Connecting live chat
When a visitor needs a human, HelpShelf can open your existing live chat rather than making them find it. The page they were on and the question they asked are carried across.
Set this up under Contact → Chat.
Direct-link providers
No account connection needed — just the destination.
| Provider | What to enter |
|---|---|
| SMS / iMessage | Your phone number |
| Your WhatsApp Business number | |
| Facebook Messenger | Your Page ID |
These open the visitor's own messaging app, so they work on mobile particularly well.
Paste-an-ID providers
These load the provider's chat widget inside HelpShelf. You paste one ID from their dashboard — no OAuth, no API key.
| Provider | What to enter | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Crisp | Website ID | Crisp → Settings → Website Settings → Setup instructions |
| Freshdesk (Freshchat) | Freshchat Token | Freshchat → Admin → Web Messenger |
| Help Scout | Beacon ID | Help Scout → Manage → Beacons → your Beacon → Installation |
| Groove | Widget ID | Groove → Settings → Widget |
| Kayako | Subdomain | The part before .kayako.com in your login URL |
Help Scout requires a Beacon 2.0. The older 1.0 framework isn't supported — create a new Beacon if you're unsure which you have.
OAuth providers
Intercom and Zendesk connect with a full OAuth flow rather than a pasted ID. See Connecting Intercom and Zendesk chat.
Remove the provider's own script
This matters. HelpShelf loads your chat provider's SDK when a visitor asks for a human. If that provider's script is also installed directly on your site, visitors see two chat launchers.
Remove the provider's snippet from your site's HTML once you've connected it here.
If you were passing custom user attributes through that snippet, identify your users in HelpShelf instead.
Providers in the list that aren't ready
The provider picker also shows LiveAgent, HubSpot, and ServiceNow. These are placeholders — selecting one won't produce a working chat handoff. Use email or phone for now if your provider is one of those.
Troubleshooting
If chat doesn't open, see Chat provider isn't loading.