# Get Started with Team Chat in Planio

Team Chat lets you quickly make decisions together with your teams in real time from your phone or computer.

{{>toc}}

## How Can You Use Team Chat?

  - You can chat with your team members directly inside Planio, on desktop clients or on your mobile about a project.
  - You can discuss an issue in chat, and your chat will be easily accessible from that issue, so you’ll have all the discussion around the issue in one place.
  - You can ping people by writing their name, so you can quickly ask them a question. They’ll get a notification, so they’ll know about it straight away.
  - You can search the entire chat log using search. Everybody can simply look up what has been said on a subject and absent people can catch up on past chats easily.

## Activate Planio Chat and Get Your Planio Chat Credentials

Log in into your Planio account and select the project for which you want to enable team chat. Go to **Apps** in the navigation bar and make sure **Team Chat** is installed. It’s an optional extra, so you’ll have to upgrade to use it.

![](install_chat_app.png)  
*Install the Chat App*

Now, you’ll see a Chat tab in the bottom-right of the screen. You can start chatting here.

![](chat_window.png)  
*You can use chat from within Planio*

You'll also find **Chat Logs** in the navigation bar. Click on it, and you’ll see a history of all chat messages. On the right, you’ll see a sidebar with chat credentials you'll need to set up chat on mobiles or desktops. You’ll have to enter your password to see the Server password.

![](chat_credentials.png)  
*You'll find your chat credentials on in this sidebar*

You’ll need these credentials to set up chat on mobile devices and desktop IRC clients.

## Set up Chat on your iPhone

Let’s install chat on your iPhone so you can chat with your team members and get notifications on the go.

### Install the Colloquy App from the App Store

Open the app store and search for the **Colloquy** app. The app costs 1.99. Install the app and open it.

![](download_colloquy.PNG)

### Add a new Connection

Select **Add an IRC connection**.

![](Add_an_IRC_connection.PNG)

Now, we'll fill out the connection fields:

  - The **Description** can be whatever you want.
  - The **Address** is the **Host name** from your Planio chat credentials (see above).
  - Switch on **Push Notifications** if you want to be notified when someone mentions your name in chat.
  - **Nickname** and **Real Name** will show up as your name in chat.

![](connection_part1.PNG)

Scroll down and select **Advanced**

![](advanced.png)

Here's we'll fill out the connection and authentication settings with our Planio chat credentials (see above):

  - Enter the **Server Port**.
  - Switch on SSL, so your chat will be secure.
  - Enter the **Username**
  - Enter the **Password**

![](Advanced_Section.PNG)

Click back to **New Connection** and then click on **Connect**.

### Join the Project Room

You can enter the room and start chatting on your iPhone.

## Set up Chat on your Android Phone

Let’s install chat on your Android phone. We'll use AndroIRC in this tutorial.

### Download AndroIRC

You can install [AndroIRC](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androirc) from Google Play Store.

### Add Your Planio Chat Server

Once you've installed the app, click on the **settings** icon and select **settings**.

Select **Servers** and then again select **settings** and select **New server**.

Here's we'll fill out the connection and authentication settings with our Planio chat credentials (see above):

  - You can set the **Name** to whatever you want. 
  - The **address** is the Host name from the credentials.
  - The **Port** is the port from the credentials.
  - The **Password** is the **Server password**
  - You can set the **Nickname** to what you prefer (perhaps your name)
  - You can leave **Alternative** blank or enter a slightly modified version of your Nickname, as it's just for the case that someone else the same nickname as you.
  - **Ident** is the **User name** from the credentials.
  - Make sure that **Secured connection** is checked.
  - Ignore the rest of the fields.

![](Server_settings_screen.png)

## Set up Desktop Chat on your Mac

### Download and install Colloquy

Download and install Colloquy from the [Colloquy downloads page](http://colloquy.info/downloads.html).

### Create a new connection

Open up Colloquy. It will prompt you to create a new connection. If not, you can select File -\> New Connection.  
![](Colloquy_new_connection.png)

Select the Details button and enter your credentials. You'll find these credentials on in your Planio project in **Chat logs**.

  - **Nickname**: enter your name
  - **Server Protocol**: leave as **IRC (Internet Relay Chat)**
  - **Chat Server**: enter the Host name
  - Tick **Remember this connection**
  - **Chat Server Port**: see your Planio account
  - **SSL Connection**: make sure it’s ticked (so your chat will be secure)
  - **User name**: enter the User name
  - **Server password**: enter the Server password

### Join the Project Room

Click **Connect** and you’ll be automatically joined to your project chat room.