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Messaging

Communicate with other researchers, project team members, and collaborators using ResearchConnectX's built-in messaging system.

Accessing Messages​

  1. Click the Messages icon in the top navigation bar
  2. View your conversations list
  3. Select a conversation to view message history
  4. Unread message count displayed as badge

Starting a Conversation​

Message a Researcher​

  1. Navigate to a researcher's profile
  2. Click Send Message button
  3. Type your message in the text box
  4. Click Send or press Enter

From Project Team​

  1. Go to Projects > Select project
  2. View Team Members
  3. Click on a team member
  4. Select Send Message

From Match Recommendations​

  1. View your AI matches
  2. Find an interesting collaborator
  3. Click their profile
  4. Click Send Message

Conversation Features​

Real-Time Messaging​

  • Instant message delivery
  • Read receipts
  • Typing indicators
  • Delivered/Seen status
  • Online presence indicators

Message History​

  • Full conversation history
  • Searchable messages
  • Scroll to load older messages
  • Message timestamps
  • Date separators

Rich Text Support​

  • Formatted text
  • Links (automatically clickable)
  • Emoji support
  • Multi-line messages
  • Code snippets (for technical discussions)

Managing Conversations​

Conversation List​

View all your conversations with:

  • Contact name and profile photo
  • Last message preview
  • Timestamp of last message
  • Unread message indicator
  • Pinned conversations at top

Search Conversations​

  • Search by contact name
  • Search message content
  • Filter by date
  • Find specific topics

Pin Important Conversations​

  1. Hover over a conversation
  2. Click the Pin icon
  3. Pinned conversations stay at the top
  4. Unpin anytime

Mark as Read/Unread​

  • Click conversation to mark as read
  • Right-click > Mark as Unread
  • Mark all as read option
  • Unread count updates automatically

Delete Conversations​

  1. Select a conversation
  2. Click Options (•••)
  3. Choose Delete Conversation
  4. Confirm deletion
warning

Deleting a conversation removes it from your view but not the recipient's. They can still see the message history.

Message Notifications​

Notification Types​

  • Desktop notifications (if enabled)
  • In-app notifications
  • Email notifications (configurable)
  • Push notifications (mobile)

Configure Notifications​

  1. Go to Settings > Notifications
  2. Navigate to Messages section
  3. Choose notification preferences:
    • All messages
    • Only when offline
    • Never
    • Only from connections

Sound Alerts​

  • Enable/disable message sounds
  • Different sounds for:
    • New message
    • New conversation
    • Mentions
  • Volume control

Project Team Messaging​

Team Chat​

Each project has a dedicated team chat:

  1. Go to Projects > Select project
  2. Click Team Chat tab
  3. View team conversations
  4. Send messages to entire team

Team Chat Features​

  • @mentions to tag team members
  • Reply to specific messages
  • Share files and links
  • Announcement mode (PI/Co-I only)
  • Message reactions (👍, ❤️, etc.)

Direct Messages Within Projects​

  • Message specific team members
  • Separate from team chat
  • Private one-on-one conversations
  • Accessible from team member list

Messaging Etiquette​

Professional Communication​

  • Use clear, professional language
  • Be respectful and courteous
  • State purpose clearly
  • Keep messages focused
  • Respond in reasonable timeframes

First Contact Messages​

When messaging someone new:

  • Introduce yourself
  • Explain how you found them
  • State your purpose clearly
  • Be specific about collaboration interests
  • Keep initial message concise

Example:

Hello Dr. Smith,

I'm Jane Doe, a PhD student at University X
working on machine learning for climate modeling.

I came across your recent paper on neural networks
for weather prediction and found it highly relevant
to my research.

Would you be open to discussing potential
collaboration opportunities?

Best regards,
Jane

Response Times​

  • Academic setting: 24-48 hours reasonable
  • No expectation of immediate response
  • Set away message if unavailable
  • Use urgent flag sparingly

Message Privacy & Security​

Who Can Message You​

Control who can start conversations:

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Messaging
  2. Choose:
    • Anyone - All ResearchConnectX users
    • Connections Only - Your network only
    • Project Team Members - Team members only
    • No One - Disable direct messages

Block Users​

If receiving unwanted messages:

  1. Open conversation
  2. Click Options (•••)
  3. Select Block User
  4. Confirm action

Blocked users:

  • Cannot send you messages
  • Cannot see your online status
  • Existing conversations hidden
  • Can be unblocked anytime

Report Inappropriate Messages​

  1. Open the message
  2. Click Report
  3. Select reason:
    • Spam
    • Harassment
    • Inappropriate content
    • Other
  4. Provide details
  5. Submit report

Advanced Features​

Group Conversations​

Create group chats with multiple researchers:

  1. Click New Conversation
  2. Select Group Chat
  3. Add participants (up to 50)
  4. Name the group
  5. Start messaging

File Sharing​

Share files in conversations:

  1. Click the Attachment icon
  2. Select file from your device
  3. Supported: PDF, DOC, XLS, images (max 10MB)
  4. File uploads to conversation
  5. Recipients can download

Voice Messages​

Record and send voice messages:

  1. Click Microphone icon
  2. Record your message (max 2 minutes)
  3. Preview before sending
  4. Click Send or Re-record

Message Reactions​

React to messages with emoji:

  • Hover over a message
  • Click reaction icon
  • Choose emoji
  • View who reacted

Availability Status​

Set Your Status​

  1. Click your profile icon
  2. Select Status
  3. Choose:
    • Online - Available now
    • Away - Temporarily unavailable
    • Busy - Do not disturb
    • Offline - Not available

Custom Status Message​

  • Add a custom message (e.g., "In lab until 5pm")
  • Set status expiration time
  • Automatic status changes

Away Messages​

Set an automatic reply:

  1. Go to Settings > Messages
  2. Enable Auto-Reply
  3. Write your away message
  4. Set active period
  5. Save

Mobile Messaging​

Mobile App Features​

  • All web features available
  • Push notifications
  • Quick reply from notifications
  • Voice messages
  • Photo sharing from camera

Syncing Across Devices​

  • Messages sync in real-time
  • Read status synchronized
  • Start conversation on mobile, continue on desktop
  • Notification preferences per device

Troubleshooting​

Messages Not Sending​

  • Check internet connection
  • Refresh the page
  • Try resending
  • Check if recipient blocked you
  • Contact support if persists

Not Receiving Messages​

  • Check notification settings
  • Verify you're not blocking sender
  • Check spam/blocked list
  • Ensure messaging not disabled
  • Try logging out and back in

Conversation Not Loading​

  • Clear browser cache
  • Try different browser
  • Check internet speed
  • Report to support if persistent

Best Practices​

Effective Communication​

  • Be clear and concise
  • Use proper grammar and spelling
  • Break long messages into paragraphs
  • Use @mentions for specific people
  • Follow up on important messages

Time Management​

  • Set specific times to check messages
  • Use status indicators effectively
  • Don't feel obligated to respond immediately
  • Batch similar conversations
  • Use email for non-urgent matters

Professional Boundaries​

  • Keep conversations professional
  • Use project chat for project matters
  • Direct message for personal collaboration
  • Respect offline times
  • Don't spam with multiple messages

Next Steps​