> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.useclearline.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Channels and routing
> Connect phone numbers, email addresses, and team assignment rules to an inbox.
Channels and routing connect an inbox to the outside world and decide who handles what comes in. Channels define where inbound conversations enter Clearline, such as a phone number or email address. Routing defines which member receives those conversations once they arrive.
Together they determine which team an inbound message reaches and who on that team owns it.
## Add a phone channel
1. Open **Settings → Inboxes**.
2. Open the inbox.
3. Go to **Channels**.
4. Click **Add channel**.
5. Choose **Phone**.
6. Select an available phone number.
7. Choose a channel preference:
| Preference | Routes |
| ----------------- | ----------------------- |
| **SMS and Voice** | Text messages and calls |
| **SMS only** | Text messages only |
| **Voice only** | Calls only |
## Add an email channel
1. Open the inbox **Channels** tab.
2. Click **Add channel**.
3. Choose **Email**.
4. Select a verified domain.
5. Enter the local part, such as `sales` or `support`.
6. Save the channel.
Clearline checks whether the email address is already used by another inbox or outbound sender before saving.
## Routing rules
Go to the **Members** tab to choose how incoming leads are assigned:
* **Specific person** assigns all leads to one inbox member.
* **Contact owner** prefers the contact owner and falls back to round robin.
* **Round robin** distributes leads evenly across eligible inbox members.
## Remove a channel
Removing a channel disconnects it from the inbox. The underlying phone number or email domain remains available in workspace channels.
Do not remove a channel that customers are actively using unless you have a replacement route ready.
Screenshot placeholder: add the **Add channel** dialog and the inbox channel list.