In-App Messaging is staff-to-staff messaging built directly into ALIS. Staff send direct messages or role-based group messages to coworkers in their community.
In-App Messaging is a paid subscription feature currently in Limited Release only.
Contact your Account Manager for enablement.
Before you begin
A few things determine what you can do in Messages:
- The feature must be enabled for your company. If In-App Messaging isn't enabled, the Messages icon will not appear. See How to Set Up and Configure In-App Staff Messaging.
- Your permissions control your access. Access is governed by your security role. If you can see Messages but can't start a conversation, your role may not include permission to send messages.
- Messaging is within your associated communities. Message coworkers within the communities you have direct access to.
- Use your preferred device. In-App Messaging works on both desktop and mobile. The layout adjusts automatically to your screen size.
Open Messages
Click the Messages icon in the global header.
The Messages landing page opens, showing all of your conversations. This page uses a two-pane layout: your list of conversations on the left, and the selected conversation on the right. Each conversation is listed by title so the list stays easy to scan and locate the thread you need.
Start a new conversation
- From the Messages landing page, click +New Message.
- Click into the Recipients field, and begin typing a coworker's name or scroll to locate them on the menu.
- Select one or more staff members from the list. Each person you add appears as a chip.
- Type your message at the bottom.
- Click Send.
When you send the first message, you are automatically added to the conversation, and so is each recipient. The conversation now appears in both your list and theirs.
You can add more than one person to start a group conversation. There's no need to create a group first; just add everyone you want on the thread.
Send a message to a role group
Instead of adding people one at a time, you can message everyone in a role at once, for example all nurses on shift.
- Start a new message.
- In the recipient picker, switch to Roles (rather than individual staff).
- Select the role group you want to message. The list shows how many members are in each role.
- Type your message and click Send.
ALIS expands the role into its individual members when you send, so everyone currently in that role receives the message.
Anchor a conversation to a resident
You can optionally attach a resident name to a conversation so everyone on the thread knows who it's about. This is useful when staff are coordinating care for a specific resident.
- When creating a message, select a resident in the optional Resident menu.
- Send your message.
The resident appears pinned at the top of the conversation, and stays visible as the thread continues, so the context is always in view.
Anchoring a resident is optional. Leave it blank for general staff conversations that aren't about a specific resident.
Use @-mentions
Within a conversation, you can call out a specific person so it's clear the message is directed at them.
- In the composer, type @ followed by the person's name.
- Select the person from the list that appears.
- Finish your message and send it.
The mentioned person is highlighted in the message text.
Read receipts and unread counts
In-App Messaging shows you who has seen a message and helps you keep track of what you haven't read yet. The message list refreshes automatically, so new messages appear without you needing to reload the page.
Unread badge
The Messages icon in the global header shows a count of your unread messages, so you know at a glance when something new has come in.
Read receipts
When someone opens a conversation, ALIS records that they've read the messages up to that point. You'll see who has read a message within the thread.
Unread indicator on conversations
Conversations with unread messages are flagged in your list. Click the Unread filter at the top to only view Unread messages.
Work across multiple communities
If you have access to more than one community, your Messages landing page shows conversations across all of them in a single company-wide inbox. Each conversation is labeled with the community it belongs to, so you can tell which community a thread is about.
Add or remove people from a conversation
You can adjust who is on an existing conversation.
- Open the conversation.
- Click on the linked participants below the message title.
- To add someone, search for their name in the dropdown menu and select them.
- To remove someone, choose the remove option next to their name.
When someone is added or removed, a system note appears in the conversation so everyone can see the change.
Adding and removing participants requires the appropriate permission. If you don't see these options, your security role may not include it.
Leave a conversation
If a conversation no longer applies to you, you can leave it so that it.
- Open the conversation.
- Click on the linked participants below the message title.
- Click Leave next to your name.
After you leave, the conversation no longer appears in your list. A system note records that you left.