Chat conversations - Messaging system

The Internal Messaging application is a real-time communication tool designed to streamline collaboration within your organization. It supports private and group chats, file sharing, rich text formatting, and advanced administrative controls.

1. Access and Status

To access the chat, open the Internal Messaging application from your dashboard or sidebar. The interface is divided into a Sidebar (conversation list) and the main Chat Area.

Setting your Status

You can let your colleagues know your availability by clicking on your Profile Picture in the top-left corner of the sidebar.

Available statuses:

• Online You are active and available.
• Busy You are busy (e.g., in a meeting) and may not reply immediately.
• Away You are away from your desk.

You can also enter a Custom Status Message (e.g., "In a meeting until 14:00") which will be displayed next to your name in the chat header.

2. Starting Conversations

Private Chats

To start a one-on-one conversation:

1. Use the Search bar at the top of the sidebar.
2. Type the Name or Username of the colleague.
3. Click on the user from the dropdown list to open the chat.

Group Chats

To create a team discussion:

1. Click the New Group button at the bottom of the sidebar.
2. Enter a Group Name (e.g., "Marketing Team").
3. Search for users in the "Add Members" field and select them to add to the group.
4. Click Create Group.

Archived Chats

If you want to declutter your list, you can archive conversations. To view them, click the Archived link in the sidebar header. To return to your main list, click Back.

3. Messaging Features

The input area supports several advanced features to help you communicate effectively.

Rich Text Formatting (Markdown)

You can format your messages using standard Markdown syntax. Click the icon next to the input for a cheat sheet.

Mentions

To get someone's attention in a group chat, type the @ symbol. A list of participants will appear; select one to insert a mention (e.g., @MarioRossi). The user will see their name highlighted.

Saved Drafts

The system automatically saves what you type. If you are writing a long message in Chat A but switch to Chat B to check some info, when you return to Chat A, your text will still be there.

Link Previews

If you paste a URL into the chat, the system will attempt to generate a Link Preview Card showing the page title, description, and image (if available) to give context before clicking.

4. Managing Messages

Hover over any message (or tap the message on mobile) to reveal the Action Menu (three vertical dots).

• Reply: Quotes the message so you can respond to a specific context.
• React: Add an emoji reaction (👍 ❤️ 😂 😮 😢) to the message.
• Pin Message: Pins the message to the top of the chat view. A yellow banner will appear under the header. You can click View All on the banner to see a history of all pinned items.
• Edit: (Self only) Allows you to correct a typo. Only available if the message hasn't been read yet.
• Delete: (Self only) Removes the message for everyone.

5. Group Administration

If you are the Creator of a group, you have special administrative privileges accessible via the Settings icon in the chat header.

Manage Members

From the settings modal, you can:

• See a list of all current participants.
• Remove a member by clicking the icon.
• Add new members using the search bar at the bottom.

Rename Group

Click the Pencil icon next to the group name in the header to rename the conversation for all participants.

Locking a Conversation

In the top-right dropdown menu, the creator can select Close/Lock Group.
When locked:

• A banner "This conversation is closed" appears.
• The input box is disabled for all participants.
• Only the creator can unlock it.

6. Data & History

Use the top-right menu for advanced actions: