Reply, Add Notes, Photos, and Files in a Colab

The Composer at the Bottom

Open any Colab and scroll to the bottom. The box there is the composer, where you reply to the customer and add things to the timeline. It splits into two parts: Reply to customer (goes to the customer) and Internal (adds notes or files without sending a reply).

The composer is available on both plans, Basic and KeyBolt Pro, to anyone with reply permission. One difference: sending a text needs your own business phone line, which is part of KeyBolt Pro.

Internal does not guarantee that a photo stays private. Photos and image files added under Document can be copied to a linked job and attached to its customer bill. Keep confidential images on the customer record instead of adding them here. See Choose the Files That Go With a Bill for customer visibility and the Email switches.

Replying by Email

If the Colab has an email address on file (from the customer, the contact, or whoever last emailed in), the Email tab is active.

1. Tap the Email tab.
2. Check the To line at the top. It lists the addresses on the customer's record plus everyone who has emailed in on this conversation, so on a property manager thread you can pick the right person. Need somebody new? Choose Use a different address... and type it. KeyBolt saves it onto that customer and sends there. That last option needs permission to manage customers.
3. If you're replying to an email the customer sent, KeyBolt fills in 'Re: ' and their latest subject. Check or edit it before sending. If it's a fresh email, type a subject.
4. Use Cc to copy anyone else who should receive the email. Check every address; Cc is visible to the other recipients. See Copy Another Person on an Email.
5. Type your message.
6. To attach files, tap Attach. You can attach images, PDFs, and Word or Excel files. Each file can be up to 8 MB, and all attachments together up to 20 MB.
7. Tap Send Email.

The email goes out from your shop's branded address and lands in the timeline. The customer can reply, and their reply comes right back into the same Colab. Branded email works on both plans. See Your Shop's Inbound Email Address.

Replying by Text (KeyBolt Pro)

If the Colab has a phone number on file, the Text tab appears.

1. Tap the Text tab.
2. Type your message. The box shows the number you're texting.
3. Tap Send text.

Two-way texting is part of KeyBolt Pro because it uses your own business phone line. If you're on the Basic plan and tap Send text, KeyBolt will tell you that texting customers requires KeyBolt Pro. Upgrade from Settings > Subscription to turn it on. The customer's replies land back in the same Colab.

If two open Colabs share the same phone number, KeyBolt may add a short reference code like 'Ref: A1B2' to the end of your text so the customer's reply routes back to the right thread automatically.

Adding an Internal Note

Choose Note under Internal, type the crew note, and tap Add note. You can use Add photos to include pictures with the note in one timeline entry. Adding a note does not send a reply to the customer.

Adding Photos

Choose Photo under Internal and select one or several pictures, up to 10 at a time. Each can be up to 5 MB, in JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC format. Review the selection before uploading. The timeline groups the pictures so your team can open them together.

On the phone, a Colab's Photos shortcut jumps to its first available picture. You can also add photos alongside an internal note.

Adding Documents

Choose Document and select up to 10 files at a time. Each can be up to 5 MB, in PDF, Word, Excel, or image format. Review the selection and upload. To send a file directly to a customer, attach it to an Email reply.

Deleting Something From the Timeline

You can delete notes, photos, and documents. Tap the entry and use the trash icon, then confirm. Owners, managers, and dispatchers can delete any note, photo, or document. A regular tech can delete only ones they added themselves. Calls, texts, emails, and status events are part of the permanent record and can't be deleted from here.

When a Colab Is Closed

If a Colab is Closed or Cancelled, the composer is locked. Owners, managers, and dispatchers can tap Reopen to unlock it and keep going. If they reply to an email you sent from that Colab, the reply lands back in it and the Colab goes back to Open on its own. See Colab Statuses, Closing, and Reopening.

Reply on the Original Channel

Connected conversations can offer Reply on Google, Reply on Facebook, Reply on Instagram, or Reply on Yelp. Choose the channel the customer is using. Read the notice if replies are unavailable or the reply window has ended. See Connect Your Customer Message Channels.

Last reviewed October 12, 2026.