Chat
What is the Chat page?
The Chat page is your main workspace for viewing and responding to conversations across WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram DM. It shows all your customer chats in one place, lets you send messages, manage leads, and track conversation status — all in real time.
Think of it as your unified inbox for business — every message sent or received through your connected channels appears here.
2. Select a conversation from the list
3. Open the Contact Info panel on the right
4. Capture the full page showing all three panels
Save to:
static/img/screenshots/chat/overview/chat-page-full.pngHow to get there
- Log in to the portal
- In the left sidebar, click Chat
Three-Panel Layout
The Chat page is divided into three areas:
| Panel | Position | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Chat List | Left | All your conversations — search, filter, and select |
| Conversation Window | Center | Messages for the selected conversation |
| Contact Info | Right (toggle) | Contact details, lead info, tags, follow-ups |
2. Capture the full page with annotations showing the three panels
Save to:
static/img/screenshots/chat/overview/three-panel-layout.pngKey Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Real-time messaging | Messages appear instantly as they arrive |
| 24-hour window | Send free-text messages within 24 hours of the customer's last message — applies across all channels |
| Template messages | Send approved templates across WhatsApp and Messenger, even outside the 24-hour window |
| Lead management | Assign agents, update lead status, add tags and follow-ups |
| Filtering | Find conversations by agent, group, status, date, broadcast, and more |
| Media support | Send and receive images, videos, documents, and audio |
| Font size toggle | Switch between small and large font sizes for readability |
Understanding the 24-Hour Window
WhatsApp has a rule: you can only send free-text messages to a customer within 24 hours of their last message to you. After that window closes, you must use an approved template to start a new conversation.
The Chat page shows this clearly:
- Green dot next to a contact = 24-hour window is active (you can send any message)
- Red dot = window has expired (you can only send templates)
- A countdown timer in the conversation header shows how much time is left
If a customer contacts you through a WhatsApp ad or call-to-action button, you get a special 72-hour window where all messages are free. You'll see a gift icon and "FEP 72h" countdown in the conversation header when this is active.
Channel-Specific Behavior
Different channels have different messaging rules:
| Channel | Messaging Window | Template Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-hour window after customer's last message | Yes, outside the window | Templates must be pre-approved by Meta | |
| Facebook Messenger | 24-hour window after customer's last message | Yes, outside the window (message tags or one-time notifications) | More flexible message formats |
| Instagram DM | 24-hour window after customer's last message | Limited template support | Direct messages only |
The 24-hour messaging window applies to all channels. Within the window, you can send free-text messages. Outside the window, you need to use approved templates or message tags depending on the channel.
Who uses the Chat page?
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Agents | Respond to customer messages, update lead details |
| Admins | Monitor all conversations, assign agents, apply filters |
| Managers | Review conversation history, track campaign performance |