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External communications (iOS)

You can chat with external contacts from the mobile app.

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 your screen.
  1. Search for the external contact you would like to connect with and select them in the search results.

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.

  1. Tap the Chat button or the Connect button if you are not yet connected.

  1. Select Request Connection in the confirmation message to send a connection request.

You will be notified of accepted or rejected connection requests in your notifications.

  1. Tap the Notifications menu to view any received connection notifications.

Identify external contacts and chats

  • External contacts are indicated with yellow avatar outlines and a yellow EXT badge next to their name.
  • Internal contacts' avatars are not outlined.

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

Start a new chat with external contacts

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

One-to-one chat

  1. Tap the button in the top right corner of the app.
  2. Search for the person you want to connect with.
  1. Select the person in the search results to start chatting with them.

  • If you are already connected on Symphony Messaging with this external contact, the chat is immediately created.
  • If you are not yet connected, you can send a connection request to this contact and must wait for connection approval.
  1. Select the Connect button to send the connection request.

You will be notified of accepted or rejected connection requests in your notifications.

Group chat

You can create a chat with internal and external users. Note that if you add any external users you are not yet connected with to a group you are creating, they won't be added to that group. You will be able to send them a connection request, but you will need to add them later to that group.

  1. Tap the button in the bottom right corner of your screen.
  2. Tap the Create group button.
  1. Search and select people's names. 

The following group serves as an example. Cecilia Kanioni is creating a group with 5 members:

  • 2 internal users - Allison Adams and Jef Touwen 
  • 1 external user who is already a connection - Lucille Green
  • 2 external users whom she is not yet connected with - Jane Maneetapho and Lauren Simmons 

Cecilia will be asked if she wants to send a connection request to Alan and Jane. Because they are not yet connected, Alan and Jane won't be added to the group Cecilia will create even if they accept to connect. She will need to add them to the group afterwards.

  1. Tap Connect to send a connection request to new contacts.

Jane Maneetapho and Lauren Simmons will receive Cecilia's connection request and appear under the pending connections. 

    

  1. Tap Next in the top right corner.
  2. Enter a group name (optional).

If you entered a group name, you can view and edit the group properties.

  1. Tap Properties to view or edit the group permissions.

           

  1. Back to the group, tap Create in the top right corner.
  2. Tap Create in the message to confirm you are aware pending connections won't be added to the group. 

The group is created. Jane Maneetapho and Lauren Simmons have not been added to the group Cecilia just created. She can add them later once they accepted her connection request and can immediately start chatting with Allison, Jef and Lucille.

      

Add external contacts to a chat

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

You can immediately add external contacts to a chat room if:

  • The chat room is enabled for external users at its creation.
  • You are an owner of the room.
  • You are already connected to these external contacts. If not you need to send them a connection request first and add them to a chat after they accepted your connection request.

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

Attachments

  1. To send an attachment file, tap the Attachments icon.
  2. Select the file and tap Open.
  3. Tap Send.

  1. To remove an attachment file before sending the message, tap the x in the top right corner of the attachment.

Photos

  1. To take and send a photo, tap the Picture icon.
  2. Tap Take a photo.
  3. Tap Use Photo.

  1. To remove a photo before sending the message, tap the x in the top right corner of the attachment.

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.

 

Based on your organization's settings, some features in this Knowledge Article may not be applicable to you. Please contact your Technical Account Manager (TAM), Symphony Support, or your internal IT team with any questions.

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