In this guide:
General
What is Dispatch HQ? Dispatch HQ is an AI-powered service operations platform for MSPs. It covers triage and dispatch — the middle stage of your service delivery workflow between ticket creation and resolution. It integrates natively with TimeZest scheduling and works with ConnectWise, Autotask, and HaloPSA.
Do I need both modules, or can I use just one? You can purchase Triage only, Ticket Dispatch only, or both together. They work independently and can be enabled separately per service board.
Which PSAs does Dispatch HQ support? ConnectWise PSA, Datto Autotask, and HaloPSA.
Does Dispatch HQ share my ticket data with anyone? Dispatch HQ uses AI providers to process your ticket and scheduling data for triage suggestions, ticket ranking, and technician matching. Your data is never used to train external models. Full details are in the AI Services Addendum, which is accepted during setup.
Does Dispatch HQ replace my PSA? No. Dispatch HQ works alongside your PSA. Ticket data, statuses, and assignments sync back to your PSA in real time. Your team still lives in their normal workflows — Dispatch HQ adds structure to the triage and dispatch layer.
Setup and Configuration
Who can configure Dispatch HQ? Only TimeZest users with an Administrator role can enable and configure Dispatch HQ.
I'm a ConnectWise user. Is there anything I need to do before enabling? Yes. In your TimeZest API user's security role, go to System > Security Roles > Finance > Agreements and set the Inquire Level to All. This is set to None by default and must be updated before Dispatch HQ will work correctly.
Can I configure multiple service boards? Yes. Each service board is configured independently under Settings > Dispatch HQ. You can enable Triage, Dispatch, or both on a per-board basis.
Can I change my status configuration after setup? Yes. Go to Settings > Dispatch HQ and edit any service board at any time. Changes take effect immediately.
Tickets aren't appearing where I expect them. What should I check? Start with your status configuration. The most common cause is a mismatch between the statuses configured in Dispatch HQ and the statuses your PSA is actually assigning to tickets. Go to Settings > Dispatch HQ, review your Triage and Unassigned statuses, and confirm they match what your tickets are using in your PSA.
Triage
What happens if a dispatcher doesn't confirm a ticket? It stays in the Triage queue indefinitely. Tickets do not move to the Unassigned queue or become available to technicians until a dispatcher confirms them. There is no automatic timeout or escalation.
Can I skip Triage and send a ticket directly to the Unassigned queue? No. All tickets must be reviewed and confirmed through Triage first.
What if the AI suggests the wrong values? Adjust them before confirming. The dispatcher always has full control to accept, modify, or override any AI suggestion. The AI learns from those corrections over time, so adjusting inaccurate suggestions actively improves future recommendations.
What if the AI can't suggest values for a ticket? Those fields will appear blank or flagged. Fill them in manually based on your assessment and confirm as normal.
Why is my Triage queue so large when I first enable Dispatch HQ? When Dispatch HQ first syncs, tickets already in your configured Triage statuses will appear in the queue. Work through them, starting with the most time-sensitive tickets first.
Ticket Dispatch
How does Dispatch HQ decide which ticket to rank first? The system ranks tickets based on urgency, SLA timelines, and the nature of the issue. As SLA windows shrink, tickets automatically move up in the queue. Dispatchers can manually override the ranked order at any time.
What do the SLA colors on ticket cards mean?
Yellow: SLA is approaching
Orange: SLA is critical
Red: SLA has already been breached
Can I send a TimeZest scheduling request before a technician pulls the ticket? Yes. There is a Send TimeZest button directly on each ticket card in both the Unassigned and Assigned tabs. Sending a request does not assign the ticket or remove it from the queue.
Can a dispatcher manually assign a ticket instead of waiting for a tech to pull it? Yes. Dispatchers can add or remove technician suggestions on any ticket in the Unassigned tab and can reassign tickets directly from the Assigned tab.
How does sick day coverage work? When a technician is out, go to the Assigned tab, find their ticket queue, and reassign their tickets to available technicians. Reassigned tickets move directly into the receiving technician's Ready to Work section.
For Technicians
Why can't I see the full ticket queue? Your view is intentionally scoped to your own work. The full queue is managed by your dispatcher. This is what prevents cherry-picking and keeps ticket distribution fair across the team.
How do I get my next ticket? Click Grab Next Ticket. The system assigns the best available ticket based on your skills and the current queue priority. Confirm to accept it.
Can I choose which ticket I get? No. The system surfaces the best match for you. If the suggestion doesn't seem right, talk to your dispatcher.
What is "Not Actionable Right Now"? Tickets in a waiting or on-hold status — waiting on a client response, a vendor, or an external approval. They're still yours, just parked until they become actionable. They move back to Ready to Work automatically when their status changes.
What does "Skip confirmation when grabbing tickets" mean? Checking this means future clicks on Grab Next Ticket will assign immediately without showing the confirmation dialog. Leave it unchecked if you prefer to see the confirmation before committing.
Where do I see my scheduled appointments? Click Show Calendar in the top right corner of your Dispatch HQ view.
A ticket disappeared from my Ready to Work section. Where did it go? It likely moved to Not Actionable Right Now because its status changed to a waiting or on-hold state. It will return to Ready to Work when it becomes actionable again.