Use a message to record an observation or measurement related to a device, or Spot. The message type indicates what kind of information it contains: String is suitable for a written observation and Number for a numerical measurement. This is a separate feature from the Work Chat associated with a task, service request or purchase order.

Before recording a message

You need permission to create messages for the selected Spot. Permission to view messages alone does not give you permission to create them. If the option to add a message is missing or saving is blocked, ask your administrator to check your permissions for that Spot.

Select the correct Spot and message type, and check the priority. The Message field must contain something: an attachment alone is not enough. The maximum content length is 4096 characters, and extra spaces at the beginning and end are removed when saving. The logged-in user is saved as the author.

Message type and measurement value

Always check the suggested message type before saving. In the browser, a message form opened from a Spot's details uses the folder's default message type first, or otherwise the service default. A form opened from the general message list suggests the service default; selecting a Spot there does not automatically change the suggestion to that folder's default. The mobile apps retrieve the selected Spot's default type: the folder's own selection takes precedence, followed by the service default.

If a suitable type is missing, ask your administrator to add a message type. The name of the message type alone does not determine whether it can store text or a number; its data type determines this.

For a Number message, enter a number without a unit or explanatory text. You can use a comma or a period as the decimal separator: for example, 12,5 is saved as 12.5. Do not enter something like 12,5 °C in the number field.

Agree on the unit used in your organisation, and use the same message type for repeated entries of the same measurement. For example, temperature and pressure measurements should not be recorded under the same type simply because both are numbers. Saving does not convert measurement units.

A negative numerical value can also be saved. However, the scale of the Spot's measurement chart starts at zero, so verify a negative value by opening the message itself. For instructions on reviewing measurements later, see the message chart and Excel export guide.

Record a message in the browser

  1. From the side menu, open Assets and content → Messages → Messages and select New message in the toolbar at the top of the page. In the Manager menu, Messages is a direct option. Alternatively, open the details of the Spot you want, select the Messages tab and select Create new message below the list. The Spot will then already be selected.
  2. Check Spot and Message type. Enter the observation or measurement value in the Message field.
  3. Select Priority: Low priority, Medium priority or High priority. The middle option is the default.
  4. If you are recording an earlier observation, select its date and time in the Created field. An empty field uses the time of saving. The selected date and time affect the time range in which the entry appears in the message list and measurement data.
  5. If needed, add attachments using Add files on the form.
  6. Select Save at the bottom of the form and allow the attachments to finish uploading.

Record a message on Android

  1. Open the details of the Spot you want and its Messages list.
  2. Tap the green Add button with the plus icon at the bottom of the list. It appears when you have permission to create messages for the Spot.
  3. Check the Spot, enter the message content and select the message type. Check the priority: the options are Low, Medium and High, with Medium as the default.
  4. If needed, add attachments using the Add File button at the bottom of the form. You can add up to three attachments to the form.
  5. Tap the Save button at the bottom and wait for the attachments to finish uploading as well.

The Android message form does not let you select Created. A new message is assigned the time of saving.

Record a message on iOS

  1. Select the Home tab at the bottom, then Messages to open the general message list.
  2. Tap the ADD button in the message list. In the selection that opens, select a folder and then the correct Spot. The ADD button is hidden when you open the Spot's own message list, so use this route through the general list.
  3. Check the Spot and message type, enter the content and select the priority. The options are Low, Medium and High, with Medium as the default.
  4. If needed, add attachments using the Add File button below the form details. You can add up to three attachments to the form.
  5. Tap Save in the same row of buttons and wait for the attachments to finish uploading.

The iOS message form does not let you select Created either. A new message is assigned the time of saving.

What happens when you save?

The message is saved for the selected Spot with its content, type, priority, author details, date and time. The priority indicates the urgency of the observation. High priority does not by itself create repair work or a service request, or assign a responsible person. If the observation requires work, follow your organisation's procedure.

A Message notification linked to the message type can send an email when a new message is created. A new entry can also trigger mobile notifications and active integrations. Whether users receive these depends on their settings; every message does not automatically notify all users. A new observation recorded with an earlier date can also trigger a notification because a new message is being created.

The message is saved before the attachments finish uploading. A saved message or a closed form therefore does not by itself confirm that all attachments have been saved.

Verify the result

Refresh the message list after the upload and open the saved message. Check the Spot, message type, content or numerical value, priority, author, date and time. Also open each attachment to verify that it uploaded and is the correct file.

If the message does not appear, check the list's time range and other filters. A backdated entry may fall outside the current time range. If an attachment is missing, first check the message already saved before recording the whole observation again, to avoid creating a duplicate entry. For instructions on correcting an incorrect entry, see the guide to finding and editing messages.