# Inkbox from Machine Desktop

Everything Machine Desktop shows and does with Inkbox, the Channels row, /call, text-me check-ins on goals, and seeing Inkbox steps in a thread.

Canonical page: https://themachine.myapps.ai/docs/desktop/inkbox/from-machine-desktop

## The Channels row

Open a bot's settings and go to **Channels**. The Inkbox row shows one of:

| Status | Second line | Buttons |
|---|---|---|
| **Not connected** | *"Text it on iMessage or SMS, email it, or call it — from any phone."* | **Connect ↗** opens setup on the Machine web app. |
| **Connected** | The bot's **@handle · phone number · email address** | **Manage ↗** opens the web app's Inkbox settings. **Disconnect** turns Inkbox off for this bot. |

![Channels with Slack connected, Inkbox not connected, and Glyph's key box](/images/docs/desktop/channels.webp)

Click the **refresh** icon at the top of **Channels** after you connect or
change something on the web.

At the bottom, *"Channel bindings and per-channel models live on the web
dashboard"* links to the same web page.

## /call

Type `/call` in any message box to have the bot phone a business for you.
See [Phone calls](/docs/desktop/inkbox/phone-calls#have-the-bot-call-someone).

## Text-me check-ins on goals

In **Tools → Responsibilities** (at the bottom of the sidebar), when you give a
bot a goal and choose **Check in daily** or **Weekly**, a small dropdown
appears next to it, starting at **In the app**. Its choices:

| Choice | The bot |
|---|---|
| **In the app** | Reports in Machine only. |
| **+ text me** | Also texts you the report through Inkbox, by iMessage or SMS, but only when something needs you. |
| **+ Slack me** | Also sends you the report as a Slack direct message, but only when something needs you. |

**+ text me** needs Inkbox connected for that bot. Every check-in also
reports in Machine, in the bot's main thread unless you change where it posts. See
[Responsibilities](/docs/desktop/bots/responsibilities).

## Inkbox steps in a thread

When the bot uses Inkbox in a thread (sending a text, placing a call, reading
an email), you see a step such as **Used a connector · inkbox · …** in the
thread's step list. In the [Live view](/docs/desktop/live/live-view), it
shows in the **Apps** window.

## Threads from texts, emails and calls

Every Inkbox conversation is a thread in the bot. Open it to see the whole
exchange and everything the bot did, or carry on in the app.

## On your phone

The Machine phone app shows the same **Channels** row in the bot's profile
(**Edit Profile** from the bot's long-press menu, or tap the bot's name above
its threads). Setup still happens on the web.