--- title: "Multi-Chat" slug: "multi-chat" updated: 2026-07-22T15:09:35Z published: 2026-07-23T10:07:46Z canonical: "help.8x8.com/multi-chat" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Multi-Chat Agents can handle multiple chats at the same time. The **8x8 Configuration Manager** administrator can configure each agent to handle up to six chats with customers, and an unlimited number of chats with other agents of the same tenant. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/HandlingMultipleChatsDiagram01.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) ## Features - **8x8 Contact Center** manages concurrent chats with multiple customers and agents. - The customers and agents chat list provides easy access to chats in progress. - The chat list is sorted primarily based on waiting time; the longest waiting chat is placed on top of the list. - Icons differentiate agent-to-customer chat from **agent-to-agent** chats. - Icons highlight unread chat messages. - Icons indicate customers waiting for agent's response. - Icons send alert if customers are waiting longer than targeted Service Level Agreement (SLA). - A pop-out chat window improves handling multiple chats. - Relevant customer records pops up when accepting chats. - Customer information such as Name, Email, and Transaction ID display on the title bar of the popped out chat window. - The chat list can be sorted by identification such as Nickname, First Name, Last Name, Email, and Transaction ID. By default, the chat list is sorted by waiting time. - Tracks messages from new customers using Transaction ID. - Searches chat list by name. ## Handling Multiple Chats Agents can handle multiple concurrent chats with customers and agents. Agents must be in *Available* state to accept the first chat. After accepting the first chat, agent’s status changes to *Busy*. Based on the number of interactions allowed for the agent, chat requests continues to be offered to the agent until he reaches the maximum allowed customer chats. When a new chat request is offered, the chat tab indicates an incoming request by blinking if the Chat tab is not in focus. At the same time, the customer receives a message to wait until an agent becomes available. You can accept or reject the chat at this time. On accepting a chat, the system looks to see if that is of an existing customer. If a matching CRM record is found, the customer detail record is presented to the agent in a separate tab. In the absence of a matching record, a new customer record opens. The agent can now chat with the customer and be open for handling more chat requests. Multiple chats can be: - [Customer-to-Agent Chat](/documentation/docs/multi-chat-customer-to-agent-chat) - [**Agent-to-Agent** Chat](/documentation/docs/multi-chat-agent-to-agent-chat) ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/HandlingMultipleChatsDiagram01.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) For details, see our [multi-chat table](/documentation/docs/multi-chat-table). ## Chat List To keep track of multiple chats in progress, a chat list is maintained for customer chats and agent chats. When a new chat is offered to an agent, the Chat List is updated to show this new entry at the top of the appropriate Group. A Question Mark ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/Icon_QuestionMark_13x18.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) appears in the new message column next to the customer name. **Accept** ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/Icon_Accept.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) and **Reject** ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/Icon_Delete_18x18.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) icons appear in the same row: ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/AGUI_ChatList.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A56%3A28Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A56%3A28Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2BMAYStFS4k0vsgxz53pKqm96SogdGzXFTHHyth9NxFE%3D) The chat session starts as soon as you accept the chat. A customer chat is displayed in the **Customer List** while an agent chat is displayed in the **Agent List**. If the agent selects a chat, the chat information is shown in the chat panel with the **Transaction** tab selected. If the agent accepts the chat, the chat continues as expected.