Key Terms
Key Terms
Required to know for this article specifically:
Business = Business/Law Firm who invested in Hona
Hona (Business) Org = Hona Account owned by the Business
Business User = An individual account within a Hona Business Org
Just like there are many employees at 1 Business, there are many Users in 1 Hona Org. Which Hona features and settings are accessible to each User is determined by their User Role.
Client = Client of the Business
End-user of Hona Client and its features
Hona Client = Hona Client Portal interface where Clients can interact with Hona features
Business Users build Hona Client features in their Hona Business Org
Important to know in general:
"Project" is used interchangeably with "case" and "matter"
CMS = Case Management Software (often used interchangeably with CRM)
Messages = 2-way messages sent through Hona's 2-Way Messaging feature (typically sent via text)
Notifications = messages sent to the Client to notify them of Hona features you have configured (Project Type case updates, Forms, E-Signature requests, Review requests, etc). These are sent based on the Client's Notification Preferences.
Overview
Hona’s 2-Way Messaging makes it simple for your Business to securely communicate with Clients directly from their Project in Hona, and then have that information push into their case in your CMS. Whether you’re sending updates, requesting documents, or answering quick questions, Messaging ensures all communication is organized, tracked, and tied to the right case or matter in your CMS. This guide walks you through how to access a Client’s Messaging thread in Hona, send messages and files, and use helpful features like templates, flags, and archiving, so you can manage conversations efficiently without losing important information.
Steps
1. Open Contact's Messaging Thread in Hona
Every contact in Hona can have their own Messaging thread.
If the contact only exists in Hona and is not associated with a Project yet, the data will only store locally in Hona. You will access their thread through the Conversations tab (see a few points below).
Assuming this contact becomes, or is already a Client with a Project in Hona, their Messaging thread will associate with both their Client contact in Hona, as well as their Project.
This ensures the data pushes and stores in your CMS correctly. This also ensures that if a Client has multiple Projects, you can see their full messaging history in one messaging thread, and switching between Projects will only determine which case you want your message history to store in your CMS going forward.
To message a contact in Hona, you must first access their Messaging thread. The 4 options below will walk you through all of the different ways you can access this thread.
In your CMS: Through the Browser Extension
In your CMS: Through the Browser Extension
The Hona Browser Extension is configured to automatically display a Hona Project if you have its correlating case open in your CMS. This means if you need to access a Client's Messaging thread in Hona and you're using the Hona Browser Extension, you just need to open their case in your CMS and then open the Browser Extension, and it will automatically display the details of their Project in Hona.
If the wrong Project is being displayed in the Extension even after opening the correct case in your CMS, refresh your browser and open the Hona Browser Extension again. Make sure you are inside of the Client's case details in your CMS and not the Client's contact details.
Once inside of the Client's Project in Hona, you can access their Messaging thread by selecting "Tabs" → "Messages" (Visual Below)
In Hona: Through Incoming Notifications
In Hona: Through Incoming Notifications
In the top right-hand corner of Hona Business, you will see a messaging box which displays your number of unread messages. Clicking on this notification will display a list of Projects with unread messages (Visual below). Clicking on a Project name will take you directly into the messaging thread of the Project.
If you need help changing your Notification Settings in order to get notified for the correct incoming messages, please visit Configuring Business User Notification Settings to learn how.
In Hona: From the Project Dashboard
In Hona: From the Project Dashboard
From the side-bar in Hona, select Projects (visual below) to return to the Projects dashboard. This will display a list of all of your Projects/Clients currently in Hona.
From the Project dashboard, search the Client's name or the name of their Project in Hona.
When you find their Project in the dashboard, click on it to expand Project Details. To find the Client's Messaging thread, select "Messages" from the tabs inside of their Project (visual below)
In Hona: From the Conversations Tab
In Hona: From the Conversations Tab
From the side-bar in Hona, open the Messages tab and select "Conversations" (visual below). This will open a full list of all of your contact's Messaging threads.
Find the name of your contact to open their Messaging thread. If you need to, you can "Search by contact"
Click on their name to open their messaging thread. If they are a Client with a Project associated, the name of their Project will appear next to their contact name. If the Client is associated with multiple Projects, you can switch between them to decide which case in your CMS that you want the Client's 2-Way Messaging history to store going forward.
How do I know whether a Client message is read or unread in my Conversations tab?
How do I know whether a Client message is read or unread in my Conversations tab?
Messages that are unread will have a small green dot on the Client's name (visual below)
2. Send Message
Once you are in the Client's Messaging thread in Hona, sending them a text is as easy as typing in your message and hitting "Send."
I just sent a text through Hona, what does the notification look like for my Client on their phone?
I just sent a text through Hona, what does the notification look like for my Client on their phone?
The gif above shows your (the Business) experience sending messages. After the Business sent that message, this is how the notification appeared to the Client on their phone:
How do I message photos or other files to my Client?
How do I message photos or other files to my Client?
1. Select the (+) next to the messaging box.
2. This will open the following options:
Select Upload file to select a file from your device.
If you see the Attach file from integration option, this means you are able to select directly from files stored in your Client's case in your CMS.
My Client is saying they have tried to send me a file over and over but I'm not seeing it on my end in Hona, what should I do?
My Client is saying they have tried to send me a file over and over but I'm not seeing it on my end in Hona, what should I do?
Like most SMS messaging services, our phone carrier has a 5 MB size limit for any files sent via SMS. This limit captures the vast majority of files your Clients could send you; however, we occasionally see issues with large video files and PDF documents. The good news is: there is a very easy solution to bypass this file size limitation by having your Client upload their file directly into their Portal.
To instruct them on how to do this:
1. Select the (+) next to the messaging box.
2. This will open the following options:
3. Select Insert link to conversation and read the explanation below you can also send to your Client. You can also create a message template with this message so that you never need to find this support article again.
It seems your file might be too big to send via text. To make sure we successfully receive and store your file in your case documents, please upload it directly in your Client Portal (Steps below):
1. Click on the link above to open this same messaging thread in your Client Portal.
2. When there, select the (+) button next to the messaging box, attach your file, and send it.
3. Please send another message (from the Portal or your phone) so we can verify successful delivery of your file, or send additional instructions on who to email your file to.
The benefit of having your Client follow these steps instead of jumping straight to sending it via email, is that:
1) The file will store in their Project in Hona.
2) If your Hona Business Org is integrated with a CMS, this also means the file will also automatically push into the Client's case documents in your CMS.
3) This will enable your Clients to send you future documents via text or their Portal, and prevent your staff from needing to take unnecessary extra steps to obtain these files.
Can my Clients still message us through Hona even if they do not have a phone number?
Can my Clients still message us through Hona even if they do not have a phone number?
Yes. If your Client does not have a phone number associated with their Hona contact (or the number attached to their contact is not valid for texting), all message notifications will deliver to them via email instead of text. They can click on these notifications in their email to open their messaging thread with you in their Client Portal and respond.
Tips for Best Practice:
If your Client does not have a phone number, or the phone number on their contact is not valid for texting:
You (the Business) = Change Client's Notification Preferences in Hona to "Email" only
The Client's phone number MUST be missing or invalid. If the phone number is still valid, changing this Notification Preference will only change where their automated notifications deliver, not their 2-way messages.
Them (the Client) = Download the Hona Client App on another device (like an iPad) if possible to make messaging through Hona as easy accessible as texting
If your Client is having issues finding their messaging thread in their Client Portal, you can always use the Insert link to conversation messaging feature to send your Client a personalized link that will take them straight to the messaging thread in their Client Portal.
Can I create templates for messages I send to Clients all the time?
Can I create templates for messages I send to Clients all the time?
Yes, you absolutely can! Just keep in mind that Message Templates are visible to all Users in your Hona Business Org. To create a new Message Template, or access an existing one, follow these steps:
1. Select the (+) next to the messaging box.
2. This will open the following options:
3. Select Insert message template to see a full list of all message templates already created in your Hona Business Org, as well as a "(+) New Message Template" to create a new one.
To learn more about the best way to use Message Templates, visit 2-Way Messaging: Message Templates.
I need my team to review a certain Messaging thread with a Client. Is there a way I can mark the thread so they know which one it is?
I need my team to review a certain Messaging thread with a Client. Is there a way I can mark the thread so they know which one it is?
Yes! When you "flag" a messaging thread, that "flag" will appear next to the Client's name in the Conversations tab for all Business Users to see.
All your team would need to do is open the Conversations tab to see which Client's messaging threads have been flagged for review:
Can I delete a Client's Messaging thread?
Can I delete a Client's Messaging thread?
Yes and no. The messaging thread in Hona is just displaying information captured through Hona, and that information is stored inside of Hona's software. If your Hona Org is integrated with a CMS, the information in Hona is also automatically pushed into your CMS for permanent storage. If you are not integrated with a CMS, Hona still stores your data for the chance that want to integrate a CMS one day and push your existing data from Hona into that CMS. All of this is to ensure that you do not lose absolutely any Client communication data.
To "Archive" a messaging thread so it does not appear in the Hona Business interface, select the 3 grey dots in the top right hand corner of the messaging thread and select Archive. The thread will be automatically un-archived if you receive or send a message to the contact associated with the thread.
You can also use the Mark as spam button for any soliciting messages you receive.
We understand that there are situations where Businesses receive inappropriate messages or files that they want completely deleted out of their Hona data. If this is the case, please chat with our support team or reach out to [email protected] and they will be happy to take care of this for you.
Other important things to be aware of when 2-Way Messaging:
Other important things to be aware of when 2-Way Messaging:
There is a 1600 character limit.
Though you can see your Business User name in the Messaging thread on your end, most Clients will not use their Client Portal to respond, and will choose to respond directly via text. This means your personal name will not automatically appear next to the message that they see, and they will just see that they have received a message from [Your Law Firm's Name]. If it is important for your Client to know it is you texting them, and not the "law firm" in general, be sure to add your name into the message so your Client knows you are who is texting them.
The vast majority of the time, Clients are happy to not have to keep track of every single person who might be texting them from their legal team. That being said, this depends completely on your Business structure and how you manage Client relationships, so it's important to be aware to your Clients they will not see your personal name by default if they are using their phone to text you.
Any files over 5 MB will fail to deliver via SMS.
There are a few random file types that cannot be sent via SMS. If you think that this is the root of an issue you're experiencing, this guide here will show what file types are and aren't supported by our phone carrier. Refer to the "MMS" columns.
Any messages which fail to deliver via SMS (File too big, invalid number, etc) will automatically send via email. The Client will receive the Message notification in their email instead of via text, and they can open the notification and respond through the 2-Way Messaging directly in their Client Portal. This makes it so your Clients can still get a hold of you via Messaging, even if they do not have a mobile phone number or access to their mobile phone.
If any messages ultimately fail (meaning Hona could not deliver to a mobile number OR email), you will receive a notification detailing why. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
3. Verify your Notification Settings
Now that you know how to 2-Way Message in Hona, the only thing you need to worry about is whether your Notification Settings are configured correctly. Double-checking your Notification Settings now means you will not have to remedy any issues experienced by missing incoming Client messages.
To learn how to configure these notifications, please visit How to Configure Business User Notification Settings.
Every Hona Business User in your Org has their own Notification Settings. Why is this important?
Every Hona Business User in your Org has their own Notification Settings. Why is this important?
If you open a Messaging Notification, it will only clear the Notification for you, not your whole team. The notification you see in Hona for the number of "Unread Messages" you have indicates the number of unread messages you personally haven't read, it is not an indicator of whether the message has been opened or responded to by anyone at your Business. Notifying this way ensures:
Everyone on your team is seeing new messages AND verifying response.
You do not need to worry about taking every steps to notify team members when you "accidentally open a message but aren't the one who needs to respond."
Other messaging services have notifications which are Business-General and not User-Specific, so it's important this distinction makes sense. But what else should you be aware of?
Having your own Notification Settings allows you full control over the notifications you do or do not want to receive based on the responsibilities you fulfill at your Business. You can change them at any time if your responsibilities change.
No one can set or change these settings for you. If you are not getting the right notifications, you can reach out to your Business Admin for instructions from them, but they will not be able to change them for you.
Conclusion
By using Hona’s 2-Way Messaging, your Business can streamline Client communication, keep conversations tied to their case files, and reduce the need for back-and-forth communication across multiple platforms. From sending quick text updates to securely receiving files, Messaging keeps everything in one place for both you and your Clients. With these steps and best practices, you can feel confident that your Client communications are secure, organized, and easy to manage as part of your daily workflow.
For any questions or concerns, feel free to chat with our support team or reach out to [email protected].