Guide
Help GuidesEstablished Member
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Table of contents
Direct Messages Direct messages are a simple way to communicate with other members directly so that only the participants of the conversation can view, share, and reply.
In many ways, direct messages are similar to emails:
Many features are accessible throughout the conversations area, including filters and searching.
Menu filters:
The number of unread messages will only appear after a menu filter if there is at least 1 unread message for that particular filter.
Features available at the top of each conversation:
Feature available in the sub-navigation bar:
Star Direct Messages Using the "Star" option on a conversation will cause it to show in both Starred Direct Messages and wherever else it resides (e.g., Inbox).
This is helpful to filter down your conversations to smaller list of conversations, which can be for any purpose:
Note: Starred conversations that are also archived or muted will still show under Starred Direct Messages, regardless of whether they were starred before or after archiving or muting.
Unread Direct Messages Unread Direct Messages is a list of your conversations that are currently unread, excluding unread messages that are archived or muted.
Conversations are considered unread when you first receive them or when you set them to unread using the "Mark as Unread" option.
This list of conversations does not include:
Archive and Mute Direct Messages
These two features replaced the "Leave Conversation..." options because many members found "Leave Conversation" to be confusing (e.g., members are still shown as participants even if they left the conversation), and its use sometimes resulted in behavior that members were not expecting (e.g., members cannot view a conversation they've left even if they have a direct link to it, members cannot be added back to a conversation they've left permanently, and the conversation is not deleted).
A conversation that is both archived and muted will show under Muted Direct Messages; if it is unmuted, then it will show under Archived Direct Messages.
Archiving Direct Messages Using the "Archive" option on a conversation will move it to Archived Direct Messages.
An archived conversation will become unarchived if it receives a reply or you reply to it; therefore, it will move back to your Inbox (unless it's also muted).
You will receive a website alert of replies to archived conversations (unless it's also muted).
You will receive an email notification of replies to archived conversations (unless it's also muted) if you enabled:
This helps to clear your Inbox of conversations that you don't want to see regularly, such as:
This provides a similar purpose to the previous "Leave Conversation... Accept future messages" option but still allows you to view it if you change your mind later.
Muting Direct Messages Using the "Mute" option on a conversation will move it to Muted Direct Messages.
A muted conversation will not become unmuted if it receives a reply or you reply to it; therefore, it will not move back to your Inbox.
You will not receive a website alert of replies to muted conversations.
You will not receive an email notification of replies to muted conversations even if you enabled:
This allows you to stop notifications of specific conversations and helps to clear your Inbox of conversations that you don't want to appear there while muted, such as:
This provides a similar purpose to "delete" and the previous "Leave Conversation... Ignore future messages" option but still allows you to view it if you change your mind later.
Messages You Started Messages You Started is a list of conversations that were started by you.
This list of conversations does not include:
This is equivalent to using the "Show only conversations" option with your username for entered in the "Started by" field.
Display Options (Filtering by Username) Display Options allow you to filter the list of conversations to only include conversations that were started by or received by a particular member.
This option is located at the bottom of the list of conversations.
Display Options
Show only conversations:
Search Messages Direct messages can be searched in two ways:
The results will only include conversations where you are a participant.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
- Direct Messages
- Star Direct Messages
- Unread Direct Messages
- Archive and Mute Direct Messages
- Messages You Started
- Display Options (Filtering by Username)
- Search Messages
In many ways, direct messages are similar to emails:
- There is an Inbox ("Main") that shows all of your active conversations.
- When you first compose a conversation, you specify one or more recipients to receive it.
- Once a conversation exists, you can reply to it (similar to Reply All in email).
- Each participant can add new participants to it (similar to Forward or Carbon Copy in email).
Many features are accessible throughout the conversations area, including filters and searching.
Menu filters:
The number of unread messages will only appear after a menu filter if there is at least 1 unread message for that particular filter.
Features available at the top of each conversation:
Feature available in the sub-navigation bar:
- Direct Messages ("Main"; "Inbox")
- Starred
- Unread
- Archived
- Muted
- And more
- This sub-navigation bar ("sub-nav") appears underneath the main menu only in the Messages area.
- The main menu is the primary navigation bar that includes: Home, News, Blog, Messages, etc.
- An ellipsis ("...") may appear in the sub-nav on smaller devices that will provide access to the rest of the available options.
This is helpful to filter down your conversations to smaller list of conversations, which can be for any purpose:
- Important conversations
- Favorite conversations
- Memorable conversations
- Active deals
- Timely messages
- To-do list: messages that require your attention
- Reminders
- Anything else you decide
Note: Starred conversations that are also archived or muted will still show under Starred Direct Messages, regardless of whether they were starred before or after archiving or muting.
Conversations are considered unread when you first receive them or when you set them to unread using the "Mark as Unread" option.
This list of conversations does not include:
These two features replaced the "Leave Conversation..." options because many members found "Leave Conversation" to be confusing (e.g., members are still shown as participants even if they left the conversation), and its use sometimes resulted in behavior that members were not expecting (e.g., members cannot view a conversation they've left even if they have a direct link to it, members cannot be added back to a conversation they've left permanently, and the conversation is not deleted).
A conversation that is both archived and muted will show under Muted Direct Messages; if it is unmuted, then it will show under Archived Direct Messages.
An archived conversation will become unarchived if it receives a reply or you reply to it; therefore, it will move back to your Inbox (unless it's also muted).
You will receive a website alert of replies to archived conversations (unless it's also muted).
You will receive an email notification of replies to archived conversations (unless it's also muted) if you enabled:
This helps to clear your Inbox of conversations that you don't want to see regularly, such as:
- Conversations that have finished but may receive a reply in the future.
- Conversations that are less important to you.
- Conversations that you don't plan to access soon but may want to access in the distant future.
- You don't want to reply to the conversation but may in the future if you receive another message in it.
- You're awaiting a reply and don't need to access it until you receive the reply.
This provides a similar purpose to the previous "Leave Conversation... Accept future messages" option but still allows you to view it if you change your mind later.
A muted conversation will not become unmuted if it receives a reply or you reply to it; therefore, it will not move back to your Inbox.
You will not receive a website alert of replies to muted conversations.
You will not receive an email notification of replies to muted conversations even if you enabled:
This allows you to stop notifications of specific conversations and helps to clear your Inbox of conversations that you don't want to appear there while muted, such as:
- Conversations with a lot of recipients who are actively discussing a topic that is not of interest to you.
- Conversations from members who are bothering you.
- Conversations where you do not want to be a participant.
- Conversations where you were added by mistake.
This provides a similar purpose to "delete" and the previous "Leave Conversation... Ignore future messages" option but still allows you to view it if you change your mind later.
This list of conversations does not include:
- Conversations originally sent to you
- Conversations where you were added as a participant
- Archived conversations
- Muted conversations
This is equivalent to using the "Show only conversations" option with your username for entered in the "Started by" field.
This option is located at the bottom of the list of conversations.
Display Options
Show only conversations:
- (Show all conversations): All conversations will be shown. The username field will be ignored.
- Received by: Only conversations that were received by the username you entered will be shown. This is limited to conversations where you are a participant.
- Started by: Only conversations that were created by the username you entered will be shown. This is limited to conversations where you are a participant.
- The "Search..." box in the top right corner of the Messages area.
- The advanced Search Messages option, which includes additional search features.
The results will only include conversations where you are a participant.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Last Updated: Feb 15, 2020
