Canned responses

Canned responses are customizable inputs where a typed shortcut populates a longer response. A user enters a keyword shortcut, which is then automatically replaced by the expanded substitution response. Canned responses save time by allowing users to use shorthand phrases to populate longer messages. This also limits the possibility of errors when typing out longer messages because these are pre-set messages. This maintains consistency throughout customer interactions.

Canned responses consist of two main components: the shortcut and the substitution. The shortcut is the keyword or key phrase that is to be replaced. The substitution is the longer message that replaces the shortcut.

Canned responses are available to use in Live Chat conversations, the Discuss app, and the Chatter composer. This includes direct message conversations, channel conversations, and WhatsApp messages.

Creating canned responses

Canned responses are managed through the Discuss application. To create a new canned response, or manage the list of existing responses, navigate to Discuss app ‣ Configuration ‣ Canned Responses.

Then, to create a new canned response, click New at the top-left of the list. Doing so reveals a new blank line in the list.

Canned responses consist of two main components, a shortcut the user enters, and the substitution that replaces the shortcut.

Type a shortcut command in the Shortcut field. Next, click on the Substitution field, and type the message that will replace the shortcut.

Tip

Try to connect the shortcut to the topic of the substitution. Not only does this make it easier to use the responses, it prevents the list of responses from becoming disorganized and overwhelming.

In the Description field, add any information that provides context for this response, such as guidelines for when it should or should not be used.

The Created by field automatically populates with the name of the user that creates a new response. This field cannot be edited.

To share this response with other users, select one or more groups in the Authorized Group field that should have access.

Warning

If the Authorized Group field is left blank, the response can only be used by the user that created it.

Canned responses created by the database are automatically credited as created by OdooBot. They must be assigned to an authorized group before they can be used by any users. To view the responses created by OdooBot, navigate to Discuss app ‣ Configuration ‣ Canned Responses. Click into the Search.. bar, and remove any filters.

Lastly, the Last Used field keeps track of the date and time each response was most recently used. This field cannot be edited.

Share responses

Canned responses, by default, are made available only to the user who creates them. To make a canned response available for others to use, they need to be shared.

Note

Users with Administrator access rights can view and edit canned responses created by other users through the Discuss app. However, they are only able to use them if they are included in an authorized group that has been designated on that canned responses item line, located on the Canned Responses page.

Access to shared responses is granted on the groups level.

To view the Groups a user is a member of, first enable Developer mode, then navigate to Settings app ‣ Users & Companies ‣ Users. Select a user from the list, and click to open their User Record. Then, click the Groups smart button at the top of the page.

Tip

To view a list of users in a specific group, first enable Developer mode. Next, navigate to Settings app ‣ Users & Companies ‣ Groups. Select a group from the list, then click to open the Group Record. A list of users is included on the Users tab.

After determining what groups should have access to a response, they must be added to the Authorized Groups field for each canned response.

Note

The user who created the response can use it, even if they are not a member of one of the Authorized Groups.

Use a canned response

Canned responses can be used in the Discuss app, in a Live Chat conversation, or on any record that contains a Chatter composer. This includes direct message conversations, channel conversations, and WhatsApp messages.

To use a canned response, type a colon (:) into a Chatter composer or chat window, followed by the shortcut. Then press Enter. This replaces the shortcut with the substitution, though the response can still be edited before it is sent.

Tip

Typing : in the Chatter composer, or chat window, on its own generates a drop-down list of available canned responses. A response can be selected from the list, in addition to the use of shortcuts.

To search through the list of available responses, type :, followed by the first few letters of the shortcut.

See also

• Chatter

• Discuss

• Commands and Canned Responses