How routing rules work
When a new Intercom conversation comes in, BackReply evaluates your routing rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches determines where the notification goes. Simple, predictable, and easy to debug.
Top-to-bottom evaluation
Rules are checked in order. Put your most specific rules at the top, and catch-all rules at the bottom.
First match wins
As soon as a rule matches, that's where the notification goes. Subsequent rules are skipped entirely.
Notification posted
The conversation appears in the matched Slack channel, ready for your team to respond.
Drag to reorder. Priority made simple.
Drag and drop rules to change their priority. Your most important routing conditions should be at the top.
In this example, a VIP enterprise conversation would go to #vip-support (rule 1 matches first).
Available routing conditions
Route conversations based on these attributes from Intercom.
| Condition | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conversation Type | New conversations vs. follow-ups | Route new conversations to triage |
| Tags | Intercom conversation tags | Route "enterprise" to #enterprise |
| Assignee | Specific team member assignment | Route John's conversations to #john |
| Team | Intercom team assignment | Route Sales team to #sales-support |
Multiple conditions = AND logic
When a rule has multiple conditions, ALL must match for the rule to trigger. "Team: Sales AND Tags: vip" only matches VIP sales conversations.
Multiple tags = OR logic
When specifying multiple tags, ANY tag can match. "Tags: vip, enterprise" matches conversations with either tag.
Ownership prevents duplicate replies
Once a conversation is routed, ownership controls ensure only one person responds at a time.
Claim to reply
The first responder claims ownership of the conversation before replying.
Clear visibility
Everyone can see who owns the conversation and its current status.
Easy handoff
Transfer ownership to another teammate when you need to escalate or hand off.
Common questions
What if no rules match?
You can set up a catch-all rule at the bottom that matches all conversations. This ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Can I test my rules before going live?
Yes. You can preview which channel a conversation would route to before activating your rules.
What conditions can I use in rules?
You can route based on conversation type (new vs follow-up), tags, assignee, and team. Multiple conditions use AND logic, while multiple tags use OR logic.