Live Chat overview
Find a conversation, send your first message, and set up alerts for your team and clients.
Live Chat is where your team talks with clients and each other inside Sydnee. Your team uses the Live Chat workspace. Clients use the chat button in your branded portal.
Use this guide to open the right conversation, send a message, and choose how you hear about replies.
1. Open Live Chat
Select Live Chat in the team navigation, or Chat on mobile. The sidebar holds the conversations you can open.
If you see Select a conversation to start chatting, choose a conversation from that list. On a smaller screen, the list fills the chat area until you choose one.
If Live Chat is off, an owner or admin can turn it on in Company Settings → Features. Portal live chat access also needs to be on for chats with clients. Review chat access settings.
2. Choose the right kind of chat
Account conversation: work with one client account
Choose the client's account conversation for updates or questions that belong with that relationship. Team members and client contacts need access to the account to take part.
For example, use the account chat to ask about files needed for this month's work.
Open and use an account conversation.
Channel: bring a group together
Use a channel for a project, topic, or team discussion. A channel can include teammates and selected client contacts.
Open Directory → Channels to find an open channel or create one. Private channels are invite-only for regular team members. Clients see channels they were added to; they do not browse the team directory.
Before adding people: everyone you add can read the channel's past messages. Check the history before sharing a channel with a client.
Direct message: talk with one person
Select New message, find a teammate or client contact, and choose the person. You can also find people in Directory → People.
A direct message, or DM, has two people. Team members can message client contacts from accounts they can access. Clients can message team members, but cannot start a DM with another client.
Start or reopen a direct message.
3. Send your first message
- Open the account chat, channel, or DM.
- Check the conversation name and people before sharing client details.
- Write your message in the message box.
- Add an attachment if it helps explain the work.
- Send the message.
Use an @mention in a group chat when one person needs to see an update. A chat attachment stays with the conversation; add it to Files separately when it belongs in the client's file library.
4. Choose your alerts
Open the conversation's settings and select Notifications. Choose which messages should alert you, or mute the conversation.
For team defaults, pauses, sound, and unread-message email, open Personal Settings → Notifications → Live chat. Email and browser alerts depend on your saved choices and access. Set Live Chat notifications.
What does the client see?
The client opens the chat button in your portal. With one available conversation, it opens that chat. With several, the client can choose from their inbox.
They see their account conversation when it is shown, channels they were added to, and DMs they can access. They can send messages and choose their own alerts.
If a conversation is missing
Check account access for an account chat or client DM. For a channel, check that the person is a member. A hidden account group chat can also be restored from its settings.
Fix common Live Chat problems for the full checks.
Need help from Sydnee?
For product support, contact Sydnee support. Live Chat conversations connect your team and clients.