> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.open.cx/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chat in Front

> Route web chat and messaging conversations from Front through OpenCX AI with handoff to your Front inbox.

Web chat and messaging conversations that land in Front — including those from Front Chat, <Tooltip tip="A third-party messaging platform. Front receives messages from Smooch-connected channels (WhatsApp, Messenger, LINE, etc.) as 'smooch' type messages.">Smooch</Tooltip>-connected platforms, and custom channels — are processed by OpenCX. The AI picks up the conversation via webhook, generates a reply, and posts it as the AI teammate.

## Pre-requisites

<Warning>
  **Connect your Front workspace first.** The AI has nothing to respond to until the webhook is active — start with [Connect Front](/integrations/front/connect) and come back here.
</Warning>

* **Front connected and webhook active** — see [Connect Front](/integrations/front/connect).
* **Chat or messaging channel configured in Front** — your Front workspace must be receiving chat messages through Front Chat, Smooch, or a custom integration.

## How conversations land in Front

```mermaid theme={"dark"}
flowchart LR
  A[Customer opens chat] --> B[Message arrives in Front]
  B --> C[AI replies in chat]
  C --> D{AI can resolve?}
  D -- Yes --> E[Resolution note + archive]
  D -- No --> F[Handoff note + unassign]
  F --> G[Rep picks up in Front]
  G --> H[Rep replies — customer chat]
```

## Setting up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Confirm chat messages route to Front">
    Open your website or app where Front Chat (or a connected messaging platform) is installed and send a test message. The conversation should appear in your Front inbox.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the AI processes the message">
    The AI should reply within a few seconds. Check that the reply appears as a message from the AI teammate.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Trigger a test handoff">
    Send a message like *"I want to talk to a human"* in the chat. The AI should hand off — you'll see an internal handoff comment and the conversation unassigned.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the rep reply loop">
    Pick up the handed-off conversation in your Front inbox. Reply as a teammate — the message should land in the customer's chat window.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If the AI doesn't reply, check that the conversation is assigned to the AI teammate or that **Handle unassigned conversations** is enabled in [settings](/integrations/front/connect#settings-reference).
</Tip>

## What the rep sees

* The conversation appears in their **Front inbox** like any other chat thread.
* The full AI-to-customer transcript is already in the thread — no separate tool to check.
* An **internal handoff comment** with summary and sentiment.
* Replies typed in the Front inbox land back in the customer's chat window.

## Channel-specific details

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Messaging platform mapping" icon="grid-2">
    Front receives messages from various sources and labels them by type. OpenCX maps these to internal channel types:

    | Front message type               | OpenCX channel |
    | -------------------------------- | -------------- |
    | `custom` (Front Chat)            | Web            |
    | `smooch` (third-party messaging) | Web            |
    | `intercom`                       | Web            |
    | Unknown types                    | Web (default)  |

    The AI responds the same way regardless of the underlying messaging platform.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Real-time responses" icon="bolt">
    Chat conversations are processed immediately on webhook delivery. The AI typically replies within a few seconds of receiving a customer message.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Inline images and attachments" icon="image">
    Images customers send in chat are downloaded from Front's API and uploaded to OpenCX storage. The AI can reference them in its reasoning. Other attachment types retain their original filename and content type.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Custom channel identifiers" icon="code">
    If your Front workspace uses custom channels, the customer's handle (the identifier used to reach them) is extracted from the webhook payload. This is typically a username, user ID, or external reference depending on how your custom channel is configured.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related Documentation

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Email channel" icon="envelope" href="/integrations/front/channels/email">
    Email conversation specifics.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect Front" icon="plug" href="/integrations/front/connect">
    API token, webhook, and teammate selection.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Front overview" icon="inbox" href="/integrations/front/overview">
    What else the Front integration covers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="wrench" href="/integrations/front/troubleshooting">
    AI not replying, webhook errors, handoff not firing.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>