How conversations flow
What the AI listens for
OpenCX processes five types of Intercom webhook events:| Event | What OpenCX does |
|---|---|
| New customer message | Creates a session and generates an AI reply. Skips outbound automations and bot-initiated conversations. |
| Customer reply | Continues AI processing on the existing session. |
| Admin reply | Stores the reply in the conversation history for context. Does not trigger AI processing. |
| Assignment change | If the conversation is assigned to the AI admin and Process on assignment is enabled, the AI picks up and processes the full thread. |
| Conversation closed | If closed while assigned to the AI admin, the session is marked as resolved with a summary and sentiment. |
Intercom classifies conversations as either web (Messenger) or email based on how the customer initiated contact. OpenCX maps these to its own channel types automatically.
Handoff to your team
When the AI decides it cannot resolve a conversation, it hands off in four steps:Post an internal note
OpenCX posts an internal note to the Intercom conversation containing a summary of what the customer asked, the detected sentiment, and the conversation language. Your rep sees this immediately when they open the conversation.
Tag the conversation
The conversation is tagged
opencx_handed_off so you can filter handoffs in your Intercom views and reports.Unassign or reassign
Based on your handoff assignment setting:
- Unassigned: the AI admin is removed and the conversation enters your team’s unassigned queue.
- Specific admin: the conversation is assigned to the admin you configured.
- Specific team: the conversation is assigned to the team you configured.
Tags OpenCX applies
| Tag | When it appears |
|---|---|
opencx_handed_off | AI decided to escalate the conversation. |
opencx_ai_assisted | posted a draft reply as an internal note. |
| Session-level tags | Any tags you define on the OpenCX session sync to the Intercom conversation automatically. |
Full conversation sync
When Full conversation sync is enabled in settings, OpenCX stores all conversation messages — even from conversations the AI never touched. No AI processing runs; messages are recorded as-is for reporting, analytics, and supervision.When to enable full sync
When to enable full sync
Enable this when you want OpenCX to be the single source of truth for all customer conversations. Useful for teams that use OpenCX reporting and insights but don’t want the AI actively participating in every conversation.
How it works with Assist Mode
How it works with Assist Mode
When full sync and Assist are both enabled, conversations not assigned to the AI admin still create OpenCX sessions. Assist Mode posts draft replies as internal notes on those sessions without changing the conversation assignment.
Related Documentation
Connect Intercom
Credentials, webhook, admin selection, and settings.
Assist Mode
AI-drafted internal notes on agent-owned conversations.
Channels
Per-channel details for Web and Email.
Troubleshooting
Handoff not firing, AI not replying, duplicate messages.