Managing SMS Conversations in JustCall
Managing SMS Conversations in JustCall
Your SMS Inbox is a workspace for managing customer conversations, not just a message feed. Assign conversations to team members, track which ones need a reply, close resolved threads, and search from the always-visible search bar.
Available on: Team plan and above
What's New
The SMS Inbox now works like a managed conversation workspace. Three changes matter most:
- Ownership. Every conversation can have a named owner so your team knows who handles what.
- Lifecycle. Conversations have an explicit Open/Closed state. Close a resolved thread, and it comes back automatically if the customer texts again.
- Filters and search. Filter by Open, Closed, or Unread status. Search by keyword, phone number, or message content from the always-visible search bar.
Navigate the Inbox
The SMS Inbox has three panels: the sidebar on the left, the conversation list in the middle, and the message detail view on the right.
Crop: Full inbox view. Caption: The SMS Inbox with sidebar navigation (left), conversation list (center), and message detail (right).
Sidebar views
The sidebar has three views. These are navigation views, not filters — filters work within each view.
| View | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Inbox | All conversations for the selected JustCall number. This is the default view. |
| Assigned to Me | Only conversations assigned to you. Your personal queue. |
| Unassigned | Conversations with no owner. Check this to find work that needs picking up. |
Crop: Sidebar with Assigned to Me selected. Caption: The Assigned to Me view filters your conversation list to show only conversations you own.
Switching numbers
To view conversations for a specific JustCall number, use the phone number selector at the top of the conversation list. To search within that number's inbox, see Searching conversations below.
Crop: Number selector dropdown. Caption: Select a JustCall number to view its conversations.
Assign Conversations
Assigning a conversation gives it a named owner so your team knows who handles each customer.
How to assign
- Open any conversation by clicking it in the conversation list.
- Click the assignment dropdown in the conversation detail view (top area).
- Search for a team member by name and select them.
The conversation now appears in that rep's Assigned to Me view. It also stays in the main Inbox view for everyone.
Crop: Assignment dropdown with agent search. Caption: Click the assignment dropdown and search for a team member to assign the conversation.
How to reassign
Click the assignment dropdown again and select a different team member. The conversation moves to the new owner's Assigned to Me queue.
Unassigned conversations
Conversations without an owner appear in the Unassigned sidebar view. Managers can use this view to distribute incoming conversations across the team.
Crop: Sidebar showing Unassigned view. Caption: The Unassigned view shows all conversations that have no owner. Assign these to team members to distribute workload.
Key point: Assignment adds an owner tag to the conversation. It does not move or copy anything. The conversation is still visible in the main Inbox view.
Open and Close Conversations
Every conversation has a status: Open or Closed.
- Open means the conversation is active and may need attention.
- Closed means the conversation is resolved.
How to close a conversation
- Open the conversation you want to close.
- Click the Close Conversation button.
The conversation moves out of your active inbox view. No messages are deleted.
Crop: Close Conversation button area. Caption: Click Close Conversation to mark a resolved thread as closed.
Auto-reopen
If a customer sends a new message to a closed conversation, the conversation reopens automatically and returns to the active inbox. The assigned owner (if any) sees it back in their Assigned to Me queue.
You do not need to do anything to reopen conversations. This is automatic.
When to close vs. archive
| Close | Archive | |
|---|---|---|
| Hides from active inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-reopens on new customer message | Yes | No |
| Recoverable | Yes (use the Closed filter) | Yes (but stays archived even if customer replies) |
| Best for | Resolved conversations that might get a follow-up | Compliance records, old OTP threads, DNM contacts |
Use Close for most conversations. Close is non-destructive and handles the most common workflow: a conversation is resolved, then the customer texts again later. Archive is for threads you never want to reappear.
For a detailed comparison, see Close vs. Archive: Which to Use.
Filter Conversations
Filter chips at the top of the conversation list help you focus on what matters right now.
| Filter | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Open | Active conversations that may need attention. This is the default. |
| Closed | Resolved conversations. Use this to find a conversation you closed earlier. |
| Unread | Conversations where you haven't opened the latest message yet. Check this first each morning to see what came in while you were away. |
Combine filters with sidebar views for targeted lists. For example: Assigned to Me + Unread = every new message in your personal queue.
For step-by-step instructions on all filter options, see How to Filter SMS Conversations.
Search Conversations
The search bar at the top of the inbox finds any conversation by phone number or message content within the selected number's inbox. It is always visible.
How to search
- Click the search bar at the top of the inbox.
- Type a phone number or keyword from a message.
- Click "Search this across all conversation" to search all conversations for this number.
Crop: Search bar with query and "Search this across all conversation" prompt. Caption: Type your search query and click "Search this across all conversation" to search all conversations for the selected number.
Search results show matching conversations. Click any result to open the full conversation thread. To search a different number's inbox, switch numbers using the dropdown at the top-left.
For the full search guide, see How to Search SMS Conversations.
AI Smart Replies
Coming soon. AI Smart Replies is rolling out with the SMS Inbox relaunch. This section will be updated when the feature is generally available.
AI Smart Replies generates 2-3 contextual response suggestions based on the conversation history. You review the suggestion, edit it if needed, and send. The AI drafts; you decide.
Workflow:
- Open a conversation that needs a reply.
- Review the AI-suggested replies.
- Click a suggestion to load it into the compose field.
- Edit the message if needed.
- Send.
- Close the conversation if it's resolved.
For detailed instructions, see Using AI Smart Reply Suggestions.
Best Practices
Start your day with the Unread filter. This shows every conversation with new messages you have not opened. Work through this list first to catch anything that came in overnight.
Assign incoming conversations immediately. When a new conversation comes in, assign it to the rep who should handle it. This prevents duplicate replies and dropped threads.
Close conversations when they're resolved. Don't leave resolved threads open. Close them. If the customer texts back, the conversation reopens automatically.
Use search instead of scrolling. If you're looking for a specific conversation, search by the customer's number or something they said. The search bar is always visible at the top of the inbox.