Conversations Overview

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to navigate your inbox, manage multi-channel messages, and use our latest usability enhancements to streamline your workflow.

What’s New? 🔥

• Simultaneous Transcript & Contact Editing: View call transcripts in the center panel while simultaneously updating contact details in the right panel.
• Real-Time Email Activation: Adding an email to a contact record during a call now enables the email composer instantly without needing a page refresh.
• Restored Call Option: Initiate calls directly from the “Create New Conversation” workflow in the center panel.
• WhatsApp Enhancements: Send media directly from Media Storage and add integrated captions to images.

1. Accessing Your Conversations.

• Click into your Conversations inbox.

• In the first column on the left, you’ll see a list of your messages.

• Using tabs, you can navigate between Unread, Recents, Starred, and all messages. Unread messages are messages that still need to be read. Recent messages will display the most recent messages. Starred messages will have a list of marked messages. All will, of course, be all of your messages.

• You can search in the box at the top for a specific message, or use the dropdown menu to sort from Oldest or Latest messages first. You can filter by Assigned (Contact Owner), Last Message Direction, Last Outbound Message Type, and Last Message Channel (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, SMS, etc.)

• You can also start a conversation. Click on the write icon, and type your contact to start a conversation.

1. Viewing Conversation History

• You'll see the conversation history in the center when you click on a message.

• You can scroll up and “fetch older messages”, depending on the length of history of conversations you've had with the particular contact.

• In the top bar (next to the contact’s name), you can see 4 buttons: Archive, Mark As Starred, Mark as Read/Unread, Delete, and Activity Type Filters.

• You can also select multiple conversations and use the ‘Actions’ tab to Mark as Read or Unread, or Starred or Unstarred for multiple conversations. 

• You also have the option to filter by activity. This feature allows you to select what you want to see in the conversation panel. The options are, conversations (you can also filter this by channel), and activity (updates in the contact, appointments, opportunities, payments, and invoices)

This allows users to filter and view conversations by followers, making it easier to track discussions and improve team collaboration. You can quickly filter chats by those followed by you or any specific user, and users with “assigned only data” access can easily find the conversations they're following. Additionally, you can now see and edit who follows a contact directly from the right panel. 

1. Composing a Message via Email

• You have the option to change from conversation channels. 

• If you are sending an email, you can CC and BCC another email.

Note: To learn more about CC and BCC, see our article “CC and BCC Features to Our Email Composer”

• The email composer has now extra room to design and arrange, you can create emails with longer text sections and more elaborate layouts.
• In the email composer, this bar at the bottom shows. From left to right, they are Formatting Options, Attach Files, Add Link, Add Image, Insert Emoji, Insert Snippets, Request a Payment, and More Options.

• The more options feature will open up the custom fields, custom values, and trigger links. 

• Here’s an example of how to use the formatting option.

• We also have the option to drag and drop files, which makes it easier to share them.

• You can reply now to the emails that show up in the thread by clicking on the 3 dots and then in the reply option. 

• You can also click on Details to see the message details, such as who sent the email, the “to email address”, if it’s an outbound or inbound, the timezone if it was sent from a workflow, and the email status.

You can also compose a message to send via SMS if you have a phone number integrated. The options here are from left to right: Attach files, insert emojis, insert templates, request payment, and more (custom fields, custom values, and trigger links). 

You can select which phone number to send SMS messages from, providing flexibility for businesses operating in different regions or managing various services. This feature is designed to streamline communication and improve connection with contacts.

• End from Different Numbers: Instead of a default number, you can pick the specific phone number you want to use when sending SMS messages.
• Choose the Recipient’s Number: If a contact has multiple phone numbers, simply select the appropriate one for your message.

Key Features:

• Selecting the “From” Number:
  • Use the “From” dropdown to select any available number for sending your SMS.
  • Labels show the default and last-used numbers, plus friendly names and assigned users, for easy identification.
  • If there’s no previous conversation, the default number is selected automatically.
• Selecting the “To” Number:
  • Click the dropdown next to the “To” field to choose which contact number to send the message to. By default, the primary contact number is selected if no previous conversation exists.
• Access Permissions:
  • Admins can see all configured numbers.
  • Users can view the default number, their assigned number, unassigned numbers, and the last-used number for that contact.

Benefits:

• More Control: Pick the right number for each situation, whether by region, department, or service.

• Clearer Communication: Ensure consistency by using the relevant number for each contact.

• Enhanced Trust and Response Rates: Use local numbers to increase trust and boost responses.

• With this feature, you will have the ability to schedule messages directly on the conversation page with your contact and send them later. This includes both, SMS and Emails.
• You can pick the date and time you want the SMS/Email to be sent. By default, HUXLEY will have this as sent on the next day at 9 am. You can also pick the time zone you want this message to be sent.
• Write your message, then click on the Schedule icon and then on the Send Schedule button.

• If you want to cancel the schedule message, click the pencil icon, select the Cancel Send Link, and close the pop-up. 

The Internal Comments allows teams to collaborate more effectively within conversation threads by adding private comments visible only to team members. This ensures seamless communication without disrupting the contact-facing conversation, making it easier to manage feedback, share updates, and review responses.

Key Benefit: The ability to mention team members using @, enabling faster collaboration by notifying them directly.

How to Use:

• Simply type an internal comment and mention a teammate by typing @ followed by their name.

Comments remain private to users and won't be visible to contacts.

• Unsent messages in Conversations are automatically retained.
• If you begin typing a message and leave the screen before sending, your draft will be preserved and ready when you return.
• This means you won’t lose your progress and can pick up right where you left off without having to retype.
  Note: This is not yet applicable to WhatsApp messages.

On the right panel, we have an expandable sidebar with a Slim Panel. This can toggle between contacts, appointments, opportunities, tasks, and notes by managing them from a convenient location.

This will allow you to switch between them. 

• Manage contact details such as name, phone number, email, owner details, tags, campaign or workflow associations, and Do Not Disturb settings, all from the right panel. You can also see at the bottom where this contact was created and when.

• Book, view, and reschedule both upcoming and past appointments directly from the right panel. This feature allows users to manage their schedules efficiently without switching screens.

• Create new opportunities, view all related opportunities, and edit details seamlessly. This integration enables users to manage their sales pipeline effectively within Conversations.

4. Tasks:

• You can create, edit, and delete tasks for any contact within the conversation module. If you accidentally delete a task, you can also use the "Undo Delete" feature to recover it.

5. Notes:

You can write, edit, and delete notes for any contact within the conversation module. If you accidentally delete a note, you can restore it using the "Undo Delete" feature.

Users can connect their personal Gmail email with 2-way sync, which means all emails with contacts automatically sync to HUXLEY. In many accounts, users were often added as contacts, causing all emails sent or received by these users to sync to HUXLEY. This allowed admins and users with contact access to view personal emails within HUXLEY. Going forward, emails will sync only if they involve contacts who are not system users.

1.Comprehensive Email Syncing:

• Outgoing Emails: Any emails sent from your Gmail account will now be reflected in your CRM. This includes emails sent directly from Gmail, ensuring real-time updates and seamless integration.
• Existing Contacts: The sync works for both new and existing contacts, making sure all relevant email communications are captured.

• Email Syncing: When you send an email from Gmail, it will automatically pick it up and sync it with the corresponding contact in__CompanyName. This ensures that all your communications are logged, providing a complete history of interactions.

For learning about Filters and Bulk actions, see our article “Using Filters and Bulk Actions in Conversations”

To learn about File Attachments within Conversations, see our article “How to Attach Files to an Email or SMS”

To learn about Activity Cards, see our article “Activity Cards for Your Contacts”

• Opportunity Tracking: You will now see system logs directly in the message thread when a lead is created or moves to a new pipeline stage. This provides instant context on the lead's status without leaving the chat.
• Snippet Search: Finding canned responses is now faster with a new Search Bar located directly inside the Snippets & Templates menu.
• Cleaner Bulk Actions: Selecting multiple conversations now reveals a simplified menu for archiving, deleting, or marking messages as read.

• Media Storage Integration: You are no longer limited to uploading files from your computer. You can now select brochures, videos, or images directly from your Media Storage library.
• Integrated Captions: When you send an image, you can now add a Caption. The text will appear inside the image bubble (keeping the context together) rather than sending as a separate message.

• Unread Message Counter: The Unread tab now displays a specific badge count (e.g., "66") so you instantly know exactly how many conversations need attention without guessing.
• Standardized Date Format: Date stamps across the inbox list and message bubbles are now consistent (e.g., "Jan 7"), making it easier to scan conversation timelines at a glance.

• Simultaneous Transcript & Contact Editing: Call transcripts now open in the Center Panel instead of as an overlay. This allows you to review the transcript while simultaneously updating contact details, tags, or notes in the Right Panel.
• Real-Time Email Composer Activation: If a contact provides their email address during a live call, updating the email field in the Contact Details will now instantly enable the Email tab in the composer. You can now prepare or send follow-up emails without needing to refresh the page or risk disconnecting the call.
• Restored Call Option: The call initiation icon has been restored to the center panel when using the “Create New Conversation” workflow, ensuring a seamless start to new voice interactions.
• Global UI Stability: Improved text handling for non-English languages ensures that longer translations no longer cause layout breaks. We’ve added smart truncation and tooltips to keep the interface clean and professional across all regions.

1. How can I search for a specific message in the Conversations section?
Use the search box at the top of the left panel. You can search by message content or use the dropdown menu to sort messages from Oldest to Latest. You can also filter messages by Assigned (Contact Owner), Last Message Direction, Last Outbound Message Type, and Last Message Channel.

2. Can I schedule messages for both email and SMS?
Yes, you can schedule both email and SMS messages directly from the conversation page. You can select the date, time, and time zone for when you want the message to be sent. To schedule a message, write your message, click the schedule icon, then click on the "Send Schedule" button.

3. What happens if I start typing a message and leave the page?
Your unsent messages will be automatically saved as drafts. When you return to the conversation, your progress will be preserved, allowing you to continue where you left off. Note that this feature is not yet available for WhatsApp messages.

4. How can I filter conversations by followers or assigned users?
You can filter and view conversations by followers using the filtering options in the left panel. You can select conversations followed by yourself or specific users. For users with "assigned only data" access, they can easily find the conversations they're following.

5. How does email syncing with Gmail work in HUXLEY?
When you connect your Gmail for 2-way sync, all emails sent to or received from contacts in HUXLEY will sync automatically. Emails involving system users won't sync to prevent personal emails from being logged. Outgoing emails from Gmail are reflected in your CRM to ensure a complete record of interactions.

Transcripts are available for all recorded calls within your Huxley Social dashboard