Chatter Messenger FAQ

Chatter Messenger includes real-time presence and instant messaging, and is available now.  This feature is free, secure, and beautifully integrated with Salesforce Chatter. Chatter Messenger will be automatically enabled for all customers that currently have Chatter turned on.

What is Chatter Messenger?
Chatter Messenger gives Chatter users real-time presence and instant-messaging capabilities. This means that users will be able see when coworkers are online and engage in private, one-to-one and multi-person instant messaging sessions. Chatter Messenger is built right into Chatter and includes:

  • Presence: Instantly see when coworkers on Chatter are online and available. Just check your Chatter Messenger roster, or hover over anyone's name or profile with your mouse.
  • Private Instant Messaging: Engage in private, one-to-one IM conversations with coworkers in real-time.
  • Multi-person Instant Messaging: At any point during a private IM conversation, users can drag and drop additional participants into the session. Up to 10 participants can join the same conversation in real-time.

What can I do with Chatter Messenger?

  • Connect with all of your colleagues, who are automatically populated into the Chatter Messenger roster.
  • Hover over any Chatter user's name and click "Chat Now" to start an IM session.
  • Engage in private one-to-one instant messaging via any web browser.
  • Enjoy multi-person instant messaging capabilities with up to ten people.
  • Save your favorite people and multi-person IM teams for easy and fast communication.
  • Pop IM sessions out of the browser so you can close other browser tabs but continue to send and receive messages.

What makes Chatter Messenger unique?
Chatter Messenger is integrated with your business processes, entirely secure, and cloud-based. It was designed to maximize employee productivity in the enterprise. Unlike third party instant messaging applications such as AIM, Gtalk or Skype, which force users to craft "buddy lists" of aliases and send messages over the public internet, Chatter Messenger lets users immediately communicate with coworkers inside their secure Salesforce org.

Can external users engage in instant messaging conversations?
No. Only internal Chatter users can use Chatter Messenger.

Which editions have Chatter Messenger?
All editions with Chatter turned on (including Chatter.com and Chatter Free) are automatically enabled with Chatter Messenger (except those configured as DNAE).

How much does Chatter Messenger cost?
Chatter Messenger is free of charge and available to every employee in an enterprise, making it a compelling alternative to paid solutions.

How can I give all of my employees access to Chatter Messenger?
Administrators can provision Chatter Free licenses for their coworkers via the setup menu. This will give them access to Chatter Messenger. End users may also invite coworkers to Chatter using the invitation button if coworker invitations is turned on.

When will Chatter Messenger be enabled within my org?
Chatter Messenger went live Summer ‘12.

Do customers have to work directly within the browser?
Chatter Messenger is cloud-based but allows you to pop IM sessions out of the browser. You can close other browser tabs but continue to send and receive messages. Chatter Messenger will work in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. Chatter Messenger will also work with Internet Explorer, although it will not support IE7. IE7 users will appear offline to other Chatter Messenger users.

Will Chatter Messenger support archiving and retrieval of chat conversations?
Not yet.  The Summer '12 release did not support archiving or retrieval of instant messages.  Salesforce.com plans to add archiving and retrieval capabilities in a future release.  

What is the deadline for opting-out?
May 24, 2012 was the opt-out deadline.*

If I opt-outed of Chatter Messenger before, can I enable it now?
Yes. A Salesforce administrator must follow these steps:

  1. Click Your Name > Setup > Customize > Chatter > Chat  Settings > Edit
  2. Select Enable Chat. Selecting this button turns on Chatter Messenger for your entire org.
  3. Click Save.

Can I disable Chatter Messenger?
Yes. Just follow these steps:

  1. Click Your Name > Setup > Customize > Chatter > Chat  Settings > Edit
  2. De-select Enable Chat. De-selecting this button turns off Chatter Messenger for your entire org.
  3. Click Save.

Where can I find more details on Chatter Messenger?
See the Release Notes on the Customer Resources page.

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