Using Action Center Messages, you can send short messages to your Scan App agents to make their work day easier, e.g. "Accident! Avoid route E6", "Snow predicted tomorrow, remember to change your tires", "Call me when you get to the customer".

Messages are configured and sent via Action Center in Portal. This article covers the following topics:

• Sending messages to agents
• Receiving messages on your device
• Reading messages
• Adding quick access to messages

Sending messages to agents

1. Log in to nShift Portal and go to Action Center > Agents.
   
   
2. Click on the agent you want to send a message to. 
   
   
3. From the agent details view, click the Message tab at the top.
   
   
4. Enter your message and click Send.
   
   
5. You can always see if a message has been read or not. The open letter icon indicates that your message has been read by the Agent and the closed letter icon that it hasn't been read yet.
   
   
   
   
6. If the agent has disabled Push notifications for Scan App, he will get the messages when he goes to the Messages view in Scan App. The messages will be fetched from the server when he enters the Messages view, or if he taps the refresh button in the top right corner.
   
   
7. Read messages will be deleted from the server after 5 days.

Receiving messages on your device

To receive messages you need the following:

1. Updated version of Scan App.
   
   
2. Access to internet: enable mobile data or Wi-Fi (if you work in a warehouse that has access to the internet through Wi-Fi).
   
   
3. Allow your device to send Push Notifications to Scan App. Normally Scan App asks you for permission to receive Push Notifications during installation, but if you have denied permission this can be enabled later in the phone's settings.
   
   
4. If you denied permission during installation and enabled it later, you must quit Scan App and start it again to receive push notifications.

Allow notifications on iOS:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
   
   
2. Select Scan App.
   
   
3. Turn on Set Allow Notifications, Lock Screen and Banners.
   
   
4. To quit Scan App, double-tap the Home button and then swipe up the app.

Allow notifications on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
   
   
2. Select Scan App > Notifications.
   
   
3. Turn on Allow notifications.
   
   
4. To quit Scan App on Android, you normally tap the square button to see the list of running apps and then swipe left or right to quit the app, but it depends on your device manufacturer.

Reading messages

When you receive a new message, a notification will be shown for a few seconds inside Scan App. To read a message, tap Messages in the left-side menu. This will take you to the Messages view. Tap the update icon in the top right corner to update the Messages view. 

Unread messages are displayed in bold font and read messages are in normal font. Read messages will expire after 5 days and be deleted from the device.

Adding quick access to messages

You can pin Messages to your Scan App toolbar so you can see new messages pushed to your device.

1. Go to Settings >Preferences in the left side menu.
   
   
2. Select Toolbar action and then Messages.
   
   
3. You'll now have the Messages icon in your toolbar.