# Check and Manage External Chat Logs

External chat logs gather every messaging session and individual message that reaches your organization through your connected channels into one place. From this log you can inspect a session's details, trace what happened to it over time, read the full conversation, and reassign or remove sessions and messages when needed.

## Requirements

Your Cloud Voice system must be running firmware version `84.23.0.24` or later.

## Open the external chat logs

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice management portal and go to **Reports and Recordings > External Chat Logs**.

2. **Optional:** Narrow the list with the available filters (time range, channel type, and other objects). Matching sessions appear in the table.

   ![The External Chat Logs page listing messaging sessions](/images/pbx/external-chat-log-new.png)

   :::tip
   - To pull up only the sessions that belonged to an extension or queue you have since deleted, click the deleted-object icon (![Deleted object icon](/images/pbx/deleted.png)).

     ![Filtering the log for sessions from a deleted extension](/images/pbx/query-session-of-deleted-ext.png)
   - Click **Refresh** to reload the list with the most recent sessions.
   :::

Once the sessions you want are on screen, use the actions below to review or manage them.

## Manage chat sessions

### View a session's activity timeline

Click the timeline icon (![Timeline icon](/images/pbx/timeline.png)) next to a session.

![The timeline icon beside a session in the log](/images/pbx/check-session-timeline.png)

A window opens showing that session's operation history laid out on a timeline.

![A session's operation records shown in a timeline view](/images/pbx/session-timeline.png)

### Transfer a session

You can move one session or several at once to another destination, which is useful for reassigning conversations after an agent's extension has been removed. A session can be transferred to an extension, a message queue, or a third-party message analytics platform (delivered through the API, the system's Application Programming Interface).

:::note
- The **Third-Party Message Analytics Platform** destination appears only when the Omnichannel Messaging feature is available and the **API** feature is turned on for your system.
- Transferring a session does not change its status.
:::

To transfer a single session:

![Transferring one session to a new destination](/images/pbx/transfer-a-session-admin.png)

1. Click the transfer icon (![Transfer icon](/images/pbx/transfer-b.png)) next to the session.
2. In the pop-up window, choose a destination type, then select the specific destination.
3. Click **OK**.

The session leaves the original handler's list and moves to the chosen extension, message queue, or analytics platform along with its complete chat history.

To transfer several sessions at once:

![Selecting multiple sessions to transfer together](/images/pbx/transfer-sessions-admin.png)

1. Select the sessions you want to move.
2. Click **Transfer** at the top of the list.
3. In the pop-up window, choose a destination type, then select the specific destination.
4. Click **OK**.

The selected sessions leave the original handler's list and move to the chosen extension, message queue, or analytics platform along with their complete chat histories.

### Delete sessions

:::caution
Deleting a session permanently removes it along with its entire chat history from the log, and there is no undo. Before you confirm, make sure you have the right session and have saved anything you might need later.
:::

To delete a single session:

![Deleting one session from the log](/images/pbx/delete-chat-sessions.png)

1. Click the delete icon (![Delete icon](/images/pbx/delete.png)) next to the session.
2. In the pop-up window, click **OK**.

To delete several sessions at once:

![Selecting multiple sessions to delete](/images/pbx/delete-multiple-sessions.png)

1. Select the sessions you want to remove, then click **Delete**.
2. In the pop-up window, click **OK**.

## Manage chat histories

### Read a session's messages

Click the chat records icon (![Chat records icon](/images/pbx/chat-records.png)) next to a session.

![The chat records icon beside a session](/images/pbx/check-external-chat-history.png)

The full set of messages exchanged in that session is displayed.

![The detailed message history for a session](/images/pbx/external-chat-history.png)

### Delete messages

:::note
Messages sent by the system cannot be deleted.
:::

1. Click the chat records icon (![Chat records icon](/images/pbx/chat-records.png)) next to the session to open its message history.

2. To delete a single message:

   ![Deleting one message from a conversation](/images/pbx/delete-a-chat-message.png)

   1. Click the delete icon (![Delete icon](/images/pbx/delete.png)) next to the message.
   2. In the pop-up window, click **OK**.

3. To delete several messages at once:

   ![Selecting multiple messages to delete](/images/pbx/delete-multiple-messages.png)

   1. Select the messages you want to remove, then click **Delete**.
   2. In the pop-up window, click **OK**.