Why it matters
Channels are the foundation of all customer communication in Whippy. They determine where conversations are routed, how teams collaborate, and which phone numbers or email addresses are used to contact customers. Understanding channels helps you manage communication at scale, maintain organisation-wide consistency, and ensure every message reaches the right place.
Key Concepts
Channel: A shared inbox connected to a phone number, email address, WhatsApp number, or messaging platform.
Shared access: Multiple team members can view, reply, and manage conversations in real time.
Sender: The phone number or email address used when sending outbound messages from the channel.
Channel settings: Configuration options that control provider setup, business hours, auto-responses, call flows, and user permissions.
Channel types: SMS/Voice, Email, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and other supported messaging platforms.
Organisation routing: Channels can be used to separate communication by department, team, location, or use case.
Step-by-Step: Explore and Use Channels in Whippy
1. View Channels in the Inbox
Go to Inbox.
Select All Conversations to see conversations across every channel.
Open any conversation to view channel details:
Under the contact’s name, you will see:
The contact’s phone number or email
From: [Channel Name], showing which channel the conversation belongs to
2. View Channels in All Calls
Go to All Calls under the Inbox.
Each call lists the channel used to place or receive the call.
Sort or filter by channel to analyse activity.
3. View Inbox by Channel
In the Channels tab of the Inbox, you can switch between each individual channel’s inbox.
This helps teams handle messages for specific departments or locations independently.
4. View Channels in Organisation Settings
Go to Settings → Channels.
See a full list of all organisation-wide channels, including:
Channel name
Type (SMS, Email, WhatsApp, etc.)
Sender (phone number or email)
When it was last updated
Who updated it
Switch between Enabled and Disabled channels.
Use search, sorting, and filtering tools to find specific channels.
Step-by-Step: Add a New Channel
Go to Settings → Channels.
Click Add Channel.
Fill out basic details:
Channel name
Emoji icon
Description
Business address
Google Place ID
Select your channel type:
Phone (SMS, Voice)
Email
WhatsApp
Messenger
Instagram
Choose your provider (Twilio, Whippy Phone, Mailgun, Meta, etc.).
Configure the sender:
For phone: buy a number or add one manually
For email: set the sender address
For WhatsApp/Messenger/Instagram: authenticate via Meta or Twilio
Review and save the channel.
Step-by-Step: Edit an Existing Channel
Go to Settings → Channels.
Click the ⋮ menu next to a channel.
Select Edit Channel.
Update any of the following settings:
Overview
Channel name
Icon
Description
Business address
Configuration
Provider
Authentication
Sending speed
Sender details (email only; phone numbers cannot be changed)
Business Hours
Timezone
Operating hours per day
Bulk copying of hours across multiple days
Auto-Responses
Business-hours and after-hours rules
Message templates
Chat agent actions
Add to sequence actions
Call Flow (Phone channels)
Opening greeting
IVR options and routing
Recording and transcription settings
Closing greeting
After-hours call handling
Settings
Auto-close conversations
AI language persistence
Link tracking preferences
WhatsApp template import (WhatsApp only)
WhatsApp business profile updates
Users
Add or remove users
Adjust user permissions
Invite new users directly to the channel
Save changes to apply updates.
Tips and Best Practices
Create separate channels for teams such as Sales, Support, or Operations to keep communication organised.
Assign business hours to ensure auto-replies work consistently.
Use clear channel names so routing and reporting remain easy to manage.
Review call flows annually to ensure routing options remain accurate.
Limit private channels to only those that require restricted access.
Monitor channel activity through All Conversations, All Calls, and Attachments to keep oversight across teams.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
Channel not appearing in Inbox | User not assigned to the channel | Add user via the Users tab in channel settings |
Messages not sending | Incorrect sender configuration | Recheck sender number/email and provider settings |
Auto-responses not triggering | Business hours not set or toggles misconfigured | Review business hours and autoresponse settings |
WhatsApp channel inactive | Meta setup incomplete | Finalise configuration in Meta Business Manager |
Cannot change phone number | Phone numbers cannot be modified after creation | Create a new channel with the correct number |