# Labels, priority and status

Three controls keep the queue in order: a conversation's **status** says whether it still needs work, its **priority** says how urgent it is, and **labels** say what it is about. All three are set from the conversation header, the details panel, or by right-clicking the conversation in the list.

## Watch the walkthrough

{% embed url="https://youtu.be/030WikTaiFI" %}

## Status

Every conversation is in one of five states, and the list shows one state at a time (pick it under **Status** behind the sort icon above the list):

* **Open**: needs attention from your team.
* **Pending**: parked on your side, for example while you check something with a colleague.
* **Snoozed**: hidden until a time you chose, or until the customer writes again.
* **Resolved**: done. A resolved conversation reopens by itself if the customer sends a new message.
* **Spam**: out of the way. Use it for messages you never want to see in Open.

To change status, use the button at the top right of the conversation:

1. **Resolve** closes it. The button turns into **Reopen** on a resolved or pending chat.
2. The arrow next to the button opens **Mark as pending** and **Snooze**.
3. Under **Snooze until**, pick **Next reply**, **Tomorrow** or **Next week**, or type when you want it back, for example *in 1 hour*, and click **Snooze**.

![Status options under the Resolve button](../../.gitbook/assets/guides/conversation-status-menu.jpg)

While a conversation is snoozed the header reads **Snoozed until** with the time, or **Snoozed until next reply**. You can do the same from the list: right-click a conversation for **Mark as resolved**, **Reopen conversation**, **Mark as pending**, **Mark as spam** and **Snooze**, or tick several conversations and use **Change status** in the bar at the bottom of the list.

Conversations resolve on their own after a period of inactivity when that is switched on under **Settings → General**, and automation rules can resolve or reopen them for you. See [Labels, attributes and automation](/settings/labels-attributes-and-automation).

## Blocking a contact

When someone should not reach your team at all, open the **More actions** menu in the conversation header and choose **Block Contact**. Their open conversations resolve on their own and new messages from them stay out of your queue. Choose **Unblock Contact** from the same menu to let them through again.

## Priority

Priority is a flag your team sees on the conversation card: **Urgent**, **High**, **Medium**, **Low** or **None**. Set it under **Conversation Actions** in the details panel or by right-clicking the conversation and choosing **Priority**. Sort the list by **Priority: Highest first** to work the urgent ones first, and filter or automate on it like any other field.

## Labels

Labels tag a conversation by topic, such as billing or complaint, so you can find all of them later.

* In the details panel, under **Conversation Actions**, find **Conversation Labels** and click **Add Labels**. Tick the labels you want, or type a new name and choose **Create new label**.
* In the list, right-click a conversation and choose **Assign label**.
* For many at once, tick the conversations and use **Assign labels** or **Remove labels** in the bar at the bottom of the list.

Every label you create under **Settings → Labels** can also appear in the sidebar's **Labels** group, which is a ready-made view of the conversations carrying it. Labels on the conversation are separate from labels on the contact; the contact's own labels live on the contact page.

![Conversation controls](../../.gitbook/assets/guides/conversation-thread.jpg)

## Related

* [Everything you can do in a conversation](/conversations/conversation-actions)
* [Managing Conversations](/conversations/managing-conversations)
* [Filter conditions and operators](/settings/filter-conditions-and-operators)
* [Labels, attributes and automation](/settings/labels-attributes-and-automation)

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Source: https://help.mampuai.com/conversations/labels-priority-and-status