Chapter 02 · Team chat

Chat, channels, and messages

Organize conversations in channels and DMs, then turn every message into a durable, searchable piece of teamwork.

4 min read

Think of a channel as a studio room with a whiteboard that never gets erased. Priya can pin the client’s final note, Arjun can reply in a thread, and Maya can return three days later and still find the exact frame they discussed.

Choose the right conversation

Channels hold ongoing group conversations. Browse public channels from Chat → Browse channels, search by name or description, and join any public channel that is still active. A private channel is visible only to invited members. Every workspace includes #general; unlike other channels, members cannot leave it.

When creating a channel, give it a short name, a description, public or private visibility, and an initial member list. Members can later add a topic, edit the description, manage people, star the channel into the sidebar, add link bookmarks, or archive it. Archived channels remain readable but accept no new posts.

Use a direct message for a private conversation with one teammate. A group DM can include up to nine people total. The new-message button lets you choose recipients; presence dots and custom statuses help you judge whether Arjun is available or deep in an edit.

Write a useful message

The composer supports headings, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, highlighting, links, bulleted and numbered lists, checklists, quotes, inline code, code blocks, and dividers. Type @ to mention a teammate; in channels, @channel and @here notify broadly. Type # for a channel link, :shortcode: for emoji, or an issue key such as NST-12 for an issue link.

Useful shortcuts include:

Action	Shortcut or syntax
Send	`Enter` in the compact composer
New line	`Shift+Enter`
Send an expanded or structured message	`⌘Enter` / `Ctrl+Enter`
Edit your latest message	`↑` in an empty composer
Bold / italic	`⌘B` / `⌘I`
Insert link	`⌘K` / `Ctrl+K`
Inline code	`⌘E` / `Ctrl+E`
Minimize composer	`Esc`; the draft is kept

You can also type Markdown-like patterns such as **bold**, _italic_, ~~strike~~, `code`, > quote, - item, 1. item, and triple backticks. Edited messages carry an edited marker. Message owners can edit; owners and admins can delete.

Tip: Drafts are saved in the browser per conversation and per thread. You can hop from #production to Maya’s DM and return without losing either half-written message.

Keep side conversations tidy

Hover a message and choose Reply in thread. The thread opens beside the channel, keeping detailed discussion away from the main feed. Turn on Also send to channel when a reply belongs in both places. The Threads page gathers conversations you started, joined, or were mentioned in, and thread participants receive reply notifications.

Reactions are the fast lane: select one of the quick reactions or open the emoji picker. Hover a reaction to see who used it.

Drag files onto the composer, paste them from the clipboard, or choose Upload files. Upload progress appears in the composer. Images, video, and audio receive inline previews; everything shared is collected under the conversation’s Files tab.

The attachment menu can record a voice note, a camera clip, or a screen clip. Browser permission is required. Screen clips combine the chosen screen with microphone audio when available. A direct voice-note button appears on wider composers.

The default per-file ceiling is 1 GB, but an administrator can change it with MAX_UPLOAD_MB.

Send now, later, or much later

Use the arrow beside Send to schedule a text message. Choose a preset time or set a custom date and time. A bar above the composer lists pending scheduled messages; open it to review or cancel one before it sends.

For a message you received, use the hover actions to:

Save it to Later, where it can be marked complete.
Ask Zoabase to remind you at a preset time.
Pin it to the conversation’s Pins tab.
Forward it to another conversation.
Copy its link or text.
Mark the conversation unread from that point.

Maya might save a pricing question for later, set a reminder for tomorrow, and pin the approved scope. Those are three different promises: revisit personally, be prompted at a time, and preserve for everyone.

Give a channel an artifact

Every conversation has an Artifacts tab. Create a live document or whiteboard there for briefs, scripts, meeting notes, storyboards, or flowcharts. The artifact inherits access from the channel or DM, so its link works only for people who can see that conversation.

Control unread signals

Each conversation has three notification levels: Every new message, Mentions & threads only, or Nothing (mute). Channel badges emphasize mentions; DMs count unread messages unless muted. A New line marks where you left off, typing indicators show active writers, and the browser tab title carries the unread DM-and-mention count.

The Activity page collects mentions, thread replies, reactions, assignments, meeting notices, huddle rings, and reminders. You can filter it, show unread only, mark everything read, and optionally grant the browser permission for desktop notifications.