Filter and search conversations in Inbox

Use Inbox search and filters to move from a broad conversation list to the work that needs a specific teammate’s attention.

Search and filters work together. Choose the operational view first, narrow it by teammate or label when needed, and then search inside that result set.

Search for a conversation

Before searching, open Show filters, next to Search, and choose the state you want under Actions, even if it already appears selected. Check the teammates and labels for that view too.

Then enter the customer’s name or another identifying detail in Search at the top of the conversation list.

You can search with:

• Customer name or part of the name.
• An alias saved on the customer profile.
• Email address.
• Phone number, including a partial local number.
• A conversation ID copied from Hellotext.

Search is designed to find conversations through customer identity or a conversation ID. It does not search the complete message history for a word or phrase.

The state, teammate, and label filters you apply through Show filters also narrow the search results. If a customer does not appear, clear or widen those filters and re-enter the search before assuming the conversation is missing.

Understand the state filters

Open Show filters, next to Search, and choose a view under Actions.

Open

Open includes active assigned and unassigned conversations when no teammate is selected. When you select teammates, it shows only conversations assigned to those people.

Your account is selected by default. Keep only your name to review your work, add teammates to see their conversations, or remove all names to include unassigned conversations too.

Needs attention

Shows conversations with customer work that still needs attention.

Needs attention signals pending work, not the owner or lifecycle state. A conversation can be assigned and still need attention.

If you have the Agent role, this view includes unassigned conversations and conversations assigned to you; selecting another teammate does not change that scope. Owners, administrators, and managers can review team attention and narrow it by teammate.

Assigned

Shows active conversations assigned to the selected teammates. Use this view when you need a focused list of owned work without unassigned conversations.

Unassigned

Shows active conversations that do not currently have a human owner. Review this view to claim work or route it to the right teammate or team.

Closed

Shows conversations completed by the team. When you narrow this view by teammate, it shows conversations that teammate moved to Closed.

A closed conversation is not deleted. It can reopen when the customer replies or new activity requires action.

Reminders

Shows conversations that were snoozed until a later time. When you narrow this view by teammate, it shows reminders created by that teammate.

Use reminders for work that should return at a specific time, not as a substitute for assignment or completion.

Mentioned

Shows conversations where the selected teammate was mentioned in an internal note. Your account is selected by default.

A mention requests attention or context. It does not assign the conversation automatically.

Filter by teammate

In Show filters, find Team and open Choose to add a teammate. This section selects individual people; it does not change a conversation’s assignment.

The teammate section changes the meaning of the selected view:

• In Open, it shows conversations assigned to the selected teammates. Remove all names to include unassigned conversations too.
• In Needs attention, owners, administrators, and managers can include unassigned conversations and work assigned to the selected teammates. The Agent role keeps the scope described above.
• In Assigned, it shows conversations currently assigned to the selected teammates.
• In Closed, it shows conversations those teammates closed.
• In Reminders, it shows conversations those teammates snoozed.
• In Mentioned, it shows conversations where those teammates were mentioned.

The Unassigned view does not need a teammate filter because those conversations have no human owner.

Choose more than one teammate to review several people’s work. Use the remove button beside a name to remove it from the filter. Keep only your name to return to your own view; removing every name broadens the view.

Filter by label

Use labels for durable operational categories such as returns, product issues, sales opportunities, or follow-up types.

In Show filters, find Labels, open Choose, and select a label. Use the remove button beside a selected label to remove that filter.

When you select labels, the Inbox keeps conversations with any of those labels inside the active state and teammate view. Labels do not change the conversation state or owner.

If the label list is empty, create and apply the labels your team needs before using them as a filter.

Combine search and filters

A useful order is:

1. Open Show filters and choose a state under Actions, such as Needs attention or Unassigned, even if it already appears selected.
2. Select the teammates you want to review, within the chosen view’s scope.
3. Add one or more labels when you need an operational category.
4. Search for a specific customer inside that result set.
5. Delete the text in Search or remove teammates and labels to widen the list. Re-enter the search after changing the filters.

This is especially useful when a team lead needs to find one customer without losing the operational context of the current queue.

Suggested daily workflow

1. Review Needs attention.
2. Claim or route Unassigned conversations.
3. Continue work in Assigned or Open.
4. Check Mentioned for questions or decisions.
5. Check Reminders to review snoozed conversations.
6. Close conversations when no further action is required.

If the expected conversation does not appear

Check:

• The correct Hellotext business is open.
• The customer name, alias, email, phone, or conversation ID is correct.
• The selected state includes the conversation’s current lifecycle state.
• The teammate filter matches the assignment, closer, reminder creator, or mentioned person for that view.
• If you have the Agent role and search in Needs attention, the conversation is unassigned or assigned to you.
• The selected labels are actually applied to the conversation.
• Another customer profile contains the activity because identity was duplicated.

If the conversation exists but its event or customer activity is missing, use Troubleshoot missing signals or activity.

Related guides

• Inbox and conversations overview
• Conversation lifecycle in Inbox
• Assign conversations
• Teams and Inbox capacity
• Inbox browser notifications