How-To Guides
Sending Direct Messages
Messages are one-to-one conversations with another APBnet™ user — separate from bulletins. Use them when you need to talk to a specific person, not distribute an alert to an agency or area.
Messages vs. bulletins
A bulletin broadcasts to every user at the agencies in your distribution area. A message goes to one specific person — a follow-up question about a bulletin, a heads-up before you send one, or a conversation that doesn't belong in a case record. Messages are not bulletins and don't appear in Received or Sent — they have their own tab.
Before you start
- Messaging is available to all users — no special role required.
- You can message any other APBnet™ user by name — they don't need to be at your agency.
Steps
- 1
Open the Messages tab in your inbox.
Messages has its own Inbox and Sent sub-tabs, plus an unread count and a small connection indicator that shows whether you're receiving new messages in real time.
Inbox — Messages tab open, showing the Inbox/Sent sub-tabs, unread badge, and realtime connection indicator - 2
Click New Message and choose a recipient.
Search for the person by name. Add a Subject and your message Body. If your message is about a specific bulletin, attach it as a Bulletin Reference so the recipient can open it directly from the message.
Compose message form — recipient search, Subject, Body, and an optional Bulletin Reference field - 3
Reply, search, or delete from an open conversation.
Reply directly from an open message. Use keyword and date-range search to find an older conversation instead of scrolling. Deleting a message asks for confirmation first — there's no undo once it's gone.
Tips
Messages have their own notification setting
Push, email, and SMS for direct messages are controlled independently of your bulletin notification categories. Check the Messages row on your notification preferences page if you're not seeing message alerts the way you expect.
Attach a bulletin instead of describing it
If your message is about a specific bulletin, use Bulletin Reference when composing instead of typing out the case details — the recipient can open the actual bulletin in one click.
Messages aren't a substitute for a bulletin
If several agencies or an entire distribution area need to know something, send a bulletin — messages only reach the one person you send them to.
Related guides
Understanding Your Inbox
See how the Messages tab fits alongside Received, Sent, Saved, and Feed.
Read the guide →
Setting Your Notification Preferences
Messages have their own notification row, independent of bulletin alerts.
Read the guide →
Bulletin Types Explained
For broadcast alerts to a whole agency or distribution area, send a bulletin instead.
Read the guide →