# Advanced search and admin bulk update options don't make sense for messages
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [3 בדצמבר, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730 "2016-12-03T01:36:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [3 בדצמבר, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/1 "2016-12-03T01:36:06Z")
When at some stage messaging gets more love and attention, here’s one feature that would be worth fixing. Repro:
- logged in as staff, go to advanced search and filter by “are in my messages”
- select the selection icon, select one or more messages
- select the admin wrench
- see bulk update options which are all oriented to discussion topics, not messages - see screenshot
Options I’d expect/hope to see here:
- move to inbox
- move to archive
- delete messages
- add users/groups to message
- remove users/groups from message
- change tags
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [13 בספטמבר, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/2 "2017-09-13T18:47:06Z")
@codinghorror here’s another example of a messaging bug, or functionality that doesn’t work as one might expect/desire.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [13 בספטמבר, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/3 "2017-09-13T19:16:52Z")
That is fine, but calling this a “bug” is _really_ a stretch.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [28 בפברואר, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/4 "2018-02-28T14:18:46Z")
I still think this is a bug - it came up again recently over [here](https://meta.discourse.org/t/feedback-on-feature-enabling-staff-to-add-tags-to-personal-messages/81576/6). It is possible to add messages to categories, unlist them and even archive them, which is chien bizarre.
The archive button is an especially weird one because it appends the “archived just now” to the message, but leaves it in the inbox.
I also can’t figure out how to unarchive it again now and what effect that will have. Will the non-staff person I am corresponding with not be able to reply anymore? Luckily I only did this with one message - does anyone know how I can fix this message so it is no longer archived?
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [28 בפברואר, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/5 "2018-02-28T19:49:14Z")
IIRC, last I knew when a message that has been moved to archive gets a new reply (not a small action) it gets moved back to inbox.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [28 בפברואר, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-search-and-admin-bulk-update-options-dont-make-sense-for-messages/53730/6 "2018-02-28T19:51:31Z")
thanks, but that doesn’t reflect what I see here. The message is in the inbox and never left it. I deleted the ARCHIVED JUST NOW message that was appended, but it still has a lock next to the title so I suspect it is locked as a topic would be locked and replies won’t be possible. I’ll try to test this with test users when I get a chance.