Chat channels, direct messages and Meet

Chat basics

Open Chat. The left side lists Channels and Direct messages. Pick a conversation to read it, or New message to start one. The search icon (Search messages) finds words across your conversations; type at least two characters, and words match from their start.

A direct message is between you and one person, or a small group of up to eight people. Channels are for topics or projects.

Create a channel

1. Choose Create a channel.
2. Give it a Name, for example product-launch, and a topic (What's this channel about?).
3. Decide whether it is Private. A private channel is found and read only by people you invite. A normal channel can be browsed by anyone in the workspace (use Browse channels to see them and Join channel to enter).
4. Add people.

Use Add a topic in a channel to describe its purpose. In the channel menu you can Mute it to stop alerts, and you can archive it so it stays readable and searchable but no one can post.

Writing messages

Type in the composer and press Send. You can:

• Mention someone with @ to notify them.
• Attach files or pick an emoji.
• Reply in thread to keep a side discussion out of the main stream.
• Add reaction to acknowledge a message without a reply.
• Edit or Delete your own messages.
• Make a card: turn a message into a task card on a board, linked to the chat.

Unread conversations and mentions are highlighted. A Jump to the latest messages button appears when you scroll up.

Presence

Colleagues who are active show an online indicator by their name, so you can tell who is likely to answer quickly.

Meet

Open Meet for video meetings. You can:

• Use Create a room, give it a name such as "Weekly standup", and choose its settings: allow guests from outside the workspace, make guests wait in the lobby until a host admits them, or make it a permanent room listed for everyone.
• Join a meeting by pasting its code or link into the Code or link box.

Meet screens show Rooms and Recordings. Inside a meeting the tools include microphone and camera controls, screen sharing, raise hand, a Chat panel, a People panel and shared Notes. Hosts get Admit and Deny for people in the lobby, Mute, and End for all. Notes can be saved with Save note and opened in Drive.

Guests who join from outside the workspace use a guest link and may not be able to share their screen.

Good chat manners

• Put the question first, then context.
• Use threads for long answers.
• Mute channels you only need to skim.
• Move decisions into a card or document so they are not lost in scrollback.