To work with timeouts in the administrator’s workplace, open the Settings tab and go to the Timeouts page. Here you can specify the timeout values that should be used when agents work with threads.
The specified timeouts are used by default for agents of all departments. However, you can add exceptions and configure timeouts for agents from different departments.
Timeout Types
The following timeout types are available:
| Timeout | Description |
| Thread closing | This timeout begins once an agent answers in the thread (so it is pending the client’s response) and switches to another thread in their personal queue to work on. If during this timeout the client doesn’t send new messages in the thread, it gets the Closed status, and this thread leaves the agent’s queue making their session available. |
| Closing threads with only agent messages | The system uses this timeout if a thread is pending the client’s response, but there are no messages from the client in the thread. This might be possible if the thread was initiated using external API methods for creating outgoing threads (with assigning threads to yourself or into the queue). If the client doesn’t send messages during the timeout, the thread gets the Closed status and the agent’s session becomes available. If the client replies, once it is pending the client’s response again, the Thread closing timeout is used. |
| Agent inactivity with a thread in progress | This timeout begins and since the last action of the agent (sending a message or taking a thread into processing) when the thread is open in the chat area. If the agent doesn’t work with the thread during the timeout, the agent receives a warning message once the timeout ends. |
| Assigning a client to an agent | This timeout begins once a thread is closed. During this timeout, if the client of this closed thread creates a new thread again and if the same agent has a session available, the system will assign this thread to this agent (i.e. the agent who was the last one to work with this client) regardless of the routing settings. |
| Pending agent response after getting inactivity warning | This timeout begins after the agent closes the inactivity warning. If the agent still doesn’t work with the thread after the timeout ends, the system forces the agent to the Not ready status. |
| Agent messages editing | The time after which the agent can’t edit or delete messages. |
Configuring Timeouts
To change the default timeouts, enter different values in the required fields and save the changes. The specified values are used for all departments at once.
To add exceptions for specific departments, do the following:
- Click Create in the upper-right corner of the Exclusions section.
- Select the required timeout type.
- Select the department for which you want to set the timeout and specify the required timeout value.
- Click Save.
A new exclusion is added to the list. All added exclusions are grouped by department. When you point to an exclusion, the edit and delete icons are available. If necessary, you can also temporarily block an exclusion using the switch to the left of its name.
