If you’ve used Nova during an operation, you probably know PubSub, the real-time chat you open with the / key. It’s built for quick back-and-forth, but nothing in it lasts: threads aren’t saved, and messages clear themselves. When your team needs something that sticks, there’s Commenting, found in the toolbar at the top of your screen.

In this Just Ask Jake, we’ll cover:

• What Commenting is and why it matters

• How to place and write a comment

• Tagging teammates, adding emojis, and attaching photos

• Finding your comments and tags

Why It Matters

Comments put your notes on the map, right at the spot they’re about. You might be flagging a hotspot, marking evidence, or pointing out a road closure. Either way, the note stays pinned to that location, and it stays there. Aerial crews, ground units, and command back at the office can all follow the same conversation and work from the same picture.

Placing a Comment

Select Comment from the top toolbar, then click anywhere on the map to drop it. There’s no character limit, so write as much or as little as the situation needs.

Emojis, Tags, and Photos

Once a comment is placed, you have three ways to make it more useful:

• Emojis: Open them from the bottom-left corner of the comment box for quick reactions or visual markers.

• Tags: Use @ to tag anyone in your workspace. They’ll get a notification and can jump straight to the comment on the map.

• Photos: Attach images to show exactly what you mean. This is especially helpful for documenting evidence or ground conditions.

Jake’s Tip: Tag the person who needs to act on a finding. Don’t count on someone spotting it. It’s the fastest way to get the right eyes on the right spot.

Finding Your Comments

Every comment, including the ones you’ve been tagged in, shows up in the panel on the right side of your screen. Click any comment to go straight to its location on the map.

Final Thoughts

Commenting turns your map into a shared workspace. Messages don’t disappear. Your team builds a lasting record of what it found, pinned to where it found it, so everyone stays connected when it matters most.

Got a question you’d like Jake to answer? Send it our way and it could be featured in an upcoming edition.