Learn how channels work in initdesk inboxes, how to connect Telegram, and when to use one inbox or multiple inboxes.

An inbox is where customer messages become support tickets. Each inbox can receive messages from more than one channel, including Email and Telegram.

Channels let your team support customers from different places without splitting the conversation. A customer can reach you by email or Telegram, and your team can still triage, reply, assign, tag, and resolve tickets inside initdesk.

Open a channel

1. Go to Settings → Inboxes.
2. Select the inbox you want to configure.
3. Under Channels, select the channel.

The card opens that channel’s page. Discord has no page: selecting its card asks for access.

Available channels

Email

Email is available on every inbox. Messages sent to your initdesk inbox address, or forwarded from your own email provider, become support tickets in that inbox.

Copy the address from the Email page. It is labeled initdesk inbox address. See Handle support email.

Use Email when customers contact you through support addresses like support@company.com, help@company.com, or product-specific inboxes.

Telegram

When Telegram is connected to an inbox, incoming Telegram messages become support tickets in that inbox. Your team can manage those conversations alongside email tickets, with the same ticket workflow, assignments, tags, and internal collaboration.

Use Telegram when customers, communities, or partners already contact you through Telegram and you want those messages handled by your support team instead of a separate chat app.

Connect Telegram to an inbox

1. Go to Settings → Inboxes.
2. Select the inbox that should receive Telegram messages.
3. Select the Telegram card.
4. Follow the setup steps on that page to connect your Telegram bot.

Once connected, Telegram shows as an active channel for that inbox.

WhatsApp and Discord

WhatsApp and Discord are in private beta.

• WhatsApp. Select the WhatsApp card to open its page. While connect is in private beta, ask for access from that page.
• Discord. Select the Discord card on the inbox and ask for access. Discord does not have a settings page.

We review requests as availability expands.

Auto-reply

An automatic reply is not a setting on the channel. Email, WhatsApp, and Telegram on the same inbox share one Auto-reply: a message during business hours and a message outside them. See Auto-reply to new tickets.

When to add a channel vs create a new inbox

Add a channel to an existing inbox when the same team should handle those conversations with the same workflow, knowledge base, tone, and routing rules.

Create a separate inbox when the messages need a different team, product context, brand, workflow, or customer segment.

For example:

• Use one Support inbox with Email and Telegram if the same support team handles both.
• Create separate Sales and Support inboxes if those conversations need different owners or workflows.
• Create a separate organization if the brand, policies, or knowledge base are completely different.

Who can access channel tickets

Channel messages follow the inbox they belong to.

Teammates who can access that inbox can see and work on tickets created from its connected channels. If someone should not see Telegram tickets for an inbox, review their inbox access and organization permissions.

Frequently asked questions

Does Telegram replace email?

No. Email remains available. Telegram is an additional channel you can connect to an inbox.

Can one inbox have both Email and Telegram?

Yes. An inbox can receive messages from multiple channels.

Do Telegram messages become normal tickets?

Yes. Telegram messages become support tickets in initdesk, so your team can assign, tag, reply, and resolve them from the inbox.

Do Telegram (or other channel) tickets count toward billing?

Yes. Every channel creates a valid ticket unless you mark it spam. Closing as invalid still counts. The channel does not change the price. See How ticket usage is billed.

Should I create a new inbox for Telegram?

Only if Telegram conversations need a different team, workflow, or customer context. If the same team should handle them, connect Telegram to the existing inbox.

Are WhatsApp and Discord available?

Both are in private beta. Open the WhatsApp page from its card to ask for access. For Discord, ask from the card on the inbox. Discord has no settings page.

Where do I set an automatic reply?

On the inbox, under Auto-reply, not on the channel page. Email, WhatsApp, and Telegram share that pair of messages.

Questions?

If a channel is not receiving messages, tell us the inbox and the channel, using Open a ticket at the bottom of this page.