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Channels & integrations

Hand a chat conversation to your team

Help visitors move from the assistant to your support team and understand availability.

3 min read · HelSup product documentation
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. When to use this
  3. Where to find the controls
  4. Who can make these changes
  5. Before you begin
  6. Follow these steps
  7. Settings reference
  8. Example workflow
  9. Good practices
  10. Important considerations
  11. If something does not work

Overview

Handoff is the path from AI or a visitor request to a human agent. The widget exposes Talk to human when live_chat handoff is enabled (quick action and chips on no_evidence / search_error / handoff statuses). POST public/chat/session/handoff starts the handoff. The visitor sees the configured handoff message and a waiting state. Agents get an in-app notification if live_chat_notify_agents is on. An agent opens the Live Chat Inbox view and takes over; the session is no longer AI-primary. Outside business hours (if availability uses the calendar) humans may be marked offline and the visitor stays in waiting or reads the offline/handoff copy.

When to use this

Visitors must be able to ask for a human when handoff is enabled — that is a product FAQ. Waiting and takeover prevent two agents typing blindly and prevent AI from continuing after a human owns the thread.

Where to find the controls

Widget chips and handoff card. Settings: handoff message, notify agents, availability, failed-turns. Inbox Live Chat view. Optional Slack ping if Slack is configured.

Who can make these changes

Visitors request. Agents with assign/reply take over. Admins configure. Anonymous visitors may be asked for email before handoff completes if settings require it.

Before you begin

Enable handoff in Live Chat and include handoff in quick actions. Write a clear handoff message. Set notify_agents. Choose availability always vs business_hours. Tune failed-turns. Pre-chat email required if you refuse anonymous handoff.

Follow these steps

  1. Enable handoff.
  2. As a visitor, click Talk to human (or wait for auto offer).
  3. Read waiting / handoff card.
  4. As an agent, open Inbox → Live Chat.
  5. Open the session and take over.
  6. Reply as a human.
  7. Optionally create a ticket from Add New Ticket if the conversation should persist as a form-backed ticket.
  8. Resolve when done.

Settings reference

Handoff message, waiting status, notify flag, availability, offline copy, agent owner after takeover, email gate, failed-turns, Slack/in-app notification.

Example workflow

Hybrid midday: visitor clicks Talk to human, agent is notified, takes over in 30 seconds, and AI chips hide. After hours with business_hours: visitor sees the handoff message and waits; Monday 09:00 the agent claims the session.

Good practices

Keep the Live Chat Inbox view bookmarked. Pair notify_agents with Slack for nights only if someone is truly on call. Do not run AI first without handoff if you promise humans in the privacy notice.

Important considerations

Handoff failing often means notify off, agents offline, feature off, nonce expired, or availability treating humans as offline. Two agents should not “ghost” the same waiting visitor. Security: handoff does not reveal other visitors’ sessions.

If something does not work

Handoff failing: check feature, handoff enabled, nonce, REST 401/403 on public/chat/session/handoff, notify_agents, Inbox view empty (no session row), business hours, and queue if notifications are queued. Contact support with session id and whether waiting UI appeared.

Continue learning

Work with the unified inbox→Business hours→Set up website chat→Configure grounded Chat AI→

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