Team Chat

What Is Team Chat?

Team Chat is the in-app messaging tool for your crew. Instead of group texts that lose context, Team Chat lets your team talk in channels for each site or topic, send 1:1 direct messages, and share operational items, Work Orders, Complaints, To-Dos, and Checklists, straight into the conversation.

Open it from Chat in the sidebar.

Channels

A channel is a named room your team posts in. Channels are location-scoped, each one belongs to a single site, so messages and shared items stay tied to the right address.

Who Can Create a Channel

• Managers and Owners create channels.
• Employees can be added as members and post in any channel they belong to.

Creating a Channel

1. In Chat, click New Channel in the sidebar
2. Enter a name (e.g., tunnel-main or opening-crew)
3. Add an optional description
4. Pick the members to add: you are included automatically
5. Click Create Channel

Recommended Channel Patterns

Start with one channel per site, then add shift or topic channels as needed.

Searching, Unread Counts, and Archive

• The channel list supports search by name and shows an unread badge on any channel with new messages.
• The last message preview is visible in the list.
• Archive a channel (Manager/Owner) when it is seasonal or no longer needed: it can be brought back later. Any member can also leave a channel they no longer need.

Direct Messages

A direct message is a 1:1 conversation with one teammate.

Starting a DM

1. In Chat, click New Message (or the DM icon)
2. Pick the teammate
3. Start typing

What You Get in a DM

• Typing indicator: you see when the other person is replying
• Unread badge: replies surface immediately in your channel list
• Same Attach button as channels: you can share Work Orders, Complaints, To-Dos, and Checklists in a DM, too

Use DMs for quick questions to one person, like the opening attendant flagging an issue to the on-duty manager, without cluttering a group channel.

Sharing Work into Chat

The composer at the bottom of every channel and DM has an Attach button. Tap it and you can pick from four item types:

Work Orders

1. Click Attach → Work Orders
2. The picker defaults to Active work orders (filter to All if you need a closed one)
3. Pick one: it appears as a card in your message with ticket #, status, priority, and assignee

Tip: filter by assignee to find the work order you are looking for fast.

To-Dos

1. Click Attach → To-Dos
2. Filter by assignee if you have many tasks
3. Pick one: the card shows priority and assignee

Complaints

1. Click Attach → Complaints
2. The picker defaults to Active complaints
3. Pick one: the card shows ticket #, status, and severity

Checklists

1. Click Attach → Checklists
2. Only submitted checklist runs are shareable
3. Pick one: the card shows template name, submitter, and date

Location Filtering

The Attach picker automatically filters items to the channel's location. You will only see Work Orders / Complaints / To-Dos / Checklists from that site, so cross-site mix-ups are not possible.

Shared Items Panel

Every item shared in a channel also appears in the Shared Items panel on the side of the chat view. You can filter it by type (Work Orders, Complaints, To-Dos, Checklists). It is the fastest way for someone new to a channel to see everything operational that has been discussed.

Mentions, Reactions, and Photos

• @mentions: type @ and pick a teammate to notify them
• Reactions: react to a message with one of six emoji: 👍 👎 ❤️ 😂 👀 ✅
• Photos: attach images from the gallery, or use the camera icon to take one. Image location metadata is automatically stripped before the photo is shared

Editing and Deleting Messages

• Edit: for 15 minutes after sending, you can edit a message you sent
• Delete: you can delete a message you sent at any time. The message is removed from the channel for everyone

Archive vs. Leave

On Mobile

Team Chat is available on the WashConsole iOS app. Channels, DMs, shared items, mentions, reactions, and photo attachments all work on the phone, so the team can post from the lot.

Tips

• One channel per site is a great starting point. Add shift or topic channels later as needed.
• Share, don't retype. When something is already a Work Order or Complaint, attach the record. The conversation stays linked to the work.
• DM the on-duty manager for quick questions instead of starting a new channel.
• @mention when you need a specific person to see something; otherwise reactions and unread badges are usually enough.