External communications

You can chat with external contacts from the mobile app.

• Find and connect with external contacts
• Identify external contacts and chats
• Start a chat with external contacts
• Add external contacts to a chat
• Send and receive files from external contacts

Find and connect with external contacts

Use the search to find and connect with people outside of your organization. You can send external contacts a connection request. You must wait for your request to be approved before a chat can be created with the user.

1. Tap the Search icon in the top left corner of the app.
2. Type in the name of the person you would like to connect with and select that person in the results list.

If you’re not able to see anyone externally, then you are not enabled for external communication and should speak to your internal IT team. If you can see other people externally, but not the specific individual you're looking for, they may not be enabled to communicate externally on Symphony Messaging.

You must wait for this request to be approved before a chat can be created with the user. You can view outgoing and incoming connection requests under the Notifications icon at the top of your chat screen.

Identify external contacts and chats

• External contacts are indicated with orange avatar outlines and an orange EXT badge next to their name.
• Internal contacts who work for your firm will not have this color.

Note: You might often see a company disclaimer for External chats.

Start a chat with external contacts

External chat rooms can host up to 300 members from up to 25 different companies. 

Create chat option

1. Tap the button in the top right corner of the app.
2. Tap the Create chat button.
3. Enter and select the names of the contacts you want to chat with.
4. Tap the Start button in the top right corner of the app.

Create Room option

1. Tap the button in the top right corner of the app.
2. Tap the Create chat button.
3. Tap Create a Room.
3. Name the room. 
4. Tap Preferences to display the room details and settings.
5. Turn on the Allow external users option.
6. Click Save.

This option must be enabled for external communications.

If you are chatting with more than one external company in a chat, all parties must be enabled for multi-company external chat as well.

7. Enter and select the name of each internal and external contacts you want to add to your chat room.
8. Tap Start in the top right corner to add these users.

Add external contacts to a chat

1. Tap the chat in your chat list.
2. Tap the chat header to view the chat details.
3. Tap Add in the top right corner.
4. Enter and select the name of each contact you would like to add.
5. Tap Save to apply your changes.

You can add external contacts to a chat room if:

• The chat room has been enabled for external users at its creation.
• You are an owner of the room.

Send and receive files from external contacts

External companies must be enabled for both external communications and external file sharing to send or receive files. 

Depending on your company settings, you may not be able to send to or receive files from external contacts. If you cannot send files externally, but would like to, please contact your internal IT team.

If you require further assistance on mobile, please contact the Symphony Support team at support@symphony.com

Attachment files

1. Tap the Attachment file icon to select a file.
2. Tap the Send icon to send your attachment file.

Take a picture

1. Tap the Photo icon to take a picture.
2. Tap Take a photo.
3. Tap Use photo if you are satisfied with this photo or Retake to take another photo.
4. Tap the Send icon to send your picture as an image file.

Remove an attachment ready to be sent

1. To remove a file from the message, tap the x icon in the top right corner of the attachment.