FAQs: Supervisor Rules or Time-based Automations
What is a Supervisor rule?
Supervisor rules help teams manage tasks that don’t require an immediate response. Unlike workflow rules, which run as soon as a ticket is created or updated, Supervisor rules let actions occur after a set time period.
This means alerts, tasks, and field updates can be scheduled to run only when a ticket stays inactive, unassigned, or unresolved for longer than expected.
For example, administrators can use a Supervisor rule if a ticket remains unassigned for more than two hours, the rule can automatically notify the manager so they can quickly assign it to the right agent. This way, unassigned tickets don’t sit unnoticed in your help desk.
How is a Supervisor rule different from a Workflow rule?
Workflow rule | Supervisor rule |
Workflow rules are event-based. | Supervisor rules are time-based. |
Automation triggers immediately when a ticket is created, updated, or a field value changes. | Automation triggers after a specified time interval has passed since a defined event. |
Executes instantly when conditions are met. Triggered based on current field values or changes (e.g., Status is Open, Priority is High). | Executes once every hour, checking tickets that meet the defined time-based condition. Triggered based on elapsed time conditions (e.g., Hours since assigned > 2, Hours since last response > 4). |
Can trigger multiple actions like alerts, field updates, and custom functions simultaneously. | Can trigger up to three time-based actions per rule: one alert, one task, and one field update. |
Available across multiple modules (Tickets, Contacts, Accounts, etc.). | Applicable only to the Tickets module. |
Why should I use Supervisor rules?
Supervisor rules help administrators automate time-based actions so that no ticket stays unattended or unresolved for too long.
Here are the key benefits:
- Automatically escalates tickets that stay unresolved for too long, keeping queues organized and manageable.
- Removes the need for teams to constantly check for inactive or overdue tickets by automating the follow-up process.
- Supports time-based automation needs where immediate action isn’t required, allowing for scheduled or delayed checks at the right time.
- Promotes timely ticket handling: Triggers follow-up actions on tickets that need attention, helping teams resolve issues faster and more consistently.
Who can create and manage Supervisor rules?
Users who have the Support Administrator profile or whose profile includes the Help Desk Automation permission under Administrative Permissions can create, edit, activate/deactivate, associate actions with, and delete Supervisor rules.
How to create a Supervisor rule?
Users can create Supervisor rules to automatically perform actions on tickets based on time-based conditions.
To set up a Supervisor rule:
- Navigate to Setup > Automation > Supervisor Rules > Rules.
- Select the department.
- Click Create Rule.
- Give the rule a name and a description.
- Mark the rule Active.
- Select the Business hours during which this rule will apply.
- Click Next.
- Under Criteria, click Select field to determine after which action the rule needs to be executed. This includes time-based criteria such as:
- Hours since status updated
- Hours since closed
- Hours since reopened
- Hours since assigned
- Hours since first assigned
- Hours since requestor responded
- Hours since agent responded
- Hours since due date
- Hours to due date
- Hours since modified
- Hours since created
- Hours since first response pending
- Hours since agent response pending
- Hours since requestor response pending
- Under Action, click + to add actions to be performed when the time-based action is executed.
- To create an alert:
- Provide a name and description.
- Select an email template or create an email template.
- Choose who to send the email alert to: team/role/role and subordinate/agents.
- Under Also Notify, the email can be sent to the record owner/record creator/notify contact/additional recipients as well.
- Click Save.
- To update the field value:
- Provide the assignment value name and description.
- Under Assignment Value, select the Fields that need to be updated.
- Provide the Value that needs to be changed.
- To set up a task:
- Give the task subject.
- Choose the task’s status.
- Set the task priority.
- Check the box if the ticket owner needs to be assigned as the task owner.
- Select an agent who needs to be assigned to this task. Even if the ticket owner will be the task owner, select the agent who should be assigned to this task if the ticket is unassigned.
- Set the due date for the task from the Supervisor Rules trigger time by clicking the timer and time selector (minutes, hours, days, or months).
- Provide a description.
- Click Save.
- Click Save again to save the overall Supervisor rule.
Is it possible to use supervisor rule in standard and custom modules ?
Supervisor rules are supported ONLY in the Tickets module. It aims to help monitor ticket's activities such as passed hours since status update, assignment, or response and trigger respective actions like alerts, tasks, or field updates when a defined time condition is met.
What types of time-based conditions are available in Supervisor rules?
All time-based conditions are set and calculated hourly, rather than having an option to define them in minutes or half-hour intervals. Here are the time-based action available in supervisor rules:
- Hours since status updated
- Hours since closed
- Hours since re-opened
- Hours since assigned
- Hours since first assigned
- Hours since requestor responded
- Hours since agent responded
- Hours since due date
- Hours to due date
- Hours since modified
- Hours since created
- Hours since first response pending
- Hours since agent response pending
- Hours since requestor response pending
How does Zoho Desk calculate time for Supervisor rule conditions?
Zoho Desk calculates time for Supervisor rules based on the Business Hours chosen while setting up the rule. Time is counted only during the company’s working hours set under Setup > Organization > Business Hours.
The timer pauses after hours, weekends, and on holidays, then resumes when business hours start again. For example, if a ticket is assigned at 5 PM Friday and your hours end at 6 PM, the next hour is counted only when business hours resume on Monday.
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