How to start a sidebar conversation
Last updated October 7, 2026
Overview
A sidebar conversation lets you email people who are not part of the customer conversation about a ticket, such as a warehouse, a manager, or a partner, directly from the ticket in Atlas. You choose the recipients, write a subject and a message, and Atlas sends it as an email. The sidebar is then stored on the ticket, so the whole team can see the full story in the ticket timeline without leaving Atlas.
Sidebars are separate from the customer conversation: the message goes only to the addresses you add in "To" and "CC".
Key Features
- Email from the ticket: Send an email to teammates or outside contacts without leaving Atlas.
- Saved contacts or new addresses: Pick a saved contact from the list, or type any email address and add it as a new recipient.
- To and CC recipients: Add the main recipients in "To" and copy in anyone else who should stay in the loop in "CC".
- Keyboard shortcut: Press "Shift+S" to start a sidebar.
- Visible on the ticket: The ticket row in the inbox shows that you started a sidebar, and the sidebar message appears in the ticket timeline with a "View Sidebar" button.
- Delivery details: The sidebar panel shows who received the message, for example "Sent via Email to 2 people".
How to start a sidebar conversation
Before you start, make sure you know the email address of each person you want to contact. You can choose saved contacts or type new addresses.
- In the inbox, locate the ticket and click "Show More" (ellipsis icon) on the ticket row.
- Select "Start sidebar...". Alternatively, press "Shift+S".
- A compose panel opens on the right. Complete the fields:
- "To": Click the field ("Enter email address...") and select a saved contact from the list. The contact is added as a recipient straight away.
- "CC" (optional): Click the field and add anyone else who should stay in the loop. If the person is not in your contacts, type the email address and click "Add [email address]" to include it as a new recipient.
- "Subject": Enter a short subject that sums up the request ("Add your subject line..."). A clear subject makes the thread easy to find later for everyone on it.
- Message: Click the message area below the subject ("Add your message here") and write your request as you would any email, including who it is about and what you need from the recipients.
- Review your message and click "Send Email".
- Atlas shows the confirmation "Sidebar message sent successfully". Everyone in "To" and "CC" receives the email.
How to view a sidebar
- In the inbox, locate the ticket. The ticket row shows that you started a sidebar, for example "You started sidebar#35".
- Click the row to open the ticket.
- In the ticket timeline, locate the sidebar message, which sits alongside the customer conversation.
- Click "View Sidebar". The thread opens in its own panel on the right. The panel shows who received it, for example "Sent via Email to 2 people".
- Click the close icon (X) to close the panel. The sidebar stays on the ticket, ready whenever you need it.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
What is the difference between a sidebar and an internal note?
A sidebar sends a real email to the people you add in "To" and "CC" and keeps that thread on the ticket. It is meant for getting help from people outside the customer conversation, such as another team or a partner. If you only want to leave a comment for your team, a sidebar is not the right tool, because every recipient gets an email.
Does the customer see the sidebar?
A sidebar is separate from the customer conversation and is sent only to the addresses in "To" and "CC".
Where can I find a sidebar after sending it?
Open the ticket. The sidebar message appears in the ticket timeline. Click "View Sidebar" to see the full thread.
How do I know who received the sidebar?
Open the sidebar with "View Sidebar". The panel shows the delivery details, for example "Sent via Email to 2 people".
Can I send a sidebar to someone who is not in my contacts?
Yes. Type the email address in "To" or "CC" and click "Add [email address]".