> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.crisp.chat/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # How to route and assign conversations to operators *Use Routing to assign conversations to the right agent and keep ownership clear inside the Inbox.* Routing helps teams distribute conversations more cleanly as volume grows. Whether you assign conversations manually or let Crisp do it automatically, the goal is the same: make sure the right person is notified and responsible for the reply. | Routing is available on Crisp Essentials and Plus. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](How assignment works) Routing works at the conversation level. In practice, a conversation is either **assigned** or **unassigned**. When a conversation is assigned, notifications are focused on the assigned agent instead of the whole team. When it is unassigned, the broader team can see and pick it up. This becomes especially useful once several agents work in the same Inbox and you want clearer ownership. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Focus on your own conversations) Agents can switch the Inbox view to **Assigned to me** so they only see the conversations that belong to them. ![Use the Assigned to me view from the Inbox filters](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-154642_jtpjm1.png =1000xauto) You can leave that view at any time and switch back to **All conversations**. There is also a dedicated **Assigned to me** inbox that gathers the conversations assigned to you from the main inbox. ![Assigned to me inbox in the Crisp sidebar](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-155054_j8ab74.png =1000xauto) --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Assign a conversation manually) If you do not want to rely on automation for a conversation, you can assign it yourself. #### ${color}[#445055](Manual assignment steps) 1. Open the conversation you want to assign. 2. In the right sidebar, use the **Assign** option. 3. Select the teammate who should own the conversation. ![Assign a conversation manually from the conversation sidebar](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-160630_1s2rkg8.png =1000xauto) This is useful for handoffs, expertise-based routing, or any case where a human decision is better than an automatic rule. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Set up automatic routing rules) Crisp can also assign conversations automatically based on rules. Go to **Settings → Inbox Settings → Operator Routing** to create and manage your routing rules. ![Open the Operator Routing settings in Crisp](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-155453_1j1c4np.png =1000xauto) You can create rules based on criteria such as custom data, segments, language, or location. __Crisp supports two main rule types:__ * **Simple condition** → distribute load across selected team members * **Advanced condition** → distribute load across selected team members only when a condition matches ||| Make sure **Auto-assign conversations according to configured rules** is enabled in the general routing settings, or your routing rules will not run. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](How automatic routing chooses an agent) Routing rules are evaluated in order, from top to bottom. __At a high level, Crisp does the following:__ * Checks the first rule * Looks for online agents inside that rule * Picks one of the matching online agents * Falls through to the next rule only if no one eligible is available That means rule order matters. Put your most specific routing logic first, then keep broader fallback rules lower in the list. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Review the general routing settings) The general routing settings let you decide how assignment behaves over time. __The main settings to review are:__ * **Enable or disable automatic routing** → turn your configured rules on or off * **Re-assign stale conversations** → move ownership when the previous assignee is no longer the right owner * **Re-assign if the current assignee is offline** → avoid leaving a conversation blocked on an unavailable teammate ![General routing settings including automatic reassign rules](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-160415_bn6hqm.png =1000xauto) ![Automatic reassignment when the assigned agent is offline](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/7/a/e/87ae2703583ac800/cleanshot-2026-01-29-at-160446_sgoxye.png =1000xauto) --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Frequently Asked Questions) *Still have questions which were not covered in this article? Here is a collection of the most frequently asked questions on this topic.* ###### ${color}[#F08820](Can new conversations from the same customer be forced to go back to the same agent?) No. Routing works at the conversation level, not at the contact level. If the same visitor starts a brand new conversation, that new conversation can be assigned differently depending on your current routing setup. ###### ${color}[#F08820](Does routing replace sub-inboxes?) No. Routing and sub-inboxes solve related but different problems. Routing decides who should own a conversation. Sub-inboxes decide which inbox the conversation should live in. Many teams use both together.