How to Configure Operators in Chats?

Configuring operators allows you to define how operator names are displayed in chats with clients, as well as configure special parameters for different communication channels (for example, Viber).

When You'll Need This

  • You need to configure the format for displaying operator name in chats (for example, "John (Operator)" or "John D.").
  • You need to configure special parameters for the Viber channel (name length limit, avatar).
  • You need to configure topic display by skill groups.
  • You need to configure visibility of outbound chats for operators.

What's Important to Know

  • Name template — text with placeholders (for example, {{first_name}} {{last_name}}), which is used to form operator name in chat.
  • Template variables — available variables: {{first_name}}, {{last_name}}, {{role}}, and other user fields.
  • Viber limitations — for the Viber channel, operator name is limited to 28 characters.
  • Avatar — you can configure operator avatar display in Viber.

Before You Start

  • You are logged in with administrator or supervisor rights.
  • You have permission to save operator panel settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Operator Settings

  1. Go to the Settings module through the menu or directly at /settings-page.
  2. In the side menu, find the "Settings" section (operator panel subsection) and expand it.
  3. Click on "Setting up for all operators" (/settings-page/op-settings/operators).

2. Configure General Operator Name Template

  1. In the "Configurable operator name" section, enable the "Display operator name in messages" checkbox (if it's disabled).
  2. In the "Name of the operator in the chat message" field, enter the desired name format using variables:
    • {{first_name}} — operator first name
    • {{last_name}} — operator last name
    • {{role}} — operator role
    • Other available user fields
  3. Template example: {{first_name}} {{last_name}} ({{role}}) or {{first_name}} D.
  4. The system automatically shows an example of how the operator name will look.

3. Configure Special Parameters for Viber

  1. In the Viber section (purple card), enable the "Change sender for Viber" checkbox.
  2. In the "Sender's name" field, enter the name template (maximum 28 characters).
  3. If the length exceeds 28 characters, the system will show a validation error — shorten the template.
  4. (Optional) Enable the "Set operator avatar" checkbox to show avatar in Viber chats.
  5. The system shows an informational message about avatar and its usage.

4. Configure Other Parameters

Folder visibility in menu — these options determine which folders appear in the operator panel left sidebar and in Menu → Profile → Menu:

  1. "Show in menu 'By operators'" — if disabled, the "By operators" folder does not appear; operators cannot configure it in profile. If enabled — the folder appears.
  2. "Show in menu 'By subjects'" — same for "By subjects" folder.
  3. "Show in menu 'By skill groups'" — same for "By skill groups" folder.
  4. "Automatic connection of free operator" — if disabled, the "Queue" folder does not appear. If enabled — the folder appears.
  5. "Group dialogs by topics" — enable, and in Menu → Profile → Menu each operator will see the "Grouping" checkbox next to each folder; they can configure grouping by topics separately for each folder. If disabled — this checkbox will not appear in the operator profile, and grouping cannot be configured.
  6. "Display to the operator only requests with topics linked to the skill groups they belong to" — enable if operators should see only topics from their skill groups.
  7. "Display outgoing chats of other operators" — enable if operators should see outbound chats.
  8. "Display the message "Operator connected" when an operator is connected to the dialog box" — enable if you need to show a message to the client about operator connection.
  9. "Possibility to connect an operator from another skill group to the dialog box" — enable if you need to allow connecting a second operator from a different skill group.
  10. "Allow dialogues over the operator's limit" — enable if you need to allow operators to accept dialogues over the set limit.
  11. "Show only online operator when transferring dialogues" — enable if you need to show only online operators in lists.

Link to profile: The "Display the message 'Operator connected'" and message send delay settings are global defaults. Operators can override them in Menu → Profile → Operator Settings: if they choose "Default" there — the value from here applies; if they choose their own — it takes priority for that operator only.

5. Configure the Default Email View Mode

In email dialogs, operators see the conversation in one of two modes: "Current thread only" (messages from the current email chain) or "All customer emails" (a merged timeline of all messages from this customer to this mailbox). Here you set which mode is the default for the whole team.

  1. Find the "Show all customer messages by email" checkbox in the general operator settings section.
  2. Pick the value that fits your team's workflow:
    • Off (default) — new email dialogs open in "Current thread only" mode. Best when "1 email thread = 1 ticket" is the team's contract.
    • On — new email dialogs open in "All customer emails" mode with full context of the customer's prior tickets.
  3. The setting applies only to new dialogs opened after saving.

What the operator sees: the default is used when a new email chat opens. Inside a specific dialog, an operator can temporarily switch the mode in the chat header or in the "Dialog history" accordion — that choice doesn't affect other operators and doesn't persist when they move to the next chat. Details: Email view modes in conversations.

Where it shows up: in email dialogs only. For messengers, widget, telephony, and other channels this switcher has no effect.

6. Save Settings

  1. Verify all changes made.
  2. Click the "Save" button at the top of the page.
  3. Wait for a message about successful saving.
  4. If there are validation errors, fix them and try saving again.

What Happens Next

Settings are applied to all chats in the system:

  • Operator names are displayed according to the configured template.
  • Special settings are applied in Viber chats (if enabled).
  • Operator avatars are displayed in Viber (if enabled).
  • Topics are grouped by skill groups (if option is enabled).

How to Verify Everything Worked

  • Open a chat in the operator panel and check that operator name is displayed according to the template.
  • If you configured Viber parameters, check display in Viber chat.
  • Check that other settings (topics, chat visibility) work according to your settings.