Messages & email
The Messages tab on an order is where email conversations with the client show up. It is a record of the thread — not a full inbox replacement.
What you’ll see
Open an order → Messages.
When a Gmail thread is linked to that job, you’ll see:
- The mailbox it came from (for example
shop@yourcompany.com) - Subject and how many messages are in the thread
- The conversation, with your shop’s messages on one side and the customer’s on the other
- Attachment chips — if a file was saved with the thread, you can download it from here
You can also find those email files on the order Files tab (they’re tagged as email). Production files you upload yourself stay separate.
If the tab is empty
That’s normal until a thread is linked to the order.
- No linked messages yet — nobody has associated a Gmail conversation with this job. Approvals, invoices, and payment reminders still go out from the order header; they don’t require this tab.
- Thread linked, messages not synced yet — the job is tied to an email, but the conversation hasn’t finished copying in. Give it a moment, or ask your admin if Gmail sync is set up for your shop.
To look up a client from an open Gmail thread or Google Voice conversation (before or while you build the job), use the Gmail & Voice extension. Facebook and Instagram are not in Custom Designer yet.
How threads get on an order
Custom Designer matches email to a job when the thread is associated with that order (for example your shop’s Gmail sync, or a teammate linking the conversation).
There is no Connect Gmail card under Settings → Integrations today. If your shop uses Gmail sync, your admin or Custom Designer support turns it on. Once it is running, open Messages on the order to read the thread.
You still send customer-facing mail from the order itself:
- Send for Approval
- Send Invoice to Client
- Send Payment Reminder
- Mark as Complete (pickup or delivery)
- Status emails, when that status is set to email the customer
See Email templates under Settings.
Tips
- Use Messages to catch “can we add 12 more shirts?” replies without hunting through a shared inbox.
- Don’t put production-only files on artwork you share for approval — keep those on Files.
- If a customer forwarded an old approval link, reset it on the order rather than looking for that in Messages.