# Channels and inboxes
| Item | Details |
|—|—|
| Who it is for | Administrators |
| Menu location | **Settings → Inboxes** |
| Plan dependency | Inbox count uses `inboxes`. Some channels need extra feature flags |
An inbox is one **customer entry channel**. Each has its own credentials, business hours, auto-assignment and collaborating agents. Left sidebar Conversations → Channels lists these inboxes.
**My Inbox** is the notification list — do not confuse the two. See [My Inbox](./my-inbox).
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## 1. General steps to create an inbox
1. **Settings → Inboxes → Add inbox**.
2. Choose the channel type. An upgrade wall means the plan does not include it.
3. Follow the wizard for name and channel credentials.
4. **Add agents**: only members you add can see that channel’s conversations.
5. Afterwards fine-tune greeting, hours, CSAT, and so on in that inbox’s settings.
When quota is exhausted you cannot create more. Archive or delete unused channels (confirm no open conversations first).
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## 2. Website widget
The most common path: paste a script on your site; a chat bubble appears at the bottom corner.
### 2.1 Create
1. Choose Website; enter inbox name and site URL.
2. After creation open **Configuration / Script** and copy the embed code.
3. Place it on every page that needs support (ideally a shared layout, just before `</body>`).
4. Open the site in a private window; you should see the bubble. Send a message; a new conversation appears under Conversations.
The script’s `websiteToken` binds to this inbox — do not mix test and production tokens.
### 2.2 Bubble position and style
Inbox settings let you preview **position (left/right), bubble type, launcher title**, and so on. Those values are written into `window.chatwootSettings` on the page; they are **not** stored only as a server-side “channel field”.
So: **after changes you must paste the new script onto the website again**. Saving in the workspace alone does not change what live customers see.
You can also configure colour, welcome text, pre-chat form (collect email before chat), allowed domains, attachments/emoji, and whether customers can end the chat.
### 2.3 Identifying signed-in users
To match logged-in members to contacts automatically, implement HMAC identity on your site backend. Without it, clearing cookies may create a new visitor. See [Contacts](./5-contacts).
### 2.4 Email continuation
Website / API channels can email customers who left an address to continue the thread. Customers can unsubscribe. Sending via Chatips platform SMTP uses daily email quota; if the inbox has its own outbound mail, platform email quota is not used.
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## 3. Email
For addresses such as `[email protected]`.
Common setups:
| Method | Description |
|—|—|
| Forward to a Chatips address | Forward all mail from the original mailbox |
| Google / Microsoft OAuth | Authorise send/receive — recommended |
| Manual IMAP | **Not available on the tenant side** (disabled for security). Use OAuth or forwarding |
Outbound: prefer that email inbox’s own SMTP / OAuth; otherwise platform mail counts toward the daily `emails` quota.
When setting reply-to and display name, ensure SPF/DKIM on your domain are correct, or mail may land in spam.
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## 4. WhatsApp
1. Connect the number via embedded signup or a provider (for example 360dialog — follow the current UI).
2. Confirm callback URL and webhook health.
3. Prepare **message templates** in Meta Business Manager, wait for approval, then sync under Chatips **Settings → Templates**.
4. Within the 24-hour customer window you may reply freely; outside it only templates.
5. Poor quality ratings cause throttling — avoid spammy marketing.
To re-authorise or change numbers, follow on-screen “reconfigure”; do not create a new inbox and forget to move agents off the old one.
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## 5. Facebook Messenger / Instagram / TikTok
Sign in with the business account and authorise the Page. When authorisation expires, the sidebar shows **Reconnect** — act promptly or inbound stops.
One Chatips inbox maps to one Page / account. Changing Page means create new or migrate as product support allows.
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## 6. Telegram / LINE
Create the bot in the UI and enter the **Bot Token** or LINE Channel credentials. The wizard gives a webhook URL to save in the developer console. Send “hello” from your own account to verify.
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## 7. SMS / Twilio
Enter Twilio (or another listed provider) account, number or Messaging Service SID. Watch regional endpoints (for example AU/IE keys). For SMS campaigns see [Campaigns](./9-campaigns).
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## 8. API channel and others
If **API** still appears in the add list, it connects your own app’s messages into the Chatips workspace. On the current cloud build, creating a new API inbox in the UI may be redirected/closed; existing API inboxes can still be managed in the list. Contact Chatips if you need this.
Legacy **Twitter / X** inboxes, if present, can be maintained or re-authorised in the list; new-workspace wizards may no longer list that channel.
An agent’s personal Access Token lives under [Profile and notifications](./28-profile-and-notifications) for workspace API calls — it is not the same as an “API inbox”.
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## 9. Voice / WhatsApp Calling
See [Voice calls](./11-voice-calls).
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## 10. Settings to check on every inbox
Open the inbox → Settings and confirm:
| Item | Suggestion |
|—|—|
| Collaborators | All on-duty agents are listed |
| Auto-assignment | Useful for small teams; pairs with Online status |
| Greeting | Separate copy for in/out of hours |
| Business hours | Match the workspace time zone |
| CSAT | Whether to send a survey after resolve |
| Lock to a single conversation | Reuse one thread per customer where possible |
| Bind Captain | At most one assistant per inbox |
| Bind Help Centre | Widget can link to the portal |
| Re-authorise | Act as soon as an expiry banner appears |
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## 11. Frequently asked questions
**Customer says they chatted but nothing appears?** Wrong script token, domain not on the allow-list, expired channel auth, or messages landed in another workspace.
**Bubble position changed but the site did not?** Redeploy the script. See 2.2 above.
**Only I see conversations, colleagues do not?** They are not inbox members.
**Email receives but cannot send?** SMTP/OAuth outbound failed, or daily platform email quota exhausted.
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## Related articles
– [Conversation workspace](./3-conversation-workbench)
– [Help Centre](./8-help-centre)
– [Captain assistant](./7-captain-assistant)
– [Assignment rules](./22-assignment-rules)