If your organization uses Zendesk to manage employee support requests, integrating the Workday sidebar app can significantly enhance your ticketing experience. The app allows agents to access essential employee data directly within Zendesk tickets, expediting ticket resolution and optimizing agent workflows.
About the Workday app for Zendesk Support
The Workday sidebar app integration with Zendesk enhances agents' efficiency by offering a read-only view of employee data directly within Zendesk tickets.
For example, an HR agent working on tickets related to policy questions can view information—such as the employee's position or employment status—without switching to Workday. Similarly, an IT agent assisting with a hardware purchase can reference an employee's address to determine where to send equipment.
Agents sign in to the app from the Apps panel (
) using their Workday credentials. After signing in, agents see the ticket requester's employee data in the sidebar of a ticket. The app displays the Workday employee worker record that matches the requester's email address.
While the app features predefined fields that cannot be customized, it ensures data security by displaying only information that agents can access in Workday.
Additionally, the app supports multiple Workday and Zendesk instances, ensuring flexibility for organizations with various configurations.
Installing and connecting the Workday app
Step 1: Create an OAuth client in Workday
Workday uses OAuth 2.0 for authorization, which requires setting up an OAuth 2.0 client in Workday. This allows Zendesk to obtain secure access to your data in Workday. You must be a Workday administrator to create an OAuth client.
After you save the OAuth configuration, Workday generates a Client ID and Client Secret. Save these securely, as they will be needed when creating the Workday configuration in Zendesk.
To set up an OAuth 2.0 client in Workday
- Log in to your Workday account as an administrator.
- In the Workday search bar, type Edit Tenant Setup - Security, then select the matching option from the search results list.
- Scroll down to the OAuth 2.0 Settings section and turn on the OAuth 2.0 configuration.
- Configure the API client:
- Search: Select Register API Client.
- Client Name: Enter a meaningful name for your client (example: "Zendesk sidebar app").
- Client Grant Type: Choose Authorization Code. See OAuth 2.0 Security Best Current Practice for more information about grant types.
-
Client Redirect URL: Enter
https://zis.zendesk.com/api/services/zis/connections/oauth/callback
- Assign the necessary API scopes (permissions) for the app to access Workday data. For example, include Workday API scopes like employee information (such as the Workday Human Resources API).
- Add
system, as it is a required scope. - For security purposes, provide the app with only the minimally required permissions.
- Add
- Click Save.
- After saving, a new page appears. Workday generates values for the following fields, which will be required for connection, authentication, and token generation. Record these values and securely save them.
- Client ID
- Client Secret
- Token Endpoint URL
- Authorization Endpoint URL
Important: The Client Secret will be displayed only once. Copy and save it in a safe place, such as in a password manager.
Step 2: Install and connect the Workday app
The Workday sidebar app can be installed from the Zendesk Marketplace.
To install the Workday app
- In Admin Center, click
Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Apps > Zendesk Support apps. - Click Marketplace.
- In the Keywords search box, type Workday to locate the Workday app.
- Click the Workday app, then click Install.
- Review the terms and conditions, then select the checkbox to accept.
You are directed to the Workday configuration page Admin Center.
- Complete the fields on the Workday configuration page.
- Integration name: Enter a name for the integration. If you are setting up multiple connections, give the integration a meaningful name, such as the company or brand name to which the connection applies.
- OAuth grant type: Select Authorization code or Client credentials. See OAuth 2.0 Security Best Current Practice for more information about grant types.
- Enter these values in their respective fields. These values were provided in Workday when you created the OAuth client in step 1.
- Client ID
- Client Secret
- Authorize URL
- Token URL
- Scopes
- Select the Built by Zendesk Terms of Use checkbox to confirm you agree to the terms of this integration.
- Click Next.
- Click Save.
The Workday app is connected and turned on for agents.
Turning off the Workday app
If you want to hide the Workday app from agents temporarily, you can turn it off. The app will no longer be visible to agents in the Apps panel.
To turn off the Workday app for agents
- In Admin Center, click Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Integrations > Integrations.
- Click Workday in the list.
- If you have multiple connections set up, click the name of the Workday connection you want to turn off.
- Clear the Turn on Workday app for Zendesk Support checkbox.
- Click Save.
Disconnecting the Workday app
You can disconnect the Workday app if you no longer want to use it in your Zendesk account. The app will no longer be visible to agents in the Apps panel, and you'll have to create a new Workday configuration if you decide to use the app again.
To disconnect the Workday app
- In Admin Center, click Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Integrations > Integrations.
- Click Workday in the list.
- If you have multiple connections set up, click the name of the Workday connection you want to disconnect.
- Click Actions, then click Disconnect from the drop-down menu.
- Click Disconnect in the confirmation message.