Automatically acknowledge reporters when a new case arrives or a follow-up message is received — so no one is left waiting for confirmation.
What is auto-reply?
When auto-reply is enabled, reporters receive an acknowledgment message automatically in two situations:
Trigger 1: New inbound case
- Fires immediately when a new case is created. Confirms the reporter's case has been received.
Trigger 2: New reporter message
- Fires 5 minutes after a reporter sends a message on an existing case — but only if no admin has responded within that window.
- New case trigger: fires on every new inbound case, immediately, with no conditions.
- New message trigger: fires only if (a) the case already exists, (b) the reporter sent a message, (c) 5 minutes have elapsed, and (d) no admin has replied in that window.
- Throttling: if a reporter sends multiple messages within the same 5-minute window, exactly one auto-reply is sent — not one per message.
- Templates: each trigger uses its own message template, set at the company level. Templates cannot be varied by case category.
Who can configure it
Users with the Owner role or any custom role with Configuration capabilities can enable, disable, and update auto-reply settings.
Navigate to: Settings → Customizations → Auto Reply
How to set up auto-reply
- Go to Settings → Customizations → Auto Reply.
- Under New inbound case, click Create template (or pick an existing one) and select it from the dropdown.
- Under New reporter message, do the same with a second template.
- Toggle Enable auto-reply to ON.
- Click Save changes.
Both templates must be selected before the toggle can be turned on.
How to turn off auto-reply
Switch the Enable auto-reply toggle to OFF and click Save Changes.
Your templates will be saved and can be re-enabled at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Will a reporter get an auto-reply if an admin responds quickly?
No. The new-message auto-reply only fires if no admin has responded within the 5-minute window. A quick admin reply prevents the auto-reply entirely.
What if a reporter sends several messages in a short time?
Only one auto-reply is sent per 5-minute window, regardless of how many messages the reporter sends. This prevents repetitive acknowledgments.
Can I use different auto-reply text for different case categories?
No. Auto-reply uses one template per trigger, set at the company level. Editing a template updates the message for all cases. Per-category templates are not currently supported.
What happens to my templates if I disable auto-reply?
Templates are saved and unaffected. Re-enabling auto-reply will use the same templates without any reconfiguration.
Does auto-reply work outside of business hours?
Yes. Auto-reply runs continuously and is not restricted by business hours. It ensures reporters always receive an acknowledgment, even when no admins are available.