Conversation AI Channel Management
SMBcrm is updating how Conversation AI bots are assigned to conversation channels. Instead of relying on a single Primary Bot, teams can assign bots directly to channels and define routing rules for specific accounts, numbers, and contact tags.
This gives teams more precise control across SMBcrm communication tools and automated replies powered by SMBcrm AI features.
What Changed
- The Primary Bot requirement has been removed. Bots are assigned directly to channels such as SMS, Email, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Live Chat, and Web Chat.
- Routing can be configured by channel, specific account or number, and contact tags.
- More specific assignments take priority over broader ones. For example, a Facebook assignment with a VIP tag takes priority over a general Facebook assignment.
- Duplicate assignments are prevented. Two bots cannot share the exact same channel, identifier, and tag configuration.
How to Enable It
- Open Labs in the account.
- Enable the flag named
Conversations AI Channel Management. - Wait about 5 minutes for the existing setup to migrate before testing.
Migration runs automatically after the flag is enabled. Existing bots do not need to be recreated.
What Happens to Existing Bots
Your current Primary Bot is preserved during migration. It is automatically assigned to the channels it already supports, so it continues responding as before.
Bots that were not the Primary Bot keep their settings, but they need to be assigned to channels using the channel assignment controls.
The previous first bot is primary concept is no longer used. To make a bot respond, enable the channels you want that bot to handle.
A bot assigned directly to a contact still takes top priority, regardless of channel. Per-bot supported channel settings are deprecated, so an assigned bot can reply as long as it is in autopilot mode and still follows other settings, such as sleep time.
Facebook and Instagram Routing
Each connected Facebook Page or Instagram account is treated as a separate channel identifier.
After migration, the existing bot responds across all connected Facebook and Instagram accounts by default. To route accounts separately, assign a specific bot to a specific Page or account.
Tag-Based Routing
Assignments can include include and exclude tag filters. This allows teams to split traffic by segment, such as routing VIP-tagged contacts to one bot and all other contacts to another.
Two bots can share the same channel as long as their tag filters are different.
Workflow and Transfer Behavior
The Update Conversation AI Bot and Status workflow action remains supported and is now channel-agnostic. A workflow-assigned bot responds for that contact across any channel without needing a separate channel assignment.
Transfer Bot also continues to work. A transferred bot can respond to the contact even without a preset channel assignment for that conversation.
Sleep and pause behavior is preserved. If a manual reply pauses an assigned bot, that pause applies for the configured duration no matter which bot is handling the contact.
Current Limitation
Public API management is not supported for channel assignments. Use the in-app Channel Management controls to manage assignments.
Troubleshooting
If a bot is not responding as expected after enabling the flag, confirm that it is assigned to the correct channel and account, especially for Facebook or Instagram. Also confirm that the contact matches the bot’s tag filters.
Need Help Applying This Update?
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