---
sourceDocument: Xanadu Employee Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/xanadu/employee-service-management

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu Employee Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - emplsm

bundleId :

    - emplsm

workflow :

    - Employee


---

# Employee live chat overview

# Employee live chat overview {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

As an employee, you can chat directly and in real time with support agents through the
Employee Center. When you initiate a chat and select a conversation topic, you
are routed to the appropriate chat queue and connected to a support
agent.

Connect Support is a messaging tool that enables support agents to provide real-time
assistance for end users, and is automatically enabled with Employee Center.
Your administrator can create multiple chat queues for different departments, such as queues
for HR, IT, Payroll, or Facilities. To set up the chat queues and learn more about Connect
Support, see [Connect Support](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_ConnectSupport&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US).  
Note:  
Starting in Utah, Connect Support has been deprecated and is no longer supported or available for new activation. For similar capabilities, please move to Advanced Work Assignment and Agent Chat. For details, see [Move from Connect Support to Advanced Work Assignment and Agent
Chat](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=migrate-from-connect-support&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US).
If no chat queues are defined, then the chat queue defaults to:

* Virtual Agent Support
* ( HR Service Delivery only) HR Department Chat Queue
{#employee-center-chat-configuration__ul_ofv_xpj_cgb}

When you initiate a chat in the Employee Center, a pre-chat conversation is
displayed with pre-chat categories. The following GIF shows an example of initiating a
chat.

Note:  
These pre-chat categories are only used with live chat. If you are using Virtual Agent with Employee Center, then these pre-chat categories don't apply.

## Configuring the pre-chat categories in live chat {#employee-center-chat-configuration__section_hym_vpd_h3b}

Your administrator can control the pre-chat categories that appear in the pre-chat
conversation by adding survey choices in the appropriate configuration. For example, your
administrator can configure benefits, employee relations, and travel and expense categories
that route to an HR chat queue; finance and payroll categories that route to a finance chat
queue.  
Note:  
If the survey options are not defined, the pre-chat conversation is displayed without data.
**Related concepts**   

* [Customize the Employee Center with widgets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZaOjyLi74FoKNJKoBRtkcw "You can configure the widget instance options to control how data is displayed within the widget.")
* [Footer configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/YSCsia7W26gSKSuMYULuMg "Employee Center and Employee Center Pro include a footer by default, which you can configure.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Portal configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/KXmuOkJb0SDBew3tunROjw "Configure the default Employee Center portal to incorporate specific widget experiences into your home page.")