In June 2018, we introduced the new chat dashboard in LibAnswers. The new dashboard provides folks with an updated user interface, as well as a slew of new and robust features! As always, we've also incorporated your feedback and ideas since its initial release. With the new dashboard out in the wild for the last few years, we've decided it's time to officially say goodbye to the classic dashboard.
Some quick facts about this transition:
The classic dashboard will retire on June 1, 2022. We'll send information and reminders about this process over the coming months to all Admin level users of sites using the classic dashboard. (Now's a good time to review / update your account list!)- You can switch to the new dashboard at any time before June 1st. If you don't switch by then, don't worry! We'll handle the changeover on our side on that date. 🙂
- Switching to the new dashboard is easy! An Admin should head to Admin > LibChat > Settings > New LibChat Dashboard. Select New and save. That's it! Screenshots & details of this process are available in our documentation.
- If your operators are using the classic chat dashboard at the time of the transition, service will not be disrupted. Users will remain connected on the classic dashboard to complete their chat sessions. The next time they login to the chat dashboard, they will simply be logged into the new dashboard instead.
Did you know?
In the three and a half years since the new dashboard launched, we've added a ton of amazing features to make your and your users chatting experience as smooth as possible. This includes new features like:
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Screensharing with MS Teams or Zoom. That's right, you can share your screen or have a user share theirs so you can help them troubleshoot in real time! You can also use screensharing to hold internal meetings in group chats.
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Internal Chat for individual departments and users.
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24/7 Cooperative backup coverage. We offer a variety of options for backup chat coverage for your institution! You can have 24/7 coverage or choose select times when chat is covered by our Global Cooperatives.
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Plus a slew of usability improvements which are almost too numerous to mention, but include:
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Full patron chat history displays within the chat UI for easy historical reference.
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Searchable FAQs contained within the chat UI, for easy reference and simple inclusion in an ongoing chat.
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Admin-customizable audio alerts.
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Inline image preview for chats.
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Ability to add internal notes to chats for later admin review.
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HTML message editing to add Bold, Italics, and links to chat messages.
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Searchable emoji selector.
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And we're constantly adding new functionality to make your workflows easier!
To recap, we'll be completing this transition by June 1, 2022. All LibAnswers admins will receiving email reminders in the coming months with details of the change. If your institution is unable to make the switchover prior to June 1, no worries! We'll complete the change over without service disruption for all LibAnswers systems!
Be sure to check out the Springshare Lounge post for more details on the timeline for this change! Keep an eye out in your email for more information about this transition as well.
Hi Springshare,
My staff knows this is coming. Is there a sandbox they can see and get used to before the transition? I think they are worried that it will different enough they need training in order to use the new one. I have been with you a long time and I am doubtful that’s the case. Please confirm or deny.
Yours truly,
Johannah White
Hi Johannah,
There sure is, right inside your own system! So here’s what we suggest. First, we suggest setting up a test chat department/widget associated with that department. Embed that ‘test’ chat widget into a LibGuide, or some website that only the librarians have access to. Then, from inside your system, users can sign into the new dashboard and set themselves to only monitor that department while they test things out. Playing around in the new chat dashboard doesn’t ‘turn off’ the classic chat, it just gives them the ability to play around. Make sure they send in a couple of ‘test’ chats to that testing chat widget so they can see what it’s like to answer a chat in the new interface.
Let us know how that goes!
Best,
Talia
Can you please advise on how to set up a new chat widget? We would also like to play with the new chat before going live, but I can’t figure out how to make that work without changing everything. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth,
You don’t need to setup new chat widgets for the new chat dashboard! So your existing chat widgets will still work! Now, playing with the new chat interface – there is a way to play with that… right inside your own system! So here’s what we suggest. First, we suggest setting up a test chat department/widget associated with that department. Embed that ‘test’ chat widget into a LibGuide, or some website that only the librarians have access to. Then, from inside your system, users can sign into the new dashboard and set themselves to only monitor that department while they test things out. Playing around in the new chat dashboard doesn’t ‘turn off’ the classic chat, it just gives them the ability to play around. Make sure they send in a couple of ‘test’ chats to that testing chat widget so they can see what it’s like to answer a chat in the new interface.
Let us know how that goes!
Best,
Talia
Hi Talia,
I’m afraid I’m so not tech savvy with this stuff. How do I set up a test widget in a specific department without forcing my staff to switch over to the new chat before they’re ready? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth!
We’d be happy to help! Rather than doing this through blog comments, please contact our support team at https://ask.springshare.com/ask and we can help you setup a test widget/department for testing!
Best,
Talia