Inbox overview
Inbox is the unified messaging hub where your team reads and responds to customer conversations across channels. Instead of switching between email clients, WhatsApp Business, and call logs, Inbox aggregates threads tied to CRM contacts in one workspace. Five sidebar folders organize work by ownership and lifecycle stage, while channel tabs let you focus on a single medium or view everything together. Understanding folder semantics and channel filters is the foundation for daily inbox hygiene—open the right queue first, then drill into threads using Work in the Inbox.
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Who can do this
Users with Inbox view permission. Send and assignment actions require additional inbox edit or assign permissions depending on your workspace role matrix.
Before you begin
- At least one messaging integration connected via Connect an integration (email domain, WhatsApp Business, SMS, or calling)
- You know your workspace canonical inbox URL and folder naming
- Billing settings reviewed if sending paid channels (SMS, WhatsApp, AI-assisted replies)
What you'll accomplish
- You can open each Inbox folder and understand what appears there
- You can filter threads by channel tab (All, Email, WhatsApp, Calls, SMS)
- You know which folder to start from for new work vs. deferred vs. completed items
- Unread counts and thread previews load without integration errors
Step-by-step procedure
Inbox folder routes
Use these exact sidebar destinations—each maps to a dedicated route:
| Folder | Route | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Inbox | /inbox/inbox | All incoming threads not yet assigned or triaged |
| Assigned | /inbox/assigned | Threads assigned to you or your team |
| AI | /inbox/ai | Items handed to AI or awaiting AI suggestion review |
| Snoozed | /inbox/snoozed | Deferred follow-ups that return on schedule |
| Closed | /inbox/closed | Resolved conversations kept for history |
Channel tabs
Above the thread list, switch channel tabs to narrow the view:
| Tab | Shows |
|---|---|
| All | Every channel in the current folder |
| Email threads only | |
| WhatsApp Business conversations | |
| Calls | Call-related threads and summaries |
| SMS | Text message threads |
Recommended daily workflow
- Open Inbox from the sidebar and land on
/inbox/inboxfor net-new items. - Scan unread badges on each folder—prioritize Assigned (
/inbox/assigned) for owned work. - Select a channel tab matching your current focus (e.g. WhatsApp during support hours).
- Click a thread to open the conversation pane; confirm the linked Contact on the right panel.
- Use row actions or the thread toolbar: Assign to route ownership, Snooze if waiting on the customer, Close when resolved. Open More for Create deal, Hand off to AI, or Reopen on closed threads.
- Check AI (
/inbox/ai) for AI-handled items needing human approval. - End of day: move stale open threads to Snoozed or Close so Inbox stays actionable.
How folders interact
Threads move between folders as status changes—they do not duplicate. A snoozed thread disappears from Inbox until its snooze expires, then reappears in the appropriate active folder. Closed threads remain searchable and can be Reopened via More when a customer replies again. Assignment changes ownership but does not automatically close the thread—use Assign when handing off to a teammate without resolving the issue.
Verify your work
- Each folder route loads threads appropriate to its label
- Channel tabs filter the list without changing folder membership
- Assign, Snooze, Close, and More actions reflect immediately after refresh
- Linked contact opens from the thread side panel
Tips
Start mornings in Assigned (/inbox/assigned) before Inbox (/inbox/inbox) so owned conversations get first response. Use All channel tab during triage, then switch to a single channel for focused blocks.
Troubleshooting
| Empty Inbox folder | Integration still syncing—wait 5–10 minutes or reconnect in Settings | | AI folder empty | No items handed to AI yet—use More → Hand off to AI on a thread | | Wrong channel in tab | Confirm integration status for that channel; check credits for SMS/WhatsApp | | Cannot Assign | Insufficient assign permission or thread already locked by automation |