How to start your teams off with Latch

How to start

Before you think about inviting people - create a couple of channels. Give members some options to select and to get a feel for Latch. No-one likes to be invited to a blank APP. So download the app, create a few channels and then invite members via your account in Latch.Chat

Create content

Invite members

Collaborate

Create a couple of channels

There are two ways to collaborate in Latch: Chats or Channels. Chats are what people use on a daily basis whether they are one to one chats or group chats on a specific topic. Chats are used when you need immediate feedback on an issue (and don’t mind getting constantly notified along the way!) Channels however, are used for more passive, richer content. Channels keep you informed on topics, news, events, tasks, projects etc. Channel creation is often started out of chat conversations e.g. discussing a project leads to creating a Channel for that project. The project channel gives users a more structured approach to content where content such as tasks, comments etc can be easily searched and monitored without the constant pinging of notifications.

In order to make it inviting for the team to engage, think about the following :

Company Event

If you have a company event coming up, use Latch for the invitations, information and communication – set up a Channel for the event. Make it fun for people to interact and get excited about the occasion. Add videos, images or documents. (Use the Discussion channel option). Make sure you select the Public option so that everyone can view it (unless it is for selected team members (then select Private)

News

If the company has internal news and updates, get a news feed channel going; so that as staff are invited to use Latch, they can select to follow the latest buzz. (News channel with a Public setting)

Record a message

Ask your Leaders to do a fly-on-the-wall film of how they see the company now and where they are heading over the next year or so. It doesn’t have to be long, just interesting! Post it for people to view and comment. (News channel or Discussion)

Ideas channel

New product or process ideas? Start an inter-active conversation between departments and levels to solve problems and to find new ways of doing things better. (Discussion or Business Channel)

Social Channel

Invite members to post events, pictures, news or to create some hype around Friday drinks or the office buzz. (News or discussion channel)

Projects

Maybe you just want to get straight to business by starting a project channel (create a Business channel and assign tasks to users straight away)

Setup

Follow the step throughs below to get started

First, select the + icon in the top right hand corner of your screen

Create the channel.
Select + Create Channel

Which type of channel to choose?
The channel types have widgets to help you manage your channel efficiently. Choose the best channel type for how you want to interact:

Discussion has a ‘topic heading’ with comments below, so that information is easier to both read and retrieve – its excellent for collecting opinions, getting feedback, ideas and inputs.

Business has everything that Discussion has plus: task management, polls and events – it’s great for projects, team tasks and collaboration.

News broadcasts information to all channel followers, and they get to comment on the posts.

Read more

Identity
Give the Channel a name and brief description so that when members search, they can understand what the channel is about.

Image
Then add pictures, aesthetically its looks way better, so the system won’t allow you to finish without adding the Profile and Cover images.

Use holding pictures for now, you can always update it later.

Accessibility
Then select the type of disclosure. If you want anyone in your team using Latch to be able to join this channel, then select Public.

If you want to invite specific members, select Private.

Finally select Create in the top right hand corner of your screen.

Create a Post
Simply type in your Title, then your message text.

Attachments
Pictures, location and files can be added via the icons at the bottom of the screen.

Post it – top right hand corner
Remember, if it’s a private channel, you still need to invite your closed-group of members.

Select your channel
Scroll through the channels and select the one that you want to invite member to.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Invite
Select invite

Select members
Tick the members that you want to invite to collaborate on this Channel. If you have a large number of members you may want to do the user management via Latch.Chat

Send the invite
Select top right to send the invitation.

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want set notification preferences for.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Edit
Scroll down to Notification and select on or off.

Select your channel

Scroll through and select the channel that you want set notification preferences for.

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want set notification preferences for.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Edit
Scroll down to Notification and select on or off.

About

Select About to view your management screen

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want set notification preferences for.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Edit
Scroll down to Notification and select on or off.

Edit

Scroll down to Notification and select on or off.

Remember, only the Channel Owner can Edit the pictures and Name of the channel.

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want to Edit.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Edit
Select Edit and make your updates.

Update
Select Update when you have finished making changes.

Channel Invite
To accept a channel invitation and to follow the channel, simply select Accept.

Collaborating
As a Channel member, you can comment on your team’s posts.

(Remember News channels are broadcast only channels – so they are restricted to comments only)

Posting
Add to the topic by creating your own post, give it a title and then type in the body of the message.

Select Post in the top right hand corner of your screen when ready.

Display
This is how your Posts display. Now your team can comment, feedback and add to your input.

Select Channels
First, select the icon in the top right hand corner of your screen

Select the Channel
If you know that it’s a news , business or discussion channel, you can select to view just those options. Alternatively, if you know the name, type that into the task bar at the top of the screen. Select the channel when it displays.

Scroll through the available Public channels. They will be tagged with the ‘Follow’ option. Click on the Channel you want to follow. Click Done when you are finished.

Private Channels will not display because you need to be invited by the Channel Owner. Private channels will show up as a notification to you.

Read more

Confirmation
The display will confirm that you are following the Channel. (You can un-follow at any time)

Channel Display
Your selected Channel will now display in the Channel menu

Select Channels
First, select the icon in the top right hand corner of your screen

About for management
Select About in the top right hand corner of your screen.

Confirmation
The display will confirm that you are following the Channel. (You can un-follow at any time)

Confirmation

Confirm that you no longer want to follow the channel.

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want to see attachments for.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Media & Files
Select either media or files to review.

Display Media & Files
The files will display in date order and are simple to search and retrieve, open and read.

Select your channel
Scroll through and select the channel that you want to delete.

About
Select About to view your management screen

Delete Channel
Scroll down to Delete the Channel. Select this option and confirm.