Cases

A case is an open item you capture so it does not disappear when the chat ends.

Example: an angry customer, an unpaid invoice, something Finance must handle. You (or Merlin) create a case, hand it over, and someone else takes it.

That is different from Tasks: a task is a reminder or routine. A case is a concrete dossier with an owner and a history.

Chat first, dashboard optional

You do not need the dashboard for cases to work.

In chat or voice you can:

1. Create a case (or let Merlin build one from the conversation)
2. Hand it to a team/group (e.g. Sales) or one colleague
3. Ask which cases are open
4. Take a case, add a note, mark it done

The Cases screen in the dashboard shows the same overview. Useful for managers, or if you prefer clicking.

Who sees the case after handoff?

After handoff the case is not gone from your side.

For a group: someone in that group takes the case (e.g. "I'll take this case."). That person then becomes the owner. You can hand it over again later to another group or colleague.

How it works in practice

1. Make sure you have PIN groups (e.g. Sales, Finance) under PIN users. A PIN user belongs to at most one PIN group; choosing another group moves the user.
2. In chat: "Make a case from this for Sales."
3. Sales gets a notification (Slack/Teams if linked) and sees the case.
4. Someone in Sales: "I'll take this case."
5. Later if needed: "Hand this to Finance: customer angry, max credit €50."
6. Finish: "Close this case: customer agreed."

Other useful phrases:

• "Which cases are open?"
• "Link invoice 3821 to this case."
• "Add: call tomorrow at 10:00."

Rights when taking actions

Handoff passes context (what is going on), not your login rights. If someone needs to change an invoice, that uses the rights of the PIN they are signed in with at that moment. Merlin only uses connections in that PIN's vault. PIN groups steer handoff, not tokens. See Connections and PIN users.

Notifications (Slack / Teams)

On handoff, take and close, CallMerlin can post to the linked Slack or Teams channel, with a link to the case.

On weekdays at 08:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) you get a short list of open cases (skipped when none).

Plan

Available from Professional (including trial).

What Cases are not

• Not a live chat where several people watch one conversation at once
• Not automatic forwarding without someone asking

Files on a case

There are two worlds:

1. Chat paperclip (normal upload): Merlin analyses the file in this conversation. Storage is temporary (gone with the session). See File upload.
2. Save to case: the file is permanently stored in EU Storage and linked to the case. Colleagues with access to that case can open it later via a shareable link (signed URL, valid 15 minutes).

How to save a file on a case

1. Create a case (or pick an existing one), e.g. "Create a case for Sales from this."
2. Say you want to save a file:
   • After creation: say yes when Merlin asks if you want to add an attachment
   • Later: "Save this to case [title]" or "Add this invoice to the case"
3. Already uploaded the file? Merlin saves it to the case immediately (no second upload needed).
4. No file yet? Merlin asks you to use the paperclip (once). Same file types and 10 MB limit as chat upload.

In Slack you can send the file in the same message as your request. In Teams (outgoing webhook) attachment upload does not work: use widget, desktop, app or dashboard.

Open or share a file

• In chat: "What files are on this case?" or "Give me the link to the invoice on case X"
• Merlin replies with a clickable link to the file. The link is valid for 15 minutes and only for people who can see the case.
• In the dashboard: open the case under Cases and click the attachment.

Limits and retention

Outsiders without case access cannot use the link. All case files are removed on account deletion.

Closing with a lesson (symptom → prevention)

When marking done, fill in four short fields (chat or dashboard):

1. Symptom: what happened?
2. Cause
3. Fix: what solved it?
4. Prevention: how do you avoid a repeat?

Chat example: "Close this case. Symptom: HubSpot sync failed. Cause: expired token. Fix: reconnected. Prevention: monthly check."

Procedure in the knowledge base

After closing with those fields, an account admin can choose on the case: Add to knowledge base or Skip.

The result is a knowledge document with a Playbook badge under Settings. Merlin searches it on "it does not work" or similar questions. Searching for new playbooks works in a new session.

See also Knowledge procedures (playbooks).

Cases vs Tasks vs knowledge procedures

What Merlin may and may not do automatically

• May: search the knowledge base, explain, create/hand over a case with context, ask confirmation on write actions.
• May not: silent changes in accounting or CRM, payments without confirmation, or re-authorize a connection itself.