Use IM and SMS messages

When you send an instant message to a company contact, you can view the contact’s availability status, and whether the message has been successfully sent and read.

If you send incorrect information in a message or direct a message to the wrong chat, you can edit or delete the message it as necessary.

To write a new message to a company contact:

1. Open Messages to view your list of chats.

2. Click New to bring up a menu.

   

3. In the menu that pops up, click 1:1 Message .

4. In the Select Contacts window that appears, search by name, number, or email the desired company contact to chat and start writing the message. If the contact has multiple phone numbers available for messaging, click the contact's avatar to view the details, including a list of phone numbers, and select the one you prefer. For the best messaging experience, choose the contact's 8x8 Work number (listed with their four-digit user extension)

   

To reply in a conversation with a company contact:

1. Open Messages to view your list of chats.
2. From the All or Messages sections of your chat list, select the contact you wish to chat with, and begin writing your message.

A new AI Writing Tools feature has been integrated into the chat area, allowing users to create efficient and expressive messages.

Note: The AI Writing Tools feature is disabled by default. Administrators can enable it in the Work Apps Settings section of the 8x8 Admin Console by toggling on the Allow AI in Chat option.

The chat input area now features an Compose with AI button and a list of tools designed to help you craft the perfect message:

• Generate Reply: Instantly creates a response.
• Professional: Maintains a formal and polished tone.
• Casual: Keeps the message relaxed and conversational.
• Sympathetic: Adds warmth and empathy.
• Expand: Adds more detail and depth.
• Shorten: Makes the message concise and straight to the point.
• Rephrase: Improves the submitted response.
• Original: Restores the original response.
• Clear message: Remove AI-generated content before sending.

Note: A Generate Reply option has been added to the More menu for any text message, making responses quicker and easier.

You now have the ability to use the 8x8 votel:// protocol to quickly jump from a browser directly into 8x8 Work for Desktop, and to initiate/view an SMS conversation page with a certain contact.

Let’s say you are navigating in a browser, and you want to jump to a certain contact conversation page, in the 8x8 Work for Desktop. Enter the votel://sendsms/<number> expression in the browser search bar. The chat with that contact number now displays in the the 8x8 Work for Desktop conversation page.

To initiate an SMS conversation in 8x8 Work for Desktop through the 8x8 votel://sendsms/<number> protocol:

1. In the search bar of the preferred browser, enter the votel://sendsms/<number> protocol, where the <number> variable represents the phone number of the contact you want to chat with.

2. In the Open 8x8 Work? window that opens, click Open 8x8 Work.

   The 8x8 Work for Desktop app opens and displays the 1:1 SMS conversation with that <number>.

Note: If the SMS conversation fails to open, caused by an invalid number or an SMS not allowed, etc., an error notification displays: "Invalid Phone Number. Please check and try again.".

During an internal call, you can now initiate a chat with the participant directly from the call card by clicking Chat . This option allows you to quickly message the caller or callee without needing switch to the Messages menu.

You can send a text message to an individual contact or to a group of up to 10 members, including both internal and external numbers. Sending a message to an external number or a personal contact will result in an SMS.

Note: To use SMS on 8x8 Work, ensure SMS messaging is enabled on your phone system.

To write a new message to an external contact:

1. Open Messages to view your list of chats.
2. Click the New option to bring up a menu.
3. In the menu that pops up, select Text Message .

4. In the Text Message window. add member by typing a name, number or email in the To: box and begin writing the message. If the contact has multiple phone numbers you can message, clicking the contact reveals the list of phone numbers; from the list, click the desired number labeled as Mobile.

   Note: To create a group text message, add at lest one external number. A new Group MMS room is created and you can start writing your message. To find more about creating rooms, refer to Use the Group MMS messaging.

5. Click Ok.

Note: You can open an SMS conversation with a certain contact by using the 8x8 votel://sendsms/<number> protocol and write your message.

To reply in a conversation with an external contact:

1. Open Messages to view your list of chats.
2. From the All or Messages sections of your chat list, select the desired contact to chat with, and begin writing the message.

Note: You can open an SMS conversation with a certain contact by using the 8x8 votel://sendsms/<number> protocol and write your message.

Let's say you are receiving spam SMS from an external number that is not in your contact list, and the messages are interrupting your work. You can now block the sender from sending you messages with a simple click.

Note: Only spam SMS received from external numbers that are not in your contact list can be blocked. Messages received from numbers in your contact directory cannot be blocked.

You can block SMS messages from external numbers that are not saved in your contacts. Calls and SMS messages are managed separately; blocking an SMS only prevents that number from reaching you through this specific communication channel.

To block an external SMS:

1. From the navigation menu, click Messages to view your list of chats.
2. Select the message sender you wish to block.

3. In the sender row, click More > Block sender .

   

Once blocked, the SMS is removed from your list of chats.

Note: You can also block the sender in the Messages area from either the contacts list by clicking More Options > View Contact details > Block sender or from the chat window by clicking More Options > Block sender .

To unblock an external SMS:

Notes: To unblock an SMS sender you must remember the number you blocked.

1. From the navigation menu, select Search and type the number you wish to unblock.
2. When located, click the Message in the contact row.
3. Select the message sender you wish to block.
4. In the sender row, click More more options.

5. In the sender row, click More > Unblock sender.

   

Once unblocked, the sender remains visible in the chat list.

Notes:
- You can unblock a sender from the Messages area from either the contacts list by clicking More Options View Contact details > Unblock sender or from the conversation window by clicking More Options > Unblock sender .
- Once a sender is unblocked, any messages received after blocking that sender will not be displayed.

Note: The text messages in bulk feature is currently on limited availability. Contact 8x8 Support for more help.

You can send text messages in bulk to up to 50 external numbers simultaneously, significantly improving upon sending each text message individually. This feature benefits customers who send the same message to multiple contacts, saving time and increasing productivity.

To send text messages in bulk:

1. Click Messages .

2. Click New > Bulk Text Message .

   

3. In the Bulk Text Messages window, add the external numbers and the text you wish to send to these numbers.

   

4. Click Send separately to create individual 1:1 conversations for each external number you added to the To list. You can send your message to up to 50 external numbers.

5. Additionally, a new Bulk Text Room is created when sending text messages in bulk, providing information on when each bulk message was sent and to whom it was generated. You can share additional information with all contacts previously reached through bulk text messages.

   

When a new message is sent from the Bulk Text Room, it is delivered individually to all contacts in bulk. When one of these numbers responds, the message will appear in the 1:1 conversation with that number, not the room conversation.

Note: You can change the room name, but you cannot remove the participants from the room.