Messaging Tutorial  

Important Notice: If you receive a private message or public message notification in your email, do not reply to the email.  Click the 'Reply' button to reply via your message center.

Learn:

1. Send Private Messages
2. Access And Manage Your Message Center
3. Write Public Messages
4. Delete Public Messages From Your Profile
5. Change Your Messaging Notification Preferences

Send Private Messages

Occasionally you may want to converse with another user privately. 

1. Navigate to a user's profile page.
2. Underneath that user's avatar, you will see two buttons - one to Subscribe to the user's activity and another to "Send Private Message."
3. Click the "Send Private Message" button.  The message window will pop open.
4. Add a subject line, the full text of your message, and click send.
5. To reply to a message, DO NOT REPLY TO THE EMAIL NOTIFICATION.  The user will not receive your message.  You MUST reply from your message center.  Click the "Reply" button at the bottom of the message.

Access And Manage Your Message Center

Access your message center

1. In the header of every page, you will see your message count with the envelope icon. Click on the icon and your message count to be directed to your message center.
2. You can also access your message center from your logged in home page.  On the right hand side, you will see your 5 most recent messages, their subject lines, who sent them, and when they were sent.  Below these quick links to your messages, you will find a "More Messages" button to access the rest of your message center.

Delete private messages

1. Navigate to your message center.
2. You have two options to delete a message.  At the top of each message thread, you will see an "X."  Click the X to delete the message without viewing the entire thread.
3. You can also delete the message by clicking the "Delete" button at the bottom of the expanded thread.

Write Public Messages

A Bulletin Board is a message wall on a user's Profile page.  This board can be viewed by anyone.

1. Navigate to the Profile page of the user you would like to message.
2. In the top right corner, you will see the Bulletin Board message writer.  Type your message here.
3. When you are satisfied, click the "Post message" button.
4. Your message will appear at the top of the Bulletin Board.

Delete Public Messages From Your Profile

1. Navigate to your Profile page.
2. At the bottom of each Public Message, you have three options.  You can view the sender's profile, message them, or delete the post.  Click the "Delete" button.

Change Your Messaging Notification Preferences

If you have verified your email address, you can choose whether or not you would like to receive email notifications when another user sends you a private message or writes a public message on your profile.

1. Navigate to your Profile.
2. Click the "Edit Account Details" button.
3. Below your "Basic Information," you will see your "Email Preferences."
4. To receive email messages with your Private Messages (PMs) and Bulletin Board posts (BBPosts), make sure the box next to "Send PMs and BBPosts via Email."  To stop receiving your messages via email, uncheck the box.