Messages reference¶
The task pages in Messages link here for the details they leave out.
Limits¶
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| A group built by hand | 2 to 100 people, you included |
| A group with a team | Up to 500 people |
| Teams in one group | 10 |
| Groups one team can be in | 25 |
| Group name | Up to 80 characters |
| A message | Up to 4,000 characters |
| Different emoji on a message | 20 |
| Reactions of your own on a message | 10 |
| Quick reactions on your bar | 1 to 5 |
Writing¶
- Messages are words and links. If your organisation has files in Messages, select Attach a file to send one, and keep writing while it goes; see Send a file.
- The toolbar above the box formats your words, and a web address you paste becomes a link: see Format a message.
- At a desk, Enter sends and Shift and Enter together start a new line. On a phone or a tablet, Enter starts a new line and Send sends.
- You can keep writing while a message is sending. Only the words that were sent leave the box.
- Type
@to name a colleague in the message. In a direct conversation that tells nobody and shows nothing to them: only the two of you can read it. See Mention a colleague. - A line that begins in a right-to-left script, such as Arabic, is laid out right to left.
Reading a conversation¶
A conversation opens at the first message you have not read, under a New rule, or at the latest message. Show earlier messages at the top reads further back. When messages from other people arrive while you are scrolled up, a small button appears over the foot of the list, such as 3 new messages (or 99+ new messages). Select it to go down to the latest message. In a thread it reads 1 new reply or 3 new replies. It also shows while you are editing a message. When you are already at the latest message, new ones simply appear and the button does not.
The list puts the conversation with the most recent activity first. A conversation counts as read when it is open on your screen and you have reached its latest message.
Every time in Messages reads as the clock time for today, Yesterday, 3:49 pm for yesterday, 7 Oct, 3:49 pm earlier this year and 7 Oct 2025, 3:49 pm before that. This holds beside a message, on a reply, after Last reply and in the list. Point at a time to see the full date; times are in your device's time zone.
Unread list rows¶
| Row part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Name | The conversation, or for a thread Thread in and the group, or Thread with and the colleague. |
| Start of the message | The start of the thread's first message, or of the newest unread message. |
| Count | How many you have not read. |
| Time | When the newest arrived. |
When a colleague leaves¶
If a colleague is removed from your organisation or suspended, the conversation stays in your list and you can read all of it, but nothing new can be sent. If they rejoin, the same conversation carries on.
While your organisation is frozen, suspended or closed, every conversation stays readable and nothing new can be sent, edited or deleted.
Plans¶
Direct messages and private groups are on in a paid plan. On the free plan they work for 60 days from the first message anyone in your organisation sends. While that window is open, each conversation says On your plan, direct messages can be sent until and the date.
Compare all features on the plan page shows what your plan includes.
When the 60 days end, every conversation becomes read-only. You can still read them all, delete your own messages and leave a group; nothing can be started, sent or edited until your organisation moves to a paid plan. People who can see billing are given a link to the plans, and everyone else is asked to speak to an administrator.
Formatting shortcuts¶
| Format | Windows and Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl+B | ⌘B |
| Italic | Ctrl+I | ⌘I |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl+Shift+X | ⌘⇧X |
| Code | Ctrl+E | ⌘E |
| Link | Ctrl+Shift+U | ⌘⇧U |
| Numbered list | Ctrl+Shift+7 | ⌘⇧7 |
| Bulleted list | Ctrl+Shift+8 | ⌘⇧8 |
| Quote | Ctrl+Shift+9 | ⌘⇧9 |
| Code block | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C | ⌘⇧⌥C |
The toolbar buttons are Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Code, Bulleted list, Numbered list, Quote, Code block and Link. Point at a button to see its shortcut.
Formatting marks you can type¶
The marks that make the formatting are hidden except where the cursor is, where they show dimmed. You can also type them.
| Format | Type this |
|---|---|
| Bold | Two asterisks either side of the words |
| Italic | One asterisk either side of the words |
| Strikethrough | Two tildes either side of the words |
| Code | A backtick either side of the words |
| Bulleted list | A dash and a space at the start of the line |
| Quote | A greater-than sign at the start of the line |
Emoji picker keys¶
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Arrow keys, in the search box | Move through the emoji |
| Enter | Choose the emoji |
| Left and Right arrows, on a category icon | Move to the next or previous category |
| Esc | Close the picker and return to its button |
Presence¶
| State | What colleagues see |
|---|---|
| Online | A green ring round your picture and Online under your name. |
| Busy | A red ring round your picture, and Busy in place of Online under your name. Ends at the time you chose. |
| Appear offline | No ring, and you are left out of the online lists. |
Where a contact card opens¶
The contact card opens from a person's name wherever GISweaver says who did something or who is here:
- “Added by” on a project's files and in the upload list.
- The Assigned chips on the project's page.
- Who gave or sent access on the Access tab.
- The faces of the colleagues viewing a project.
What the card shows, and to whom¶
| Card | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Your own | You, with your job title, role, email address and phone number, and Edit your profile, which opens Preferences where you change them. |
| A colleague's job title | Every colleague sees it, when they have added one. |
| Whether they are here | Online, Busy or Offline on a colleague's card; on your own, how others see you, Appearing offline included. Not shown when your plan does not include presence, while live updates are disconnected, or on a client reviewer's or a former member's card. |
| A colleague's role | Where you may read the list of people (the Owner, Admins, Billing managers and the Auditor), and the role they hold on this project when they have one. |
| Their email address and phone number | Only the people who already see the address elsewhere in GISweaver: the Owner and Admins, and a project's lead or its branch's manager for the people on that project. Each has a copy button, which says Copied when it worked. |
| A name in a line such as “Added by” | The same card, with the same rules. Where the name belongs to somebody in another organisation (a delivery or a share you received), it stays plain text and opens no card. |
| A client's reviewer | Their company, for example Client · Kestrel Builders, and never a role, a title, an address or a number. |
| Somebody who has left | A former member, with no role, title, address or number. |
Message, Email and Call are not on your own card, a client reviewer's or a former member's. In a direct conversation, the card of the person you are talking to has no Message: you are already in it.
Contact card from the keyboard¶
Tab to a name and stay on it for a second to read the card, or press Enter to open it and move into it. Esc closes it and puts you back on the name.
A name you have mentioned in the box you are writing opens the same card: put the cursor beside it and press Alt + Enter (Option and Enter on a Mac).