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Get from zero to your first team reply in one sitting — whether you arrived via email signup, Google oauth-onboarding, or the in-app Onboarding checklist. Prerequisite: You have a workspace (you’re past /oauth-onboarding if you used Google).
Main hub: Onboarding & setup guide

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Quick reference

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Example: FreshBite Meal Prep

FreshBite delivers healthy meals in Dhaka. Support lead Anika has never used a shared inbox before. Her goal: stop answering WhatsApp on a single phone. Sidebar → Onboarding (/onboarding) — Step 1 is expanded by default.

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Step 1 — Connect WhatsApp

From Onboarding: Click Manage channels → /settings/workspace/channels
Or: Settings → Workspace → Channels → Add Channel
Vendschat Channel Catalog with WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, and Request New Channel cards.

Channel catalog

  1. Channel Catalog → WhatsApp Business → Connect Channel
  2. Choose use case:
    • Support only — inbox + templates only
    • Support, sales & ads — also Click-to-WhatsApp ads
  3. Prepare — check authorization box → Continue
  4. Connect with Facebook — complete Meta embedded signup
  5. Wait until status is Active on the Channels list
URLs: Tip: Step 1 on the Onboarding page includes a video guide under “How it works”. Deep dive: WhatsApp

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Step 2 — Create labels before volume hits

From Onboarding: Create Your First Label → /settings/workspace/labels
Or: Settings → Workspace → Labels
Vendschat Labels settings with Create Label and label cards that include keywords for automated routing.

Labels

Anika creates three labels: When a message says “wrong address,” she tags it instantly — no scrolling through mixed threads. Deep dive: Shared inbox & labels

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Step 3 — First reply in Chat

  1. Open Chat from the sidebar → /chat
  2. Click the new conversation (appears when a customer messages your connected number)
  3. Type a reply in the composer and send
The customer sees the message on WhatsApp. Anika’s colleague Rafi sees the same thread on his laptop — that’s the shared inbox. No conversations yet? A customer must message your connected number first — or your team starts outbound where the channel allows it.

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Step 4 — Invite Rafi

From Onboarding: Add Team Member → /settings/workspace/team-members
Or: Settings → Workspace → Team Members → Invite Rafi accepts the email invite and lands in Chat.

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Step 5 (optional) — Integrations later

Settings → Workspace → Integrations → /settings/workspace/integrations Not required on day one. Come back when you want Agent Skill, Zapier, n8n, or extra tools. Onboarding Step 3 is Create AI Agent.

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Alternative first channel — Messenger or Instagram

Same Onboarding Step 1 flow; pick a different card in the catalog: Deep dive: Messenger & Instagram

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What good looks like after day one

  • ✅ At least one channel Active
  • ✅ Two or more labels your team actually uses
  • ✅ Two teammates who’ve both replied from Chat
  • ✅ Unread badges going down during the shift

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Common first-day questions

“I don’t see any conversations yet.”
A customer must message your connected number first — or your team starts an outbound conversation where the channel allows it. “I’m stuck on Google workspace setup.”
That’s /oauth-onboarding — complete organization name, then you’ll reach Chat. See Onboarding guide. “Where is the onboarding checklist?”
Onboarding in the sidebar → /onboarding — four accordion steps. “Can we both reply at once?”
Yes. Assign threads so ownership is clear, or use labels to show who’s handling what. “Why can’t I type a free WhatsApp message?”
Outside the 24-hour customer window you need an approved template. See WhatsApp doc. “Should we turn on AI today?”
Usually not on day one. Get comfortable with manual replies, then add an AI Agent when the same questions repeat. “Where do I get help?”
Open AI Workspace Co-Admin and ask in plain language — or use the Resources panel on the Onboarding page (Help center, Video guides).