Work in the Inbox
Daily inbox work means reading thread history, composing accurate replies, and closing loops on customer conversations. The Inbox thread view combines message history, contact context, and action toolbar in one screen. Whether you are answering email, continuing a WhatsApp chat, or following up on a logged call, the compose area and thread actions follow the same pattern: read, respond, assign ownership if needed, defer with Snooze, or Close when done. This guide covers compose controls, scheduling, and the full More menu so reps handle threads consistently without leaving the CRM.
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Who can do this
Users with inbox view and send permissions. Assign, Close, and deal creation require additional module permissions per your role.
Before you begin
- Inbox overview understood—know your folder and channel tab
- Integration connected and credits available for outbound channels
- Contact linked to thread (link manually from side panel if missing)
What you'll accomplish
- You can compose and send Reply or Forward messages
- You can Schedule send for off-hours delivery
- You can Assign, Snooze, Close, and use More actions confidently
- Activity appears on the contact timeline after send
Step-by-step procedure
Open and read a thread
- From any inbox folder (
/inbox/inbox,/inbox/assigned, etc.), click a thread row. - Scroll message history—note channel icon (Email, WhatsApp, Calls, SMS).
- Review the linked Contact panel: name, phone, email, open deals, recent notes.
- If contact is missing, search and link from the thread header before replying.
Compose and send
The compose bar supports these primary controls:
| Control | Use when |
|---|---|
| Reply | Respond in-thread to the customer |
| Forward | Send to an external address or teammate outside the thread |
| Send | Deliver immediately after drafting |
| Schedule send | Queue delivery for a future date/time |
- Click Reply (or Forward if escalating externally).
- Draft message; attach files if the channel supports attachments.
- Use AI suggest or summarize if your workspace enables it—review before sending.
- Click Send for immediate delivery, or Schedule send to pick date/time.
- Confirm delivery indicator on the message bubble.
Thread actions
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Assign | Set or change owner; thread moves to assignee's Assigned folder |
| Snooze | Hide until reminder time; appears in Snoozed (/inbox/snoozed) |
| Close | Mark resolved; moves to Closed (/inbox/closed) |
| More | Submenu: Create deal, Hand off to AI, Reopen (on closed threads) |
- After resolving, click Close. If you need sales follow-up, use More → Create deal first.
- For AI-assisted handling, choose More → Hand off to AI—monitor in
/inbox/ai. - Log an internal note on the contact if context should not appear in the customer-facing thread.
Handoff and escalation patterns
When escalating: Assign to the specialist, add a brief internal note on the contact, and Snooze your copy if you need a reminder to verify completion. For revenue opportunities surfaced mid-conversation, More → Create deal links the opportunity without leaving the thread.
Verify your work
- Sent message visible in thread history and on contact timeline
- Schedule send appears in thread with pending indicator until delivered
- Assign updates owner; assignee sees thread under Assigned
- Close removes thread from active folders; Reopen via More restores it
Tips
Use Schedule send for replies drafted after hours—customers receive messages during business hours without you returning to the inbox. Pair Snooze with a calendar reminder for callbacks.
Troubleshooting
| Send fails | Check integration status, credits, and recipient address/number format | | Schedule send missing | Channel may not support scheduling—send immediately or use email | | No contact link | Open side panel → search contact → link before logging CRM activity | | Hand off to AI greyed out | AI module disabled or thread channel unsupported |