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Overview

The Web interface provides the most structured and controlled way to add timeline events to an incident. It supports rich text formatting, attachments, timestamps, and granular visibility settings—making it ideal for adding clear, polished, retrospective-ready updates. Events added through the Web UI are treated the same as those created via Slack, email, or API, and appear immediately in the incident’s chronological timeline.

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Adding a Timeline Event in the Web UI

1

Open the Incident

Navigate to the incident you want to update and scroll to the Timeline section.
2

Click “Add event”

Click the Add event button at the top of the timeline to open the event creation modal.
Adding an event to a timeline
3

Write Your Event Description

Enter the text you want recorded as a timeline event.Your description supports Markdown formatting, allowing you to add emphasis, structure, and links.
This is especially helpful when summarizing findings, outlining hypotheses, or highlighting important decisions.Markdown syntax is supported in your event description.
4

Configure Optional Details

You can optionally customize:
  • Occurred At — set an exact timestamp or backfill earlier events
  • Visibility — choose internal-only or external-facing visibility
  • Attachments — upload logs, screenshots, or supporting documents
  • Impacted Services / Functionalities — specify which components were affected
These fields help maintain an accurate and high-quality incident timeline.
5

Save the Event

Click Create event to publish your entry to the timeline.
It will appear in chronological order based on the timestamp you provided.

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Tips for Creating Useful Timeline Entries

  • Use Markdown to structure your updates for readability
  • Write concise, factual observations and decisions
  • Attach files instead of pasting long logs
  • Record the why behind actions when possible
  • Use accurate timestamps when reconstructing events
Well-written timeline entries significantly accelerate retrospective creation and help future responders understand what happened.

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Troubleshooting

Check the Occurred At field.
If left blank, Rootly uses the time you created the event.
Make sure visibility is set to External, not Internal.
You may not have permissions to update incidents or timeline entries.
Ensure the file type and size comply with your workspace’s attachment rules.

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Best Practices

  • Keep entries focused and easy to scan
  • Include decisions, not just actions
  • Backdate events thoughtfully to maintain timeline accuracy
  • Use Markdown headings, lists, and code formatting where helpful
  • Add context such as impacted services or related systems