diff --git a/web/src/app/page.tsx b/web/src/app/page.tsx
index c9de44f..f698e7c 100644
--- a/web/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import {
   XIcon,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { formatDistanceToNow } from "date-fns";
-import { createTicket, getCustomFields, getLifecycles, getQueueCustomFields, getQueues, getTickets, getUsers, getViews, createView, deleteView, getDashboards } from "@/lib/api";
-import type { CustomField, Lifecycle, Queue, QueueCustomField, SavedView, Ticket, User } from "@/lib/types";
+import { createTicket, getCustomFields, getLifecycles, getQueueCustomFields, getQueues, getTickets, getUsers, getViews, createView, deleteView, getDashboards, getTicketTransactions, updateTicket } from "@/lib/api";
+import type { CustomField, Lifecycle, Queue, QueueCustomField, SavedView, Ticket, Transaction, User } from "@/lib/types";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import {
   Dialog,
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ function TicketWorkbenchContent() {
   const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [selectedId, setSelectedId] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  const [selectedTxs, setSelectedTxs] = useState<Transaction[]>([]);
 
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState("");
   const [filters, setFilters] = useState<Filter[]>([]);
@@ -442,7 +443,28 @@ function TicketWorkbenchContent() {
   }, [clock, filters, queues, routeQueue, searchQuery, sortKey, tickets, view]);
 
   const selectedTicket =
-    filteredTickets.find((ticket) => ticket.id === selectedId) ?? filteredTickets[0] ?? null;
+    filteredTickets.find((ticket) => ticket.id === selectedId) ?? null;
+
+  // Fetch transactions when selection changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!selectedTicket) { setSelectedTxs([]); return; }
+    getTicketTransactions(selectedTicket.id).then(({ data }) => setSelectedTxs(data ?? []));
+  }, [selectedTicket?.id]);
+
+  const handleQuickStatus = async (ticketId: number, newStatus: string) => {
+    const { data } = await updateTicket(ticketId, { status: newStatus });
+    if (data) {
+      setTickets((prev) => prev.map((t) => (t.id === ticketId ? data.ticket : t)));
+      getTicketTransactions(ticketId).then(({ data: txs }) => setSelectedTxs(txs ?? []));
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleQuickAssign = async (ticketId: number) => {
+    const { data } = await updateTicket(ticketId, { owner_id: users[0]?.id ?? null });
+    if (data) {
+      setTickets((prev) => prev.map((t) => (t.id === ticketId ? data.ticket : t)));
+    }
+  };
   const visibleTitle = routeQueue
     ? queueName(queues, routeQueue)
     : VIEW_LABELS[view] ?? "All tickets";
@@ -776,66 +798,123 @@ function TicketWorkbenchContent() {
         <aside className="hidden min-h-0 border-l border-border bg-card/76 backdrop-blur xl:flex xl:flex-col">
           {selectedTicket ? (
             <>
-              <div className="border-b border-border bg-card/82 p-5">
-                <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
+              <div className="border-b border-border bg-card/82 p-4">
+                <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
                   <div className="min-w-0">
-                    <p className="font-mono text-xs font-semibold text-muted-foreground">
+                    <p className="font-mono text-[11px] font-semibold text-muted-foreground">
                       {formatTicketId(selectedTicket.id)}
                     </p>
-                    <h2 className="mt-2 text-lg font-semibold leading-snug text-foreground">
+                    <h2 className="mt-1 text-sm font-semibold leading-snug text-foreground line-clamp-2">
                       {selectedTicket.subject}
                     </h2>
+                    <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      {queueName(queues, selectedTicket.queue_id)} · {selectedTicket.owner_id ? users.find((u) => u.id === selectedTicket.owner_id)?.username ?? "assigned" : "unassigned"}
+                    </p>
                   </div>
                   <TicketStatusBadge status={selectedTicket.status} />
                 </div>
-                <Button
-                  onClick={() => router.push(`/tickets/${selectedTicket.id}`)}
-                  className="mt-4 h-8 w-full bg-primary"
-                  size="sm"
-                >
-                  Open ticket
-                  <ChevronRightIcon className="h-4 w-4" />
-                </Button>
+
+                <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap gap-1">
+                  {statusOptions.filter((s) => s.key !== "all").slice(0, 4).map((s) => {
+                    const allowed = selectedTicket.status !== s.key;
+                    return (
+                      <button
+                        key={s.key}
+                        type="button"
+                        disabled={!allowed}
+                        onClick={() => handleQuickStatus(selectedTicket.id, s.key)}
+                        className={cn(
+                          "rounded px-2 py-1 text-[11px] font-semibold transition-colors",
+                          selectedTicket.status === s.key
+                            ? "bg-primary/10 text-primary"
+                            : allowed
+                              ? "bg-muted/60 text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground"
+                              : "cursor-default text-muted-foreground/40"
+                        )}
+                      >
+                        {s.label}
+                      </button>
+                    );
+                  })}
+                </div>
+
+                <div className="mt-2 flex gap-2">
+                  <Button
+                    onClick={() => router.push(`/tickets/${selectedTicket.id}`)}
+                    className="h-7 flex-1 bg-primary text-xs"
+                    size="sm"
+                  >
+                    Open full view
+                    <ChevronRightIcon className="ml-1 h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+                  </Button>
+                  {!selectedTicket.owner_id && (
+                    <Button
+                      variant="outline"
+                      size="sm"
+                      onClick={() => handleQuickAssign(selectedTicket.id)}
+                      className="h-7 text-xs"
+                    >
+                      Assign to me
+                    </Button>
+                  )}
+                </div>
               </div>
 
-              <div className="flex-1 overflow-auto p-5">
-                <dl className="grid overflow-hidden rounded-md border border-border bg-background/55 text-sm">
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-[104px_minmax(0,1fr)] border-b border-border px-3 py-2.5">
-                    <dt className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase text-muted-foreground">Queue</dt>
-                    <dd className="truncate text-foreground">{queueName(queues, selectedTicket.queue_id)}</dd>
+              <div className="flex-1 overflow-auto">
+                {selectedTxs.length === 0 ? (
+                  <div className="p-4 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    No activity yet.
                   </div>
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-[104px_minmax(0,1fr)] border-b border-border px-3 py-2.5">
-                    <dt className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase text-muted-foreground">Owner</dt>
-                    <dd className="truncate text-foreground">{selectedTicket.owner_id ?? "Unassigned"}</dd>
+                ) : (
+                  <div className="divide-y divide-border/50">
+                    {selectedTxs.slice(0, 8).map((tx) => (
+                      <div key={tx.id} className="px-4 py-2.5">
+                        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                          <span className="text-[11px] font-semibold text-foreground">
+                            {tx.transaction_type === "Create" ? "Created" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "StatusChange" ? "Status changed" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "SetOwner" ? "Owner changed" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "Comment" ? "Comment" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "Correspond" ? "Reply" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "SetTeam" ? "Team changed" :
+                             tx.transaction_type === "CustomFieldChange" ? `${tx.field} set` :
+                             tx.transaction_type}
+                          </span>
+                          {tx.transaction_type === "StatusChange" && tx.new_value && (
+                            <span className={cn(
+                              "inline-flex items-center rounded px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold",
+                              STATUS_META[tx.new_value]?.tone ?? "bg-muted text-muted-foreground"
+                            )}>
+                              {statusLabel(tx.new_value)}
+                            </span>
+                          )}
+                          {tx.old_value && tx.new_value && tx.transaction_type !== "StatusChange" && (
+                            <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+                              {tx.old_value} → {tx.new_value}
+                            </span>
+                          )}
+                        </div>
+                        {tx.data && (tx.data as any).body && (
+                          <p className="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+                            {(tx.data as any).body}
+                          </p>
+                        )}
+                        <p className="mt-0.5 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground/60">
+                          {formatDistanceToNow(new Date(tx.created_at), { addSuffix: true })}
+                        </p>
+                      </div>
+                    ))}
                   </div>
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-[104px_minmax(0,1fr)] border-b border-border px-3 py-2.5">
-                    <dt className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase text-muted-foreground">Creator</dt>
-                    <dd className="truncate text-foreground">{selectedTicket.creator_id}</dd>
-                  </div>
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-[104px_minmax(0,1fr)] border-b border-border px-3 py-2.5">
-                    <dt className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase text-muted-foreground">Created</dt>
-                    <dd className="truncate text-foreground">{new Date(selectedTicket.created_at).toLocaleString()}</dd>
-                  </div>
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-[104px_minmax(0,1fr)] px-3 py-2.5">
-                    <dt className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase text-muted-foreground">Updated</dt>
-                    <dd className="truncate text-foreground">{new Date(selectedTicket.updated_at).toLocaleString()}</dd>
-                  </div>
-                </dl>
-
-                <div className="mt-5 rounded-md border border-border bg-accent/42 p-4">
-                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
-                    <CheckCircle2Icon className="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-600" />
-                    Next action
-                  </div>
-                  <p className="mt-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                    Open the ticket to reply, change status, and review its transaction history.
-                  </p>
-                </div>
+                )}
               </div>
             </>
           ) : (
-            <div className="flex flex-1 items-center justify-center p-6 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-              Select a ticket to inspect it.
+            <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 p-6 text-center">
+              <div className="flex h-10 w-10 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-muted/50">
+                <ChevronRightIcon className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground/40" />
+              </div>
+              <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Select a ticket</p>
+              <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/60">Quick actions and activity will appear here</p>
             </div>
           )}
         </aside>
diff --git a/web/src/components/app-shell.tsx b/web/src/components/app-shell.tsx
index bb4932b..7777e06 100644
--- a/web/src/components/app-shell.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/app-shell.tsx
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ function SidebarNav() {
   const views = [
     {
       label: "All tickets",
-      href: "/",
-      param: null,
+      href: "/?view=all",
+      param: "all",
       count: counts.all,
       icon: LayoutGridIcon,
     },