Before you can include external actions in your action flows, you must connect the action builder to the external system.

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Summary: ◀▼

You can connect action flows to New Relic using an API key to automate workflows involving data queries, entity lookups, entity searches, and alert condition creation. Use a dedicated service account for secure integration. This connection lets you run NRQL queries, retrieve entity details, search entities by criteria, and create alert conditions to monitor and manage your systems directly within your workflows.

By connecting the action builder to external systems, such as New Relic, admins can integrate Zendesk with external systems in automated workflows, improving collaboration and maintaining a seamless experience across multiple platforms.
Note: The steps associated with external systems in action flows are referred to collectively as external actions.
This article contains the following topics:
  • Connecting New Relic to action builder
  • Using New Relic actions in action flows

Connecting New Relic to action builder

Before you can include external actions in your action flows, you must connect the action builder to the external system.

When connecting to external systems for use in action flows, the following best practices are recommended:
  • All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the user who connected the external system. Therefore, it's a best practice to use a dedicated service account rather than personal credentials when connecting to each external system.
  • All integrations request access to necessary scopes. However, it's important that you review and validate the scopes before authorizing the connection to the external system.
  • When managing credentials for API key-based tools, such as OpenAI, it's best to store keys in a secure vault or credential manager.

To create a User API key in New Relic

The New Relic connection uses API key authentication. You will need to provide a User API key from your New Relic account. This key is used for querying data and managing configurations. The API key must have appropriate permissions to access the New Relic APIs for the actions you plan to use.

See the New Relic documentation for more information on New Relic API keys.

Important: Keep your API key secure. Do not share it or commit it to version control. Use a dedicated service account API key for production workflows.
  1. Go to the New Relic user menu.
  2. Select API Keys.
  3. Create a new API key.
  4. Save the API key or keep the window open so you can copy and paste it into Zendesk.

    You'll need it when connecting New Relic to action builder.

To connect action builder to New Relic
  1. In Admin Center, click Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Actions > Action flows.
  2. Create or edit an action flow.
  3. Open the step sidebar.
  4. Under External actions, click New Relic.
  5. Click Connect.
  6. Follow New Relic's prompts to enter your New Relic API key and complete the connection.
    Important: All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the user who connected the external system. Therefore, it is a best practice to use a dedicated service account rather than personal credentials when connecting to each external system.

After you've connected to the system, you'll see an indicator that it's connected and details about the instance you're connected to, as well as the actions available for New Relic.

Using New Relic actions in action flows

The following New Relic actions are available:
  • Query data
  • Lookup entity
  • Search entities
  • Create alert condition

Querying data

Use the Query data action to run NRQL queries against your New Relic telemetry data.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs Required: Account ID, NRQL query

The Account ID field provides a dropdown of accounts accessible with your API key.

NRQL query uses SQL-like syntax. Example: SELECT count(*) FROM Transaction WHERE appName='WebApp' SINCE 1 hour ago.

Optional: Timeout

The Timeout field accepts values from 1 to 120 seconds and defaults to 10 seconds.

Output Query results including array of result objects with fields determined by the NRQL SELECT clause, row count, and total result value for aggregation queries.

Looking up an entity

Use the Lookup entity action to retrieve detailed information about a specific monitored entity.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs Required: Account ID, Entity

The Entity field is a searchable dropdown. Type at least 2 characters of the entity name to search. Search results show the entity name and type, with a link to the entity in New Relic. Select the entity you want to look up to retrieve its full details including current alert status and associated tags.
Output Entity details including entity GUID, name, type, URL, reporting status, alert severity, and tags with metadata.

Searching entities

Use the Search entities action to find monitored entities matching search criteria.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs Required: Account ID

Optional: Search query, Entity type, Alert severity, Tag filter, Max results

Consider the following when using the Search entities action:

  • All search filters are optional and can be combined.
  • The Search query field uses New Relic entity search syntax (for example, name LIKE 'Web%').
  • Entity type provides a dropdown of available entity types. Alert severity options include NOT_ALERTING, WARNING, and CRITICAL.
  • Tag filter uses key:value format (for example, environment:production).
  • Max results accepts values from 1 to 200 and defaults to 50.
Output Array of entity objects containing entity GUID, name, type, URL, domain, reporting status, alert severity, and tags, along with total count and indicator if more results are available.

Creating an alert condition

Use the Create alert condition action to create a new NRQL alert condition in New Relic.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs Required: Account ID, Alert policy, Condition name, NRQL query, Critical threshold

Optional: Warning threshold, Threshold duration, Threshold operator, Enabled

Consider the following when using the Create alert condition action:
  • The Alert policy field is a searchable dropdown that displays policies from the selected account.
  • The NRQL query must return a single numeric value for threshold comparison (for example, SELECT count(*) FROM ZendeskTicketCreated SINCE 1 hour ago).
  • Critical threshold is the numeric value that triggers a critical alert.
  • Warning threshold is optional and triggers a warning-level alert.
  • Threshold duration specifies how long the threshold must be exceeded before alerting, in seconds (range: 60-3600, defaults to 300).
  • Threshold operator options are ABOVE, BELOW, or EQUALS (defaults to ABOVE).
  • Enabled determines whether the condition is active immediately (defaults to true).
Output Alert condition details including condition ID, condition name, policy ID, and enabled status.
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