---
schema_version: "1"
id: af930546a33caa2ec70123915b9c4c1ff9ef8c39eb8b1b324c5d96d0bea2d888
title: Route Service Messaging Sessions with Omni-Channel Flows
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_routing_flows.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_routing_flows.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4fd00346acc88ab67995dee801e3cbfddba8a5aa1d8e7f0c646ce214f25ace52
description: Dynamically route customer messages sent over a Messaging channel to the right service rep, queue, or bot. Build a template-based flow in Flow Builder and assign it to one or more Messaging channels.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Route Service Messaging Sessions with Omni-Channel Flows

Dynamically route customer messages sent over a Messaging channel to the right service rep, queue, or bot. Build a template-based flow in Flow Builder and assign it to one or more Messaging channels.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
          <colgroup>
            <col style="width:50%">
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          <tbody>
            <tr class="">
              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
                <a name="messaging_routing_flows__d231e447"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_routing_flows__d231e447" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
                <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
              </td>

              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced WhatsApp, Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Standard and Enhanced SMS,
                Enhanced Apple Messages for Business, Enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own
                Channel</td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
                <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
                <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
              </td>

              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat or Enhanced Web Chat channels</td>

            </tr>
          </tbody>
        </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
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              <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d15271e102">User Permissions
                Needed</th>
            </tr>
          </thead>
          <tbody>
            <tr class="">
              <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">To open, edit, or create a flow in Flow Builder:</td>

              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">Manage Flow</td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">To set up and edit Messaging channels:</td>

              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">Configure Messaging</td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">To view channels:</td>

              <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15271e102 ">View Setup and Configuration</td>

            </tr>
          </tbody>
        </table>

For help configuring Omni-Channel flows for Enhanced Chat, see the Enhanced Chat setup documentation.

## Step 1: Configure Omni-Channel

To get started, enable Omni-Channel and update its settings.

1. In Setup, navigate to the **Omni-Channel Settings** page.
2. Select **Enable Omni-Channel**.
3. To let service reps transfer messaging sessions to other reps in enhanced Messaging channels, select **Enable Skills-Based and Direct-to-Agent Routing**.
4. Configure the other options according to your preferences, and save your changes.
5. Create a service channel for your Messaging channels. The service channel links your routing logic to the Messaging Session object.
    1. In Setup, go to the **Service Channels** page.
    2. Click **New**.
    3. Enter a name for your service channel, such as All Messaging.
    4. Select Messaging Session as the Salesforce object.
    5. Configure the other options, and save your service channel.
6. [Create presence statuses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.service_presence_create_presence_status.htm&type=5&language=en_US) for Messaging. If you’re not sure which statuses to create, start with these three: Available - Messaging, On Break, Busy.

![Warning](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_warning.png)

Warning On the Omni-Channel settings page, you have the option to enable enhanced routing to take advantage of additional routing features. However, keep in mind that enhanced routing can’t be used with standard Messaging channels, and enabling it deactivates any active standard channels. If this happens, reactivate them by disabling enhanced routing and then refreshing your channel list on the Messaging Settings page in Setup.

## Step 2: Create an Omni-Channel Flow

With the help of a Messaging flow template, create an Omni-Channel flow to route customer messages to your support team. You can create one flow to provide routing for all your Messaging channels or designate a separate flow for each channel. It’s fine to use one flow for both standard and enhanced channels. 

You can create one flow to provide routing for all your Messaging channels, or designate a separate flow for each channel. It’s fine to use one flow for both standard and enhanced channels, but if you plan to use bots, know that a flow can’t route to both standard and enhanced bots. The flow is linked to each Messaging channel in the channel settings.

1. [Create an Omni-Channel queue](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.setting_up_queues.htm&type=5&language=en_US) to serve as your fallback routing strategy, and add Messaging Session as a supported object.
2. In Setup, enter Flows in the Quick Find box, and then select **Flows** under Process Automation.
3. Click **New Flow**.
4. Select **Use a Template**, then click **Next**.
5. Select **Omni-Channel Flow** in the left pane, and click the template named **Messages Routed to Agents and Queues**.
    
    ![Flow templates window](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_new_omni_flow.png)
6. To open the template, click **Create**.
7. Edit the template to reflect your routing preferences, and save your changes.

![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_example.png)

Example

Maria, the Salesforce admin at Ursa Major Solar, wants all VIP customers routed directly to Jessica, her most experienced service rep. All other customers will be routed to a queue of Ursa Major’s service reps. Here’s what she does.

- Simplify the template so it has just two routing decision outcomes: VIP Customer and Other Customers. The VIP Customer outcome checks the account name of the messaging user’s contact record. If it’s one of Ursa Major’s three biggest accounts, the customer is considered a VIP.
- Add a Check Availability for Routing element at the beginning of the first routing path. Choose the option to route to a service rep and select Jessica. Then, add a variable to show the number of reps online, and add a decision element with Yes and No outcomes. If the customer is a VIP and Jessica is available, their session is routed to her. If Jessica is offline, the customer is routed to the queue.
- Edit the remaining flow elements and replace any placeholders with real values. For example, update all service channel placeholders to list your Messaging service channel.

![Sample Omni-Channel flow for Messaging](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_omni_flow_example.png)

![Tip](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_tip.png)

Tip For help incorporating a bot into your flow, see [Route Conversations to and from Your Enhanced Bot](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.bots_service_enhanced_route.htm&type=5&language=en_US).

## Step 3: Connect Your Flow to Your Messaging Channel

After creating your Omni-Channel flow, link it to one or more Messaging channels. 

1. Create your [SMS short code](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_setup_shortcodes.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use short code phone numbers to send recurring messages and one-time alerts to your US and Canadian customers. When customers respond, they can have two-way conversations with service reps. Short codes have high throughput, which means you can send high volumes of one-to-one messages."), [SMS long code](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_setup_longcodes.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Let customers communicate with your support team using SMS text messaging. Customers can send text messages to a ten-digit long code or toll-free long code number owned by your company, and service reps reply from the Service Console."), [WhatsApp](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_set_up_whatsapp.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Connect your WhatsApp account to Salesforce to equip your support team with the messaging tools needed to resolve customer issues. From the Service Console, service reps can respond to WhatsApp inquiries in formats including text, voice messages, and questions with clickable options."), or [Facebook Messenger](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.livemessage_setup_facebook_messenger_channels.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Let customers get help from your business using Facebook Messenger. Customers send messages to your Facebook page, and service reps reply from the Service Console. To control how incoming messages are routed, link an Omni-Channel flow or routing configuration to your Facebook Messenger channel."), [LINE](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_line_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create an enhanced Messaging channel in Salesforce that's connected to the LINE messaging app, widely used in Japan. With a LINE channel, your support team can address inquiries sent over LINE directly from the Service Console."), or [Apple Messages for Business](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_create_apple_channel.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Create a Messaging channel where your support team helps customers using Apple Messages for Business. Customers message your business from the Apple Messages app, and service reps reply from the Service Console.") channel.
2. On the Messaging Settings page in Setup, find your channel in the list. In the channel’s action menu, select **Edit**.
3. Edit the properties in the Routing section.
    1. (Standard channels only) Select **Enable Advanced Routing**.
        
        This option lets you use an Omni-Channel flow to route your channels’ messages. Enabling advanced routing doesn’t enable enhanced Omni-Channel routing, which is a separate feature that can’t be used with standard Messaging channels.
    2. (Enhanced channels only) For Routing Type, select **Omni-Flow**.
    3. For Flow Definition, select your Omni-Channel flow.
    4. For Fallback Queue, select the queue that you created earlier.
        
        ![Routing properties](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_flow_properties.png)
4. Save your changes.

#### See Also

- [Route Conversations to and from Your Enhanced Bot](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.bots_service_enhanced_route.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Advanced Routing with Omni-Channel Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.omnichannel_flows.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [How Does an Omni-Channel Flow Work?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.how_does_an_omni_channel_flow_work.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Route Apple Messages Inquiries by Intent and Group](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_apple_routing.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Provide more efficient, personalized service by routing inquiries sent in Apple Messages based on their origin. For example, if your mobile app includes two buttons—”Get Tech Support” and “Get Help Changing Plans”—route customers to your support team if they click the first button, and to your sales team if they click the second button.")