How routing rules work
When a new 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
Conditions differ by provider, because the platforms themselves do. Here's exactly what each one gives you.
| Condition | Intercom | HubSpot | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignee | Route Dana's conversations to #dana | ||
| Team | Route Sales team to #sales-support | ||
| Tags | Route "enterprise" to #enterprise | ||
| Inbox | Route the Support inbox to #support | ||
| Channel | Route email threads to #email-queue | ||
| Status | Route only open conversations | ||
| Actor type | Route Breeze AI handoffs to #ai-escalations |
A dash means the platform has no such concept—HubSpot conversations carry no tags, for example, so there's nothing to route on. Nothing is being withheld.
Multiple conditions = AND logic
When a rule has multiple conditions, ALL must match for the rule to trigger. "Team: Sales AND Inbox: Support" only matches sales conversations arriving in the support inbox.
Multiple tags = OR logic
On Intercom, 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?
It depends on the platform. Intercom rules can use tags, team, and assignee. HubSpot rules can use assignee, team, inbox, channel, status, and actor type. Multiple conditions in one rule use AND logic, while multiple tags on Intercom use OR logic.