Overview
When you are waiting on a customer to respond or a vendor to deliver a part, the SLA clock can be paused so your team is not penalized for time outside your control. This is handled automatically when you move a ticket to a configured pause status.
When SLAs Pause
An SLA pauses when a ticket moves into a status listed in the SLA policy's Pause on statuses field. The most common pause statuses are:
- Waiting on Customer — you sent a public note asking for information or access, and the customer has not replied yet.
- On Hold — work is blocked for an internal reason (waiting on a part, pending vendor response).
The pause statuses are configured per SLA policy. If a status is not in that list, the clock keeps running even while the ticket is in that status.
How to Pause an SLA
You do not pause the SLA directly. It pauses automatically when you change the ticket's status:
- Open the ticket.
- Change the Status field to Waiting on Customer (or another configured pause status).
- Save the ticket.
The SLA timer freezes at the remaining time. The ticket is flagged in the queue so your team knows it is waiting.
How to Resume an SLA
The SLA resumes automatically when you move the ticket out of a pause status:
- Open the ticket.
- Change the Status field back to In Progress (or Open).
- Save the ticket.
The countdown picks up from where it left off. The time spent waiting on the customer does not count against your SLA target.
SLA Timer Behavior
| Situation | Timer behavior |
|---|---|
| Ticket created | Timer starts immediately (if priority and policy exist) |
| Ticket moved to a pause status | Timer freezes |
| Ticket moved out of a pause status | Timer resumes from remaining time |
| Ticket resolved | Timer stops; resolution time is recorded |
| Ticket closed | No change to recorded SLA times |
| Business hours mode enabled | Timer only counts during configured business hours, even without a pause status |
Example
A High-priority ticket has a 1-hour response target and an 8-hour resolution target. You receive it at 9:00 AM:
- 9:00 AM — Ticket created. Response due at 10:00 AM. Resolution due at 5:00 PM.
- 9:30 AM — You reply. First response recorded. Response SLA met.
- 10:00 AM — You move the ticket to Waiting on Customer. Resolution timer freezes with 7 hours remaining.
- 2:00 PM — Customer replies. You move it back to In Progress. Timer resumes. Resolution now due at 9:00 PM.
Without the pause, the resolution would have been due at 5:00 PM — 4 hours earlier than fair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pause an SLA manually without changing the status?
No. SLA pausing is tied to ticket status changes. Moving to a configured pause status is the only way to freeze the clock.
What if I forget to move the ticket back from Waiting on Customer?
The SLA stays paused indefinitely until you change the status. Set up an automation rule to alert you if a ticket has been in Waiting on Customer for more than a set number of hours.
Does pausing affect both response and resolution timers?
Only the resolution timer is paused if the first response has already been sent. If the first response has not been sent yet, both timers pause.