Supplier Portal Chat
The Supplier Portal Chat enables direct 1:1 and group messaging between suppliers and instance users. It is a dedicated messaging channel separate from entity comments, comment traces, the notifications inbox, and the AI Chatbot.
Chat is available across all instance users and portal users. Portal users can access chat from the left main menu bar in the Supplier Portal, and instance users can access chat from Messages.
What You Can Do
- Send and receive direct messages with brand (instance) users in real time
- Start group conversations with multiple participants
- Attach and download files within conversations
- See presence status indicators so you know who is available
- Receive in-app and browser (Web Push) notifications for new messages
- Dismiss threads from your inbox and have them reappear when new messages arrive
- Mark conversations as read to clear unread badges
Accessing Chat
Supplier Portal
Chat is available in two ways:
| Display | How to open |
|---|---|
| Drawer | Click the chat icon in the left main menu bar, alongside Settings and Favourite Searches |
| Full page | In the Chat drawer, click the Expand to display the chats in full view |
A nav badge displays the total number of unread messages across all connections.
Instance Portal
Instance users access chat via Messages.
Conversations
Starting a New Conversation
- Open the Chat page or drawer.
- Click New Message.
- Search for a recipient from the list. The list shows portal and instance users with online status dots.
- Select a recipient to open or create a direct thread.
For group conversations, select multiple recipients when starting a new message. Groups require at least three participants.
Inbox
The inbox lists all your active threads, showing:
- Participant name and avatar
- Message preview text
- Time of last message
- Unread count badge
Threads you dismiss are hidden from your inbox until a new unread message arrives.
Sending Messages
Type your message in the input field at the bottom of a thread and press Enter or click Send. Messages are delivered in real time via WebSocket.
Message limits: Up to 8,000 characters per message.
File Attachments
You can attach files to any message:
- Click the attachment icon in the message input.
- Select a file from your device.
- The file uploads and is sent as part of your message.
Recipients can download attached files by clicking the file link in the message. Download links are valid for 1 hour.
File size limit: Up to 500 MB per attachment.
Group Conversations
Group threads support three or more participants. The group owner can:
- Rename the group via the thread header actions
- Add participants from the roster
- Remove a participant from the group
- Leave the group themselves
Non-owner members can leave a group but cannot rename it or manage other participants.
Presence
Presence status dots appear next to participants in the roster and thread headers, helping you see who is available before you message them.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Online | User is active |
| Away | User is idle |
| Busy | User has set themselves as busy — messages are delivered but in-app and push notifications are suppressed |
| Offline | User is not connected |
Busy status and notifications
When a recipient's effective presence is Busy, your message is still delivered and will appear in their inbox. However, they will not receive an in-app notification or a browser push notification for that message.
Notifications
In-App Notifications
When you receive a new message, a notification appears in your portal notifications inbox with a link directly to the thread. Chat notifications are a separate type from comment or activity notifications and do not generate comment traces.
Browser (Web Push) Notifications
You can opt in to browser notifications to receive alerts even when the portal is not in the foreground:
- Go to your Profile preferences.
- Enable Browser notifications for chat.
- Allow the browser permission prompt.
You can opt out at any time from the same profile preferences screen.
Read State and Unread Counts
- Opening a thread and scrolling to the latest message marks it as read.
- The unread count badge on the nav item and thread list row updates immediately.
- The Mark Read action can be used programmatically to move the read cursor to the latest message.
Dismissing Threads
If you want to hide a thread from your inbox without deleting it:
- Open the thread options.
- Select Dismiss.
The thread disappears from your inbox. It reappears automatically when a new unread message arrives in that thread.
Permissions and Access Rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Supplier ↔ instance users | Messaging is only available on enabled connections. If a connection is disabled, chat with users on that connection is not accessible. |
| Supplier ↔ supplier | Only users within the same company can message each other. Cross-company supplier messaging is not permitted. |
| Disabled instance user | You can still read message history with a disabled instance user, but you cannot send new messages to them. |
| Self | You cannot start a conversation with yourself. |
Troubleshooting
The /chat page shows a 404 error
Chat has not been enabled for your portal.
Steps to resolve:
- Contact your administrator and ask them to enable
CHAT_ENABLEDin the portal configuration.
I can't send a message to a user
The recipient may be on a disabled connection, or they are a disabled instance user.
Steps to resolve:
- Check that the connection to the brand is enabled in your portal settings.
- Confirm the recipient is an active user on the instance side.
- If the issue persists, contact your administrator.
I'm not receiving browser notifications
Browser permission or the notification preference may not be set.
Steps to resolve:
- Go to Profile and confirm Browser notifications for chat is enabled.
- Check that your browser has granted notification permission for the portal site.
- Some browsers block notifications in private/incognito mode.
A file download link has expired
Presigned download links are valid for 1 hour from generation.
Steps to resolve:
- Click the file link in the message again to generate a new presigned URL.
My thread disappeared from the inbox
You may have dismissed the thread.
Steps to resolve:
- The thread will reappear automatically when a new message arrives.
- If you need to find a dismissed thread immediately, contact your administrator — dismissed threads are stored as a personal preference, not deleted.