# Flow block in Connect Customer: Check staffing
<a name="check-staffing"></a>

This topic defines the flow block for checking the current or specified customer queue to gauge agent availability.

## Description
<a name="check-staffing-description"></a>
+ Checks the current working queue, or queue you specify in the block, for whether agents are [available](metrics-definitions.md#available-real-time), [staffed](metrics-definitions.md#staffed-agents), or [online](metrics-definitions.md#online-agents).
+ Before transferring a call to agent and putting that call in a queue, use the **Check hours of operation** and **Check staffing** blocks. They verify that the call is within working hours and that agents are staffed to service.

## Supported channels
<a name="check-staffing-channels"></a>

The following table lists how this block routes a contact who is using the specified channel. 


| Channel | Supported? | 
| --- | --- | 
| Voice | Yes | 
| Chat | Yes | 
| Task | Yes | 
| Email | Yes | 

## Flow types
<a name="check-staffing-types"></a>

You can use this block in the following [flow types](create-contact-flow.md#contact-flow-types):
+ Inbound flow
+ Customer queue flow
+ Transfer to Agent flow
+ Transfer to Queue flow

## Properties
<a name="check-staffing-properties"></a>

The following image shows the **Properties** page of the **Check staffing** block. It is configured to check whether agents in the BasicQueue are available so they can be routed contacts.

![The properties page of the Check staffing block.](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/images/check-staffing-properties.png)


In the **Status to check** dropdown box, choose one of the following options:
+ [Available](metrics-definitions.md#available-real-time) = Check whether at least one agent in the queue is **Available**.
+ [Staffed agents](metrics-definitions.md#staffed-agents) = Check whether at least one agent in the queue is **Available**, **On call**, or in **After Contact Work**.
+ [Online agents](metrics-definitions.md#online-agents) = Check whether at least one agent in the queue is **Available**, in the **Staffed** state, or in a custom state.

## Configuration tips
<a name="check-staffing-tips"></a>
+ You must set a queue before using a **Check staffing** block in your flow. You can use a [Set working queue](set-working-queue.md) block to set the queue.
+ If a queue is not set, the contact is routed down the **Error** branch.
+ When a contact is transferred from one flow to another, the queue that is set in a flow is passed from that flow to the next flow.

## Configured block
<a name="check-staffing-configured"></a>

The following image shows an example of what this block looks like when it is configured. It has three branches: **True**, **False**, and **Error**. 

![A configured Check staffing block.](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/images/check-staffing-configured.png)


## Scenarios
<a name="check-staffing-scenarios"></a>

See these topics for scenarios that use this block:
+ [Transfer contacts to a specific agent in Connect Customer](transfer-to-agent.md)