Messages

The Messages feature provides a built-in communication channel between your club staff and members. You can have one-on-one conversations, create group threads for class rosters or announcements, and keep all communication history in one place -- no need for external email threads or chat apps.

The messaging interface

Navigate to Messages in the main sidebar to open the messaging view. The page is split into two panels:

• Left panel -- Your conversation list, with tabs, search, and a person selector for starting new chats.
• Right panel -- The active conversation, showing the message history and a reply input.

On mobile devices, the interface switches to a single-panel view. Tap a conversation to open it, and use the back button to return to the list.

Conversation tabs

Three tabs at the top of the conversation list let you filter what you see:

• All -- Every conversation you are part of, sorted by most recent activity. The count shows total conversations.
• Unread -- Only conversations with messages you have not read yet. A blue badge shows the unread count.
• Groups -- Only group conversations (threads with more than two participants).

Starting a new conversation

Direct message

Use the person search field at the top of the conversation list to find a member by name. When you select a person:

• If you already have a one-on-one thread with them, that thread is opened.
• If not, a new thread is created and you can start typing your first message.

You can also click the new message icon (pencil) in the header to focus the search field.

Group message

Click the group icon in the header to open the group creation modal. Give the group a name and select the members you want to include. Once created, the group thread appears in your conversation list and all selected members can see and reply to messages in it.

Sending messages

Select a conversation from the list to open it. Type your message in the input field at the bottom and press Enter or click the send button. Messages appear immediately in the chat with your avatar and a timestamp.

• Press Shift + Enter for a line break within your message.
• The text area expands automatically as you type longer messages.

Reading messages

When you open a conversation, it is automatically marked as read. New messages from other participants appear in real time without needing to refresh the page.

Each message shows:

• The sender's name and profile picture
• The message text
• The timestamp

Messages are grouped by date with dividers showing "Today", "Yesterday", or the full date for older messages.

Loading older messages

Long conversations load the most recent 50 messages by default. Scroll to the top to load older messages, or click the Load more link. Your scroll position is preserved when older messages are loaded.

Message notifications

Members receive messages in their Portal inbox. The portal has the same tab structure (All, Unread, Archived) so members can manage their conversations. When a new message arrives, members see it in real time if they are online.

Searching conversations

Use the search bar below the tabs to find conversations by:

• Thread subject
• Message content
• Participant name

Results update as you type, filtering the conversation list to show only matching threads.