What It Does
The Conversations feature lets your customers view, filter, and reply to their Help Scout conversations directly from your WordPress site — no need for them to use email or a separate help desk portal.
How to Enable / Access
Conversations appear automatically on any page using a DeskPress portal template. You can also add them to any WordPress page using the shortcode:
[helpscout_desk]The user must be logged in to view their conversations.
Shortcode Attributes
| Attribute | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
mid | (none) | Optional. A Help Scout mailbox ID to filter conversations to a specific mailbox only. |
Example with mailbox filter:
[helpscout_desk mid="12345"]Configuration Walkthrough
Conversation Table
When a logged-in customer visits the portal (or a page with the shortcode), they see a table listing all their conversations. The table is loaded via AJAX for fast performance and includes:
- Status badge — Color-coded indicator (Active, Pending, Closed, Spam)
- Subject line — The conversation topic
- Message count — How many messages are in the conversation
- Preview excerpt — A short snippet of the latest message
- Tags — Any Help Scout tags applied to the conversation
- Last update time — When the conversation was last updated
The table is paginated, so customers with many conversations can browse through them page by page.
Status Filter Tabs
Above the conversation table, customers can filter by status:
| Tab | Color | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| All | — | Every conversation |
| Active | Green | Open conversations that are in progress |
| Pending | Amber | Conversations waiting for a response |
| Closed | Grey | Resolved conversations |
| Spam | — | Conversations flagged as spam |
Clicking a tab filters the list instantly — no page reload required.
Date Format
You can choose how dates are displayed in the conversation list:
| Option | Example |
|---|---|
| Relative | "2 hours ago" |
| Absolute | "Feb 15, 2026" |
| Both | "Feb 15, 2026 (2 hours ago)" |
Configure this in DeskPress > Support Portal > Design.
Single Conversation View
When a customer clicks on a conversation, they see the full thread:
- Avatars — Profile pictures for the customer and support agents
- Author names — Who sent each message
- "Support" badge — Displayed next to messages from your support team, so customers can easily tell who is who
- Timestamps — When each message was sent
- Full HTML content — Messages render with full formatting (bold, links, lists, images, etc.)
- Message counter — Each message shows "Message X of Y" to help customers orient themselves in longer threads
Attachments
Attachments in conversation messages are handled automatically:
- Images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WEBP) are displayed inline as a gallery
- Files (PDF, DOC, etc.) are shown as a list with download links
Reply Form
At the bottom of a conversation thread, customers see an inline reply form. They can type a message and send it directly — the reply is added to the Help Scout conversation in real-time.
Line-Item Events
When a conversation's status changes, it appears as a timeline event in the thread. For example:
> "Status changed to closed by Sarah (Support)"
This helps customers understand the history of their conversation at a glance.
Empty State
If a customer has no conversations yet, a friendly message is displayed instead of an empty table — letting them know they can start a new conversation.
Settings Reference
| Setting | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Conversations block | Portal Template Builder | Position and toggle the conversation list |
| Date format | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Relative, absolute, or both |
| Customer Message BG | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Background color for customer messages |
| Agent Message BG | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Background color for agent messages |
| Status Active color | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Badge color for active conversations |
| Status Pending color | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Badge color for pending conversations |
| Status Closed color | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Badge color for closed conversations |
| Status Spam color | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Badge color for spam conversations |
| Thread Border Radius | DeskPress > Support Portal > Design | Corner rounding on message bubbles |
Tips and Common Questions
Do customers need to be logged in?
Yes. Conversations are tied to the logged-in WordPress user's email address, which is matched to their Help Scout customer record. Non-logged-in visitors will be prompted to log in.
Can I show conversations from only one mailbox?
Yes. Use the mid attribute on the shortcode: [helpscout_desk mid="12345"]. You can find your mailbox ID in your Help Scout account settings.
Can I add the conversation list to a page without the full portal?
Absolutely. Just add the [helpscout_desk] shortcode to any WordPress page. It works independently of the portal templates.
Why don't I see the Conversations feature?
Check that your license is active under DeskPress > System > License.
Can customers create new conversations from the conversation list?
The conversation list shows existing conversations. To let customers create new ones, add the support form shortcode ([hsd_form]) to the same page, or use the portal's Quick Actions bar which includes a "New Conversation" button.