Controlling idle live chat sessions

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 6 minutes to read
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    Summary of Controlling idle live chat sessions

    This guide explains how to manage idle live chat sessions within ServiceNow, focusing on automatic detection and handling of inactive chats. By default, the system checks active chat sessions every two minutes and marks a session as idle if the requester does not respond within 180 seconds. A reminder message prompts the requester to continue, and if there is no response within 360 seconds, the chat session is automatically canceled. This functionality helps maintain efficient chat handling and resource allocation.

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    Note: Idle live chat controls are not available for Connect Support, which is no longer enhanced since the Paris release. ServiceNow recommends transitioning to Advanced Work Assignment and Agent Chat in workspace for automated chat and work item assignment.

    Configuring Idle Chat Reminder and Timeout

    • Customize Reminder Message: Administrators can modify the default reminder prompt ("The conversation is timing out, are you still there?") by updating the com.glide.cs.idlechatremindermessage system property.
    • Set Reminder and Cancel Timeouts: Two system properties control timing:
      • com.glide.cs.idlechatremindertimeout: Time in seconds after the requester’s last response when the reminder message is sent (minimum 120 seconds, matching the scheduled job frequency).
      • com.glide.cs.idlechatcanceltimeout: Time in seconds after which the idle chat is canceled if no response is received. This must be greater than the reminder timeout by at least the scheduled job interval (120 seconds by default).
    • If you want to reduce the reminder timeout below 120 seconds, you must also adjust the Idle Chat Timer Task scheduled job frequency accordingly.

    Additional Timeout Behaviors

    • Inactivity Timeout Start: The com.glide.cs.startidletimeoutafteragentresponse boolean property controls when the inactivity timer begins:
      • If true, the timer starts only after the agent sends a non-automated message.
      • If false or unset, the timer starts immediately.
    • Guest Chat Disconnect Timeout: The com.glide.cs.chatdisconnecttimeout property defines how long the system waits for a disconnected guest to reconnect before ending the chat.

    Practical Examples

    Two examples illustrate how the com.glide.cs.startidletimeoutafteragentresponse setting affects idle chat handling:

    • Setting False or Unset: The inactivity timer starts immediately. If the requester does not respond to automated or agent messages within configured timeouts, the system sends a reminder and eventually closes the chat.
    • Setting True: The inactivity timer only starts after the agent sends a manual message. If the agent does not send a message, the chat does not time out.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By configuring these properties, ServiceNow customers can tailor live chat session behavior to optimize user engagement, reduce abandoned chats, and ensure agents focus on active conversations. Adjusting reminder messages and timeouts improves communication clarity and helps maintain efficient support workflows.

    Configure how active chat sessions are handled by the system when live chats become idle.

    By default, the system automatically checks live chat sessions every two minutes through the Idle Chat Timer Task scheduled job to ensure that chat sessions are still active. If the requester does not respond within 180 seconds (three minutes) during an active chat session, the session becomes idle. The user receives a reminder message that the conversation is timing out and asks if they are still there. If they don't respond, the system automatically cancels (times out) the chat session 360 seconds (six minutes) after the requester's last response.

    You can change the idle chat reminder message and the default time after which the system displays the reminder message and closes an idle chat.

    Important:

    Idle live chats are not available for Connect Support. Starting with the Paris release, Connect Support no longer receives enhancements or non-priority bug fixes. Consider moving to ServiceNow® Advanced Work Assignment and Agent Chat in workspace to automatically assign chat requests and other work items to agents. For details, see Move from Connect Support to Advanced Work Assignment and Agent Chat.

    Change the idle chat reminder message

    The default idle chat reminder message displayed to requesters is: The conversation is timing out, are you still there? Agents receive the message: User response will indicate if they want to continue the chat.

    You can modify the default message sent to requesters by updating the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_message property.

    1. As admin, navigate to All, and then enter sys_properties.list in the filter.
    2. Open the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_message property.
    3. In the Value field, enter the new reminder message to be displayed.
    4. Select Update.

    Change the idle chat timeout values

    Add the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_timeout and the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_cancel_timeout properties to the System Property [sys_properties] table to set the chat reminder message timeout and the idle chat cancel timeout values. Create both properties at the same time.

    1. As admin, navigate to All, and then enter sys_properties.list in the filter.
    2. Select New to add the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_timeout property.
      1. On the form, fill in the fields.
        Field Value
        Name System property name. Enter: com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_timeout
        Description Explanation for this property. For example: Idle chat reminder timeout (in seconds)
        Type Data type. Select integer.
        Value Enter the number of seconds before the idle chat reminder message is displayed, after the requester's last response. This value must be equal to or greater than 120 seconds, since the Idle Chat Timer Task job runs every 120 seconds to check active chat sessions.

        For example, if the idle chat reminder message is to be displayed 5 minutes after the requester's last response, enter 300 seconds.

        Note:
        If you want to set an idle chat message reminder timeout that is under 120 seconds, you must also change the time at which the Idle Chat Timer Task job runs. The job must check for idle chats within a shorter time frame. For example, if the reminder message timeout is 60 seconds after the requester's last response, set the Idle Chat Timer Task job to run every 60 seconds. For more information on base system scheduled jobs, see System scheduler.
      2. Select Submit.
    3. In the System Properties table, select New to add the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_cancel_timeout property.
      1. On the form, fill in the fields.
        Field Value
        Name System property name. Enter: com.glide.cs.idle_chat_cancel_timeout
        Description Explanation for this property. For example: Idle chat cancel timeout (in seconds)
        Type Data type. Select integer.
        Value Number of seconds before an idle chat is canceled (times out). This value must be larger than com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_timeout, where the difference between this value and com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_timeout is larger than or equal to 120 seconds (2 minutes, which is when the Idle Chat Timer Task job runs).

        For example, if the reminder message timeout value is 300 seconds (5 minutes), the idle chat cancel timeout value must be 420 seconds or greater.

        Note:
        If you changed the Idle Chat Timer Task job, the difference between the chat cancel timeout value and the idle chat reminder timeout must be larger or equal to the Idle Chat Timer Task job time. For example, if the reminder timeout is 60 seconds and the Idle Chat Timer Task job is also 60 seconds, the idle chat cancel timeout value must be 120 seconds or greater.
      2. Select Submit.

    Set the inactivity timeout behavior

    The com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response property determines the timeout behavior when inactivity is triggered. When this property is true, the inactivity timer does not start until the agent sends a non-automated response to the requester.

    1. As admin, navigate to All, and then enter sys_properties.list in the filter.
    2. Select New to add the com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response property.
      1. On the form, fill in the fields.
        Field Value
        Name System property name. Enter: com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response
        Description Explanation for this property. For example: Timeout behavior when inactivity should be triggered.
        Type Data type. Select true/false.
        Value Either true or false.
      2. Select Submit.

    Set the server disconnect timeout for guest conversations

    The com.glide.cs.chat_disconnect_timeout property determines how long the system will wait to reconnect a disconnected conversation before it ends the chat. If communication is reestablished during that timeframe, the conversation resumes.

    1. As admin, navigate to All, and then enter sys_properties.list in the filter.
    2. Select New to add the com.glide.cs.chat_disconnect_timeout property.
      1. On the form, fill in the fields.
        Field Value
        Name System property name. Enter: com.glide.cs.chat_disconnect_timeout
        Description Explanation for this property. For example: Timeout behavior for disconnected guest conversations.
        Type Data type. Select integer.
        Value Number of seconds before a disconnected guest chat is canceled (times out). The client will try to reconnect during that time.
      2. Select Submit.

    Examples

    These examples show how the com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response system setting may affect how the system handles idle chats. In the following examples, the inactivity timeout is set to 60 seconds and the inactivity reminder is set to 30 seconds.

    Example 1: In this example, com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response does not affect how the system handles an idle chat.
    1. Agent enters the chat.
    2. System sends automated message Thank you for contacting support. I am looking into your question now and will be with you shortly.
    3. Agent sends the message What can I help you with today?
    4. If the requester does not respond after 30 seconds, then the system sends the message The conversation is timing out, are you still there?
    5. If the requester does not respond within 60 seconds after the agent's message, then the system sends the message It seems you have left the conversation and ends the chat.
    Example 2: In this example, com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response affects how the system handles an idle chat.
    1. Agent enters the chat.
    2. System sends automated message Thank you for contacting support. I am looking into your question now and will be with you shortly.
    3. If the agent does NOT send a message, one of the following occurs:
      • If com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response is not set or is set to false, then
        1. The system starts the inactivity timer.
        2. If the requester does not respond after 30 seconds, then the system sends the message The conversation is timing out, are you still there?
        3. If the requester does not respond within 60 seconds after the automated message, then the system sends the message It seems you have left the conversation and ends the chat.
      • If com.glide.cs.start_idle_timeout_after_agent_response is set to true, the system does not start the inactivity timer and the chat will not time out.