If your team spends more time playing email tag than actually helping customers or moving projects forward, you’re not alone. Shared inboxes promise to fix the mess, but only if you set them up right. This guide is for anyone who wants to use shared inboxes in Inboxlogy to actually work better together—not just move the chaos to a new place.
Here’s how to cut the noise, skip the confusion, and get your team on the same page.
Why Bother With Shared Inboxes?
Let’s be honest: Most teams use “collaboration tools” that just add more tabs and more notifications. Email’s still where a lot of the real work happens, especially with customers or external partners. The problem is, regular email wasn’t built for groups.
Shared inboxes should let teams:
- See everything coming in (no more forwarding chains)
- Assign or pick up conversations (so nothing gets missed)
- Avoid duplicate replies (“Oops, sorry—didn’t know you were on this”)
- Track what’s done and what needs a response
But just dumping everyone into the same mailbox isn’t enough. If you don’t set up some basic rules and habits, you’ll end up with a new flavor of chaos.
Step 1: Decide If a Shared Inbox Is Actually What You Need
Before you start, be clear why you want a shared inbox. Not every team or workflow needs one.
Good reasons to use a shared inbox:
- Multiple people need to handle incoming requests (think support@, info@, sales@)
- You want transparency—everyone can see what’s being said and done
- You need coverage for absences or time zones
Bad reasons:
- “We want to look busy”
- “Everyone should see everything” (that’s just noise)
- “It’s what everyone else is doing”
Pro tip: If you only want to share some emails, or if privacy is a concern (HR, legal), consider other tools or permissions.
Step 2: Set Up Your Shared Inbox in Inboxlogy
Setting up a shared inbox in Inboxlogy is straightforward, but don’t rush it. The settings you choose now can save headaches later.
-
Create a shared inbox
- Go to Inboxlogy and look for the “Create Shared Inbox” button (usually in the sidebar).
- Choose a clear, specific name (e.g., “Customer Support”, not “Team Inbox”).
- Link it to the actual group email (like support@yourcompany.com).
-
Add the right people
- Only add teammates who will actually work from this inbox.
- Give thought to permissions: Who can reply? Who can assign? Who just needs to watch?
-
Set up permissions
- Inboxlogy lets you set different roles (admin, contributor, viewer).
- Be stingy with admin rights. Too many cooks = settings chaos.
-
Connect any integrations
- If you use tools like Slack, CRM, or ticketing, connect them now. Don’t overdo it—you want fewer silos, not more.
What to skip: Don’t bother inviting the whole company “just in case.” You can always add people later.
Step 3: Establish Ground Rules (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
A shared inbox with no rules is just a pile of emails.
At minimum, agree on:
- Who owns what?
Is someone always “on call”? Are emails assigned, or do people pick them up? - How do you assign or claim emails?
Use the assignment feature. Don’t just “reply all” or hope someone sees it. - What’s the response time?
Agree on what “ASAP” actually means. Be realistic. - How do you handle tricky or sensitive emails?
Use internal notes (not public replies), or escalate as needed.
Write these down somewhere everyone can see. Even a two-paragraph Google Doc beats “We’ll figure it out.”
Step 4: Use Inboxlogy Features That Actually Help Teams
Inboxlogy comes with a bunch of features. Some are genuinely useful; others, you can ignore.
Features worth your time:
- Assignments:
Assign conversations to yourself or others. This stops “double replies.” - Internal notes:
Add comments only your team sees. Great for context or questions. - Collision detection:
Inboxlogy warns if someone else is replying—useful, but don’t rely on it 100%. - Saved replies:
Use canned responses for common questions, but personalize as needed.
Features to skip (unless you have a real use):
- Complex automations:
Start simple. Automations can help, but only after you know your basic workflow. - Endless labels/tags:
Too many categories just slow everyone down. Stick to the essentials.
Pro tip: Don’t chase every new feature. Use what solves real problems for your team.
Step 5: Build Good Habits (This Is Where Most Teams Mess Up)
Technology won’t save you from bad habits. Even the best shared inbox will become a mess if the team isn’t on board.
Habits to build:
- Check the shared inbox regularly, not just your personal email.
- Assign emails—don’t leave them for “someone else.”
- Use internal notes for clarifying, not for chit-chat.
- Mark conversations as closed/solved when done.
- Review the inbox at the end of the day to catch stragglers.
Red flags to watch for:
- “I thought you had it.”
If you hear this a lot, assignments aren’t being used right. - Lots of stale emails.
Means your team isn’t checking in or following up. - People avoiding the shared inbox.
Usually a sign it’s become a dumping ground or too noisy.
Step 6: Keep Improving—But Don’t Overcomplicate It
No tool is perfect out of the box. Once you’ve run the shared inbox for a couple of weeks, get the team together and ask:
- What’s working?
- What’s annoying?
- What’s falling through the cracks?
Tweak your rules or setup. Maybe you need to adjust assignments, or maybe you realize you need a separate inbox for a different workflow. But don’t give in to the temptation to add new tools or fancy features every time there’s a hiccup.
Remember: The goal is less confusion, not more software.
Common Pitfalls (And How To Dodge Them)
- Too many cooks:
Limit access to people actually working in the inbox. - No clear responsibility:
Assign everything. “Unassigned” = “unread.” - Over-automation:
Automations sound cool, but they’ll mask bad processes. - Ignoring feedback:
If the team hates it, figure out why. Don’t force it if it’s not solving real problems.
Wrapping Up
Shared inboxes in Inboxlogy can make your team faster and less stressed—but only if you keep it simple, set clear rules, and actually use the features that matter. Don’t get distracted by bells and whistles. Start with the basics, get everyone on the same page, and adjust as you go. The simplest system that works is the one your team will actually stick with.