> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.timetracker.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Inbox

> Read your in-app notifications from the bell in TimeTracker: unread counts, marking as read, where each row takes you, and what the Inbox is not.

The Inbox is where your in-app notifications land. Open it from the **bell** in
the top bar.

<Warning>
  **The Inbox is notifications only.** It is not a task inbox and never holds work.
  Your assigned tasks live under [My tasks](/tasks/my-tasks).
</Warning>

## What is in the Inbox?

One row per notification you received – a task assigned to you, a timesheet
approved, an invoice gone overdue. Newest first.

A row appears here only when **in-app** is one of your channels for that
category. If you switched in-app off and left email on, you get the email and
nothing in the bell.

## Opening it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click the bell">
    It sits in the top bar of every workspace screen.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read the list">
    The panel shows your most recent notifications, newest first.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click a row">
    The row is marked read and you are taken to the thing it is about.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The unread badge

A small count sits on the bell whenever you have unread notifications.

| What you see | What it means                  |
| ------------ | ------------------------------ |
| No badge     | Nothing unread                 |
| A number     | That many unread notifications |
| **99+**      | More than 99 unread            |

The badge disappears completely at zero. It never shows a `0`.

## What each row shows

| Part      | What it is                                                                                         |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Icon**  | A small tile hinting at the kind of thing – an invoice, a comment, a task, a timesheet             |
| **Title** | What happened. Bold while unread, muted once read.                                                 |
| **Body**  | One or two lines of detail. Long text is trimmed to two lines.                                     |
| **Time**  | A relative time such as "5 minutes ago" or "2 hours ago". Anything older than 3 days shows a date. |
| **Dot**   | A dot on the right marks the row unread. Hovering turns it into an arrow.                          |

## Where a row takes you

Clicking a row marks it read and then opens the item.

| Notification about  | Takes you to             |
| ------------------- | ------------------------ |
| An invoice          | That invoice             |
| A project           | That project             |
| A task or a comment | That project's task list |
| A timesheet         | Your time screen         |
| An export           | Reports                  |

A few notifications are information only and do not navigate anywhere. They are
still marked read when you click them.

## Marking things read

| Action               | How                                                  |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Mark one read        | Click the row. It marks read on the way to the item. |
| Mark everything read | Click **Mark all read** in the panel header          |

**Mark all read** only appears when you actually have unread notifications.

<Note>
  There is no way to delete a notification, and no unread filter. Rows age out on
  their own – see Retention below.
</Note>

## How many rows you see

The panel holds your most recent **50** notifications. There is no "load more".
Anything older has scrolled off, but the work itself is untouched – notifications
are a signal, not a record.

## Empty state

When you have nothing waiting, the panel reads:

> **You're all caught up**
> New activity will appear here.

## Retention

Notifications do not stay forever.

| Type                        | Kept for |
| --------------------------- | -------- |
| Security alerts             | 365 days |
| Most notifications          | 90 days  |
| Exports and daily reminders | 30 days  |

Removing an old notification never touches the task, timesheet or invoice it
described.

## Example

Sarah Lin opens TimeTracker on Monday morning. Her bell shows **4**.

| Row                                                  | Where it goes                 |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| "Priya Raman approved your timesheet"                | Her time screen               |
| "Jonas Bergman mentioned you on Homepage wireframes" | The Bluebird Coffee task list |
| "Task assigned: Style guide review"                  | The Bluebird Coffee task list |
| "Your day – 3 tasks due today"                       | Her daily reminder            |

She clicks the first three, which marks each read as she goes. She clicks **Mark
all read** to clear the last one. The badge disappears.

Note what is *not* there: Sarah submitted her own timesheet last Friday, and she
was not notified about that. She did it.

## Permissions

Your Inbox is yours. There is no capability to read someone else's, and no way
to see another person's notifications from any screen.

| Action                  | Capability | Roles    |
| ----------------------- | ---------- | -------- |
| Read your own Inbox     | None       | Everyone |
| Mark your own rows read | None       | Everyone |

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is there a full-page Inbox?">
    No. The bell panel is the whole Inbox. The **View all notifications** button
    at the bottom of the panel takes you to notification settings, not to a
    longer list.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I filter to unread only?">
    No. Unread rows are visually distinct – bold title and a dot on the right –
    but there is no filter.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I delete a notification?">
    No. Marking read is the only action. Rows age out on their own.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is my Inbox empty when I am getting emails?">
    Your in-app channel is off for those categories. Turn it back on from your
    profile's **Notifications** tab. See
    [Your notification settings](/notifications/your-notification-settings).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why did nothing arrive when I finished a task?">
    You are excluded from notifications about your own actions. The task's other
    watchers heard about it. You did not, because you already knew.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can my manager see my Inbox?">
    No. Notifications are per person and nobody can read yours.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

**The badge shows a number but the panel looks empty.** Refresh the page. If it
persists, one of your unread rows is older than the 50 the panel holds.

**Rows appear but clicking does nothing.** Some notifications are information
only and have nothing to open. They still mark read.

**I get emails but no Inbox rows.** That is a channel setting, not a bug. Turn
in-app back on for that category.

**I get nothing at all.** Check whether you were the person who performed the
action. See [Notifications overview](/notifications/overview).

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Notifications overview" icon="bell" href="/notifications/overview">
    How the notification system fits together.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Your notification settings" icon="sliders" href="/notifications/your-notification-settings">
    Choose what reaches you, and on which channel.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Notification types" icon="list" href="/notifications/notification-types">
    Every notification, its trigger, and its recipients.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Email notifications" icon="envelope" href="/notifications/email-notifications">
    What emails look like and how delivery works.
  </Card>

  <Card title="My tasks" icon="square-check" href="/tasks/my-tasks">
    Your actual work. This is not the Inbox.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reminders" icon="alarm-clock" href="/notifications/reminders">
    The daily checks and how to schedule them.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>