Your Conversations Inbox — StudioM Platform Guide¶
Who this guide is for: Anyone communicating with customers through the StudioM platform. Time to read: Approximately 10 minutes
What Is the Conversations Inbox?¶
The Conversations inbox is your unified messaging hub. Every message from every channel — SMS, email, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, live chat — flows into one place. Instead of jumping between apps, you handle all your customer communication from a single inbox.
Each conversation is automatically linked to a contact record, so you always have context: who they are, what they've purchased, and what's happened before.
How to Get There¶
Navigate to: Conversations (left sidebar)
The Inbox Layout¶
The inbox is divided into three panels:
- Left sidebar — your list of conversations, with filters and search at the top
- Centre panel — the active conversation thread
- Right panel — the contact's details, linked deals, notes, and tasks
Reading the Conversation List¶
Each conversation in the list shows: - Bold text = unread message (needs your attention) - Channel icon (SMS, email, WhatsApp, etc.) - Contact name and last message preview - Timestamp of the most recent message - Assigned team member's avatar (if assigned) - ★ Star icon if you've starred it
Filtering Your Inbox¶
Use the filter icon at the top of the conversation list to narrow down what you see:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Status | All, Unread, Read, Starred |
| Channel | SMS, Email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Live Chat |
| Assigned To | A specific team member, or Unassigned |
| Date Range | Custom date picker |
| Last Message Direction | Inbound (from them) or Outbound (from you) |
| Last Message Action | Manual (sent by a person) or Automated (sent by a workflow) |
Searching: Use the search bar to find conversations by contact name, phone number, email address, or message content.
Managing a Conversation¶
Opening a Conversation¶
Click any conversation in the list to open the full message thread.
Replying to a Message¶
- In the reply box at the bottom, select the channel you want to use (SMS, Email, WhatsApp, etc.)
- Type your message
- Optionally attach a file or use a template
- Click Send
Assigning a Conversation¶
Assign conversations to the right team member so nothing falls through the cracks. 1. Click the Assign button at the top of the conversation 2. Select a team member from the dropdown 3. The conversation will appear in their inbox
Following a Conversation¶
If you're not assigned to a conversation but want to stay updated, click Follow. You'll receive notifications when new messages come in.
Starring a Conversation¶
Click the ★ star icon to flag an important conversation. Use the Starred filter to find it later.
Marking Read / Unread¶
Conversations don't automatically mark themselves as read — you do it manually. - Click the read/unread toggle at the top of an open conversation - Or use checkboxes to bulk-mark multiple conversations at once
Archiving¶
Archive removes a conversation from your main inbox view without deleting it. Archived conversations are still searchable.
Sending Messages¶
Choosing Your Channel¶
In the reply box, select which channel to send through. The options available depend on what's set up for your account:
- SMS — sends a text to the contact's phone number
- Email — opens a full email composer with a subject line
- WhatsApp — for WhatsApp conversations (requires an active session or approved template)
- Facebook / Instagram — sends via your connected social pages
- Live Chat — responds to a visitor currently on your website
Using Message Templates¶
Save time on common replies with pre-written templates. 1. Click the template icon in the reply box 2. Search for or browse available SMS and email templates 3. Click to insert — the template fills in automatically 4. Edit before sending if needed
Attaching Files¶
Click the paperclip icon to attach images, PDFs, or documents. Size limits apply per channel (MMS supports images and video up to 5MB).
Scheduling a Message¶
Want to send a follow-up tomorrow morning? Schedule it. 1. Click the clock/schedule icon in the reply box 2. Pick a date and time 3. Click Schedule — the message queues and sends automatically
Adding an Internal Note¶
Internal notes are visible to your team but are never sent to the contact. 1. Click the Note tab in the reply box 2. Type your note 3. Click Save — it appears in the thread with a distinct background
Manual Actions (Tasks That Require Human Follow-Up)¶
If you have automated workflows set up, some steps may be "manual actions" — tasks that pause the automation and ask a team member to do something before the workflow continues.
Manual Call¶
When a workflow reaches a Manual Call step, the assigned team member receives a notification to make a call. After completing the call, they mark it done in the conversation and the workflow resumes.
Manual SMS¶
Similar to Manual Call — a suggested message is pre-filled, and the team member reviews it, edits if needed, then sends it. The workflow continues after sending.
Finding pending manual actions: - They appear in the Actions tab of the conversation - They also show as a badge in your inbox list - Click Complete after performing the task
Live Chat¶
If your website has a live chat widget installed, customer chats appear in your inbox as "Live Chat" conversations.
- Assign chats to specific team members or handle them yourself
- If your account has an AI bot configured, it handles the first responses automatically and passes to a human agent when needed
- Business hours for the chat widget are configured by StudioM
Need StudioM Support for This? Chat widget installation, business hours, and AI bot configuration are managed by StudioM. Contact us if you want to adjust how your chat widget behaves.
AI-Assisted Replies¶
If your account has AI features enabled, you may see AI suggestions in your conversations:
- Suggestion mode — AI drafts a response for you to review. You decide to send it, edit it, or ignore it. The AI never sends automatically in this mode.
- Auto-pilot mode — AI sends responses automatically. Best for FAQ-type conversations. You can take over at any time by sending a manual message.
AI-generated responses show an AI badge in the conversation thread.
Notification Settings¶
Control when and how you get notified about new messages.
- Go to your Profile Settings (click your name or avatar, then Settings)
- Open Notifications
- Choose which events trigger alerts (new inbound message, assignment, mention)
- Choose how you receive alerts: in-app, email, or mobile push notification
Bulk Actions¶
To act on multiple conversations at once: 1. Check the boxes next to conversations in the list 2. Available actions: Assign, Mark Read, Mark Unread, Archive
Common Questions¶
Q: A customer messaged me on Facebook but I don't see it in the inbox. What's wrong? The Facebook page connection may have expired or been disconnected. Contact StudioM Support and we'll reconnect it.
Q: My SMS replies aren't going through. What do I do? Contact StudioM Support. SMS delivery issues are related to phone number and carrier registration settings that we manage on your behalf.
Q: Can I see all the messages I sent to a contact in one place? Yes — open the contact record (from Contacts) and click the Activity tab. You'll see a full timeline of all interactions including messages, calls, and notes.
Q: I accidentally archived a conversation. How do I find it? Use the search bar to search for the contact's name or phone number. Archived conversations still appear in search results.
Q: Can I send the same message to multiple contacts at once? For bulk messaging, use the Campaigns or Workflows features rather than the Conversations inbox. The inbox is designed for one-to-one communication. → See the Email Campaigns guide or Workflows guide.
Need Help?¶
Contact StudioM Support any time.
- Email: support@makoa.us (update with your actual support email)
- Live Chat: Available inside the platform
Related guides: Contacts and CRM · Email Campaigns · WhatsApp · AI Features