AI conversation plans and task progress
Let AI keep a conversation work plan with task progress, dependencies and requests for missing information.
What it is
A work plan records how the AI intends to complete work in a conversation. It contains ordered tasks, progress and any missing information. The plan is stored so the AI can read it again in later work on the same conversation.
Who uses it and why
- Operators inspect the current plan to see what the AI has done and what it still needs.
- Users with Settings and permission to manage AI, or Developer, enable planning and write instructions for Ask AI, Copilot or Autopilot.
Where to find it
Select the visitor and open Goals in the detail panel. Current Plan shows the active plan, its tasks and any input request.
Configure planning at Settings › AI › Features.
How it works
- The AI creates a plan for the conversation, optionally linking recorded goals.
- It adds tasks and updates their progress. Tasks can be pending, in progress, waiting for input, completed, failed, skipped or cancelled.
- A task with dependencies can start or complete only after those tasks are completed.
- When information is missing, the AI can put the plan into Waiting For Input. Autopilot addresses the question to the visitor; Copilot and Ask AI address it to the operator.
- Once every task is completed, failed, skipped or cancelled, the AI can finish the plan. A failed task makes the final plan failed.
Cancelling a plan cancels its unfinished tasks. Completed, failed and cancelled plans appear in history rather than remaining current.
Configure it
With Settings and permission to manage AI, or Developer, edit a supported feature at Settings › AI › Features. Set Workplan scope to Conversation, provide the relevant instructions and save.
Enable Goal tracking scope separately if plans should link customer goals. A work plan can operate without goals.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workplan scope | Settings › AI › Features | website | Disabled | Settings role, Developer role | Enables a current work plan within a conversation when Conversation is selected. |
Permissions
| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure work planning when AI is allowed under Settings Permissions. |
| AI | Allows AI configuration within Settings Permissions. |
| Developer | Configure work planning on AI features. |
Limits and good to know
- There is one current plan per conversation, with up to 50 tasks.
- A plan can link up to 10 current goals from the same conversation.
- Contact-wide planning is unavailable, including for an identified customer.
- Completed, failed or cancelled plans cannot be updated. Finished task statuses cannot be changed to a different status.
- Updates must use the latest saved plan revision. Conflicting updates are rejected rather than overwriting newer progress.
- When goal tracking is enabled, reading a plan whose linked goals are all stale or closed retires that plan and cancels unfinished tasks.
- Finishing a plan leaves goal achievement unchanged.
- The operator panel is a view of AI-managed work. It has no manual task editor or cancellation button.
Depends on and works with
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- Roles and permissionsConfigured by
Roles control configuration access.
- AI feature settings and change historyConfigured by
Work planning is enabled independently on each supported AI feature.
- AI run limitsRequires
AI execution manages plans and their task state.
- Customer goals and AI progress trackingEnhances
Plans may link goals when goal tracking is also enabled.
- Website, channel and subsite accessConfigured by
The Goals panel follows conversation access checks.
- Customer identity and conversation visibility permissionsConfigured by
Personal-data permission controls access to plans in conversations assigned to another operator.
Used by
- Visitor and conversation information panelsEnhances
Enabled AI plans provide further task context.
- Customer goals and AI progress trackingEnhances
Work plans can link current goals without changing their outcome status.
- Specialist sub-agents for AI tasksEnhances
A specialist plan requesting input produces a question for the caller.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why is there no current plan?
Planning may be disabled, the AI may not have created a plan, or the previous plan may have finished or been retired. Check Workplan scope and the plan history.
Why is the plan waiting?
It needs information. Read the input question and provide the answer in the relevant conversation with the AI.
Why cannot a task start?
One or more of its dependencies may still be incomplete. A skipped or failed dependency does not count as completed.
Why did a plan finish as failed?
At least one task failed. A plan can finish after all tasks reach an end state even when some work was unsuccessful.
Does a completed plan prove that the customer's goal was achieved?
No. Goals keep their own outcome status and need a separate update.