--- labels: products: - oss title: 'Configure notification message' --- Use [annotations](ref:shared-annotations) to add information to alert messages that can help respond to the alert. Annotations are included by default in notification messages, and can use text or [templates](ref:shared-alert-rule-template) to display dynamic data from queries. Grafana provides several optional annotations. 1. Optional: Add a summary. Short summary of what happened and why. 1. Optional: Add a description. Description of what the alert rule does. 1. Optional: Add a Runbook URL. Webpage where you keep your runbook for the alert 1. Optional: Add a custom annotation. Add any additional information that could help address the alert. 1. Optional: **Link dashboard and panel**. [Link the alert rule to a panel](ref:shared-link-alert-rules-to-panels) to facilitate alert investigation. 1. Click **Save rule**.