Specific Date Matching
Enter exact dates like 25 December, 1 January, or your company's annual shutdown week. The module checks today's date against your list instantly.
Holiday Override
Chat Workflow Scheduling
The Holiday Override module lets you define specific dates — bank holidays, company closures, team events — where your chat workflow automatically switches to a special path. No last-minute scrambling to turn things off. Set the dates once and the workflow handles the rest, year after year.
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What Is the Holiday Override Module?
The Holiday Override module checks the current date against a list of dates you define — bank holidays, annual shutdowns, company away-days, or any other occasion — and diverts the workflow to a special branch when a match is found. On all other days, it passes through silently and the workflow continues its normal route.
Every business has days when the team simply isn't available. Christmas Day, New Year's Day, the August bank holiday, a company retreat. Without this module, you'd need someone to remember to update the chat widget the night before and again the morning after. That's a process ripe for human error. One forgotten toggle and visitors are left chatting into the void, or your team returns from holiday to find a queue of unanswered conversations.
The Holiday Override eliminates that risk entirely. You enter your closure dates once — typically at the start of the year — and the module handles everything automatically. When a visitor opens the chat on a holiday, they see a clear, branded message explaining the closure and offering an alternative: an offline message form, a link to your FAQ, or AI-powered self-service. When the holiday is over, the workflow reverts to normal without any intervention. It is a "set and forget" module that protects your brand reputation on the days when your team is away.
Date Range Support
Close for an entire week between Christmas and New Year? Define a range instead of individual dates. The module matches any day within the span.
Recurring Holidays
Mark recurring annual dates so they trigger every year without needing to re-enter them. Perfect for fixed public holidays that never change.
Special Event Paths
Not just for closures — use the override to run a special workflow on launch days, sale events, or conferences with tailored messaging.
How the Holiday Override Fits Into a Workflow
The Holiday Override should be the very first decision node in your workflow — before the Time of Day check, before data collection, before anything interactive. If today is a holiday, there's no point asking for the visitor's name or checking agent schedules. The override short-circuits the entire flow and routes straight to the holiday experience.
This ordering is crucial. By placing the Holiday Override at the top, you guarantee that visitors on closure days never reach a step designed for normal operation. They see your holiday message immediately, without confusion, and can leave a message or browse your knowledge base instead. On non-holiday days, the module is completely invisible — it evaluates in milliseconds and passes through to the next step without the visitor ever knowing it's there.
Example: Legal Practice — Christmas Shutdown
A law firm shuts down between Christmas and New Year. The Holiday Override handles the transition automatically.
START
Holiday Override
23 Dec – 2 Jan?
Holiday
Normal
Time of Day
Mon–Fri 9–17
Step-by-Step Breakdown
- Holiday Override: The first node checks if today falls within 23 December to 2 January. This fires before any other logic.
- Holiday Branch: During the shutdown, visitors see a professional closure message with the return date, followed by an offline form to leave their details for the new year.
- Normal Branch: On all other days, the workflow passes through to the Time of Day module, which evaluates Monday–Friday 9 AM to 5 PM business hours as usual.
- Automatic Revert: On 3 January, the override stops matching and the workflow returns to normal operation — zero manual steps required.
Best Practices & Tips
Holiday Overrides are simple to configure but easy to overlook. These tips ensure you never leave visitors stranded on a closure day.
Plan Annually
At the start of each year, enter all known holidays and closure dates in one sitting. This "set and forget" approach ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Include Return Dates
Always tell visitors when you'll be back. "We're closed for the bank holiday and return Tuesday at 9 AM" sets expectations and prevents repeated visits.
Capture Messages
End your holiday branch with an offline message form. Visitors can leave their name, email, and query, and your team can follow up on the first working day.
Use for Promotions Too
Holiday Override isn't only for closures. Use it on launch days or sales events to route visitors to a special promotional workflow with targeted messaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I define a date range instead of individual dates?
Yes. The Holiday Override supports both individual dates and date ranges. A single range entry like "23 December – 2 January" will match every day within that span, so you don't need to enter each date separately.
Does the module support recurring annual holidays?
Yes. You can mark a holiday as recurring, and it will trigger on the same date every year without needing to be re-entered. This is ideal for fixed public holidays like Christmas Day or New Year's Day.
Should the Holiday Override go before or after the Time of Day module?
Always before. The Holiday Override should be the first decision node in your workflow. If today is a holiday, there's no need to evaluate business hours. Placing it first ensures visitors see the correct experience immediately.
Can I use multiple Holiday Override modules in one workflow?
You can, but it's usually unnecessary. A single Holiday Override module can hold all your closure dates for the year. Use multiple modules only if you need different holiday branches — for example, one for public holidays (offline form) and another for a company event (special promotional flow).
Related Modules
The Holiday Override pairs naturally with scheduling and routing modules to create bulletproof availability logic.
Never Leave Visitors Stranded on a Holiday
Set your closure dates once and let the Holiday Override handle the rest. Professional, branded experiences — even when your team is away.