Understanding, installing, and configuring the Slack for Zendesk Support integration

The Slack for Zendesk Support is a Built by Zendesk integration that connects a single Zendesk subdomain to a Slack workspace. It allows you to interact with Zendesk Support tickets in your Slack channels.

The integration includes the following features:

• Ticket event notifications in Slack: Slack users can see information about Zendesk Support ticket events in specified Slack channels. High-level ticket information is displayed (subject, description, priority, assignee, and creation time). Ticket notifications can be filtered based on event type; and based on groups Support groups. See Viewing ticket notifications in Slack for more information.
• Channel configuration: Slack admins can map Zendesk Support groups to Slack channels. This allows tickets to be routed to the right channel. Additionally, it is possible to choose the specific ticket event types to appear in Slack, reducing noise and letting admins prevent sensitive data from being posted in Slack. See Configuring and editing the integration, below, for more information.
• Creating new tickets directly from Slack: This feature is designed to cater to an internal use case where Slack users want to raise a new Support ticket directly from Slack, which they can do using a slash command. See Creating new Support tickets for more information.
• Creating and assigning a requester: When an unrecognized user creates a Zendesk Support ticket in Slack, a new Zendesk Support end-user is created and assigned to them. Similarly, when an agent creates a ticket on behalf of someone else, they can select a requester from a list of existing users, or choose to create a new end-user for them.
• Side conversations: With the Slack for Zendesk Support integration and the Collaboration add-on, agents can use side conversations in a ticket to initiate and participate in Slack threads. See Using Slack in side conversations for more information.
• Answer Bot for Slack: This integration is included in the Slack for Zendesk Support integration, and utilises Answer Bot to listen on selected Slack channels. It resolves questions by providing article suggestions from your Guide knowledge base.

This article covers the following topics:

• Installing the integration
• Configuring the integration

Related articles:

• Using the Slack for Zendesk Support integration
• Using the Answer Bot for Slack integration
• Using Slack in side conversations

Installing the integration

Note: To install the integration, you must have administrative privileges in Zendesk Support, and have permission to install apps in the Slack workspace.

To install the Slack for Zendesk integration

1. Log in to your company Slack workspace.
2. Go to the Slack Zendesk integrations page: http://slack.zendesk-integrations.com/slack/install.
3. Click Continue.
4. Enter your Zendesk subdomain, accept the terms and conditions, and click Next.
5. On the Install page, select the channel rules you want to apply.
   Note: We recommend you select All Public Channels, which simplifies the post-installation configuration process. You can configure specific public and private channels later.

   

6. Click Install.

7. Once the installation is complete, you'll be redirected to Slack where you can configure the integration

Note: If your Slack Approve apps permission setting is off, you can potentially break the integration when another instance is installed. We recommend turning on the Approve apps setting in Slack, or advising your Slack users to not reinstall the integration.

Configuring the integration

Channel notifications are configured from Slack via direct conversation with the Zendesk app. Only Slack admins can configure channel notifications.

To configure the Slack for Zendesk Support integration

1. In your Slack account, view the direct message from the integration, and click Get started.

   

2. Using the drop-down menu, select a channel to configure. If you're configuring the integration from within a channel, that channel is selected by default, and you can scroll through the Channels list, or type a channel name to filter your options.

   

3. Click Next.

   Only channels that the Zendesk app has been invited to appears in the drop-down options. To add additional channels, see To add the app to a private channel and To add the app to another public channel.

4. Using the Please choose a type drop-down menu, select the types of notifications you want to receive in this channel. You can select multiple notifications. When you’ve selected your notifications, click Done.

   

5. Using the next Choose an option drop-down menu, select the support group(s) that have permission to post notifications in the channel. Support groups are used to categorize tickets, and restrict agent access based on group membership. By mapping groups to channels, administrators can ensure only relevant ticket events are posted to channels, and can exclude groups that have tickets with sensitive data.

   By default, no groups are selected. You must select at least one group so they can post to the channel and for updates to be posted in the channel.

6. Click Done.

Note: It may take 10-15 minutes for a channel to appear in the Slack for Zendesk Support app.

From the Zendesk app’s direct message stream, you can add the app to another channel, edit existing settings, change the subdomain associated with the app, and provide feedback to Zendesk about the app.

To add the app to another public channel

1. In Slack, click Zendesk in the Apps section and send a message to start a direct message with the app.
2. Click Add channel.
3. Follow steps 2-6 in To configure the Slack for Zendesk Support integration.

To add the app to a private channel

1. In Slack, select your workspace drop-down menu and click Administration > Manage apps. The Apps page opens in a web browser.
   
   
2. In the Apps page, click on the Zendesk app icon.
3. Click Settings.
4. In the Channel access page, under Which channels can Zendesk access? > Zendesk was individually added to, click Add App to Channel. A drop-down list of private channels is shown.
   Note: Due to recent changes to the Slack platform, you cannot add the app to newly created private channels or channels converted from a public channel to a private channel.
   
   
5. Select the private channel, and click Allow on the permissions pop-up page.
6. In Slack, click Zendesk in the Apps section, and enter /zendesk settings.
7. Click Add channel.
8. Follow steps 2-6 in To configure the Slack for Zendesk Support integration.

To edit a channel’s app settings

1. In Slack, click Zendesk in the Apps section to start a direct message with the app.
2. Click Edit existing settings.
3. Follow steps 2-6 in To configure the Slack for Zendesk Support integration, above.

You may need to change the subdomain associated with the integration, if, for instance, you are renaming your Zendesk Support subdomain, or moving the integration from a sandbox to a production instance.

To change your subdomain

1. In Slack, click Zendesk in the Apps section to start a direct message with the app.
2. Click Change subdomain.
3. Enter the new subdomain, read and confirm the Zendesk terms and conditions, then click Next.

Zendesk is collecting feedback about the integration. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

To provide feedback on the integration

1. In Slack, click Zendesk in the Apps section to start a direct message with the app.
2. Click Provide feedback.
3. Use the feedback form to enter your comments, and answer any or all of the integration-related questions.
4. Click Submit.