Summary: This guide outlines the complete workflow for effectively managing OTalk in Onahiri, from initial creation through ongoing maintenance and eventual archiving.

Chat Lifecycle Overview

The typical lifecycle of a chat includes:

1. Creation – Starting a new conversation
2. Configuration – Setting up the purpose and participants
3. Active Use – Day-to-day messaging and collaboration
4. Maintenance – Managing participants and content

Creating New Chats

Starting a One-on-One Chat

For private conversations between two people:

1. Navigate to the Chat Dashboard
2. Click the “+” button in the top-right corner of the chat list
3. Select or search for the person you want to chat with
4. Click “Create Chat” to begin
5. Your new chat will appear at the top of your chat list

Creating a Group Chat

For team discussions or project collaboration:

1. Navigate to the Chat Dashboard
2. Click the “+” button in the top-right corner of the chat list
3. Select “Create Group Chat”
4. Add multiple participants by selecting or searching for their names
5. Set a name for the group chat (required for groups)
6. Optionally, add a description of the chat’s purpose
7. Click “Create Chat” to begin
8. Your new group chat will appear at the top of your chat list

Configuring Chats

Setting or Changing Chat Name on group chats

For better organization:

1. Open the chat you want to rename
2. Click the settings icon (gear) in the chat header
3. Select “Edit Chat Details”
4. Enter a new name in the “Chat Name” field
5. Click “Save” to apply the change

Note: One-on-one chats cannot be renamed, as they automatically use participant names.

Adding a Description

To provide context about the chat’s purpose:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the settings icon in the chat header
3. Select “Edit Chat Details”
4. Enter or edit text in the “Description” field
5. Click “Save” to apply the change

The description will be visible to all participants when they view chat details.

Managing Participants

Adding Participants to an Existing Chat

To include more people in the conversation:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the participants icon in the chat header
3. Click “Add Participants”
4. Search for and select the people you want to add
5. Optionally, toggle “Send welcome message” to automatically notify them
6. Click “Add” to include them in the chat

New participants will see the entire chat history from the time they join.

Removing Participants

When someone no longer needs to be in the conversation:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the participants icon in the chat header
3. Find the participant you want to remove
4. Click the three dots (⋮) next to their name
5. Select “Remove from Chat”
6. Confirm the removal when prompted

The removed participant will no longer see the chat in their list and won’t receive new messages.

Leaving a Chat

To remove yourself from a conversation:

1. Open the chat you wish to leave
2. Click the settings icon in the chat header
3. Select “Leave Chat”
4. Confirm your decision when prompted

Note: When you leave a chat, you’ll no longer receive messages, but your past messages remain visible to other participants.

Active Chat Management

Managing Files and Links

To organize shared content:

1. Open the chat
2. Click the “Files” tab in the chat information panel
3. View all shared files, sorted by date
4. Use filters to find specific file types
5. Download, preview, or manage files as needed

The Files tab makes it easy to find attachments without scrolling through the conversation.

Starting Threads

To keep related messages organized:

1. Hover over a message you want to reply to
2. Click the “Reply in Thread” icon
3. Type your response in the thread input area
4. Click “Send” to add your message to the thread

Threads help keep conversations organized by grouping related messages together.

Using Message Reactions

For quick responses without cluttering the chat:

1. Hover over any message
2. Click the emoji icon that appears
3. Select an appropriate reaction from the emoji picker
4. Your reaction will appear under the message

Multiple participants can use the same reaction, with a counter showing how many people reacted.

Maintenance Best Practices

Regular Cleanup

To keep chats organized and relevant:

1. Review and delete unnecessary files occasionally
2. Unpin outdated information that’s no longer relevant
3. Summarize long discussions into key points when a topic concludes
4. Leave inactive chats that are no longer useful to you

Search and Reference

To find information in chat history:

1. Use the search bar at the top of the chat list
2. Enter keywords, names, or phrases
3. Filter results by date range if needed
4. Click on search results to jump to that point in the conversation

The search function helps you find information without scrolling through entire conversations.

Special Workflows

Scheduled Messages

For announcements or reminders that need to be sent later:

1. Type your message as usual
2. Click the schedule icon (clock) next to the send button
3. Set the date and time for delivery
4. Click “Schedule” to confirm
5. The message will appear in your “Scheduled” tab until sent

Scheduled messages are useful for announcements, reminders, or when messaging across time zones.

Archiving and Retention

Role-Specific Workflows

For Team Leaders and Managers

Effective practices for overseeing team communications:

1. Create structured group chats for teams and projects
2. Periodically review chat activity to ensure important messages aren’t missed
3. Archive completed project chats with appropriate documentation
4. Set an example of proper chat etiquette and responsiveness

For Individual Contributors

Efficient chat management for day-to-day work:

1. Use notification settings to manage interruptions
2. Search effectively to find information before asking
3. Leave or mute chats that aren’t relevant to your current work
4. Use threads for detailed discussions to avoid cluttering main conversations

For Project Coordinators

Specialized workflows for project communication management:

1. Create dedicated project chats with clear naming conventions
2. Add and remove participants as project teams change
3. Use pinned messages for project milestones and updates
4. Encourage consistent use of threads for subtopics
5. Archive project chats when completed, with a final summary message

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Messages Not Syncing

If messages aren’t appearing or sending:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Refresh the chat by closing and reopening it
3. Log out and back into the application
4. Verify you’re still a participant in the chat

Can’t Create New Chats

If you’re unable to start new conversations:

1. Check your permissions in System Settings
2. Ensure the people you’re trying to chat with are active in the system
3. Contact your administrator if problems persist

Participants Can’t See Messages

If members report missing messages:

1. Confirm they’re still active participants
2. Check if messages were sent before they joined
3. Verify they have the correct permissions
4. Have them refresh their chat window

Getting Help

If you need additional assistance with chat management:

1. Refer to other sections of the documentation:
   • Chat Dashboard
   • Message Types
   • Chat Permissions
   • File Sharing
2. Contact your system administrator for organizational policies
3. Submit feedback through the application for feature requests or improvements