Inbox Operations9 min readUpdated May 5, 2026
Unified inbox
Manage chat, email, WhatsApp, voice-linked conversations, AI handoff, and human support in one realtime workspace.
The unified inbox is the main operating surface for support agents. It should make ownership, channel, status, SLA pressure, AI mode, and next action obvious.
Main areas
- Conversation list: saved view selector, channel filter, search, status badges, SLA/backlog badges, and recent preview.
- Conversation detail: customer identity, assignment, AI or human mode, message thread, trust panel, and composer.
- Side panel: notes and timeline plus Agent Copilot for Pro and Scale plans.
Realtime expectation
New conversations, incoming messages, agent replies, assignment changes, status updates, notes, timeline events, notifications, and approval requests should update through realtime events. API refetches are useful for reconciliation, but the visible UI should not wait several seconds for normal updates.
Responsive behavior
- Conversation list and side panel can be collapsed on wide screens.
- On small screens, list, message detail, and side panel become navigable panels.
- When no conversation is selected, the empty state should be centered in the available area.