## Overview

A **Queue** is a named grouping of **agents + inboxes + a distribution policy**, layered over the
platform's native router. It does not replace your assignment rules: it adds a layer of
**organization and monitoring** on top of them, so you can think about your operation in terms of
"Support L1", "WhatsApp Sales" or "Billing" instead of loose inboxes.

Each queue stores only **three pieces of configuration** — name, description and distribution policy
— plus two sets of memberships: the **members** (agents) and the **inboxes**. The three available
policies are:

- **Round robin** — distributes conversations in a cycle across members, one after another.
- **Load balanced** — favors whoever currently has the lightest workload.
- **Manual** — no automatic distribution; the queue is used to group and monitor.

The queue stores only the **identifiers** of agents and inboxes; the names are resolved from the
account roster (agent settings and inboxes), so the configuration stays lean and always consistent
with your account.

## Prerequisites

- The **Team Management** module must be **enabled for the account**. See the
  **Team Management overview** article.
- **Creating, editing and deleting queues and managing their memberships** is for administrators
  (and custom roles granted the Team Management permissions). Without the manage permission, the tab opens in
  read-only mode: you see the queues, but the edit/delete buttons and the chips are disabled.
- Have your **agents** set up and your **inboxes** created before building a queue — those are what
  appear as selectable chips.

## Step by step

### Create a queue

1. Open **Team Management** from the sidebar and go to the **Queues** tab.
2. Click **Add** (the button with the "+" icon).
3. Fill in the **Name** (required) and, optionally, the **Description**.
4. Choose the **Distribution policy**: Round robin, Load balanced or Manual.
5. Use the **Active** toggle to keep the queue enabled (on) or paused (off).
6. Click **Save**. The new queue appears in the list with its policy and the member and inbox counts.

### Manage agents and inboxes (chips)

1. In the list, click the queue name (or the arrow) to **expand** its panel.
2. In the **Members** section, click each agent's chip to **add** (chip lit) or **remove** (chip
   dimmed). The change is applied instantly, with no save needed.
3. In the **Inboxes** section, do the same: click the inbox chips to include or remove them from the
   queue.
4. The counts in the queue header (members · inboxes) update as you toggle the chips on and off.

### Edit or delete a queue

1. On the queue row, use the **pencil** icon to reopen the form and change the name, description,
   policy or the **Active** state.
2. Use the **trash** icon to delete. Confirm in the confirmation dialog.

## Settings & options

- **Name** — the queue label (required). Use names that describe the operation ("Support L1",
  "WhatsApp Sales").
- **Description** — optional free text for team context.
- **Distribution policy** — Round robin, Load balanced or Manual (see the Overview above).
- **Active** — a toggle to enable or pause the queue without deleting it.
- **Members** — agent chips from the account roster; click to toggle membership.
- **Inboxes** — inbox chips from the account; click to link or unlink them.

## Monitored agents only

Only agents inside the monitored scope can be **added** to a queue — the server rejects new
additions outside monitoring with a clear message. Anyone already in the queue who later left
monitoring stays visible (and removable); use the **Show all agents** toggle to reveal the full
roster when needed.

## Use cases

- Organize a large operation into named fronts (Support, Sales, Billing) over the same inboxes.
- Use **Round robin** to split volume evenly across the agents on a shift.
- Use **Load balanced** when handling times vary a lot and you want to favor whoever is freer.
- Use **Manual** just to group and follow a team on the monitoring board, without touching automatic
  distribution.
- Pause a queue (turn **Active** off) during a campaign or after hours, without losing its
  configuration.

## Tips, limits and best practices

- The queue is a layer **on top of** the native router — it organizes and monitors, but it does not
  erase the assignment rules already set on the inboxes.
- The **Members** chips come from the agent roster and the **Inboxes** chips from your inboxes; if an
  agent or inbox doesn't appear, set it up first.
- Chip changes are **immediate** — there is no "save" button in that section. Reopen the queue to
  check the counts.
- Keep few, well-named queues: too many queues make the monitoring board harder to read.

## Troubleshooting

- **I don't see the Queues tab** — the Team Management module isn't enabled for the account, or you aren't an
  administrator.
- **The edit/delete buttons and the chips are greyed out** — you are in read-only mode (without the
  Team Management manage permission).
- **An agent or inbox doesn't appear as a chip** — confirm the agent was set up and the inbox was
  created in the account; the chip list comes from that roster.
- **I saved and nothing changed** — the **Name** is required; the save button stays disabled while
  it is empty.

## See also

- Team Management overview
- Real-time monitoring board
- Agent statuses and breaks
- Schedules and planned shifts
- Monitored agents (enrollment)