Help Center | tawk.to | Creating and managing shortcuts

Creating and managing shortcuts

The instructions below are for desktops and laptops only. For Android, click here. For iOS, click here.

Shortcuts are pre-written responses that you can create for common events, questions, or situations. Here’s how shortcuts can help empower your team to deliver exceptional support:

Boost efficiency
Shortcuts eliminate repetitive typing, allowing faster response to customer inquiries. This translates to shorter wait times and happier customers. Pre-written responses are lifesavers during peak times, allowing your team to stay focused and deliver consistently positive interactions, even under pressure.
Maintain accuracy and brand consistency
Craft responses that embody your company's voice and values, and say goodbye to typos and inconsistencies. Polished, pre-approved responses ensure a professional image and clear communication.
Onboard new hires faster
Pre-written responses are valuable training tools, equipping new team members with the best practices for tackling common customer queries.
Effortless file and resource sharing
Seamlessly share relevant documents, images, and links directly within the chat window, saving time and providing customers with the information they need instantly.
Streamlined workflow
Utilize shortcuts to automate tasks like tagging chats with specific topics or seamlessly transferring complex inquiries to the most qualified department within your team.

Shortcuts are connected to AI Assist; it uses your shortcuts as a data source to ensure Apollo AI responds to your visitors’ questions exactly how you want it to. This article will show you how to set up and use shortcuts to streamline your conversations.

Components of a shortcut

A shortcut consists of:

The shortcut name
This is only visible to you. A descriptive name helps other team members find the shortcut easily.
The message
Your visitors will see this message in the chat.
Element
You can send visitors a file, a ticket form, and up to 4 suggested messages in the chat.
Actions
You can tag the chat or transfer it to another agent.
Access — Public or personal
Public shortcuts are available to everyone (admins and agents) on the property. Personal shortcuts are only available to you.
Questions
These are only visible to you. If your visitors ask these questions (or variations of them) in chat, Apollo AI will respond with the same message, element, and action.

Creating a shortcut

Follow these steps to create a shortcut:

1. Log in to your tawk.to account.

2. On your dashboard, select the property for which you want to add a shortcut. Hover over the property name to ensure you’ve selected the correct one.

3. Click the gear icon on the top menu to go to the Administration panel.

4. On the Administration menu, select Shortcuts under Settings.

5. Click Add shortcut and select New Shortcut.

6. Enter the name of the shortcut.

7. Enter the message you want to send to your customers.

You can use the following Markdown syntax in your message:

*bold text*
_italic text_
1. numbered list
- bullet list
> quote block
`code`
[linked text](https://mylink.com/index.html)

Note: The above formatting isn’t reflected in the widget preview. Your message will be formatted when you use the shortcut in chat conversations.

8. Click Add Element to send a file, ticket form, or up to 4 suggested messages.

9. Click + Action to change tags or transfer the chat to other agents.

10. Click Add Question to add up to 5 related questions. This will help Apollo AI learn when to respond appropriately to customers’ questions.

11. Click Save.

Other ways to create shortcuts

Import from a .csv file

Create a batch of shortcuts by importing a .csv file. Click Import from CSV and select the relevant file on your computer.

Then, select Public or Personal access, edit your shortcuts, and click Save.

In chats

Select the Shortcuts tab on the right of the chat, and click Add New Shortcut.

You can also click the 3 dots on the left of a response, and select Create Shortcut.

In the AI Assist Data Source
Go to the AI Assist Data Source, select Shortcuts, and click Add Shortcut.

Managing shortcuts

Follow these steps to edit or delete shortcuts:

1. Log in to your tawk.to account.

2. On your dashboard, select the property for which you want to manage shortcuts. Hover over the property name to ensure you’ve selected the correct one.