Chat widget

Send someone straight to the right chat or screen

A few extra characters on the end of a web address can log a customer in, open the exact conversation you mean, or take you to the right part of the panel. No clicking around.

This is for the moments when a link has to do the work: an email that should reopen a customer's own conversation, a bookmark that lands on your reports, or a page you need to inspect while something is misbehaving. You do not need to be technical, but you do need to be careful with the parameters that carry a login.

Step by step

1

Understand how to add a parameter

A parameter goes on the end of a web address. The first one starts with a question mark, and any further ones are joined with an ampersand, as in ?login_email=email&login_password=password. Front-end parameters only do anything on a page that actually shows the chat.

2

Log an existing customer into the chat

Add ?token=TOKEN to a page that shows the chat, replacing TOKEN with the value from that person's profile box in the panel. They arrive already signed in, so their history is there and you are not asking them to register again.

3

Open a specific conversation

Add ?conversation=ID with the conversation's ID. If the person is logged out, this on its own is not enough: include token as well so we know who they are.

4

Open the chat on arrival

Add ?chat=open to have the chat open by itself instead of waiting for a click. Handy on a link you send out when you want the conversation to start immediately.

5

Jump to the right place in the panel

On cloud.vera.support you can use ?conversation=ID, ?user=ID, ?setting=ID and ?report=ID to open one item directly, or ?area=name to land on a whole area. The accepted values for area are conversations, users, settings and reports.

6

Turn on debug mode when something is wrong

Add ?debug to the panel address to enable debug mode while you are chasing a problem. Load the panel without the parameter when you are finished.

Settings reference

SettingWhat it does
?token=TOKEN Logs an existing user into the chat on your website, using the token shown in their profile box in the panel.
?conversation=ID Opens the conversation with that ID, either in the chat on your site or in the panel's conversations area.
?chat=open Opens the chat on your website as soon as the page loads.
?user=ID Opens that user's record in the panel.
?setting=ID Opens that setting in the panel.
?report=ID Opens that report in the panel.
?area=name Opens a whole panel area: conversations, users, settings or reports.
?login_email=email&login_password=password Signs you into the panel automatically using the email and password in the address.
?debug Enables debug mode in the panel while you are troubleshooting.

Good to know

A token link is a way in

Anyone who opens a link containing ?token=TOKEN is signed in as that customer. Send it to that person only, and treat it with the same care as a password.

Auto sign-in puts your password in the address

The ?login_email and ?login_password parameters carry your panel credentials in plain view in the address bar, and they stay in browser history and anywhere else the link is stored or shared. Use them knowingly, and never in a link that leaves your own hands.

Opening a conversation needs identity

For a logged-out visitor, ?conversation=ID alone will not open anything. Pair it with token so the chat knows whose conversation it is.

The chat has to be on the page

The token, conversation and chat parameters act on the chat widget, so the page you point them at must be one that shows the chat. On a page without it, nothing happens.

Two parameters share a name

conversation works both on your website and in the panel, and does the equivalent job in each. Which one you get depends on the address you put it on.

Common questions

Where do I find a user's token?
In the panel, open the person's profile box. The token is shown there, ready to drop into ?token=TOKEN on a page that displays the chat.
I added ?conversation=ID but nothing opened. Why?
The most likely reason is that the visitor is logged out. Add the token parameter alongside it so the chat can identify them first.
Can I put these parameters on any page of my site?
The chat parameters only work where the chat is present, so use a page that shows it. The panel parameters belong on cloud.vera.support.
What can I use with ?area=?
Four values: conversations, users, settings and reports. Each opens that area of the panel directly.
Is it safe to bookmark the auto sign-in link?
The link contains your email and password as readable text, so anyone with access to that browser or that link can sign in as you. Keep it off shared machines and out of messages.
What is ?debug for?
It switches on debug mode in the panel, which is there to help when you are troubleshooting a problem. Drop the parameter from the address once you are done.

Ready to end the chaos?

Unify your messages, automate the repetitive questions, and turn conversations into revenue — starting today.

Get Started
Plans from $7/month · Cancel anytime