Hi We’ve configured Intercom using GTM in our SPA but we have the issue that a leads conversation history in Messenger is not appended to their contact conversation history when they log in.
While logged out, in our sign in page, we use the “install” method to display the messenger and allow the lead to ask questions.
Once signed in we use the ‘update’ method to push the contacts data to intercom.
We also use “boot” after sign in to force the messenger to show the signed in users data (since its an SPA we don’t rely on page refresh).
Based on the above should the leads conversation not be added to the contacts conversation history after sign in?
It is not 100% clear to me from the documentation if this is how to actually structure these calls. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Other Questions:
1) Does ‘install’ method create a new visitor session every time its called? Ie if I visit the login page as a signed out visitor (calls install), then without signing in, I refresh the page, should I get a new visitor session or will it continue the previous session?
2) How often should we be calling “boot” in an SPA. Docs advise calling “update” whenever the route changes but boot is not mentioned
Hey there 
When a lead logs in and is identified as the same person as an existing user, their lead profile should merge with the user profile, ensuring that their conversation history is appended to their contact conversation history. This merge is triggered by actions such as logging in with a session cookie present or if the lead's email matches an existing user. The merging process is generally instantaneous but can experience slight delays as it is asynchronous. If the lead's conversation history is not appearing after they log in, despite using the 'update' and 'boot' methods post-sign-in, it's possible that the automatic merge did not occur due to none of the conditions being met. In such cases, you can manually merge the lead profile with the user profile using Intercom's REST API to ensure all information is tracked and stored in one place.
1) When using the 'install' method on your sign-in page, it should not create a new visitor session every time it's called. If a visitor refreshes the page without signing in, the method will continue the previous session. This is because Intercom assigns a cookie to each visitor to maintain session continuity across page refreshes, ensuring that the visitor's experience and conversation history are preserved unless the cookie is deleted or expires.
2) In a single-page application (SPA), you should call the "boot" method normally when the user first arrives on the site. After that, you should use the "update" method when there's a change in user data or when the URL changes without a page load, which is common in SPAs. The "update" method simulates a page refresh and allows Intercom to check for new messages or tours to send to the customer. It's important to include the user_id and/or email in each update call.
Hopefully that helps answer some questions you may have had! 
Reply
Join the Intercom Community 🎉
Already have an account? Login
Login to the community
No account yet? Create an account
Intercom Customers and Employees
Log in with SSOEnter your E-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.