Alexa Routine OR webCoRE Piston: Best Practices/Recommendations/How Do YOU Decide?

alexa
#1

I have many, many pistons in webCoRE, and a bunch of Routines in Alexa.

Up till now, my primary system has always been (and will continue to be for the foreseeable future) SmartThings.

So, when I’ve created automations that involve both SmartThings AND Alexa, I have tried to build the bulk of the automation in webCoRE, and only have portions happen in Alexa that either can’t be done in webCoRE (e.g. turning ON some 3rd-party device which only Alexa has direct access to), or which, for some reason, seem to work better in Alexa (Like if Alexa is turning on a simSwitch in SmartThings to trigger something in there, if it’s being used like a toggle switch, I’ll also have Alexa turn it back off, instead of doing that step in the related webCoRE piston).

I’m assuming this is most likely the consensus as well, but I’m just curious…

If your decision making process is significantly different than this, how do you decide what portion of your automations that overlap both SmartThings and Alexa to build where?

#2

Personally I keep everything in Webcore. Just like you said, alexa only triggers Sim Switches and they do things in webcore.

The only exception is, if something involves my wife.
ie: Her office lights are turned on/off by alexa but instead of turning the lights on/off with webcore, alexa routine turns the bulbs on or off. After that sim switches let webcore know whats going on. The reason is, I must admit, alexa routine turns them on or off way faster and more relaible then webcore and I’m sure most of us still trying to explain our partners “Why smart homes are not dumb, it’s just different devices trying to communucate and this is the future, we are early birds etc” and all they hear is “bla bla bla bla bla”:))))
So everything involves her directly is alexa routine.

#3

@ike2018, ditto.

#4

I also do almost everything in webCoRE. I just have ac couple routines for light scenes like 'Alexa, reading time" or “Alexa, TV time” and Alexa sets all the lights accordingly. When it gets too complicated, it’s easier to use a sim switch and program in webcore. Even if there are many lights involved, creating Alexa routines is a pain compared to WebCoRE.