SLA rules define the response and resolution time limits for tickets in Smart Support.
Each rule can apply to a specific priority, a specific department, both a priority and a department, or all tickets globally. This gives you the flexibility to create different service targets for different types of support requests.
Accessing SLA Rules
To manage SLA rules, go to: Smart Support > SLA Rules
From this screen, you can add new SLA rules and manage existing ones.
Creating an SLA Rule
To create a new SLA rule:
- Go to Smart Support > SLA Rules. Click Add New.
- Enter a rule name.
- Select a ticket priority, department, or both.
- Enter the response time limit.
- Enter the resolution time limit.
- Configure business hours, if needed.
- Configure email notifications, if needed.
- Save the rule.
Rule Name
The rule name should clearly describe when the SLA rule is used.
Examples:
- Critical Priority SLA
- Billing Department SLA
- Technical Support High Priority SLA
- Global Default SLA
A clear name makes it easier to understand SLA performance in analytics and reports.
Priority and Department Conditions
SLA rules can be assigned to tickets based on priority and department.
You can configure a rule for:
- A specific priority
- A specific department
- A specific priority and department combination
- All tickets
To create a global SLA rule, leave both priority and department blank.
Response Time Limit
The response time limit defines how long the support team has to send the first agent response.
This value is entered in seconds.
For example:
- 900 seconds = 15 minutes
- 1800 seconds = 30 minutes
- 3600 seconds = 1 hour
- 7200 seconds = 2 hours
The response SLA is considered met when the first agent response is sent within the configured time limit.
Resolution Time Limit
The resolution time limit defines how long the support team has to resolve the ticket.
This value is also entered in seconds.
For example:
- 14400 seconds = 4 hours
- 28800 seconds = 8 hours
- 86400 seconds = 24 hours
- 172800 seconds = 48 hours
The resolution SLA is considered met when the ticket is resolved within the configured time limit.
Business Hours
Business hours can be enabled for SLA calculations.
When business hours are enabled, only the configured working hours count toward SLA deadlines. Time outside business hours is excluded from the SLA calculation.
This is useful for teams that do not provide 24/7 support.
Email Notifications
Each SLA rule can include notification settings.
Notifications can be used to alert recipients when:
- A ticket is approaching an SLA breach
- A ticket has breached SLA
Recipients can be configured globally in SLA settings or directly on individual SLA rules.
How SLA Rules Are Matched
When a ticket is created, Smart Support – SLA checks available rules and applies the most specific matching rule.
Rules are matched in this order:
- Rules matching both priority and department
- Rules matching priority only
- Rules matching department only
- Global rules with no priority or department selected
This ensures that specific rules are used before broader fallback rules.
SLA rules are the foundation of SLA tracking in Smart Support – SLA. By creating rules for different priorities, departments, or global defaults, you can define clear response and resolution expectations for every ticket.