Policies

Policies provide automated conversation lifecycle management through retention rules that help you maintain compliance and optimize resources. When conversations become idle, the system automatically applies your retention policies to set appropriate expiration dates.

What are Retention Policies?

Retention policies automatically set expiration dates for idle conversations based on configurable time periods. These policies help organizations:

• Maintain Compliance: Ensure conversations expire according to regulatory requirements
• Optimize Resources: Automatically clean up outdated conversations
• Enhance Privacy: Demonstrate data minimization through automated expiration
• Reduce Manual Work: Eliminate the need for manual conversation cleanup

Creating Your First Policy

Using the Dashboard

1. Navigate to Policies: Access the Policies section in your ChatBotKit dashboard under Resources
2. Create New Policy: Click "Create New Policy" to start configuration
3. Configure Settings:
   • Name: Give your policy a descriptive name like "30-Day Support Retention"
   • Description: Add optional details about the policy's purpose
   • Policy Type: Select "Retention Policy"
   • Expiration Period: Set conversation lifetime from 1 to 365 days
4. Save Policy: Your policy will automatically apply to future idle conversations

Policy Configuration

Each retention policy includes:

• Name and Description: For easy identification and documentation
• Retention Period: How long conversations remain active (1-365 days)
• Blueprint Integration: Optional targeting for specific conversation types

How Policies Work

When conversations become idle, the system automatically:

1. Queries Your Policies: Retrieves active retention policies for the conversation owner
2. Applies First Match: Uses the first available policy (creation order)
3. Sets Expiration: Calculates and sets the expiration date on the conversation
4. Processes Cleanup: Existing conversation cleanup system handles expired conversations

The entire process happens automatically without any manual intervention required.

Best Practices

Policy Design

• Start Conservative: Begin with longer retention periods and adjust based on needs
• Clear Naming: Use descriptive names like "Support Ticket 7-Day Retention"
• Document Purpose: Include clear descriptions explaining each policy's purpose
• Consider Compliance: Align retention periods with regulatory requirements

Getting Started

1. Plan Your Strategy: Determine what retention periods make sense for your use case
2. Create Test Policies: Start with a simple policy to see how it works
3. Monitor Results: Check that conversations are expiring as expected
4. Expand Gradually: Add more policies as you become comfortable with the system

Managing Policies

Dashboard Interface

The Policies dashboard provides:

• Policy List: View all your retention policies in one place
• Search and Filter: Find specific policies quickly
• Create/Edit: Manage policy settings through an intuitive interface
• Status Monitoring: See which policies are active and working

Policy Updates

You can modify existing policies at any time:

• Update retention periods to meet changing requirements
• Modify names and descriptions for better organization
• Add or remove blueprint targeting as needed

Note: Changes to policies only affect new conversations that become idle after the update.