Email and print transcripts for visitors
Let visitors email or print the conversation history permitted by the website's transcript and history settings.
What it is
Email transcript and Print transcript let visitors keep a copy of their conversation. The available history follows the website's history and transcript restrictions. Email can include attachments; printing opens a separate transcript window.
Who uses it and why
Visitors email a copy to a chosen address or print a record of the conversation. Users with the Settings role decide which menu options appear and which history is available. Powerfront can change transcript layouts and the restricted-export option for you.
Where to find it
Visitors open the chat menu and choose Email transcript or Print transcript, unless the theme uses customised labels.
With the Settings role, configure these options in Settings › Chat › Themes and choose Show Previous Chats within in Settings › Chat › General Settings. Ask Powerfront to change Restrict print conversation in Settings › Chat › General Settings or the templates in Settings › Chat › Transcript Email Templates and Settings › Chat › Transcript Print Templates.
How it works
To email a transcript, choose Email transcript, enter a recipient email address and submit it. INSIDE checks the address format and requests the permitted conversation history with attachments included.
If the email is too large with attachments, the pane asks whether to send it without them. Choose Send without attachments to retry without the files, or Cancel to stop that retry. The pane reports the request's result.
To print, choose Print transcript. A transcript window opens and invokes the browser's print controls. Chat input pauses while printing and resumes when the print dialog or transcript window closes.
Configure it
Enable Email Transcript and Print Transcript in the applicable theme. Check Disable Email for Mobile and Disable Print for Mobile if visitors need these actions on mobile. Set the input prompt and action labels in the theme's messages.
Choose Show Previous Chats within in General Settings to define the available history. Ask Powerfront to change Restrict print conversation if exports should be limited to the visible conversation selection. This restriction affects email as well as printing.
Ask Powerfront to change email or print transcript templates when you need a different layout.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email Transcript | Settings › Chat › Themes › Icons | website | Off in the theme editor | Settings role | Show the visitor email transcript menu entry. |
| Print Transcript | Settings › Chat › Themes › Icons | website | On in the theme editor | Settings role | Show the visitor print transcript menu entry. |
| Disable Email for Mobile | Settings › Chat › Themes › Icons | website | Off in the theme editor | Settings role | Hide email transcript on mobile devices. |
| Disable Print for Mobile | Settings › Chat › Themes › Icons | website | Off in the theme editor | Settings role | Hide print transcript on mobile devices. |
| Email Input Text (For Email Transcript) | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Pane › Messages | website | Enter email to receive transcript | Settings role | Set the text prompting visitors for a recipient address. |
| Email Transcript Label | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Pane › Messages | website | Email transcript when no label is supplied | Settings role | Set the visitor email action label. |
| Print Transcript Label | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Pane › Messages | website | Print transcript when no label is supplied | Settings role | Set the visitor print action label. |
| Show Previous Chats within | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Current Conversation | Settings role | Choose Current Conversation or Current Session history, which also affects transcript scope. |
| Restrict print conversation | Settings › Chat › General Settings | website | Off when not configured | Settings role | Restrict print and email transcript requests to the visible conversation selection. |
Permissions
| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure visitor transcript menu options and conversation history settings. |
Limits and good to know
- A transcript is not automatically all of a visitor's past conversations. History and export restrictions determine its scope.
- Address validation checks format; it does not prove the mailbox exists or that the recipient will receive the email.
- Email includes attachments on the initial attempt. Retrying without them requires the visitor's confirmation after a size-limit response.
- Browser popup blocking can prevent the print window from opening. In that case, the pane resumes chat input.
- Printed rich cards use text alternatives rather than interactive controls.
Depends on and works with
+1 more · this feature uses
- Previous chat history for visitorsConfigured by
Conversation history settings affect which chats are included.
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- Website and regional settingsConfigured by
Website settings supply the sender and reply-to addresses used for chat transcript emails.
- Transcripts by email and printRequires
Shared transcript services assemble and deliver the conversation export.
- Visitor chat paneRequires
Visitors request email and print transcripts through the chat pane's controls.
- Visitor chat themes and brandingConfigured by
The active theme controls visitor transcript menu entries and labels.
- Rich content in visitor chatEnhances
Rich-content cards provide text alternatives for printing.
- File attachments for visitorsEnhances
Available attachments can be included in transcript email.
- Visitor chat languages and text directionEnhances
Transcript requests carry local date formatting, time-zone and text-direction information.
- Legacy chat pane settingsConfigured by
Legacy pane settings control whether visitor email and print transcript actions are offered.
- Previous chat history for visitorsConfigured by
Conversation history settings affect which chats are included.
Used by
- Transcripts by email and printRelated
The visitor transcript guide explains customer email and print controls.
- Rich content in visitor chatEnhances
Printed transcripts use text alternatives for visual cards.
- Legacy chat pane settingsEnhances
Older panes have separate transcript visibility and presentation controls.
- Previous chat history for visitorsRelated
The same visitor-history restrictions also limit email and print transcript exports.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why is a transcript option missing?
Check the active theme's Email Transcript or Print Transcript option and its mobile exclusion. An older pane uses separate controls.
Why does the transcript omit an earlier chat?
Check Show Previous Chats within. Powerfront can also check whether Restrict print conversation limits the export to visible chats.
Why am I asked to send without attachments?
The initial email exceeded a mail-size limit with its attachments. Send without attachments retries the transcript without the files; Cancel stops the retry.
Why does no print window appear?
Check whether the browser blocked a popup. Allow the site's print window and choose Print transcript again.
Why is chat input paused while I print?
INSIDE pauses input for the print flow. Close the print dialog or transcript window to return to chat.