diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e592bf9..053f1e7 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -14,3 +14,6 @@ templates/*
 
 # Logs
 marvin.log
+
+# pycache
+__pycache__/
diff --git a/example_config.yaml b/example_config.yaml
index 1edbed1..ffad2a9 100644
--- a/example_config.yaml
+++ b/example_config.yaml
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ redmine:
   url: ${REDMINE_URL}
   version: ${REDMINE_VERSION}
   api_key: ${REDMINE_API_KEY}
-  issue_closed_id: 5  # Id of the "closed" status
-
+  time_zone: "Europe/Berlin"
+  issue_closed_status: "Done"  # Name of the "closed" status
+  no_bot_tag: "#nobot" # a tag that signals bot not to handle an issue
 
 actions:
 
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ actions:
       - "IT Tickets"
     status:
       - "In revision"
-    change_status_to: 4
+    change_status_to: "Waiting for feedback"
     template: "nudge_ticket"
 
 
diff --git a/exceptions.py b/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b516e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+class IssueStatusNotFoundException(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, status_name: str):
+        self.status_name = status_name
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return f"No issue status with the name \"{self.status_name}\" could be found. Please check your config.yaml."
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index a33a23b..0ec93eb 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import sys
 import os
-from datetime import date, timedelta
+from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta
+import pytz
 import logging
 from redminelib import Redmine
 from envyaml import EnvYAML
 from jinja2 import Template
+from exceptions import IssueStatusNotFoundException
+
+
+def get_issue_status_id(status_name: str, redmine: Redmine):
+    all_status = redmine.issue_status.all()
+    statuses = all_status.filter(name=status_name)
+    if len(statuses) < 1:
+        raise IssueStatusNotFoundException(status_name)
+    elif len(statuses) > 1:
+        logging.warning(f'Expected one issue status with the name {status_name} but found '
+                        f'{len(statuses)}')
+    return statuses[0].id
 
 
 def treat_issues():
-    
     dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) + '/'
 
     # Set up logging
@@ -25,6 +37,9 @@ def treat_issues():
         url = config['redmine']['url']
         version = config['redmine']['version']
         api_key = config['redmine']['api_key']
+        time_zone = pytz.timezone(config['redmine']['time_zone'])
+        issue_closed_status = config['redmine']['issue_closed_status']
+        no_bot_tag = config['redmine']['no_bot_tag']
         actions = config['actions']
         logging.getLogger().setLevel(config['logging']['level'].upper())
     except Exception as e:
@@ -38,28 +53,68 @@ def treat_issues():
         logging.error('Could not instantiate Redmine object', exc_info=True)
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    # Get status id for closed issues
+    issue_closed_status_id = None
+    try:
+        issue_closed_status_id = get_issue_status_id(issue_closed_status, redmine)
+    except IssueStatusNotFoundException as e:
+        logging.error(e, exc_info=True)
+
     # Loop through all actions defined in config.yaml
     for action in actions.values():
 
         # Calculate end_date
         end_date = date.today() - timedelta(days=+int(action['time_range']))
 
+        # Get change_status_id
+        change_status_id = None
+        if action.get('change_status_to'):
+            try:
+                change_status_id = get_issue_status_id(action['change_status_to'], redmine)
+            except IssueStatusNotFoundException as e:
+                logging.error(e, exc_info=True)
+                continue
+
         # Loop through affected issues
         try:
             for issue in redmine.issue \
                     .filter(updated_on=f"><{action['start_date']}|{end_date.isoformat()}") \
                     .filter(project__name__in=action['projects'], status__name__in=action['status'], closed_on=None):
+
+                # Skip issue if start date is not yet reached
+                if hasattr(issue, 'start_date') and date.today() < issue.start_date:
+                    continue
+
+                # Skip issue if due date is not yet reached
+                if hasattr(issue, 'due_date') and date.today() < issue.due_date:
+                    continue
+
+                # Skip issue if a no_bot_tag is found in the issue description or any of its journals
+                def find_no_bot_tag_in_journals(journals):
+                    for journal in journals:
+                        if hasattr(journal, 'notes') and no_bot_tag in journal.notes:
+                            return True
+                    return False
+                if no_bot_tag in issue.description or find_no_bot_tag_in_journals(issue.journals):
+                    continue
+
+                # Render message template
                 with open(f"{dir_path}templates/{action['template']}", newline='\r\n') as f:
                     content = f.read()
                 template = Template(content)
-                notes = template.render(author=issue.author.name, time_range=action['time_range'], url=issue.url)
+                days_since_last_update = (datetime.now(time_zone) - issue.updated_on.replace(tzinfo=time_zone)).days + 1
+                notes = template.render(
+                    issue=issue,
+                    time_range=action['time_range'],
+                    days_since_last_update=days_since_last_update
+                )
 
                 # Update issue
-                if action.get('close_ticket') is True:
-                    redmine.issue.update(issue.id, notes=notes, status_id=config['redmine']['issue_closed_id'])
+                if action.get('close_ticket') is True and issue_closed_status_id is not None:
+                    redmine.issue.update(issue.id, notes=notes, status_id=issue_closed_status_id)
                     logging.info(f"Ticket ID: {issue.id}, ticket closed")
-                elif action.get('change_status_to') is not None and isinstance(action.get('change_status_to'), int):
-                    redmine.issue.update(issue.id, notes=notes, status_id=action['change_status_to'])
+                elif change_status_id is not None:
+                    redmine.issue.update(issue.id, notes=notes, status_id=change_status_id)
                     logging.info(f"Ticket ID: {issue.id}, changed ticket status")
                 else:
                     redmine.issue.update(issue.id, notes=notes)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 1fdc5f6..ff66481 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ python-redmine==2.3.0
 PyYAML==5.4.1
 requests==2.25.1
 urllib3==1.26.5
+pytz~=2021.3
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/example_template b/templates/example_template
index 94a5b1f..4d76ef5 100644
--- a/templates/example_template
+++ b/templates/example_template
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
-Hello {{ author }},
+{% if issue.assigned_to is defined %}
+Hello {{ issue.assigned_to }},
 
-this ticket wasn't updated for at least {{ time_range }}. We therefore assume that the problem has been solved in the meantime. If the issue persists, please reopen the ticket and give us a brief update on the situation.
-Here is the ticket: {{ url }}
+this ticket is assigned to you but wasn't updated for at least {{ days_since_last_update }}. We therefore assume that the problem has been solved in the meantime. If the issue persists, please reopen the ticket and give us a brief update on the situation.
+{% else %}
+Hello {{ issue.author }},
+
+this ticket wasn't updated for at least {{ days_since_last_update }}. We therefore assume that the problem has been solved in the meantime. If the issue persists, please reopen the ticket and give us a brief update on the situation.
+{% endif %}
+Here is the ticket: {{ issue.url }}
 
 Yours sincerely
 Your IT Team
\ No newline at end of file