Unmatched senders and Outbox

When someone messages you who isn't in your CRM yet, Inbox lists them as an unmatched sender. This guide shows you how to link them to the right lead, ignore senders you don't need, and use the Outbox to check whether a message already went out. It's for anyone who triages Inbox.

Before you begin

• Edit access to create leads, assign senders, or ignore them.
• Take care: linking a sender to the wrong lead can mix up two customers' histories, and there's no undo button for assigning. Check the details before you choose.

Where to find it

• Unmatched senders: in Inbox, select the amber Unmatched button with a count. The page is called Unmatched Senders. You can also open it from a conversation that shows Unmatched sender by selecting Review sender.
• Outbox: there's currently no menu link. Add /dashboard/inbox/outbox to your Spacebrain address, or bookmark it. The page heading is Outbox.

Understand the Unmatched Senders page

Tabs across the top show each channel. Email is always there. WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and SMS appear once those channels are connected. Each tab shows how many are waiting.

Use the status buttons to filter: Pending (with a count), Assigned, Ignored, or All. After you act on a sender, it leaves Pending, so check Assigned or Ignored to see what happened. Results are split into pages.

Each email sender shows a label to help you decide:

Assigning an email teaches Inbox to send future messages from that address to the same lead.

Match an unknown email sender

1. Select the Email tab. Use Search sender or subject to find someone.
2. Select Review on the sender (or Review latest message). The Review Email window opens.
3. Select View Email to read the message. Read Why this email is here.
4. Choose one outcome:

Option A: Pick a suggested match

If Suggested CRM matches appear, they're based on name and company domain and don't use AI credits. Each shows High match or Possible match with the reasons. Check the name, email, and company, then select Assign.

Option B: Create a new lead

Under Create New Lead, check the First Name, Last Name, and Company. The email is fixed to the sender's address (Email will be set to:). Select Create Lead & Assign Email.

Company is only a guess based on the email domain. Common personal email providers, like Gmail or Outlook, leave it blank. Check it's right.

If a lead with that email already exists, Spacebrain links the message to that lead instead and says A lead with this email already existed — email attached to that lead. The names you typed don't overwrite the existing lead, so open it and check.

Option C: Assign to an existing lead

Under Or Assign to Existing Lead, search by name, email, or company and select Search. Then select the right lead.

Option D: Ignore

• Ignore this message – ignores just this email.
• Ignore all … from sender – shown when the sender has more than one pending email. It ignores all of them, and a message offers Undo for a short time.
• Always ignore this address – creates a sender rule so future email from this address skips unmatched triage, unless it later matches a CRM contact.

Manage sender rules

Select Sender rules at the top of the page to see addresses you've chosen to always ignore. These exact addresses skip unmatched triage. If one later matches a CRM contact, normal Inbox routing takes over. Select Remove to delete a rule.

Match an unknown messaging sender

On the WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, or SMS tab, each row shows the sender's display name, their phone number or handle, a message preview, and when it arrived. There's no search box on these tabs, so use the status filters and pages.

For a Pending sender, open the actions menu:

• Add as lead – suggests a first and last name from the display name. Company starts blank. The window shows the exact number or handle that will be attached (This contact will be attached:). Select Create lead.
• Assign to existing lead – search, then select a lead. This assigns immediately.
• Ignore – marks the sender ignored right away, with no confirmation.

A display name isn't proof of who someone is. Match on the actual phone number or handle and the message content.

If you matched the wrong lead

There's no Undo, Unassign, or Restore button for assignments.

1. Stop. Don't create another lead or repeat the action.
2. Note the workspace, channel, sender address or number, time received, and the lead you chose.
3. Check the Assigned or Ignored view, the lead's CRM record, and the conversation.
4. Contact support with those details if you can't fix it yourself.

This keeps one mistake from turning into duplicate leads or split histories.

Use the read-only Outbox

The Outbox lists messages and calls your workspace sent. It's read-only: you can't compose, edit, resend, or delete from it.

• Send activity appears at the top when recent sends need attention. Status unknown means delivery couldn't be confirmed. Check the provider before sending again. Select a row to open its conversation.
• The main table shows Channel, To, Subject / Preview, Status, and Sent at.
• Filter with Type: All types, Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Chat & social, or Call.
• Statuses include Sending, Sent, Delivered, Failed, and Status unknown. Hover over a failed status to see the error.
• Select the subject or preview to open the conversation.
• Choose 10, 25, or 50 rows per page. Changing the type or page size takes you back to page one. Select Refresh to reload.

Check for a duplicate before resending

1. Don't send again yet.
2. In the Outbox, filter by the channel and look at the recipient, preview, status, and time. Check later pages too.
3. Open the conversation and read the latest messages. Refresh if a teammate or automation may be active.
4. If the status is Status unknown, check with the provider, such as your email or SMS provider.
5. Check active automations, sequences, AI Copilot, and teammates that might have sent a second message.
6. Resend only when you're sure the first one didn't go out, and your team's rules allow it.

If something goes wrong

FAQ

Will future emails from this address go to the same lead?

Yes. Once you assign an email sender, future messages from that address are routed to the lead you chose.

Can I stop newsletters from appearing here?

Yes. Use Always ignore this address to create a sender rule.

Next step

Go back to replying: Conversations, replies, and handoffs.