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Messages are stored at two levels: 

1. Process communications: at process level
2. Communication Centre: at project level (all process messages are also stored here together with all other project messages)

The messaging feature allows fast and easy communication between the consortium and the European Union (EU). Particularly during an ongoing process, messaging can be useful. These messages will be stored within the process. All messages are also stored at project level though, where they can be filtered and sorted according to your needs. 

Use "Process communications" to exchange messages concerning a specific process. Use the Communication Centre to exchange messages concerning the project and not necessarily to a specific process. The Communication Centre can be also used after the project ended and/or there are no more active process.  

Who can add messages / reply to messages 

Everybody having a role in the project can see the messages, but: 

• only the Coordinator can add/reply to messages at the project level and in all processes except Project Monitoring
• Experts can add/reply to messages for Project Monitoring
• Technical Monitors can add/reply to messages at the project and process level
• relevant EU Officers can add/reply to messages at the project and process level

Process communications 

How to access

The Grant Management Services will always initially display the Process List. 

Click Process communications in the concerned process box to display all messages related to that process. 

 Please note that in case that there are new messages their number will be now displayed on the right hand side of the "Process communications" box. 

How to add messages 

Click Process communications to open the message facility and press  to create a new message.  

The message editor opens:

• complete the subject
• complete the body

Please note that a rich text editor is available, allowing the users:

• to create and format their text by using the bold, italic, underline, justify, indent, etc. buttons;
• to set different font names and sizes
• to set as style existing HTML elements
• options to easily insert and format lists, tables, images, hyperlinks and form elements

Each time you click "New message", a draft is immediately created, giving you the possibility to continue drafting at any time. Please do not forget to save your changes every time. Just close the message if you want to keep it as a draft. Upload files, if needed (several attachments of different types can be uploaded):

• • click  - all types of attachments can be uploaded (.pdf, .zip, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .csv, .xml, 7z, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .odt). The maximum file size is: 50MB.
    
    A warning message is displayed to draw your attention that no documents containing sensitive personal data (ID, passports) should be uploaded in the Portal Grant Management Services (GMS). A secure channel (e.g.: an encrypted e-mail) should be used, instead.
    
    
    

• • click  and choose the file you want to upload

  • to remove an attachment click the remove button
    

• once you finished editing your message, click 

Please note that the system saves only one draft per process.

• to continue editing your message, go to the Process communications, find the draft and click  . The message editor will open and you can continue drafting. Please do not forget to save your changes.

• once you finished drafting and you want to send the message click .

The sent message can be found in the Process communications and Communication Centre boxes. For each sent message, the following information will be displayed:

• the sender
• the subject
• the first words of the message
• if the message contains attachments
• when the message was sent (please hover-over the time/date for more information about when the message has been sent)

The Project Officer (and his/her backup) are notified of the message via an e-mail. 

How to add a reply 

In the Process communications box, click on the message/subject you would like to reply and after that press .

The message editor opens:

Each time you click "New message", a draft is immediately created, giving you the possibility to continue drafting at any time. Please do not forget to save your changes every time. Just close the message if you want to keep it as a draft. Complete the body:

• upload files if needed (several attachments of different types can be uploaded):
  • click  - all types of attachments can be uploaded (.pdf, .zip, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .csv, .xml, 7z, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .odt). The maximum file size is: 50MB.
  • click  and choose the file you want to upload

  • to remove an attachment click the remove button
    
    

• once you finished editing your message, click 

Please note that the system saves only one draft per process.

• to continue editing your message, go to the Process communications, find the message and click . The message editor will open and you can continue drafting. Please do not forget to save your changes.
• once you finished drafting and you want to send the message click .

The reply will be saved under the message, and the information displayed for the message will change as follows:

• the subject line of the reply will be added to that of the message
• the reply time and date will be displayed instead of that of the message (please hover-over the time/date for more information about when the message has been sent)

Only for the Coordinator: when sending a message, you will be able to choose its recipient: the Project Officer (EU) or the Technical Monitor

Communication Center (project communications)

How to access 

The Grant Management Services will always initially display the Process List.  

Click Communication Centre to view all project messages (processes specific messages as well as other project related messages). 

How to filter messages

The page lists all informal messages exchanged between beneficiaries and the EU (and the Technical Monitors). By default, all project messages are displayed in the page (sent/received messages, drafts, replies). The Senders and Recipients are also displayed.

All messages and their replies can now be filtered by process and/or keyword (in the subject line and body). 

To filter messages by keywords in the subject line and body, please type the term you are looking for in the Search box.

You can also filter messages by process using the drop-down list on the left-hand side of the page. Click the list and choose the process you are interested in. Only the messages related to that particular process (whether in draft or finalised) will be displayed.

How to add process messages

If a process is chosen from the drop-down list, all process communication (create, draft and send a message or a reply) can be also done from here (please see the Process communications for more information about how to do all these actions).

How to add project messages

To create, draft or send a project message/reply (that is not process-specific) you should choose Project messages from the drop-down list.

The messaging feature for project messages is the same as for process messages (for more information, please see the Process communications section of this page).