Quick answers to the most common questions about Commslayer.
Getting Started
How do I sign up and set up Commslayer?
Head to commslayer.com and create an account. The setup guide walks you through connecting your first inbox and installing the Shopify app. See Setting up Commslayer for full instructions.
Can I migrate from Gorgias, Helpscout, or another helpdesk?
Yes. Commslayer has importers for Gorgias and other platforms. See the Migration to-do & checklist for a step-by-step guide.
Can I connect multiple stores to one account?
Yes, you can connect unlimited stores to one account and only pay for one plan. If the stores are different brands, we recommend keeping them in separate accounts so the AI agent doesn't get confused between brands. Switching between accounts is easy from the top-left menu.
How do I add teammates as agents?
Go to Settings → Agents and invite them by email. See Add agents for details.
Email Setup
How do I connect my email inbox?
Follow the guide for your email provider:
Why aren't my replies showing up in my Gmail sent folder?
With the standard DNS setup, emails are sent from Commslayer's servers, so replies won't appear in your Gmail sent folder. If you need replies to show there, connect using the Gmail API option. This requires a paid Google Workspace account.
I set up Gmail forwarding but emails aren't arriving. What's wrong?
After setting up forwarding in Gmail, Google sends a confirmation email to your Commslayer inbox. You need to click the link in that email to approve the forwarding.
Can I connect a Microsoft 365 / Outlook inbox?
Yes. You may need to enable external forwarding in Microsoft 365 first, then follow the standard setup guide.
Is there a cost for adding more email inboxes?
No, adding more inboxes doesn't cost extra.
Pricing & Plans
Where can I find pricing?
See commslayer.com/pricing for current plans and costs.
Can I manage multiple stores under one plan?
Yes, unlimited stores on one account with one subscription. Separate accounts are recommended for separate brands.
AI Agent
How do I test the AI agent before going live?
Use the AI Playground. It lets you simulate conversations with the AI without affecting real customers. Guidance rules with "testing" status are active there. See Testing the AI agent for full instructions.
Why isn't the AI agent replying to emails?
A few things to check:
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The AI agent takes 1 to 3 minutes to reply to emails. This is intentional.
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If "Restrict to enabled guidances" is on, the AI only picks up conversations that match an enabled guidance rule.
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Make sure the AI agent is enabled on that inbox in Settings → Inboxes.
Can the AI look up Shopify orders?
Yes. On email and SMS, the AI automatically looks up orders using the customer's email or phone. On chat and social channels, it asks for the order number plus the email or phone used at checkout to verify identity.
Can I customize how the AI verifies customers for order lookups?
No. Order verification is built in and can't be overridden with guidance rules. This protects customer data. If verification fails, the AI asks for an alternate email and hands off to a human if it still can't match.
Why can't the AI find orders when I test in the playground?
The playground uses a default email that doesn't exist in Shopify. To test order lookups, select a real customer contact in the playground's contact selector, or use the "Test" button on a real conversation to import that customer's context.
How do I stop the AI from handling certain conversations?
Use autolabels to tag conversations you want the AI to skip, or unassign the AI agent from specific inboxes in Settings → Inboxes.
Can I connect the AI agent to external systems?
Yes, use custom actions to connect via HTTP webhooks. See Connect AI agent to external systems with custom actions.
Shopify Integration
Why isn't Commslayer showing customer info from Shopify?
The two most common causes:
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The customer emailed from a different address than the one they used at checkout.
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You have multiple shops connected to the same account, and each inbox can only be linked to one shop.
What Shopify actions can the AI agent perform?
The AI can tag orders, edit order items, update marketing consent, remove items, hold or cancel fulfillment, change shipping addresses, create orders, and more. Actions can be enabled or disabled individually in Settings → AI Actions.
Social & Messaging Channels
How do I connect Instagram and Facebook Messenger?
See Connect Instagram & Messenger. During setup, make sure to grant Commslayer access to all the pages you want connected. If a page is missing, re-add the inbox and use the "Previous settings" link in Meta's popup to check your page selections.
Will Commslayer sync my old Facebook / Instagram DMs?
No, only new messages going forward are synced. Send a test message after connecting to confirm it's working.
Automations, Macros & Labels
What's the difference between a macro and an automation?
A macro is triggered manually. You click a button to run it on a conversation. An automation runs automatically when a trigger condition is met (e.g., a new conversation is created).
Can incoming tickets be auto-assigned to agents?
Yes. Enable auto-assignment on your inbox, and tickets will be distributed round-robin to online agents. When no agents are online, tickets go to the unassigned queue.
How does ticket reassignment work when a conversation is reopened?
If the ticket was originally assigned to an agent, it returns to that agent when reopened.
Reports & Exports
Where can I find agent performance reports?
Go to Reports → Agents. Metrics include closed tickets, tickets replied, first response time, and resolution time. Each agent can view their own stats even without admin access.
Can I use business hours in reports?
Yes. Set up business hours on your inbox, then toggle "Business hours" in the Reports section to calculate metrics against those hours.
Can I export my conversations?
Yes. Go to Account Settings to export all conversations. Every report can also be exported.
Does Commslayer have a public API?
An API is planned. In the meantime, you can export conversation data from Account Settings.
Help Center
Can I set up a public help center for my customers?
Yes. Commslayer includes a built-in help center. You can customize the look, add a custom domain, and publish articles in multiple languages. See Setting up a help center to get started.
Feature Requests & Bugs
How do I submit a feature request?
Head to our feature request board to submit and vote on feature ideas. The team reviews all requests and factors them into the roadmap.
I found a bug. What's the best way to report it?
Reach out via the in-app chat or email karri@commslayer.com with a description of the issue and, if possible, a link to the affected conversation.