Beginner's Guide to Dewx Portal: Your Unified Inbox
Dewx Portal is your unified inbox — one place to see and respond to every message from every channel. WhatsApp, email, LinkedIn, Instagram, SMS, live chat, and phone calls, all in one view.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know to get started.
Key Takeaways
- Portal unifies 7+ communication channels into one inbox per contact
- Every message is linked to a contact profile and deal in your CRM
- Dew AI drafts responses based on conversation context and customer data
- Setup takes 15-30 minutes for most channels
- Portal reduces response time by 70-90% compared to checking each channel separately
What Portal Does
Think of Portal as your business's central nervous system for communication. Instead of:
- Checking Gmail for emails
- Checking WhatsApp on your phone
- Checking LinkedIn on a browser tab
- Checking Instagram DMs on the app
- Checking your website chat widget
- Checking SMS/text messages
...you open ONE inbox and see EVERYTHING. Every message, from every channel, organized by contact.
One Contact, One Thread
The most powerful feature: conversation continuity across channels. When a client emails you on Monday, WhatsApps you on Tuesday, and DMs you on Instagram on Wednesday, all three messages appear in one conversation thread under their name.
No more: "Wait, what did they say on WhatsApp last week?" Just scroll up in their unified thread.
Setting Up Portal (15-30 Minutes)
Step 1: Connect Email (5 minutes)
- Go to Settings → Integrations → Email
- Click Connect Gmail or Connect Outlook
- Authorize the OAuth connection
- Choose which email address to connect
- Done — incoming emails now appear in Portal
Tip: You can connect multiple email addresses (personal, support@, info@).
Step 2: Connect WhatsApp (10 minutes)
- Go to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp
- Follow the WhatsApp Business API setup wizard
- Verify your phone number
- Set your business profile (name, description, hours)
- Done — WhatsApp messages now appear in Portal
Note: WhatsApp Business API requires a phone number that's not currently registered on WhatsApp. You can use a new number or migrate your existing one.
Step 3: Connect LinkedIn (5 minutes)
- Go to Settings → Integrations → LinkedIn
- Click Connect LinkedIn
- Authorize the connection
- Done — LinkedIn messages and connection requests appear in Portal
Step 4: Connect Instagram (5 minutes)
- Go to Settings → Integrations → Instagram
- Connect via Meta Business Suite
- Authorize DM access
- Done — Instagram DMs appear in Portal
Step 5: Install Live Chat (5 minutes)
- Go to Settings → Integrations → Live Chat
- Customize the chat widget (colors, greeting message)
- Copy the embed code
- Paste into your website's HTML (before closing
</body>tag) - Done — website visitors can chat, and messages appear in Portal
Using Portal Daily
The Inbox View
Your Portal inbox shows:
- All conversations sorted by most recent message
- Unread badge showing how many need attention
- Channel icon next to each message (WhatsApp, email, LinkedIn, etc.)
- Contact name and company (if in your CRM)
- Message preview — first line of the latest message
- Assignment — who on your team is handling it
Responding to Messages
- Click a conversation to open it
- See the full thread (all channels combined)
- Choose your channel — Reply via WhatsApp, email, or whatever channel makes sense
- Use Dew AI — Click the AI button to generate a draft response
- Review, edit, and send
Pro tip: Dew AI considers the full conversation history AND the contact's CRM data when drafting responses. If the contact is in your "Proposal Sent" pipeline stage, Dew knows to reference the proposal.
Team Collaboration
- Assign conversations — Route messages to the right team member
- Internal notes — Leave notes on a conversation (visible only to your team)
- @mention — Tag a teammate for input without the customer seeing
- Collision detection — See when another team member is viewing the same conversation (no double-replies)
Power Features
Canned Responses
Create quick replies for messages you send repeatedly:
- Pricing info
- Business hours
- Directions
- Return policy
- Next steps after meeting
Setup: Settings → Canned Responses → Create new. Use /shortcode to insert during conversation.
Automation Rules
Set rules that trigger automatically:
- Auto-assign: Messages from Instagram → Marketing team
- Auto-reply: Outside business hours → Send away message
- Auto-tag: Messages containing "pricing" → Tag as "Sales inquiry"
- Escalation: Unresponded messages after 30 minutes → Alert manager
Conversation Filters
Filter your inbox by:
- Channel (WhatsApp only, email only, etc.)
- Assignee (my conversations, unassigned, all)
- Status (open, snoozed, closed)
- Tag (sales, support, urgent)
- Time period
Tips for Getting the Most from Portal
1. Set Response Time Goals
- WhatsApp/Instagram: Under 15 minutes during business hours
- Email: Under 2 hours
- LinkedIn: Under 4 hours
Portal's analytics track your actual response times so you can measure improvement.
2. Use Dew AI for First Drafts
Don't type every response from scratch. Let Dew AI draft it, then edit for your personal touch. This alone saves 30-60 minutes/day for most teams.
3. Close Conversations When Done
Mark conversations as "closed" when resolved. This keeps your inbox focused on active items. Closed conversations automatically reopen if the contact messages again.
4. Use Tags for Organization
Create tags for your most common categories:
- 🔥 Urgent
- 💰 Sales inquiry
- 🔧 Support issue
- 📋 Onboarding
- 🔄 Renewal
5. Set Up Notifications Wisely
- Desktop notifications: On for direct messages and assigned conversations
- Mobile push: On for urgent tags only (avoid notification fatigue)
- Email digest: Daily summary of unresolved conversations
FAQ
Can I still use WhatsApp/Gmail/LinkedIn normally?
Yes. Portal syncs with these channels — it doesn't replace them. You can still open WhatsApp on your phone or Gmail in your browser. However, messages sent from those apps will also appear in Portal (bidirectional sync).
What happens if Portal goes down?
Your underlying channels (WhatsApp, email, etc.) continue to work independently. Portal adds a unified layer on top — it doesn't replace the underlying services. In the rare event of downtime, you can use native apps temporarily.
Is Portal secure for sensitive business communication?
Yes. Portal uses: end-to-end encryption for data in transit, AES-256 encryption for data at rest, role-based access controls, and audit logging. For healthcare businesses, Dewx can be configured for HIPAA compliance.
How many channels can I connect?
There's no limit. Most businesses connect 4-6 channels: email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Instagram, live chat, and SMS. You can add or remove channels at any time.
Does Portal work on mobile?
Yes. The Dewx mobile app includes full Portal functionality. Respond to messages, assign conversations, and use Dew AI from your phone.
