# Offline help for visitors

Offer a form, task or message when live chat is unavailable, and collect requests for later follow-up.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › Chat › Themes** · **Settings › Chat › Offline Messages**

## What it is

The offline pane offers help when live chat is unavailable. It can show a form, run a configured task or display a message only. A form collects the visitor's request and shows confirmation when submission succeeds.

## Who uses it and why

People with the **Settings** role choose what visitors see and where requests go. Visitors leave details and a question for later help. Operators follow up through the offline-message or ticket destination configured for the website.

## Where to find it

With the **Settings** role, edit a theme in **Settings › Chat › Themes**, then select **Offline Pane**. Older setups use **Settings › Chat › Offline Messages**.

Visitors reach offline help through the offline chat tab or an offered leave-message action.

## How it works

The selected **Offline Chat Option** determines the experience:

- **Form** collects the enabled name, email, phone and subject questions, the message and any custom questions.
- **Task** runs the selected **Offline Task** where that option is available.
- **Message Only** shows information without collecting a form submission.

In a form, visitors complete the visible required questions and select the submit control. The form checks missing answers, email and phone formats, and required choices. It blocks repeated submission while processing the request.

On success, the form clears its text inputs and shows **Offline Submitted Message**. Without custom confirmation text, it thanks the visitor for submitting the message. The standard form closes the pane after about four seconds. If submission fails, it displays **There was an error submitting your message. Please try again.**

Depending on the setup, the request can generate an email notification, an INSIDE email ticket, a Salesforce case or a Zendesk ticket.

## Configure it

1. Enable **Enable Offline Chat/Message** and review **Hide Offline Chat Tab** and its device choices.
2. Choose **Offline Chat Option**. For **Task**, select **Offline Task**.
3. For **Form**, choose the standard fields, edit their labels and add **Custom Fields**. If you show **Subject**, choose **Subject Field Type** and add choices for **Select**.
4. Configure the destination. For email notifications, enable **Enable Email** and complete **Recipient's Email**. For an Email Management ticket, enable **Create Ticket in Email Management** and choose **Email Account**.
5. Under **Messages**, supply **Offline Submitted Message** and the offline introduction. Save and check the visitor experience in the required languages.

Salesforce and Zendesk creation controls appear when their integrations are enabled. Powerfront manages the underlying integrations and email accounts. Ask Powerfront to configure them for you.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Offline Chat/Message | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Enable the theme's offline experience and allow an offline entry point. |
| Hide Offline Chat Tab | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Hide the offline tab on selected devices without defining how submitted requests are handled. |
| Hide on Devices | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Not set: no devices selected | Settings role | Select the device types affected by Hide Offline Chat Tab. |
| Offline Chat Option | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Form in a new theme; no method is supplied if absent from a saved theme | Settings role | Choose Form, Task or Message Only as the offline experience. |
| Offline Task | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Not set: no offline task selected | Settings role | Select the task used when Offline Chat Option is Task. |
| Name | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Show the standard name question in the offline form. |
| Phone Number | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Show the standard phone question in the offline form. |
| Email Address | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Show the standard email question in the offline form. |
| Subject | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Show a subject question in the offline form. |
| Subject Field Type | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Text Field when not configured | Settings role | Choose Text Field, Text Area or Select for the subject question. |
| Enable Email | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Send offline request notifications to Recipient's Email. |
| Recipient's Email | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Not set: no notification recipient | Settings role | Specify where offline request notifications go; a recipient is needed when Enable Email is on. |
| Create Case in Salesforce | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Create a case through the enabled Salesforce integration. |
| Create Ticket in Zendesk | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Create a ticket through the enabled Zendesk integration. |
| Create Ticket in Email Management | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Create an INSIDE email ticket from the request when Email Management is enabled. |
| Email Account | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Settings | website | Not set: no account selected for email tickets | Settings role | Select the account used for an Email Management ticket. |
| Offline Submitted Message | Settings › Chat › Themes › Offline Pane › Messages | website | English fallback: Thank you, your message has been submitted to our team. Translated for the visitor. | Settings role | Supply the confirmation shown after a successful offline form submission. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure offline presentation, fields and enabled follow-up destinations. |

## Limits and good to know

- A visible confirmation does not promise an operator response time or prove delivery to every downstream system.
- Hiding the offline tab is separate from selecting the offline method and request destination.
- A hidden email field is not treated as a visitor-supplied email address by the standard form.
- If no subject is supplied, the standard form derives one from the beginning of the message, with a generic fallback.
- Older setups can use additional fields or advanced custom forms. Their behaviour can differ from the standard theme form.
- A temporary connection loss is separate from confirmed offline availability.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Visitor chat pane](VX-002.md): The visitor pane displays the offline experience.
- **Configured in** [Email account and mailbox setup](CHN-024.md): Offline email tickets use the email account selected for the offline form.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): Themes define Offline Pane settings and presentation.
- **Configured in** [Legacy chat pane settings](VX-032.md): Legacy Offline Messages uses separate settings and supports older custom forms.
- **Works better with** [Email ticket handling and statuses](CHN-026.md): Created email tickets follow ticket assignment and lifecycle rules.
- **Works better with** [Salesforce cases and conversation links](CRM-012.md): Enabled Salesforce case creation sends the request to that CRM.
- **Works better with** [Zendesk tickets and contacts](CRM-019.md): Enabled Zendesk ticket creation sends the request to that integration.
- **Works better with** [Chat tabs for visitors](VX-001.md): An offline chat tab provides an entry point.
- **Works better with** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Custom questions add typed fields and required choices to offline forms.
- **Works better with** [Chat tasks and topics for visitors](VX-017.md): A task can replace the standard offline form.
- **Works better with** [Visitor chat languages and text direction](VX-031.md): Offline form labels and confirmation text support language variants.
- **Related** [Offline messages](CHAT-028.md): Offline Messages explains notification destinations and follow-up handling for submitted requests.
- **Related** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Confirmed unavailability and configured waiting actions determine when offline help is offered.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Chat tabs for visitors](VX-001.md): Offline Pane settings enable the offline tab and control its device visibility.
- **Configures** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Offline Pane defines its own fields and choices.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): The theme selects the task used for offline intake.
- **Enhances** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): Offline help adds a form, task or information message when live help is unavailable.
- **Enhances** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Offline or leave-message options can provide an alternative to waiting.
- **Enhances** [Chat tasks and topics for visitors](VX-017.md): Guided interactions can offer a leave-message alternative.
- **Enhances** [Legacy chat pane settings](VX-032.md): Offline forms and messages are configured alongside older panes.
- **Enhances** [Salesforce cases and conversation links](CRM-012.md): Configured offline forms can contribute case creation.
- **Related** [Offline messages](CHAT-028.md): The visitor offline-form guide explains the form, task and message-only entry options.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why do visitors see a message but no form?

Check **Offline Chat Option**. **Message Only** deliberately displays information without collecting a request.

### Why do submissions fail after I enable email notifications?

Check **Recipient's Email**. Email notification processing needs a recipient when **Enable Email** is on. Also check the visitor's required fields and connection.

### Why is no ticket appearing?

Check the relevant ticket-creation option and integration. For Email Management, confirm **Email Account** is selected. A form and confirmation alone do not enable ticket creation.

### Can visitors leave a message while waiting for an operator?

Yes, when the configured waiting experience offers a leave-message action or task. Enabling the offline pane alone does not promise that action in every queue.