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Managing Conversations in Inbox

Managing conversations in the Inbox is key to staying organized and responsive across every channel. This article covers how to work with the conversation list, use the conversation window, send and manage messages, and use the message composer—based on Chatmaven’s Inbox interface.

Conversation list​

The conversation list is the main panel where you see all conversations with your contacts for the agent(s) you selected in the side panel. It gives you a quick overview of recent interactions so you can prioritize and open the right conversation. Combine the CONVERSATIONS views (All Conversations, Assigned to me, Unassigned, Favorites) with the toolbar above the list (Search, date range, filter funnel, Saved Filter, Reset, and favorites star when shown).

Scan before you open

The conversation list is where you see every thread for your current agent selection in one place. Switch views and read the row indicators to prioritize without opening each conversation.

The conversation list shows each conversation as one row. The Conversation indicators section below explains each part of a row so you can scan the list quickly—and add a screenshot per indicator when you document the UI.

Selecting a conversation​

By default, the list is filtered by the view you choose (e.g. All Conversations) and ordered by the newest messages first. Click a row to open that conversation; the selected conversation is highlighted (e.g. in blue or purple) in the list.

Conversation indicators​

Each row in the conversation list shows key details at a glance: who the contact is, what channel they used, the last message, bot or assignee context, recency, and status. Put image files in docs/assets/user-guides/inbox/indicators/ and uncomment the ![…](…) line under each heading (or adjust paths to match your filenames).

Avatar​

Circular icon with the contact’s initials (e.g. MT, KS, JJ, RK). A small grey circle at the bottom right of the avatar can indicate presence, assignment, or that the conversation is active.

Contact name​

Full name of the contact (e.g. Manoj test, Kalyani Sarode, Raj Kapoor).

Last message​

Truncated preview of the latest message, or No message yet. Lets you scan context without opening the thread.

Bot / agent label​

Often a robot icon and bot name (e.g. Bot3) under the preview—routing through that automated agent.

Assigned teammate​

When a human owns the thread, you may see their name (e.g. Bradd Agent) on the row so you can spot ownership at a glance.

Timestamp​

When the last activity occurred (e.g. 7d ago), shown at the top right of the row. For recent messages you may see time; for older ones, the date.

Channel icon​

D or speech bubble — direct / web chat. Red "M" — email. Other channels may use their own badges.

Status icon​

Orange clock on the bottom right of the row. Can indicate snoozed, pending follow-up, or active/unresolved status.

Use these indicators to decide which conversation to open and to see channel and bot context without opening the thread.

Quick actions from the conversation header​

When a conversation is open, the conversation header at the top of the main view lets you:

  • Add (+) — Opens Add Chat Tag for this conversation. Enter a tag name (for example high or low priority), then choose Add Tag. You can also add tags from the Contact sidebar under Tags using the + next to the section header.
  • Favorite — Use the star icon to mark the conversation as a favorite (it will appear under Favorites in the side panel).
  • Open — Use the Open dropdown to change status (e.g. close or snooze the conversation).
  • Assign — Use the Unassigned (or assignment) dropdown to assign the conversation to yourself or a teammate so your team knows who is handling it.
  • Sidebar toggle — Collapse or expand the right Contact / History / AI Copilot column for more thread space.

These actions help you organize and prioritize conversations in the Inbox. Step-by-step behavior for assignment, unassign, status (Open / Closed), and takeover is covered in Assigning and closing a conversation.

Conversation window​

The conversation window is the main area where you see the full chat with the contact and where you compose replies. It has three parts: the conversation header, the chat transcript, and the message composer.

Conversation header​

At the top of the open conversation you see:

  • Contact name and avatar (e.g. Guest #360).
  • Actions: Add (+) opens Add Chat Tag (type labels such as high or low, then Add Tag), Favorite (star), Open dropdown (e.g. close/snooze), Unassigned / assignment dropdown, and sidebar toggle for the right column.

Use the assignment dropdown to assign the conversation to yourself or a teammate.

Chat transcript​

Messages appear in chronological order. For each message you typically see:

  • Timestamp — Date and time of the message (e.g. Mar 1, 2026 10:32 PM).
  • Sender — For bot or AI messages, an AI badge (e.g. orange) appears next to the message.
  • Source — Bot messages can show where the answer came from (e.g. "Source: Facility knowledge base").

Scroll up to read older messages. The transcript helps you understand the full context before you reply.

Receiving messages​

New messages appear in the conversation list, and new contacts are unassigned by default. Open a conversation to see new messages in the transcript. Use the side panel views (Unassigned, Assigned to me) to focus on conversations that need attention.

Sending messages​

When you receive a message from a contact, you can reply in the message composer at the bottom of the conversation window.

Message composer​

The composer includes:

  • Channel selector — A dropdown to choose how you reply (e.g. Web Chat, Email SMTP, Google Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram), depending on what is connected for the contact.
  • Email-only fields — When an email channel is active: Subject, CC, and BCC appear above the body.
  • Text area — Type your message. The placeholder may show shortcuts: use / for templates, $ or {{ for variables, and : for emoji.
  • Templates — Opens a channel-specific panel (e.g. Templates – Email SMTP) with Search templates…, a list of templates, and Refresh.
  • Toolbar — Often includes Aa (text size/styles), Bold, Italic, link, emoji, attachments, Add comment (internal only), AI Enhance (magic wand) where enabled, and sometimes lightning or other shortcuts.
  • Summarize — Generate a summary of the conversation (e.g. for handoffs or notes); mirrors behavior in AI Copilot.
  • Send — Send the message (e.g. paper airplane icon).

Using templates, variables, and AI assistance in the composer helps you reply quickly and consistently.

Tips for replying​

  • Use / in the text box to insert templates.
  • Use $ or {{ to insert variables (e.g. contact name, custom fields).
  • Use : to pick emojis.
  • Use Add comment for internal notes instead of sending to the contact.
  • Use Summarize to create a short summary of the thread when closing or handing off.

Next steps​

You’ve seen how to manage conversations in the Inbox—from the conversation list and indicators to the conversation window and message composer. Continue with:

FAQ and troubleshooting​

I cannot close or reopen a thread.​

Permissions or status rules may block it. Some channels require a template or final customer message before close.

Internal notes visible to the customer?​

Verify you used the internal note field, not the public reply composer. When unsure, ask a peer to review before send.

Transfer to another team failed.​

Confirm the target inbox or user exists and accepts transfers. Busy or offline users may auto-decline per policy.