Skip to content
Docs

Manage channel roles, members, and defaults

Add or remove channel members, assign the Channel Manager, set a default channel, or export its history.

Channel permissions come from workspace roles, channel membership, and one channel-level role called Channel Manager.

Who can manage a channel?

  • The channel creator starts as its Channel Manager.
  • The Channel Manager and workspace owners or admins can rename the channel, change its description or visibility, remove members, assign a new manager, and delete the channel from active use.
  • Any active team member in the channel can add people.
  • Only workspace owners and admins can make a channel a default channel.
  • Active channel members can leave and download a CSV archive.

A workspace owner or admin who is not a channel member may need to join the channel before opening its normal chat and settings screens.

Add channel members

  1. Open the channel.
  2. Open the channel settings.
  3. Open Members.
  4. Select Add people.
  5. Choose team members or client contacts.
  6. Select Add person or Add people.

New members can see the full message history, including messages sent before they joined. Sydnee asks for confirmation when the first client contacts are being added to a team-only channel.

Client contacts are offered only when Portal live chat access is on and you have access to their client account.

Remove a member

The Channel Manager or a workspace owner or admin can remove another member.

  1. Open the channel settings.
  2. Open Members.
  3. Find the person.
  4. Open their actions and remove them.
  5. Confirm the change.

The removed person loses access to the channel. Adding them later makes them an active member again.

Assign a new Channel Manager

There is one Channel Manager at a time.

  1. Open the channel settings.
  2. Open Members.
  3. Find an active team member.
  4. Choose the action to make them Channel Manager.
  5. Select Assign Channel Manager.

The old manager becomes a regular member. If the last manager leaves or is removed, Sydnee picks a replacement from the active members when it can.

Make a default channel

A default channel is a public channel that adds new team members when they join the workspace.

This setting is available to workspace owners and admins.

  1. Open the channel settings.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Make sure the channel is public.
  4. Select Make default channel.

Default membership is not permanent. A member can leave later. Select Turn off default channel before making the channel private.

Download channel history

Any active channel member can open the channel settings and select Download CSV archive.

The CSV is a portable copy of the channel messages. It does not turn the conversation into a complete compliance or audit record.

Why can't I manage the channel?

  • Adding people, leaving, or downloading the CSV requires active channel membership.
  • A channel's last active member cannot leave.
  • Only the Channel Manager or a workspace owner or admin can remove people or edit channel details.
  • Only a workspace owner or admin can change default status.
  • Portal contacts cannot manage channel membership or settings.

Next step

Create & manage channels

Create a Live Chat channel, choose its visibility, join it, or remove it from active use.

Direct messages

Start a one-to-one Live Chat message with an eligible teammate or client contact.

On this page

Who can manage a channel?Add channel membersRemove a memberAssign a new Channel ManagerMake a default channelDownload channel historyWhy can't I manage the channel?Next step