## Overview

An **SLA policy** (Service Level Agreement) defines the **deadlines** your operation commits to on
each conversation — for example, the maximum time for the **first response**, the **next response**
and the **resolution**. With an SLA applied, the platform tracks those deadlines, flags conversations
that are close to the limit, and records when a deadline is **breached**.

## Prerequisites

- **Optional** capability: SLA policies may depend on your plan and/or administrator permissions. If
  you can't find the SLA area, talk to an account administrator.
- Administrator permission to **create and apply** policies.
- A clear definition of the deadlines that make sense for your business.

## Step by step

1. In Administration & Settings, open the **SLA** area.
2. Create a **policy**: set the desired deadlines (first response, next response, resolution) and, if
   applicable, the business hours used in the count.
3. Save the policy.
4. **Apply** the policy to conversations — directly or through automations/rules that assign the SLA
   based on criteria (inbox, label, priority, etc.).
5. In the conversation view, follow the deadline indicators (close to the limit, or breached).

## Settings & options

- **Deadline types**: first response, next response and resolution time.
- **Business hours**: the count can consider only working hours.
- **Automatic application**: combine with automations to apply the right policy to each conversation.
- **Breach flagging**: conversations that exceed the deadline are marked for prioritization.

## Use cases

- Ensure every new contact gets the **first response** within an agreed time.
- Automatically prioritize conversations **about to breach** their deadline.
- Measure SLA compliance in reports by inbox, team or period.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- Set **realistic** deadlines for the size and hours of your team.
- Use **business hours** so nights and weekends aren't counted unfairly.
- Combine SLA with **priority** and **filters/views** to keep the queue under control.

## Troubleshooting

- **I can't see the SLA area**: the capability may not be enabled for your plan/role — talk to an administrator.
- **The deadline isn't counted as I expected**: check business hours and how the policy was applied.
- **Conversations don't get an SLA**: verify the automation/criterion that should apply the policy.

## See also

- [Assignment, status, priority and labels](/hc/ajuda/articles/conversations-atribuicao-status-prioridade-labels-en)
- [Custom filters and saved views](/hc/ajuda/articles/conversations-filtros-e-visoes-en)
- [Snooze, resolve and reopen conversations](/hc/ajuda/articles/conversations-snooze-resolver-reabrir-en)