Manage a kChat channel

This guide details the use and management of channels in kChat .

A channel is a communication space dedicated to a project, theme or team in which members can exchange documents, write to each other live and organize videoconferences.

General channel

Every organization automatically has a General channel to which all users are automatically invited.

You can use this channel to share information that affects your entire organization, such as company outings or motivational good news.

You can of course start a new conversation thread inside the General channel.

Additional channel

By clicking on the + button located in the left sidebar of kChat, you can create a new channel :

This will be:

• either Public
• either Private

Differences between private and public kChat channel

Public channels increase transparency . All users can view and join a public channel, ensuring that everyone involved in a project, topic, or team has access to the same information.

Private channels allow you to restrict sensitive content to users of your choice. Only an existing member can invite another user to a private channel.

Channel Information

When you create a new channel, you can choose:

- her name

It will be editable later.

- its URL

By default it takes the name of the channel but you can modify it using lowercase letters, numbers, dots, dashes and underscores - modifiable later also.

- its Private or Public status

It will be editable thereafter only from public to private (read below).

- its description 

The description helps specify how this channel should be used. This text appears in the list of channels in the "More..." menu and gives an indication to users whether they should join the channel or not.

Once the channel is created, you can still define:

- a header

Convert a Public channel to a Private channel

To turn a Public channel into a Private channel:

1. click on the Public channel in the left side menu
2. then click on the channel title at the top of discussion
3. choose Convert
   

Members' history and membership are preserved; publicly shared files remain accessible to anyone with the link; the change is permanent and cannot be undone.

Leave or archive a channel

You can leave a channel at any time (apart from the main channel entitled General ) by clicking on the Action menu to the right of the channel concerned (in the left sidebar):

If you leave a private channel, you will need to be invited back to join it again.

If you leave a public channel, you leave it immediately but can join it whenever you want simply by finding it with its name in the search.

Archive or delete the channel

To archive a channel:

1. click on the channel in the left side menu
2. then click on the channel title at the top of discussion
3. choose Archive

An archived channel will no longer count against your available channel quota.

To delete the channel, you must be a kSuite administrator.

Bookmark

To favorite any channel, just click on the star at the top of a channel.

A new Favorites menu will appear in the left sidebar containing all the items you have favorited (valid for your user only).

Mute a channel

You can hide notifications from a channel:

1. click on the channel in the left side menu
2. then click on the channel title at the top of discussion
3. choose Mute

Organize by categories

By clicking on the + button located in the left sidebar of kChat, you can add one or more categories allowing you to place items (channel, contact, etc.) within them:

Then drag the desired channel to the created category (valid for your user only).

User-to-user chat channel

Personal messages are direct conversations between two or more people that take place outside of channels. 

Each user of an organization can freely create personal messages whose content will only be visible to the persons concerned.