# Chat links for visitors

Give visitors a direct entry to chat or appointment booking with the configured operator, channel or team.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › Chat › Chat Links** · **Settings › Account › My Links** · **Settings › Scheduling › Form Customizations**

## 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

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Validate Appointment Time | Settings › Scheduling › Form Customizations | website | 15 minutes | Settings role, Scheduling role | Choose the appointment-entry tolerance around the scheduled start and end using 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | Yes | Identify the link in INSIDE, using up to 250 characters. |
| URL | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | Yes | Set the destination website page for the link. |
| Description | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Add descriptive text to the link record. |
| Channels | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Target selected channels instead of a particular operator or teams. |
| Settings › Teams | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Target selected teams instead of channels or a particular operator. |
| Operator | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Target a particular operator instead of channels or teams. |
| Subsites | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Associate the entry with a subsite, or leave Any selected. |
| Schedule Appointments Link | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Open appointment booking rather than automatically starting an ordinary chat. |
| Trigger Pre-Chat Survey/Task | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Require the configured pre-chat intake when entering through the link. |
| Start Chat Automatically | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Request chat automatically when the entry conditions are met. |
| Allow Connecting to Other Operators | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Allow an operator-specific link to offer another operator when its target is unavailable. |
| Allow Connecting to Limited Operators | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Treat the target operator's Limited status as available for this link. |
| No Operator Available Message | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Explain that an operator cannot currently be reached. |
| Awaiting Operator Message | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Set the message shown while waiting for the target operator. |
| Other Operator Available Message | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Explain the offer to connect to a different operator. |
| Start Video Call | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Configure video or voice-only entry when calling is available. |
| Enforce Channel Date Filters | Settings › Chat › Chat Links | No | Apply channel date filters to a channel-targeted link. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Create and edit Chat Links and configure appointment-entry themes. |
| Scheduling | Configure appointment-entry tolerance, messages and backgrounds. |

## 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

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** [Teams](ADM-013.md): Teams provide a link targeting option.
- **Configured in** [Departments](CHAT-006.md): Channel schedules restrict link availability when channel date filters are enforced.
- **Configured in** [Chat links](CHAT-030.md): Chat Links settings define the destination, targets and entry options used by the visitor link.
- **Configured in** [Calendar appointments and reminders](CON-032.md): Booked appointments supply the time and completion state checked when visitors join.
- **Configured in** [Pre-chat survey for visitors](VX-008.md): Configured pre-chat forms or tasks can gate chat entry.
- **Configured in** [Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-ins](VX-012.md): Required privacy consent prevents automatic chat start until supplied.
- **Configured in** [Appointment booking for visitors](VX-023.md): Scheduling themes set appointment-entry time tolerance, messages and backgrounds.
- **Works better with** [Joining calls and approving Co-Browse](VX-026.md): A call-enabled link can request media access before starting.
- **Related** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Live-chat links still honour operator availability and existing conversation state.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Chat links and appointments can supply different waiting text and entry rules.
- **Configures** [Pre-chat survey for visitors](VX-008.md): A chat link can disable pre-chat intake for its entry path.
- **Configures** [Department selection before chat](VX-009.md): Operator-specific chat links can bypass department choice.
- **Enhances** [Appointment booking for visitors](VX-023.md): A scheduling link can open booking without starting an ordinary chat.
- **Enhances** [Joining calls and approving Co-Browse](VX-026.md): Call-enabled chat links can open the media-permission entry.
- **Related** [Chat links](CHAT-030.md): The visitor entry guide explains what happens when someone follows a chat or appointment link.
- **Related** [QR codes for chat links](RTC-035.md): The visitor Chat Links guide explains what happens after someone scans the code.

## 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.