---
schema_version: "1"
id: 8acae449f4ffd2aa495e7ed6c6538f3c78bbf7da75eb0d10cbd885e083aad5a1
title: Bypass the Welcome Message When Handing Off Ongoing Conversations to an Agentforce Service Agent
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/ai/264-0-0/agent_asa_welcome_message.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_asa_welcome_message.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 9e5741938500a06f0921b15ef138473e4346dbcef446af1fc571748d41aaa537
description: Configure an Agentforce Service agent to seamlessly pick up an ongoing conversation where it left off instead of sending the system welcome message.
products:
  - Agentforce
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Bypass the Welcome Message When Handing Off Ongoing Conversations to an Agentforce Service Agent

Configure an Agentforce Service agent to seamlessly pick up an ongoing conversation where it left off instead of sending the system welcome message.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions. <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_setup_explore_types.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Learn about agent types and default templates for specific clouds and common use cases.">Required add-on licenses vary by agent type.</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

When an ongoing conversation is routed to an Agentforce Service agent, the agent sends the system welcome message and then responds to the customer’s previous message. When a conversation is initiated on a Messaging channel, including Enhanced Chat, the agent sends the system welcome message, waits for the customer to send a message, and then generates a response based on the latest message and the context of the prior conversation.

You can configure the agent to bypass the system welcome message and respond directly to the customer’s previous message instead. Simply leave [the Welcome Message field](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.copilot_setup_system_messages.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Agent-level instructions provide your agent with guidance on how to interact in all situations, including any rules it should follow. Your agent sends system messages, such as welcome and error messages, when your users begins chatting with an agent and if they encounter system errors.") blank.

- When no welcome message is specified and a messaging session with previous conversation history is routed to the agent, the agent processes and responds to the customer’s most recent message.
    
    If the conversation is transferred to the agent from a service rep or bot, the agent waits for the customer to send a new message before responding. The agent then generates a response based on the latest message and the context of the prior conversation.
- When no welcome message is specified and a messaging session with no conversation history is started, the agent waits for the customer to send an initial message and then generates a response based on the intent of the customer’s initial message. Use subagent instructions to refine how the agent responds, based on the use cases your agent is designed to handle.

If you don’t specify a system welcome message, it’s still important to disclose that an AI agent has joined the conversation so your customer knows that they’re not chatting with a human. We recommend configuring an auto-response at the start of the agent conversation, such as a Conversation Acknowledgment. See [Customize Auto-Responses in Service Cloud Messaging Channels](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_create_automated_responses.htm&type=5&language=en_US).