# Threads and messages
> Your conversations with Continual: your main thread and each to-do's, what a message holds, and how to answer its choices.
A thread is a private conversation between you and [Continual](/docs/concepts/continual), about one
thing. Only you see your threads.
| Thread | What it is about | Where you find it |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Your main thread | Anything | Choose **Continual** in the rail; it shows **Chat** |
| A to-do's thread | That one [to-do](/docs/concepts/to-dos) | Open the to-do under **To-dos** |
Every thread reaches the same Continual, so what you say in one, it knows in all.
## Write to Continual
Type in **Message Continual** at the bottom of the thread and press ↵.
| To | Press |
| --------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| Send | ↵ |
| Start a new line | ⇧ ↵ |
| Jump to the message box | / |
| Switch between Chat and To-dos | ⇧ Tab |
| Open or close what is beside the thread | ⌘ \\ |
On Windows, use Ctrl in place of ⌘. If your browser supports it, the
microphone button dictates. Coming soon: attaching files.
Each message carries the page you are on, so "this" means what is on your screen. On a to-do,
Continual reads your words as being about that to-do.
## What a message holds
A message is never edited, and only its author can take it back. Each is a person's words or
Continual's, and can carry:
| Part | What you see |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Text | Words, formatted as Markdown |
| Record card | A snapshot of a record, such as a quote: title, number, status, key values |
| List | Records to open, such as open deals |
| Metric | A number and its trend, such as this month's bookings |
| Link, image | A page or a picture |
| Choices | Up to four answers Continual offers |
To react to a message, long-press or hover it and choose an emoji. You can also reply to a message,
which quotes it in yours, or copy it.
A record card shows the record as it was when the message was written. If the record has moved on,
the card notes where it is now. Click a card to open the record beside the thread.
To open what is beside the thread, choose **Open beside** at the top right, or press
the keys ⌘ \\. The same button and keys close it. It opens what your to-do
has to review, else what you last had open, else what Continual last showed.
Long threads show the latest messages. Choose **Show earlier** to read back.
## What wakes Continual
Your message wakes Continual, and so do timers and watches it sets for you. See
[what wakes Continual](/docs/concepts/continual#what-wakes-continual).
Some things the thread does itself, without waking Continual: finishing or snoozing a to-do, or
picking a reply that says you did it, such as "Sent it".
When Continual waits for your approval, your decision resumes its work. If you write instead, the
held change is withdrawn, and Continual reads your message. See
[approvals](/docs/concepts/approvals).
## Answer a choice
When Continual asks a question, its answers show under its latest message, numbered.
- Click an answer, or press its number, 1 to 4, on an empty message box.
- Press Tab to fill in the first answer, which shows in the empty message box. Then
press ↵ to send it, or change it first.
- Type an answer exactly as offered and send it, which works the same as clicking it.
Your choice becomes your message.
## Read the thread header
Under **Continual** at the top of the thread, one line says what is happening now:
| Header | Meaning |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Working…** | Continual is working on what you asked |
| A short status | What Continual says it is doing, such as "Reading the deal" |
| **Stopping…** | You chose **Stop**, and Continual stops before its next step |
| **Waiting for your approval** | Continual holds a change until you decide |
| An error, in red | Continual's work failed, or your last action did, and why |
While Continual works, a ring turns around its mark. The message box then reads "Add to what
Continual is doing…".
Take up a to-do and finish it from the thread.
Every key in one place.