The message list contains observations and measurement data saved to Spots. You can correct an existing message or delete an incorrect entry. For instructions on saving a new observation, see Recording a message.

Permissions and finding a message

Reading, editing and deleting a message require separate permissions. Being able to see a message or its pencil icon does not guarantee permission to edit it: for a manager, the form may open as read-only, with Save and file uploads unavailable. Ask your administrator to check your permissions if necessary.

  1. In the browser's main menu, open Assets and content → Messages → Messages. In the manager menu, the path is Assets and content → Messages.
  2. Select the Message list tab on the page.
  3. Check the Message created at filter above the table. The initial default is Created within 6 month, but a previously used filter may be restored. If necessary, select a longer period, Filter by specific time range or Get all. Enter the dates for a specific time range in the Date range field that appears beside the selection.
  4. Filter the loaded data using the filters below the column headings, for example by message content, Spot, folder, message type or author.
  5. Open the Edit message form using the pencil icon on the row or the content link in the Message column. The Spot name link opens the Spot, and the message type name link opens the type's management page.

If a message is missing, first expand the Message created at filter and clear any unnecessary column filters. Clearing a column filter alone does not include messages outside the selected period. Also wait for the data to load.

Created is the timestamp saved in the message, which can be corrected to match the time of the observation. Updated shows when the message was last saved. Correcting an old observation today does not include it in today's creation-time filter unless you also change Created.

Correct the content and basic details in the browser

Check that the form shows the correct message and change the necessary fields:

  • Message: the observation text or measurement value. The content must not be empty, and the maximum length is 4,096 characters. Extra spaces at the beginning and end are removed when saving.
  • Message type: select a type that matches the purpose of the entry. Its data type determines whether text or a number is accepted.
  • Priority: select a level that matches the urgency of the entry. The options are low, medium and high priority.
  • Spot: select the correct asset if the observation was recorded against the wrong Spot.
  • Created: correct both the date and time if necessary.

For the Number data type, enter only a number without a unit. A decimal comma is accepted and saved as a decimal point: for example, 12,5 is saved as 12.5. Changing from Text to Number does not turn a written observation into a measurement; the content must also be a valid number. An invalid value prevents saving.

Changing the message type does not convert the measurement unit. Check both the type and the value. For example, temperature and pressure require their own unambiguous types. Type management is described in Defining message types.

Select Save at the bottom of the form. Changing the Spot moves the same message to the new Spot; it does not create a copy. The message disappears from the old Spot's message list. Changing Created moves the entry into the search and report data for different time periods.

Note the change of Author: saving changes to a message in the browser sets Author to the browser user who saves it, even though the Author field cannot be edited in the form. This affects author filters and may remove the message from the original mobile user's own editable messages.

Manage attachments in the browser

Attachments are on the same edit form, below the Author field. Add an attachment using Add files. Uploading a new attachment starts immediately after selection and saves the attachment to the existing message separately from saving the message fields. Wait for the upload to finish; closing the form or selecting Cancel does not undo an attachment upload that has already completed.

Mark an attachment for deletion using its own trash icon. Clicking again removes the deletion mark before saving. Deletion marks are processed when changes to the message fields are saved. In the current browser form, marking an attachment for deletion alone does not trigger saving, so do not assume that the attachment has been deleted just because it is marked.

The file must be of a type accepted by the upload function and smaller than 1,025 MiB. Check the addition or deletion by reopening the message and trying to open an attachment you intend to keep.

Correct your own messages on Android and iOS

Open the mobile app's Messages view or Messages for the Spot you want. Use the edit icon on your own message to open the Edit Message view. You can change the message content, message type, priority and attachments. Corrections to the Spot or Created must be made in the browser. A normal save in the mobile app preserves the author.

On Android, select Save at the bottom of the edit view and accept the confirmation Are you sure you want to save the message? On iOS, select Save from the form's action buttons. In both apps, wait for saving to finish and check the message again.

On mobile, add attachments using the Add File button in the edit view. On Android, adding attachments is disabled when the attachment list already contains three attachments. On iOS, adding attachments is disabled when three attachments have been selected as new attachments. Processing new mobile attachments may continue in the background after the message is saved, so also check that they appear in the message.

Deleting an attachment that has already been saved on mobile is handled through a separate request. Do not assume that deletion will be undone if you leave without saving other changes. On iOS, deleting a saved attachment may also change the message to the service's default message type. Save the message with the desired type and check the type by reopening the message. Correct it in the browser if necessary.

Delete an incorrect message in the browser

If a measurement can be corrected, first consider whether correcting the value, type, Spot or timestamp is enough. Deleting a message also deletes its attachments. This does not hide the message or set the measurement value to zero: zero remains a measurement entry, while a deleted message is removed from the current data.

Delete an individual message using the trash icon on its row in the Message list table. Check that you have the correct row before accepting the deletion confirmation. The icon is visible only when you have permission to delete the message.

To delete messages in bulk, select the checkboxes on the rows to be deleted. Open the Actions control in the selection column heading and select Delete selected messages. Accept the confirmation only after checking your selection.

Bulk deletion may succeed for only some of the messages. Check successful deletions, any row-specific errors and the messages remaining in the list. Reload the list and verify that the messages you intended to delete cannot be found within the correct time period without unnecessary filters.

Verify the effects of the correction

Reopen the saved message and check the content, message type, priority, Spot, Created, Author and attachments. If the message disappears from the view after the correction, check the filters for the new Spot, timestamp, type and author.

A correction changes the same message, and a change history is recorded. A normal correction does not resend the email, push or webhook notifications for a new message.

Correcting the content, type, Spot or timestamp, or deleting the message, changes the data used when measurement reports are regenerated. Regenerate the chart you need and check its filters. A previously exported Excel file does not update automatically. Creating a chart and a new export is described in Message chart and Excel export.