Most jobs on Graft are settled in a conversation. A client describes the problem, a worker asks a few questions, they agree a price, and the work starts. Until now that conversation could only carry words, and you could never be sure whether the other person had even seen your message. That has changed. Chat now tells you exactly where each message is, and it lets you send a photo, a document or your location.

The short version. Every message you send shows a small mark beside the time. A clock means it is still leaving your phone. One tick means Graft has it. Two ticks mean it has reached the other person. Two blue ticks mean they have opened it. You can also tap the paperclip to send a photo, a PDF or Word file, or the place where you are standing right now.

What the ticks mean

If you have ever used WhatsApp you already know how to read these. They work the same way on the Graft app and on graft.co.zw.

  • A clock. Your message has not left your phone yet. This is normal when the signal is weak. Graft keeps the message safe on your phone and sends it as soon as you are back online, so you do not need to type it again.
  • One tick. Sent. Graft has your message and it is waiting for the other person.
  • Two grey ticks. Delivered. The message has reached the other person's phone or browser.
  • Two blue ticks. Read. They have opened the conversation and seen it.

One thing worth knowing: a message counts as delivered once the other person has Graft open or running on their phone, or open in a browser. If they have switched their phone off, or they have not opened Graft since you wrote, you will see one tick until they do. That does not mean it failed. It means it is waiting for them, and they will get a notification.

Sending a photo, a file or your location

Tap the paperclip next to the message box. On the app you will see four choices, and on the website three.

  • Take a photo or choose one from your gallery. Graft shrinks the picture before it sends, so a photo from a modern phone camera uses a small fraction of the data it would normally take. The other person can tap it to see it full screen.
  • Send a document. PDF, Word (.doc and .docx), up to 10 MB. Good for a quote, a plan, a certificate or a list of materials.
  • Share your location. Graft finds where you are, shows you the position, and asks you to confirm before anything is sent. The other person gets a card they can tap to open the spot in Maps.

Your phone or browser will ask for permission to use your location the first time. You can say no and still use everything else in chat. On newer Android phones you can also choose to share only an approximate location with the app.

If you are a client with a job posted

A job description can only say so much. A photo says the rest, and it is the fastest way to get an accurate price.

  • Show the problem. A leaking pipe, a cracked wall, a broken gate, the room that needs painting. Send a photo in chat and the worker can tell you straight away whether it is a quick fix or a bigger job, instead of guessing.
  • Send the details. A floor plan, a list of what you need or a supplier quote as a PDF or Word file, so nothing is lost in a long message.
  • Share where the job is. Instead of trying to explain directions, send your location once you have chosen who you are working with. The worker taps it and their phone shows them the way.
  • Know they saw it. Two blue ticks tell you a worker has read your message. If you have waited a day and still see one tick, they may simply not have opened Graft yet, and you can message another worker who replied to your job.

When you are ready to hire, you still do it on Graft. The price you agree in chat becomes the job, you pay through Graft, and the money is held until the work is done. Photos and files in the chat stay with the conversation, so if there is ever a disagreement about what was promised, what was shown is on record.

If you are a worker with a profile

Your profile is how a client finds you. Chat is where they decide. Photos and files make that decision easier, and they make you look like someone who takes the work seriously.

  • Send a quote they can keep. A short PDF or Word quote with your price and what it covers looks professional and is easy to refer back to.
  • Show your work. After you have won a job, send a photo of progress or of the finished work. Clients feel looked after, and a happy client is a review waiting to happen.
  • Say when you are there. Send your location on the way so the client can see you are close. It saves phone calls and stops the "where are you?" messages.
  • See who is reading. Blue ticks tell you a client has read your quote. Workers who reply quickly get hired more often, so when you see the ticks turn blue, that is the moment to follow up.

Your rating, your reviews and your verified tick sit at the top of every conversation, so the client can see who they are talking to. Clients who see a verified worker with real reviews and a clear quote are far more likely to say yes.

Who can send what

The very first message to someone you have not worked with is always plain words, and it goes as a message request that they accept before you can chat further. Photos, files and locations unlock once you are both chatting. This is deliberate. It stops strangers sending unwanted pictures, and it means you only receive files from people you have chosen to talk to.

Is it private and safe?

Files and photos are stored privately. Only the person who sent a file and the person it was sent to can open it. The links that show them expire after an hour and are created only for those two people. If a dispute is raised on a job, Graft staff reviewing that case can see what was sent, which is part of how we can be fair.

Two habits will keep you safe:

  • Share your location only with someone you are working with, and think before sharing your home. If you would rather not send your exact position, describe the area in words instead.
  • Keep the deal on Graft. Phone numbers and other contact details typed in a message are blocked, because staying on Graft is what protects your money and lets us step in if something goes wrong. Please do not use photos or files to get around that. If someone asks you to move the conversation or the payment off Graft, say no and report it from the menu at the top of the chat.

How to get it

On the website it is already there, just open any conversation. On the Android app, update to version 2.4.50 or later from the download page. If the person you are talking to has not updated yet, they will see a photo you send as a short "Photo" label instead of the picture until they do, so if they seem confused, ask them to update.

Questions or something not working? Tell us from the Help page and we will sort it out.