# Map staff and customers for group monitoring

Set participant roles correctly so customer requests and staff replies are recognized.

## Three different kinds of access

An invited Bow Chat user can sign in. An inbox **Collaborator** can access that inbox. A number in the Groups Monitoring **Staff list** tells the monitor which WhatsApp messages are from employees. Complete each step that your team needs; one does not replace the others.

If a connected monitor number already belongs to your company groups, you can track staff activity in those groups without connecting every employee's WhatsApp. Connect another number as an inbox when you also need its own chats and groups.

## Add staff numbers

1. Open [panel.bow.chat](https://panel.bow.chat) → **Groups Monitoring** or **Group SLAs**.
2. Select the WhatsApp Web inbox that is in the groups.
3. Open **SLA settings**, expand the participant directory's **Staff list** and check **Unlisted participants**.
4. For the common setup where employees are listed explicitly, choose **Clients** for unlisted participants.
5. Add each employee's WhatsApp number with its country code, an optional name and **Role = Staff**, then save.
6. Test with a new client request followed by a reply from one of those staff numbers.

Do not set everyone to Staff just to add your team. That can stop customer messages from becoming requests. A staff member left as a client may open requests instead of recording responses.

## Import a larger team

Download **Template CSV** from the participant directory. Keep its column names: `scope`, `conversation_display_id`, `group_name`, `participant_default_role`, `phone_number`, `name` and `role`.

For an inbox-wide staff directory, use `scope=inbox`, `participant_default_role=client`, each employee's international `phone_number`, optional `name` and `role=staff`. Use the template's group fields when you need a group-specific rule. Review the selected scope before applying an import.

## Verify changes

Check the exact sender number if a reply is still classified incorrectly. Changes affect newly processed activity; they do not rewrite old report rows. Test again with new messages and use **People = Staff** in [Activity reports](https://docs.bow.chat/groups-monitoring/activity-reports).

To give a teammate access to conversations, follow [Invite an agent](https://docs.bow.chat/getting-started/add-agents) and [Inbox Collaborators](https://docs.bow.chat/getting-started/inbox-access). For temporary membership during leave or a shift, see [Staff cover](https://docs.bow.chat/staff-cover).

Canonical: https://docs.bow.chat/groups-monitoring/staff-and-customers
Version: 1
Updated: 2026-10-20T12:19:55.269Z