How to set up assignment rules on Intercom

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Assignment rules in Intercom automatically distribute conversations to specific team members based on criteria like conversation source, customer attributes, or topic. Set them up by navigating to Settings > Team Management > Assignment Rules and defining your routing logic.

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Prerequisites

Admin or Owner access to Intercom workspace
Team members added to your Intercom account
Understanding of your team structure and workflow
Existing conversation channels configured

Step-by-Step Instructions

Navigate to Assignment Rules Settings

Log into your Intercom workspace and click on Settings in the bottom left corner. From the settings menu, select Team Management, then click on Assignment Rules to access the assignment configuration page.

Make sure you have admin or owner permissions to access team management settings.

Create a New Assignment Rule

Click the New rule button in the top right corner of the Assignment Rules page. Give your rule a descriptive name in the Rule name field, such as 'VIP Customer Support' or 'Technical Inquiries'. This name will help you identify the rule later when managing multiple assignment rules.

Use clear, descriptive names that reflect the purpose of each rule for easier management.

Define Rule Conditions

In the When section, set up the conditions that will trigger this assignment rule. Click Add condition and choose from options like:

Conversation source (Live chat, Email, etc.)
Customer attributes (Plan type, Location, etc.)
Conversation topic or tags
Time of day or business hours

You can add multiple conditions using AND or OR logic.

Start with simple conditions and add complexity gradually as you refine your workflow.

Set Assignment Targets

In the Then assign to section, choose how conversations matching your conditions should be assigned. Select from:

Specific teammate - assigns to one person
Team - distributes among team members
Round robin - cycles through available team members
Load balancing - assigns based on current workload

Choose the method that best fits your team's workflow.

Load balancing works best for teams with varying conversation handling speeds.

Configure Priority and Order

Set the Priority level for this rule (High, Medium, Low). Rules with higher priority will be evaluated first. If you have multiple rules, use the drag handles to reorder them in the rules list. Intercom processes assignment rules from top to bottom, stopping at the first match.

Place your most specific rules at the top and general catch-all rules at the bottom.

Set Business Hours and Availability

In the Advanced settings section, configure when this rule should be active. Toggle Only during business hours if the rule should only apply during specific times. Set up Fallback assignment to handle conversations when primary assignees are unavailable.

Always configure fallback options to ensure no conversations go unassigned.

Test and Activate the Rule

Before activating, use the Test rule feature to simulate how conversations will be assigned. Enter sample conversation attributes to verify the rule works as expected. Once satisfied, click Save and activate to make the rule live. The rule will immediately start processing new conversations that match your criteria.

Monitor rule performance for the first few days and adjust conditions if needed.

Monitor and Optimize Rules

Return to the Assignment Rules page regularly to review rule performance. Use the Analytics tab to see assignment statistics and identify bottlenecks. Edit rules by clicking the pencil icon next to any rule. Deactivate underperforming rules using the toggle switch.

Review assignment analytics weekly to ensure optimal distribution and team workload balance.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Conversations not being assigned despite matching rule conditions

Check that the rule is activated and positioned correctly in the rule order. Verify that assigned team members are available and have proper permissions for the conversation type.

Some team members receiving too many assignments while others get none

Switch from specific teammate assignment to load balancing or round robin distribution. Check team member availability settings in Settings > Team Management > Team members.

Rules not working during business hours

Verify your business hours are correctly configured in Settings > General > Business hours. Ensure the timezone matches your team's working hours and that fallback assignment is properly configured.

Multiple rules triggering for the same conversation

Review your rule order and conditions. Intercom stops at the first matching rule, so ensure more specific rules are positioned above general ones. Use the Test rule feature to verify rule logic.

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