Discuss

The Discuss Module

Discuss is Quickenerp's built-in communication tool. It integrates messaging, email, notifications, and live chat into one interface. Unlike external tools (Slack, Teams), Discuss is deeply integrated with all business records – every message, note, and email is automatically linked to the relevant customer, order, project, or invoice.

Key Features

• Direct Messages – One-to-one chat with any colleague.
• Channels – Group conversations organised by topic, project, or department.
• Record Chatter – Contextual messaging on every business record (order, invoice, contact).
• Live Chat – Real-time chat with website visitors, routed to operators.
• Email Integration – Send and receive emails without leaving Quickenerp. Email threads are stored in the chatter.
• Notifications – @mentions, assignment alerts, and activity reminders.
• Mobile Apps – iOS and Android apps for on-the-go messaging and notifications.

Accessing Discuss

Click the Discuss app from the app switcher (☰). The interface is divided into three panels:

• Left Panel – Conversations list: Direct Messages, Channels, and the Live Chat inbox. Unread conversations have a bold name with a badge count.
• Center Panel – The selected conversation's message history. Newest messages at the bottom.
• Right Panel – Channel/chat details: members, pinned messages, attachments, and settings.

Discuss vs Email

Note: You can send emails directly from the chatter on any record – that email IS recorded in Discuss, keeping the history together.

Direct Messaging

Direct messages are private one-to-one conversations between you and another user.

Starting a Direct Message

1. In Discuss, click the + icon next to "Direct Messages" in the left panel.
2. Search for the colleague's name.
3. Click their name. A new conversation opens.
4. Type your message and press Enter (or click Send).

Messaging Features

• Text Formatting – Use Markdown: **bold**, *italic*, ~~strikethrough~~, `code`.
• @Mentions – Type @ followed by a name to notify that user. They receive a notification even if they are not in the conversation.
• Emoji Reactions – Hover over any message and click the emoji icon (😊) to react.
• File Attachments – Drag & drop files onto the message input area. Images are displayed inline. PDFs and documents are shown as download links.
• Link Preview – Paste a URL, and Quickenerp fetches a preview with the page title, description, and image.
• Reply to Specific Message – Hover over a message and click the reply icon (↩) to reply in a thread.
• Edit/Delete Messages – Hover over your own message and click the ⋮ menu to edit or delete. Edited messages show "edited" timestamp.

Notifications

• Unread messages show a bold name with a blue badge count in the left panel.
• The bell icon (top-right) shows all notifications: messages, @mentions, activity reminders, and system alerts.
• Configure notification preferences in your Profile: email, in-app, or both.
• Enable desktop notifications in your browser for real-time alerts even when Quickenerp is in a background tab.

Recent Discuss Improvements

• Threaded Replies – Conversations are now organised into threads. Reply to a specific message to keep related responses together.
• Inline Image Preview – Images in messages are displayed at full width, with a lightbox for larger view.
• Message Search – Use Ctrl+F within any conversation to search its message history.
• Voice Messages – Record and send voice messages directly from the mobile app.

Live Chat

Live Chat lets website visitors chat with your team in real time. It appears as a chat bubble on your website and routes to available operators.

Creating a Live Chat Channel

Go to Discuss > Configuration > Live Chat Channels.

1. Click Create.
2. Channel Name – e.g. "Website Live Chat", "Sales Chat".
3. Website – Select which website this chat appears on (if you have multiple sites).
4. Button Text – What the chat bubble says (e.g. "Chat with us!").
5. Welcome Message – The first message visitors see when they open the chat (e.g. "Hi there! How can we help you today?").
6. Operator Assignment – How to route incoming chats:
• Any operator – First available operator gets the chat.
• Specific operators – Choose which users can receive live chat requests.
• Sales Team – Route to a specific sales team.
7. Set Working Hours – If you only staff live chat during business hours, set the schedule. Outside these hours, visitors see an offline message.
8. Configure Offline Message – What visitors see when no operators are available (e.g. "We're offline. Leave a message and we'll get back to you.").
9. Options:
• Request Visitor's Email – Ask for email before starting the chat. This helps follow up if the chat is disconnected.
• Send Transcript by Email – After the chat ends, email the transcript to the visitor.
• Auto-Popup – Show the chat bubble automatically after N seconds on the page.
10. Click Save. The chat widget is now live on your website.

Canned Responses (Quick Replies)

Save time with pre-written responses for common questions:

1. Go to Discuss > Configuration > Canned Responses.
2. Click Create.
3. Enter a Shortcut – a quick keyword (e.g. :hours).
4. Enter the Response – the full message (e.g. "Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM EST.").
5. Save. In a live chat, type :hours and press Tab – the full response replaces the shortcut.