Routers use routing labels to determine which alerts should be processed through them. By configuring routing labels on an alert, Notification Center automatically applies the routing logic based on these labels.

## What routing labels do

Routing labels are key-value pairs that connect alerts to routers.

When a notification request includes routing labels that match those defined on a router:

- The router's rules are evaluated and applied.
- If routing labels are missing or do not match, the router does not process the alert.

### Matching examples

| Router labels                                   | Alert routing labels                             | Result      |
| ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------- |
| `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`                | `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`                 | Matched     |
| `team:teamA`, `environment:dev`                 | `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`                 | Not matched |
| `environment:prod`                              | `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`, `service:app1` | Matched     |
| `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`                | `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`, `service:app1` | Matched     |
| `team:teamA`, `environment:dev`, `service:app1` | `team:teamA`, `environment:prod`, `service:app1` | Not matched |

## Label format

Routing labels are added to alerts with a `routing` prefix:

```text
routing.<key>: <value>
```

| Example key           | Example value | Purpose                               |
| --------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `routing.team`        | `security`    | Routes alerts for the security team.  |
| `routing.environment` | `prod`        | Routes alerts for production.         |
| `routing.service`     | `checkout`    | Routes alerts for a specific service. |

## Add labels to an alert

1. Navigate to **Alerts**, then select **Create Alert** or edit an existing alert.
1. In the **Notifications** section under **Notification Center**, add one or more routing labels.
1. The **Matching routers** list updates automatically to show routers matched by the labels you add.
1. Save the alert.
1. When triggered, the alert automatically routes through all routers matching its routing labels.

Note

Ensure label values have no leading or trailing spaces, as this may cause mismatches.

## Label requirements

- Labels are case-sensitive.
- Duplicate keys are not allowed.
- Use consistent label names across alerts to prevent routing mismatches.

## How Cases use routing labels

Cases do not use the `routing.<key>: <value>` prefix. Instead, Cases inherit their routing labels from Ownership Tags -- environment, service, and team -- assigned to the underlying infrastructure. These are the same attributes used in [Infra Explorer Ownership Tags](https://coralogix.com/docs/user-guides/infrastructure/infrastructure-explorer/ownership/index.md).

Routers match Case notifications using the same label-matching logic as alerts. The difference is only in how the labels are assigned: alerts use explicit `routing.*` labels, while Cases use Ownership Tags automatically.

For details on routing Case notifications, see [Route Case notifications](https://coralogix.com/docs/user-guides/notification-center/routing/create-router/#route-case-notifications).

## Next steps

Build a router that matches your routing labels and routes notifications to destinations in [Create a router](https://coralogix.com/docs/user-guides/notification-center/routing/create-router/index.md).