# Frequently asked questions

## What these answers cover

This page answers common questions about the **Desk** and **Issues** surfaces. Use the
**Desk** when you need to sort and follow support threads. Use **Issues** when you need
to review reported-issue activity, navigate to all issues, or open issue boards.

| If you need to… | Go to |
| --- | --- |
| Choose a support-thread queue or view | [Find the right help surface](#find-the-right-help-surface) |
| Understand a composer, status control, message, or empty state | [Understand what you see](#understand-what-you-see) |
| Recover from a failed reply, transition, merge, or Copilot request | [Handle a problem](#handle-a-problem) |
| Continue to detailed Desk guidance | [Desk overview](doc:desk-overview) |
| Continue to detailed Issues guidance | [Issues overview](doc:issues-overview) or [Issue states and recovery](doc:issue-states-and-recovery) |
| Route a question or support request | [Getting help](doc:getting-help) |
| Read general error guidance | [General error messages](doc:general-error-messages) |

## Before you start

A selected project determines the project context for both surfaces. The Desk page
uses the project context for its support threads, and the Issues page scopes its
statistics to that project.

**Prerequisites**

- Know which project you need to review.
- Decide whether your question concerns support-thread work or reported-issue work.

## Find the right help surface

Open the listed surface and select the control that matches your need.

**Prerequisites**

- Know whether you need a support-thread queue or issue statistics.
- Know the project you want to review.

**Steps**

1. Choose the row that matches your need, then select its next control.

   | If you need to… | Surface | Next control |
   | --- | --- | --- |
   | Work on threads needing an initial reply | Desk | **Needs first response** |
   | Work on threads needing another reply | Desk | **Needs next response** |
   | Review investigation work | Desk | **Investigating** |
   | Review threads waiting for the customer | Desk | **Waiting for customer** |
   | Review work paused for later | Desk | **Paused for later** |
   | Review threads completed today | Desk | **Done today** |
   | Review the triage view | Desk | **Triage** |
   | Review your threads | Desk | **Your threads** |
   | Review unassigned threads | Desk | **Unassigned** |
   | Get documentation assistance | Desk | **Docs Copilot** |
   | Review customer information | Desk | **Customer** |
   | Review thread activity | Desk | **Activity** |
   | Review the seven-day period | Issues | **7d** |
   | Review the thirty-day period | Issues | **30d** |
   | Review the ninety-day period | Issues | **90d** |
   | Open the complete issue list | Issues | **All issues** |
   | Open issue boards | Issues | **Boards** |
   | Request a fresh statistics view | Issues | **Refresh** |
   | Open the complete list from recent reports | Issues | **View all** |

   For Desk rows, use the Desk controls shown here.

   ![Desk queues and supporting context](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/695d804e5e45599c1713898eb4ea5a34.png)

   For Issues rows, use the period and destination controls shown here.

   ![Issues period and destination controls](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/c1ca7247ae7037be0ec1289fa888bca0.png)

**Result:** The selected Desk or Issues surface is on screen with its next control ready.

## Understand what you see

On the Desk, use queue choices, the thread composer, status choices, and supporting
context to decide what to do with a thread. In Issues, use period choices and charts to
summarise reported issues.

The Desk can use a reply composer, an internal-note composer, and a numeric ticket
field for duplicate handling. The Issues surface provides a **Time range** choice with
`7d`, `30d`, and `90d`.

| When you are looking at… | Look for… |
| --- | --- |
| A customer reply | The reply composer and **Send** or **Send & done** |
| A team-only note | **Internal note** |
| A draft preview | **Preview** or **Write** |
| A paused thread | **Wake now** |
| A completed thread | **Reopen** |
| Duplicate handling | **Cancel**, **Merge into ticket**, and the numeric ticket field |
| Documentation assistance | **Ask**, **Add to composer**, or **Draft this article** |

The following conditions change what appears:

- When no project is selected, the Desk can present "No project selected" and
  "Pick a project from the switcher to open the Desk."
- When no thread is selected, the Desk can present "No thread open" with keyboard
  guidance.
- When no reporter email is available and internal-note mode is off, the Desk can
  present "No email on file — the customer can only see this on their tracking page."
- When the composer is empty or sending, **Send** and **Send & done** are disabled.
- When the composer is empty, **Preview** is disabled.
- When a thread is paused, **Wake now** can appear. When a thread is done, **Reopen**
  can appear.
- While Issues data is loading, chart areas can show loading placeholders. Empty chart
  messages depend on the returned data.
- When no project is selected, Issues can present "No project selected" and
  "Pick a project from the switcher to see its reported issues."

| If the chart has no matching data… | Message |
| --- | --- |
| The selected period has no activity | "No activity in this period yet" |
| The daily chart has no activity | "No daily activity yet" |
| No category data is available | "No category data yet" |
| No audience data is available | "No audience data yet" |
| No reported-page data is available | "No reported pages yet" |

**Attach** is disabled on the Desk.

When a message blocks the next action, use [Handle a problem](#handle-a-problem).

## Handle a problem

Use the message on screen to choose the recovery route. A failed reply can restore the
draft, a failed Desk action can revert the local thread state, and a failed duplicate
merge or Copilot request can report an error instead of completing the action.

| If the screen presents… | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| "Reply failed — restored your draft" | Review the restored draft and retry the reply. |
| "Duplicate merge failed" | Review the duplicate target and retry the merge. |
| "The action could not be completed and was reverted." | Review the thread and retry the action. |
| "Ask failed" | Review the Copilot question and retry it. |
| "Draft failed" | Retry the article draft request. |

**Prerequisites**

- Know which action produced the message.
- Keep the original reply text available when retrying a reply.

**Steps**

1. Read the complete message on screen.
2. Use the message text on screen to choose the matching row in the recovery table.
3. Follow that row’s recovery instruction.
4. If the action still does not complete, open Common issues and solutions or Getting
   help.

**Result:** You have either retried the relevant action or moved to the detailed
recovery path for the problem.

## Choose what to do next

Use the destination controls when the answer points beyond the current statistics
surface. **All issues**, **Boards**, and **View all** are the visible Issues routes for
continuing issue work.

**Steps**

1. Choose the next destination that matches your work.

   | If you need to… | Select or open |
   | --- | --- |
   | Continue with the complete issue list | **All issues** |
   | Continue with issue boards | **Boards** |
   | Continue from a recent-reports area | **View all** |
   | Continue detailed Desk work | [Desk overview](doc:desk-overview) |
   | Continue detailed issue recovery | [Issue states and recovery](doc:issue-states-and-recovery) |
   | Read general error guidance | [General error messages](doc:general-error-messages) |
   | Route a product question or support request | [Getting help](doc:getting-help) |

**Result:** You are on the destination that owns the next detailed task or recovery
question.