> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.taqnyat.sa/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.taqnyat.sa/docs/readme/managing-conversations/assign-or-transfer-chat.md). # Assign or Transfer Chat This page explains how conversations can be assigned to agents or transferred between agents and departments inside LiveChat. ### What is Chat Assignment? Chat assignment means linking a conversation to a specific agent. When a chat is assigned to an agent, it appears in the agent’s **My Chats** view so they can follow up with the customer. A chat can be assigned in different ways, depending on the account settings: * Automatically by the system * Manually by an agent or supervisor * Directed to a specific agent * By replying to a chat from the Queue * By transferring the chat from another agent or department ### Auto-assignment If auto-assignment is enabled, the system can automatically assign new chats to online agents. The system checks whether an online agent has fewer than 5 open chats in **My Chats**. If the agent has capacity, the chat can be assigned to them automatically. This helps distribute conversations fairly between available agents and reduces the need for manual assignment. For supervisors, auto-assignment depends on the **Accept Chats** setting. By default, this option may be disabled for supervisors so they do not appear as available agents while supervising the team. If a supervisor wants to receive chats automatically, they need to activate **Accept Chats**. Otherwise, the system will not automatically assign chats to them unless they manually open a chat from the Queue, reply to it, or transfer a chat to themselves. ### Manual assignment If manual assignment is enabled, the system does not automatically transfer chats to agents. In this case, agents can go to the **Queue**, open a waiting chat, and reply to it so the conversation is transferred to them. Manual assignment gives the team more control over who takes each conversation, but it requires agents or supervisors to actively manage the Queue. ### Directed assignment Directed assignment means that conversations are routed directly to a specific agent based on the account configuration. This option is usually activated by the admin from the Portal. Directed assignment is commonly used in cases such as: * A chatbot is activated and the chatbot flow routes conversations directly to a specific agent. * A campaign message is sent and one agent is assigned to be responsible for replying to customers who respond to that campaign. For example, if the admin sends a campaign and wants one specific agent to handle all customer replies from that campaign, the admin can configure the assignment type as **Directed** and select the responsible agent. When directed assignment is enabled, the conversation will be assigned to the selected agent instead of being distributed automatically or waiting in the Queue for any agent to pick it up. ### Internal Assignment and Transfer Logs Any assignment or transfer action taken on a conversation is reflected inside the chat as an internal system message. These internal messages help the team track what happened during the conversation for internal reference, visibility, and accountability. Internal logs may appear when: * A chat is assigned to an agent * A chat is transferred from one agent to another * A chat is transferred from one department to another * A chat is transferred from chatbot to agent * An agent takes over a chatbot conversation * A new chat is started by an agent using a template message The internal message may show details such as: * Who started the chat * Who assigned the chat * Who transferred the chat * Which agent the chat was transferred from * Which agent or department the chat was transferred to These messages are only visible internally inside LiveChat and are not sent to the customer. This helps agents and supervisors understand the conversation history, track ownership changes, and follow up on actions taken during the chat. ### Assign a Chat from Queue The **Queue** view shows conversations that are waiting and not assigned to an agent yet. To assign a chat from Queue: 1. Go to the **Chats** page. 2. Open the **Queue** view. 3. Select the waiting conversation. 4. Review the customer’s message. 5. Reply to the customer if you want to handle the conversation. Once the agent replies, the chat will be assigned to that agent and moved to **My Chats**. ### Transfer a Chat to Another Agent Users with supervisor capabilities are able to transfer a chat from one agent to another. This is useful when: * The current agent is unavailable * The customer needs help from another agent * Another agent is more suitable to handle the request * The chat was assigned to the wrong agent * The workload needs to be redistributed To transfer a chat to another agent: 1. Open the customer conversation. 2. Click the transfer or assignment option. 3. Select the agent you want to transfer the chat to. 4. Confirm the transfer. After the chat is transferred, it will appear in the selected agent’s **My Chats** view. A transfer arrow may also appear on the chat toggle to indicate that the conversation was transferred from one agent to another. When hovering over the arrow, users can see the transfer details, such as the chat being transferred from **Agent X** to **Agent Y**. ### Transfer a Chat to Another Department Chats can also be transferred to another department when the customer request should be handled by a different team. For example, a chat may be transferred from support to sales, from sales to operations, or from the default department to a specialized department. To transfer a chat to another department: 1. Open the customer conversation. 2. Click the transfer or assignment option. 3. Select the target department. 4. Confirm the transfer. After the transfer, the chat will be available for the selected department based on the department setup and permissions. ### Transfer a Chat to Yourself Users with supervisor capabilities may be able to transfer a chat to themselves when they need to take over the conversation. This can be useful when: * The supervisor needs to handle the customer directly * The assigned agent is unavailable * The conversation requires escalation * The supervisor needs to continue the chat after reviewing it To transfer a chat to yourself: 1. Open the conversation. 2. Click the transfer or assignment option. 3. Select yourself as the assigned agent. 4. Confirm the transfer. The chat will then appear in your **My Chats** view. ### Department View and Supervisor Actions The **Department** view shows ongoing conversations related to the user’s assigned department. Users with supervisor capabilities can use this view to monitor active conversations and support agents when needed. Depending on permissions, supervisors may be able to: * View ongoing conversations in their department * Review the conversation history * Leave internal notes to guide agents * Transfer a chat from one agent to another * Transfer a chat to another department * Transfer a chat to themselves when needed Internal notes can be used to give instructions or add context without sending a message to the customer. ### Chatbot Handover If the chatbot is enabled, conversations may be transferred from the chatbot to an agent based on the chatbot flow. A chat may be handed over to an agent when: * The customer chooses to talk to an agent * The chatbot reaches a handover point * An agent manually takes over the chatbot conversation Agents can also take over an ongoing chatbot conversation before the customer chooses to talk to an agent. To take over a chatbot conversation, the agent can open the chat from the **Chatbot** view and reply to the customer. Once the agent replies, the conversation will be assigned to that agent and moved to **My Chats**. ### Important Notes If a chat is assigned to another agent, you may not be able to reply unless you have the required permission or the chat is transferred to you. If the chat remains assigned to an unavailable agent, the supervisor may need to transfer it to another available agent. If a chatbot is enabled, the chatbot may not respond to a customer again while the conversation is still assigned to an agent. For this reason, it is important to close or archive completed conversations based on the team’s workflow and chat closing settings. ### Best Practices When assigning or transferring chats: * Make sure the chat is routed to the right agent or department. * Review the conversation before transferring it. * Use internal notes when another agent needs context. * Avoid transferring chats without a clear reason. * Transfer chats to available agents whenever possible. * Close or archive completed conversations to keep active chats organized. * Make sure supervisors monitor chats that remain assigned to unavailable agents. * Review internal assignment and transfer logs when you need to understand who handled or moved the conversation. ### When Assignment or Transfer May Not Be Available Assignment or transfer actions may not be available in some cases, such as: * The user does not have the required permission. * The chat is already closed or archived. * The selected agent is not available. * The target department is not configured. * The user does not have access to the department. * The related service or setting is not enabled. If you cannot assign or transfer a chat, contact your supervisor or admin to review the permissions and setup from the Portal. ### Next step After learning how to assign or transfer chats, continue to the **Close or Archive Chat** page to learn how completed conversations are closed and moved to Archives.