Unread conversations help your team see which messages still need attention. In ZipLeads, opening a conversation does not automatically mark it as read. This stops leads or customer messages from being missed before someone replies or takes action on purpose. Use this guide to mark conversations as read yourself, or to automate it with workflows.
What is conversation read status?
Conversation read status helps your team keep track of which messages still need attention in the Conversations area. A conversation stays unread until someone replies to it or marks it as read. This gives your team more control over when a message counts as handled.
Key benefits of conversation read status
Prevents missed leads: Opening a conversation does not mark it as read, so messages are not accidentally overlooked.
Keeps inboxes organised: Unread conversations stay visible until someone replies or marks them as read.
Supports team accountability: Team members can quickly see which conversations still need action.
Allows automation: Workflows can update conversation read status automatically when needed.
How read and unread conversations work
Unread conversations stay unread until a clear action is taken. Just clicking into a message or viewing the conversation does not change its read status.
When you open an unread conversation, it stays unread. This is on purpose, so your team does not accidentally mark a lead or customer message as handled before replying.
A conversation is marked as read when:
You reply to the conversation manually.
You click the Mark as Read icon in the conversation view.
A workflow updates the conversation using the Edit Conversation workflow action.
How to manually mark conversations as read
Marking conversations as read keeps your unread list accurate and helps your team focus on the messages that still need attention.
Click Conversations in your ZipLeads account.
Open Team Inbox.
Select an unread conversation.
Choose one of these options:
Reply to the conversation.
Click the Mark as Read icon in the top-right area of the conversation view.
Check that the conversation is no longer in the unread list.
Automating mark as read with workflows
Workflow automation is handy when conversations should be marked as read in certain situations or based on workflow activity. Instead of updating each conversation by hand, you can use workflow actions or workflow settings to control how conversations appear in the inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does opening a conversation mark it as read?
No. Opening or clicking into a conversation does not automatically mark it as read.
Q: Why does a conversation stay unread after I open it?
This stops messages from being marked as handled before your team replies or marks them as read on purpose.
Q: Does replying to a conversation mark it as read?
Yes. When you reply to an unread conversation, it is automatically marked as read.
Q: Can I mark a conversation as read without replying?
Yes. Open the conversation and click the Mark as Read icon in the top-right area.
Q: Can I automate marking conversations as read?
Yes. Use the Edit Conversation workflow action to automate conversation read status.