Channels#

Channels are the foundation of team communication in CommFlow. They provide dedicated spaces for teams, projects, or topics where members can collaborate through messages, files, and discussions.

Channel Types#

Public Channels#

Public channels are visible to all workspace members and anyone can join.

Best for:

• Company-wide announcements
• General discussions
• Cross-team collaboration
• Open Q&A sessions

Creating a Public Channel:

1. Click the + button next to "Channels" in the sidebar
2. Enter a channel name (e.g., general, engineering, marketing)
3. Add an optional description
4. Leave "Make private" unchecked
5. Click Create Channel

Private Channels#

Private channels are only visible to invited members.

Best for:

• Sensitive discussions
• Project-specific teams
• Management conversations
• Client communications

Creating a Private Channel:

1. Click the + button next to "Channels"
2. Enter a channel name
3. Check Make private
4. Add members who should have access
5. Click Create Channel

Channel Settings#

Access channel settings by clicking the channel name header or the gear icon.

General Settings#

• Channel Name: Update the display name
• Description: Add context about the channel's purpose
• Topic: Set a current topic that appears in the header

Member Management#

• Add Members: Invite workspace members to the channel
• Remove Members: Remove access (private channels only)
• View Members: See all current channel members

Notifications#

Configure how you receive notifications for this channel:

Channel Features#

Pinned Messages#

Pin important messages for easy reference:

1. Hover over a message
2. Click the ... menu
3. Select Pin to channel

Access pinned messages by clicking the pin icon in the channel header.

Message Threads#

Keep discussions organized by replying in threads:

1. Hover over a message
2. Click Reply in thread
3. A thread panel opens on the right
4. Continue the conversation without cluttering the main channel

File Sharing#

Share files directly in channels:

• Drag and drop files into the message area
• Click the attachment icon to browse files
• Files up to 100MB supported
• Preview images, PDFs, and documents inline

Link Previews#

When you share a URL, CommFlow automatically fetches and displays:

• Page title and description
• Featured image
• Site favicon

Channel Organization#

Naming Conventions#

Use consistent naming for easy navigation:

#team-engineering     - Team channels
#project-website      - Project channels
#topic-design-system  - Topic channels
#temp-q4-planning     - Temporary channels

Sections#

Group related channels into collapsible sections:

1. Right-click in the channel list
2. Select Create Section
3. Name your section (e.g., "Projects", "Teams")
4. Drag channels into sections

Starring Channels#

Star frequently used channels for quick access:

1. Right-click on a channel
2. Select Star channel
3. Starred channels appear at the top of your sidebar

Keyboard Shortcuts#

Best Practices#

1. Use descriptive names - Make channel purpose clear from the name
2. Set topics - Keep the channel topic updated with current focus
3. Archive inactive channels - Keep your workspace clean
4. Use threads - Keep main channel focused on new topics
5. Pin key resources - Important links, docs, and decisions

Next Steps#

• Direct Messages - Learn about private conversations
• Mentions & Notifications - Master @mentions and alerts