You can use a room or group message in Google Chat to communicate with more than one person.
- Rooms: A central place where team members can share files, assign tasks and stay connected.
- Group messages: Chat directly with a group. For example, have a quick discussion after a meeting.
Should I use a room or group message?
| Rooms | Group messages | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Team or project collaboration and communication | Direct message with two or more people |
| Who can chat | Add and remove people at any time | People can’t be added or removed after the chat starts |
| Conversations | Choose between multiple, threaded conversations, or a single stream of unthreaded messages | Unthreaded messages |
| Message history |
Threaded rooms: History is always on and retained according to your organisation’s policy Unthreaded rooms: History depends on your organisation's settings. History can be:
|
History depends on your organisation's settings. History can be:
|
| Name | The room creator chooses a room name | Members’ names are listed |
| Default notifications | Members notified for conversations that they're in or when @mentioned | Members notified for every message |
| Membership | Members can leave and rejoin | Members can't leave, but can hide the chat in the sidebar |
| Multiple chat spaces with the same users | Can have two or more rooms with the same group | Can't have two group messages with the same group |
| Create and assign tasks | Can create and assign tasks to other room members | Not available |
| Shared files | View a list of files shared with the room | Can share files but can't view a list of the files |