Find answers to common questions about Direct Messages including translation, read receipts, message limits, attachments, and advanced features. This FAQ covers additional details and lesser-known options beyond the main how-to instructions.
Who can use this?
All signed-in users can use Direct Messages. Who you can send to is determined by your role and school settings.
Before getting started
- Direct Messages must be enabled for your school.
- Admins can contact ParentSquare support to enable Direct Messages.
Jump to a section:
General
How many recipients can be sent a Message?
- You can send a Direct Message to up to 150 recipients.
- For Group Conversations, the limit is 50 recipients. This allows for broad communication while maintaining manageable conversation threads.
What is the size limit on an attachment to a Message?
The file size limit for photos, videos, and file attachments is 500MB.
Is it possible to schedule a Message to send at a later time?
No. Messages are always sent immediately.
How long are Messages kept?
The message history stays with the user as long as they remain at the school site. If they move schools, they lose that history from their view. Messages are not archived at the end of the school year.
How are conversations ordered on the Messages page?
Conversations are grouped by thread and sorted in descending order based on the most recent message in each thread. Within each thread, messages are grouped by date to provide context. Unread threads appear at the top of your conversation list, followed by read threads in chronological order.
Does a sent Message show the student's name?
No. Even if parents are added by selecting a student's name, the sent message will only display parent names. Student names are not included.
To find the associated student:
- In Messages - Click New Message, type the parent's name, and view their associated student
- In Class Directory - Go to your class directory to see associated students
If I send a Message, will it show my personal contact information to the recipient?
No. Contact information will not be shown to the recipient when you send a message. Message text notifications will be sent from a phone number not associated with the author, and email notifications will come from a ParentSquare email address.
Can I add a link or hyperlink to a Message?
Yes. You can add a link in a message by copying the URL address into the message. You cannot hyperlink a word. When you are typing the message, the link will look like regular text, but when the message is received, the link will be a clickable hyperlink.
Manage Direct Messages
Can I delete a Message or Message thread?
You can delete a Direct Message or Group Conversation to remove it from your own inbox. However, deleting a thread does not remove the conversation for other participants. After you delete a conversation, you will no longer see past messages, but you will receive any new messages sent to that thread. For more, see Manage Your Message Threads.
Office Hours
What happens if a parent Messages a teacher outside of their Office Hours?
When a parent replies to a teacher’s message via text message outside of the teacher’s configured Office Hours, the message will still be delivered, but the teacher will not receive a push or SMS notification right away. Instead:
- The message will appear as unread in the teacher’s ParentSquare inbox.
- Email notifications will still be sent (if enabled).
- The teacher can view and respond to the message at their convenience via the web or mobile app.
Translations
Why aren't my Messages automatically translating?
This typically happens when the sender or recipient has not set their language preferences correctly. To update your Language Preferences, see Manage Your Account Settings.
Group Conversations
How can my spouse and I both see the teacher's response to a Direct Message?
Let the teacher know you'd like Direct Messages, when sent to both of you, to be sent as a "Group Conversation" instead of a Direct Message. This way there will be one conversation for all three of you and any replies will then also be sent to all in the group message.
Is it possible to add users to a Group Conversation that has already been initiated?
You cannot add a new user to an existing thread. To see a list of recipients in a group message, click the "i" icon at the top right of the conversation. If you need to include additional people, create a new message with all desired recipients.
Will new class or group members see past Group Conversations?
When a new student, parent, or staff member is added to a class or group, they are not added to existing message threads. To include a new recipient, create a new message to the class or group. If you're sharing information you want to be available to future members, use a Post instead. Posts are visible to new members retroactively.
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