8x8 Work Team Messaging FAQ
What is Team Messaging?
Team messaging is moving conversations from confusing email threads to company-wide collaboration chat rooms that enable cross-team messaging and collaboration. Team messaging improves productivity by:
- Providing the ability to share files instantly with a room.
- Supporting invitation to meetings.
- Acting as a source of Historical knowledge.
- Notifying individuals with @mentions.
Note: You may also see Team Messaging referred to as Instant Messaging. The two are effectively the same thing within the context of 8x8 Work.
How can I start using Team Messaging?
Download the latest versions of Work for Desktop and Work for Mobile. Open the apps, click Messages, then click the Rooms tab.
Instant Messaging (IM) vs SMS:
8x8 Work's built-in instant messaging (IM) feature is designed to allow users of 8x8 Work on the same 8x8 service to chat directly with each other. Even though this IM feature uses the same Messages interface as SMS messages do in 8x8 Work, IM is not SMS.
Using 8x8 SMS for any purpose requires that you register an SMS campaign.
However, if you only use IM internal to your company, and do not send any SMS messages to mobile phone subscribers, SMS campaign registration is not required in your case.
What types of rooms I can create?
You can create company-wide (Public) rooms and Private rooms. Go to the Messages tab, select Rooms, click +, then click Create Room and select Room Type to see the options.
How do I create a new company-wide room?
Go to the Rooms tab and click + then Create Room to create a room.
How do I create a new Private room?
To create a Private Room, go to the Rooms tab and click + then Create Room to create a room. If available, the user will be able to select Private from the Room Type list.
What are the differences between company-wide (Public) and Private Rooms?
Anyone within your organization can join a Public room and contribute to it. To be part of a Private room, you need to be added to the Room member list by an existing member of the room. When searching for a room by name you will see Public Room below the room name for a Public room and Private Room for a room that is private.
How do I search and discover a Room by name?
In the search bar, enter the room name. Search results will return matched room names and contact names.
What does it mean to follow a room?
Depending on how you choose to follow a room, you will receive notifications on all messages or only messages that you are specifically mentioned in.
How do I follow a room?
Go to the Rooms tab and select a room, or search for a room. Within the room, choose the bell icon and select All Messages or When I'm Mentioned to receive notifications for all messages that are sent to the room, or messages that are specifically sent to you, respectively.
How do I receive notifications of new messages in a room?
If you are not in the room conversation window, but you are following a room for all messages, you will receive a desktop or phone notification for each new message that comes in.
How do I leave a room?
You can switch to following the room with When I'm Mentioned, but there is no ability to leave a room. Rooms will drop to the bottom of your Rooms list gradually as new messages are received in other rooms.
What is the @<user name> function used for?
The @<user name> function, also known as @mention feature, is used to draw the attention of another user within your company and invite them into a Public Room.
What happens if I @mention someone?
You can @mention any 8x8 user within your organization who has logged in to Team Messaging at least once. When you use the @mention feature, the room in which you @mention them will appear as active in their Rooms list, and they will be invited to the Public room they were mentioned in.
How do I see how many unread messages there are for me to read within a room?
Unread message badges are available per room or at the Room list level showing the number of rooms with unread messages. If there are unread messages where you were @mentioned, this will be a separate badge following the @ symbol at the Room list level, or at a per room level.
How do I add someone to a company-wide (Public) room?
To add a user to a company-wide room, @mention the user.
How do I invite people to a meeting when inside a room?
Select the Meet Now option in the room header to send an invitation for an unscheduled meeting.
How do I delete a message?
You are only able to delete IM messages that you send. Click the 3 dots icon next to the message and select the "Delete" option. Note that currently, you are only able to delete messages that were sent within 12 hours. After that, the "Delete" option will still be available but will not be responsive when confirming.
How long is the room history maintained?
Currently, there is no limit.
Can I send files through rooms?
Yes! On 8x8 Work for Desktop, you can send files, links, and screenshots. To send a file, click + in the message field at the bottom of a room. Browse on your computer for the file you want to send and click Open. Add a message in the text field and press Enter to send the file.
Can I use Team Messaging for closed communication between my teammates that I don't want others to read?
Yes. Navigate to the Rooms tab, click + then Create Room, and set the Room Type to Private. Then add members in the Room Members section that appears, and click Create Room.