How to Use In-App Messaging on the Web App

In-App Messaging helps you stay connected with Guardians, Teachers, and other school staff - all in one place. Whether you want to follow up on attendance, clarify a class update, or start a new private conversation, everything can be done directly from the AOne Schools Web App. Let’s walk through how it works.

Getting to the Messaging Page

Once you log in to the Web App:

1. Look at the top header

2. Click the Message icon

When you open the page you will:

• Immediately see all your conversations sorted from newest to oldest. 
• If there are unread messages, the Message icon will show a number badge 

Note:

• If you don’t see the icon, it means your role doesn’t have permissions to view messages. 
• Superadmin always have access, while Admins and Teachers need the proper permissions enabled.

Understanding Your Conversations List

Each conversation shows helpful information at a glance:

Profile Picture

• Personal chats use an initial-based avatar (e.g., Tiffany Alexander → TA)
• Group chats use the group’s profile picture, or a default icon if none is set 
  
  

Name

• Personal messages show the participant's name
• Group chats show the group name
  
  

Last Message Preview

• A one-line snippet of the most recent message
  
  

Unread Badge

• A number showing how many messages you haven’t opened yet
  
  

Time Label

• “Today” if the message was sent today
• Date format (DD/MM/YYYY) for earlier messages
  

Familiarize Yourself With Group Chat Room

Before you start using the group chat, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the available features below:

1. Inside the chat room, messages are organized by date (e.g., Today or full date)
2. Incoming messages are left-aligned, and display the sender’s name and timestamp
3. Your messages are right-aligned, and display a timestamp
4. You can type message with no character limit
5. Empty messages cannot be sent
6. Your messages display a delivery status:
   Single check: Sent
   Double check: Delivered 

Searching for a Message

If your conversation list is getting longer and harder to scan, the Search bar at the top is the easiest place to start. 

• Simply click on the Search bar and type the name you’re looking for.
• You can search by a person’s name for personal chats or by a group name for group.
• There’s no need to type the name perfectly — the search is not case-sensitive
  so “alex,” “Alex,” or “ALEX” will all show the same results. 
• The search supports partial matches, which means typing “Alex” can bring up results like Alexander, Alexa, Alexis, or even group conversations where someone named Alex is a participant. 

Filtering Messages

As your message list grows, filters help you quickly narrow down your conversations. The available filters are listed below, and you can apply a single filter or combine multiple filters.

1. By Status (Read or Unread)
2. By Type (Personal Message or Group)
3. By User Role (Guardian, Admin, Superadmin)

Starting a New Personal Message

If you have permission to create messages, you’ll see the Create New Message button at the top, and here’s the steps to Create a Personal Message:

1. Open the Message icon 
2. Tap the “Create Personal Message” icon in the top right corner
3. Choose a user from the list
4. Send you first message 
5. If the text box is blank or contains only spaces, the message won’t go through.

Note: If you’re messaging a Guardian, you will also see the names of students enrolled in your school listed under their account. 

Notification on New Message

• When someone sends you a message, you may receive a web notification for Web App users.
• If multiple messages are sent within a short time, they may be grouped into a single notification.
• If you are already inside that chat, you will not receive an extra notification. 

Managing Read Status

Keeping your inbox organized is simple. If you have many unread messages, you don’t need to open them one by one just to clear the notification badge. You can mark all messages as read in a single step:

1. Check your conversations list for unread messages
2. If there are unread conversations, the Mark All as Read button will be enabled
3. Click Mark All as Read to instantly mark all unread messages as read
4. If all conversations are already read, the button will remain disabled.

Chatting with Archived Users

The system also helps you stay aware of any changes to conversations participants. 
If a conversation participant becomes archived:

1. Open the conversation to review previous messages. You can still read the full chat history
2. Look for the Archived icon next to the participant’s name
3. Notice the information banner displayed inside the chat, indicating the archived status
4. Be aware that sending new messages in this conversation will not be available