How do I use the shared inbox?

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Using our shared inbox allows your team members to see and respond to messages responses from customers from various channels. Learn what tools are available and how to use them to fully engage. Available for Customer Engagement and Contact Center customers.

Before you begin:

You must have the Team member role in Customer Engagement or the Agent role in Contact Center to access the shared inbox
A manager or admin must complete at least one of the following channels before team members can use and respond to messages in the shared inbox:
- Set up a text campaign — Customer Engagement only
- Set up an inbox queue — Contact Center only
- Set up a webchat on your website
- Set up a Facebook business account
- Set up an Instagram business account
- Set up WhatsApp

Customer Engagement

Sign in to our GoTo desktop or web app.
From the left navigation menu, select Inbox.
Note: To customize your shared inbox settings, please refer to Change inbox settings.

Create chats

(1) Use the + Create button to create a:
- New conversation: Send a message to a shared contact. All responses will appear in Conversations within the Shared inbox.
  Restriction: New WhatsApp conversations cannot be created. You can either reply to an ongoing conversation or start a new conversations via SMS instead.
- New text message: Send a message to private contacts. All responses will appear under My texting number(s).
- New direct chat: Send a direct chat to your team members. All responses will appear under Direct chats.
- New team chat: Create a new team chat with team members in your organization. All responses will appear under Team chats.
(8) Allows you to create a new conversation within the selected channel.

Channels

(2) This area will show a list of all the shared inboxes the user is assigned to. You will see the name(s) of the inbox and the channels the inbox is connected to, such as SMS/MMS messages, including campaign replies, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Webchat. When a channel is selected, only messages from that channel will appear.
(3) Lists all your private messages from your personal texting number(s). When a phone number channel is selected, only messages from that phone number will appear.
(4) Shows a list of your favorite contacts.
(5) Shows a list of all your direct chats.
(6) Shows a list of all your team chats.

Sort and filter

Note: Depending on whether your manager has enabled or disabled assignment mode in the shared inbox, you may or may not see all the following sort and filter options.

(7) Use the shared inbox drop-down to filter chats by a channel or phone number.
(9) The Open tab shows a list of all ongoing conversations that have not been marked as "closed". You can filter conversations in the following ways:
- Me: Filters the list to show messages assigned to the logged-in user.
- Others: Filters the list to show messages assigned to other team members. To assign the conversation, select Assign to me. The previous team member will be notified that the conversation was reassigned to a team member.
- Unassigned: Filters the list to show messages that have not been assigned to a team member. To assign a conversation, select Assign to me.
- Assigned to me: Filters the list to show messages that are assigned to the logged in user.
- Conversations with me: A list that displays all conversations the current user has participated in.
(10) The Closed tab shows a list of all messages that are completed and have been marked as "closed".
(11) The Archived tab shows messages that were previously exchanged on a phone number before it was added to the shared inbox. This view will display a list of all the messages that were originally associated with that phone number's private inbox.
(12) Filter your chats:
- All: A list of all messages.
- Unread: A list of all unread messages.
- Archived: A list of all completed and archived messages.
(13) Sort your chats:
- Recent conversations: Messages with the most recent creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Oldest conversations: Messages with the oldest creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Recent messages: Messages with the most recent reply appear at the top.
- Oldest messages: Messages with the oldest reply appear at the top.
  Note: When using the Recent messages or Oldest messages sorting options, any empty conversations will appear at the top of the list.
- Recent: Messages with the most recent creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Oldest: Messages with the oldest creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.

Engage with chats

(15) Use Assign or Assign to me to assign a chat:
Note: You may or may not see these options depending if your manager has enabled or disabled assignment mode in the shared inbox.
- Team members: Select Assign to me to assign yourself a chat.
- Mangers: Select the Assign or Assigned to [name] drop-down to assign or unassign a chat to/from yourself or to/from another team member.
  Note: This feature may not be included in your plan. Please contact your sales rep for more information on the GoTo Customer Engagement plans, included features, and pricing.
(16) Mark a conversation as "closed".

(18) Engage with chats. Choose from:

Action	Description
To use Message Assistant — Customer Engagement only	Select the icon. Choose from one of the following options: Suggestions: Generate a customized response based on the customer's conversation history. Checkmark which messages from the conversation you would like Message Assistant to generate a response to. Generate: Generate a customized message by telling the Message Assistant AI what you are trying to communicate and which tone to use. Notice: By enabling Message Assistant, you understand and agree the use of this feature is subject to the GoTo AI Terms.
To send a survey	Select the icon.
Pre-written messages	Note: This feature may not be included in your plan. Please contact your sales rep for more information on the GoTo Customer Engagement plans, included features, and pricing. Select to use a pre-written message for quick responses. Or type the key phrase to populate the pre-written message. Note: Pre-written messages created by a Manager are shared among all team members who have access to the shared inbox.
To send an attachment	Select the icon. Tip: MMS files include images, pdfs, etc. Please refer to Which file types are supported for MMS? for more information on file size limitations and supported file types.
To use emojis	Select the icon.
To organize your conversations	Select +Add tag.

Contact information and history

(11) The Archived tab shows messages that were previously exchanged on a phone number before it was added to the shared inbox. This view will display a list of all the messages that were originally associated with that phone number's private inbox.
(14) Select the contact drop-down and choose what you would like to do:
Note: Contacts that have not been linked yet will appear as a phone number. For more information on how to link a contact, refer to How do I add a contact's information to a call or chat?.
- View the contact's information (See (20) for editing a contact)
- View conversation history
- Start a meeting with the contact
- Opt-out the contact from SMS/MMS messages from your organization
- Create a new contact (unlinked contacts only)
- Search for a contact (unlinked contacts only)
(17) View a contact's conversation history.
(19) Side panel appears when you view a contact's information or conversation history.
(20) Edit the contact's information.

Contact Center

Sign in to our GoTo desktop or web app.
From the left navigation menu, select Inbox.
Note: For instructions on how to customize your shared inbox settings, view here.

Create chats

(1) Use the + Create button to create a:
- New text message: Send a message to private contacts. All responses will appear under My texting number.
- New direct chat: Send a direct chat to your team members. All responses will appear under Direct chats.
- New team chat: Create a new team chat with team members in your organization. All responses will appear under Team chats.

Channels

(2) The inbox queue or shared inbox name(s).
(3) Shows the different types channels within each inbox queue and shared inbox, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Webchat. When a channel is selected, only messages from that channel will appear.
(4) Shows a list of all your favorite contacts.
(5) Shows a list of all your direct chats.
(6) Shows a list of all your team chats.

Log in and out of inbox queues

(7) Change your status for all inbox queues you are assigned to.

Sort and filter

(8) Use the drop-down to filter an inbox queue by a channel or phone number.
(9) The Open tab shows a list of all ongoing conversations that have not been marked as "closed". You can filter conversations in the following ways:
- Me: Filters the list to show messages assigned to the logged-in user.
- Unassigned: Filters the list to show messages that have not been assigned to a team member. To assign a conversation, select Assign to me.
(10) The Closed tab shows a list of all messages that are completed and have been marked as "closed".
(11) The Archived tab shows messages that were previously exchanged on a phone number before it was added to the shared inbox. This view will display a list of all the messages that were originally associated with that phone number's private inbox.
(12) Filter your chats:
- All: A list of all messages.
- Unread: A list of all unread messages.
(13) Sort your chats:
- Recent conversations: Messages with the most recent creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Oldest conversations: Messages with the oldest creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Recent messages: Messages with the most recent reply appear at the top.
- Oldest messages: Messages with the oldest reply appear at the top.
  Note: When using the Recent messages or Oldest messages sorting options, any empty conversations will appear at the top of the list.
- Recent: Messages with the most recent creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.
- Oldest: Messages with the oldest creation or closed date and time will appear at the top.

Engage with chats

(15) Mark a conversation as "closed".

(17) Engage with chats. Choose from:

Action	Description
To send a survey	Select the icon.
Pre-written messages	Select to use a pre-written message for quick responses. Or type the key phrase to populate the pre-written message. Note: Pre-written messages are shared among all team members who have access to the shared inbox.
To send an attachment	Select the icon. Tip: MMS files include images, pdfs, etc. Please refer to Which file types are supported for MMS? for more information on file size limitations and supported file types.
To use emojis	Select the icon.
To organize your conversations	Select +Add tag.

Contact information and history

(11) The Archived tab shows messages that were previously exchanged on a phone number before it was added to the shared inbox. This view will display a list of all the messages that were originally associated with that phone number's private inbox.
(14) Select the contact drop-down and choose what you would like to do:
Note: Contacts that have not been linked yet will appear as a phone number. For more information on how to link a contact, refer to How do I add a contact's information to a call or chat?.
- View the contact's information (See (20) for editing a contact)
- View conversation history
- Call the contact
- Start a meeting with the contact
- Co-browse with the contact
- Opt-out the contact from SMS/MMS messages from your organization
- Create a new contact (unlinked contacts only)
- Search for a contact (unlinked contacts only)
(16) View a contact's conversation history.
(18) Side panel appears when you view a contact's information or conversation history.
(19) Edit the contact's information.

Mobile app

Sign in to the GoTo mobile app.
From the bottom navigation, select Inbox.

Mobile app settings

(1) Customize your GoTo mobile app settings:
- Choose your preferred active extension
- Add a status message
- Enable/disable silence preferences for incoming calls and notifications on your device
- Customize phone and voicemail settings, such as setting up find me/follow me, blocking an external number(s), setting up a voicemail greeting, customizing your caller ID, call options, and managing your emergency location
- Set up instant response
- Sync your calendar
- Enable notifications

Create chats

(2) Create a new message with a shared contact or phone number.
Tip: When creating a new message with a phone number that is not tied to a contact, type the full 10-digit phone number in the search bar. The phone number will appear as an "unknown number". Tap Select and then tap Create to start the new message.

Inboxes and channels

(3) Where you access the shared inbox. Inbound or outbound conversations between the user and a shared contact will appear here.
(4) Where you access your private inbox. Inbound or outbound conversations between the user and a private contact will appear here.
(5) The inbox name. If you are assigned to multiple inboxes, select the inbox name to switch to a different inbox..
(6) The Open tab shows a list of all ongoing conversations that have not been marked as "closed" or "resolved".
(7) The Closed tab shows a list of conversations that have been marked as "closed" or "resolved".
(10) Filter conversations in the following ways:
- All: Filters the list to show all messages.
- Unassigned: Filters the list to show messages that have not been assigned to a team member. To assign the conversation, select Assign to me.
  Note: You may or may not see the option to assign/unassign yourself a conversation depending if your manager has enabled or disabled assignment mode in the shared inbox.
- Assigned to me: Filters the list to show messages that are assigned to the logged in user.

Engage with chats

(11) Select a message to engage.
(12) The name or phone number of the contact.
(13) States the channel name from where the message came from, and the duration the conversation.
(14) Covert the conversation to a phone call.
(15) View the conversation details, such as channel, inbox, type, and duration.
(17) Engage with a conversation:
- Write a message and send your response to the contact.
- Tap the icon to select a file or picture to attach.
  Tip: MMS files include images, pdfs, etc. Please refer to Which file types are supported for MMS? for more information on file size limitations and supported file types.
(21) & (22) Play inbound and send outbound voice notes.
Note: Voice notes are only available if the WhatsApp channel is set up.

Contact information and history

(12) The name or phone number of the contact.
(16) View additional information about the conversation and contact:
- (18) & (19) View and edit the contact's information and conversation history
- Link a new or different contact to the conversation
  Note: If it's a new contact, you will have to first create a shared contact, then go back into the conversation and link it to the newly created shared contact.
- Assign/unassign the conversation to yourself
  Note: You may or may not see the option to assign/unassign yourself a conversation depending if your manager has enabled or disabled assignment mode in the shared inbox.
- Resolve/close the conversation
(18) View and edit the contact's information.
(19) View the contact's conversation history.
(20) Mark the contact as a favorite.