This article describes how to use tabs to help manage conversations in Zendesk agent interfaces. Some channel types shown in this article may not be available in your account, depending on which channels your administrator has configured.
As a busy agent using the Zendesk Agent Workspace, you may have to manage multiple conversations at the same time. You can use tabs at the top of the interface to help you move easily between many types of conversations (chats, phone, email, and messages). Tabs provide important information and help you see which conversations are still active and which conversations are waiting for your reply.
If your administrator has not enabled the Zendesk Agent Workspace, you can also use tabs to help manage your tickets in the Support agent interface.
To help you manage your conversations, the tabs provide you with useful information to keep you on-track with your customers.
Tabs can include:
- Icons to show the conversation type. For example, email, chat, phone, or message application.
- For messaging conversations and active chats:
- Requester name
- Last message and typing indicator
- For all other conversations and for ended chats:
- Ticket subject
- Ticket ID
- Indicators to show auto assist updates (Advanced AI only).
Last message is the first line of the last successful reply between the agent assigned to the ticket and the requester.
Here are a few examples:
| Tab | Description | Channel |
|---|---|---|
 |
New message (red dot) | Any channel type, except phone. |
 |
Conversation is active (green dot) | Any channel type, except email, API, help center, and channel framework. |
 |
Conversation is inactive or the agent is away (yellow icon) | Works for chats, but not messaging, email, API, help center, and channel framework. |
 |
Conversation (or call) has ended (no color) | Any channel type. For messaging conversations, the no-color icon indicates the call has ended or become inactivate. |
 |
User is typing | Any channel type, except phone, email, API, help center, and channel framework. |
 |
Unsaved changes in the ticket (blue dot) | Any channel type. |
 |
Includes a message or suggestion from auto assist | Email and messaging channels (Advanced AI only) |
Other benefits of tabs include:
- Because phone conversations and live chats typically require the most immediate responses, tabs for these types of conversations automatically move to the left side of the interface, so they don’t get overlooked when you’re working on multiple conversations.
- Channels that have “live” conversations, such as chats, phone calls, or messages, show when a conversation is active, inactive, or ended. A conversation is inactive if no messages have been sent or received after a certain period of time. For example, ten minutes for social messages.
- To see conversation details, hold your mouse pointer over a tab.
- If you’re using auto assist, the conversation details include auto assist
information.
