Modifying closed tickets

What's my plan?

In the final stage of a ticket’s life cycle, it automatically enters the closed state based on automations an admin defines. This means that the ticket’s status changes to Closed or, if custom ticket statuses have been activated in your account, it retains its last Solved status. When a ticket enters the closed state, most fields can no longer be edited and the ticket can’t be reopened.

You can modify closed tickets by editing ticket tags, subject, and priority fields. Modifying closed tickets gives you more flexibility to correct mistakes, add context to historical tickets, and ensure that your reports and data audits are accurate.

This article contains the following sections:

• Understanding how closed tickets can be modified
• Activating the modify closed tickets setting
• Modifying closed tickets

Related articles:

• Updating and solving tickets
• About the ticket lifecycle and ticket statuses

Understanding how closed tickets can be modified

Admins can modify closed tickets by adding or removing ticket tags and editing the subject and priority ticket fields.

Some examples of how you might want to modify closed tickets include:

• An agent accidentally tags a ticket as coming from a VIP customer and the mistake is caught months later when auditing reports. An admin removes the tag from the closed ticket so that ticket analytics are reported correctly.
• Your organization uses the ticket tag “tier_1”; however, the meaning of this tag has since changed. An admin removes the ticket tag from closed tickets where it no longer applies.
• An admin needs to identify closed tickets so that they’re included in a ticket deletion schedule. They add the tag “delete” to the closed tickets that should be included in the deletion schedule.
• Some tickets are received from your help center request form without a subject so the subject is filled in with the tickets’ initial text. An admin edits the subject of these closed tickets so that it reflects the ticket’s resolution.
• Incoming tickets from your messaging channel are automatically set as “urgent” priority. Agents solve the tickets without changing the priority type. Your reporting shows a high number of “urgent” priority closed tickets. As an admin, you edit the tickets to the correct priority type so that the agents’ CSAT score and your reporting are reflected accurately.

After you modify closed tickets, the changes are reflected in the tickets’ events and your Explore reports. Updates are also reflected in your views and search results.

Considerations and limitations

Consider the following before deciding to modify closed tickets:

• You can edit one closed ticket at a time in the Zendesk Agent Workspace. Use the API to update multiple closed tickets at once. See the Update Ticket and Update Many Tickets API references.
• Ticket tags that are associated with custom ticket fields can still be edited on closed tickets; however, the change doesn’t sync with the corresponding custom ticket field. This can affect your business rules, reports, and views. See Understanding tags and ticket fields and How custom ticket fields work.
• The organization of a closed ticket may be updated, but only through an organization merge. See Merging organizations.
• You must have the Agent Workspace activated to edit closed tickets’ subject and priority fields. If you don’t, you can edit closed tickets’ subject and priority through the API only.

Activating the modify closed tickets setting

You must be an admin to turn on the setting for modifying closed tickets.

To turn on the modify closed tickets setting

1. In Admin Center, click Objects and rules in the sidebar, then select Tickets > Settings.
2. In the Modify closed ticket section, select the Turn on check box.

   

3. Click Save tab.

Modifying closed tickets

Closed tickets can be modified one at a time. You must be an admin to modify a closed ticket.

To modify a closed ticket

1. In the Agent Workspace, find the closed ticket you want to modify. For example, you can search for the ticket or you may want to create a view of your accounts’ closed tickets.
2. Click the ticket to open it.

   Note that the fields you can’t edit appear dimmed.

   

3. Modify the closed ticket as needed.
   1. In the Tags field, add or remove a ticket tag.
   2. Edit the Subject field.
   3. If it’s present on the ticket, edit the Priority field.
      Note: The Agent Workspace must be activated to edit the subject and priority fields.
4. Click Resubmit.

   The ticket updates and the change is reflected in the ticket’s events.

   

   Note that even though the ticket is updated, it’s still closed. This means that business rules won't run on it, SLAs don’t apply, and routing isn’t evaluated. See About system ticket rules.