Start a real-time chat with the eCourtDate support team for quick questions and troubleshooting without leaving the platform.

### Overview

Live chat gives you direct access to the eCourtDate support team right from within the platform. Instead of waiting for a ticket response, you can send a message and receive help in real time. Chat is ideal for quick questions, clarifications, and issues that benefit from a back-and-forth conversation. Your full chat history is saved, so you can always reference past conversations.

- **What it does:** Connects you to the eCourtDate support team through a real-time messaging interface
- **Why it matters:** Reduces wait times for simple questions and lets you resolve issues without switching to email or phone
- **Who uses it:** Any authenticated eCourtDate user (court clerks, administrators, IT staff, officers)
- **Expected outcome:** Faster answers to questions, with a recorded history of every conversation for your reference

### Prerequisites

Before starting a live chat, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate user account with access to your agency
- A current browser session signed in to your eCourtDate agency
- A clear description of your question or issue ready to share

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Start a New Chat

1. Sign in to your eCourtDate agency at [app.ecourtdate.com](https://app.ecourtdate.com).
2. Click the **Start a Chat** button in the bottom left corner of any page.
3. A new chat window opens where you can type your message.

#### Step 2: Send Your Message

1. Enter your question or describe your issue in the **Content** field.
2. Be as specific as possible. Include relevant details such as:
   - The page or feature you need help with
   - Any error messages you are seeing
   - What you were trying to accomplish
3. Click **Send** to submit your message.
4. The support team receives your message in real time and begins working on a response.

#### Step 3: Continue the Conversation

1. Wait for a response from the support team. You will see their reply appear in the chat feed.
2. Reply to follow-up questions by entering your response in the text field and clicking **Send**.
3. Continue the conversation until your issue is resolved or you have the information you need.
4. If the support team determines that your issue requires deeper investigation, they may suggest creating a support ticket for tracking purposes.

#### Step 4: View Your Chat History

1. Navigate to the **Chats** page from the help center navigation.
2. Use the search bar to find past conversations by keyword or user.
3. Use the **Status** filter to view chats by their current state:
   - Select **Open** to see active, ongoing conversations
   - Select **Closed** to see completed conversations
   - Select **All Chats** to see everything
4. Click on any chat in the list to view the full conversation thread.

#### Step 5: Rate the Support Experience

1. After your chat is resolved, you may be prompted to rate the experience.
2. Select a rating that reflects your satisfaction with the support you received:

| Rating | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| 5 | Excellent, issue resolved quickly and completely |
| 4 | Good, helpful response |
| 3 | Average, partially helpful |
| 2 | Below expectations, issue not fully addressed |
| 1 | Poor, did not receive useful help |

3. Your rating helps the eCourtDate team measure and improve support quality.

### What to Expect

After sending a chat message, the support team typically responds within minutes during business hours. If you start a chat outside of business hours, your message is queued and the team responds when they are back online. Chats that remain inactive for an extended period are automatically closed, but you can always start a new chat or reference the previous conversation.

### Best Practices

- **Lead with the specific issue.** Instead of "I have a question," start with "I cannot find the option to schedule a bulk message for next Monday." This gets you to an answer faster.
- **Include context.** Mention your agency name, the page you are on, and any steps you already tried. This prevents extra back-and-forth.
- **Use chat for quick questions and tickets for complex issues.** If your problem involves multiple steps, data investigation, or engineering changes, the support team may recommend creating a ticket so nothing gets lost.
- **Review your chat history before reaching out again.** The solution to your current question may already be in a previous conversation.
- **Attach files when needed.** If you have a screenshot or file that illustrates the issue, attach it to the chat using the file upload option.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Is live chat available 24/7?**
A: The support team monitors chats during business hours (Eastern Time). Messages sent outside of these hours are queued and addressed the next business day. You can always submit a support ticket for issues that cannot wait.

**Q: What happens to my chat if I close the browser?**
A: Your chat is saved automatically. You can return to the **Chats** page at any time to continue the conversation or review the history. Closing your browser does not delete the chat.

**Q: Can other people at my agency see my chats?**
A: Admins can view chats associated with their agency. Standard-role team members can only see their own chats. If you need to share a conversation with a colleague, you can reference the chat content in a ticket or forward the details directly.

**Q: How do I know if my chat has been closed?**
A: Closed chats are marked with a "closed" status on the **Chats** page. You can filter by **Closed** status to see all completed conversations. If your chat was closed before your issue was fully resolved, start a new chat and reference the previous conversation.

**Q: Can I reopen a closed chat?**
A: Admins can reopen a closed chat by clicking the **Reopen Chat** button on the chat detail page. If you are a standard user and need a chat reopened, start a new chat or create a support ticket referencing the closed conversation.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The **Start a Chat** button does not appear on the page.
**Symptoms:** After signing in, the bottom left corner of the screen does not show the chat button.
**Solution:**

1. Verify that you are signed in to your eCourtDate agency, not just the help center.
2. Refresh the page or try clearing your browser cache.
3. Disable any ad blockers or browser extensions that might hide page elements.
4. If the button still does not appear, try accessing the platform in a different browser or in an incognito/private window.

**Issue:** You sent a chat message but are not receiving any responses.
**Symptoms:** Your message shows as sent, but no reply arrives after an extended period.
**Solution:**

1. Check whether you are contacting support during business hours. After-hours messages are handled the next business day.
2. Refresh the page to make sure new responses are loading.
3. If the chat remains unanswered for an unreasonable amount of time, create a support ticket by clicking the **Create a Ticket** button in the bottom right corner and reference your chat.

### Related Articles

- [How to Submit and Track Support Tickets](/how-to-submit-and-track-support-tickets)