Product changelog and announcements

TaskRouter routes tasks in priority order, starting with the highest priority. If multiple tasks have the same priority, it uses the task creation time to break the tie, sorting tasks from oldest to newest so that the oldest task is routed first. 

However, in some scenarios, the task creation time doesn't reflect the actual date and time that the customer interaction originally began, and the task is sorted lower than it should be. For example:

• A customer calls, waits for 20 minutes, and is offered a callback. The customer hangs up and a new task is created for the callback. The 20 minutes that the customer waited during the first call are not captured in the task creation time for the new task.

• A customer begins a conversation in one channel, such as chat, and switches to a different channel, such as a voice call. Moving to another channel creates a new task with a later task creation time, so the new task is prioritized lower.

To correct how these types of tasks are prioritized, you can now specify a "virtual start time," which is an optional parameter. When specified, virtual start time is used in place of the task creation time to determine where the task is sorted in the list. 

For example, if we added a virtual start time to the second task that was created in the callback example above, we could set it to match the time that the original task was created. That would enable the customer to keep their place in line for a callback.

For more information, see our documentation:

• Queue Ordering for a more detailed description of how virtual start time works, including examples

• VirtualStartTime on the Task Resource page for information about how to use this parameter

When using the Set Variables widget and Run Subflow widget, parameters are (by default) parsed as strings. Use the `parse as JSON object` option when you know a parameter will be a JSON object. This will allow the variable to be properly interpreted as a JSON object so you can reference its attributes within the Studio flow. 

The `parse as JSON object` option allows you to:

• Set or pass an existing JSON object and reference its members as variables.

• Set a literal JSON string (Liquid reference to a JSON string, or a mixture of JSON and Liquid) and access it as an object. 

The Flex Plugins CLI can now help validate your plugins against the latest Flex UI version to ensure compatibility. The recommendations displayed by this command help you follow best practices to keep your plugin code compatible with Flex UI as the platform evolves. However, it cannot guarantee compatibility. This command also runs implicitly as part of the Deploy command.

The 7.0.0 release also includes:

• Enhancements to the CLI version update notifier 

• Integrated telemetry for all of the commands

• Security fixes

• Removal of unused dependencies

This update includes two breaking changes:

• Because the twilio:flex:plugins:deploy command now validates plugins as part of the deployment process, version 7.0.0 and later can disrupt automated deployments, such CI/CD pipelines. When the Deploy command runs, if the validation process finds any errors, the deployment process stops to ask for input. To prevent this issue, use the --bypass-validation option on your Deploy command to skip plugin validation for automated deployments. For details, see Deploy in the Flex Plugins CLI reference.
• Node v14 is no longer supported. Your plugins must be compatible with Node v16.x or later.

For more information about this release, see the Flex Plugins CLI release notes. For complete information about the Flex Plugins CLI, see our Flex Plugins CLI documentation.

You can now select permissions for TaskRouter APIs while creating a Restricted API Key on Console. The product already supports permissions for Studio, Voice, SIP, Messages, Regulatory Compliance and Long Codes APIs.

Restricted API Keys allow you to decide which Twilio API Resources an API Key can access, and which action(s) the API Key is allowed to take on those API Resources.

We’re excited to announce the Public Beta release of Flex Mobile, a pre-built app available for iOS and Android devices. Flex Mobile brings the Flex experience to a phone or tablet, giving agents the flexibility to answer calls and messages while away from their desks.

Current Flex customers can download the app and use it with an existing Flex instance at no additional cost and with no new development effort. If you’d like to onboard new agents to Flex for mobile access, contact your Twilio Account team to add additional Flex Mobile licenses that can be purchased at a discounted price.

To read more about Flex Mobile, see our blog post or visit the docs.

The Activity Skills Filter plugin lets you map an agent's status to their skills and enables custom order status in the status selector.

Effective August 1, 2024, Twilio will transition to a unified deployment model for Flex plugins, discontinuing direct deployments through Twilio Functions and Assets. You will need to use the Flex Plugin Builder (Plugins CLI) for all plugin deployments and modifications. This update simplifies maintenance and upgrades across the platform.

Starting April 1, 2025, any legacy plugins that have not been migrated to the new system will stop working within the Flex UI. It’s crucial that you migrate your plugins before this date to avoid any disruption in service. 
Updated 25-Sept-2024: Previously, this changelog entry stated that non-migrated legacy plugins would stop working on November 20, 2024. The deadline has been extended to April 1, 2025.

Previously, Flex plugins could be directly deployed and modified via Twilio Console or the Serverless Toolkit, allowing flexibility in management but varying in standardization.

These changes are aimed at enhancing security and manageability without impacting system performance. We encourage you to follow these steps to ensure a seamless transition:

• Identify your legacy plugins: Review your Flex custom plugins to determine which of your deployments are considered legacy plugins. 
• Install the Flex Plugin CLI: If you haven’t already, use the Twilio CLI documentation to install the Twilio CLI on your local machine. Then, install the Flex Plugins CLI to ensure you have the necessary tools for migration. 
• Follow the migration guide: Our Flex plugins migration guide outlines all necessary steps to reinstall your plugins without impacting your ongoing operations. 

TaskRouter now enables agents to place outbound calls from any queue, whether or not they are a member of that queue. This update enhances TaskRouter’s adaptability and functionality for diverse operational needs.

Effective May 14, 2024, TaskRouter no longer performs backend validation to confirm that an agent is a member of a queue before allowing them to place an outbound call from it. This change improves contact center flexibility by accommodating a wider range of use cases, such as agents who are assigned to multiple queues or who are temporarily assisting in a different queue. 

Previously, TaskRouter required agents to be a member of a queue in order to place a call from that queue. 

This change does not impact system metrics or statistics.

Webchat 3.0’s newest feature, allowed origins, boosts chat widget security by only accepting messages from pre-determined websites. 

Starting May 14, 2024, you can use the Allowed origins field  in your Webchat 3.0 deployment key settings to specify up to 10 trusted URLs where your customers can initiate a chat. Once specified, chat sessions are only accepted from the trusted URLs that you entered. Webchat will reject chats from any URLs that are not listed in the Allowed origins field.

If you have already created a deployment key for Webchat 3.0, you must take action to prevent disruption. By August 15, 2024, you must update your deployment key for your existing Webchat 3.0 widget.

We’re excited to announce that you can now download the Twilio Flex CTI connector directly from the Salesforce AppExchange. For full configuration details, see Integrate Flex with Salesforce. For those already using the Salesforce integration, no action is required.