Discuss
This course covers the Discuss module in Quickenerp. Discuss is the central communication hub – instant messaging, email integration, channels, live chat with website visitors, and notifications. It replaces internal email for team communication and keeps all conversations linked to records.
| Responsible | System |
|---|---|
| Last Update | 07/21/2026 |
| Completion Time | 2 days 17 hours |
| Members | 1 |
Discuss Overview
View allDirect Messaging
Direct messages are private one-to-one conversations between you and another user.
Starting a Direct Message
- In Discuss, click the + icon next to "Direct Messages" in the left panel.
- Search for the colleague's name.
- Click their name. A new conversation opens.
- 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.
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
| Use Discuss When | Use Email When |
|---|---|
| Internal team communication | Communicating with external contacts (customers, vendors) |
| Discussing a specific record (order #1234) | Sending formal documents (quotations, invoices) |
| Quick questions and updates | Long-form communication with external parties |
| Live chat with website visitors | Marketing campaigns and newsletters |
Note: You can send emails directly from the chatter on any record – that email IS recorded in Discuss, keeping the history together.
Discuss Channels
Channels are group conversations. They can be public (anyone can join), private (invite-only), or linked to a specific record (channel document).
Channel Types
| Type | Visibility | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Public | All users can see and join | Company-wide announcements (#general, #announcements) |
| Private | Only invited members | Department discussions (#sales-team, #dev-team, #hr) |
| Record Channel | Linked to a specific record | Project discussions, deal rooms (auto-created from projects) |
| Email Alias Channel | Has an email address | Emails sent to the alias appear in the channel. External stakeholders can participate via email. |
Creating a Channel
- In Discuss, click the + icon next to "Channels" in the left panel.
- Channel Name – Use a descriptive name (e.g. "Q4 Marketing Campaign"). Avoid special characters and spaces.
- Description – Briefly explain the channel's purpose. This appears at the top of the channel view.
- Privacy – Public (everyone can join) or Private (only invited members).
- Email Alias – Optionally, set an email address (e.g.
marketing@company.com). Emails to this address post to the channel. External participants can reply by email. - Click Save.
Channel Management
As a channel owner or administrator:
- Add Members – Click the "Members" tab in the right panel – "Add Members". Search for users and add them.
- Remove Members – Click the -- next to a member's name.
- Pin Messages – Hover over a message – ⋮ – "Pin". Pinned messages appear in the right panel for quick reference.
- Mute Notifications – Click the bell icon in the channel header to mute notifications for that channel.
- Leave Channel – Click the channel name – "Leave Channel". You stop receiving messages from it.
- Archive Channel – When a channel is no longer active, archive it (not delete). Archived channels are hidden from the list but can be unarchived later. Messages are preserved.
Channel Best Practices
- Use a consistent naming convention: #department-purpose (e.g. #sales-deals, #dev-bugs).
- Create channels for active projects and campaigns, then archive them when done.
- Use @channel or @all to mention everyone in the channel (use sparingly – it notifies everyone).
- For record-specific discussions, use the record's chatter rather than a channel – it keeps context directly with the record.