Hi,
I’m on ask-when-available for program updates (auto for database updates). Typically I’ll do a manual check once or twice a day anyway for the program (to catch the database too), although the Alwil team’s schedule seems to be such that if there’s a database update out, the auto will catch it when I first come online, typically late morning Eastern time (UT-5). Whew, sorry about the length of that sentence. :-[ 
But I’m rambling again … if you’re on advise-when-available and there’s something new, you get that little blue popup notification similar to the one following an auto-update. It’s not on screen very long – any chance you’re missing it because you’re occupied with something else, especially something that’s “always on top”?
Best,
Mike