How to Send Ticket Reminders and Escalation Emails Using SLA
BoldDesk allows administrators to automate ticket reminders and escalation emails using Service Level Agreements (SLAs). SLAs help ensure tickets are responded to and resolved within defined timeframes by notifying agents and escalation groups before and after due times.
This article explains how to configure an SLA in BoldDesk to send reminder and escalation emails based on ticket response and resolution targets.
Use Cases
Use SLA‑based reminders and escalations when you want to:
- Notify agents before tickets breach response or resolution deadlines
- Escalate overdue tickets to senior agents or managers
- Enforce response and resolution accountability
- Maintain consistent service levels across teams
Follow the given steps to create an SLA:
- In Admin, choose the SLA module in the Automation section.
- Click the Add SLA option and follow the below sections to set up the SLA.
Set-Up Conditions
Follow the given steps to set up an SLA:
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Enter the Name and Description.
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Select the Operational hours.
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Choose the fields from the list to frame a condition for determining the tickets to which the SLA will be applied in AND and OR conditions.
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Click the Add new condition option to include a new condition.
Set Metric Targets
In BoldDesk, the following three predefined SLA metric targets can be measured:
- First response (Time to first response) – Target time for first agent response to a customer.
- Response (Time to next response) – Target time for subsequent agent update to the customer after the first response.
- Resolution (Time to resolution) – Target time for the ticket to be resolved or closed.
Set the above-mentioned targets based on your requirement.
Enable the Reminder and Escalation toggle button to get reminder and escalation emails as shown in the above screenshot.
Add Reminder
The reminder notifies the assigned agent or groups about their tickets before they reach the due date. The reminder duration can be chosen between hours and minutes.
The reminder will be sent for the following SLA metric targets:
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First response
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Next response
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Resolution
You can also choose the group and agent you want to receive the reminder.
Here, the reminder email will be sent to the agent/group 30 minutes before the First response, Next response, and Resolution time.
Add Escalation
The escalation sends the notification to the corresponding agents or group when the due date for the ticket is over.
You can set escalation for the following three metrics:
- First Response Escalation
- Next Response Escalation
- Resolution Escalation
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Level 1 Escalation
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Level 2 Escalation
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Level 3 Escalation
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You can also choose the group and agent to receive the escalation. For resolution, there are three levels. At each level, you can choose different groups and agents.
After completing the above steps, click the Add option. The new SLA will be created and listed.
- You can change the order of the SLA. If you have multiple SLAs, the first matching SLA will apply to the ticket when the condition is matched.
- The default SLA will be applied to a ticket when none of the SLA’s conditions are matched. The default SLA can be deactivated.
- If an agent is both the ticket requester and a member of the escalation team associated with the ticket’s SLA, the system will not send escalation email notifications to that agent for the ticket. This is expected behavior, as escalation notifications are excluded for agents who are the original requesters of the ticket, even if they belong to the designated escalation team.
Troubleshooting (reminders/escalations not sending)
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Reminder or escalation emails are not sent for some tickets
- Confirm the ticket matches the SLA Set-Up Conditions.
- Confirm the SLA is the first matching SLA in SLA order (a higher-priority SLA may be applying instead).
- Confirm the Reminder and/or Escalation toggle is enabled for the relevant metric target.
- Confirm the reminder/escalation recipients (agent/group) are selected as intended.
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Escalation emails are not sent to a specific agent
If the agent is the ticket requester, BoldDesk excludes that agent from escalation notifications for that ticket (even if the agent is in the escalation group). -
Due date appears later than expected
Verify the SLA’s Operational hours selection. Business-hours calculations can extend due dates beyond calendar-time expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I send reminders without escalations?
Yes. The Reminder and Escalation toggles are independent. -
Can escalations notify different teams?
Yes. You can configure different agents/groups per escalation level (especially for Resolution levels 1–3). -
Are SLA times calculated using business hours?
SLA calculations follow the selected Operational hours. -
Can I apply multiple SLAs to one ticket?
No. BoldDesk applies only the first matching SLA. -
How do reminders and escalations work in BoldDesk?
Reminders are sent before the SLA due time based on the configured lead time. Escalations are sent after the SLA due time is breached. -
I set “time to resolution” to 30 days. Why is the resolution due date ~43 days away?
The SLA is likely using Business Hours, so the timer pauses outside working hours. Set Operational Hours = Calendar Hours (24×7) for a calendar-time deadline. -
What happens if none of my SLA conditions match a ticket?
BoldDesk applies the default SLA, unless the default SLA is deactivated. -
Why does BoldDesk skip escalation emails for an agent who is in the escalation group?
If the agent is also the ticket requester, BoldDesk excludes that agent from escalation notifications for that ticket.
