Escalation paths

Escalation paths allow your team to define a set of levels, so that if a team member is stuck when resolving a thread, they have a predefined path to escalate it to the next relevant person or team.

This ensures standardized handoffs and gives every thread a clear path to resolution.

Configuration

Setting up escalation paths requires two steps:

1. Define the escalation path (name + levels) in Settings

2. Create a workflow in the Workflow Builder to assign threads to that path

Adding an escalation path

1. Go to Settings → Workflow → Escalation Paths

2. Click "New Escalation Path"

3. Set a name and add your defined escalation levels

Setting a thread to use an escalation path

1. Go to Settings → Workflow → Workflow Rules

2. Click "Add New Rule" and add the Set escalation path action

Usage

Escalating a thread

To escalate, just click the Escalate button at the bottom of the Thread page, under the composer:

Changing or clearing the escalation path

To manually change which escalation path a thread uses, or to remove it entirely:

1. Press CMD + K to open the Command Palette

2. Search for "Change Escalation Path" or "Clear Escalation Path"

Things to know

• When escalating, the currently assigned user is always unassigned

• The currently assigned team label is removed only if it is part of the escalation level being escalated from

• The current escalation level is evaluated at the moment of escalation — manual user/team assignments can affect which level is considered "current"

Example

At Plain, we use the following escalation path for product questions. It's assigned via a workflow that triggers on threads from support@plain.com:

1. Technical Support (team)

2. Engineering (team)

3. Staff Engineer (user)

4. Founders (team)

The workflow that sets this path uses a single condition step — "Support email equals support@plain.com" — followed by a "Set escalation path" action. Simple and reliable.