Inbound Email Flows & Inbound Chat Flows
These are two distinct Architect flow types, each handling a specific digital channel. Both share structural similarities with Inbound Message flows but have channel-specific behaviors and limitations.
Inbound Email Flows
| Section |
Description |
| Feature Area |
Architect / Flows |
| Flow Type |
Inbound Email |
| Navigation (Architect) |
Admin → Architect → Flows → Inbound Email |
| Navigation (Connect to domain) |
Admin → Contact Center → Email → [domain] → Route Settings → select flow |
| Primary Function |
Route incoming ACD emails to the correct queue based on sender, subject, keywords, or scheduling logic |
What Inbound Email Flows Do
Inbound email flows allow administrators to route and deliver incoming email messages to the right queue based on customer identity and intent. The flow is assigned to an email domain in the Email routing settings and runs when a new inbound email arrives.
Email Flow Characteristics
| Attribute |
Value / Description |
| Does NOT have failure/success paths |
Unlike call flows — errors are handled by configuring an action's path (e.g., Disconnect, Transfer to Queue) |
| No language settings |
Inbound email flows do not support language configuration |
| No in-queue handling |
Cannot trigger an in-queue flow from within the email flow itself |
| No audio controls |
No DTMF, no text-to-speech |
| Maximum wait time |
72 hours |
| In-queue flow limit |
30 in-queue flows per email interaction (prevents looping when target queue = current queue) |
| In-queue flow initial period |
60 seconds (recurring states run every 5 minutes + 5 second added wait) |
| Auto-generated email handling |
Configurable — default is Disconnect; can be set to "Process as normal" |
Auto-Generated Email Detection
Genesys Cloud automatically identifies auto-generated emails by confirming all three of these headers:
Default behavior: auto-generated emails are disconnected. Setting location: Architect → Flows → Settings → Inbound Email.
Common Routing Logic in Email Flows
| Routing Scenario |
Architect Technique |
| Route by keyword in subject line |
Contains() function in a Decision action |
| Route by sender's email domain |
EmailAddressDomainPart() function in a Decision action |
| Route by case ID in body |
Contains() on the body text |
| Route by schedule (business hours) |
Evaluate Schedule or Evaluate Schedule Group action |
| Auto-reply after hours |
Send Auto Reply action |
| Route internal vs external senders |
EmailAddressDomainPart() — send internal employees to employee queue, everyone else to standard queue |
Permissions
| Permission |
Purpose |
Architect > Flow > Add |
Create email flows |
Architect > Flow > Edit |
Edit email flows |
Architect > Flow > View |
View email flows |
Architect > Flow > Delete |
Delete email flows |
How Email Flows Connect to Email Domains
- Create and publish the Inbound Email flow in Architect
- Navigate to
Admin → Contact Center → Email
- Select the email domain and configure routing settings
- Assign the published Inbound Email flow
Inbound Chat Flows
| Section |
Description |
| Feature Area |
Architect / Flows |
| Flow Type |
Inbound Chat |
| Navigation (Architect) |
Admin → Architect → Flows → Inbound Chat |
| Primary Function |
Route ACD web chat interactions to the correct queue; optionally invoke bot flows before agent handoff |
| Channel |
Web chat (via Web Chat widget / Web Messenger — deprecated web chat; Inbound Chat flows are for legacy Web Chat) |
What Inbound Chat Flows Do
Inbound Chat flows handle chat interactions arriving via Genesys web chat widgets. They route chats to agents, invoke bots, and perform logic based on available agent capacity, schedules, or customer data. This flow type is distinct from Inbound Message flows, which handle ACD messaging channels (SMS, social, messaging apps, Web Messenger).
Chat Flow Characteristics
| Attribute |
Value / Description |
| Failure/success paths |
No — same as email; errors handled via action-level path configuration |
| In-queue handling |
No in-queue flow within chat flows |
| Audio controls |
No — no DTMF, no TTS |
| Language setting |
Yes — chat flows do support a default language setting |
| Error event transfer queue |
Configurable at flow creation — optional queue to transfer the flow to if Architect detects an error |
| Maximum wait time |
72 hours |
| Bot integration |
Can invoke a Dialog Engine Bot Flow or Digital Bot Flow via Call Bot Flow / Call Digital Bot Flow action |
Permissions
| Permission |
Purpose |
Architect > Flow > Add |
Create chat flows |
Architect > Flow > Edit |
Edit chat flows |
Architect > Flow > View |
View chat flows |
Architect > Flow > Delete |
Delete chat flows |
Comparison: Email vs Chat vs Message Flows
| Attribute |
Inbound Email |
Inbound Chat |
Inbound Message |
| Channel |
Email (ACD) |
Web Chat (legacy) |
ACD Messaging (SMS, social, Web Messenger) |
| Failure/success paths |
No |
No |
No |
| Language setting |
No |
Yes |
No |
| In-queue handling |
No |
No |
No |
| Audio / DTMF / TTS |
No |
No |
No |
| Maximum wait time |
72 hours |
72 hours |
72 hours |
| In-queue flow limit |
30 per interaction |
N/A |
30 per interaction |
| Bot integration |
No (email-specific) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Auto-generated handling |
Yes (configurable) |
No |
No |
Shared Architect Flow Notes for Digital Flows
| Rule |
Applies To |
| No failure or success paths |
Email, Chat, Message |
| In-queue flow limit of 30 |
Email and Message |
| Cannot loop transfer to same queue |
Email and Message |
| 72-hour max wait time |
Email, Chat, Message |
| All require publishing before use |
All flow types |
| Assigned at channel config level |
Email → Email domain settings; Chat → Web Chat widget; Message → Messaging config |
Key Takeaways
| Topic |
Summary |
| Inbound Email flow |
Routes ACD emails; no audio, no failure paths, no language; max 72hr wait; auto-generated email detection |
| Auto-generated detection |
Three headers: Auto-Submitted ≠ "no", Precedence = "bulk", X-Autoreply = "yes" |
| Email routing techniques |
Contains(), EmailAddressDomainPart(), Evaluate Schedule, Send Auto Reply |
| In-queue flow limit |
30 per email/message interaction |
| Inbound Chat flow |
Routes legacy web chat; similar to email but does support language setting |
| Chat vs Message |
Inbound Chat = legacy Web Chat widget; Inbound Message = ACD messaging channels (SMS, social, Web Messenger) |
| Both lack in-queue handling |
Neither email nor chat flows trigger in-queue flows internally |
