Setting up ACW well requires thinking about per-channel needs, agent training, and the broader wrap-up workflow. The walkthrough below covers the standard sequence for configuring ACW in an Omni-Channel-based service center.
- Analyze wrap-up requirements per channel
Document what agents need to do after each type of interaction: voice call wrap-up tasks, chat wrap-up tasks, case wrap-up tasks. Estimate the time needed for each set of wrap-up tasks based on observed agent behavior or pilot testing. The estimates inform the ACW duration per channel: chat probably needs less time than voice, voice less than complex case work. Document the analysis so the configuration choices have a clear rationale.
- Configure ACW per Routing Configuration
From Setup, navigate to Omni-Channel and the relevant Routing Configurations. For each Routing Configuration, set the After Conversation Work duration to the analyzed value. Save the configuration. The change applies to new interactions routed through that configuration; existing interactions in progress are not affected. Test the configuration with a sample interaction in sandbox to confirm the ACW window appears in the agent widget with the expected duration.
- Train agents on wrap-up workflow
Train agents on what to do during the ACW window: which fields to update, which disposition to capture, when to use End ACW early versus letting the timer expire. Provide a quick-reference card that agents can keep handy during the wrap-up window. Run a brief refresher each quarter or after any significant case-data field changes. The training is what turns ACW from administrative overhead into a productive workflow component.
- Monitor metrics and tune
Monitor ACW metrics monthly: average ACW duration per channel, percentage of ACW ended early, correlation between ACW duration and case data completeness. If ACW is consistently maxing out the configured window, consider extending it or improving the wrap-up tools so agents work faster. If agents are consistently ending early without complete wrap-up, training may need refreshing. Tune the configuration based on what the data reveals.
- ACW counts as productive time in agent occupancy metrics. Wrong-sized ACW skews the metrics one way or the other.
- Agents can extend ACW as informal break time. Monitor for the pattern and address it through coaching rather than reducing the configured window.
- ACW configuration is per Routing Configuration. Multi-channel service centers need to configure each channel's value separately.
- Ending ACW early returns the agent to available immediately. Agents who consistently end early without complete wrap-up undermine case data quality.
- Sandbox testing of ACW requires Omni-Channel configured the same way as production. Differences between sandbox and production routing configurations can mask real behavior.