# Start a direct chat
A direct chat lets you message any user in your account. You can also use it to reach a member of your SoftwareOne account team.
When sending a message, you can format it using options, such as bold, italics, and underline. You can also use styles and lists to organize your message and add links or images. Additionally, you can use rich text formatting or switch to source code (HTML editor).
### Starting a chat with an account member
To start a direct chat conversation:
1. Go to the **Chats** page.
2. Do one of the following:
* Select **New chat**, then choose **Chat**.
* In the left sidebar, select
, then choose **Chat**.
3. In the **Add chat** dialog, select the person you want to chat with, then select **Add**.
4. Type your message in the chat message field.
5. Select **Send** to send the message.
### Starting a chat with your SoftwareOne account team
There are two main ways to start a chat with a member of your SoftwareOne account team. You can do this from the chat icon on the **Home** page or directly from the **Account team** page.
To start a chat conversation:
1. Perform one of the following steps:
* Select the chat icon 
in the **Account Team** widget on the **Home** page.
* Use the **Account team** page, located under **Settings** in the main navigation menu.
2. Type your message in the text field.
3. Select **Send** to send the message.
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