diff --git a/netbot/cog_tickets.py b/netbot/cog_tickets.py
index 497a2c9..8dc52a2 100644
--- a/netbot/cog_tickets.py
+++ b/netbot/cog_tickets.py
@@ -496,9 +496,10 @@ async def create_new_ticket(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, title:str):
             await ctx.respond(f"Error creating ticket with title={title}")
 
 
-    @ticket.command(name="alert", description="Alert collaborators on a ticket")
-    @option("ticket_id", description="ID of ticket to alert", autocomplete=basic_autocomplete(default_ticket))
-    async def alert_ticket(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, ticket_id:int):
+    @ticket.command(name="notify", description="Notify collaborators on a ticket")
+    @option("message", description="Message to send with notification")
+    async def notify(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, message:str = ""):
+        ticket_id = self.bot.parse_thread_title(ctx.channel.name)
         ticket = self.redmine.ticket_mgr.get(ticket_id, include="watchers") # inclde the option watchers/collaborators field
         if ticket:
             # * notify owner and collaborators of *notable* (not all) status changes of a ticket
@@ -511,8 +512,9 @@ async def alert_ticket(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, ticket_id:int):
             if not thread:
                 await ctx.respond(f"ERROR: No thread for ticket ID: {ticket_id}, assign a fall-back") ## TODO
                 return
-            msg = f"Ticket {ticket.id} is about will expire soon."
-            await thread.send(self.bot.formatter.format_ticket_alert(ticket, discord_ids, msg))
+            if message == "":
+                message = f"Ticket {ticket.id} is about will expire soon."
+            await thread.send(self.bot.formatter.format_ticket_alert(ticket, discord_ids, message))
             await ctx.respond("Alert sent.")
         else:
             await ctx.respond(f"ERROR: Unkown ticket ID: {ticket_id}") ## TODO format error message
diff --git a/netbot/formatting.py b/netbot/formatting.py
index dd0b992..29649cf 100644
--- a/netbot/formatting.py
+++ b/netbot/formatting.py
@@ -258,10 +258,10 @@ def format_expiration_notification(self, ticket:Ticket, discord_ids: list[str]):
         return f"ALERT: Expiring ticket: {self.redmine_link(ticket)} {' '.join(ids_str)}"
 
 
-    def format_ticket_alert(self, ticket: Ticket, discord_ids: list[str], msg: str) -> str:
-        ids_str = ["<@" + id + ">" for id in discord_ids]
+    def format_ticket_alert(self, ticket: Ticket, discord_ids: set[int], msg: str) -> str:
+        ids_str = [f"<@{id}>" for id in discord_ids]
         log.debug(f"ids_str={ids_str}, discord_ids={discord_ids}")
-        return f"ALERT #{self.redmine_link(ticket)} {' '.join(ids_str)}: {msg}"
+        return f"⚠️ {self.redmine_link(ticket)} {' '.join(ids_str)}: {msg}"
 
 
     def ticket_color(self, ticket:Ticket) -> discord.Color:
diff --git a/netbot/netbot.py b/netbot/netbot.py
index d0673ea..66dcb74 100755
--- a/netbot/netbot.py
+++ b/netbot/netbot.py
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ def find_ticket_thread(self, ticket_id:int) -> discord.Thread|None:
         return None # not found
 
 
-    def extract_ids_from_ticket(self, ticket: Ticket) -> set[str]:
+    def extract_ids_from_ticket(self, ticket: Ticket) -> set[int]:
         """Extract the Discord IDs from users interested in a ticket,
            using owner and collaborators"""
          # owner and watchers
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ def extract_ids_from_ticket(self, ticket: Ticket) -> set[str]:
             user = self.redmine.user_mgr.cache.get(named.id) #expected to be cached
             if user:
                 if user.discord_id:
-                    discord_ids.add(user.discord_id)
+                    discord_ids.add(user.discord_id.id)
                 else:
                     log.info(f"No Discord ID for {named}")
             else:
diff --git a/tests/test_users.py b/tests/test_users.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbb6e08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_users.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Redmine user manager test cases"""
+
+import unittest
+import logging
+import json
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+from redmine.model import NamedId, DISCORD_ID_FIELD
+
+from tests import test_utils
+
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+class TestUserManager(test_utils.MockRedmineTestCase):
+    """Mocked testing of user manager"""
+
+    @patch('redmine.session.RedmineSession.get')
+    @patch('redmine.session.RedmineSession.put')
+    def test_create_discord_mapping(self, mock_put:MagicMock, mock_get:MagicMock):
+        # create a new user
+        user = test_utils.mock_user(unittest.TestCase.id(self))
+
+        # add discord details
+        discord_id = test_utils.randint()
+        discord_name = test_utils.randstr()
+        user.set_custom_field(2, DISCORD_ID_FIELD, f"{discord_id}|{discord_name}")
+
+        # set up mock get return with the updated user
+        mock_get.return_value = { "user": user.asdict() }
+
+        # TEST create the discord mapping
+        updated = self.user_mgr.create_discord_mapping(user, discord_id, discord_name)
+
+        # this should call put on session.
+        # mock_put ... use to test for proper calling info
+        mock_put.assert_called_once()
+        # check params to PUT?
+
+        # get is called after the PUT to get a fresh user, mocked above.
+        # confirm it is correct
+        self.assertIsNotNone(updated)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(updated.discord_id)
+        self.assertEqual(discord_id, updated.discord_id.id)
+        self.assertEqual(discord_name, updated.discord_id.name)
+
+        mock_get.assert_called_once()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG,
+                        format="{asctime} {levelname:<8s} {name:<16} {message}",
+                        datefmt='%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S',
+                        style='{')
+    logging.getLogger("urllib3.connectionpool").setLevel(logging.INFO)
+
+    unittest.main()
\ No newline at end of file