Inbox
Canned Responses in the Inbox
Find saved replies with /, insert contact details, and review the text before sending.
A canned response is text you save once and reuse while handling conversations. Use it for common answers, requests for more information, or next steps. The inserted text remains editable and is not sent until you send it.
Responses belong to the current agent. See Canned response settings for creation, editing, and deletion. This guide covers using them in conversations.
Insert a response
Focus the composer
Open a conversation that supports replies. Canned responses work in both Reply and Personal Note mode.
Search with /
Type / to open the list. Search using the short code or part of the response text.
Insert the response
Select a response, or use the arrow keys and press Enter. The / search text is replaced by the response, while other text in the composer remains.
Review and send
Check the contact name, contact details, and wording. Make any changes, then send. Selecting a response alone does not send it.
If no responses exist yet, the list provides a route to settings and creating the first response. Managing responses requires Manage agent permission.
Variables
These variables are filled from the current conversation and operator when the response is inserted:
| Variable | Value |
|---|---|
{{contact_name}} | Recorded contact name |
{{contact_email}} | Contact email |
{{contact_phone}} | Contact phone number |
{{operator_name}} | Current operator name |
For example, save this text as a canned response:
Hi {{contact_name}}, we are reviewing your request.If the contact might not have a recorded name, use wording that also works without one:
Hi, please send more details about the issue.Contact details are read when you insert the response. Later changes to those details do not automatically rewrite a draft you already inserted.
Text and formatting
The response goes into the conversation editor, where you can shorten or expand it. Supported text formatting is carried into the editor; its final appearance depends on the channel.
Canned responses currently store text. They do not carry attachments, apply labels, or change status as accompanying operations. Select a file separately from the reply composer when needed.
Keys and troubleshooting
| Key | While the response list is open |
|---|---|
| ↑ and ↓ | Move between responses |
| Enter | Insert the selected response |
| Esc | Close the list |
If the list does not open, type / in an editable text composer. The search does not activate inside code blocks or inline code. If loading responses or contact details fails, select Try again and insert after loading succeeds.
Editing a response in settings affects future insertions; it does not rewrite messages already sent.