Overview
The Chat feature within ProLine Messages enables internal team communication without relying on personal cell phones or external messaging apps. Chat supports both one-on-one conversations and group discussions through channels, keeping all team communication centralized, visible, and trackable within your ProLine account.
This guide covers how to create and manage channels, start conversations, archive messages, and use mentions to keep your team connected and organized.
Purpose
This article helps you:
Understand the difference between channels and conversations
Create and manage group channels for team collaboration
Start one-on-one conversations with team members
Archive conversations to keep your chat organized
Delete channels when they are no longer needed
Use mentions to notify specific team members
Keep internal communication centralized and trackable
How to Access
Look at the left sidebar menu in your ProLine app.
Click the Messages option. It’s the fifth option from the bottom.
At the top of the Messages screen, select Chat (next to SMS).
Chat Options
Within the Chat section, you’ll find three main components:
1. Channels
Channels are designed for group discussions and collaboration.
Viewing & Creating Channels
If a team member has already created channels you have access to, you’ll see them listed under Channels.
To create a new channel, click the plus (+) icon next to Channels.
If you do not have access to creating channels, check with your admin to update user permissions.
Creating a New Channel
Name – Enter the channel name.
Channel Access – Choose who can access the channel:
All Users – Everyone in your ProLine account.
Select Users – Choose specific users from a dropdown list.
Click Create to finalize.
Using a Channel
Open a channel to start communicating.
Turn notifications on or off based on your preference.
If notifications are turned off for a channel, the chat will be silenced , meaning you won’t see any in-app alerts in the left sidebar when new messages arrive in that channel.
Keep in mind that your account level notification settings for new messages in chats are separate from this. If email or push notifications are enabled in your account settings for new messages , you will still receive those even if you’ve turned off notifications for a specific chat.
Use @ symbol to tag specific team members (ex: @John). Tagged users with then be notified.
Adding or Removing Users from a Channel
Select Messages on the sidebar.
Click on the Chat tab.
Select the chat that you want to edit or add or remove users.
Click the gear icon.
Under Channel Access, switch between All Users or Select Users, and then add or remove users as needed.
Click Save.
Deleting a Channel
Channels can be deleted, but only by the user who created them.
To delete a channel:
Open the channel you want to delete.
Click the gear icon to open channel settings.
Locate the delete option.
Confirm deletion.
Important: Only the channel creator can delete a channel. Other users, including admins, cannot delete channels they did not create.
2. Conversations
Conversations are for private, direct communication between two users.
Use conversations when you want to message a colleague one-on-one (ex: contacting your admin while in the field).
All messages are stored within ProLine, ensuring visible communication without relying on personal cell phones.
You can have unlimited conversations with different team members.
Archiving Conversations
Conversations can be archived to remove them from your current view without deleting them.
How archiving works:
When you archive a conversation, it disappears from your view but is not deleted.
If someone sends a new message in an archived conversation, it will automatically unarchive for all members of that conversation.
Archived conversations remain accessible and can be reopened when needed.
How to access an archived conversation:
To reopen an archived conversation, simply start a new conversation with the same person or people.
Example: If you have a conversation with John and Sarah, and you archive it, starting a new conversation with John and Sarah will reopen that same existing conversation. The conversation will remain archived until you send a new message, at which point it will unarchive for all participants.
3. Mentions
The Mentions section shows all messages where you’ve been tagged with the @ symbol.
Toggle the messages shown to read/unread at the bottom of the page.
Turn Unread on to keep a full history of your mentions in the Mentions section. You can click on any mention to go directly to the chat, making it easier to find messages that need your attention.
Turn Unread off if you don’t want your mentions to appear in that section.
Managing Chats
From a Conversation or a Channel, use the + symbol on the left of the “Type here” box to add a Project, Contact, or File to a conversation.
Once added, the Project, Contact, or File can be opened directly from the conversation.
Reply to a message in a thread to keep conversations on certain topics organized.
Apply an emoji to a message by clicking on the smiley face icon beneath the sent message.
Benefits of Using Chat in Messages
Centralized Communication: Keeps all internal messages in one location.
Visibility & Accountability: Ensures all team communications are tracked and reportable.
Flexibility: Supports both group collaboration through channels and private conversations.
Efficiency: Quickly alert team members with mentions and attach relevant files, projects, or contacts directly in the chat.
Common use cases
The Chat feature is commonly used for:
Field technicians contacting office staff for job updates or questions
Admins communicating scheduling changes to production teams
Sales teams collaborating on quotes and customer follow-ups
Creating dedicated channels for specific projects or crews
Internal coordination during storm seasons or busy periods
Quick questions that don't require formal documentation
Sharing project files, contacts, or information with specific team members
Organizing discussions by topic using channels (Sales, Production, Admin, etc.)
Guidelines and Best Practices
Use channels for ongoing group discussions and conversations for one-on-one communication.
Create channels based on teams, projects, or topics to keep discussions organized.
Use @ mentions to notify specific team members when their attention is needed.
Archive conversations you no longer need active to keep your chat list clean and focused.
Turn off notifications for channels you want to monitor but don't need immediate alerts for.
Reply in threads to keep conversations about specific topics organized and easy to follow.
Attach relevant projects, contacts, or files directly to messages for easy reference.
Only the channel creator can delete a channel, so create channels thoughtfully.
Remember that archived conversations will automatically unarchive if someone sends a new message.
Use descriptive channel names so team members understand the purpose at a glance.
Summary
The Chat feature in ProLine Messages provides internal team communication through channels (group discussions) and conversations (one-on-one messaging). You can create channels with specific access permissions, archive conversations to declutter your view, use mentions to notify team members, and attach projects, contacts, or files directly in messages. Only channel creators can delete channels, and archived conversations automatically unarchive when new messages are received.
Need Help?
If you encounter difficulties or have further questions, contact our support team at [email protected] or through the chat in the lower corner of your screen. We're here to help you with any issues or concerns.
Check out our step-by-step guide: Messages: Chat