The Suggestions feature in BoldDesk Live Chat displays predefined buttons alongside the welcome message. When a visitor clicks a suggestion, its mapped value is passed to the workflow engine and used before a conversation is created. This allows guided routing, faster issue classification, and consistent customer engagement from the first interaction.

Suggestions are ideal for:

• Directing visitors to the correct workflow path
• Automating routing based on intent
• Reducing agent workload by capturing structured inputs early

Enable and Configure Suggestions in the Live Chat Widget

Steps:

1. Navigate to Admin Center → Chat → Live Chat.

2. Select an existing widget to edit or click Add Widget to create a new one.
   

   
   
   

3. Open the Preference tab.

4. Under User Engagement, enable Suggestions.

5. Add one or more suggestions. Each suggestion includes:

   • Label: Text shown as a button in the widget
   • Value: Unique key used to trigger and route the workflow
     
   
   
   

Mapping Suggestion Values to Chat Workflows

Suggestion values can be used in Chat Automation workflows to route conversations or trigger specific logic.

Navigation Path

• Admin Center → Chat → Chat Automation → Workflows
  

  
  
  

You can use suggestion values in two ways:

1. Route at Conversation Creation (Entry Conditions)

Use this method when each suggestion should trigger a different workflow.

Steps

1. Create a new workflow or edit an existing one under Conversation Created.

• Add Workflow
  

  
  
  

• Edit Workflow
  

  
  
  

2. Add an entry condition:

   • Select Suggestion Value from the field dropdown.
   • Use Equals as the operator.
   • Enter the specific suggestion value (e.g., flight booking).
     
   
   
   

3. Add the required actions (e.g., auto‑reply, assignment, custom prompts).
   
   

   
   
   

4. Publish the workflow.

This creates separate workflows for each suggestion value.

2. Branch Within a Single Workflow

Use this method to manage multiple suggestion values inside one workflow.

Steps

1. Create or open a workflow under Conversation Created.

2. Inside the workflow designer, add Branch via Conditions.

3. Create conditions based on:

   • Suggestion Value = [value]

   • Add separate branches for each supported suggestion value (e.g., flight_booking, hotel_reservation).
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

4. Configure steps for each branch (e.g., prompt to select journey type, prompt to select the hotel name).

   
   
   

5. Publish the workflow.

This approach centralizes logic in one workflow and branches internally by suggestion value.

What Visitors See in Widget

1. Before chat starts, the welcome message is shown with suggestion buttons.
   

   
   
   

2. When the visitor clicks a suggestion, its value is passed to the workflow engine.

3. The mapped workflow (or branch) runs immediately, then the conversation is created and proceeds per your design.
   

   
   
   

FAQs

1. Can I reorder Suggestions in the widget?
   No. Drag‑and‑drop reordering isn’t available. The widget displays Suggestions in the sequence they’re configured. To change the order, edit the list and re‑create items in the preferred sequence.

2. Can Suggestions be used together with the Pre‑Chat Form?
   No. Suggestions are disabled automatically when Enable Pre‑Chat Form is turned on.

3. Are Suggestion Values visible to customers?
   No. Visitors only see the Label. The Value is internal and used solely by the workflow engine.

4. Can I trigger auto‑assignment when a suggestion is selected?
   Yes. Add the Trigger Auto Assignment action within the workflow branch linked to the suggestion.

Related Articles

1. Configuring Chat Workflows to Automate Actions in BoldDesk
2. BoldDesk Chat Workflow: Complete Guide