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List of Timeouts

The operation of the Chat Platform service is influenced by a series of timeouts, i.e., time durations after which a specific event occurs from a certain moment. Below is a list of these timeouts. All values are of integer type and are specified in seconds unless otherwise stated. If a timeout has a value of 0, the option will not work. Also, please note that if mandatory category setting is enabled, the dialog cannot close by timeout. Instead, a category selection window will be displayed, and only when the agent selects it will the dialog close.

The server analyzes the expiration of timeouts every 30 seconds. Therefore, a random delay of 0 to 30 seconds may be added to the set value.

Parameter Name Default Value Description
agent_cant_pick_timeout — Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Agent taking chat in processing timeout. With auto-assignment enabled, this timeout works if the dialog is assigned to someone but not yet processed. This includes dialogs after transfer (messages from both sides before the transfer are not counted).

If the specified time has elapsed with the dialog transfer to the general queue enabled, then:
  1. The agent is switched to Invisible status.
  2. The dialog is transferred to the general queue and may be assigned to another agent.

    These two points can be executed an unlimited number of times, but they will not be executed if the unassign_chat_if_operator_busy setting is disabled (it is enabled by default). You can choose another status instead of Invisible.
  3. If there are other agents Online, the visitor receives a message when transferring the unprocessed dialog to the general queue.
  4. If all agents are Offline, the visitor receives a message to establish feedback outside the chat.

In the last case, as well as if at least one of the following conditions is met:
  • The dialog transfer to the general queue is initially disabled
  • Auto-assignment is disabled

the following occurs when the timeout is triggered:
  1. The visitor receives a message to establish feedback outside the chat.
  2. If the visitor's email is unknown, the service also requests their contact information.
  3. An email with the subject Chat Platform: Visitor has been waiting for a response from the agent for a long time will be sent to the email address in the For negative feedback field.

The timeout can be triggered several times during the dialog, but points 2 and 3 will only be executed once.

The time is set in seconds.

If you put the value to 0, the message about the agents being busy will never be displayed.

Additionally, you can set this timeout separately in the settings of a specific department (the Timeouts section), in which case it will take precedence over the general one.
agent_cant_pick_holding_message_timeout 0 Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Timeout for hold-on message before connection to agent. This timeout is designed to send a message to the user, essentially encouraging them to stay in the chat if the agent has not processed the dialog but the Agent taking chat in processing timeout has not yet been triggered..
agent_busy_timeout — Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Agent's response timeout. This timeout comes into play if the dialog is already being processed. However, the agent has not read at least one visitor message.

If the specified time has elapsed with the dialog transfer to the general queue enabled, then:
  1. The agent is switched to Invisible status.
  2. The dialog is transferred to the general queue and may be assigned to another agent.

    These two points can be executed an unlimited number of times. However, they will not be performed if the unassign_chat_if_operator_busy setting is disabled (it is enabled by default). You can choose another status instead of Invisible.
  3. If there are other agents Online, the visitor receives a Message for chat which was routed to the general queue after agent hadn't taken it in processing.
  4. If all agents are Offline, the visitor receives a message to establish feedback outside the chat.

In the last case, as well as if the specified time has elapsed and the dialog transfer to the general queue is initially disabled, the following occurs when the timeout is triggered:
  1. The visitor receives a message to establish feedback outside the chat.
  2. If the visitor's email is unknown, the service also requests their contact information.
  3. An email with the subject Chat Platform: Visitor has been waiting for a response from the agent for a long time will be sent to the email address in the For negative feedback field.

The timeout can be triggered several times during the dialog, but all the above points are executed only once.

The time is set in seconds.

If you put the value to 0, the message about the agents being busy will never be displayed.
agent_busy_holding_message_timeout 0 Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Timeout for hold-on message before agent's response. This timeout is designed to send a message to the user, essentially encouraging them to stay in the chat if there is at least one visitor message in the chat that the agent has not read, but the Agent's response waiting timeout has not yet been triggered..
seconds_before_visitor_missed 0 Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Automatic chat cancellation timeout. If the Visitor does not receive a response to the inquiry and leaves before this time expires, it will be considered a refusal; otherwise, it will be considered missed.
new_visitor_notification_timeout 15 Time to display a notification about a new visitor in the web browser.
chat_unassign_from_offline_operators_timeout 600 (10 min) Time to display a notification about a new visitor in the web browser. If the agent is in Offline status during this timeout, the dialogs assigned to them return to the general queue. If you set the value to 0, the dialog will return to the queue as quickly as possible.
stop_typing_timeout 2 Time from the moment of entering the last characters, after which it is considered that the agent has stopped typing a message.
timeout_for_chat_auto_close_if_chat_is_inactive 3600 (1 h) Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Automatic chat cancellation timeout. Time from the last activity in the dialogue (either by the agent or the visitor), after which the dialogue closes definitively - that is, no other timeouts can be triggered. The timeout applies to the following dialogue states: chatting, chatting_with_robot, invitation, and closed_by_agent. The dialogue will not close while it is in the queue state, in which it will be:
  1. If no one has responded to the visitor
  2. If someone responded, but then the dialogue was transferred to another agent. That agent did not respond

Activities include the following events:
  • Change of dialogue state/agent
  • Visitor or agent typing a message
  • Message with one of the following Kinds: OPERATOR_BUSY, VISITOR, FILE_VISITOR, CONTACTS, FORM_RESPONSE, AGENT, FILE_AGENT, CONT_REQ.

Additionally, you can set this timeout separately in the settings of a specific department, in which case it will take precedence over the general one.
timeout_for_chat_auto_close_if_closed_by_operator 3600 (1 h) Path to timeout setting: General -> Timeouts and generated messages -> Timeout for finally closing chats previously closed by agents. Time from the closing of the dialogue by the agent, after which the dialogue closes definitively, and after this, the chat cannot be completed by another timeout. This option also works for invitations - dialogues initiated by the agent. Additionally, you can set this timeout separately in the settings of a specific department (section Timeouts), in which case it will take precedence over the general one. If you need the dialogues to close immediately after being closed by the agent, please get in touch with technical support (setting it to 0 will mean that dialogues will not be closed definitively at all).
file_url_expiring_timeout 86400 (1 day) Time is available to download a file via a link for channels.
operator_check_status_online 300 (5 min) The interval at which the service asks the visitor whether to display the online or offline button now and changes it if necessary.
unread_chat_sending_to_visitor_by_email_timeout 600 (10 min) This setting defines the time from when the agent sends a message to when it gets forwarded to the visitor's email if not read. You cannot turn off this option. If you set it to 0, emails will be sent almost immediately; if you set a value significantly higher than 3600, unresolved chats will accumulate, and the service will start to slow down. Also, note that the dialogue won't close definitively, despite other timeouts, as long as all the following conditions are met: there are unread messages by the visitor; information about them has not been sent to the email; the time since their sending is more than this timeout but less than the next one.
unread_chat_sending_to_visitor_by_email_max_timeout 86400 (1 day) This setting defines the time from when the agent sends a message after which the message won't be sent to the visitor's email, even if unread and not previously sent (this can happen when loading old lost dialogues).
contact_request_for_queue_timeout 300 (5 min) This is the time in the queue after which the visitor's contact information is requested (if no one has responded during that time). This timeout works if the auto_contact_request_for_waiting_too_long parameter is enabled (it is enabled by default).
chat_switch_to_offline_timeout 1200 (20 min) This setting defines the time from the visitor's exit from the site, after which the visitor is switched to offline status and a message is sent to the agent. This setting applies to both assigned and unassigned dialogues. Make sure to distinguish this message from the label or message Visitor has left the site. Offline is considered when visitors close all tabs with the site or browser. However, the visitor may not close the chat widget separately.
closed_by_operator_chats_hiding_timeout 600 (10 min) The time from the moment the agent closes a dialogue, after which it stops being displayed in the Agent Workspace. However, if the system is showing fewer than half the limit of dialogues (parameters visible_online_chats_limit and visible_offline_chats_limit), then this timeout is not used, and the dialogue does not hide.

If a dialogue has been hidden and has not been reopened, it will not automatically be shown again, even if the number of visible chats becomes less than the limit.
agent_session_inactivity_timeout 3600 (1 h) Inactivity timeout, after which the agent is logged out.
invitation: timeout 90000 millisec (1,5 min) Invitation display time. This is set in the internal placement settings.