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Generate Reply drafts messages for your team inside the Chat composer — not for customers automatically. Think of it as a writing partner while you stay in control. Hub doc: Chat & inbox overview

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Quick reference

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Example: StyleHouse Returns

Return season is brutal. Agent Mina stays professional using tones: She reads every draft, edits one sentence, sends — still her voice, faster.

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Message composer anatomy

Location: Bottom of conversation column when a thread is open.

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24-hour messaging window (WhatsApp & Meta)

When the customer hasn’t messaged recently, Meta closes the session window: Banner in composer:
The 24-hour messaging window has expired. You can only send template messages until the recipient replies to reopen the conversation window.
Action: Click Templates → pick approved template → send. Customer reply reopens the window for free-form messages. Details: WhatsApp channels.

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Channel selector in composer

When a contact has threads on multiple channels (e.g. WhatsApp + Instagram):
  1. Channel dropdown in composer shows each option with icon
  2. Preferred channel pre-selects where customer last messaged inbound
  3. Realtime inbound on another channel switches preference automatically
Send always goes through the selected channel.

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Generate Reply — how to use

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Step by step

  1. Open Chat → select thread
  2. Optionally type a rough draft (or leave empty)
  3. Click Generate Reply (sparkle icon) in composer toolbar
  4. AI drafts from last ~30 messages of context
  5. Review text — edit as needed
  6. Optional: apply a tone from dropdown
  7. Click Send when satisfied

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Undo / redo

After generation, undo and redo restore prior composer text versions.

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Built-in tones

Available from composer tone menu (configured in Settings):

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Custom AI prompts

Settings → Workspace → Generate Reply (/settings/workspace/generate-reply)
Vendschat Generate Reply settings with Add AI Prompt and toggles for Change tone, Translate, Fix spelling and grammar, Simplify language, and a custom Formal prompt.

Generate Reply tones

Create brand-specific prompts: “StyleHouse friendly — short, no blame, offer store credit when reasonable.” Toggle prompts on/off without deleting.

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Generate Reply vs AI Agents vs Co-Admin

Rule of thumb: Generate Reply = speed with human approval. AI Agents = automation. Co-Admin = how do I use Vendschat?

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Templates from composer

Templates button appears when selected channel is WhatsApp and can send. Opens template modal:
  • Pick template
  • Fill variables
  • Send or schedule
Also used for New Chat outbound from thread list + button.

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WhatsApp registration errors

If send fails due to Meta phone registration, a WhatsApp registration modal may appear with PIN entry and retry — follow on-screen steps or reconnect channel in Settings → Channels.

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Best practices

  1. Always review before send — especially refunds and legal topics
  2. Create 3–5 custom tones max — too many slows agents
  3. Train new hires on which tone for escalations
  4. Don’t use Generate Reply as substitute for policy training
  5. Don’t enable AI Agents on day one if team isn’t comfortable with manual Chat yet

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Starter rollout — BookNest

BookNest bookstore — 2 agents, no bot yet. Gradual rollout beats enabling every automation at once.

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Troubleshooting