Inbox routing rules now include a Use assignment workflow option, which enrolls newly created conversations directly into a conversation-based workflow instead of assigning them to a specific agent or team.
Standard inbox routing covers the basics: assign to an agent, a team, or the contact owner. It doesn't support language-based routing, Customer Agent handoffs, time-of-day logic, or skills-based assignment.
Teams that needed that level of control had two options: migrate to help desk, or leave tickets unassigned and let a workflow catch them later. The second option creates a race condition where agents can claim tickets before the workflow fires.
With this update, you can set up sophisticated routing directly in inbox without needing to migrate.
In your Inbox routing rule configuration, a new action option appears: Use assignment workflow.
When selected:
When a new conversation is created in that channel, it enrolls directly in the selected workflow. The workflow controls all downstream routing, assignment, and action logic.
Note: When a live chat channel uses Use assignment workflow, the chat widget can't determine which agents will ultimately be available — that decision happens inside the workflow. The widget will show as available at all times, regardless of individual agent status.
This feature is available for Service Hub Professional and Enterprise.