> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.welkinhealth.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.welkinhealth.com/care/communication/inbox/shared-inboxes.md).

# Shared Inboxes

## Overview

A shared inbox is a team-owned email address (for example, `care@yourorganization.com`) that multiple care team members can send from and receive email into. Shared inboxes are configured by your administrator and appear alongside your personal email address in the Care Portal.

***

## Identifying a Shared Inbox Conversation

When a patient's conversation is associated with a shared inbox, the inbox name and its color badge are displayed in the conversation header in the Communication Center. This lets you quickly see which team address a thread belongs to.

***

## Sending from a Shared Inbox

When you compose or reply to an email in a conversation linked to a shared inbox, a **Send as** selector appears next to the **Send** button. Use it to choose:

* **Shared inbox address** — the reply is sent from the team address (e.g., `care@yourorganization.com`)
* **Your personal email address** — the reply is sent from your individual account

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://1217226817-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FQvXoGL7kKvEhUWEGGIAn%2Fuploads%2FF1XtcWH3ZTtiA57xP1Xo%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=3512d365-b8fc-46da-9e7e-d257855e0077" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

> **Note:** Secure Email (Paubox) is not available when sending from a shared inbox. If you need to send a HIPAA-compliant secure message, switch the **Send as** selector to your personal address.

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## Auto-Assignment on First Reply

If your administrator has enabled the **Assign on First Reply** setting for a shared inbox, the first care team member to send an outbound reply on an unassigned conversation automatically becomes the conversation owner.

* Assignment happens silently — no extra action is required
* After your reply is sent, your name appears as the assignee in the conversation
* This applies only to unassigned conversations; already-assigned conversations are not affected

***

## Related Topics

* [Email](/care/communication/email-functionality.md) — sending and receiving email in the Care Portal
* [Communication Center](/care/communication/communication-center.md) — overview of all communication channels
* [Shared Inboxes (Admin)](https://docs.welkinhealth.com/admin/communication/shared-inboxes) — creating and managing shared inboxes


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