Conversations keep a discussion with the position, approval request, or workforce plan it concerns. Start a topic, reply within it, and resolve it when the discussion is finished. Posting or resolving a conversation does not approve a request or change the underlying record.

Before you begin

You need access to the record and permission for the action you want to take. Conversation participants do not automatically gain access to protected records. Keep employee pay and sensitive personal information in the appropriate authorized records, and name the dates or saved results you are discussing.

Conversation permissions

The same two permissions apply to conversations on positions, approval requests, and workforce plans:

  • Participate in conversations lets you start conversations, reply, and manage your own messages when the record and conversation allow it. You can resolve a conversation you started while you still have permission to post on that record.
  • Moderate conversations lets you moderate other people’s messages and resolve or reopen their conversations when you have the required record access.

Both permissions use department coverage. Your conversation permission must cover the whole request or plan on the relevant dates. Position and plan conversations also require the record access below. An assigned review can give you access to an active request without general position browsing, but you must be able to view the whole request to read its conversations.

Conversation is on Record access you also need
Position View positions covering the position’s department.
Approval request Access to the whole request’s conversations as its requester, an eligible assigned reviewer, or an authorized administrator. Assigned review access can let you discuss an active request without general position browsing. For an assigned reviewer, a closed request also requires current position access. Being able to view a request summary alone is not enough.
Workforce plan View plans covering all departments included in the plan. Archived plans keep their conversations available to read.

Conversation permissions do not grant access to otherwise unavailable records. Replying, following, or being mentioned does not let you resolve someone else’s conversation. See Roles and permissions for assigning permissions and department coverage.

Keep a conversation together

Open Conversations on the position, approval request, or workforce plan you want to discuss. Workforce plan conversations stay with the plan as results change; link to the relevant change, application, or completed report when discussing saved results. Archived workforce plans keep their conversations available to read. Everyone who can view the plan can read its conversations, so keep protected pay and personal information in their authorized records.

  1. Select Start conversation to begin a topic.
  2. Enter your Message, then select Start conversation to post it.
  3. Use Reply on the opening message to continue its topic. All replies appear together in time order at one level.

Once a record has a conversation, the All, Open, and Resolved tabs above the discussion select which conversations to show. The tabs stay available when the selected view is empty. Before the first conversation, select Start conversation to begin. Each conversation has its own opening message, with replies indented beneath it and separated by a line. Select Show more conversations or Show more replies to read a longer discussion. Start conversation, Reply, Edit message, Message history, and Redact message open on this same page. While starting a conversation, use Start conversation in the message form to post it or Cancel to return to the discussion. The reply form quotes the opening message so you can confirm the topic before posting. Close an editor or history panel to return to the discussion.

Correct your message

Open the three-dot Message actions menu and choose Edit message on your own message to correct it while the conversation and its record are open. The message shows who last edited it and when; Message history opens earlier versions for people who can still view the record. Resolved conversations and closed approval requests do not allow edits. Continue with a new reply or follow-up message instead. If the saved message changed while your form was open, review the current version alongside your preserved draft before saving again.

Remove sensitive message text

When authorized, use Redact message to remove sensitive or inappropriate text. Redaction removes the text from every saved version and keeps the author, time, and redaction evidence. Replies remain in the conversation. A moderation reason is required when removing another person’s message.

Follow or finish a conversation

Choose a setting under Notifications in the opening message’s three-dot menu. A filled circle shows your current choice, and selecting another choice saves it without leaving the conversation:

  • Follow conversation sends notices for new messages, direct mentions, and edits.
  • Mentions only sends notices when someone directly mentions you, including an edit to a message that still mentions you.
  • Mute conversation stops all notices for that conversation, including mentions and edits.

Posting starts you following a conversation unless you already chose a setting for it. Posting again keeps your existing choice. Following never gives you access to a record you cannot otherwise view.

The conversation creator or an authorized moderator can choose Resolve conversation from the opening message’s menu when the topic is finished. This resolves the whole conversation, including every reply, and keeps all its messages. Individual replies cannot be resolved separately. The conversation leaves Open and remains available under All and Resolved, with the person and time of resolution shown beside the opening message.

If you resolve a conversation while viewing Open, the notice offers View resolved conversation and Reopen conversation. You can also find Reopen conversation in the opening message’s menu. A permitted participant can choose Reopen and reply to continue a resolved conversation. Reopening returns the conversation and its replies to Open. Request access and restrictions after closure still apply.

Resolving a conversation does not approve a request or change a position. Those actions must happen on the record itself.

Mention someone and check the result

Mention an active member who can view the record when you need their attention. You cannot mention yourself. A muted conversation stays muted even for mentions. The member’s organization email preference determines whether eligible conversation notices also produce email.

After posting, check that the message appears in the intended conversation and that any dates or saved-version references are clear. For missing notices or email settings, use Manage notifications and email.