How do I know I have a new message in the Scalus App?

In the Scalus App at my.scalus.app, a line saying how many messages are unread sits above the first one you haven't seen. If you're scrolled up when I reply, the button that jumps to the latest message shows a red count, and on a computer the app's browser tab shows the number too.

Will the helper arrows show every time I open the app?

No. They show the first time you use the app, and you can skip them at any time. Once you've been through them or skipped them, you won't see them again.

Feature · The Scalus App

Never miss a reply in the Scalus App

Q: What if I never open a message?

Opening the chat is what marks a message as read. Having the app open in a background tab doesn't count, so if nobody on your account has opened the chat since, you still get my usual reminder.

11 October 2026 · 2 min read · Tim McCartney

Three screens of the Scalus App: an unread messages line, a red count on the jump to latest button, and a helper arrow pointing to the call button

Clients send me their website changes in the Scalus App, so every request and every reply sits in one thread and nothing gets lost in a group chat. One thing was missing. In any messaging app you can see at a glance when someone has written back. The Scalus App couldn't show you that, so a reply from me could sit there unnoticed.

A reply from me should never sit there unnoticed.

What you'll see now

An unread line. "2 unread messages" sits above the first reply of mine you haven't seen. It stays put while you read and goes away once you reply.
A red count. If you're scrolled up when I write back, the button that jumps to the latest message shows a red number.
A count in the tab. On a computer, with the app open in a tab, that tab shows the number, like "(2) Scalus App", so a new reply shows in the tab while you work elsewhere.
Updates in order. If I've sent a long run of updates, the chat opens at the first one you haven't read, not at the bottom.
Three arrows for anyone new. On your first visit, one points to the message box, one to the menu where your settings live, and one to the call button. Tap anywhere to move on, or tap Skip. Once you've finished or skipped them, they don't come back.

Only opening the chat marks a message as read. Having the app open in a background tab doesn't count, so if nobody on your account has opened the chat since, you still get my usual reminder.

The unread line, the red count and the tab count are live now for every client who opens the Scalus App at my.scalus.app. The arrows are for people opening it for the first time, so if you already use the app, you won't see them. The screenshots above are the real app, shown with a made up business.