Overview
Comms Hub is a messaging tool built into Redlist that keeps communication tied to the work it's about. Instead of tracking down conversations in email or a separate chat app, posts are created and stored directly on the route, asset, task, or work order they relate to. Posts support text, photos, and videos. Use statuses to track where each conversation stands and filter by status to stay focused on what needs attention.
Accessing the Comms Hub (Communication Hub)
From the navigation, click Communication
Comms Hub is also accessible directly from the records you work in every day:
On any asset profile, click the Communications tab to see all posts linked to that asset
On any route, click the Communications tab to see all posts linked to that route
How to Send a Message from Mobile
When a technician sends a message from inside a route, it is automatically tagged to that route — no manual tagging required.
Open an asset profile or a route in the mobile app
Tap the Comms Hub tab at the top
Tap New Post
Type your message
Optionally attach a photo (tap the camera icon and use the camera or photo library)
Optionally record a video (tap the video icon; maximum 30 seconds)
To notify a specific person, type @ followed by their name — they receive a push notification
Tap Post
The message is saved and visible to other teams immediately after syncing. New posts default to the default status automatically.
How to Reply from the Web App
From the navigation, click Communication, or open the relevant route or asset and click the Communications tab
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Find the post
Reply to any attached video or view photos directly in the thread by clicking the Reply button
Type a reply in the response field
Use @name to tag a specific person — they receive a push notification
Click Reply
How to Set or Change a Post's Status
Each post displays a status showing where that conversation currently stands. Statuses are updated manually — replies do not change the status automatically.
Locate the post in the Communication page
Click the status on the post (for example, Open)
Select the new status from the dropdown
The status updates immediately and is visible to anyone with access to the Comms Hub.
Note: All status changes are manual. Replying to a post does not change its status.
How to Bookmark a Post
Bookmarking a post saves it to your Bookmarked list in the left sidebar for quick access.
Locate the post in the Communication page
Click the bookmark icon on the post
To view all bookmarked posts, click Bookmarked Posts in the left sidebar
How to Filter the Comms Hub by Status
The standalone Comms Hub has a left sidebar that lets you filter the feed by status or view only bookmarked posts.
From the navigation, click Communication
In the left sidebar, click a status to filter the feed — for example, click Open to see only open posts
Click All Posts to return to the unfiltered view
Click Bookmarked Posts to see only posts you have bookmarked
Note: Other filters (by person, asset, route, or work order) are available separately and can be combined with status filtering.
How to Filter Posts by Status on a Record
On an asset profile or route, the Communications tab includes a status dropdown next to the search bar.
Open the asset profile or route
Click the Communications tab
Click the status dropdown (next to the search bar) and select the status you want to filter by
The tab shows only posts matching that status
How to Manage Statuses
Administrators can manage the statuses available in Comms Hub from the settings panel. Add, rename, reorder, or delete statuses to match how your team works — the status at the top of the list is the default and will be applied to every new post. The settings panel has two tabs: Customize Status for managing your status list, and Feed Setting for controlling what appears in the asset and work order feeds.
From the navigation, click Communication
In the left sidebar, click the settings icon (bottom left)
The Customize Status inspector panel opens
To add a status, enter a name and click Add Status
To rename a status, click the status name and edit it inline
To change a status color, click the color swatch next to the status name
To reorder statuses, drag rows into the preferred order — the top status becomes the default for new posts
To delete a status, click the trash icon — if that status has posts assigned to it, you are prompted to choose which remaining status those posts should move to before the deletion completes
Click Save Changes to apply — a "Statuses saved." confirmation appears and the panel closes
Note: You cannot delete all statuses. At least one must remain, and it becomes the default for new posts.
Note: If a status is deleted after posts have been assigned to it, those posts continue to display the old status name in italic gray (e.g., (Old Status)) so the history is preserved — the deleted status is simply no longer available to assign to new posts.
Understanding How Communication Is Linked and Preserved
Posts created from inside a route are automatically linked to that route. Posts that tag an asset are linked to that asset. These links are permanent:
Open a route → click its Communications tab → see every post ever sent about that route
Open an asset profile → click its Communications tab → see every post ever tagged to that asset, regardless of when it was sent or who sent it
This historical record does not disappear when team members change or when devices are replaced. It is the long-term record of what happened, what was said, and what was resolved — attached to the equipment itself.
Use Cases / Examples
Use Case 1: Reporting a leak in the field
A technician spots a leak on a pump during a route. From the route's Comms Hub tab, they post a 15-second video with a brief note. The post is automatically tagged to the route and assigned an Open status. The maintenance manager sees it on the web, watches the video, replies with instructions, and changes the status to In Progress. Once the repair is scheduled, the status moves to Resolved.
Use Case 2: Staying on top of open conversations
A reliability engineer starts each week by opening the Comms Hub and filtering to Open. Every unresolved conversation is visible in one view — no scrolling through old resolved threads. They work through the list, respond where needed, and update statuses as issues are addressed.
Use Case 3: Tracking recurring issues on an asset
A manager notices a pump showing a familiar problem. They open the pump's Communications tab and find every post ever created on that asset — including what was done the last time the same issue came up — without sending a single email or tracking down the original technician.
Use Case 4: End-of-shift handoff
A day-shift technician finishes most of a route but cannot complete two tasks due to equipment access. They post a note from the task's Comms Hub tab, tagging the night-shift supervisor. The supervisor sees it filtered under Open, assigns the remaining tasks, replies to confirm, and moves the post to Resolved once handled.
Best Practices
Update Statuses to Keep the Feed Actionable: Mark posts as In Progress or Resolved as conversations move forward.
Post from Inside the Route or Asset: Starting a post from within a route or asset automatically tags it, making it searchable from the Communications tab without any extra steps.
Use Video for Issues That Are Hard to Describe: A video of a leaking seal or a vibrating motor conveys more than a paragraph of text. Attach video when the issue has a visual component.
Tag Assets on Every Issue Post: Even when posting from a route, explicitly tag the relevant asset so the post appears in that asset's permanent history — not just in the route's thread.
Use @mentions to Drive Action: A post without a mention is informational. A post with an @mention sends a notification and creates accountability — the named person knows they need to respond.
Bookmark High-Priority Threads: Use bookmarks to surface posts that need follow-up. The Bookmarked list gives you a personal shortlist without changing what others see.
Troubleshooting
Issue: Cannot find a message sent about a specific asset or route
Solution:
Open the asset profile in the web app and click the Communications tab — all posts ever tagged to that asset appear there regardless of when they were sent
Open the route and click the Communications tab to see all posts tagged to that route
From the main Comms Hub, remove any active status filter (click All Posts in the left sidebar) and use other filters (person, asset, route, or work order) to locate the post
Summary
Comms Hub keeps all maintenance communication attached to the routes, assets, tasks, and work orders it relates to. Technicians post text, photos, and videos from the mobile app and posts are automatically assigned a default status. Teams manage conversations using statuses, filter the feed by status, and use bookmarks to track priority threads. All posts are permanently stored and searchable from the Communications tab on any asset or route profile.