Summary: ◀▼
You can connect Box as an external knowledge source to sync supported files (Word, Excel, HTML, Markdown) from selected root folders and their subfolders. Manage connections by setting viewer permissions, manually syncing content, or removing connections. This integration helps keep your knowledge base updated with external content accessible across workflows, improving content management and access control for your support team.
Setting up a Box connection
You can set up a Box connection to connect and sync content from your Box knowledge base.
When you set up a Box connection, you select parent folders that reside in the root directory of your Box knowledge base. When the connector syncs, all supported content within that parent folder (including subfolders and supported files) will sync to your Zendesk account.
You can sync as many parent folders as you like; however, you must create a new connection for each one. After you create a Box connection, you can configure workflows to use this external content.
- In Knowledge admin, click Manage articles
(
) in the sidebar. - Click External content > Connections.
- Under the Available sources section, click Connect on the Box
card.
- Click Continue.
- Log into Box with a user account that has the correct permissions for content you want to sync to Zendesk.
- Select the Root folder that you want to sync to your Zendesk account, then
click Sync.
You can only select the top level folders in the root directory; you cannot select subfolders or individual files in the root directory. When you select a root folder, the sync automatically includes all subfolders and supported file types (docx, .xlsx, .html, and .md) in that folder.
When the sync is complete, the page shows a green Synced status for each synced folder. The number of Items reflects the files that you synced from the top level folder and all subfolders underneath it. For files to be synced to your Zendesk account, they must contain content.
Adding or removing content from your Box connection
When you set up your Box connection, you specify the root folder in Box that you want to connect. If you want to connect additional root folders to your Box connector, you can create additional connections, with each connection containing a single root folder. All supported content within each root folder (subfolders and supported file types) is synced to the connection.
To add or remove content from a Box connection, you can add or delete the content from your Box knowledge base, then either wait for an automatic sync, or manually sync your site. The new content item will be reflected in the Items number for the Box connection on your Connections page.
Managing Box connections
Once you've created a Box connection, you can view information about the connection, set viewer permissions for content, and manually resync or remove the connection.
Viewing Box connection details
You can use the information panel to view information about the Box connection, when it was created and by whom, and when it was last synced.
- In Knowledge admin, click Manage articles
() in the sidebar.
- Click External content > Connections.
- Click the options menu (
) on the row for the connection you want to
manage, then select Manage.
- View details about the connection:
- Created: When the connection was created
- Connected by: Name of the Knowledge admin who created the connection
- Items: Number of connected pages
- Status: Sync status
- Last synced: When the last sync occurred. Syncs are automatically performed every 24 hours, though they can also be triggered manually
Managing viewer permissions for Box content
You can set the viewer permissions for who can view connected Box content in your Zendesk workflows.
- In Knowledge admin, click Manage articles
() in the sidebar.
- Click External content > Connections.
- Click the options menu () on the row for the connection you want to
manage, then select Manage.
- Under Viewing permissions, select one of the following options to
determine which user segments can view content
from this space:
-
Only visible to selected user segments: Select up to 10
user segments from any of the following (an Enterprise plan is
required to select multiple user segments):
- Signed-in users: Includes internal and external users who create an account and sign in to your help center.
-
Agents and admins: Includes team members only, so
that you can create content that is internal-only. Note: Light agents are included in this segment. For a list of light agent permissions, see Understanding and setting light agent permissions.
- Custom user segment: Allows you to restrict viewing access to specific users based on tags, organizations, or groups by applying user segments. See Creating user segments to restrict access.
- Visible to everyone: Includes anyone who visits your help center and does not require sign-in.
-
Only visible to selected user segments: Select up to 10
user segments from any of the following (an Enterprise plan is
required to select multiple user segments):
- Click Save.
Manually resyncing Box content
When you connect Box as an external content source, a sync process runs every 24 hours to update new or changed content within the top level folder and their subfolders that you connected.
- On the Connections page, click the options menu () for the connection you want to
sync.
- Select Sync again.
The Box connection syncs immediately, and the Last synced column is updated with the most recent sync time.
Removing a Box connection
You can remove the connection to Box if you no longer want to sync its content. If you remove a connection, all content within that connection (folder and subfolders) will be removed.
When you remove a connection, the related content is no longer available wherever external content is used.
- On the Connections page, click the options menu () for the Box connection you want to
remove.
- Select Remove connection.
- Review the message, then click Remove.
The Box connection is removed from the Connection list, and is no longer available as an external content source.