This guide details the use and management of channels in kChat.

A kChat channel is a communication space dedicated to a project, theme, or team where members can exchange documents, chat in real-time, and organize video conferences.

General Channel

Each organization in kChat automatically has a General channel where all users are automatically invited.

You can use this channel to share information relevant to your entire organization, such as company outings or motivational good news.

You can, of course, start a new thread within the General channel.

Additional Channel

To add a new discussion channel:

1. Click the ‍ button in the left sidebar of kChat
2. Click Create a new channel
   

Channel Information

When you create a new channel, you can choose:

 

1. Its name

It will be modifiable later.

2. Its URL

By default, it takes the channel name, but you can change it using lowercase letters, numbers, dots, dashes, and underscores - also modifiable later.

3. Its status Private or Public

It will be modifiable later (read below).

4. Its description

The description explains how this channel should be used. This text appears in the channel list in the "More..." menu and provides guidance to users on whether they should join the channel.

Once the channel is created, you can also set:

5. A header

Differences between Private and Public channels

Public channels increase transparency. All users can see and join a public channel, ensuring that all people concerned with a project, theme, or team have access to the same information.

Private channels allow you to restrict sensitive content to selected users. Only an existing member can invite another user to a private channel. There are also differences in archive/deletion management (read below).

Convert a public channel to a private channel

To transform a Public channel into a Private channel:

1. Click on the Public channel in the left sidebar
2. Then click on the channel title at the top of the chat
3. Select Convert
   

The history and membership are retained; publicly shared files remain accessible to anyone with the link; the change is permanent and cannot be undone.

What about the reverse?

The reverse (changing a private channel to a public channel) is also possible, but only a kChat administrator can do it; the message history is retained.

Leaving a channel

Except for the main channel titled General, you can leave a channel at any time:

1. Click on the action menu ⋮ to the right of the relevant channel (in the left sidebar)
2. Click Leave the channel
   
    

If you leave a private channel, you will no longer find it in the search but only via its URL if you have it or by being re-invited by a channel member.

If you leave a public channel, you leave it immediately but can rejoin it whenever you want by finding it by name in the search, even if it has been archived.

 

Archiving/deleting a channel

Except for the main channel titled General, you can archive a channel at any time, which prevents new messages and no longer counts it towards your available channel quota:

1. Click on the channel in the left sidebar
2. Then click on the channel title at the top of the chat
3. Click on Archive the channel
   

If you create a channel and then archive it, you can rejoin it whenever you want by finding it by name in the search: 

You can then unarchive it:

or close it to no longer see it in your interface:

Favorites

To favorite any channel, simply:

1. Click on the star at the top of a channel
2. A new Favorites menu will appear in the left sidebar, grouping all the items you have favorited (valid for your user only)
   

Mute a channel

You can hide the notifications of a channel:

1. Click on the action menu ⋮ to the right of the relevant channel (in the left sidebar)
2. Select Mute
   
   
   
    

Organize by categories

By clicking on the + button in the left sidebar of kChat, you can add one or more categories allowing you to place elements (channel, contact, etc.) within them. Then drag the desired channel onto the created category (valid for your user only):

User-to-user chat channel

Personal messages are direct conversations between two or more people that take place outside of channels.

Each user in an organization can freely create personal messages whose content will only be visible to the people involved.