How to Create and Configure SLA Policies in BoldDesk

SLAs in BoldDesk define response and resolution time targets, helping teams deliver timely support and meet compliance standards. By creating custom SLAs, you can set conditions, priorities, and operational hours tailored to your workflow. This guide explains how to create an SLA, configure metric targets, and set reminders and escalations for better service management.

Creating a New SLA

In BoldDesk, you can create multiple SLAs (Custom SLA) and map them to different tickets to define the expectations for each SLA metric target.

Follow the given steps to create an SLA:

1. In the Admin center, choose the SLA module in the Automation section.
2. Click the Add SLA and follow the below sections to set up the SLA.

Set Conditions

1. Enter the Name and Description
2. Select Operational hours
3. 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.
4. Click Add new condition to include a new condition. The following are some of the sample fields to add the conditions:

   • Brand

   • Contact Group

   • Contact

   • Category

   • Type

   • Assigned Group
     

     
     
     

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.
  

  
  
  

You can set different SLA targets based on the priority. These are the available priorities

1. Critical
2. High
3. Normal
4. Low

You can enable or disable reminders and escalations and choose whether the SLA runs based on calendar hours or business hours.

If you select Calendar Hours (24×7) as Operational Hours in the Conditions page, SLA timers will continue outside office hours for all priorities.
In this case:

• The Operational Hours dropdown for each priority in the SLA Targets page will only display Calendar Hours (24×7), and no other option will be available.

To allow SLA timers to run after office hours for specific priorities only, configure as follows:

• In the Conditions page:
  • Select any Business Hour as the default Operational Hours. This will apply to all priorities by default.
• In the SLA Targets page:
  • For the priority that needs continuous timing (e.g., Critical), override the default by selecting Calendar Hours (24×7) in the Operational Hours dropdown.
    This ensures SLA timers for that priority run continuously, while other priorities follow business hours.

Add a Reminder

Reminders notify assigned agents or groups about upcoming SLA deadlines, helping ensure timely responses and resolutions. You can configure reminders for the following SLA metric targets:

• First response
• Next response
• Resolution

Each reminder can be scheduled in hours or minutes before the SLA target is due. You can select specific agents or groups to receive these notifications. If an agent should no longer receive SLA reminder emails, they can be removed from the recipient list in the Add Reminder tab of the SLA rule. This helps ensure that only relevant team members are notified, minimizing unnecessary email traffic. This flexibility allows teams to tailor SLA reminders to their operational needs and individual roles.

Add Escalation

The escalation sends the notification to the corresponding agents or group when the due date for the ticket is over. You have an option to set escalation for the following three metrics.

• First Response Escalation

• Next Response Escalation

• Resolution Escalation

  • Level 1 Escalation
  • Level 2 Escalation
  • Level 3 Escalation
    
  
  
  

You can choose the group and agent to whom you want to send the escalation. For resolution, there are three levels. At each level, you can choose different groups and agents. After completing the above steps, click Add SLA. The new SLA will be created and listed.

Refer to the below video to know more about setting up SLA,

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I create multiple SLA rules in BoldDesk?
Yes, you can create multiple SLA rules and map them to different ticket conditions. The first matching SLA will be applied when a ticket meets its conditions.

2. What happens if no SLA conditions are matched?
If none of the SLA conditions are matched, the default SLA will be applied to the ticket. You can also deactivate the default SLA if needed.

3. Can I set SLA targets based on ticket priority?
Yes, SLA targets such as first response, next response, and resolution times can be customized based on ticket priority levels: Critical, High, Normal, and Low.

4. What are operational hours in SLA settings?
Operational hours define the time window during which SLA timers are active. You can choose between calendar hours (24/7) or business hours (based on your working schedule).

5. Can I send reminders before SLA deadlines?
Yes, you can configure reminders for first response, next response, and resolution targets. These reminders notify agents or groups before the SLA deadline is reached.

6. How do I stop receiving SLA reminder emails?
If an agent no longer wishes to receive SLA reminder emails, they can be removed from the recipient list in the Add Reminder tab of the SLA rule. This ensures only relevant team members are notified.

7. What is SLA escalation and how does it work?
SLA escalation sends notifications to designated agents or groups when an SLA target is breached (first response, next response, resolution). You can configure up to three escalation levels for each metric.

8. Can I reorder SLA rules?
Yes, you can change the order of SLA rules. The system applies the first matching SLA based on the order in which they are listed.

9. Is it possible to apply Set rules by specific ticket fields?
Absolutely. You can define SLA conditions using fields like Brand, Contact Group, Category, Type, Assigned Group, and more.

10. Does BoldDesk calculate Resolution SLA based on time spent in SLA‑active statuses (e.g., Open, In Progress) until the ticket is Solved/Closed, and mark it as Breached if this time exceeds the SLA target?
Yes. BoldDesk defines the Resolution SLA as the duration from when the SLA is applied until a ticket is marked as Solved or Closed. Only statuses with the SLA timer ON—such as New, Open, or other SLA-active statuses—count towards the SLA duration. When a ticket is changed to Solved, On Hold, or Closed, the SLA timer stops. If the total time recorded by the SLA timer exceeds the established Resolution SLA target, it is recorded as a Resolution Breach in the analytics.

11. Can a ticket be considered SLA achieved or breached only when it’s in the Resolved state?
No. SLA achievement or breach does not depend solely on a ticket reaching the Resolved state. BoldDesk measures three separate SLA metrics, each evaluated at different points in the ticket lifecycle:

• First Response SLA – Achieved or breached when the first agent response is sent or missed. Does not require ticket resolution.
• Next Response SLA – Evaluated after each customer reply for every subsequent agent response. Also does not require resolution.
• Resolution SLA – Achieved or breached when the ticket is resolved or closed, or when the resolution timer expires. This is the only SLA tied to the resolved state.

Related Articles

• What is Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
• Overview About SLA Dashboard