# Starting, ending and expiring chats

Start and continue conversations, then end them deliberately or let the configured expiry rules close inactive work.

*Release 3.3 · operator, supervisor, visitor*

**Conversation pane** · **Settings › Chat › General Settings** · **Settings › Chat › Themes**

## What it is

A conversation keeps your messages and service actions together. You can continue an active conversation, end it yourself, or let a configured time limit end it. Closing a conversation tab and ending the conversation are separate actions.

## Who uses it and why

- Operators handle the conversation and end it when the exchange is complete.
- Supervisors review open work and investigate abandoned or expired conversations.
- Visitors start chats, reply to operators and see the configured ending message.

## Where to find it

Work in the conversation pane. Operators with the **Settings** role configure the experience in **Settings › Chat › General Settings** and **Settings › Chat › Themes**. Powerfront manages the expiry controls in **Settings › General Settings › Admin**.

## How it works

1. A visitor requests help, replies to a proactive invitation, or sends a message through a connected account.
2. INSIDE starts or finds the relevant conversation for that visitor, platform and account.
3. Routing assigns the work or places it in a queue. Replies continue the current exchange while it remains active.
4. An explicit ending or an applicable expiry rule ends the conversation and withdraws outstanding acceptance offers.

Email and ticket screens distinguish unassigned work from statuses such as **Open**, **Pending**, **Closed**, **Resolved** and **On Hold**. **Open** means waiting for an operator reply; **Pending** means waiting for the customer's reply. A ticket can remain active after you close its floor tab.

For eligible web chats awaiting a visitor reply, an inactivity policy can send a warning followed by an ending message. The ending message is visible to the visitor. Survey delivery still depends on survey eligibility and configuration.

## Configure it

Ask Powerfront to set the appropriate web chat or disconnected messaging expiry. With the **Settings** role, use **Enable Visitor Chat Expiry** in the theme to configure the visitor warning, ending message and their **Seconds** values. With that role, review the localised end messages in **Settings › Chat › General Settings**.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 1800 seconds | Powerfront, on request | Sets the maximum inactivity interval for ordinary web chat, with a minimum of 20 seconds. |
| Offline Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 300 seconds | Powerfront, on request | Sets how long a disconnected ordinary web chat can remain active, with a minimum of 20 seconds. |
| Proactive Unanswered Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 600 seconds | Powerfront, on request | Ends unanswered proactive invitations after this interval, restricted to 60 to 1800 seconds. |
| Queued Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | Off, 0 seconds | Powerfront, on request | Sets an expiry for queued chats. Zero disables this particular expiry rule. |
| Assigned Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | Off, 0 seconds | Powerfront, on request | Sets an expiry for assigned chats. Zero disables this particular expiry rule. |
| Max Disconnected Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 604800 seconds, one week | Powerfront, on request | Sets inactivity expiry for unassigned social, text and eligible push-enabled conversations, within 300 to 604800 seconds. |
| Offline Disconnected Chat Expiry (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 3600 seconds, one hour | Powerfront, on request | Sets inactivity expiry for active social, text and eligible push-enabled conversations, within 120 to 604800 seconds. |
| Remove Visitor On Chat End | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Controls removal of the visitor from the floor when chat ends. |
| Only allow Operator to end the Chat | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Restricts the visitor's option to end the chat. |
| Operator End Chat Warning | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Controls the warning shown when an operator ends a chat. |
| Enable Visitor End Chat Notification for Operators | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Controls operator notification when a visitor ends a chat. |
| DND when closing proactive chat notification | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Controls the do-not-disturb action when a proactive chat notification is closed. |
| Enable End Chat Message | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Enables configurable visitor messages for conversation endings. |
| Chat Ended by Customer | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Supplies the localised message for a customer ending the chat. Unset text is blank, with any previously configured shared end message used as a fallback. |
| Chat Ended by Operator | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Supplies the localised message for an operator ending the chat. Unset text is blank, with any previously configured shared end message used as a fallback. |
| Assigned Chat Expired | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Supplies the localised message for assigned chat expiry. Unset text supplies no custom ending message. |
| Unassigned Chat Expired | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Supplies the localised message for unassigned chat expiry. Unset text supplies no custom ending message. |
| Conversation Broadcast Acceptance Expiry Message | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Supplies the visitor message when an unaccepted broadcast expires. Unset text supplies no custom ending message. |
| Enable Visitor Chat Expiry | Settings › Chat › Themes | website | Off | Settings role | Enables the selected theme's warning and expiry policy while awaiting the visitor's response. |
| Warning Message | Settings › Chat › Themes | website | Please reply to this message if you would like this conversation to continue. | Settings role | Sets the localised inactivity warning. The stated default is used when no message is supplied. |
| Seconds | Settings › Chat › Themes › Warning Message | website | Not set | Settings role | Sets the positive interval before the visitor inactivity warning. No interval is preset; a positive value is required for this timed action. |
| Expiry Message | Settings › Chat › Themes | website | Due to an extended period of no response, this chat session has ended. | Settings role | Sets the localised visitor inactivity ending message. The stated default is used when no message is supplied. |
| Seconds | Settings › Chat › Themes › Expiry Message | website | Not set | Settings role | Sets the positive interval before visitor inactivity ends the chat. No interval is preset; a positive value is required for this timed action. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Chat | Work with conversations in the operator console. |
| Chat General | Access general chat configuration through the Settings role, subject to View Only. |

## Limits and good to know

- Zero disables the queued or assigned expiry rule only. Other expiry rules can still apply.
- Social, SMS and eligible push-enabled conversations use different inactivity windows from ordinary web chat. Email tickets use separate processing.
- Active video conferences, payment forms and some running workflow conversations receive special expiry handling.
- Reconnecting does not guarantee that an already ended conversation resumes. A subsequent message may start new work according to its platform.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Admin settings control conversation inactivity, disconnection, queue and assignment expiry.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): Chat themes can supply visitor inactivity settings and messages.
- **Works better with** [Chat queue](CHAT-005.md): Queues hold unassigned conversations until they are assigned or expire.
- **Works better with** [Broadcast for acceptance](CHAT-009.md): Unaccepted broadcast offers have a separate expiry policy.
- **Works better with** [Postponing conversations](CHAT-012.md): Postponement defers service without ending the conversation.
- **Works better with** [PCI Payment Form in web chat](COM-024.md): An active payment form prevents ordinary web chat expiry processing.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Running workflows affect chat continuation and expiry handling.
- **Works better with** [Browser video and audio calls](RTC-017.md): An active video conference prevents ordinary web chat expiry processing.
- **Works better with** [Visits and returning visitors](VIS-002.md): Returning visits can allow an existing conversation to continue when it is still eligible.
- **Works better with** [Post-chat survey for web visitors](VX-014.md): Eligible endings can invite the visitor to a post-chat survey.
- **Related** [Email ticket handling and statuses](CHN-026.md): Email tickets have separate status and timed-transition rules for closing work.

### Used by

- **Required by** [Chat tray](CON-013.md): Conversation state determines which active chats appear and when they leave the tray.
- **Required by** [Messages and rich content](CHAT-002.md): Messages belong to a conversation.
- **Required by** [Typing indicators and typing preview](CHAT-004.md): Typing is relayed in the context of a current conversation.
- **Required by** [Chat queue](CHAT-005.md): Queued work is an active conversation subject to lifecycle and expiry rules.
- **Required by** [Transferring conversations](CHAT-010.md): A stopping, closed or resolved conversation cannot follow the ordinary transfer path.
- **Required by** [Taking and pinning conversations](CHAT-011.md): Taking or pinning work requires an existing conversation.
- **Required by** [Postponing conversations](CHAT-012.md): Postponement applies to an existing conversation and differs from ending it.
- **Required by** [Visitor messages and sending feedback](VX-006.md): Sending text starts or continues a chat according to the conversation rules.
- **Required by** [Post-chat survey for web visitors](VX-014.md): Post-chat delivery follows the conversation lifecycle.
- **Required by** [Messaging conversations](CHN-002.md): Messaging uses the shared conversation lifecycle.
- **Required by** [Post-chat surveys in messaging channels](CHN-005.md): Eligible conversation endings trigger survey delivery.
- **Required by** [Facebook public thread replies](CHN-011.md): Replies originate in an existing Facebook conversation.
- **Required by** [Customer and order access](COM-012.md): Protected visitor access is specific to the current conversation.
- **Required by** [Sales attribution to conversations and operators](COM-021.md): Eligible conversations provide the engagement and assigned operator.
- **Required by** [PCI Payment Form in web chat](COM-024.md): The operator starts a payment request in an eligible web chat.
- **Required by** [Salesforce conversation records and transcripts](CRM-014.md): Conversation lifecycle events trigger export updates.
- **Required by** [Dynamics 365 conversation activities](CRM-017.md): Conversation state and closing events determine activity updates.
- **Required by** [Conversation detail and abandonment reports](REP-006.md): Conversation lifecycle activity supplies the reported records and outcomes.
- **Configures** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Conversation start, end and expiry rules determine the displayed lifecycle.
- **Enhances** [Visitor activity and availability](VIS-011.md): A qualifying conversation can be retained with its visitor marked offline after the visitor goes away.
- **Enhances** [Cookie consent and opting out](VIS-018.md): Opting out closes the current visitor's conversations.
- **Enhances** [Traffic Optimizer for visitor tracking](VIS-019.md): Visitors with an active conversation bypass the reviewed page-history overload check.
- **Enhances** [Visitor browsing and activity history](VIS-020.md): Conversation starts and ends add milestones to the visitor activity timeline.
- **Enhances** [INSIDE visitor CLI](VIS-024.md): CLI chat commands exercise conversation start and stop behaviour.
- **Enhances** [Live visitor and operator floor](CON-006.md): Conversation controls let you engage a selected visitor when permitted.
- **Enhances** [Console keyboard shortcuts](CON-026.md): A built-in shortcut opens the end-chat action.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): A task can end separately from its conversation, with configured closure choices.
- **Enhances** [Salesforce cases and conversation links](CRM-012.md): A case can be associated with the relevant conversation.
- **Enhances** [Dynamics 365 cases](CRM-016.md): A case can be associated with the current or selected conversation.
- **Enhances** [Zendesk tickets and contacts](CRM-019.md): Ending an active conversation can export its transcript to an associated Zendesk ticket.
- **Enhances** [INSIDE in Salesforce and Dynamics 365](CRM-021.md): Closing matching Salesforce Omni-Channel work can end the associated INSIDE conversation.
- **Enhances** [Integration script selection for automated actions](EXT-016.md): Conversation-end hooks can invoke custom scripts.
- **Enhances** [Media callbacks and embedded form results](EXT-021.md): An open chat allows its embedded-form result to continue the associated workflow.
- **Related** [Pre-chat survey for visitors](VX-008.md): Chat End survey expiry asks for intake again after the conversation ends.
- **Related** [Proactive chat invitations](ENG-004.md): An invitation can precede conversation creation, which may wait until the visitor responds.
- **Related** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Ending a task and closing its conversation have separate outcomes.
- **Related** [Custom bots and FAQ bots](ENG-020.md): Bot-control expiry and conversation expiry are separate controls that can affect the same chat.
- **Related** [AI conversation summaries](AI-009.md): Closing a conversation can trigger summary, sentiment and automatic disposition processing.
- **Related** [Captured data expiry and message sanitisation](SEC-022.md): Ending a conversation triggers the corresponding field cleanup independently of ending the visitor session.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why did a chat end without an operator ending it?

Ask Powerfront to check inactivity, disconnection, queue and assignment expiry settings. An unanswered broadcast offer can also expire.

### Why is the ticket still open after I close its tab?

Closing the floor tab changes your workspace. It does not necessarily close or resolve the ticket.

### Why does one visitor get a different inactivity message?

Check the visitor's chat theme and language as well as the website's general configuration.

### Does setting queued expiry to zero keep chats open indefinitely?

It disables that expiry rule. Other inactivity or platform rules can still end the conversation.