Recent Discussions – Your Communication Command-Centre

Comments on a booking can change the whole job: new access codes, reschedule requests, on-site photos, or a quick “thanks!” from the client. OctopusPro’s Recent Discussions tools collect every message in one place—so nothing slips through the cracks.

Two Ways to View the Latest Comments

Method	Navigation	Ideal For
History Log (full audit)	Left Menu → Reports → History Log → Recent Discussions	Managers who need a searchable, filterable log of all messages.
Dashboard Discussion Board (quick glance)	Left Menu → Dashboard → Discussion Board widget	Front-desk staff who want to triage the newest messages without leaving the home screen.

The History Log Grid Explained

Column	What It Shows	Example
Date / Time	Timestamp of the comment.	“Today, 11:19 AM”
Booking #	Clickable job code (BOK-101569) that opens the booking in a new tab.
Message	First 120 characters of the comment (hover to view tooltip / click booking for full thread).
User	Name & role of the author (Customer, Fieldworker, Support, Manager).

Tip: Use the Dashboard switcher (top-right) to toggle between All Dashboard and My Dashboard for personal or team-wide views.

Discussion Board Widget (Dashboard)

• Shows the five most recent comments system-wide.
  
• New badge indicates unread count; click View All to jump straight to the full History Log.
• Author avatars, role tags, and relative time (“5 minutes ago”) help triage at-a-glance.

Typical Workflow

1. CSR opens Dashboard in the morning, sees “New 17” on Discussion Board.
   
2. Reads the top entry—client wants to postpone a public-holiday clean.
3. Clicks the BOK-101569 link to reschedule the job and notify the technician.
4. Returns to widget and clicks View All to audit remaining messages.

Practical Use-Cases & Benefits

Scenario	How Recent Discussions Helps	Outcome
Time-critical updates	Fieldworker posts gate code in the booking thread; dispatch sees it instantly.	Technician doesn’t get locked out.
Customer satisfaction	Customer asks “ETA for today?”; office replies from the booking in seconds.	Reduces inbound phone calls and boosts ratings.
Compliance & evidence	Photos or notes about on-site hazards are stored with the job.	Protects business in insurance disputes.
Team handovers	Night-shift support logs status; day-shift reads in History Log.	Seamless 24/7 coverage.

Best-Practice Tips

Tip	Why It Matters
@Mention teammates (if enabled) to trigger email/push alerts.	Ensures the right person acts quickly.
Pin critical messages inside a booking.	Keeps access codes or VIP notes at the top of the thread.
Mark comments as “Internal” vs. “Customer-visible”.	Prevents sensitive notes from being emailed to clients.
Use filters in the History Log (Date range, Author, Keyword).	Zero-in on a long thread or compliance audit.
Clear the “New” badge daily.	Maintains an empty queue and faster response times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question	Answer
Does deleting a comment remove it from the History Log?	No. Deleted comments remain visible to admins with a deleted tag for full audit compliance.
Can fieldworkers edit their own comments?	By default, edits are time-stamped and the original text is stored in the Activity Timeline.
Are attachments supported?	Yes—images, PDFs, or videos appear as inline thumbnails in both the booking thread and the History Log.

Key Takeaways

• Single source of truth—every message, one log.
• Instant visibility via Dashboard widget or full report.
• Filter & search by author, keyword, or booking for rapid follow-up.
• Audit-proof communication trail protects against disputes.

Head to Reports → History Log → Recent Discussions now and make sure your team never misses an important comment again.

To stay updated, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.