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This article details how to install and configure Zendesk Chat-Support integration from within Zendesk Support. For information about setting up Chat-Support integration from Zendesk Chat, see Setting up Zendesk Support from Zendesk Chat.

Note that the information in this article only applies to accounts that are:

  • Using the standard agent interface
  • Are adding a new Zendesk live chat account from within their Zendesk Support-only account

It does not apply to accounts that are:

  • Using the Agent Workspace
  • Using Zendesk Suite
  • Linking an existing Chat-only account with an existing Support-only account.

This article contains the following sections:

  • Installing Zendesk Chat in Zendesk Support
  • Setting up agents' chat permissions
  • Navigating Zendesk Chat in Support
  • Configuring ticket creation options
  • Assigning Support tickets based on the agent who handled a chat
  • Making Zendesk Chat available to end users

Installing Zendesk Chat in Zendesk Support

In order to set up Zendesk Chat from within Zendesk Support, you must be a Support administrator.

To activate and install a new Zendesk Chat trial in your Support account

  1. Click the Zendesk Products icon () in the top bar and select Chat.
  2. Click Activate Chat trial.
  3. Your Zendesk Chat account is created and opens automatically.
  4. In the welcome window that appears, follow the introductory slides until you are prompted to fill in your Display name and other details, then click Next.
  5. The next slide will show you your Chat widget code which you can use to embed Chat support on your website - You can either copy and paste it into your site code now, or leave it for later and click 'Go to Visitor List' to open the dashboard.

To serve chats you can:

  • Click the Zendesk Products icon () in the top bar and select Chat, or
  • Download the Zendesk Chat app from the marketplace allowing you to handle chats from a window within the Support agent interface.

Setting up agents' chat permissions

When you create a Chat account from within Support, how you manage chat permissions depends on the type of Support account you're using:

  • Newer Support accounts with Admin Center manage permissions in the Admin Center. See Setting roles and access in Admin Center.
  • Older Support accounts manage permissions in the agents' Support profiles. See the procedure below for instructions.
The number of agents you can give chat permissions to depends on your Chat subscription. You can purchase Chat licenses for all or just some of your Zendesk Support agents. You can also have Chat agents who aren't agents in Zendesk (see To make someone a chat-only agent, below).

Note that when you create a Chat account from within Support, your Zendesk Support account owner and administrators will become the Zendesk Chat account owner and administrators.

To turn chat permissions on or off for an agent

  1. Open the user's profile.
  2. Toggle the Zendesk Chat field to On or Off.
    Note: You can only turn chat permissions on for as many agents as your Chat subscription allows. You can view your Chat subscription details in Admin Center by clicking the Account icon () in the sidebar, then select Billing > Subscription.
  3. To change the agent's alias that appears Chat, edit the Chat Name field.

Chat-only agents have full agent access to Chat but only have limited access to Support. Chat-only agents are not available to customers using Zendesk Suite.

Chat-only agents can:

  • Create and view tickets
  • Add private comments to tickets

Chat-only agents cannot:

  • Edit tickets
  • Be made the assignee on a ticket
  • View reports

To make someone a chat-only agent

  • Open the user's profile.
  • Under Role, select Chat-only Agent.

Navigating Zendesk Chat in Support

After you set up Chat-Support integration, the Chat icon appears in two places:

  • Join, leave, or respond to chat conversations by clicking the Chat top toolbar icon.
  • Access the Chat dashboard, which contains Chat settings and account details, by clicking the Products icon and selecting Chat.

Configuring ticket creation options

You can configure different settings for how tickets are created for both chats and offline messages, as well as whether chat transcripts appear in the ticket as a public reply or private comment.

To configure ticket creation

  1. From the Chat dashboard, select Settings > Account > Zendesk Support tab.
  2. Under Ticket Creation -- Chats, select settings for chat tickets:
    • Automatic Ticket Creation: To automatically create a Support ticket when a chat starts, select Automatic. For agents to manually create tickets, select Manual.

    • Transcript Visibility: Select Public or Private to determine how the transcript is added to the ticket.

      Private comments are visible only to agents, while public comments are also visible to ticket requesters and any other end users that are CCed on the ticket. Details about the visitor's location, IP address, and referring URL are also automatically added to tickets, but are always added as private comments.

    • Ticket Assignment: Select First Agent to always assign tickets created from chats to the first agent who served the chat, regardless of whether the chat was transferred to another agent. Select Last Agent to assign tickets to the agent who ended the chat. Note that with this option, tickets are still initially assigned to the first agent and are reassigned to the last agent only after the chat has ended.
  3. Under Ticket Creation -- Offline Messages, also configure the Automatic Ticket Creation and Transcript Visibility settings as described above.
  4. Click Save Changes.

Assigning Support tickets based on the agent who handled a chat

Note:This setting only affects tickets created from chats handled in the standalone Zendesk Chat dashboard. This does not affect tickets created using Chat in Zendesk Support, as described above.

You can set up who tickets created from chats are assigned to in an agent's profile. Agents can do this themselves or administrators can set it up in an agent's profile. If you don't enter this setting, tickets aren't automatically assigned to anyone.

To edit who chat tickets are assigned to for yourself

  1. From the dashboard, navigate to Settings > Personal.
  2. Click the Zendesk Support tab.
  3. Enter a Zendesk agent's email in the Zendesk Support Email field.
  4. Click Save Changes.

To edit who chat tickets are assigned to for someone else

  1. From the dashboard, navigate to Settings > Agents.
  2. Click the name of the agent whose profile you want to edit.
  3. Enter a zendesk agent's email in the Zendesk Support Email field.
  4. Click Save Changes.

Making Zendesk Chat available to end users

You can make the Zendesk Chat widget appear to end users in a few different ways:

  • Add the Zendesk Chat widget directly to your website. See Adding the Chat widget to your website.
  • Enable the Zendesk Chat widget in your help center. See Enabling Chat for your help center.
  • Use the Zendesk Support Web Widget (Classic). See Using Web Widget (Classic) to embed customer service in your website.
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