What Is the Difference Between Public Reply, Public Note, and Private Note?
In BoldDesk, agents communicate on tickets using three message types—Public Reply, Public Note, and Private Note—each designed for a different purpose and visibility level.
Use Public Reply when you need to respond directly to the customer (customer‑visible on non‑private tickets and treated as a formal reply), use Public Note when you want to post a customer‑visible update without affecting SLA timers, and use Private Note for internal team communication that customers cannot see.
This article explains when to use each message type and includes a quick comparison so agents can choose the correct option for the intended outcome (customer visibility, SLA impact, and internal coordination).
Public Reply
This option is used to reply to customers. Any comment posted here will be visible to the customer if the ticket is not private.
Learn more on How to Reply to Tickets and Format Responses in BoldDesk.
Public Note
This option can be used to add a note message which will be visible to customers. Agents can update additional note messages if they want to notify customers. Adding public notes will not affect SLAs.
Learn more on How to Add Public Notes to a Ticket.
Private Note
This option is used for adding an internal note for intercommunication between teams. Notes added are not visible to customers. These are only visible in the agent portal.
Learn more on How to Add Private Notes to Tickets in BoldDesk.
Messages Comparison
Difference between Public Message, Public Note, and Private Note
| Cases | Public Reply | Public Note | Private Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible to Customer | Yes | Yes | No |
| Affects SLA Timers | Yes | No | No |
| Option available for customers | Yes | No | No |
| Use Case | In general, to reply to customers use this option | For adding additional note messages to notify customers, but without affecting SLA timers | For intercommunication between teams |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What are the message types available in the Agent Portal for ticket communication?
BoldDesk supports three message types in the Agent Portal:
- Public Reply
- Public Note
- Private Note
- When should I use a Public Reply?
Use Public Reply when you need to respond to the customer. A Public Reply is visible to the customer when the ticket is not private and it is treated as a customer-facing response.
- What is a Public Note used for, and does it affect SLAs?
Use a Public Note to add an additional customer-visible update (for example, informational updates) without treating it as a formal reply. Adding a Public Note does not affect SLA timers (response or resolution due calculations).
- What is a Private Note used for?
Use a Private Note for internal communication between teams. Private Notes are not visible to customers and are available only in the Agent Portal.
- Can customers post Public Notes or Private Notes?
No. Customers can post only Public Replies. Public Notes and Private Notes are agent-only options and are not available to customers.
