Client Messages

Client Messages is the in-portal channel to your firm: threaded, categorized conversations when messaging is enabled. Start a New Request, reply in place, and track Open vs. Resolved status without email threads.

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, Other (chosen when the conversation starts)
Conversation status: Open, Waiting on you (the firm is waiting on the client), Resolved; the firm sets the status
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
Available only when the firm turns on Client Messaging; the firm replies from its Client Messages inbox in Books

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. The firm sets the conversation's status (Open, Waiting on Client, or Resolved); it does not change on its own when someone replies.

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 you"| thread
  status -->|"Resolved"| closed["Composer hidden"]

How to use it

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

Pro tips

Firm-side: turn on Client Messaging under Client Portal on the Your Firm page (Settings > Business Profile) only when you want a direct line to clients; it is off by default and applies to the whole firm.
Firm-side: mark conversations Resolved when they are done; that hides the client's reply box. Use Waiting on Client when you need an answer.
Client-side: pick the right category (Tax Question, Payment, etc.); it cannot be changed after you send, 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: check Settings > Notifications in the portal so you are alerted by email or in-app when the firm replies.

In-depth guide

What the client can see vs. do

Action	Client	Firm
Start a conversation	Yes	No (replies from Books)
Reply in a thread	Yes	Yes
Choose the category	At creation only	No
Set status (Open, Waiting on Client, Resolved)	No	Yes
See threads for their business	Yes	Yes (across clients)

Category	Use for
General	Anything that doesn't fit a specific bucket
Document Request	Discussion around a needed file (the tracked queue is Document Requests)
Tax Question	Tax filings, deadlines, and questions
Payment	Invoices, bills, and payment status
Other	Catch-all

Statuses

Status	Meaning
Open	Active conversation
Waiting on Client ("Waiting on you" in the portal)	Set by the firm when it needs the client's reply
Resolved	Closed; the reply box is hidden

Access control

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

Off: the sidebar entry and unread badge are hidden, and starting or replying to a conversation is refused.
On: conversations are scoped to the business the client is viewing, and access to another business's threads is rejected by the platform.
Messaging works with a view-only portal account.

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 the other side's messages read for the viewer, which 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 box is hidden until the firm reopens them.