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Comments System Guide

Updated over 4 months ago

Overview

The comments system allows you to have threaded discussions within the context of your construction projects. You can leave comments on specific items, mention team members to get their attention, and track all conversations through your personal inbox.

Key capabilities:

  • Add comments to inspections, invoices, change orders, and item placements

  • Mention team members using @mentions to notify them

  • Track unread comments and mentions in your inbox

  • Edit or delete your own comments

  • View all comment activity across your projects


Where You Can Add Comments

Comments can be added in the following areas of Oversite:

Daily Inspections

Leave comments on inspection records to discuss findings, request clarifications, or document follow-up actions.

How to access: Navigate to any project, open the Daily Inspections section, and select an inspection record.

Item Placements

Comment on specific line items within a project, including context about the placement date. This is useful for discussing quantities, materials, or work completed.

How to access: Open the Inspections Calendar or Item Placements view for any project.

Invoices

Add comments to payment requests to discuss billing questions, request documentation, or track approval status.

How to access: Open the Invoices section of a project and select an invoice.

Change Orders

Discuss proposed changes, request additional information, or document approval decisions.

How to access: Navigate to the Change Orders section of a project and select a change order.


Creating a Comment

Follow these steps to create a new comment:

  1. Navigate to the item you want to comment on (inspection, invoice, change order, or placement)

  2. Click the comment icon to open the comment panel

  3. Type your message in the text editor

  4. To mention a team member, type @ followed by their name

    • A dropdown will appear showing matching users

    • Select the user from the list to insert the mention

  5. Click Post to submit your comment

Using @Mentions

When you mention someone in a comment:

  • They receive a notification in their inbox

  • They may receive an email notification (based on their settings)

  • The mention appears highlighted in the comment

To mention someone:

  1. Type the @ symbol

  2. Start typing the person's name or email

  3. Select the correct person from the dropdown list

  4. Continue typing your message

You can mention multiple people in a single comment.


Viewing Comments

Viewing Comments on an Item

  1. Navigate to the item (inspection, invoice, change order, or placement)

  2. Look for the comment icon with a number badge indicating comment count

  3. Click the icon to open the comment panel

  4. Comments appear in chronological order with the newest at the bottom

  5. Each comment shows:

    • The author's name

    • The date and time posted

    • The comment content

    • An "(edited)" label if the comment was modified

Comment Panel Features

  • Auto-refresh: Comments update automatically every 30 seconds

  • Scroll navigation: If linked from a notification, the panel scrolls to the specific comment

  • Close panel: Press Escape or click outside the panel


Using Your Inbox

Your inbox helps you track all comments relevant to you across all projects.

Accessing Your Inbox

  1. Click the envelope icon in the top navigation bar

  2. A badge displays your total unread comment count

  3. Click to open your inbox page

Inbox Tabs

Your inbox has up to three tabs depending on your role:

My Projects

  • Shows comments from all projects you are assigned to

  • Displays the unread count for this category

  • Use this to stay current on project discussions

My Mentions

  • Shows comments where you were specifically @mentioned

  • Helps you quickly find comments that need your direct attention

  • Displays the unread count for mentions

All (Administrators only)

  • Shows all comments across the entire company

  • Available to Admin and Super Admin users only

  • Useful for monitoring overall communication

Filtering Comments

Use the filter options to find specific comments:

  1. Status Filter:

    • Unread - Only show comments you haven't viewed

    • All - Show all comments regardless of read status

    • Sent - Show comments you have posted

  2. Project Filter:

    • Click the project dropdown to filter by a specific project

    • Use the search box to find projects by name

Reading Comments in the Inbox

Comments in your inbox are displayed in a timeline format:

  • Comments are grouped by day (Today, Yesterday, or specific dates)

  • Each comment shows the project context, author, and content preview

  • Blue dot: Indicates an unread comment

  • Gray dot: Indicates a read comment

  • Click any comment to navigate to its location and view the full context

Loading More Comments

If you have many comments, click Load more at the bottom to view additional comments.


Editing a Comment

You can edit comments that you have posted:

  1. Navigate to the comment you want to edit

  2. Click the edit icon (pencil) on your comment

  3. Modify the text in the editor

  4. Click Save to update the comment

Note: Edited comments display an "(edited)" label with the edit timestamp.


Deleting a Comment

You can delete comments that you have posted:

  1. Navigate to the comment you want to delete

  2. Click the delete icon (trash) on your comment

  3. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Note: Deleted comments are removed from view but may be retained in system logs for audit purposes.


Dashboard Comments Widget

Your dashboard includes a Comments card that shows recent activity:

  1. Navigate to your Dashboard

  2. Find the Comments card

  3. View the 5 most recent comments across your projects

  4. Click any comment to navigate directly to its location


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I comment on any project?
You can only comment on projects where you are an assigned team member.

Who can see my comments?
Comments are visible to all team members assigned to the same project. Administrators can see all comments company-wide.

Will I be notified of new comments?
Yes, you receive notifications for:

  • Comments on projects you're assigned to

  • Comments where you are @mentioned

  • Email notifications may also be sent based on system settings

Can I format my comments?
Yes, the comment editor supports rich text formatting including bold, italic, and other styling options.

What happens if I delete a comment?
The comment is removed from view for all users. This action cannot be undone.

How do I know if someone mentioned me?
The mention badge on your inbox icon updates when you receive new mentions. Check the "My Mentions" tab to see all comments where you were @mentioned.

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