> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.konnectbot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Departments and Chat Routing in KonnectBot

> Organize agents into departments and route conversations by intent, channel, or rules so every customer reaches the right expert automatically.

Departments in KonnectBot are organizational units that group agents by function — for example, Sales, Support, or Billing. Routing rules determine which department (or specific agent) handles each incoming conversation, based on the visitor's intent, the channel they came from, or conditions you define.

Together, departments and routing ensure that customers always reach the right person without having to explain their situation twice or wait to be manually transferred.

## How routing works

When a conversation starts, KonnectBot evaluates the routing rules you have configured. Rules can trigger on:

* **Intent** — the topic or question the visitor is asking about, detected from their first message
* **Channel** — the widget, page, or source the visitor came from
* **Custom rules** — conditions you define, such as keywords, visitor attributes, time of day, or which department has available agents

When a rule matches, the conversation is assigned to the corresponding department's queue. If no rule matches, the conversation goes to your default department or waits in the general queue.

<Tip>
  Smart routing ensures customers always reach the right expert. A visitor asking about invoice discrepancies reaches Billing; a visitor asking about upgrade options reaches Sales — without any manual triage from your team.
</Tip>

## Setting up departments

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings > Departments">
    In your KonnectBot workspace dashboard, click **Settings** in the left sidebar, then select **Departments**. You will see a list of your current departments (or a prompt to create your first one).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click &#x22;Add Department&#x22;">
    Click **Add Department** in the top-right corner of the Departments page. A setup panel opens on the right side of the screen.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the department">
    Enter a name for the department — for example, **Sales**, **Support**, **Billing**, or a custom name that matches your team structure. You can also add a description to help agents understand which conversations belong here.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign agents">
    Select the agents you want to include in this department from the agent list. Agents can belong to more than one department. Each agent you assign will receive conversations routed to this department.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set routing rules">
    Under **Routing rules**, define the conditions that trigger this department. For example:

    * If the visitor's message contains **pricing** or **upgrade**, route to **Sales**
    * If the visitor came from the **/billing** page of your site, route to **Billing**
    * If the visitor's first message includes **broken**, **error**, or **not working**, route to **Support**

    Click **Save** when your rules are configured. The department and its routing rules become active immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Department limits by plan

The number of departments you can create depends on your KonnectBot plan:

| Plan       | Departments |
| ---------- | ----------- |
| Free       | 1           |
| Starter    | 1           |
| Pro        | 5           |
| Enterprise | 20          |
| Custom     | Unlimited   |

<Note>
  If you need more departments than your current plan allows, upgrade your plan from **Settings > Billing**. Custom plans include unlimited departments and are designed for large organizations with complex routing requirements.
</Note>

## Managing routing rules

You can update routing rules at any time from **Settings > Departments**. Select a department and click **Edit routing rules** to add, remove, or reorder conditions.

Rules are evaluated in the order they are listed. If multiple rules could match a conversation, KonnectBot applies the first rule that matches. Use the drag handle next to each rule to reorder them and control priority.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What happens if no routing rule matches?">
    If no routing rule matches a conversation, KonnectBot assigns it to the default department. You set the default department under **Settings > Departments > Default department**. If no default is configured, the conversation goes to the general unassigned queue.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can an agent belong to multiple departments?">
    Yes. Agents can be members of as many departments as needed. They receive conversations from all departments they belong to and can switch between department queues in the agent workspace.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I route to a specific agent instead of a department?">
    Yes. In a routing rule, you can choose to assign the conversation to a specific agent by name rather than a department. This is useful for VIP customers or accounts that have a dedicated point of contact.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>