A Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines the expected response and resolution timelines your support team commits to for customer tickets. In BoldDesk, SLAs help teams:

• Track and enforce time-based targets on tickets
• Improve visibility into overdue or at-risk tickets
• Trigger reminders and escalations before/after SLA due times

BoldDesk supports multiple SLA policies, and each SLA policy can be mapped to different tickets using conditions.

BoldDesk SLAs can be calculated using either:

• Calendar hours (24×7), or
• Business hours (based on defined working schedules)

SLA metrics (what BoldDesk measures and enforces)

BoldDesk includes the following predefined SLA metric targets:

• First response (Time to first response)
  Target time for the first agent reply to the customer.

• Response (Time to next response)
  Target time for each subsequent agent update to the customer after the first response.

• Resolution (Time to resolution)
  Target time for the ticket to be marked Solved or Closed.

Operation hours determine whether SLA due times are calculated using calendar hours or business hours.

First Response Time (Time to first response)

What the metric measures

First Response Time measures how long it takes for an agent to send the first response after a ticket is created.

When due is calculated

• The first response due is calculated after ticket creation.

Enforcement behavior

• Use this metric when you want to enforce acknowledgement and initial engagement.
• Minimum target value: 10 minutes.

Response Time (Time to next response)

What the metric measures

Response Time measures how long it takes to respond to the customer after the first response has already been sent.

Typical use

Use this metric when you want to enforce periodic updates on an ongoing ticket.

Constraints

• Minimum target value: 10 minutes.

Average Response Time (reporting definition)

Average Response Time = (Total SLA-based time spent to provide responses during a specified time period) ÷ (Total number of responses provided by the agent during the same period)

Resolution Time (Time to resolution)

What the metric measures

Resolution Time measures how long it takes to solve or close a ticket.

Constraints

• Minimum target value: 10 minutes.
• Resolution time must be greater than response time.

Average Resolution Time (reporting definition)

Average Resolution Time = (Total SLA-based time spent to resolve tickets during a specified time period) ÷ (Total number of ticket resolutions during that period)

If the same ticket is resolved multiple times within the specified time period, each resolution event is counted.

Example:

• First resolution: 30 minutes
• Second resolution: 1 hour 30 minutes
  Average resolution time = (2 hours) ÷ 2 = 1 hour

SLA reminders (breach reminder timing and scope)

When reminders are sent

An SLA due reminder is delivered before the SLA due time based on the SLA reminder target value configured in the SLA policy.

Metrics that can trigger reminders

• First response
• Next response
• Resolution

SLA escalations (breach escalation timing and scope)

When escalations are sent

If an agent fails to respond or resolve within the configured SLA due time, the SLA is considered breached.

SLA due escalation is sent:

• Immediately at the due time, or
• After the due time,
  based on the SLA escalation target value configured in the SLA policy.

Metrics that can trigger escalations

• First response
• Next response
• Resolution

Ticket statuses that pause SLA timers

On-Hold (pause SLA during internal/third-party dependency)

Use On-Hold when resolution depends on internal work or third-party teams.

Behavior when ticket status = On-Hold

• SLA is paused
• SLA reminders are not sent
• SLA escalations are not sent
• Agents can send a reply while changing status

Waiting for Customer (pause SLA while awaiting customer input)

Use Waiting for Customer when the agent needs more details from the customer.

Behavior when ticket status = Waiting for Customer

• SLA is paused
• SLA reminders are not sent
• SLA escalations are not sent

Manually changing SLA due dates (agent actions)

Change the ticket Resolution Due date (Agent Portal)

1. Open the ticket.
2. In the ticket details panel, click Resolution Due.
3. Select the required date.
   

4. Enter the Reason for the due date change.
   

Clearing the Response Due date (Agent Portal)

1. Open the ticket.

2. On the Response Due, click Clear.
   

   

3. Enter the Reason for clearing the due.
   

Avoiding breaches from “Next Response (Response Due)”

If your team does not want tickets to breach due to second/third/etc. customer replies, disable the Time to next response SLA target.

Configuration path

• Go to Admin → Automation → SLA
• Open the required SLA policy
• In SLA Targets, set Time to next response to Not Configured (for all priorities)
  
  
• Remove or disable any Next Response reminders and Next Response escalations in that same SLA policy

Result

• Tickets will not breach based on Next Response
• Only First Response (and Resolution, if configured) will be enforced

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does “Operation hours” change in an SLA?
“Operation hours” determines whether SLA due times are calculated using calendar hours (24×7) or business hours.

2. What is the minimum SLA target time I can configure?
The minimum target value for First response, Next response, and Resolution is 10 minutes.

3. When does the First Response due start counting?
First Response due is calculated after the ticket is created.

4. What happens when a ticket is moved to On-Hold?
When the ticket status is On-Hold, BoldDesk pauses the SLA and does not send reminders or escalations.

5. What happens when a ticket is moved to Waiting for Customer?
When the ticket status is Waiting for Customer, BoldDesk pauses the SLA and does not send reminders or escalations.

6. Can agents change the Resolution Due date?
Yes. Agents can manually change Resolution Due from the ticket details panel and must enter a Reason.

7. Can agents clear the Response Due date?
Yes. Agents can clear Next Response Due and must enter a Reason. First response due cannot be cleared.