Message Panel

Message Panel

 

The message history panel displays a complete history of the interactions for the currently selected customer record. All the supported message types will appear in this panel, including text based messages and voice calls. Messages are displayed in date sequence with most recent appearing at the top. Your ability to process messages in the history panel depends on a number of factors, including:

• Your current availability state.
• The type of message and your processing rights for this channel.
• The number of messages of this type you are allowed to process at any one time.
• The current status of the message itself.

Message Threading

Messages in the history panel are grouped into threads, with each subsequent reply to the original message appearing below that original message. Message threads can be expanded or collapsed. When expanded, you can see some or all of the messages in that thread (depending on the number of messages). When threads are collapsed, you see just the topmost, original message.

To save space, messages themselves are collapsed by default. In their collapsed state, messages just show:

• The sender's avatar
• The channel type icon
• A message snippet or email subject line
• The current message status and timestamp.

 

Here are some tips for working with messages and threads:

 

• To expand a message, click anywhere on the message.

 

• To collapse a message again, click the subject or message snippet area.

 

• To expand an entire thread, click the message thread count under the customer avatar in the original message.

 

• To collapse the thread, click the message thread count again.

 

• The message history panel automatically scrolls to display earlier messages. Just drag the scroll bar down and if more messages are available, they will be loaded.

 

Figure 4-1 shows an example message history panel with an expanded original message, a thread message and additional collapsed messages.

 

Figure 4-1: Message History Example

 

Assigned Messages

When active messages that are assigned to you appear in your message history panel, they are highlighted to distinguish them from other unassigned or closed messages. Assigned messages always appear fully expanded. Assigned messages will also have message action buttons, letting you reply or respond to the message.

Figure 4-2: Assigned Message Example

 

Queued Messages

When a message in the history panel appears with a ruby red background, that indicates the message is currently unassigned and waiting in the queue. To accept a queued message, expand the message by clicking it, then click theAccept button.

 

Figure 4-3: Message History Example

 

Draft Messages

When you save a message draft for any channel, those drafts appear in your message history panel, as shown in Figure 4-4. To resume editing a draft, click the message to expand it, then click the Edit button.

 

Figure 4-4: Editing a Draft Message

 

You can also find draft messages in the my tasks panel.

 

If you have unsaved text in a message and attempt to open another editor of any type, you will be asked to confirm starting a new message. If you confirm, your current message will be saved as a draft.

 

Figure 4-5: Confirm New Message Dialog

 

Responding to Messages

To respond to or process a message, you must be in an online state (for example, Do Not Disturb, Multichannel, etc.). The types of actions you can perform on a given message depends on the message type and the message status.

 

1. Click the message header.
2. Select from the available message action buttons.