Check availability
See whether someone is available, focusing, in a meeting, or away before sending a message.
desk.fm and team chat
Keep the conversation. Add the missing context.
Slack, WhatsApp, and other chat tools are built for conversations. desk.fm does not replace them. It gives the team a quieter place to see availability and current work before deciding whether a message is needed.
Different tools for different moments.
| Team chat | Conversations, replies, files, channels, group messages, and ongoing threads. | Best when people need to discuss something or preserve a conversation. |
|---|---|---|
| desk.fm | Selected availability, current work, lightweight status details, and focused pings. | Best for ambient awareness and brief requests during the workday. |
Slack describes channels as places for transparent conversations and Huddles as live audio or video collaboration. desk.fm deliberately stays outside both jobs. See Slack’s official feature overview.
Why not put every update in a group chat?
Small updates compete with questions, links, announcements, reactions, and replies. A teammate who joins later may have to scan the conversation simply to learn who is available or what everyone is handling.
Share the current focus
Keep today’s work visible without repeatedly posting and updating a chat message.
Use a focused ping
Send a brief update or request for attention when a full conversation is unnecessary.
Use both without duplicating work.
Leave detailed discussion, decisions, files, and replies in your existing chat tool. Use desk.fm as the live front door to the team during working hours. If a ping needs discussion, continue it where your team already communicates.
See the team before opening another thread.
Give your small team a shared layer of workday awareness.
Start Your Team