Macros

A macro is a saved reply plus a set of actions you can apply to a conversation in one click. Macros are the single biggest lever for handling more conversations per hour — any reply you find yourself writing more than twice should probably be a macro.

What a macro contains

Each macro has:

• Title — How you find it in the macro picker.
• Content — The reply that gets inserted into the message composer. Markdown is supported, including images.
• Actions — A list of things to do to the conversation when the macro is applied (see below).
• Attachments — Files that get attached to the reply.
• Available for — Either everyone in the organization, or just yourself (personal macros).
• Business — Restrict the macro to a specific business, or make it available across all of them.
• Folder — Macros are organized into folders so a large library stays navigable.

Variables

You can insert dynamic values into a macro's content using double curly braces:

Hi {{customer.name}}, thanks for reaching out!

Variables are filled in automatically when the macro is applied to a conversation. Common ones include the customer's name, email, and order details when available.

Actions

A macro doesn't have to just insert a reply — it can also perform actions on the conversation in the same click. Available actions:

• Set tag — Add a tag to the conversation.
• Assign member — Assign the conversation to a specific teammate.
• Snooze — Snooze the conversation for a chosen duration.
• Close conversation — Close the conversation after the reply is sent.

You can chain multiple actions in a single macro. A typical "answered and done" macro inserts a reply, applies a tag, and closes the conversation — all in one keystroke.

Folders

Macros live in folders. A few naming patterns that work well:

• By topic: Returns, Shipping, Account issues, Billing
• By stage: Triage, Ask for info, Closing replies
• By team: VIP, Wholesale, Support tier 2

A flat list of 80 macros is unusable; the same 80 in 8 folders is fast to navigate.

Recommendations

Octocom can recommend macros automatically based on the content of the conversation. When a recommendation matches what you'd say anyway, applying it is a single click — this is usually the fastest path to a reply.

When to make a macro

A good rule: if you've written the same answer (even loosely) twice, save it as a macro the third time. If the answer always closes the conversation, add a close action. If it always tags the conversation, add a tag action. The goal is that your most common conversation types resolve in a single click.