CM Chat

Using CM Chat

Scheduled messages and work hours

Had a good idea on a Saturday night? Write it down now and let CM Chat send it on Monday morning, so nobody gets pinged at a bad time.

Schedule a message

  1. Write your message as usual. You can add files and mention people.
  2. Click the clock next to the Send button.
  3. Pick one:
    • Next work day: the next day you work, at the time you choose. The time starts at 9:00 AM.
    • Tomorrow: the next calendar day, at the time you choose.
    • Custom date and time: any day up to 120 days ahead.
  4. Check the time shown. In a direct message you also see what time it will be for the other person.
  5. Click Schedule message.

It works in channels, direct messages, group messages and thread replies. Nobody is notified until the message goes out. It is posted within about a minute of the time you picked, and the message shows the time it was really sent.

"It's the weekend for Maria"

When you press Send and the people you are writing to are outside their work hours, or it is their weekend, CM Chat does not send right away. It asks first, for example:

It's 9:42 PM Saturday for Maria. Schedule for Monday 9:00 AM Maria's time?

  • Schedule sends it at the suggested time.
  • Pick a time lets you choose another.
  • Send now sends it right away. It is always one click.
  • Don't ask again turns the suggestion off. You can turn it back on in Preferences.

In a channel, CM Chat asks when most of its members are off, and says so ("Most of #design is off for the weekend"). CM Chat never delays a message by itself. If your message uses @channel or @here, the prompt reminds you that everyone will be notified.

See and change what is waiting

Open Scheduled in the sidebar. You can:

  • Edit text or Reschedule a message.
  • Send now.
  • Delete a message so it is never sent.

Only you can see your scheduled messages. A small number next to Scheduled shows how many are waiting, and a note above the message box reminds you when a conversation has one. You can have up to 100 waiting at once.

If a message cannot be sent

CM Chat checks again at the moment it sends. If you have left the channel, it was archived, or your account is not active, the message is not sent. It stays in Scheduled marked Not sent with the reason, and you get a notice. Only you see it. You can fix it and send it, or delete it. Not-sent messages are removed after 30 days.

Set your work hours

Go to Preferences, then Work hours.

  • Choose your working days and hours. The default is Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
  • Your time zone comes from your device and can be changed in Profile.
  • Teammates see your local time and whether you are off right now, in direct messages and on your profile. They never see your exact hours.
  • Turn Suggest scheduling when people are off on or off.

Holidays are not counted yet, so a public holiday is treated as a normal work day.

Good to know

  • Scheduled messages are stored protected, like all messages, and deleted as soon as they are sent.
  • If your workspace has a legal hold, a scheduled message you delete may be kept out of sight until the hold ends.