How do I use Messages in the mobile app?

Use Messages to talk with coworkers or customers without sharing personal phone numbers. You can open location conversations and custom groups, send text, photos, or videos, and see when someone has read a message.

Applies to: Cleaners, managers, and customers whose role includes at least one messaging module. The conversations and actions you see depend on your modules and location access.

Before You Start

Messaging (Cleaner) or Messaging (Manage) shows internal location conversations and custom groups.
Messaging (Customer) shows customer location conversations and custom groups.
Messaging (Manage) is required to see the + button and start a new custom conversation.
Location conversations only appear for locations you can access.
Sending and refreshing messages requires an internet connection.

Find a Conversation

Tap MESSAGES in the bottom navigation.
Choose the tab that matches the conversation: - All shows every conversation you can access. It appears when you have both internal and customer messaging. - Internal shows staff conversations for your locations. - Customers shows customer conversations for your locations. - Groups shows custom conversations with selected people.
Tap a conversation to open it.

Unread conversations appear first and show a number badge. Newer conversations appear above older read conversations.

Use Search at the top to look for a conversation or participant name. If you reach the top of a conversation, the app loads older messages.

Send a Message

Open the conversation.
Tap Start typing and enter your message.
Tap the send arrow.

Your new message appears on the right. While it is sending, it looks faded. Wait for it to finish before trying again.

Links in a message can open in your phone's browser or another installed app.

Send a Photo or Video

Open the conversation and tap the paperclip.
Choose one of these options: - Take photo - Add photo from gallery - Record video - Add video from gallery
Review the selected media. You can remove it or edit a photo before sending.
Add text in Start typing if needed, then tap the send arrow.

The app prepares photos and compresses videos before uploading them. Keep the app open and connected until a large video finishes.

Messages does not attach documents or other file types from the mobile composer.

Start a One-to-One or Group Conversation

You only see the + button if your role includes Messaging (Manage).

Tap MESSAGES, then tap +.
On Selected users, choose the Internal or Customer tab.
Select one person for a one-to-one conversation, or select several people for a group.
Tap Save changes.
Type the first message and tap the send arrow.

The conversation is not created until you send that first message. If a conversation with the same recipients already exists, Clean Smarts opens the existing group instead of creating a duplicate.

The + button creates custom conversations. Internal and customer location conversations already appear in their matching tabs when your modules and location access allow them.

Check Who Read a Message

When at least one recipient reads a message you sent, Read and a double check mark appear beside its date and time.

Tap Read on your sent message.
Review the Read by list to see who read it and when.
Tap Close when finished.

Opening a conversation clears its unread count. An incoming message is marked read as it becomes visible on your screen.

Use Other Message Actions

Press and hold a message to see the actions your access allows:

Share sends the text or downloaded media through another app on your phone.
Forward to customer or Forward to internal copies a location message to the matching conversation for the other audience. This requires access to both internal and customer messaging.
Delete message is limited to administrators with Manage Account.

To share a photo or video, open the media first so it is downloaded to your phone.

Company Announcements appears under Internal or All when available. All active team members can read it, but only administrators with Manage Account can post.

For company-wide announcements, managing many conversations, or working from a computer, use the web Message Center.

Troubleshooting

MESSAGES is missing. Your role does not include Messaging (Cleaner), Messaging (Manage), or Messaging (Customer). Ask an administrator to review your role or custom permissions.
A location conversation is missing. Check the correct tab and confirm that you have access to that location.
Search says No chats found for a conversation you know exists. Clear the search, check each available tab, and pull down on the conversation list. If it is still missing, open MORE > Sync and tap Sync. Use the web Message Center to find the chat if mobile search still does not return it.
New web or mobile activity is not showing. Confirm the phone is online, leave the conversation and reopen it, then pull down on the conversation list. Use MORE > Sync if the phone still looks stale.
Messages keeps loading. Install the latest Clean Smarts update, fully close and reopen the app, then try MORE > Sync.
A message turns red or shows Error sending message. Restore your connection, then tap the failed message once to retry it. Do not repeatedly tap send while a message is faded and still sending.
A photo or video will not attach. Allow Clean Smarts to use your camera or photo library when prompted. For video, wait for compression to finish and try again on a stronger connection.
Read is not shown. The label appears only after at least one recipient has opened and viewed the message.
You cannot start a conversation. Only Messaging (Manage) shows the + button. Other users can reply to conversations and custom groups they can access.