This screen is accessed from the button. It is used to communicate messages between ALMSys users.
When access this screen for the first time, you will be presented with an "ALMSys Instant Message Use Policy." You must read and accept this policy in order to use Instant Messaging.
You will immediately notice that this screen resembles other email-type programs. Its functionality is very similar to those programs. However, this is NOT email; this is simply messaging between ALMSys users. You cannot attach files or embed web links.
There are two folders available: Inbox and Sent Items. The Inbox represents messages received for you. The Sent Items folder represents messages that you have sent.
Contacts contains a list of all of the user I.D.s which have been approved for Instant Messaging.
Messages will appear to the right of the Folders and Contacts, with a window to read the messages beneath. By default, messages are sorted in the order in which they were sent. You may change this sort order by clicking on the column heading of the column you want sorted. Clicking again on the same column heading will reverse the sort.
Messages that are in boldface have not yet been read. If items are bold in your Sent Items folder, then the user I.D. that was sent the message has not yet read it. Messages that are in red are priority messages.
Use the Send/Receive button to refresh your list of messages and to see if any new messages have arrived.
It is recommended to delete your Inbox messages periodically. You may delete one message at a time or groups of messages. To delete a group, shift-click on the first message to be deleted and then shift click on the last message to be deleted. All messages between the first and last message will be highlighted. Click the button to complete the delete. (You will be asked for confirmation.) If the messages to be deleted are not in a continuous order, then shift-click on the first message and ctrl-click on the other messages to be deleted.
Messages may be printed via the button. Multiple messages may be printed at the same time by using the multiple message selection method as described in the previous paragraph.
Forwarded and replied to messages will contain the message thread.
You may create new messages via either the button or by double-clicking on the user I.D. in Contacts. See Instant Messaging: New Message for more details.