# Using the inbox

> Work every conversation from one screen — the list on the left, the exchange in the middle, and the contact record on the right.

- Source: https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/using-the-inbox
- Category: Inbox (`inbox`)
- Language: en
- Updated: 2026-08-25

---

The inbox is your main workstation. Every message your customers send — on WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok or the web widget — lands here, in one list, whichever channel it came from.

The screen is three panels: the conversation list on the left, the open exchange in the middle, and the contact record on the right.

![An open conversation with the contact record on the right. The agent created an order directly from the chat.](https://support.unifunl.io/help/screenshots/12-inbox-contact.png)

## Read the conversation list

Each row in the left-hand list carries more than a name. These are the signals worth knowing:

| Indicator | What it tells you |
| --- | --- |
| Channel icon | The badge on the avatar shows where the conversation came from: WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok or the web widget. |
| Lead status | New, Warm, Hot, Converted or Customer. Assigned automatically by the agent as the conversation develops. |
| Country flag | Detected from the customer's number — useful for anticipating the language and the delivery zone. |
| Phone-collected marker | The contact gave their phone number in conversation, so you can find someone to call. |
| Double tick | The message was delivered and read, the same convention as WhatsApp. |

![The inbox conversation list, with lead statuses and channel badges.](https://support.unifunl.io/help/screenshots/01-inbox-overview.png)

## Reply to a customer

When **AI Autopilot** is on, the agent answers on its own and you do not need to do anything. Turn it off on a single conversation to take over that customer without stopping the agent everywhere else — see [AI Autopilot](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/ai-autopilot).

If you write the reply yourself, the [writing assistant](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/writing-assistant) drafts and rephrases it in your agent's tone.

## Use the contact record

The right-hand panel gathers everything known about the customer: phone number, address, history, tags and lead status.

A collected number is what makes a contact reachable by phone and eligible for [WhatsApp campaigns](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/leads-automations/whatsapp-campaigns). Use [the phone-collected filter](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/filters-and-sorting) to find those contacts quickly.

Three shortcuts at the top right open the contact's **details**, their **tickets** and their **orders** without leaving the conversation.

> **Tags and statuses** — the agent qualifies every contact automatically, but you keep control. Adjust the status or add tags (*vip*, *wholesale*, *loyal*) from the contact record. Those tags are what you later target with [WhatsApp campaigns](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/leads-automations/whatsapp-campaigns).

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### A conversation is missing from the list

Check the filters first — **Unreplied** hides everything that has already been answered, and the date filter narrows the range. Clear both and the conversation should reappear. See [Filters and sorting](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/filters-and-sorting).

### Why does a message show only one tick?

One tick means the message left Unifunl but has not been delivered yet. That is usually a temporary network condition on the customer's side. Two ticks mean delivered and read.

### Can two people work the same inbox at once?

Yes. Every member of the workspace sees the same conversations. Turning AI Autopilot off on a conversation applies to that conversation for everyone, so agree with your team who takes over before you switch it.

## What's next?

Now that you can work a conversation, decide how much of it the agent should handle on its own.

[AI Autopilot](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/ai-autopilot)

## Related articles

- [AI Autopilot](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/ai-autopilot.md): Let the agent answer on its own, and take back a single conversation without stopping it everywhere else.
- [Filters and sorting](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/inbox/filters-and-sorting.md): Build your morning queue — show only conversations waiting for a reply, narrow by date, and change the sort order.
- [Platform overview](https://support.unifunl.io/en/help/getting-started/platform-overview.md): The spaces in the Unifunl dashboard, what each one is for, and what your role lets you open.