--- title: "Handle a WhatsApp conversation" description: "Reply to a conversation the AI handed to your team, take over a conversation yourself, give it back to the AI, close it or block a number." --- > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getarbol.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Handle a WhatsApp conversation On WhatsApp, your team and the AI share conversations. Handle one yourself when the agent hands it to you because it couldn't resolve it or because the person asked to talk to someone, or when you'd rather reply yourself. When you're done, close it or give it back to the AI. ## Before you start - You need a role that can **Handle conversations and reply on WhatsApp**, such as **Operations** or **Owner**. - To write to the person, use one of these two options: - The Dashboard's **WhatsApp inbox**: in the menu, **WhatsApp**. It shows when your organization has a connected WhatsApp number. - The WhatsApp Business app on your clinic's number, if your team uses it. - Pausing, resuming and giving back to the AI only work in open WhatsApp conversations. Calls and web chat are always handled by the agent. ## When the AI hands you a conversation When the agent escalates, the AI stops replying in that conversation and doesn't come back on its own: it waits for someone on your team to turn it back on. You find out: - By email or WhatsApp, if you turned notices on (see [Notices and the daily report](/en/raiz/notifications/)). - In **Overview**, under **To review**. - In **Conversations**, with the **AI paused** status or the **Handled by › Escalated by the AI** filter. 1. Open the conversation. In the transcript you'll see **Conversation handed to the team** and the reason: the person asked for a person, the AI asked the team for help to continue, or the agent reached its usage limit. 2. Read what happened and reply to the person from the **WhatsApp inbox** or from the WhatsApp Business app. 3. When you're done, choose an option: - **Close**: the conversation ends (see below). - **Resume AI**: the AI takes over again and answers what the person wrote after the last real reply. - **Give back to AI and continue**: the AI picks up the pending request right now, even if the person hasn't written. ### Give back to AI and continue Use it when your team has resolved what was blocking the agent and you want it to finish the task. For example, your team confirmed there are now slots for a test and the agent can book it. 1. Click **Give back to AI and continue**. 2. If you like, write a **Note for the AI (optional)**. Example: "Visual evoked potentials can be booked now". The person never sees this note. 3. Click **Continue with AI**. You'll see the notice "The AI took the conversation back". The AI carries on without greeting again or repeating what was said. You can use this once per handoff, and only within the 24 hours WhatsApp allows after the person's last message. ## Take over a conversation yourself If the AI is handling a conversation and you'd rather reply yourself: - On a number where the AI handles less than 100% of new conversations, click **Pause AI** at the top of the conversation. The AI stops replying in that conversation and your team takes it over; messages are still saved. To give it back, click **Resume AI**. - On a number where the AI handles 100%, the Dashboard doesn't show **Pause AI**. Reply from the WhatsApp Business app: if the agent has **Pause AI when a person replies** turned on, the AI pauses in that conversation as soon as someone on your team writes. Depending on how the agent is set up, the AI may answer again after a while if the person writes and nobody replies (see [Agent settings](/en/raiz/agent-settings/)). > **Conversations that go straight to your team** > > If the AI handles less than 100% of conversations on your WhatsApp number, some go straight to your team, with the **With the team** status. In those, the **Resume AI** button turns the AI on in that conversation only. ## Close a conversation 1. Click **Close** at the top of the conversation. In the **Conversations** list you can also hover over the row and click the close icon. 2. Confirm with **Close conversation**. The conversation closes and stays in the list. If the AI took part, Raíz generates its summary and evaluations. If the person writes again, a new conversation opens. Calls close on their own when they end. ## Block a number Block a number when nobody in your organization should reply to or contact it again, for example if the person asks. You need a role that can manage the block list; the option doesn't show on test conversations. 1. In the conversation, click **Actions** and choose **Block number**. 2. Confirm with **Block number**. Every agent in your organization stops replying to and contacting that number. The block doesn't expire and stays after the conversation closes. Previous messages stay visible. To remove it, choose **Actions › Unblock number**, or do it from **Settings › Block list** (see [People and the block list](/en/raiz/contacts/)). ## The WhatsApp inbox In the menu, click **WhatsApp** to open the **WhatsApp inbox**, where your team reads and writes your clinic number's chats without leaving the Dashboard. If your organization has several numbers, choose one at the top. Messages your team sends from there show in the conversation as from the **Team**. ## Troubleshooting **I don't see Pause AI, Resume AI or Close.** They only show in open WhatsApp conversations, and not in test ones (**Close** also shows in web chat). You also need a role that can handle conversations. **Pause AI** doesn't show on numbers where the AI handles 100% of conversations. **"More than 24 hours passed since the person's last message."** WhatsApp doesn't let the AI write when more than 24 hours have passed since the person's last message. To get back in touch, write with an approved template. **"This handoff was already given back to the AI."** **Give back to AI and continue** works once per handoff. If the AI escalates again, you can use it again. **"The Agent is still replying in this conversation."** Wait for it to deliver its reply and try again. **"Your inbox session expired."** Click **Load inbox** to open the WhatsApp inbox again. **WhatsApp doesn't show in the menu.** Your organization has no connected WhatsApp number, or your role can't handle conversations. **The conversation says "Number blocked".** That number is on the block list and the AI doesn't reply to it. Click the button to see the block. Source: https://docs.getarbol.com/en/raiz/take-over-a-conversation/index.mdx