Chat links for visitors

What it is

Chat Links send visitors to a configured chat or booking entry. A link can target an operator, channels or teams and control whether pre-chat intake and automatic chat start apply. Appointment links also explain whether the visitor is early, late, waiting or returning to a completed appointment.

Who uses it and why

People with the Settings role create links with the right destination and targeting. Operators share their available links with visitors. Visitors follow the link to contact an advisor or book a later visit.

Where to find it

With the Settings role, use Settings › Chat › Chat Links. Operators can find their available personal links in Settings › Account › My Links.

With the Settings or Scheduling role, edit appointment-entry messages and images in Settings › Scheduling › Form Customizations.

How it works

When a visitor follows a link, INSIDE applies its destination, target and entry options. An operator-specific link can wait for that operator or offer another operator if Allow Connecting to Other Operators is enabled. A target with Limited status is eligible only when the link allows it.

Start Chat Automatically requests a chat only when the entry is ready. Required privacy consent, unfinished pre-chat intake, an active task, no available operators or an existing chat can prevent automatic start. A scheduling-only link opens booking instead.

An appointment link checks the appointment time and completion state. It can show an early, expired, completed, unavailable or busy message. An early, expired or completed appointment does not automatically start a new chat.

Configure it

1. With the Settings role, open Chat Links and create or edit a link.
2. Enter Name and URL, then choose a subsite if needed.
3. Select the target using Operator, Channels or Settings › Teams. Selecting one clears the other targeting choices in the editor.
4. Choose pre-chat, automatic-start and operator fallback options. Add the waiting and unavailability messages and images.
5. For booking, enable Schedule Appointments Link. This hides ordinary chat-start options and requires scheduling to be available.
6. Save and test the shared link with the intended operator available and unavailable.

For appointment entry, use the Settings or Scheduling role to edit the scheduling theme's Validate Appointment Time, messages and backgrounds. The tolerance determines how far before the start or after the end the appointment entry remains valid. When no choice is configured, the visitor pane uses 15 minutes.

Settings

Fields

Permissions

Limits and good to know

• A link does not guarantee that its operator is online or ready to accept a conversation.
• Automatic start still honours consent and intake requirements.
• Scheduling links do not offer channel targeting in the same way as ordinary chat links.
• Link-specific messages and scheduling-theme messages can replace standard visitor text.
• Video entry requires the calling feature and browser media permission.

Depends on and works with

FAQ and troubleshooting

Why does my link not start chat automatically?

Check Start Chat Automatically, operator availability, required consent and unfinished pre-chat or tasks. Appointment timing and completion can also block automatic start.

Why was the visitor offered another operator?

Check Allow Connecting to Other Operators on the operator-specific link.

Why is a Limited operator shown as unavailable?

Check Allow Connecting to Limited Operators. Allowing other operators is a separate choice.

Why does an appointment say I am too early or too late?

The link checks its appointment time against Validate Appointment Time in the scheduling theme. Use the intended appointment link and check the scheduled time.

Why can I not choose ordinary chat options for a booking link?

Schedule Appointments Link opens booking, so ordinary pre-chat, waiting and automatic-start controls are hidden for that entry.