Implement multi-session experiences for Customer Service
Omnichannel sessions and tabs
Multi-session experiences are delivered by Omnichannel for Customer Service in the Customer Service workspace or the Omnichannel agent app. The unit of work is the session: when a conversation is routed to an agent, a session opens containing one or more tabs. The anchor tab is fixed and usually holds the customer summary or the case; session tabs hold the conversation and records opened during it. Several sessions can run side by side, limited by the agent's capacity, which is set in the capacity profile and consumed per session.
Channels (chat, SMS, voice, social, Microsoft Teams) are configured through workstreams. A workstream defines the channel, the routing rules, the queue, and the session template that determines which tabs the agent sees. Because the session template is attached to the workstream - not the queue - changing the queue does not change the layout. Presence (Available, Busy, Away, Do not disturb) determines whether the agent receives new work, and transfer or consult moves the conversation without necessarily moving the whole session.
Traps: candidates assume routing assigns sessions straight to agents; in unified routing work goes to a queue first and assignment rules select the agent. Another trap is assuming one queue equals one layout.
Rule of thumb: design one workstream per channel-and-business-line combination and attach the session and application tab templates there. Worked example: chat customers need a case form plus a knowledge pane, while SMS customers need only the conversation - two workstreams, two session templates.