How to Set Up And Track SLAs in HighLevel Conversations

Imagine this. You just launched a massive lead-generation campaign for a high-paying client. The ads are absolutely crushing it, and leads are pouring into the inbox from Facebook, SMS, and email. You are hyped. This is exactly what they pay you for.

But then reality hits. Your client’s sales team is swamped. A hot prospect texts in asking for a quote, but their message gets buried under a pile of low-priority support tickets. Two hours go by before a rep finally replies. But it is too late. The prospect already Googled a competitor, got an instant reply, and signed a contract. You just burned a high-ticket deal because your team’s response times were completely invisible.

You cannot scale an agency if your sales team is treating hot leads like casual text messages. HighLevel fixes this instantly with Conversation SLAs (Service Level Agreements). You can put a ticking, color-coded countdown timer on every single incoming message, ensuring your team knows exactly who to reply to before the lead goes cold. Let us get your response times dialed in right now.

Ready to streamline this? Here is exactly how to do it in 60 seconds:

Part 1: Unlock and Enable the SLA Engine

First, we need to activate the feature in your settings.

1. Crucial first step: Make sure you navigate to Labs and enable the CRM Redesign – Conversations + Contact Detail Page (Upgrade). SLAs are only supported on the new Conversations page!
2. Navigate to the Conversations module in your sub-account.
3. At the top panel, click on the Settings tab.
4. Click on the SLA Settings toggle to turn it on.

Part 2: Define Your SLA Rules Across Channels

Not all messages are created equal. Let us set your targets.

1. Under “How should SLAs apply across channels?”, you have two choices.
2. Select Common SLA to apply the exact same rule to everything (e.g., all messages across all channels must be answered in 1 hour).
3. Alternatively, select Channel-Specific SLA to get granular. (e.g., SMS requires a 15-minute reply, but Email gets a 2-hour window).

Part 3: Set the Countdown Timers

Now we set the visual cues so your agents know exactly when they are running out of time.

1. Set your Due Soon time limit. This is your warning window. When a conversation hits this mark, the timer turns orange.
2. Set your Overdue time limit. This is the absolute maximum time allowed. Once breached, the timer turns bright red. (Note: Active, on-track SLAs will remain a calm grey color).

Part 4: Control Automation and AI Behavior

Do bots count as a reply? You get to decide.

1. In the workflow section, choose if automated messages should stop the SLA countdown timer. You can count all automation as valid, completely ignore them (requiring a human reply), or only count specific workflows.
2. Next, decide how your AI Agent impacts the timer. By default, it will count AI replies as valid responses and stop the clock, but you can toggle this off if you require a human touch.
3. Click Save to apply your settings. All new incoming messages will now get a timer!

Part 5: Filter and Sort the Inbox

Let us use this new data to manage your workload effectively.

1. Inside your Conversations inbox, use the Filter by SLA Status to view only Active, Due Soon, or Overdue chats.
2. Use the Sort by SLA option to pull the Longest Overdue or the Next SLA Target straight to the top of your screen so your team tackles the most urgent fires first.

Tracking your conversation SLAs ensures your team responds to every lead with lightning speed, keeping your pipeline hot and your clients thrilled.

Frequently Asked Questions

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