• Hidden departments will not be available for selection on the chat request window.
• Hidden departments do not affect the online/offline chat icon status.
• Hidden departments are accessible by methods of chat transfers only.

Hidden departments can accomplish a tiered level support system.  First tier is the front-line support representatives assigned to a visible department ("Customer Support").  Hidden department "Supervisor", "Manager" or "Level 2 Tech" could be the second tier.  The front-line representatives can transfer the chat session to the hidden department if the visitor requires an escalated assistance.  Hidden departments allow management or supervisors to effectively do their tasks while interacting with selected chats which may require extra attention.

Hidden departments can also be useful during a chat representative training sessions.  The trainee would handle the front-line chat requests.  If the operator is uncertain about a question, the front-line rep can transfer the chat session to the "Supervisor" (hidden) department.

Another helpful use of hidden departments is to monitor your website traffic without being online.  Because hidden departments do not affect the online/offline status, an operator of the hidden department can remain online to monitor website traffic indefinitely.  This is helpful when wanting to gather website data after business hours.

To setup a hidden department, you'll want to do the following:

1. Login to your PHP Live! setup area
2. Click the top menu "Departments"
3. When creating a department, check the "Visible to Public" option to "No"
4. Done!

Don't forget to assign an operator to the department.