Chats in F2 Manager 2

The content of this website is last updated to F2 version 11. cBrain are working hard on supplying you with the newest documentation of F2.

You can chat on F2 Manager 2 from approvals and meeting agenda items. You can also recieve and reply to chats on approvals where you aren’t an approver.

Tap Chats at the bottom of the ribbon on F2 Manager 2 to display a list of all your chats.

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Figure 1. Overview of chats

On the left you can see a list of chats (1). You can search for chats using the search field above the list (2). When you tap a chat in the list, the chat window will be displayed in a preview on the right (3). Above the preview are functions for working with the agenda item or approval associated with the chat (4). Above these functions are the metadata of the approval - title, deadline, and ID of the approval record - or agenda item - record title and meeting title (5).

The chats list

Chats are displayed in the chats list with agenda item or approval title, the initials of the chat participants, and the time of the latest chat entry. The list is sorted chronologically by their last entry. This places the newest chats at the top of the list. Multiple chats on the same agenda item or approval are listed individually. Unread chats are bolded.

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Figure 2. The chats list

You can also create new chats on any agenda item or approval already present in the chats list.

Chats are removed from the list

Chats are removed from the chats list, either when you do it manually, or when their associated agenda item or approval is no longer on F2 Manager 2.

Type of chat Time of removal

Chats on approvals where you are an approver or copy recipient

The chat is removed from the chats list upon final approval.

If you have processed the approval, you still have access to its chats until final approval has been granted. You can choose to remove the chat manually by tapping Remove chat in the ribbon above the preview.

Chats on other approvals

The chat is removed from the chats list upon final approval or when you remove the chat manually by tapping Remove chat in the ribbon above the preview.

Chats on agenda items

The chat is removed from the chats list when the meeting is no longer synchronised to F2 Manager 2.

Search for chats

You can search for chats using the search field above the chats list. You search by the titles of agenda items and approvals.

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Figure 3. Search for chats

Chats ribbon functions

The ribbon above the preview changes depending on whether you have selected a chat on an agenda item or a chat on an approval.

Functions in context of approvals

The menu items of the ribbon support approval processing when you select a chat on an approval.

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Figure 4. Functions in the chats ribbon for approvals

When the ribbon is shortened, the menu items are gathered in the "More" drop-down menu.

The functions are as follows:

Function Description

"Full screen"

Display the selected content on the entire screen.

"Split screen"

Restore the default view.

"Display attachments"

Display documents attached to the approval in the chats list. Tap a document to preview it.

"Hide attachments"

Hide documents attached to the approval in the chats list.

"Annotate"

Open the selected document in annotation mode. The menu item is only visible if you have selected either an approval document or an attached document.

"Hide annotations"/"Show annotations"

Toggle annotation visibility in the selected document. The menu item is only visible for annotated documents.

"Remove chat"

Remove the selected chat from F2 Manager 2. The chat can still be accessed in F2 Desktop. The menu item is only visible if you are not an approver on the approval or the approval is at a different step than yours.

"New chat"

Create a new chat on the approval.

"Return"

Open a dialogue where you can return the approval to a previous step.

"Approve"

Open a dialogue where you can grant approval.

Functions in the context of agenda items

The menu items of the ribbon support working with agenda items when you select a chat on an agenda item.

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Figure 5. Functions in the chats ribbon for agenda items

When the ribbon is shortened, the menu items are gathered in the "More" drop-down menu.

The functions are as follows:

Function Description

"Full screen"

Display the selected content on the entire screen.

"Split screen"

Restore the default view.

"Display attachments"

Display documents attached to the approval in the chats list. Tap a document to preview it.

"Hide attachments"

Hide documents attached to the approval in the chats list.

"Annotate"

Open the selected document in annotation mode.

"Hide annotations"/"Show annotations"

Toggle annotation visibility in the selected document. The menu item is only visible for annotated documents.

"New chat"

Create a new chat on the agenda item.

"Go to meeting"

Open the meeting associated with the agenda item. The meeting opens in the agenda view showing the selected agenda item.

Create a new chat

You can create new chats on both approvals and agenda items from the chats list. Tap New chat in the ribbon above the preview to create a chat on the selected agenda item or approval.

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Figure 6. Create a new chat

A dialogue opens where you can add chat participants. F2 Manager 2 suggests your most frequently used chat participants. When you start typing in the "Search for chat participants" field, F2 Manager 2 searches for users in F2’s participant register. You can add multiple chat participants at once.

When you have added your desired participants, tap OK to create the chat. Tap Cancel if you do not wish to create the chat.

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Figure 7. Add chat participants

After you tap OK, the chat window opens on the selected agenda item under "Meetings" or the selected approval under "Approvals".

Your selected chat participants are displayed at the top of the chat window. You can write your message in the field at the bottom. Tap the send chat icon to send your message.

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Figure 8. Write a message in the chat window

The chat window

In the chat window, you can read and write chat messages as well as add participants to the chat. Participants are displayed at the top (1). If you tap the three dots, the chat participant menu opens where you can view the status of existing chat participants and add or remove participants from the chat.

Write your message at the bottom in the compose box (3). Tap the send icon to send your message.

The chat conversation shows which message each chat participant has last read via their picture or initial, which is displayed below said message (4).

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Figure 9. The chat window

If an agenda item or approval holds multiple chats, you can tap the left arrow by the participant list to see an overview of the relevant chats.

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Figure 10. Open the chats overview

Tap a chat in the overview to open it.

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Figure 11. The chats overview on an agenda item

Chat participant menu

Tap the three dots next to the participant list in the chat window to open the chat participant menu.

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Figure 12. The chat participants menu

The functions are as follows:

Function Description

"Chat participants"

Open a dialogue with an overview of all chat participants and their status (online, offline, out of office).

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Figure 13. Chat participants' statuses

Remove a chat participant by tapping the X next to their name, and then tap OK to return to the chat. Tap Cancel to return to the chat without removing anyone.

"Add chat participants"

Open a dialogue where you can add chat participants. F2 Manager 2 suggests your most frequently used chat participants. When you start typing in the "Search for participants" field, F2 Manager 2 searches for users in F2’s participant register. You can add multiple chat participants at once.

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Figure 14. Add chat participants

When you have found your desired participants, tap OK to add them to the chat. Tap Cancel if you do not wish to add participants.

Access restricted records

If you chat someone who is not included by the access restriction on the agenda item or approval, you will be notified at the top of the screen. Your chat will be saved as a chat draft on said agenda item or approval.

Chat drafts

If you navigate away from a newly created chat without sending a message, the chat will be saved as a draft on the agenda item or approval. You can then find it on the agenda item or approval and in the chats list in the "Chats" section.

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Figure 15. Chat drafts on an approval

Unread chats

Unread chats are indicated in multiple ways: The "Chat" tab will be bolded on the relevant record or agenda item, and the chat itself will also be bolded. Unread chats will also appear as a notification on the "Chats" item at the bottom of the screen.

Unread chats are also bolded in the chats list.

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Figure 16. Unread chat on an approval

Chat orientation on approvals

You can receive chats on F2 Manager 2 on approvals you are not an approver on. This type of chat will only appear on the chats list in the "Chats" section. The approval will not be listed on the approvals list.

You can read and annotate the approval and its attached documents, but you cannot process the approval as you are not an approver or copy recipient on it.

When you have read the chat, and perhaps replied to it, you can remove the chat from F2 Manager 2 by tapping on Remove chat in the ribbon above the preview. The chat will then be removed from F2 Manager 2, but can still be accessed in F2 Desktop.

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Figure 17. Remove chat from F2 Manager 2

By default, F2 Manager 2 removes the chat upon final approval. A configuration makes it possible to keep chat orientations on the chats list regardless of final approval. If this configuration is used, the chat and approval will remain on F2 Manager 2 for a limited number of days, typically seven days. Configurations are made in cooperation with cBrain.