You can configure your Zendesk Support instance to be open, closed, or restricted (see Understanding options for end-user access and sign-in). This article describes how to set up a restricted Zendesk Support instance, so you can control end-user access through approved email domains.
This means that your Help Center is visible to all users, but only users with email addresses in domains that you approve can register and submit support requests. Any unapproved user’s support request will be either be completely rejected or sent to the Suspended Tickets queue.
Enabling the 'Anyone can submit tickets' option
In a restricted Zendesk Support instance, you enable the option to allow anyone to submit tickets and then use the allowlist and blocklist to accept or reject those requests.
- In Admin Center, click
People in the sidebar, then select Configuration > End users. - Select the Anybody can submit tickets option.
- Click Save tab.
Requiring users to register
After you enable the Anyone can submit tickets option, you can also require your users to register.
Requiring registration means that your users must verify their email addresses and also create a password to submit requests. Unverified users' requests are suspended. If you don't require registration, you can still allow users to register using the Sign Up link in your Help Center. users still have the option of registering themselves.
To require that your users register
- Select the Ask users to register option, which is displayed when you select the
Anyone can submit tickets option.Note: This option is not available until you enable Guide (see Getting started with Guide).
Restricting access using the allowlist and blocklist
After you enable the Anyone can submit tickets option, the allowlist and blocklist also appear. You use these to specify the email domains that are either allowed to or prevented from registering and submitting support requests.
For details about using the allowlist and blocklist, see Using the allowlist and blocklist to control access to Zendesk Support.
18 Comments
thanks for the article. what happens to the suspended request once the user does register... is it auto-recovered or does the request have to be manually recovered? thanks
Hey Richard,
The suspended request would need to be manually recovered but any future requests would be created normally.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Is there then a way to allow those un registered users to GET their support ticket history?
We have tried to enable "Ask users to register" option with external authentication enabled for end-users and Zendesk auth disabled.
In this case, the ticket got unsuspended as soon as the end-user clicks the e-mail link before he passes authentication. Is it intended behavior? It works as an e-mail verification, not authentication.
Hello @...,
Yes, you are right.
The e-mail link functions as an email verification in this case.
That was intended to work like that.
We have a restricted access ticketing system.
We are now thinking of implementing the social media channel, more specifically whatsapp. We will give our whatsapp number to our users.
How do we recognise our users without them having to identify themselves. We are currently using single sign in on our website, and it works perfectly. We know who they are, and to whom organisation they belong.
How can we make sure it's the same case with whatsapp, without us having to enrich the ticket with name and organisation, which means digging into our database each time.
what is the cost of each customer accessing the Help center ?
n k ~ no limit, no financial cost for end users << the second one is not true for all Customer Service providers. the 1,000 you mention refers to Zendesk Light Agent licenses, which are bundled with Suite Enterprise, and which soften the overall cost
Hi Lupita,
You can put your domain on your allowlist to prevent this issue from happening. You can have a look at this article about Using the allowlist and blocklist to control access to Zendesk Support
for reference. Hope this helps!
Thanks, will give it a try!
This is still happening and I spent over an hour reading so many articles on this topic, why is it so difficult and confusing to get a simple answer? I want to edit the rules applying to 'suspended' tickets. Where can I find that section? Thanks!
The ticket suspension rules are not editable – they're explained here: Causes for ticket suspension
Your example screenshot shows the "to" and "from" addresses being the same – it's likely this was suspended as an email loop (see the article above).
Brett Bowser question concerning your post earlier:
According to https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408828416282, the behaviour you mentioned is a bit different. I've quoted the relevant portion below:
I can see the edit date of that article is more recent than your post here, but I just wanted to resolve the conflict between the information.
This functionality most likely changed from my previous message and now admins won't be required to manually recover the requests.
Thanks for confirming!
Is there a way to first have a self registered user approved by an agent?
The idea is that we (as an organisation) can determine if we approve the registered email address just by reading the motivation and clicking accept or reject.
This would prevent users being able to go to the help center once they have registered themselves and see all kind of "registered user only" information.
Unfortunately, there is no native way to set up an approval before an account could be created or to approved a self-registered user. We understand your need for this functionality so I am marking this comment as product feedback. We truly value customer feedback and your voice and votes in the product feedback topics in the community help influence future Zendesk functionality.
Cheeny Aban / Jeroen Mulder
Hi both,
Cheeny - Has there been any developments on this functionality?
Jeroen - were you able to identify an alterative workaround? I am currently faced with this exact scenario.
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