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Search, Sort & Filter Conversations in Your Inbox

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Quick Sorting

Use the Sort menu to change the order of your conversation list:
  • Newest – most recent activity at the top
  • Oldest – oldest activity at the top (great for closing out stragglers)
  • Waiting Longest – threads with the longest inactivity (prevents misses)
  • Unread First – shows conversations with unread messages first
Tip: Sorting changes the order of the list you’re already viewing (Open, Closed, or a filtered view). You can combine Sort with Filters for powerful inbox views.

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Search Conversations and Messages

Search in the Inbox is scoped to conversations and their messages.
  • Use the search bar at the top of the app and type your query.
  • You’ll see recent searches, plus quick actions to Compose or Create a contact.
  • There’s also a shortcut to Search in Contacts if you’re looking for a person.
Why aren’t contacts in the Inbox search:
MessageDesk treats conversations and contacts as separate entities. That’s how you can text anonymous contacts (numbers without a saved contact record) and still find those threads later by message content or conversation. How to narrow your search results:
Toggle the search scope to focus on Messages (specific words inside messages) or Conversations (by thread).
Tip: Searching for a person? Jump to the Contacts module to search by name and other contact details.

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Sort conversations in any Inbox view

  1. Click the Sort icon above your conversation list.
  2. Choose Newest, Oldest, Waiting Longest, or Unread First.
  3. Your list updates immediately.
When to use which:
  • Newest for real-time triage
  • Oldest to finish and close out older work
  • Waiting Longest for follow-ups and SLAs
  • Unread First for “what needs doing right now”

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How to Apply a Custom Filter to Your Inbox View

Filter by Labels, Assignee, or Workspace phone to build focused inbox views.
  1. From any Inbox view, click the Filter icon.
  2. Choose Match ALL filters or Match ANY filters:
    • ALL = a conversation must meet every condition
    • ANY = a conversation can meet any one of the conditions
  3. Pick a property to filter by:
    • Labels – select one or more labels
    • Assignee – select one or more teammates
    • Workspace phone – select one or more numbers
  4. Click Apply Filter to update your list, or Clear Filters to reset.
Tip: Start broad with ANY, then tighten to ALL as your inbox view shrinks.

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Combine Sort + Filters (Compound Queries)

You can layer Sort on top of an active Filter to create compound views.
Examples:
  • Filter: Labels = Support + Urgent → Sort: Waiting Longest
  • Filter: Assignee = You → Sort: Unread First
  • Filter: Workspace phone = (555) 555-0100 → Sort: Oldest

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Share a filtered view with teammates

  1. After applying filters (and choosing a sort), click the Share icon.
  2. The unique URL will be copied directly to your clipboard, and you can send it to any MessageDesk user in your workspace.
  3. They’ll land on the exact same filtered/sorted view.
Great for daily stand-ups: “Work from this filtered view today.”

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Examples: Ways to Sort and Filter Conversations

Close-out an old list of conversations
  • Filter: Assignee = You
  • Sort: Oldest
  • Goal: Close or comment on everything older than 48h
Catch-up on urgent support requests
  • Filter: Labels = Support, Urgent (Match ANY)
  • Sort: Waiting Longest
  • Goal: First response within target time
Triage new messages by phone number
  • Filter: Workspace phone = Front desk line
  • Sort: Unread First
  • Goal: Keep the public line clear and responsive

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FAQ

Can I save a filter permanently as a named view?
You can share a link to a filtered/sorted view. (If you use the same filters often, bookmark those URLs.) Why didn’t my person’s name appear in the Inbox search?
Inbox search looks at conversations/messages. To search by contact name, use Search in the Contacts module. Do filters change what my teammates see?
No. Filters affect your current view only—unless you share the link. Can I filter by multiple labels, assignees, etc.?
Yes. Select as many as you need and choose ALL or ANY to control matching.

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Troubleshooting

  • My results look empty.
    Check if Match ALL is too strict. Try Match ANY or clear one condition.
  • I can’t find a conversation I’m sure exists.
    Confirm you’re searching Messages vs Conversations appropriately. Clear filters and try again.
  • The share link sent my teammate to a different list.
    Make sure they have access to the same workspace numbers/labels and that the link wasn’t altered.

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Best practices

  • Search first, then filter. A quick keyword search can narrow the conversation haystack.
  • Use consistent labels. Filters are only as good as your labeling habits.
  • Work oldest-first on close-out. Then switch back to Newest for live triage.
  • Share your filters. Drop a link in a Comment so everyone’s working the same list.