Migrating Chat operating hours to business hours in messaging

<body>
<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">If you use operating hours in your Zendesk Chat configuration, you’ll likely want to apply a similar schedule to your messaging configuration.</p>

<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you use operating hours in your Zendesk Chat configuration, you’ll likely want to apply a similar schedule to your messaging configuration.</p>
<p class="p">This article provides an overview of how business hours work on messaging, how they differ
from Chat operating hours, and common workflows you can use to manage conversations outside
business hours.</p>
<p class="p">This article includes the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_migrating_chat_operating_hours_to_business_hours_in_messaging__ul_article_topics">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_about_messaging_business_hours">About messaging business hours</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_managing_end_user_experience_and_expectations">Managing the end user’s experience and expectations</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_workflows_to_handle_offline_messaging_tickets">Workflows to handle offline messaging tickets</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Related articles:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_migrating_chat_operating_hours_to_business_hours_in_messaging__ul_related_articles">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6970583409690" target="_blank">About AI agents</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500737327258" target="_blank">Configuring messaging responses and business hours</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522" target="_blank">Setting your schedule with business hours and holidays</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_about_messaging_business_hours">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">About messaging business hours</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">In Zendesk Chat, operating hours mainly control when chat is available. Unlike Chat,
messaging can function asynchronously. In messaging, business hours and schedules can
control several different behaviors.</p>
<p class="p">For example, in messaging, business hours and schedules can control:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_about_messaging_business_hours__ul_business_hours_behaviors">
<li class="li">Whether customers can start a conversation</li>
<li class="li">Whether an AI agent can escalate to a human agent</li>
<li class="li">Whether a ticket is created outside business hours</li>
<li class="li">What message customers see when agents are unavailable</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Because of this, there isn’t a one-to-one replacement for Chat operating hours in messaging. Instead, choose the messaging setup that best matches the experience you want to provide.</p>
<p class="p">Use the following table to map common Chat operating hours use cases to messaging options:</p>
<div class="tablenoborder">
<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" class="table" frame="border" id="topic_about_messaging_business_hours__table_chat_hours_mapping" rules="all" summary="">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead class="thead" style="text-align:left;">
<tr class="row">
<th class="entry nocellnorowborder" id="d51e112" style="vertical-align:top;">If you used Chat operating hours to…</th>
<th class="entry cell-norowborder" id="d51e115" style="vertical-align:top;">In messaging, use…</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tbody">
<tr class="row">
<td class="entry nocellnorowborder" headers="d51e112" style="vertical-align:top;">Let customers know agents are offline</td>
<td class="entry cell-norowborder" headers="d51e115" style="vertical-align:top;"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays#topic_bh1_mz2_4p" target="_blank">Triggers to deliver automated responses outside of business hours</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="row">
<td class="entry nocellnorowborder" headers="d51e112" style="vertical-align:top;">Offer self-service after hours</td>
<td class="entry cell-norowborder" headers="d51e115" style="vertical-align:top;"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749686554" target="_blank">AI agents with schedules</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="row">
<td class="entry nocellnorowborder" headers="d51e112" style="vertical-align:top;">Let customers leave a request for follow-up</td>
<td class="entry cell-norowborder" headers="d51e115" style="vertical-align:top;"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9204149016346" target="_blank">AI agent tickets</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="row">
<td class="entry row-nocellborder" headers="d51e112" style="vertical-align:top;">Route after-hours requests differently</td>
<td class="entry cellrowborder" headers="d51e115" style="vertical-align:top;"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522" target="_blank">Triggers and routing workflows</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_managing_end_user_experience_and_expectations">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Managing the end user’s experience and expectations</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When migrating from Chat to messaging, decide what you want customers to experience outside
business hours. You can configure your messaging channel to do one of the following:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_managing_end_user_experience_and_expectations__ul_end_user_options">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_option_1_offer_self_service_with_ai_agent">Option 1: Offer self-service with an AI agent</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_option_2_hide_widget_outside_business_hours">Option 2: Hide the widget outside business hours</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_option_3_prevent_escalation_during_offline_hours">Option 3: Prevent escalation to an agent outside business hours</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_option_4_communicate_business_hours_and_create_offline_ticket">Option 4: Let customers create a ticket for follow-up</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_option_1_offer_self_service_with_ai_agent">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Option 1: Offer self-service with an AI agent (recommended)</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6970583409690-About-AI-agents" target="_blank">Agentic AI agents</a> are available 24/7 to provide
support when your human agents are unavailable. An AI agent can respond to support
requests through your messaging channel, perform tasks, and offer assistance that can
resolve customer issues without input from a human agent. </p>
<p class="p">If you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays" target="_blank">use schedules</a>, you can create an AI agent that
behaves differently based on the day or time of day when your customer submits their
support request.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested3" id="topic_nwz_s31_bkc">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title5">Step 1: Create your schedule in Admin Center </h4>
<div class="body">
<div class="p" dir="ltr">You can <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays" target="_blank">create a regular weekly schedule</a> and a holiday
schedule in Admin Center as needed.<div class="note note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If you're using the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9435865466906" target="_blank">assisted migration experience</a>, your Chat schedules will be
automatically migrated to Admin Center.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested3" id="topic_option_1_step_2_create_and_configure_ai_agent">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title6">Step 2: Create and configure an agentic AI agent for your messaging channel</h4>
<div class="body">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_option_1_step_2_create_and_configure_ai_agent__ol_option_1_step_2">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10488757995034-Creating-an-AI-agent-to-automatically-resolve-customer-issues#topic_d31_b1c_2jc" target="_blank">Create your AI agent</a> for messaging, making
sure to select the brand with a comprehensive knowledge base. </li>
<li class="li">In the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756913178-Accessing-and-navigating-the-AI-agents-workspace" target="_blank">AI agents workspace</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756913178-Accessing-and-navigating-the-AI-agents-workspace" target="_blank">select the newly-created AI agent</a>.</li>
<li class="li"> If your help center is able to provide the AI agent with a useful response, the
conversation can end there; however, if the agent is unable to provide the customer
with a resolution, make sure you customize the AI agent's <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749481882" target="_blank">Escalation reply</a> with a message that is sent outside of
business hours.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested3" id="topic_option_1_step_3_test_and_publish_ai_agent">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title7">Step 3: Test and publish the AI agent</h4>
<div class="body">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_option_1_step_3_test_and_publish_ai_agent__ol_option_1_step_3">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357751802138-Best-practices-for-testing-AI-agents" target="_blank">Test the AI agent</a> to confirm it performs as
expected.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10563002554394-Activating-and-managing-AI-agents" target="_blank">Activate the AI agent</a> on your messaging
channel.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested2" id="topic_option_2_hide_widget_outside_business_hours">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title8">Option 2: Hide the widget outside business hours</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can choose to hide the Web Widget when agents aren’t available using the Core messaging <a class="xref" href="https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/widget-messaging/web/core/" target="_blank">Javascript API</a>.</p>
<p class="p">This option is best for accounts that:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_2_hide_widget_outside_business_hours__ul_option_2_best_for">
<li class="li">Aren't using AI agents or a messaging configuration for customers to self-solve their
issues, so deflection isn’t available.</li>
<li class="li">Don't have a help center or other knowledge source from which an automated answer,
through an AI agent or messaging response, can be generated.</li>
<li class="li">Only have potential resolutions that require input from human agents.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_option_3_prevent_escalation_during_offline_hours">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">Option 3: Prevent escalation to an agent outside business hours</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you have a robust help center or external knowledge source, you can rely on an AI agent or messaging response to offer customers the opportunity to resolve common issues without input from a human agent, and prevent them from submitting a ticket when human agents aren’t available.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title10" class="topic nested3" id="topic_option_3_step_1_create_schedule">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title10">Step 1: Create your schedule in Admin Center</h4>
<div class="body">
<p class="p" dir="ltr">You can <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays" target="_blank">create a regular weekly schedule</a> and a holiday
schedule in Admin Center as needed.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title11" class="topic nested3" id="topic_option_3_step_2_create_automated_responder">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title11">Step 2: Create your automated responder</h4>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can use an AI agent, or a <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500737327258" target="_blank">standard messaging response</a> if you aren’t using AI agents, to communicate with your customers outside of your business hours.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">For an AI agent</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_option_3_step_2_create_automated_responder__ol_option_3_ai_agent">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10488757995034" target="_blank">Create the AI agent</a> for your messaging
channel. </li>
<li class="li">Customize the fallback reply by selecting the schedule you created that sets your
business hours. For the <strong class="ph b">Outside business hours</strong> part of the reply, deselect
<strong class="ph b">Add option to talk to a human and escalate</strong>. This prevents a ticket from being
created when the AI agent escalates the conversation. Fill out the message you want
your customers to receive, including any instructions for contacting agents through
other channels or ways to self-solve their issue. </li>
</ol>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">For the Web Widget or mobile SDK, without AI agents</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_option_3_step_2_create_automated_responder__ol_option_3_without_ai_agent">
<li class="li">Create or edit your <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409103246874-Setting-up-Web-Widget-to-add-messaging-to-your-website-or-help-center" target="_blank">Web Widget</a> or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408834810394-Working-with-messaging-for-your-mobile-channel" target="_blank">mobile SDK</a> messaging channel.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500737327258-Configuring-messaging-responses-and-business-hours" target="_blank">Configure the messaging response</a>. <ul class="ul" id="topic_option_3_step_2_create_automated_responder__ul_option_3_without_ai_agent_response">
<li class="li">Select the schedule you created that sets your business hours.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Outside business hours</strong>, then fill out the message you want your
customers to receive, including any instructions for contacting agents through
other channels or ways to self-solve their issue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title12" class="topic nested2" id="topic_workflows_to_handle_offline_messaging_tickets">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title12">Workflows to handle offline messaging tickets</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">In addition to the options above, you can create triggers to make sure the workflow for
support requests submitted outside of business hours are handled correctly.</p>
<p class="p">This section includes the following options:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_workflows_to_handle_offline_messaging_tickets__ul_offline_ticket_options">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_route_offline_conversations_to_specific_group">Workflow 1: Route offline conversations to a specific group</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_assign_offline_tickets_with_lower_priority">Workflow 2: Assign offline tickets with lower priority</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_reroute_offline_conversations_to_follow_up_over_email">Workflow 3: Re-route offline conversations to follow up over
email</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title13" class="topic nested3" id="topic_route_offline_conversations_to_specific_group">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title13">Workflow 1: Route offline conversations to a specific group</h4>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The following ticket trigger sends new conversations that come in after hours to a
specific group, in this case one that manages tickets that come in outside of business
hours.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title14" class="topic nested4" id="topic_option_1_route_step_1_required_elements">
<h5 class="title topictitle5" id="ariaid-title14">Step 1: Ensure your account has the required elements</h5>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_1_route_step_1_required_elements__ul_option_1_required_elements">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408894175130-Creating-groups" target="_blank">Create a group</a> in Support for handling
these tickets, for example <em class="ph i">Overnight requests</em>
</li>
<li class="li">Define <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500737327258" target="_blank">business hours</a> for basic messaging users,
or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays" target="_blank">create a schedule</a> for AI agent users</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title15" class="topic nested4" id="topic_option_1_route_step_2_create_ticket_trigger">
<h5 class="title topictitle5" id="ariaid-title15">Step 2: Create the ticket trigger</h5>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886797466-Creating-ticket-triggers-for-automatic-ticket-updates-and-notifications#topic_qfk_s23_vsb" target="_blank">Create a ticket trigger</a> using the following
conditions and actions:</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Meet ALL of the following conditions:</strong></p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_1_route_step_2_create_ticket_trigger__ul_option_1_conditions">
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Status category | Is | New</li>
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Within business hours? | Is | No</li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Actions:</strong></p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_1_route_step_2_create_ticket_trigger__ul_option_1_actions">
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Add tags | offline_conversations</li>
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Messaging session | End Session</li>
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Group | Overnight requests group</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title16" class="topic nested3" id="topic_assign_offline_tickets_with_lower_priority">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title16">Workflow 2: Assign offline tickets with lower priority</h4>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">This option creates offline messaging tickets that are handled by the same team
responding to messaging tickets that come in after hours, but with lower priority.
This option is only possible with omnichannel routing, which allows the queue to be
ordered based on ticket priority.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title17" class="topic nested4" id="topic_option_2_priority_step_1_required_elements">
<h5 class="title topictitle5" id="ariaid-title17">Step 1: Ensure your account has the required elements</h5>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_2_priority_step_1_required_elements__ul_option_2_required_elements">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5866925319962-Turning-on-and-setting-up-omnichannel-routing" target="_blank">Omnichannel routing is turned on</a></li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4828787357210#topic_glj_pmr_wbc" target="_blank">Messaging activity routing</a> is turned on.
This keeps all tickets, both active and inactive, in the team or agent queue,
including offline tickets.</li>
<li class="li">Define <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500737327258" target="_blank">business hours</a> for basic messaging users,
or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842938522-Setting-your-schedule-with-business-hours-and-holidays" target="_blank">create a schedule</a> for AI agent users</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title18" class="topic nested4" id="topic_option_2_priority_step_2_create_ticket_trigger">
<h5 class="title topictitle5" id="ariaid-title18">Step 2: Create the ticket trigger</h5>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886797466-Creating-ticket-triggers-for-automatic-ticket-updates-and-notifications#topic_qfk_s23_vsb" target="_blank">Create a ticket trigger</a> that assigns a lower
priority to tickets created outside of business hours, using the following
conditions and actions:</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Meet ALL of the following conditions:</strong></p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_2_priority_step_2_create_ticket_trigger__ul_option_2_conditions">
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Channel | Is | Messaging</li>
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Within business hours? | Is | No</li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Actions:</strong></p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_option_2_priority_step_2_create_ticket_trigger__ul_option_2_actions">
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Priority | Low</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title19" class="topic nested3" id="topic_reroute_offline_conversations_to_follow_up_over_email">
<h4 class="title topictitle4" id="ariaid-title19">Workflow 3: Re-route offline conversations to follow up over email</h4>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Create a ticket trigger to re-route offline conversations.</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_reroute_offline_conversations_to_follow_up_over_email__ul_option_3_email_reroute">
<li class="li">Event: When ticket is Created</li>
<li class="li">Conditions: <ul class="ul" id="topic_reroute_offline_conversations_to_follow_up_over_email__ul_option_3_email_conditions">
<li class="li">Status is New</li>
<li class="li">Ticket &gt; Within business hours | No</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">Actions: <ul class="ul" id="topic_reroute_offline_conversations_to_follow_up_over_email__ul_option_3_email_actions">
<li class="li">Ticket tag | offline_conversations</li>
<li class="li">Set messaging session state = Ended</li>
<li class="li">Group = Email group</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title20" class="topic nested2" id="topic_j1n_1bh_bkc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title20"></h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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