Customer messages

[CJH]

My shop (in 1.7.7.3) has magazine subscriptions, but the invoice does not show the last issue of what has been paid for. I would like to record the ending in the customer account, so the customer has a reference.

So far, I have used the Customer Message and added a note tailored to the subscription (by also clicking on 'Display to customer'. Two things happen:

1. The message is saved and an email goes to the customer. Is there a way to save the message in the customer Account, but not send the email?

2. In Dashboard, this always displays a 'new message' - the one I just sent, so I have to go to messages and change it to handled to remove the flag. Is there a way to stop my own message triggering a 'new message' flag that I have to cancel?