Patent ID: 7328839

Claim:
In a first computer device, a method comprising: linking an alert to an occurrence of a specific activity within a customer account, which account is accessible via a network-connected device, wherein said linking further comprises: displaying a user interface that includes one or more alerts and one or more activities that may be linked to the one or more alerts; receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one or more different alerts to link to one or more activities that may occur within the customer account, wherein each alert identifies one or more of the activities, wherein when multiple different activities are associated with one or more alerts, the one or more alerts are forwarded to the network-connected device to signal the occurrence of the multiple different activities; storing the selected one or more alerts along with information identifying the one or more activities to which the alert is linked, wherein said storing associates the alert and information with the customer account; enabling selection of characteristics to associate with the alert, including whether the alert is confidential or non-confidential, wherein a method of outputting the alert at the network-connected device is affected by a confidentiality characteristic associated with the alert; and enabling selection of a method and an output format for outputting the alert at the network-connected device, said format selected from one or more of: (1) a display format wherein the alert is displayed on the monitor of the network-connected device; (2) a print format wherein the alert is printed on a transaction receipt generated at the network-connected device; and (3) an audible relay format wherein the alert is audibly outputted on a speaker of the network-connected devices; monitoring for the activity within said customer account that is related to the alert selected by the customer; and in response to the occurrence of the activity, automatically forwarding the alert for outputting at the network-connected device during a subsequent access of said customer account via the network-connected device, wherein the alert is forwarded for outputting utilizing an output mechanism of the network-connected device to signal the occurrence of the activity within said customer account.