##### USING Basic GENESYS Desktop Functions > handling Chat sessions

# Handling Chat Sessions Overview

Chat is real-time two-way communication between you and your contact through your computer.

Genesys Desktop supports both Multimedia Chat and SIP Instant Messaging.

The interfaces for Multimedia Chat and SIP Instant Messaging are similar, but there are slight differences.

When you login to Genesys Desktop you may have one or both of chat and Instant Messaging channels available to select. Consult with your system administrator if you do not know which type of chat/IM to use.

During a chat session, you and your contact type in the Chat Window interface, and the window maintains a scrolling list of the written correspondence. A small keyboard icon appears next to the contact's name when he or she is typing. The text that you and your contact types appears both on your chat window and on your contact's chat window.

You can also:

- Push one or more web pages to your contact (open web pages automatically on the contact's desktop).

- Dial a phone number if it appears in the chat transcript window.

- Dial any phone number in a drop-down list that is in the Make Call button on the Contact tab. Select a number from the drop-down window that is displayed.

Additional sub topics:

- Chat Session Window Interface

- Handling a Chat Session