> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.eesel.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.eesel.ai/integrations/chat-surfaces/public-chat.md).

# Public Chat Link

Give your agent a page of its own, hosted by eesel, and share the link so your team, a customer or a partner can chat with it and reach a person when needed.

Give your AI teammate a page of its own, hosted by eesel, and share the link. Anyone who has the link can chat with it: your team trying it out, a customer you send it to, a partner. It answers from everything you have connected and hands a conversation to a person when it needs to.

You stay in control the whole way. Every action your agent can take runs on its own, asks you first, or stays off.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-3b7a4f421d7506f2a6c658d64c455ade603ce251%2Fpublic-chat-live-answer.png?alt=media" alt="The hosted public chat page titled Driftline, where a visitor asked which helmet to get for backcountry skiing and the agent answered with what to look for"><figcaption><p>The public chat page answering a question.</p></figcaption></figure>

## Quick start

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Ask your agent for a public chat link

Open the chat in your dashboard and ask for a public chat link. Your agent uses what it already knows about your business from your connected sources, a store in this example, to pick a title, a welcome message and three starter questions. It posts the link and tells you what it left blank, such as the colour and the logo, so you can set those in settings.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1663b6b1cadef1e06243aeb56ef7fc37746205bd%2Fpublic-chat-setup-chat.png?alt=media" alt="The dashboard chat where the user asks for a public chat link to share with the team and customers, and the agent posts the link and lists the title, welcome message and starter questions it set"><figcaption><p>The agent posts the shareable link and reports what it set up.</p></figcaption></figure>

**Check it worked.** The left sidebar now lists **Public Chat Link** under Integrations. From a terminal with [the eesel CLI](/apis-and-developer-resources/cli.md) installed, `eesel status` lists it on your agent.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Check it on your Automations page

The public chat is its own automation, created and switched on when it is set up. Your **Automations** page lists it under the title you gave it, with **Public Chat** underneath. Pause it there and the link stops answering.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1857ad7bd042e6e6744908f272dec0a380f24dd3%2Fpublic-chat-automations-list.png?alt=media" alt="The Automations page listing the Driftline public chat automation switched on, beside the chat where it was set up"><figcaption><p>The public chat automation, switched on.</p></figcaption></figure>

**Check it worked.** From a terminal, `eesel automations` lists the automation as on.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Shape it in settings

Open **Integrations > Public Chat Link** in the left sidebar. **Open preview** and **Copy link** sit at the top right. The **Welcome Message**, the **Title** and the **Placeholder text** come first.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d78ee261b218fd1da1fd2b80b8d4dff0b5391415%2Fpublic-chat-settings-top.png?alt=media" alt="The Public Chat Link settings page with Open preview and Copy link at the top, and the Welcome Message, Title and Placeholder text fields filled in"><figcaption><p>The top of the settings page.</p></figcaption></figure>

Below that, set the **Color**, upload a **Public chat image** or paste its address, and use **Hide branding** to remove the "Powered by eesel AI" line. **Hide suggested questions** removes the clickable questions from the start of the chat altogether, both the ones you write and the ones your agent would suggest.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-24afe926c574a75eb62fd1a3d6e23c469b5ab5a5%2Fpublic-chat-settings-branding.png?alt=media" alt="The Public chat image upload, the Hide branding switch and the Hide suggested questions switch on the settings page"><figcaption><p>Image, branding and the suggested questions switch.</p></figcaption></figure>

Add up to three **Suggested questions**, and write any **Instructions for this channel**. Those are extra instructions your agent follows only on this page. They add to its main [instructions](/instructions-and-memory/instructions-and-memory.md).

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-421ad1fd521965a74542056979d8e95bb9206613%2Fpublic-chat-settings-instructions.png?alt=media" alt="Three suggested questions and the Instructions for this channel box on the Public Chat Link settings page"><figcaption><p>The suggested questions and the channel instructions.</p></figcaption></figure>

**Public chat link** at the bottom is the address to share. **Save and copy link** saves your changes and copies it in one step.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-29b6c58663f7154551697665865b9d56c6d87a56%2Fpublic-chat-settings-link.png?alt=media" alt="The Public chat link section of the settings page with the shareable address and a Copy link button, above Save and copy link"><figcaption><p>The link, ready to share.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Try it as a visitor

Open the link. The page shows your title, your welcome message and your suggested questions. **Reset Chat** at the top right starts a fresh conversation.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-19046a1db0dde66d8f928ac4114c192f4dc1d1d5%2Fpublic-chat-live-open.png?alt=media" alt="The hosted public chat page titled Driftline with its welcome message, three suggested questions and a Reset Chat button"><figcaption><p>The public chat page as a visitor first sees it.</p></figcaption></figure>

Ask it a question. It answers from your connected knowledge.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-3b7a4f421d7506f2a6c658d64c455ade603ce251%2Fpublic-chat-live-answer.png?alt=media" alt="The public chat page where a visitor asked which helmet to get for backcountry skiing, and the agent answered with weight, certification and fit advice"><figcaption><p>A visitor's question and the answer.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Hand a conversation to a person

Tell your agent in the dashboard chat when to escalate and what to do then. Creating a helpdesk ticket is the usual choice. It writes the rules into its instructions and confirms what it added.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-05cd1f9db939443cf00ae08211d8d31bde1c9b04%2Fpublic-chat-handover-chat.png?alt=media" alt="The dashboard chat where the user asks for public chat handover to Gorgias, and the agent confirms it added the process to the instructions with the public-chat-handover tag"><figcaption><p>The agent confirms the handover rules it added.</p></figcaption></figure>

Open your **Instructions** page to read what it wrote. The rules are numbered sentences you can edit by hand.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a83a15f2cefc5b78c64abcf88544ece3f41a350d%2Fpublic-chat-handover-instructions.png?alt=media" alt="The Instructions page with a Public chat handover section: tell the visitor, ask for name and email, create a Gorgias ticket, tag it public-chat-handover, confirm"><figcaption><p>The saved handover rules on the Instructions page.</p></figcaption></figure>

Now open the link and ask for a real person. Your agent says it will create a ticket and asks for the name and email address it needs.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-062f26051424befc28da985664d7c92c1d23bd4c%2Fpublic-chat-handover-visitor.png?alt=media" alt="The public chat page where a visitor asks for a real person about wrong goggles in their order, and the agent asks for their name and email address"><figcaption><p>The agent taking the escalation and asking for contact details.</p></figcaption></figure>

Give it the details. It creates the ticket and tells the visitor the ticket number.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b09ac26b1a14fa43558d6add8560cf5d66b74098%2Fpublic-chat-handover-ticket-created.png?alt=media" alt="The public chat page where the visitor gives a name and email, and the agent confirms ticket #85646726 was created for the exchange"><figcaption><p>The ticket number confirmed to the visitor.</p></figcaption></figure>

Then open your helpdesk. The ticket is there under the visitor's email address, with the problem summarised and the handover tag.

<figure><img src="https://3732419023-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2xXO0947TYoPIhGoBgSE%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b56fa4ef747162f59e50cdad8f258fe0013d9c4b%2Fpublic-chat-handover-gorgias.png?alt=media" alt="A Gorgias ticket from the public chat handover, with the visitor&#x27;s email as the requester, the wrong goggles issue summarised and the public-chat-handover tag"><figcaption><p>The handover ticket in Gorgias, tagged.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Public Chat Link settings

| Setting                                | What it does                                                                                                                                      |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Welcome Message**                    | The first message a visitor reads                                                                                                                 |
| **Title**                              | The heading at the top of the page                                                                                                                |
| **Placeholder text**                   | The grey hint text inside the message box                                                                                                         |
| **Color**                              | The colour of the send icon and the accents                                                                                                       |
| **Public chat image**                  | The logo or avatar shown on the page. Upload one or paste its address                                                                             |
| **Hide branding**                      | Removes the "Powered by eesel AI" line                                                                                                            |
| **Hide suggested questions**           | Shows no suggested questions at all, neither yours nor generated ones                                                                             |
| **Suggested Question 1**, **2**, **3** | Up to three clickable questions shown at the start. Leave all three empty and your agent suggests its own                                         |
| **Instructions for this channel**      | Extra instructions your agent follows only on this page. They add to its main [instructions](/instructions-and-memory/instructions-and-memory.md) |
| **Public chat link**                   | The address to share. Anyone with it can chat                                                                                                     |

Saved settings show on the page after a reload or **Reset Chat**.

## Sources, triggers and actions

### Sources

The public chat is not a source, and nothing typed in it becomes knowledge. Its answers come from what else you have connected: your [website](/integrations/knowledge/website.md), help center, docs and files. See [Integrations](/integrations/overview.md).

### Triggers

The public chat has one trigger, and its automation is created for you when the page is set up.

| Trigger         | Fires when                                   | Best for                                                                   | Key           |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
| **Public Chat** | A visitor sends a message on the hosted page | Trying your agent out, and sharing it with people who are not on your site | `public_chat` |

### Actions

The public chat has no actions of its own. What your agent can do for a visitor comes from the other integrations on it, such as creating a helpdesk ticket. Each runs on its own, asks you first, or stays off. A handover works through your agent's instructions and your helpdesk's create-ticket action, as in the last step above. See [Actions and Approvals](/instructions-and-memory/actions-and-approvals.md).

## Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>The page shows an old welcome message or old questions?</summary>

Saved settings show on the page after a reload or **Reset Chat**. A conversation that was already open keeps the settings it started with until then.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Someone I did not expect is using the link?</summary>

Anyone with the link can chat. There is no sign-in, so share the link only with people you trust. Pausing or deleting the automation on your **Automations** page is the only way to stop it. Deleting it and setting the chat up again gives you a new link.

</details>

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>Who can use the link?</summary>

Anyone who has it. There is no sign-in. To stop it, pause or delete the automation on your **Automations** page.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does the link ever change?</summary>

No. Editing the settings never changes it. The link changes only if you delete the automation and create the chat again.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I put it on my site instead?</summary>

Yes. The [Chat Bubble](/integrations/chat-surfaces/chat-bubble.md) is a floating button on your pages, and [Inline Embed](/integrations/chat-surfaces/inline-chat.md) sits inside one page. All three reach the same agent.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How is this billed?</summary>

Pay-as-you-go. One conversation is one task, however many messages it has. Chats you run yourself from the eesel dashboard are free. See [Pricing](/pricing/overview.md) for rates, the annual commitment, and Enterprise.

</details>

## Related pages

* [Chat Bubble](/integrations/chat-surfaces/chat-bubble.md) for the floating chat on your own site
* [Inline Embed](/integrations/chat-surfaces/inline-chat.md) for the chat inside one of your pages
* [Helpdesk](/use-cases/helpdesk.md) for the customer-facing work it picks up after a handover
* [Actions and Approvals](/instructions-and-memory/actions-and-approvals.md) for setting each action to run on its own, ask you first, or stay off


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.eesel.ai/integrations/chat-surfaces/public-chat.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.