Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover
Pause or cancel a task, resume it when allowed and route visitors to people or an alternate task.
What it is
You can pause a task while a person helps the visitor, then resume it where allowed. Handover phrases and task actions can route the visitor to an operator or another task. Cancellation ends the current task rather than keeping it ready to resume.
Who uses it and why
- Operators pause automation, help the visitor and resume or cancel the task as appropriate.
- Supervisors review handover and unavailable-operator paths so visitors receive a useful next step.
- Visitors use the offered controls or configured phrases to leave the automated journey.
Where to find it
Operators use the task status strip in the conversation pane, including Pause Task and Cancel Task when available. A resume control appears when the task and pause configuration allow it.
With the Bot Trainer role, configure actions in Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks, phrase checking in Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps, and phrase wording in Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Handover Phrases.
How it works
When a step has Check Handover Phrases enabled, INSIDE checks the submitted wording before ordinary answer validation. Phrase matching ignores letter case and allows surrounding punctuation. The phrase's Condition determines whether it applies while an operator or virtual assistant is handling the conversation.
With a valid Handover Task and Handover Step, INSIDE cancels the current task and starts the selected handover path. Without that path, a bot-handled conversation transfers using the available routing. The task pauses when the conversation is queued or assigned to a person; it cancels when there is no human route. If no assistant remains, the conversation can close.
A Pause Task action can allow manual resumption with Allow Operator to Resume, or request automatic resumption after a delay. Resuming restores the current task action. A paused task remains active, so it can prevent another task starting for the visitor.
Cancellation, task completion and conversation closure have separate effects. The configured end or transfer action decides what happens to the conversation and whether a post-chat survey is suppressed.
Configure it
- Have a Bot Trainer define the required handover phrases and their contexts and languages.
- Enable Check Handover Phrases on the relevant step fields. Select both Handover Task and Handover Step for a dedicated path.
- Configure transfer targets and an alternate action for no operator availability.
- For a deliberate wait, add Pause Task and choose Allow Operator to Resume or Auto Resume in as needed.
- Review Operator can Cancel Task and Operator Cancel Task Message.
- Check the journey with operators available, unavailable and already handling the visitor.
Fields
| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator can Cancel Task | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Makes the operator cancellation control available for this task. |
| Operator Cancel Task Message | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Supplies the message used when an operator cancels the task. |
| Pause Task | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Pauses the task as part of an answer action. |
| Allow Operator to Resume | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Allows an operator to resume this action's paused task. |
| Auto Resume in | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets an automatic resume delay in seconds for the pause action. |
| Check Handover Phrases | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Checks answers to this field for configured handover phrases before normal validation. Initially off. |
| Handover Task | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Selects a task to run when a handover phrase matches. |
| Handover Step | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Selects the entry step in the handover task. |
| Handover Phrase | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Handover Phrases | Yes | Defines wording that a visitor can enter to request handover, with language versions. |
| Condition | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Handover Phrases | Yes | Limits the phrase to the applicable operator or virtual assistant context. |
Permissions
| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Configure task handover, pause actions and handover phrases. |
Limits and good to know
- A phrase match is a handover request, not a completed answer to the intercepted question.
- A handover task needs a valid entry step. Review its live and enabled state before use.
- Automatic resume is a delay, not a precise delivery-time commitment. Messages sent around the pause can affect when the visitor sees the next question.
- Bot inactivity expiry waits while a task is running. A paused task does not prevent expiry and may be ended before an expiry task starts.
- Human handover still depends on routing, operator availability and queue configuration.
Depends on and works with
+5 more · this feature uses
- Current Chat workspace and panelsEnhances
Conversation task controls expose pause, resume and cancellation to operators.
- Custom bots and FAQ botsEnhances
Bot expiry waits for a running task but can end a paused task.
- Sentiment and emotionEnhances
Configured sentiment-based handover can provide another transfer trigger.
- Post-chat survey for web visitorsEnhances
End and unavailable-transfer actions can suppress the post-chat survey.
- DepartmentsConfigured by
Channel routing and availability controls determine the human destinations available for handover.
+8 more · used by
- Virtual Assistant task previewEnhances
Preview includes pause, resume and cancellation paths.
- Virtual Assistant task import and exportRelated
Import can remove handover destinations, so those paths need review before publication.
- Custom bots and FAQ botsEnhances
Bot handover and paused tasks interact with expiry.
- Virtual Assistant usageEnhances
Pause, resume, cancellation and handover affect the recorded task outcome.
- Virtual Assistant task validation and retriesEnhances
Help can pause a task, return to the operator or transfer to a human.
- Autopilot handover and error handlingEnhances
The selected task can continue the workflow or hand over to human routing.
- Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channelsConfigured by
Task options control cancellation and handover.
- Legacy Google Business Messages connectionEnhances
A customer request for a live agent can invoke the workflow handover.
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- Virtual Assistant task setupRequires
Pause, cancellation and handover need an authored task and its action configuration.
- Virtual Assistant task steps and branchesRequires
Pause, resume and cancellation act on an active task.
- Virtual Assistant task data fieldsConfigured by
Handover phrase checking is enabled on the step's field.
- Virtual Assistant task messages and identityEnhances
Visitor labels and handover messages explain the available choices.
- Virtual Assistant task validation and retriesEnhances
Help and invalid-input recovery can offer operator or alternate-task routes.
- Transferring conversationsEnhances
Human handover uses conversation transfer and availability rules.
- Chat queueEnhances
A handover can place the conversation in a queue.
- Starting, ending and expiring chatsEnhances
A task can end separately from its conversation, with configured closure choices.
- Current Chat workspace and panelsEnhances
Conversation task controls expose pause, resume and cancellation to operators.
- Custom bots and FAQ botsEnhances
Bot expiry waits for a running task but can end a paused task.
- Sentiment and emotionEnhances
Configured sentiment-based handover can provide another transfer trigger.
- Post-chat survey for web visitorsEnhances
End and unavailable-transfer actions can suppress the post-chat survey.
- DepartmentsConfigured by
Channel routing and availability controls determine the human destinations available for handover.
Used by
- Starting, ending and expiring chatsEnhances
Running workflows affect chat continuation and expiry handling.
- Chat queueConfigured by
Workflow control can defer assignment to a human operator.
- Sentiment and emotionEnhances
Configured workflows can hand conversations to an operator when negative sentiment is detected.
- Chat tasks and topics for visitorsConfigured by
Workflow settings control handover, pause, resume and cancellation.
- Visitor event updates to customer contextEnhances
Forced task starts can cancel an existing eligible task.
- Virtual Assistant task setupConfigured by
Handover and task-control settings define pause, resume, cancellation and transfer behaviour.
- Virtual Assistant task steps and branchesConfigured by
Task-control and handover actions determine when execution pauses, resumes, cancels or transfers.
- Task integrations, appointments and embedded pagesEnhances
Failure or unavailable branches can hand over to an operator.
- Virtual Assistant task previewEnhances
Preview includes pause, resume and cancellation paths.
- Virtual Assistant task import and exportRelated
Import can remove handover destinations, so those paths need review before publication.
- Custom bots and FAQ botsEnhances
Bot handover and paused tasks interact with expiry.
- Virtual Assistant usageEnhances
Pause, resume, cancellation and handover affect the recorded task outcome.
- Virtual Assistant task validation and retriesEnhances
Help can pause a task, return to the operator or transfer to a human.
- Autopilot handover and error handlingEnhances
The selected task can continue the workflow or hand over to human routing.
- Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channelsConfigured by
Task options control cancellation and handover.
- Legacy Google Business Messages connectionEnhances
A customer request for a live agent can invoke the workflow handover.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why did the phrase not request an operator?
Check Check Handover Phrases, the phrase language and Condition. Also check whether a dedicated handover task is configured to handle the request instead.
Why is there no resume control?
Check the task's operator-send eligibility and Allow Operator to Resume on the pause action. Cancellation or bot expiry may already have ended the paused task.
Why did the visitor reach another question when no operator was available?
The unavailable-operator branch can continue within the task. Review that branch before treating the continuation as a failed handover.
Why did the conversation close after handover failed?
Without a usable human route or another assistant, handover can cancel the task and close the conversation. Configure an appropriate unavailable-operator path.