> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shinecx.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Incoming message suggestions

> How ShineCRM reads inbound customer messages and suggests actions for you to approve.

When a customer texts or emails you, ShineCRM reads the message and suggests what to do next. It never acts on its own. It posts **suggestions** you approve, edit, or dismiss.

## Turn it on first

This runs only when **Suds AI** is on. An owner enables it under **Settings then Suds AI** with the attestation. Until then, inbound messages are not analyzed. See [Suds AI](/guides/ai/suds-ai).

## When it runs

Automatically, on every inbound text and email, once Suds AI is on. No per-message setup.

## What the AI sees

For each inbound message it's given:

* The contact's name, phone, email, and current pipeline stage
* The recent messages on that conversation
* Any follow-ups already scheduled for the contact
* Your custom instructions from Suds AI settings
* A sample of your recent feedback on past suggestions

## What it can suggest

Each suggestion is one proposed action:

* **Draft a reply** you can copy into the composer, refine, or edit
* **Schedule a follow-up** message at a specific time on a specific channel
* **Update a follow-up** that's already scheduled
* **Cancel a follow-up** that no longer fits
* **Move the contact** to a different pipeline stage

It's told to be conservative. If a message doesn't clearly call for action, it suggests nothing.

## How to review suggestions

Suggestions show up where you're already working: on the contact's **AI activity**, and as a card at the top of the **conversation** thread. On each one you can:

* **Approve** to apply the action
* **Refine** by giving feedback and getting a rewritten draft
* **Copy** the draft into your composer to send yourself
* **Dismiss** it (which feeds future suggestion quality)

## Tuning the suggestions

Edit your **custom instructions** under **Settings then Suds AI** to describe how your business works. They're applied to every suggestion. Dismissing suggestions also teaches it what you don't want.

## What it can't do

* Send a message on its own
* Change a contact, job, or invoice directly
* See photos or attachments in the message
* See conversations other than the one the message came in on