Communications
Create & send messages and manage your mailbox
In ePractice click on Secure Messaging from the main left-hand menu. In VEDA click on the Messaging tab. A separate screen will open, defaulted to your Secure Messaging Inbox – you can keep this open in the background while you’re logged in. The menu bar is found on the left-hand side.
If you haven’t already done so, it’s worth setting up your Secure Messaging to suit your needs and guidance on how to do that is found here. Our guide on the Global Directory tells you how to find the person you want to message, including saving contacts in your personal directory, My Contacts.
When you first open Secure Messaging the screen is defaulted to Messages > INBOX. Here you can check and read any incoming messages or click on your SENT folder, to review those you’ve sent.
Write a message
There are a few ways you can start.
- Click Compose Message on the menu
- Click Compose from your INBOX
- Highlight a contact from My Contacts and click Send Message
The New Message pop-out screen will appear. For the first two options listed above you’ll need to find the person you want to send the message to. Simply follow these steps:
- Click the To… button to open the Select Recipient(s) screen – this will show you a list of contacts from your personal directory or you can use the Search For: box at the top of the pane to look in the Global Directory; you can search using a name (first or surname) or organisation
- Highlight the person you want to add or, to add multiple people at the same time hold down the Ctrl key and highlight all of them before clicking Continue >>
- Repeat this process to add more recipients
- To remove someone from the list, click the To… button again and remove the tick next to their name in the Existing Recipients box – click Continue >>
You can now enter the Subject and Message, just like any email application. You can also attach files from your device by clicking Choose file. When you’re ready click Send.
Managing your Mailbox
When you get a new message your INBOX will be bold with the number of new messages received in brackets – in Message Settings you can also set up a notification email that’s sent to your regular email address when you receive a new message.
Double-click the message and a pop-out screen will open showing you the message and any attachments.
Creating a new folder
To help keep you organised it’s easy to create new folders to store both your received and sent messages. Click Add – this is found on the left-hand side above the menu and just below your current folders. Type what you want the folder to be called and click Create. If you try to use a name that’s already in use, you’ll be given a warning and will have to call it something else.
Renaming a folder
Any folder you’ve added can be renamed – you can’t rename the INBOX, SENT or Recovered from Archive folders. Click on the folder you want to rename – the name will change colour and the Rename icon will become available underneath the folder section. Click Rename and type the new name into the box that appears. Click Rename to save. If you try to use a name that’s already in use, you’ll be given a warning and will have to call it something else.
Deleting a folder
Any folder you’ve added can be deleted – you can’t delete the INBOX, SENT or Recovered from Archive folders. Click on the folder you want to delete – the name will change colour and the Delete icon will become available underneath the folder section. Click Delete – you’ll get a message to confirm that you want to delete the folder. Click OK to confirm and Cancel if you change your mind.
Moving a message
Make sure you’ve created some new folders. Open the folder you want to move a message from and select the message. Click Move in the top menu to open a pop-out box. Select the Folder Name from the drop-down list and click Move.
Want more support?
Our Service Delivery Associates at the Healthcode Academy offer a 20-minute module to take you through everything. This one’s for you if you use ePractice Lite and Pro and this one’s for VEDA users.
