Team chat that lives next to the work it is about
Direct messages, group chats, channels and threads in one sidebar, delivered in real time and tied to the same people, projects and tickets as the rest of BusinessHRM.
- DMs, groups, channels and threads
- Real-time with presence
- Turn a message into a ticket
What is team chat in BusinessHRM?
Team chat is the Messages area of BusinessHRM: direct messages, group chats, channels and threads in one sidebar, delivered in real time. It runs inside the same workspace as HR, projects, CRM and support, so the people you message are the same employees on your org records, and a message that turns out to be a customer problem can become a support ticket in one step.
What BusinessHRM does about it
BusinessHRM puts messages in the same workspace as everything else. Everyone in your company directory can be messaged straight away, and leavers lose access when their account is closed. Conversations are grouped into direct messages, group chats and channels, with threads to keep side discussions tidy. Notifications are calmer by design: one alert per conversation, a push when you are away, and an email summary only if messages stay unread for 15 minutes.
Why teams go looking for team chat
- 01Work talk is scattered across appsDecisions sit in a chat tool, the task in a project tool and the customer in a CRM. Finding why something happened means searching three places.
- 02Notifications never stopEvery message pings every device, so people mute everything and then miss the one message that mattered.
- 03Another login, another billA separate chat tool means separate accounts to add and remove every time someone joins or leaves the company.
How notifications behave
Chat only helps if people trust it not to bury them. These are the rules the app follows.
What you get
- One notification per conversation, not one per message
- A push notification when you are away from the app
- An email summary of messages still unread after 15 minutes
- Per-channel switches in the notification centre for email, Slack and push
What you do not get
- Notifications about your own messages
- Read receipts, unless your company switches them on
How team chat works
From first message to resolved issue
Chat sits on the same records as the rest of the platform, so a conversation can turn into work without copying anything.
- 1
Day one
Your directory is already there
Everyone you add in HR can be messaged. There are no separate chat accounts to invite or remove.
- 2
Organise
Set up channels and groups
Create channels for teams or projects and small group chats for quick decisions. Direct messages, groups and channels share one sidebar.
- 3
Talk
Discuss in threads
Reply in a thread, react, pin the important message, mention a colleague, or schedule a message for later. Everything arrives in real time.
- 4
Act
Turn a message into a ticket
When a message is really a customer issue, convert it into a support ticket so it gets an owner and a priority.
What Messages looks like day to day
Real screens from the Demo Agency workspace.
One sidebar for every conversation
Channels, group chats and direct messages sit together, with unread counts and presence so you can see who is around.
- Mentions, starred and saved views
- Search across conversations
Comfortable in dark mode
The whole app, Messages included, switches to a dark theme for people who prefer it.
- Reactions, pins and edit history
- Voice messages and link previews
The same conversations on a phone
Messages works in a phone browser, and direct messages and channels are also in the Android app.
- Android on Google Play, iOS coming soon
Announcements that do not get lost
For company-wide news, the notice board sits in the same Communication area, alongside events with an ICS calendar feed and Zoom meetings.
Open Messages with your own team
Create a free workspace, add a few colleagues and start a channel. Everyone you add can be messaged straight away.
What you get with Team Chat
Included on every plan, including the free Starter plan for unlimited users.
DMs, groups, channels, threads
Every kind of conversation in one sidebar, with threads to keep side discussions out of the main flow.
Real-time with presence
Messages arrive instantly, with presence and unread counts so you know who is online and what you have missed.
Reactions, pins and edits
React to a message, pin what matters, edit with history kept, forward to another conversation and star messages to find later.
Scheduled and voice messages
Write now and send at a better time, or record a voice message when typing is slower.
Message to ticket
Convert a message into a support ticket so a customer problem gets an owner, a priority and a place in the queue.
Calm notifications
One alert per conversation, push when you are away, an email summary after 15 minutes unread, and per-channel switches for email, Slack and push.
What changes once it is running
- One less tool to pay for and manageChat comes with the workspace, so joiners can talk on day one and leavers lose access with their account.
- Context stays with the workConversations sit in the same platform as projects, contacts and tickets, so the reason behind a decision is easy to find.
- Fewer interruptionsNotifications are grouped per conversation and held back while you are active, so people stop muting everything.
Who it is for
- Remote and hybrid teamsTeams that need one place to talk without adding another subscription and another login.
- AgenciesProject channels next to the projects, tasks and clients they are about.
- Support teamsAgents who pull in colleagues fast and turn customer messages into tickets.
- Field and shift teamsStaff who mostly use a phone and need messages and announcements in one app.
Software this replaces
Get team chat without paying for a separate tool, and keep the rest of your business attached.
See all comparisons- SlackChannels, threads, DMs and reactions for internal chat, inside the same workspace as HR, projects and support instead of a separate subscription.
- Microsoft Teams chatDay-to-day team messaging without a separate suite, while Zoom meetings and events sit in the same Communication area.
- WhatsApp groups for workWork conversations move off personal phones into company-owned channels that leave with the account, not with the employee.
Team Chat questions, answered
What kinds of conversations does BusinessHRM chat support?
Direct messages, group chats, channels and threads, all in one sidebar. Messages support reactions, pins, edit history, forwarding, starred messages, scheduled messages, voice messages, mentions, link previews and search.
Is the chat real time?
Yes. Messages are delivered in real time, with presence and unread counts. Read receipts are off by default.
How do chat notifications work?
You get one notification per conversation rather than one per message, a push notification when you are away, and an email summary only if messages stay unread for 15 minutes. You are never notified about your own messages, and the notification centre has switches for email, Slack and push.
Can I turn a chat message into a support ticket?
Yes. Any message can be converted into a ticket, so a customer issue raised in chat gets an owner and a priority in the helpdesk queue.
How long is message history kept?
The free Starter plan keeps 90 days of message history. Growth, Scale and Enterprise keep message history without a time limit.
Can I use chat on my phone?
Yes. Messages works in a phone browser, and direct messages and channels are in the Android app on Google Play. The iOS app is coming soon.
Talk where the work already is
Start free, invite your team and keep conversations next to the projects, clients and tickets they are about.
Free forever for unlimited users. No credit card required.