Client Messages

Messages is the in-portal conversation channel of the DayZero client portal (the /client shell). When the firm turns messaging on, a client can start threaded, categorized conversations with their bookkeeping team right where their books live; firm staff reply from the Books side and preview the client view through Client View. Conversations stay attached to the business, so there are no scattered email threads to dig through later.

Key capabilities

• Threaded conversations between the client and the firm team, scoped to the business
• New Request composer with a subject, a category, and an opening message
• Categories: General, Document Request, Tax Question, Payment Question, Other
• Conversation status: Open, Waiting on Client, Resolved
• Master/detail layout — conversation list on the left, thread on the right
• Inline reply composer (Enter to send, Shift+Enter for a newline)
• Messages auto-marked read when a conversation is opened
• Unread-count badge on the sidebar Messages entry
• Sender attribution (client vs. advisor) on every message
• Gated by the firm's client-messaging setting

How it works

A client opens a new request with a subject and category or replies to an existing thread. The firm is notified and responds from its side; both sides' messages appear in the same thread, and the conversation's status reflects whose turn it is until someone resolves it.

flowchart TD
  enable{"Messaging enabled?"} -->|"No"| hidden["Messages hidden"]
  enable -->|"Yes"| new["Client: New Request (subject + category)"]
  new --> thread["Conversation thread"]
  thread --> firm["Firm replies (notified)"]
  firm --> thread
  thread --> status{"Status"}
  status -->|"Open / Waiting on Client"| thread
  status -->|"Resolved"| closed["Composer hidden"]

How to use it

1. Open Messages in the portal sidebar. It appears only when your firm enables messaging.
2. Click New Request, enter a subject, pick a category, and write your message.
3. Or select an existing conversation from the list to read the full thread.
4. Type in the composer and press Enter to send (Shift+Enter for a new line).
5. Watch the unread badge in the sidebar — it clears for a thread once you open it.

Pro tips

• Firm-side: enable client messaging (firm settings) only for clients you want a direct line with; it's off by default.
• Firm-side: mark conversations Resolved when they're done — that hides the composer and keeps the client's list focused on active threads.
• Client-side: pick the right category (Tax Question, Payment Question, etc.) so your firm can direct and prioritize the thread.
• Client-side: use Messages for quick questions or discussion; for a specific file the firm needs, use Document Requests, and for a tracked to-do, watch your Notifications.
• Client-side: turn on message notifications in Settings → Notifications so you're alerted by email or in-app when the firm replies.

In-depth guide

What the client can see vs. do

Categories

Statuses

Access control

The whole feature is gated by the firm's Client Messaging setting (off by default):

• Off: the sidebar entry and unread badge are hidden entirely.
• On: conversations are scoped to the business the client is viewing, and access to another business's threads is rejected by the platform.

How firm-side data flows in

• Each conversation belongs to a business and the advisory firm, so the firm sees client threads in its own messaging surface and replies there; the portal reflects the same thread.
• Opening a conversation marks its messages read for the viewer, which is what drives the unread badge on both sides.

Edge cases

• No business selected: the page shows "No business selected."
• No conversations: the list shows an empty state prompting the client to start their first message with New Request.
• Resolved threads: remain readable, but the reply composer is hidden until the firm reopens them.