Channels & Direct Messages

Channels are where conversations live in Sonar. A channel groups the people, messages, files and calls for a topic, a team, or a customer. One-to-one conversations are Direct Messages. Both appear in the left navigation.

Channel types

Public channel

Anyone in the workspace can find and join it. Use for open, shared topics.

Private channel

Invite-only and hidden from people who aren’t members. Use for restricted conversations. It shows a lock icon in the list.

Direct message

A one-to-one conversation with another person, listed under Direct Messages.

The conversation view

Selecting a channel opens its conversation: the message thread in the middle, a composer at the bottom, and a details panel on the right for the channel’s Files, Channel info and Shared items. The header shows the channel name, participant count, and actions to add people, start a call, or open the channel menu.

A channel conversation, with the details panel open on the right.

Creating a channel

1. In the left navigation, click the + next to Channels (or Create Channel on your home dashboard).

2. Choose Public or Private, give the channel a name, and optionally add members.

3. Create it — the channel opens in its own window, ready for messages, files and calls.

Note

Creating or joining a channel opens it in a separate window. Sonar uses a main window for all services and a secondary window for chat and exchanging documents.

Starting a direct message

Click the + next to Direct Messages and pick a person to open a private one-to-one conversation.

Files & history

Every channel keeps its own message history and files. Open the Files section in the right-hand panel to browse everything shared in that channel, and use search at the top of the left navigation (with its date filter) to find past conversations.

Related

The Sonar workspace Where channels and messages sit in the app.

Plan a meeting Turn a conversation into a scheduled call.

Feature Docs More of what Sonar can do.