# Chat tasks and topics for visitors

Guide visitors through suggested topics, selectable answers and tasks inside the chat pane.

*Release 3.3 · admin, visitor*

**Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks** · **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps** · **Settings › Chat › Themes**

## What it is

Tasks guide visitors through a request inside the chat pane. A task can ask questions, offer choices, collect form answers and hand the request to an operator. The pane can also show related topics that visitors select to continue the conversation.

## Who uses it and why

Administrators plan the visitor journey with a user who has the **Bot Trainer** role. Visitors choose topics and complete task steps to get help or supply information before speaking to an operator.

## Where to find it

With the **Bot Trainer** role, configure **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks** and **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps**. With the **Settings** role, select **Pre-Chat Task** in **Settings › Chat › Themes**.

Visitors see task prompts and related topics directly in the chat pane. Related suggestions use **Related:** unless alternative wording is supplied.

## How it works

1. A configured entry point starts a task or a reply offers related topics.
2. The visitor selects a topic or responds to the current task step. Selecting a related topic submits that choice and removes the suggestion list.
3. Task choices and answers determine what happens next. A step can use the message input, show a form or open an embedded interaction.
4. Where the task provides them, the visitor can go back, cancel, leave a message or move to an operator.

The current step controls which inputs remain available. Earlier options may become disabled after a choice is submitted. A task waiting for an operator or external interaction can pause ordinary progression.

## Configure it

With the **Bot Trainer** role, define the task, its steps, prompts and answer rules in **Tasks** and **Steps**. Configure branching and handover in the workflow setup. For pre-chat entry, a user with the **Settings** role selects **Pre-Chat Task** and **Pre-Chat Task Expiry** in the visitor's theme.

Check each path in the visitor pane, including invalid answers, cancellation and operator unavailability. Supply any leave-message alternative and translated prompts in the associated task configuration.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Chat Task | Settings › Chat › Themes › General › Settings | website | Not set | Settings role | Select an enabled pre-chat task for the theme when virtual-assistant functionality is available. No pre-chat task starts when not set. |
| Pre-Chat Task Expiry | Settings › Chat › Themes › General › Settings | website | Never in the theme editor | Settings role | Choose Never, Session End or Chat End for expiry of the completed pre-chat task. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Access virtual-assistant Tasks and Steps for workflow authoring. |
| Settings | Select a Pre-Chat Task in a theme. |

## Limits and good to know

- **Back** and cancellation are available only where the configured task and current step permit them.
- A task may hide ordinary message input while its own controls collect the answer.
- Selecting a related topic continues the interaction; it does not open a separate help catalogue.
- Operator handover depends on the configured task and availability. Choosing a topic does not guarantee an immediate operator response.
- Pre-chat tasks share the same visitor task controls and can delay ordinary chat until their steps complete.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Workflow execution determines the current step and next action.
- **Requires** [Visitor chat pane](VX-002.md): The visitor chat pane displays guided task steps and related topics.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Tasks and reusable steps define the guided interaction.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Workflow field definitions control accepted answers and validation.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Workflow wording and translations supply visitor prompts.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Workflow settings control handover, pause, resume and cancellation.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): The theme selects a Pre-Chat Task and its expiry behaviour.
- **Works better with** [Task integrations, appointments and embedded pages](ENG-017.md): A configured step can show an embedded external interaction.
- **Works better with** [FAQ bot training and automatic replies](ENG-021.md): Intent responses can supply related topic suggestions.
- **Works better with** [Pre-chat survey for visitors](VX-008.md): A following task can reuse details collected by the pre-chat survey.
- **Works better with** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Guided tasks use visitor form controls and validation.
- **Works better with** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): Guided interactions can offer a leave-message alternative.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Guided tasks need the website's Virtual Assistant capability enabled by Powerfront.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Visitor messages and sending feedback](VX-006.md): A task can replace the ordinary message box with a specific answer field.
- **Enhances** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Configured queue actions can offer tasks while the visitor waits.
- **Enhances** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): A task can replace the standard offline form.
- **Enhances** [File attachments for visitors](VX-021.md): A file upload can answer a guided task's file question.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): The visitor chat pane displays task questions and controls.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Web chat renders task help, error messages and recovery controls.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why has the message box disappeared?

The current task step may collect its answer through dedicated controls. Complete that step or use its available navigation controls.

### Why can the visitor not click an earlier answer again?

Submitted choices can become disabled to prevent another action from the same prompt. Use the task's available **Back** control if the visitor needs to revise an answer.

### Why did the related topics disappear?

Selecting a topic removes the suggestions after submitting the choice. A later reply may supply another set.

### Why can I not edit Tasks?

The task authoring screens require **Bot Trainer**. The **Settings** role controls the theme's task selection but does not itself grant access to those screens.