Threads

A thread is a side conversation that hangs off one message. Use it to follow up on something without filling the main conversation: the replies live in a panel on the right, and the main conversation shows only a short summary under the message you replied to. Threads work the way they do in Slack and Teams.

Start a thread

1. Hover over a message and click Reply in thread. On a phone, open the message's menu and choose Reply in thread.
2. The thread opens in the panel on the right, with the original message at the top.
3. Type your reply and press Send.

Threads are one level deep: every reply in a thread belongs to the same thread, even if you reply to a reply.

Under the original message, the main conversation shows the number of replies, who replied, and when the last reply arrived. Click it to open the thread. A dot means the thread has replies you haven't read.

When threads have replies you haven't read, a banner at the top of the conversation shows how many there are. Click Open to go to them.

Reply in thread or quote?

There are two ways to reply to a message:

	Reply in thread	Quote
Where the reply goes	The thread panel	The main conversation
What others see in the conversation	A reply count under the original message	Your reply, with the original quoted above it
Best for	Follow-ups, side questions, long back-and-forth	A quick answer everyone should see in context

Also send to conversation

Tick Also send to conversation under the thread's message box when a reply matters to everyone, for example a decision or a final answer. The reply stays in the thread and also appears in the main conversation, marked "replied to a thread". Click that label to open the thread.

Following a thread

Following a thread means you're notified about its replies:

• Notifications: each new reply reaches your bell, like a message in the conversation.
• Unread: replies you haven't seen count as unread until you open the thread. Opening the main conversation doesn't mark them read.

You follow a thread automatically when you wrote the original message, when you reply in it, or when someone @mentions you in it. Use Follow or Following at the top of the thread panel to change this. If you unfollow, replying or being mentioned later won't follow you again; click Follow if you want to.

If you don't follow a thread, you still see its reply count and can open it at any time. Replies also sent to the conversation reach everyone either way, and an @mention always notifies you.

Agents and @ai in threads

• @mention an agent inside a thread and it reads that thread, plus the few messages before it in the main conversation, and answers in the thread.
• @mention an agent in the main conversation and it usually answers there. Like a person, it can decide to answer in a thread instead, for example for a long, step-by-step answer. It can also answer in the thread and send the answer to the conversation when everyone needs it.
• Use @ai inside a thread and the AI reads only that thread and answers in it. See Chat & the AI Assistant.

Threads with Slack and Teams

When a conversation is linked to Slack or Microsoft Teams through the Communications Hub, threads carry across:

• Slack: a Portablemind thread is a Slack thread, both ways. "Also send to #channel" in Slack is the same as Also send to conversation.
• Teams channels: a Portablemind thread is the Teams reply chain under a post, both ways.
• Teams chats (1:1 and group): Teams chats have no threads. A thread reply from Portablemind arrives there as a normal message that quotes the original, and a quoted reply sent from Teams appears in Portablemind as a Quote.

Threads on support tickets

Threads are always internal. On a ticket shared with a customer through the Support Portal, the customer never sees thread replies, even in a thread under a message they can see. Use threads to discuss a ticket with your team; answer the customer the usual way.

On a phone

On a narrow screen the thread opens full screen. Close it to return to the conversation.