## Overview

Three simple settings that make the operation much more organized:

- **Business hours**: define when your team is available per inbox, enabling automatic off-hours
  messages.
- **Labels**: colored tags to classify conversations (and contacts) by subject, priority or status.
- **Custom attributes**: tailored fields to store business-specific information on conversations and
  contacts.

## Prerequisites

- The **Administrator** role to create/edit these settings.
- The account time zone set correctly (it affects business hours).
- An idea of the taxonomy that makes sense for the team (which labels and which fields).

## Step by step

1. **Business hours**: in the inbox settings, enable business hours, choose the days and time ranges
   and set the off-hours message.
2. **Labels**: in the labels area, create each label with a name, description and color; apply them
   to conversations from the conversation side panel.
3. **Custom attributes**: in the attributes area, create a field with a name, type (text, number,
   list, date, etc.) and whether it applies to a **conversation** or a **contact**.
4. Use labels and attributes in **filters**, **views** and **automations** for productivity.

## Settings & options

- **Hours per inbox**: each channel can have its own schedule.
- **Off-hours message**: automatic reply when no one is available.
- **Label colors**: help visually identify the type of conversation.
- **Attribute types**: text, number, link, dropdown list, date, checkbox and more.

## Use cases

- Auto-reply outside business hours and set a return expectation.
- Tag conversations as `urgent`, `refund` or `lead` and filter by them.
- Store an `order number` or `contracted plan` as a contact attribute.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- Keep a **lean, standardized** set of labels — too many tags become clutter.
- Combine labels with **automations** to tag conversations automatically.
- Use attributes for what you'll actually filter on or use in reports.

## Troubleshooting

- **The off-hours message doesn't fire**: check that business hours are enabled on the inbox and the
  account time zone is correct.
- **The label doesn't appear for the team**: confirm it was saved and the agent has access to the
  inbox.
- **An attribute doesn't show on the conversation/contact**: check that it was created for the right
  type (conversation vs. contact).

## See also

- [Account, agents and teams](/hc/ajuda/articles/administration-conta-agentes-equipes-en)
- [Integrations](/hc/ajuda/articles/administration-integracoes-en)
- [Administration overview](/hc/ajuda/articles/administration-overview-en)
- [Notifications and preferences](/hc/ajuda/articles/administration-notificacoes-en)