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.
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1. General steps to create an inbox
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Settings → Inboxes → Add inbox.
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Choose the channel type. An upgrade wall means the plan does not include it.
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Follow the wizard for name and channel credentials.
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Add agents: only members you add can see that channel’s conversations.
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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
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Choose Website; enter inbox name and site URL.
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After creation open Configuration / Script and copy the embed code.
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Place it on every page that needs support (ideally a shared layout, just before
</body>). -
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.
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
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Connect the number via embedded signup or a provider (for example 360dialog — follow the current UI).
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Confirm callback URL and webhook health.
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Prepare message templates in Meta Business Manager, wait for approval, then sync under Chatips Settings → Templates.
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Within the 24-hour customer window you may reply freely; outside it only templates.
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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.
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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 for workspace API calls — it is not the same as an “API inbox”.
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9. Voice / WhatsApp Calling
See 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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