Overview

The chat system includes the following message types:

• Text Comments: Standard text-based messages
• Time Entries: Messages logging time spent on work
• Image Uploads: Visual content sharing
• Document Links: References to files and documents
• Audio Recordings: Voice messages and recordings

Text Comments

Text comments are the most basic and common type of message in the chat system.

Features

• Rich text formatting options (bold, italic, lists, etc.)
• @mentions to notify specific team members
• Emoji support
• Link embedding
• Code snippet formatting

Best Practices

• Keep messages concise and to the point
• Use formatting to highlight important information
• Break long messages into smaller, more digestible chunks
• Use @mentions sparingly to avoid notification fatigue

How to Send

1. Type your message in the input field
2. Use formatting tools in the toolbar if needed
3. Press Enter to send

Time Entries

Time entry messages allow team members to log and track time spent on work discussed in the chat. Time entry is avaialble when a chat is based on task.

Features

• Log hours and minutes spent
• Add descriptions of work completed
• Categorize time entries by activity type
• View time logs from all team members

Benefits

• Streamlines time tracking within the communication flow
• Provides transparency about work effort
• Creates an audit trail of time spent
• Facilitates time reporting and billing

How to Send

1. Click the “Log Time” button in the message input area
2. Enter hours and minutes spent
3. Select an activity category
4. Add a description of work completed
5. Click “Log Time” to send

Image Uploads

Image upload messages allow you to share visual content directly in the chat.

Supported Formats

• JPEG/JPG
• PNG
• GIF (including animated GIFs)
• BMP
• TIFF

Features

• Thumbnail previews in the chat
• Full-size viewing option
• Image downloading
• Multiple image uploads at once

How to Send

1. Click the attachment icon in the message input area
2. Select “Upload Image”
3. Choose an image from your device
4. Optionally add a caption
5. Click “Send” to upload and share

Document Links

Document link messages provide references to files and documents stored in the system or external sources.

Supported Document Types

• Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• PDF documents
• Text files
• Spreadsheets
• And many more

Features

• Automatic link formatting and previews
• Direct access to documents from the chat
• Version information for system documents
• Permission handling for restricted documents

How to Send

1. Click the attachment icon in the message input area
2. Select “Share Document”
3. Browse and select a document from the system or upload a new one
4. Optionally add a comment about the document
5. Click “Share” to send

Audio Recordings

Audio recording messages allow you to share voice messages and recordings directly in the chat.

Features

• In-chat recording capability
• Playback controls (play, pause, skip, speed)
• Duration display
• Download option for offline listening

Benefits

• Faster than typing long explanations
• Preserves tone and emphasis
• Useful when typing is impractical
• More personal than text-only communication

How to Send

1. Click the microphone icon in the message input area
2. Click “Start Recording”
3. Speak your message
4. Click “Stop” when finished
5. Preview your recording (optional)
6. Click “Send” to share

Message Reactions

In addition to the primary message types, you can react to any message using emoji reactions.

Available Reactions

• Standard emoji set (👍, ❤️, 😂, etc.)
• Custom organizational reactions if configured

How to React

1. Hover over any message
2. Click the reaction icon (smiley face)
3. Select an emoji from the picker
4. Click to apply the reaction

Multiple team members can use the same reaction, and a count is displayed next to each emoji.

Best Practices for Using Message Types

Choosing the Right Type

• Use Text Comments for general communication
• Use Time Entries to log substantial work completed
• Use Image Uploads when visual information is clearer than text
• Use Document Links when sharing structured or formal information
• Use Audio Recordings for complex explanations or when on the move

Combining Types Effectively

Sometimes the most effective communication uses a combination of message types:

1. Share a Document Link to a report
2. Add a Text Comment explaining key findings
3. Log Time spent creating the report

This comprehensive approach ensures all aspects of your work are communicated clearly.

Troubleshooting

Can’t Send Certain Message Types

1. Check your permissions – some message types may be restricted
2. Verify you have the necessary role in the chat
3. Ensure you have the necessary storage quota (for images and documents)

Message Type Not Displaying Correctly

1. Refresh the chat window
2. Check that you have the latest version of the application
3. Clear your browser cache if using the web version

Getting Help

If you need additional assistance with message types:

1. Hover over the message type button to see a tooltip explanation
2. Check this documentation for detailed information
3. Contact your system administrator for permission-related issues

Chat Lifecycle Overview

The typical lifecycle of a chat includes:

1. Creation – Starting a new conversation
2. Configuration – Setting up the purpose and participants
3. Active Use – Day-to-day messaging and collaboration
4. Maintenance – Managing participants and content

Creating New Chats

Starting a One-on-One Chat

For private conversations between two people:

1. Navigate to the Chat Dashboard
2. Click the “+” button in the top-right corner of the chat list
3. Select or search for the person you want to chat with
4. Click “Create Chat” to begin
5. Your new chat will appear at the top of your chat list

Creating a Group Chat

For team discussions or project collaboration:

1. Navigate to the Chat Dashboard
2. Click the “+” button in the top-right corner of the chat list
3. Select “Create Group Chat”
4. Add multiple participants by selecting or searching for their names
5. Set a name for the group chat (required for groups)
6. Optionally, add a description of the chat’s purpose
7. Click “Create Chat” to begin
8. Your new group chat will appear at the top of your chat list

Configuring Chats

Setting or Changing Chat Name on group chats

For better organization:

1. Open the chat you want to rename
2. Click the settings icon (gear) in the chat header
3. Select “Edit Chat Details”
4. Enter a new name in the “Chat Name” field
5. Click “Save” to apply the change

Note: One-on-one chats cannot be renamed, as they automatically use participant names.

Adding a Description

To provide context about the chat’s purpose:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the settings icon in the chat header
3. Select “Edit Chat Details”
4. Enter or edit text in the “Description” field
5. Click “Save” to apply the change

The description will be visible to all participants when they view chat details.

Managing Participants

Adding Participants to an Existing Chat

To include more people in the conversation:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the participants icon in the chat header
3. Click “Add Participants”
4. Search for and select the people you want to add
5. Optionally, toggle “Send welcome message” to automatically notify them
6. Click “Add” to include them in the chat

New participants will see the entire chat history from the time they join.

Removing Participants

When someone no longer needs to be in the conversation:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the participants icon in the chat header
3. Find the participant you want to remove
4. Click the three dots (⋮) next to their name
5. Select “Remove from Chat”
6. Confirm the removal when prompted

The removed participant will no longer see the chat in their list and won’t receive new messages.

Leaving a Chat

To remove yourself from a conversation:

1. Open the chat you wish to leave
2. Click the settings icon in the chat header
3. Select “Leave Chat”
4. Confirm your decision when prompted

Note: When you leave a chat, you’ll no longer receive messages, but your past messages remain visible to other participants.

Active Chat Management

Managing Files and Links

To organize shared content:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the “Files” tab in the chat information panel
3. View all shared files, sorted by date
4. Use filters to find specific file types
5. Download, preview, or manage files as needed

The Files tab makes it easy to find attachments without scrolling through the conversation.

Starting Threads

To keep related messages organized:

1. Hover over a message you want to reply to
2. Click the “Reply in Thread” icon
3. Type your response in the thread input area
4. Click “Send” to add your message to the thread

Threads help keep conversations organized by grouping related messages together.

Using Message Reactions

For quick responses without cluttering the chat:

1. Hover over any message
2. Click the emoji icon that appears
3. Select an appropriate reaction from the emoji picker
4. Your reaction will appear under the message

Multiple participants can use the same reaction, with a counter showing how many people reacted.

Maintenance Best Practices

Regular Cleanup

To keep chats organized and relevant:

1. Review and delete unnecessary files occasionally
2. Unpin outdated information that’s no longer relevant
3. Summarize long discussions into key points when a topic concludes
4. Leave inactive chats that are no longer useful to you

Search and Reference

To find information in chat history:

1. Use the search bar at the top of the chat list
2. Enter keywords, names, or phrases
3. Filter results by date range if needed
4. Click on search results to jump to that point in the conversation

The search function helps you find information without scrolling through entire conversations.

Special Workflows

Scheduled Messages

For announcements or reminders that need to be sent later:

1. Type your message as usual
2. Click the schedule icon (clock) next to the send button
3. Set the date and time for delivery
4. Click “Schedule” to confirm
5. The message will appear in your “Scheduled” tab until sent

Scheduled messages are useful for announcements, reminders, or when messaging across time zones.

Archiving and Retention

Role-Specific Workflows

For Team Leaders and Managers

Effective practices for overseeing team communications:

1. Create structured group chats for teams and projects
2. Periodically review chat activity to ensure important messages aren’t missed
3. Archive completed project chats with appropriate documentation
4. Set an example of proper chat etiquette and responsiveness

For Individual Contributors

Efficient chat management for day-to-day work:

1. Use notification settings to manage interruptions
2. Search effectively to find information before asking
3. Leave or mute chats that aren’t relevant to your current work
4. Use threads for detailed discussions to avoid cluttering main conversations

For Project Coordinators

Specialized workflows for project communication management:

1. Create dedicated project chats with clear naming conventions
2. Add and remove participants as project teams change
3. Use pinned messages for project milestones and updates
4. Encourage consistent use of threads for subtopics
5. Archive project chats when completed, with a final summary message

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Messages Not Syncing

If messages aren’t appearing or sending:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Refresh the chat by closing and reopening it
3. Log out and back into the application
4. Verify you’re still a participant in the chat

Can’t Create New Chats

If you’re unable to start new conversations:

1. Check your permissions in System Settings
2. Ensure the people you’re trying to chat with are active in the system
3. Contact your administrator if problems persist

Participants Can’t See Messages

If members report missing messages:

1. Confirm they’re still active participants
2. Check if messages were sent before they joined
3. Verify they have the correct permissions
4. Have them refresh their chat window

Getting Help

If you need additional assistance with chat management:

1. Refer to other sections of the documentation:
   • Chat Dashboard
   • Message Types
   • Chat Permissions
   • File Sharing
2. Contact your system administrator for organizational policies
3. Submit feedback through the application for feature requests or improvements

This section provides comprehensive documentation about the OTalk messaging system within Onahiri Platform. The Chat system is designed to facilitate real-time communication between individuals and groups across your organization.

Chat Dashboard

Overview of the main Chat interface:

• Real-time messaging features
• Chat organization and management
• Participant management
• Message search capabilities
• Chat list navigation and organization
• Creating new conversations
• Viewing and sending messages
• Collaboration features

Chat Permissions

Detailed information about the permission system:

• Permission roles (Creator, Administrator, Regular Participant)
• Special permission scenarios
• Managing chat permissions
• Permission-based features
• Privacy considerations
• Best practices for chat creators and administrators
• Troubleshooting permission issues

Chat Types

The system supports different types of conversations:

• Direct Messages: One-on-one conversations between two users
• Group Chats: Conversations involving multiple participants

Message Types

The chat system supports various message formats:

• Text comments
• File attachments
• Document links
• Audio recordings

Real-Time Features

The Chat system includes several real-time capabilities:

• Instant Message Delivery: Messages appear instantly without refreshing
• Typing Indicators: See when others are composing a message
• Read Receipts: Know when your messages have been seen
• Participant Status: See when people join or leave a chat
• Unread Counts: Automatically updated as new messages arrive

Getting Started with Chat

If you’re new to the Chat system, we recommend:

1. First read the Chat Dashboard overview
2. Review Chat Permissions to understand access controls
3. Read Message Types
4. Explore the real-time communication features

OTalk vs. OPluse

The Chat system is designed to complement the OPluse platform:

• OTalk: Real-time, direct messaging focused on immediate communication
• OPulse: Social collaboration platform for broader information sharing