How to send a private message (PM) ?

qudtp
qudtp Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭
edited November 18 in Questions about using the Community?

I've wanted to message someone because we were communicating about something in a discussion, which was then closed before I had a chance to follow up with them.

Hunted around profiles and found nothing that would let me send a PM.

Found a note somewhere that there is a message icon next to the avatar in profile - but nope, it's not there.

I've searched and searched and searched and FINALLY found a discussion where these were referred to as "private messages" (not direct messages), and then finally found a note where it said they weren't available till you had 101 points. I have no idea how many points I have, nor do I really want to know or worry about such "achievements."

Is there some explanation about PMs in the faqs that I missed? If not, can you respond here and maybe also put up a nice answer somewhere where it would be readily found?

Thank you.

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Comments

  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Normally, you would click on a user's avatar or name and the pop-up showing information about them would have a clickable button to message them as shown on Quicken Kristina's pop-up.

    image.png

    Evidently, the user you want to message have their profile set to private like you do and do not want to be contacted.

    image.png

    Going private has both its good features and bad, you just have to live with the restrictions of your decision.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
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  • qudtp
    qudtp Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭

    That's helpful, thanks.

    Maybe if a member sets their own profile to private, they can't message anyone else, and maybe it takes some time for a change in the profile to take effect?

    Because, I went to my profile and enabled the one checkbox that looks important, but it hasn't yet made any difference as far as I can see.

    image.png

    I'm not seeing "This user's profile is private" on other names. But, I also don't see the Message button.

    This is all I see, no matter where I look:

    image.png
  • splasher
    splasher Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, yours isn't private any longer.

    image.png

    and mine shows as:

    image.png

    I have no idea why you don't see the same thing.

    Maybe one of the mods can chime in with a reason. I've flagged this thread for them to look at.

    -splasher using Q continuously since 1996
    - Subscription Quicken - Win11 and QW2013 - Win11
    -Questions? Check out the Quicken Windows FAQ list

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Hello @qudtp,

    Thank you for reaching out! When I check, I can see you currently have 39 points. To be able to send DMs/private messages, you need at least 101 points. For more information, please see this post about Community Ranks:

    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7849424/introducing-community-ranks

    I hope this helps!

    Quicken Kristina

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  • qudtp
    qudtp Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭

    Doesn't help enough, yet. There is no mention in that post that points are needed to send private messages. As I wrote above, I did stumble on that rule by following a breadtrail of older posts. And now even our experienced friend @splasher wasn't sure why I couldn't PM. AND, the rules aren't clear in any case, since splasher can evidently send me a PM. If splasher does do so, would I be allowed to respond??

    As I wrote above, it would be very helpful if there was a faq specifically on "How to send Private Messages (PM)" and explain how to send them, whether or not you need to have a public profile to send them and/or to receive them and/or to respond even if you can't send, and how many points you have to have to do any of these things, and then link to the faq where you explain how to gain those points.

    That is to say, all the instructions and rules.

    And meanwhile, since you closed the conversation where I had something to say in response to a particular member's comment, who was responding to me as we had been engaging in a back-and-forth, and I can't PM the member, I guess it means I need to post an actual new public thread and @ the member so they will know I am responding to them? That's awkward.

    Thanks for your consideration!

  • qudtp
    qudtp Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭
    edited October 18

    Oh - I do see the mention that you can PM starting at 101 points. Still, a faq specifically about private messaging would be helpful.

    I suppose I can only give "answers" to questions, but most topics are discussions, not questions. But frankly, all this just to PM someone seems excessive, unless there has been abuse of private messaging by newer users.

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Thank you for your reply,

    There is no mention in that post that points are needed to send private messages.

    The post does list it, although it's easy to miss.

    Screenshot 2025-10-18 at 1.17.56 PM.png

    If splasher does do so, would I be allowed to respond?

    Yes. While you cannot start a conversation using private messages, you can respond to private messages that are sent to you.

    As I wrote above, it would be very helpful if there was a faq specifically on "How to send Private Messages (PM)" and explain how to send them, whether or not you need to have a public profile to send them and/or to receive them and/or to respond even if you can't send, and how many points you have to have to do any of these things, and then link to the faq where you explain how to gain those points.

    Thank you for your feedback. I forwarded it to the proper channels.

    I guess it means I need to post an actual new public thread and @ the member so they will know I am responding to them ? That's awkward.

    It is awkward, but it is the way to respond to them since you're not yet able to send private messages.

    Thank you!

    Quicken Kristina

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  • Jim_Harman
    Jim_Harman Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 18

    @qudtp I understand your situation, where you want to continue a discussion that has been closed. Usually discussions are left open until a month or two has passed with no new comments. I think the Moderators try to keep the open discussions down to a reasonable number to make them easier to manage.

    But sometimes problems are uncommon or intermittent. Quite a while may pass before someone has anything to add, and in the meantime the discussion has been closed. I think in that case it is a good idea to start a new discussion, including a reference to the closed discussion, rather than using private messages. With private messages, the rest of the user community does not get an opportunity to learn from the ongoing discussion.

    QWin Premier subscription
  • qudtp
    qudtp Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭

    Thank you, Jim and Kristina.

    In this case, two really massive discussions about Fidelity were just closed, very understandably. Those two were "What's Going On Between Fidelity and Quicken" (with 587 comments, and is where the exchange took place that I wanted to reply further to), and "zzz-Fidelity Updates" (with 1.3K comments). The dialog I was involved with towards the end was also quite off-topic, having nothing to do with EWC+ migration problems with Fidelity. (Not my fault - the other user introduced the off-topic discussion.)

    I will start a new discussion soon.

    😀

This discussion has been closed.

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