How to Set Up and Track Conversation SLAs in Sparkforge

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Conversation SLAs in Sparkforge run a response-time countdown on every incoming thread. Configure common or per-channel targets, choose whether workflow and AI replies stop the timer, and filter by Active, Due Soon, or Overdue.

Conversation SLAs put a response-time goal on every incoming thread inside the Sparkforge Conversations inbox. Timers turn grey (on track), orange (due soon), or red (overdue) so agents see what's urgent at a glance.

Prerequisite: enable CRM Redesign — Conversations + Contact Detail Page (Upgrade) from Labs. SLAs are supported only on the new Conversations page.

What SLAs do

Push faster replies with a visible countdown on every thread.
Color-code threads so the most urgent surface first.
Apply one universal SLA, or per-channel targets for Email, SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, and more.
Filter and sort the inbox by Longest SLA Overdue or Next SLA Target.

How to set up SLAs

Step 1: Open SLA settings

Open the Conversations module from your sub-account.
Click the Settings tab at the top.
Toggle SLA Settings on.

Step 2: Choose how SLAs apply across channels

Common SLA: one rule for every channel. Example: every conversation must be answered within 1 hour.
Channel-specific SLA: different targets per channel. Example: SMS within 15 minutes, email within 2 hours.

Step 3: Define SLA timings

Due Soon: the warning window. Timer turns orange.
Overdue: the breach threshold. Timer turns red.

Step 4: Decide how workflow messages affect SLAs

Count all automation messages as valid responses (timer stops on workflow send).
Don't count automation messages (timer runs until a human replies).
Count only specific workflows.

Step 5: Decide how AI agent messages affect SLAs

Count AI replies as valid responses (default — timer stops).
Don't count AI replies (timer runs until a human replies).

Step 6: Save

Click Save. New incoming customer messages get SLA timers from this point forward. Existing conversations keep whatever rules were active when they began.

SLA timer states

State	Color	Meaning
Active	Grey	SLA is on track and within the allowed time.
Due Soon	Orange	SLA is approaching the response deadline.
Overdue	Red	SLA time has been exceeded.

Timers disappear once an agent replies or marks the conversation as read.

Filter and sort by SLA

Filter by SLA status: Active, Due Soon, or Overdue.
Sort by SLA: Longest Overdue or Next SLA Target.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will SLAs apply to existing conversations after I enable them?

No. SLAs apply only to new incoming messages created after the feature is turned on. Existing conversations continue without SLA tracking.

Do automated or AI replies stop the timer?

Only if you configure them to. By default, workflow messages do not stop the timer and AI messages do. Adjust both under How Workflow and AI Messages Affect SLAs.

Does SLA tracking respect business hours?

Not yet. SLAs run on calendar hours. Business hours support is on the roadmap.

Can I set different SLAs per channel?

Yes. Choose Channel-Specific SLA in Step 2 and set targets per channel.

If a contact sends multiple messages, how is the timer calculated?

The timer runs from the oldest unanswered customer message in the thread, so it reflects the full wait time.

Can I trigger workflows or report on SLAs?

Not yet. SLA-based triggers and reporting are planned for a later phase.