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Every thread has a status to show you exactly where it is in your workflow at a glance. New threads are created with Needs first response; once you reply, they move to Needs next response. You can snooze a thread while waiting on the customer, move it to Investigating for deeper internal work, and mark it Done when resolved. Statuses drive your SLA timers. Plain tracks first and next response time commitments per thread and you can configure alerts for your team before a breach occurs. Read about SLAs → Every thread in Plain has a status that reflects where it sits in your support workflow. Statuses keep your queue organized and drive SLA timers so your team always knows what needs attention and what can wait. There are three status groups: Todo, Snoozed, and Done. What each status means, and when to use it.

Todo

Todo threads are active and require action from your team.

Needs first response

Needs first response in Plain
The thread has been created, but the customer hasn’t received any reply yet. This is where First Response Time SLAs apply.

Needs next response

Needs next response in Plain
The customer has replied, and it’s your turn to respond. This is where Next Response Time SLAs apply.

Investigating

Investigating in Plain
Your team is working on the request internally. Use this status when a thread needs deeper technical investigation before you can reply.

Close the loop

Close the loop in Plain
The thread is linked to a known issue that has now been resolved. Plain moves threads to this status automatically so you can follow up with the customer.

Snoozed

Snoozed threads are temporarily paused and won’t surface in your active queue.

Waiting for customer

Waiting for customer in Plain
You’ve responded and are waiting on the customer to reply. By default, Plain moves threads to this status after your reply. You can change this in Settings → Workflow.

Paused for later

Paused for later in Plain
You’ve intentionally paused the thread.

Done

Done threads are closed and no longer require action.

Done

Done in Plain
The issue is resolved, and you’ve marked the thread as complete. This status feeds into reporting, helps clear your queue, and provides clarity across your team. If the customer replies again, the thread will reopen automatically.

Ignored

Ignored in Plain
The thread needs no action from your team and has been explicitly ignored. Ignored threads are silenced. They won’t trigger notifications, affect metrics, or move statuses. This is ideal for keeping your support workflow clean in multi-use Slack channels or integrations.