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.
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.

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). That does not change.
2. Save to case: only after explicit intent. After "Make a case" Merlin asks if you want to save a file. Or say later: "Save this to case …". You use the same paperclip; the file goes to EU Storage under that case.

Colleagues who can see the case can open the file. Outsiders cannot. Files are removed after close (plus grace) or max age, and 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.