Communicating in the App

Home Renovation Pro offers a variety of integrated communication tools designed to keep your entire renovation team connected and informed:

• Project comments and discussions
• Task-specific communication
• Direct messaging
• File sharing with feedback
• @mentions and notifications
• Decision tracking

Using these tools within the app keeps all project communication organized and searchable, creating a single source of truth for your renovation.

The project comments section is the central hub for team-wide communication:

Posting Comments

1. Navigate to your project dashboard
2. Scroll down to the "Discussion" section
3. Type your message in the comment box
4. Use the formatting toolbar to add:
   • Formatting (bold, italic, lists)
   • Links to websites or documents
   • @mentions to notify specific team members
5. Add attachments if needed (photos, documents, etc.)
6. Click "Post Comment"

Organizing Discussions

For more structured conversations:

• Use the "New Topic" button to create separate discussion threads
• Add topic labels like "Decision Needed," "Update," or "Question"
• Pin important discussions to the top of the feed

Keep conversations organized by attaching them directly to relevant tasks:

Adding Comments to Tasks

1. Navigate to the "Tasks" section of your project
2. Click on the specific task you want to discuss
3. Scroll to the comments section at the bottom of the task details
4. Type your message and click "Add Comment"

Benefits of Task Comments

• Keeps conversations in context with the work being discussed
• Automatically notifies task assignees
• Creates a record of decisions and changes related to specific tasks
• Helps new team members quickly get up to speed on task history

For private conversations with team members:

Starting a Direct Message

1. Click on the messaging icon in the top navigation bar
2. Select "New Message"
3. Choose a recipient from your team members
4. Type your message and click "Send"

Group Messages

To message multiple team members:

1. Start a new message
2. Add multiple recipients by selecting additional names
3. Optionally name the group chat for easy reference
4. Send your message

Share documents, photos, and plans with built-in feedback tools:

Sharing Files

1. Navigate to the "Files" section of your project
2. Click "Upload" and select files from your device
3. Organize files into the appropriate folders
4. Add descriptions to provide context
5. Tag relevant team members to notify them

Providing Visual Feedback

For design files, plans, and photos:

1. Open the file in the viewer
2. Use the annotation tools to:
   • Add comments to specific areas
   • Draw attention with arrows or circles
   • Make measurements
   • Suggest changes
3. Save your feedback
4. Optionally tag team members who should review your comments

Get team members' attention and stay informed about important updates:

Using @Mentions

To notify specific team members:

1. In any comment field, type the @ symbol
2. Select the team member from the dropdown list that appears
3. Complete your message and post it

The mentioned team member will receive a notification and the comment will be highlighted in their notification feed.

Managing Notifications

Control which updates you receive:

1. Go to your account settings
2. Select "Notification Preferences"
3. Choose your preferred notification methods:
   • In-app notifications
   • Email notifications
   • Mobile push notifications (if using the mobile app)
4. Customize notification types for different actions:
   • @mentions
   • Task assignments and updates
   • File uploads
   • Comment replies
   • Project milestones

Record and reference important project decisions:

Creating a Decision Record

1. Go to your project dashboard
2. Click on the "Decisions" tab
3. Select "New Decision"
4. Fill in the decision details:
   • Title (e.g., "Kitchen Countertop Material")
   • Description of the options considered
   • The final decision
   • Reasoning behind the decision
   • Date decided
   • Decision makers
5. Add any relevant attachments (samples, quotes, etc.)
6. Click "Save Decision"

Using the Decision Log

The decision log helps you:

• Keep a permanent record of all project decisions
• Search past decisions when questions arise
• Provide clear direction to contractors and team members
• Avoid revisiting already-settled issues