Live Chat
=========

Talk to customers in real time from the **customer chat** panel.

This feature is **optional**; if you don't see it in the main menu,
that means your administrator hasn't enabled it yet. Administrators can learn
more :admin-docs:`here </channels/chat.html>`.

Overview
--------

.. figure:: /images/extras/chat.jpg
   :alt: Sample view of Customer Chat
   :align: center

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Chat controls                                                             |
+===========================+===============================================+
| **1. On/Off**             | Enable/disable the chat panel.                |
|                           | (When enabled, you will receive notifications |
|                           | for incoming chats.)                          |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **2. Waiting Customers**  | Lists customers awaiting an agent for chat.   |
|                           | **Click to answer a pending chat request.**   |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **3. Chatting Customers** | Lists customers currently in an ongoing chat  |
|                           | session.                                      |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **4. Active Agents**      | Lists all agents with chat enabled.           |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **5. Settings**           | Click for chat configuration options (*e.g.,* |
|                           | auto-greetings and maximum number of          |
|                           | simultaneous chats).                          |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **6. Count badge**        | Displays the number of users in each section. |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| **7. Info card**          | Hover over for detailed information about the |
|                           | users in each section.                        |
+---------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+


.. warning:: If all agents have the chat panel disabled, customers will **not**
             be able to initiate a chat.

Usage tips
   * 🔍 Use the :doc:`search bar </basics/find-ticket/search>` to pull up old chats from the archive anytime.
   * 📋 Copy & paste **supports 🌄 inline images** as well as plain text.
   * ⌨️ Live chat supports :admin-docs:`text modules </manage-text-modules.html>`.
   * 📝 Chats can be **renamed** or **tagged**, and record technical details about
     the customer's connection.

      .. figure:: /images/extras/chat-details.png
         :alt: Chat details view
         :align: center
         :scale: 30%

         Click on the title at the top of the chat window to edit chat details.

Creating a Ticket from a Chat
-----------------------------

Once your chat is over, you can create a ticket for it with a single click:

.. figure:: /images/extras/chat-create-ticket.jpg
   :alt: Completed chat window
   :align: center

   The **Turn chat into ticket** button appears as soon as the chat is finished.

.. figure:: /images/extras/chat-new-ticket-dialog.jpg
   :alt: New ticket view
   :align: center

   A link to the chat is automatically included in the first note on the ticket.