for everyone is very important!

[@jamesguitar3]

This is a really great video! Thanks for showing all the details but in an easy-to-understand manner. 😀

[@SimplySmart123]

You are welcome James. Now you can make your own awesome rules 😉 😂

[@BudsSmartHome]

Nice Video Justin!

[@SimplySmart123]

Thanks Bud!

[@jgoni20]

Damn.... watching your videos make me come back from Hubitat to smart things 😂

[@SimplySmart123]

The rule engine works exactly the same with Hubitat as SmartThings. Get a free account in like 30 seconds.

[@jgoni20]

Simply Smart 123 I know I know, keep it coming and thanks for your videos

[@TheRailroadRanch]

Question, I'm trying to set up a rule for my smart lock. I have a 3rd party feed that sends lock codes to my lock when a guest books a reservation at my short term rental. When the code gets added to my lock codes, I'd like a text with the code that was programmed. Do you think this is possible?

[@SimplySmart123]

it would depend partly on the smart lock, but you should be able to create a rule that will send you a push notification. You just have to see what options are available under your lock in SharpTools.

[@michaelwalker9867]

I have several motion sensors that also register temperature in smartthings. When I authorized these sensor in sharp tools, the temperature does not show up in SharpTools. This is not allowing me to create tiles in my dashboard for temperatures. Any ideas....

[@SimplySmart123]

You might need a different device handler. Go to the manufacturers site and see if they have a different device handler. Seems strange it shows in SmartThings but not in SharpTools. Maybe reach out to SharpTools with more details.

[@michaelwalker9867]

Simply Smart 123 ok thx.

[@cesaratlanta]

Justin, why Sharptools is not getting the updates from ST Connect, only the ST Classic?

[@SimplySmart123]

Cesar Alves SharpTools makes a connection in the backend of SmartThings so it shouldn’t matter what you are using as far as the SmartThings app goes. If you added a new device you will need to authorize SharpTools to use the new device. If you are using Routines or the SmartThings Home Monitor these current are not available through 3rd parties.

[@JoshuaLyon]

Excellent video, Justin! 👍

[@SimplySmart123]

Thanks Joshua!

[@SimplySmart123]

I hope this will help you use the Rule Engine like a Boss 😎 🤣

[@derekfife9681]

Thanks for all your videos. Very informative! I am 1 year into making my home smart and have used lots of your suggestions. I'm working with sharptools now but... I cannot get alexa echo to show up in devices..? Can you help with? I have 3 of them working fine with Smartthings but nothing on sharptools.. Please help.

[@SimplySmart123]

derek fife you will need to setup echo speaks for your echo devices to show up in your SmartThings. You can do that by following this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYKzgZ-Ke8Z6mJY

[@derekfife9681]

Simply Smart 123 Works awesome now. Thank you so much for quick response. I thought i had echo speaks working but it was not installed correctly. Looking forward to more videos.

[@erikbirkinbine3028]

really appreciate the walkthrough. Ill admit I am using actiontiles for now as I really like the single purchase price rather than monthly subscription. The major difference (other than a better UI for building dashboards that arguably look better) compared to actiontiles seems to be the rules engine. I was curious if you could add some commentary on the potential differences in the smartthings automations/scenes vs sharptools rule engine. Is there any additional capability or advantage to sharptools in that comparison? ive found, so far, that the smartthings automations and scenes have done everything i am looking for, and actiontiles recently added direct integration with scenes in smartthings, so that is a major advantage for me at the moment.

[@SimplySmart123]

The SharpTools Rule Engine is very very powerful and can use repeated logic to create some amazing automations. Every time I try to do something in SmartThings I am limited which is very frustrating because I cannot get the automations to work the way I want them to. Also, SharpTools will reveal all options of every device where in SmartThings you only get a few. I only have 6 Routines in SmartThings and all other automations are in SharpTools. Much better to have them all in one place also and they can be used on Dashboards.

[@decosse01]

Thanks for your great videos - you have a very comfortable style as to how you explain things - most helpful. I'm just getting starting with Sharp Tools and could use some pointers on creating a rule, specifically for Delayed arming away (so time to leave, open & close entry door before arming completes). I tried a simple delay but it's not working for me; can you possibly give simple outline e.g. settings for the Trigger, Flow and Action?

[@SimplySmart123]

Glad you are liking the content! What is the trigger for arming away? I would use a presence sensor that way it’s automatic when you leave and automatically disarms when you arrive. Obviously you wouldn’t need a delay in that case because you would already be gone by the time it sets.

[@decosse01]

@@SimplySmart123 Thankyou - yes, that will come next - for now, just like 'old-school' alarm where I just press the 'Armed Away' Tile in Sharptools but have the Armed Action delayed.

[@decosse01]

I figured it out - created new simulated switch called Arm Away Delayed - used that as the trigger, 30 sec delay, then turn on Arm Away and Turn Off Arm Away Delayed - Bingo! I had been trying to use the Arm Away as a trigger and realized that was why it was still setting immediately. (I also found could do same thing directly in Smartthings with an automation)

[@SimplySmart123]

Great! Virtual switches can solve a lot of automation challenges.

[@jjbrotherton]

It would be nice for you to do a video on how you use your rules

[@SimplySmart123]

I have a bunch of videos on that. Most of my videos have a SharpTools rule examples in them. This is just an over view on how to use the basics. Check out these videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2K1o4KOgrublZo kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooa6aKSed5ZmptU kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWfKgX-FbreZmKc

[@pittarogerio]

How do you connect Echo with sharp tools.

[@SimplySmart123]

To use SharpTools you must have a SmartThings hub. But if you want to trigger voice and MP3 files from SharpTools you can use Voice Monkey. Check out my voice monkey playlist.

[@JaiManny]

is there a benefit doing this in sharptools, as oppose to smartthings?

[@SimplySmart123]

SharpTools Rules are far more powerful than SmartThings but if you are doing just basic automations you may be ok with SmartThings. But you will find there is not much that you can't do in SharpTools.

[@JaiManny]

@@SimplySmart123 similar to webcore... I imagine? I will look into these rules. As usual.. appreciate the response!!

[@SimplySmart123]

Yes, it's easier to use than WebCore and also free. You can also use the rules on a Dashboard for even more control.

[@mdworkin1]

Great Video! Here is a Rule I would like to execute but can't figure out. If I have say 5 Hue lights in my living room I have created a rule to turn them all on as well as a rule to turn them all off. How do you create a rule to change the colors of the room. I can create a rule to make them all blue or red but what about a rule that gives me the color palette to change them to what ever I want. Same thing for dimming the lights. I can set it to one level but not like a dimmer switch where I can go up and down with one toggle. I hope I'm explaining this properly.

[@SimplySmart123]

I think what you need to do is create a lighting group in the new smart things app. Then you can create a virtual switch that has all of the properties that you want and put that onto a dashboard. First you would need to link the virtual switch to your Lighting Group in SmartThings app.

[@mdworkin1]

@@SimplySmart123 Ah ok. I have some lighting groups created in SmartThings already so I'll mess around with linking that. Hopefully it's that simple. Thank you.

[@SimplySmart123]

Might need to make a video on this. Let me know how it works out for you!

[@mdworkin1]

@@SimplySmart123 Lol Please make a video. I don't think the New version of Smart Things has the ability to create a virtual switch like you could in the classic version. At least I can't find it.

[@SimplySmart123]

Check out this video: How to Create and Use a Virtual Switch in SmartThings kzbin.info/www/bejne/h523h6ecqdpnl80

[@benniejackson7270]

I don't understand this at all that just don't get it I can't understand this is to hard! For me I I don't have a computer I am home bound pain medicine begins to take effect.

[@SimplySmart123]

Download and follow along.

[@benniejackson7270]

I can't. Understand this and can't see this writings!

[@SimplySmart123]

Sad.