The message filtering feature in eCourtDate allows you to quickly search and sort through your sent messages, making it easy to find specific outbound communications by date, type, recipient, and other criteria.

### Overview

Outbound message filters help you locate specific sent messages across your agency's communication history. You can combine multiple filters such as date range, subject, message type, creator, and direction to narrow results and find exactly the messages you need. This is especially useful for auditing, reporting, and following up on past communications.

### Prerequisites

- You must have Super Admin privileges to filter outbound messages
- Your agency must have sent at least one outbound message

### How-To Steps

#### How to Access the Messages Page

1. Click the **Messages** tab from the top navigation bar on your **Dashboard**.

![Messages tab on the dashboard](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/dashboard-messages-tab.png)

#### How to Apply Filters for Outbound Messages

1. Locate the **Search Messages** form on the **Messages** page.
2. Enter the criteria you want to filter by, such as:
   - **Date Range**: Select start and end dates to narrow your search window.
   - **Subject**: Enter keywords from the message subject line.
   - **Type**: Select the message type (text, email, or voice).
   - **Creator**: Select the user who created the message.
3. Select **Outbound** in the **Filters** dropdown list to limit results to sent messages.
4. Click the **Search Messages** button.

![Search outbound messages form](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/search-outbound-messages-form.png)

#### How to Review Search Results

1. After clicking **Search Messages**, review the list of messages matching your criteria.
2. Click on any message to view its full details, including delivery status and recipient information.
3. Adjust your filters and click **Search Messages** again to refine your results if needed.

### What to Expect

After clicking **Search Messages**, you see a list of outbound messages matching your selected criteria. Each result displays key details such as the recipient, message type, delivery status, and date sent. You can click on individual messages to view the full content and delivery history.

### Best Practices

- Use the **Date Range** filter to limit results to a specific time period, which speeds up your search and makes results more manageable.
- Combine multiple filters simultaneously to narrow your search when looking for a specific message.
- Use the **To** filter to search for all messages sent to a particular client or party.
- Export search results when you need to share message history for reporting or compliance purposes.
- Check delivery statuses regularly to identify and address any failed messages.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I use multiple filters simultaneously to refine my search?**
A: Yes. You can apply multiple filters at the same time to narrow your search and find messages that meet all of your criteria.

**Q: Can I search for outbound messages sent to a specific client?**
A: Yes. Use the **To** filter to search for messages sent to a particular client or party.

**Q: Can I filter by message delivery status?**
A: Yes. You can use the available status filters to find messages that were delivered, failed, opened, or are still pending.

**Q: Is there a limit to how far back I can search for messages?**
A: You can search for messages across your entire message history. Use the **Date Range** filter to specify the time period you want to search.

**Q: Can I export the search results?**
A: Yes. After running your search, you can export the filtered results for reporting and record-keeping purposes.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** No results appear after applying filters.
**Symptoms:** Clicking **Search Messages** returns an empty list even though messages were previously sent.
**Solution:** Verify that **Outbound** is selected in the **Filters** dropdown. Check that your date range includes the time period when the messages were sent. Try broadening your filters by removing one or more criteria to see if results appear.

**Issue:** Cannot access the Messages page or filters.
**Symptoms:** The **Messages** tab is not visible or the filter options are not available.
**Solution:** Confirm that your account has Super Admin privileges. Contact your agency administrator to verify your role and permissions under **Admin** > **Users** > **Roles**.

**Issue:** Search results include unexpected messages.
**Symptoms:** Results contain inbound messages or messages from other users.
**Solution:** Ensure that **Outbound** is specifically selected in the **Filters** dropdown. Double-check that other filter fields such as **Creator** or **Type** are set correctly.

### Related Articles

- [How to Send a One-off Message](/how-to-send-a-one-off-message)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Manage Events](/how-to-manage-events)
- [How to Upload a Flat File](/how-to-upload-a-flat-file)