Messaging

Messaging keeps your conversations inside Foreman, next to the work they're about — so decisions don't get buried in texts and email chains. You can message a teammate directly, start a group conversation about a project, and drop comments right on the records, to-dos, daily logs, and files you're already working in.

Open your messages

1. From the sidebar, click Messages.
2. You'll land on your inbox — each row shows the conversation title with the latest message preview underneath, and the date and unread count on the right. Your messages begin with You:. Incoming direct messages show just the preview; discussion previews include the sender's name.
3. Click a conversation to open it. Unread conversations show a bold title, an orange date, and a count badge. Read conversations have a light gray background. After the conversation loads successfully, its read messages clear from the unread indicators and its row turns gray when none remain; to send one back to your unread pile, hover a message and choose Mark as unread from its menu.

The orange project Messages count shows unread messages; the sidebar Messages badge counts conversations with unread messages. Opening the Messages tab keeps its unread counts until you open a conversation. Opening a linked record, selection, to-do, or scheduled task also clears the discussion updates available when that item loads; later updates can remain unread.

Every project also has its own Messages tab — open a project and you'll see just that project's conversations (messages linked to the project, plus discussions on its records, daily logs, to-dos, and files). Click New there and choose New message to start a conversation already attached to the project.

Start a new conversation

1. Click New at the top of the inbox, then choose New message.
2. Project — optional. Pick a project in the No project (optional) dropdown before choosing recipients. From a project's own Messages tab, the project is already pinned and the row is hidden. Changing the project clears the people you previously picked.
3. To — choose teammates, clients, or vendors. The menu stays open as you select people; selected rows have checkmarks, and clicking one again removes it. Use All teammates, All clients, or All vendors to add a whole available group.
4. Name it — optional. The last crumb in the header (New message) is an editable field — type a name there ("Tile delivery timing", "Hood vent CFM") or leave it blank and the conversation is named after the people in it.
5. Write your message in the box at the bottom and press Enter to send (Shift+Enter for a new line).

For a project message, only people added in Project Access are available. Use Manage Project Access below the recipient field to add someone first. This also applies to teammates who can browse all projects. With No project, you can choose people across your organization.

Reply to a message

Hover any message and click Reply — your reply posts into the conversation with a small quote of the original above it, so it's clear what you're answering.

Send and reply

1. Open any conversation from the list.
2. Type in the box at the bottom and press Enter to send (Shift+Enter for a new line).
3. To loop someone in, type @ — or click Mention someone — and pick a teammate. On a project conversation, the teammate must already be added in Project Access. They'll be notified.
4. Use Attach file to add a file to your message.
5. When the conversation is linked to a project, Share a plan region pins a snapshot of a spot on that project's plans right into the message.

Messages support formatting via the toolbar, and you'll see an (edited) marker if a message was changed.

Find and filter

1. Type into Search to match a conversation's title, a sender, or message text.
2. Click Filters to narrow the list by Type (All messages, Direct messages, Discussions), Status (All, Unread, Sent), and — in the main inbox — Project. Picking Discussions adds a Subject type filter for what the discussion is anchored to.
3. The count on the Filters button tells you how many are applied; Clear all filters inside the panel resets them.

Fix or remove your own messages

On a message you sent, open its menu to Edit comment or Delete comment. In the inbox conversation view, the menu also offers Mark as unread. After editing, click Save in the message box; Cancel or Escape abandons the edit. The person who deleted a message can use Undo on its deleted-message placeholder.

Start a discussion

1. Click New and choose New discussion.
2. Under Discussion about:, choose the type of item, then pick the specific item. Only types with available items are offered.
3. Write your comment and send it. Foreman opens that item's conversation.

Discussions can cover records, daily logs, time entries, to-dos, tasks, phases, selections, and files. RFIs are no longer offered, and retired RFI discussions do not appear in the inbox.

A record's builder and recipient review can share the same thread. Check the discussion's audience before posting sensitive information.

Email notifications

Emails about project messages show the project name and open the conversation in that project's Messages tab.

Notification emails include a Change email notification settings link to your account preferences. You can control email and in-app notifications separately for each event type. When an email offers reply-to-discussion, reply directly from your email app to add a message to that item’s discussion. Reading or replying to an email keeps the item unread in Foreman until you view it in the app.