Update: Announcing the social messaging app removal- 31st October

Announced on	Removal
November 16, 2021 (Original announcement)	April 15, 2023: Social Messaging App removed from Zendesk Marketplace October 31, 2023: Social Messaging App no longer supported for users (except Sunshine Conversations integration users)

In April 2023, Zendesk removed the legacy Social Messaging App from the Marketplace. However, in response to valuable feedback from our customers, we've decided to maintain the functionality of already installed apps until October 31, 2023.

If you are using the legacy Social Messaging App, we encourage you to smoothly transition to Zendesk Agent Workspace and embrace the enhanced social messaging experience before the deadline.

For customers using Sunshine Conversations to integrate social channels into their Zendesk configuration, we will provide information about a later removal date once this initial phase has been successfully completed.

This announcement includes the following sections:

• Am I affected?
• Why is Zendesk removing this?
• What does this mean?
• How do I migrate to social messaging in the Agent Workspace?
• What if I'm already on Agent Workspace?
• What happens if I don't migrate before the removal date?
• Frequently asked questions

Am I affected?

If you've installed the Social Messaging App from the Zendesk marketplace, you'll be impacted when this feature is deprecated on October 31, 2023.

Why is Zendesk removing this?

Zendesk recognizes the growing importance of connecting with customers through their preferred social channels. To enhance this experience, we've integrated social messaging access into the new Agent Workspace. This integration covers popular channels such as WhatsApp, WeChat, LINE, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter DMs. Moreover, Agent Workspace introduces new channels like Instagram DMs and the ability to configure and deploy your own bots across multiple channels. This unified interface streamlines conversation management, enabling faster and more personalized customer support.

What does this mean?

Zendesk has developed an improved social messaging experience within Agent Workspace. As a result, we removed the legacy Zendesk Social Messaging App from the Marketplace on April 15, 2023, and on October 31, 2023, this feature will no longer be supported in your Zendesk instance.

We encourage you to migrate to Zendesk Agent Workspace and set up social messaging well before this change to avoid workflow disruptions. This will also allow you to continue using your favorite messaging channels and explore the new experience.

How do I migrate to social messaging in the Agent Workspace?

You can migrate to Agent Workspace and set up a social account using these steps:

1. Turn on the Agent Workspace. This unified interface lets agents manage incoming support requests from all enabled channels. If you can self-service moving to Agent Workspace, you'll see a Get started button (shown below) in Workspaces > Agent Tools > Agent Workspace. Click this button to start the process.
   
   For more information, see the following articles:
   • Migrating to the Zendesk Agent Workspace for a comprehensive overview of the migration's impact on your account and step-by-step instructions.
   • About the Zendesk Agent Workspace for agent-focused guidance on navigating and using the new interface.
2. Migrate your Social Messaging channels. After transitioning to the Agent Workspace, move your social channels over. Once you have migrated to Agent Workspace, you can add additional channels, like Twitter DM, as shown in the example below.
   
   For more information, see the following articles:
   • Migrating social messaging channels to the Zendesk Agent for a detailed walkthrough.
   • About messaging channels in the Zendesk Agent Workspace for agent-specific information on using the new interface.
3. Uninstall the Social Messaging App. Locate it on the Apps and Integrations > Zendesk Support Apps page and uninstall it to complete the migration process.

What if I'm already on Agent Workspace?

If you've already transitioned to the Agent Workspace but are still using the social messaging app, you'll need to set up the required channels within messaging and remove the app. We recommend migrating to messaging well before the removal date to avoid disruptions and explore the new experience.

What happens if I don't migrate before the removal date?

Failure to migrate before the removal date means you'll lose the connection between Zendesk and your social messaging channels. This will result in comments and messages in these channels not being converted into tickets, and you won't receive notifications through the social messaging notifier.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I check if I have the app installed?
  Visit your Zendesk Support apps in Admin Center and look for an app called "Social Messaging." Open the app, and if you have it, the top information section will look like the example shown below:
  
  
  
• What should I do if I'm not using the legacy social messaging app and don't want to migrate?
  Suite or Support + Chat customers not using the legacy social messaging app don't have to migrate. However, you'll lose social messaging functionalities once we remove the app. If you decide to use social messaging later, you must migrate to Zendesk Agent Workspace.
• What new features does the Zendesk Agent Workspace offer compared to the legacy social messaging app?
  The Agent Workspace provides a unified conversation experience, giving agents a complete view of their customer interactions. For more information, see About messaging channels in the Zendesk Agent Workspace.
• Is there feature parity between the legacy social messaging app and the Zendesk Agent Workspace social messaging experience?
  Yes, and we are continuously working on delivering even more new features for the Zendesk Agent Workspace social messaging experience.
• Who should I contact for help or questions?
  Please contact Zendesk Customer Support with any questions or for additional assistance.