Articles on: Inbox

How to Link Conversations From Different Channels to 1 Record to Have a single source of Truth and avoid duplicates

Create a single source of truth and avoid duplicates by linking all conversations to one record.


In sales, you often talk to the same person across multiple channels — email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, and more. If you create a new record every time you see their name in a different channel, you end up with duplicate records and scattered information.
The better approach: create the record once (from the inbox or from the Records page), and then link conversations from other channels to that same record. This gives you:

  • A single source of truth — all interactions in one place
  • No duplicates — one clean record per contact
  • Full conversation history — every channel visible on the record's timeline
  • Better context — see the complete picture before reaching out
Avoid duplicates — Once you have created a record for a contact (from the inbox or anywhere else), always link new conversations to the existing record instead of creating a new one. Creating a new record every time leads to fragmented data and missed context.

Before Linking — A Record with No Conversations

When you first create a record, the Last Interaction section on the record's overview page is empty — no conversations are linked yet.
A record with no linked conversations yet — the Last Interaction section is empty.

  1. Go to your Inbox and open a conversation from any channel (Email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.).

Open a conversation from any channel — here a WhatsApp conversation is selected.

  1. Click the Participant button in the top-right corner to open the Participants panel.


The Participants panel shows each participant with a "Link to another record" option.

  1. Click Link to another record next to the participant you want to link. A search panel will appear with a search field and options to create new records.

The link panel lets you search for existing records — or create new ones if needed.
4**. Search for the existing record** by typing the contact's name. Breakcold will show matching records from your CRM.
Type the contact's name to find the existing record — select it to link instead of creating a duplicate.

Tip — Always search for the existing record first! If you see a match, click it to link. Only use "Create as Person/Company/Deal" if the contact genuinely does not exist in your CRM yet.

5
Click on the matching record. The conversation is now linked to the existing record. You will see a "Record linked" confirmation.


Both participants are now linked to existing records — all conversations flow into a single record.

Repeat for Every Channel

You can repeat this process for every conversation across every channel. Each time someone messages you on a different platform, simply open that conversation and link it to the existing record.
Link conversations from any channel — search for the existing record each time to avoid duplicates.

The Result — All Channels in One Record

Once you have linked conversations from multiple channels, the record becomes your single source of truth. The Last Interaction section on the record's overview page now shows all linked conversations across every channel.
The record now shows all linked conversations from multiple channels — email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and more.
You can also click the Conversation tab on the record to see the full message history from all linked channels in one unified view.


The Conversation tab shows all messages from every linked channel in a single unified timeline.

Single source of truth — With all channels linked to one record, you can see every interaction with this contact in one place. No more switching between channels or wondering if you missed a message on another platform.

Best Practices

  • Create the record once — Whether from the inbox, the Records page, or via import, create each contact only once
  • Always search before creating — When you see a new conversation, search for the existing record first instead of clicking "Create as Person"
  • Link every channel — Whenever you interact with someone on a new channel, link that conversation to their existing record
  • Check the record's Last Interaction — Use the record overview to verify all channels are linked and nothing is missing
  • Use the Conversation tab — Review the full cross-channel history before reaching out to have full context

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I link conversations instead of creating new records?
Creating a new record for the same person on a different channel creates duplicates and fragments your data. Linking keeps everything in one place — a single source of truth.
How do I link a conversation to an existing record?
Open the conversation, click Participant, then click Link to another record. Search for the existing contact by name and select the matching record.
Which channels can I link to a single record?
All channels: Email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, and any other connected channel. There is no limit to how many conversations you can link to a single record.
Where can I see all linked conversations?
On the record's overview page, the Last Interaction section shows all linked conversations. The Conversation tab shows the full message history from every channel.
What if I accidentally created a duplicate?
Link the conversation to the correct record, then delete the duplicate. Going forward, always search for existing records before creating new ones.
Can I link conversations from the record page as well?
The easiest way is from the inbox — open the conversation, open the Participants panel, and link to the existing record. This is the most natural workflow since you are already looking at the conversation.

Updated on: 04/04/2026