Take Over, Assign, Return to Bot
Conversations are either bot-handled or assigned to an agent. Header actions in the chat pane let supervisors and agents move work between automation and humans.
Actions are not available on Expired threads.
Linked WhatsApp / Instagram + Web
When a thread is linked to Web (Continue on Web with history), the chat header can show channel tabs. Caption: Replying via WhatsApp / Instagram / Web.
| Control | Notes |
|---|---|
| Take It / Assign | Assign the group (all open channel members) in one action |
| Return to Bot | WhatsApp / Instagram tabs only — not available on the Web tab |
| Mark N Read | Quiet tertiary control in the header |
| Web ended | Composer shows Chat Ended; switch to WhatsApp or Instagram to continue |
Waiting / presence badges: Web Threads in the Inbox.
Bot-Handled Conversations
When the bot owns the thread, the composer shows:
Conversation handled by Bot — Use the "Take Over" button above to assign this conversation to yourself and start responding
| Control | Label | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Chat header | Take Over | Assigns the thread to you; composer unlocks |
| Send button (composer) | Take Over | Same as header — assigns to you when the input is empty |
After takeover you can send messages normally.
Already Assigned to Another Agent
If the thread belongs to someone else:
| Control | Who can use it |
|---|---|
| Take It (header) | Take assignment from the current agent |
| Assign to Agent | Supervisors and admins (and agents per role) — pick another agent |
Non-supervisors see a banner: Only supervisors and admins can send messages or handover conversations assigned to other agents — the send button may show Assigned to [name].
Agent-Owned Conversations
When you are the assigned agent (or you have supervisor/admin rights):
| Control | Effect |
|---|---|
| Assign to Agent | Reassign to a different agent |
| Return to Bot | Hand the thread back to automation |
Return to Bot appears when handover back to the bot is allowed for that thread.
Starting a Flow from Chat
Choosing Start Bot Flow on WhatsApp may automatically return the thread to the bot before the flow runs — see Start a Bot Flow from a Chat.
Expired Threads
On Expired conversations:
- Header shows Expired
- Take Over, Assign, and Return to Bot are unavailable
- Handover attempts may error with Cannot handover expired conversations
Find expired history under Conversations — Working Expired Threads.
Related Articles
- Bot vs Agent (4.4)
- Send a Text Message (8.1)
- Queued (4.2)