Manage a kChat channel

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

Preamble

• A kChat channel is a communication space dedicated to a project, theme or team in which members can exchange documents, write live and organize video conferences.
• Private channels (and public channels, as well as guests) are limited in number according to the offer kSuite acquired; read the comparative table on the sales page for more information.

General Canal

Each organization on kChat automatically has a General channel in which all users are automatically invited.

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

You can of course start a new Conversation thread inside the General Canal.

Additional channel

To add a new discussion channel:

1. Click on the button ‍ located in the left sidebar of the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com).
2. Click Create a new channel:
   

Information on a channel

When you create a new channel, you can choose:

 

A. his name

It will be editable later.

B. its URL

By default it takes the name of the channel but you can edit it using tiny letters, numbers, dots, dashes and underscores - which can then also be modified.

C. PRIVE or PUBLIC status

It will then be editable (read below).

D. its description

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

Once the channel is created, you can still set:

E. a header

Differences between PRIVE or PUBLIC channel

PUBLICS channels increase transparency. All users can see and reach a public channel, making sure that everyone involved in a project, theme or team has access to the same information.

PRIVES channels allow you to restrict sensitive content to users of your choice. Only an existing member can invite another user into a private channel. There are also differences in archiving/deletion management (see below).

Convert a public channel to a private channel

To transform a public channel into a private channel:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the Public channel in the left side menu.
2. Then click on the chevron ‍ on the title of the channel at the top of the discussion.
3. Choose Convert:
   

The history and membership of the members are kept; publicly shared files remain accessible to anyone with the link; the change is permanent and cannot be cancelled.

And the other way around?

The opposite (change a private channel to a public channel) is also possible, but only an administrator user kChat will be able to do so; the message history and members already having access to the channel will be kept; the channel will become accessible to all users of other public channels of the Organization except those external users who will have to be invited manually.

To perform conversion from managing kChat on the Manager:

1. Click here in order to access the management of your product on the Manager Infomaniak (Need help?).
2. Click on the drop-down menu to view private channels.
3. Click on the action menu to the right of the item.
4. Click Convert to public channel:
   

Exit a channel

Apart from the main channel entitled General you can leave a channel at any time:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the appropriate Public channel in the left side menu.
2. Then click on the chevron ‍ on the title of the channel at the top of the discussion.
3. Click Exit Channel:
   

If you leave a private channel you will no longer find it in the search but only via its URL if you own it or by being invited by a member of the channel.

If you leave a public channel, you leave it immediately but can join it when you wish simply by finding it with its name (2) in the search (1), including if it has been archived:

 

Archive/Remove Channel

Apart from the main channel entitled General you can archive a channel at any time which prevents any new message and will no longer count it in the quota of your available channels. The operation has been feasible since Manager or directly on the kChat interface:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the channel in the left side menu.
2. Then click on the chevron ‍ on the title of the channel at the top of the discussion.
3. Click Archive channel:
   

If you create a channel and then you archive it you can join it when you want it simply by finding it with its name (2) in the search (1):

You can then unarchive it:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the channel in the left side menu.
2. Then click on the chevron ‍ on the title of the channel at the top of the discussion.
3. Click Unarchive Channel:
   

or close it to not see it again on your interface:

You can also delete a channel and in this case all associated data will be permanently deleted:

1. Click here in order to access the management of your product on the Manager Infomaniak (Need help?).
2. Click on the action menu to the right of the item.
3. Click Delete:
   
    

Put as a favourite

To put any channel as a favorite:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the star icon at the top of a channel.
2. A new Favourites menu will appear in the left sidebar with all the items you put as a favourite (valid for your user only):
   

Putting a channel in a deafened state

You can hide the notifications of a channel:

1. From the kChat Web app (online service) kchat.infomaniak.com), click on the action menu to the right of the channel concerned (in the left sidebar).
2. Choose Sourdine:
   
   
   
    

Organize by categories

By clicking on the + button in the left sidebar of kChat, you can add one or more categories allowing you to place elements (channel, contact, etc.) within them. Then slide the desired channel to the created category (valid for your user only):

User-to-user discussion channel

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

Each user of an Organization may freely create personal messages whose content will be visible only to the persons concerned: