How to Customize or Create a New Chat Status
Chat statuses in BoldDesk define the progress and lifecycle of each conversation. They help teams manage workflows, trigger SLAs, classify work, and control how chats transition between states. The Status field is customizable, allowing organizations to adapt system behavior to their own internal support processes.
BoldDesk provides three system‑defined status categories—Open, Snoozed, and Closed—each with a specific SLA timer behavior. Administrators can create additional statuses within certain categories, reorder them, or modify their properties in the Admin Center.
System default Chat status
The chat status field of the chat form displays the current progress of the chat. BoldDesk allows you to customize the chat status based on the organization’s terms.
Default statuses are categorized into three groups.
| Status Category | Status SLA Timer State |
|---|---|
| Open | ON |
| Snoozed | PAUSE |
| Closed | OFF |
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When a chat conversation is moved to the Closed status, it is treated as an end state in the chat lifecycle and the SLA timer is turned off for Closed statuses. However, a closed conversation can still reopen if your configuration allows end-user replies to reopen the chat.
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Workflows and automations are not blocked by closure of a chat. You can run workflows when the chat closes (for example, using the Conversation Status Changed trigger from Open → Closed to send a transcript email). Additional workflows can also run if an agent later updates fields such as status or assignee.
The following table lists the default system statuses which cannot be deleted.
| Status | Status Category | SLA Timer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Open | ON | The Open status is set by default when a new chat conversation is initiated. |
| Hold | Snoozed | PAUSE | If a chat’s resolution requires more time or information from the end user, the agent can put it on hold. When a chat is on hold, the SLA timer pauses and no escalation is sent to the agents. |
| Closed | Closed | OFF | If the end user confirms that the issue is resolved, the chat will be closed. If the end user responds to a closed chat, it will reopen based on the configuration. |
Custom Chat Status
If the default statuses don’t match your requirements, you can create a custom status.
How to create a new status
To create a new status, follow the given steps:
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Go to Admin > Chat > Fields > Chat Fields.
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Click the Status field or the Edit icon next to it.
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Click Create Status.
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On the window that opens, enter the required fields:
- Label for Agent – The name of the status that appears in the agent portal.
- Status Category – The SLA will be triggered based on this status category. The status category can be as follows:
- Open – SLA timer will be On.
- Snoozed – SLA timer will be on Pause.
- Closed – SLA timer will be Off.
- On end-user reply, chat status will automatically change to open – When an end user replies, the chat will automatically transition to Open status if this option is marked. This option applies for every status, except Open.
- Color – The color of the status.
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Click Create to add the status.
You can create custom statuses with only the open and snoozed status categories but cannot create a new status for the closed category.
Editing a status
To edit a status, follow the given steps:
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Open the Status listing page.
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Select Edit from the More Options menu to open a dialog box.
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Make changes based on need.
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Click the Update option to save the changes.
How to reorder a status
To reorder a status, follow the given steps:
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Open the Status listing page.
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Drag and drop the status to the desired position using the reorder icon as shown:
How to delete a status
To delete a status, follow the given steps:
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Open the Chat Fields module.
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Click the Status field or the Edit icon.
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Select Delete from the More Options menu to open a dialog box.
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Select another status from the status dropdown to change the status of the mapped chats. The status dropdown will display all statuses that match the status category of the deleted status.
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Click Delete to remove the status.
What Happens When a Custom Status Is Deleted
When you delete a custom ticket status in BoldDesk, the system safeguards ticket continuity by prompting you to select a replacement status from the same status category. Once confirmed, this replacement status is automatically applied to all existing tickets that were previously marked with the deleted custom status.
Important Considerations
- Automatic Status Replacement: Tickets are updated instantly to the selected replacement status, ensuring no tickets are left without a valid status.
- Automation Rules Impact: Any automation rules (such as workflows, triggers, or SLA conditions) that reference the deleted status will no longer function as intended. These rules should be reviewed and updated before deleting the status.
- Reporting and Filters: Reports, views, or filters that previously included the deleted status will no longer display it. Historical and future data will instead reflect the newly assigned replacement status.
Review all related automations, reports, and saved views before deleting a custom status to prevent unintended workflow or reporting changes.
This approach ensures operational consistency while allowing administrators to safely manage and refine ticket status configurations.
Permission for managing status
To manage the status, you should enable the Manage fields and forms permission.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I create a custom status under the Closed category?
No. BoldDesk does not allow creating new statuses under the Closed category. -
Do workflow actions follow custom status categories?
Yes. Workflow transitions, SLA rules, and triggers follow the status category, not the individual status name. -
Can I disable auto‑reopen for a specific custom status?
Yes. You can disable the option ‘On end‑user reply, chat status will automatically change to Open’. -
Are custom statuses available in automation conditions?
Yes. Custom statuses appear wherever the Status field is available in Chat Automation workflows.
