Configuring Working Hours for Bitrix24 Open Lines
Without a configured schedule, an open line is treated as operating 24/7. A client writes at 3 a.m. — they get silence, operators are unavailable, but no auto-reply is sent because the system thinks someone is on duty. A proper schedule solves this problem.
Where to Configure the Schedule
CRM → Contact Center → Open Lines → select a line → "Working Hours" tab.
Here you define:
- Working days of the week (individually for each day).
- Working hours for each day.
- Time zone.
- Behavior outside working hours.
Behavior Modes Outside Working Hours
Auto-reply. The client receives a text message with information about working hours. The chat stays open, the client's message is saved — the operator will respond at the start of the next working day.
Callback form. Instead of a chat, the client is shown a form: name + phone. The data creates a lead in CRM. This is preferable to an empty auto-reply — at least contacts are collected.
Hide widget. The chat button on the website is not displayed outside working hours. Zero requests = zero frustrations. But also zero contacts collected.
Transfer to another line. A non-standard scenario — routing off-hours requests to a line with a bot or night support.
Time Zones and Distributed Teams
If operators work in different time zones — configure multiple open lines with different schedules that overlap each other. Route incoming requests between lines via a bot scenario, or by default send them to the "active" line.
A simple option for a single line: specify the portal time zone and a schedule based on it. Operators who start work earlier manually switch their status to "available" and the system begins routing chats to them.
Managing Operator Statuses
The line schedule is the "how it should be" schedule. Actual behavior depends on operator statuses.
If an operator manually set their status to "online" outside the schedule — chats are routed to them, even if it is currently non-working time according to the schedule.
Integration with "Time tracking" (Timeman module): when a working day is started via timeman.open, the operator's status in open lines automatically changes to "available". On timeman.close — to "unavailable". This removes the human factor.
Configuration of the integration: CRM → Contact Center → Open Lines → Operators → enable "Sync with working time status".
Non-working Days and Holidays
The schedule is set by a weekday template — there is no built-in tool for public holidays. A workaround: on the eve of a holiday, the responsible person changes the schedule manually, or the operator switches their status.
For automating holiday non-working days — a script via REST API:
PUT /rest/imopenlines.config.update
{
"ID": 42,
"WORK_TIME_ENABLED": "N" // disable working hours → round-the-clock offline
}
The script is triggered by cron on the eve of the holiday and restores the settings afterwards.
Common Mistakes
Time zone mismatch. The schedule is configured in UTC, but the portal runs on Moscow time — the line goes offline 3 hours earlier than it should. Check: Portal Settings → Regional Settings → Time Zone.
Operator does not change status. Goes to lunch, status stays "online" — a chat arrives, the operator does not respond, the client waits 15 minutes. Solution: mandatory break via Timeman or a manual status switch with a procedure in place.
Auto-reply and live reply arrive together. The operator logged in at 8:59, the first client wrote at 9:00 — received an auto-reply "outside working hours" and 30 seconds later a live reply from the operator. Solution: reduce the auto-reply delay or disable the auto-reply 5–10 minutes before the start of the working day.