Every channel has a type, chosen when you create it. The type decides how the channel looks and what people can do in it.
Conversation channels
- Chat - a flat chat where anyone can post and reply inline. Use it for the day-to-day: "anyone got a spare key?"
- Messages - top-level posts with a thread panel for replies. Better when topics need to stay separate, like a parents' channel with one thread per trip.
- Announcements - posts broadcast to the group. Only people with permission can post; everyone else reads. Use it for the things nobody should miss.
Polls work in all three: use the composer's poll option, write your Question and answers, and choose whether to Allow multiple answers and when the poll Closes at.
Structured channels
- Check-ins - recurring questions the group answers. Set the Question, the Answer type and the Duration and Joyn asks again each time.
- To-do list - tasks with assignees and due dates. See To-do lists and kanban boards.
- Kanban - cards you move between columns. Same guide.
Create a channel
- Click New channel in the space sidebar, or inside a group for a channel only that group sees.
- Type a Channel name. Short and lowercase works best, like launch-week.
- Pick the Channel type and create it.
The type cannot be changed afterwards, so if a chat turns into a to-do list, create a new channel.
Who can post
Open the channel's settings to see Channel permissions. Everyone can post by default; add a role or specific members instead to make the channel read-only for the rest. Manage channel lets someone rename or delete it. See Roles and permissions.