What happens to conversations assigned to deleted agents?

What happens to conversations assigned to deleted agents?

When an agent is deleted from the platform, any conversations assigned to them remain in the Assigned state but become orphaned—meaning no active agent owns them.

🔍 System Behavior After Agent Deletion

  • 🟡 Conversations stay assigned but no one can reply to them until reassigned
  • 🚫 Deleted agents no longer appear in the assignee dropdown or reporting filters
  • ⚠️ No automatic reassignment occurs unless set up via automation or admin action

🛠 What You Should Do

If an agent is removed, a manager or admin should:

  1. Go to Inbox > Assigned
  2. Filter by the deleted agent’s name (if still cached)
  3. Manually reassign each conversation to an active teammate
  4. Mass Reassigning Conversations from Deleted agents.

You can bulk reassign conversations if your platform supports it through the mentioned guides

✅ Step 1: Tag or Identify Orphaned Conversations

Method A: Use Platform Filters

  • Navigate to Inbox > Assigned
  • Use the Assignee filter to locate conversations previously handled by the deleted agent
    (If the name no longer appears, use time or tag filters—e.g., “Last updated by [Agent Name]”)

Method B: Automation Tagging (if available)

  • Set up a rule:
    If Assignee = [Deleted Agent ID]
    Then Add tag = Needs Reassignment

🔄 Step 2: Auto-Reassign Conversations via Workflow Tool

Platform with Automation (e.g., Zapier, Tray.io, internal rules)

  • Create a rule:
    Trigger: Tag = Needs Reassignment
    Condition: Conversation is Open or Assigned
    Action: Assign to [Backup Agent] or [Round-Robin Pool]
💡 Optionally, notify the new assignee via email, Slack, or internal alert.

⚠️ Step 3: Prevent Future Orphans

Before deleting an agent:

  • 🔁 Use “Reassign All Conversations” (if your platform provides this button)
  • 🏷 Mark remaining conversations with a handoff tag
  • 🔒 Deactivate user instead of deleting until all chats are cleared

📊 Optional: Export for Audit

  • Go to Reports > Conversations
  • Filter by [Deleted Agent] or Needs Reassignment tag
  • Export CSV for offline tracking or bulk re-import

⚠️ Limitations & Recommendations

  • Orphaned chats may appear stuck unless reassigned
  • Reporting dashboards may still reference the deleted agent in historical logs
  • Best practice: Reassign active chats before deleting an agent, if possible

📚 Related FAQs