Topic
This article discusses shared inboxes in Cytracom Desktop.
Environment
- Cytracom Desktop
Description
Shared inboxes let people can read, respond, initiate, and collaborate on text messages received from outside the organization. All users assigned to a Shared Inbox see all inbound and outbound conversations. Crowdsourcing responses from a single number enables communication with external customers using their preferred method of communication, so you never miss a message.
Shared Inboxes display in a user’s messages under the Inbox’s label. The message preview and timestamp displayed for the inbox are from the last message received within the Inbox from any thread.
Figure 1: A Shared Inbox (click to enlarge)
Selecting the Shared Inbox opens a list of all threads within it, sorted from newest to oldest and listed by the external recipient of the message. The name of the Shared Inbox is listed at the top of the list of conversations with a back button to easily return.
Figure 2: Threads in a Shared Inbox (click to enlarge)
Searching within a Shared Inbox is limited to searching through the last message each thread within the inbox has received. It will not search ALL messages from within each thread .
Creating a New Conversation from a Shared Inbox
You can create a new conversation to reach an external number from a Shared Inbox.
1. Navigate to the messages view
Figure 3: The Messages view (click to enlarge)
2. Select Start a conversation.
Figure 4: The Start a Conversation button (click to enlarge)
If a user has no default DID assigned and only one shared inbox assigned, Desktop will automatically select the shared inbox as the From when they create a thread to any external SMS number.
3. In the From field, select the dropdown next to the default (your name).
Figure 5: The From field (click to enlarge)
2. Select the name of the Shared Inbox you’d like to send the message from.
3. Fill in the To field with an external number that supports SMS messaging and the body of the message. The new thread is added to the thread list for that Shared Inbox.
Presence
If another user is viewing a thread, the system displays their name below the text box, for easy collaboration across the team.
Figure 6: A viewing user's name below the text box (click to enlarge)
If someone else is typing, an animated typing indicator will display over the user’s name. On desktop, typing presence will also display within the thread.
Figure 7: User typing indicator (click to enlarge)
Internal Messages and Mentions
Collaborators can use internal messages and mentions to collaborate privately. To initiate an Internal Message, click the eye icon in the text entry window. The system will highlight the box around the text entry field, as well as the message in the history field. Internal messages are also initiated when another user is called out in a Mention.
Figure 8: The Internal Message box (click to enlarge)
Mentions
You can create Mentions from the Desktop or iOS interface by typing an @ and selecting the username from the pop-up menu that creates. Further typing following the @ sign will trim down the receiver list. When a user is mentioned:
- The message becomes internal, as in it will be shared with the Shared Inbox group, but won’t go to the external contact.
- The mentioned user’s name is highlighted in the message, increasing visibility for that person.
- If the mentioned user has muted the thread, the message will create a notification for the mentioned user despite the muted thread setting.
Figure 9: The Internal Message box (click to enlarge)
Thread management
Mute Threads and Notifications
Only the Administrator can change who is a member of a Shared Inbox group, but members have some control over notifications they receive. Pulling up the options screen from a thread on any interface will give the option to mute it.
While muted, the user will get no notifications when messages are sent to or from that thread, unless they are identified by a Mention. (See above).
Figure 10: Muting a conversation (click to enlarge)
Thread Priority
Users can change the priority of threads. Newly created threads have no priority setting. One of four predefined priorities can be applied: Urgent, High, Medium, or Low. This status will appear in front of the number in the thread list and in the thread title at the top of the screen. The thread priority is set from the thread options menu in the upper right of the screen.
Note: Notice that the two mobile launches allow for returning to no priority. The Desktop does not allow for removing priority once a priority has been set.
Figure 11: Thread priority (click to enlarge)
Deleting a Thread
All users can delete threads. When a thread is deleted it is hidden for the user in the thread list of the Shared Inbox. Any future messages to that number will put the message thread back in the list, with the full message history.
Figure 12: Deleted thread (click to enlarge)
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