DeskPress embeds the Help Scout Beacon chat widget on your WordPress site with automatic user identification. Logged-in users are recognized instantly, and you can optionally let them view their past support conversations right inside the widget.
How to Enable
You can set up Beacon in two ways:
- Through the Setup Wizard during initial configuration, or
- Manually at DeskPress > Dashboard > Getting Started, in the Beacon section.
Configuration Walkthrough
Step 1: Get Your Beacon Embed Code from Help Scout
- Log in to your Help Scout account.
- Go to Manage > Beacons.
- Select your Beacon (or create a new one).
- Copy the full embed code (the HTML/JavaScript snippet).
Step 2: Paste the Embed Code into DeskPress
- In WordPress, go to DeskPress > Dashboard > Getting Started.
- Scroll to the Beacon section.
- Paste the full embed code into the Beacon Embed Code field.
- Click Save.
The Beacon widget will now appear on all pages of your site.
Step 3 (Optional): Enable Support History with Secure Mode
Secure mode lets logged-in users see their past conversations inside the Beacon widget. This requires a security key.
- In Help Scout, go to Manage > Beacons and select your Beacon.
- Go to the Security tab.
- Enable "Require security signatures".
- Copy the Secret Key that appears.
- Back in WordPress, paste this key into the Support History Security Key field in DeskPress.
- Click Save.
DeskPress handles the security verification automatically for each logged-in user, so conversations are shown securely without any risk of impersonation.
Settings Reference
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Beacon Embed Code | The full HTML/JavaScript embed snippet you copied from Help Scout. Paste the entire code block here. |
| Support History Security Key | The secret key from Help Scout's Beacon security settings. Optional -- only needed if you want users to see their conversation history in the widget. |
What Happens Behind the Scenes
- Automatic user identification: When a WordPress user is logged in, DeskPress passes their name and email to Beacon automatically. Your agents will see who they are talking to without the user needing to type their details.
- Portal integration: If you use the Portal Template Builder, the "Actions" block includes a "Live Chat" button that opens the Beacon.
Tips and Common Questions
Q: Can I use Beacon and the AI Chatbot at the same time?
Yes! The Beacon widget and the AI Chatbot are separate features and work well together. Beacon provides Help Scout's native chat experience, while the AI Chatbot offers AI-powered self-service.
Q: The Beacon isn't showing up on my site.
Double-check that you pasted the complete embed code, including the opening tag. Also make sure there are no JavaScript errors on your site that might be blocking it.
Q: Do I need the security key?
Only if you want logged-in users to see their past conversations in the Beacon. Without it, the Beacon still works for new chats and user identification -- users just won't see their history.
Q: Does Beacon work for logged-out visitors?
Yes. Visitors who aren't logged in can still use the Beacon to start conversations. They will be asked to provide their name and email within the widget.
Related documentation: