---
{
  "title": "Coaches: Messages and Inboxes",
  "seo": {
    "description": "These are two different things:"
  },
  "sidebar": {
    "label": "Messages and Inboxes"
  }
}
---

These are two different things:

- **Messages** is chat with your clients.
- **Inboxes** is your to-do list: applications, new client onboarding,
  check-ins and intakes waiting on you.

## Messages

### Starting a conversation

Open the client's profile and click **Message**. Conversations appear in the
**Messages** list once a message has been sent.

If you see "This client has no account to message yet", the client has not
finished setting up the app. They need to accept their invitation first.

### Who is in a conversation

Each client has one conversation. It includes the client, the coaches assigned
to that client, and all Owners, Admins and Lead coaches. Staff are not included.

### What you can do

- Send text messages of up to 4,000 characters. **Enter** sends. **Shift +
  Enter** starts a new line.
- Add emoji, react to a message, or reply to a specific message.
- Copy a message, or delete your own. A deleted message shows "This message was
  deleted".
- Search conversations by client name.

Messages are text only. To send a file, video or document, add it to
**Resources** and share it with the client.

Messages arrive live, without refreshing. A dot next to **Messages** in the
sidebar means there are unread messages.

### The message dock

On larger screens a floating **Messages** button keeps conversations one click
away from any page. Turn it off in **Settings > Preferences > Message dock**.

### Notifications

When a client messages you:

- you get an in-app notification straight away;
- a browser push notification, if you have turned on notifications in this
  browser;
- an email after 30 minutes if the message is still unread.

Change these in **Settings > Notifications**. Clients get a push notification
for your messages, and an email after 30 minutes if unread.

## Inboxes

**Inboxes** shows what needs you, across all your clients.

- **Needs action**: things waiting on you.
- **Waiting**: things waiting on the client.
- Filter by **All**, **Forms** or **Onboarding**.

| Task | Action |
| --- | --- |
| Coaching application | **Review** opens the application |
| New client onboarding (a direct package purchase) | **Approve**, **Resend**, **Deny and refund** or **Deny** |
| Check-in or intake submitted | **Review** |
| Check-in or intake not yet submitted | **Open** |

An overdue check-in is flagged as urgent.

Coaches with the Coach role see tasks for their assigned clients only.

"All clear" means nothing needs you right now.

### Digests

- A daily round-up: "{n} clients need you today" or "Your inbox is clear".
- A weekly summary every Monday.

Both can be switched off under **Settings > Notifications > Digests**.

## Common questions

**Can I send photos or voice notes in Messages?**
No. Messages are text only. Use Resources for files.

**Can I message all my clients at once?**
No. Each conversation is with one client.

**I'm not getting notified about new messages.**
Check **Settings > Notifications**. For browser notifications, click **Turn on**
under "Notifications in this browser". If the browser has blocked Straton, allow
notifications in the site settings next to the address bar, then reload.

**Can the Agent reply to clients for me?**
No. The Agent can draft a reply. You send it.