How to Set Up Chat Categories in BoldDesk
The Chat Category field in BoldDesk Live Chat is a system‑defined dropdown used to classify live chat conversations by support intent. It ensures chats are correctly routed, reported, and managed across agents and teams.
Common Chat Category examples include:
- Sales Inquiry
- Billing & Payments
- Technical Support
- General Questions
The field is available by default and includes sample values that can be customised to align with your organisation’s chat workflow.
Configuring Category Field for Live Chat
Accessing the Chat Category Field
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Navigate to the Admin center.
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Go to Chat → Under Fields → Click Chat Fields.
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Select the Category field and click its label to open the configuration page.
The Chat Category field is a system‑default field and cannot be deleted, deactivated, or renamed. Its label is fixed and cannot be customised; however, the dropdown values can be modified to match your organisation’s chat workflow.
Managing Chat Category Dropdown Values
Scroll down to the Dropdown Option Values section where existing category options are listed.
Editing Existing Dropdown Values
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Locate the category value you want to modify.
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Click the Settings (⚙️) icon next to the value and select Edit.
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Make the necessary changes.
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Save your updates by clicking the tick (✔️) symbol.
Adding New Category Dropdown Values
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In the Dropdown Option Values field, enter the new category value.
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Ensure the value is correctly formatted as required.
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Save the new entry so it becomes available in the dropdown list.
These categories will be available for use in live chat conversations, chat workflows, and chat inbox filtering.
To edit or delete values in any system or custom dropdown field, ensure that the language selected on the field configuration page matches the portal’s Primary Language.
- Category values can only be modified in the primary language.
- If another language is selected, edit and delete options will be disabled.
To verify your primary language, navigate to Admin → Under Setting → Click Language.
Configuring Field Permissions for Live Chat
When configuring the Chat Category field, you can control how and when the field is used by agents in the Agent Portal and users in the Chat Widget. These settings help ensure chats are categorised correctly while aligning with your support workflow.
Configuration for Agent Portal
The following options control how agents can interact with the Chat Category field during a conversation:
| Setting | Behaviour in BoldDesk |
|---|---|
| Agent can edit | Enabled by default and locked ON. Agents can always edit the Chat Category during a conversation. This option cannot be disabled. |
| Mandatory while editing the conversation details | Requires agents to select a category when updating the conversation details panel. |
| Mandatory for any status change | Requires a category to be selected before the agent can change the chat status. |
| Mandatory for closing/solving conversation | Ensures a category is selected before an agent can close or mark the chat as resolved. |
Configuration for Chat Widget
The following option controls category visibility in the chat widget shown to end users:
| Setting | Behaviour in BoldDesk |
|---|---|
| Visible to user | Enabled by default and locked ON. The Chat Category field is always visible to users when starting a chat and cannot be hidden. |
Using Chat Categories in Workflows and Views
Chat Categories can be leveraged to automate and organise live chats:
- Chat Workflows – Automatically route chats to specific agents or groups based on category selection.
- Chat Views – Filter and save inbox views based on chat category.
- Reports & Analytics – Analyse chat volume and performance by category for better insights.
FAQs
1. Can the Chat Category field be renamed?
No. The Chat Category field label is system‑defined and cannot be renamed in BoldDesk.
2. Can I hide the Chat Category field from users?
No. The Visible to user setting is enabled by default and cannot be disabled for the Chat Widget.
3. Can agents be restricted from editing the category?
No. Agent can edit is locked ON by design. Agents can always update the category during a chat.
4. Can Chat Categories be used for automatic routing?
Yes. Chat Categories can be used as conditions in Chat Workflows to route chats to agents or groups.
5. Are Chat Categories available in reports?
Yes. Chat Categories appear in chat‑related reports and analytics dashboards in BoldDesk.
6. Does BoldDesk support separate categories per language or brand for chats?
No. Chat Category values are shared globally across the account and are not language‑ or brand‑specific.
