The service catalog is a user-defined ticket channel. If the service cataloghas been turned on, Support admins can create a list of services and assets that users can then request through the help center. When a user submits a service request, a ticket is automatically created and linked to the service or asset, and includes all of the unique fields and data required to resolve the request. This article describes how to add services to your service catalog and publish them so users can start submitting service requests.

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Summary: ◀▼

You can add services to the service catalog so users can submit service requests that create linked tickets with the right fields and data. As an admin, you can add descriptions, custom ticket fields, file uploads, asset options, and categories, then save drafts and publish them. You can also let users request items on behalf of others when needed.

The service catalog is a user-defined ticket channel. If the service catalog has been turned on, Support admins can create a list of services and assets that users can then request through the help center. When a user submits a service request, a ticket is automatically created and linked to the service or asset, and includes all of the unique fields and data required to resolve the request. This article describes how to add services to your service catalog and publish them so users can start submitting service requests.

This article contains the following topics:
  • Adding services to the service catalog
  • Allowing users to request services on behalf of others
  • Publishing services to your service catalog
Related articles:
  • Editing and managing services in your service catalog
  • Creating and managing categories for your service catalog
  • Submitting service catalog requests
  • Workflow recipe - Building an employee service catalog with Zendesk

Adding services to the service catalog

When you create and publish a service, it's added to the service catalog items list and is available for users to request from their service catalog.

When you create service catalog items, accompanying ticket forms are created automatically. A ticket field named Service is also automatically created on your instance when you start using the service catalog. You cannot edit or delete these ticket forms or ticket fields.

 

You must be a Support admin to create services.

To create a service catalog item
  1. In Knowledge admin, click Service catalog () in the sidebar.
  2. Click Create Service.
  3. Add the Title and description for the service.

    The title and description are used to identify the service to end users on the related catalog page. When users select the service, the full description appears on the service catalog page for that service.

    You can use the rich text editor to add formatting and images to your description, which will be visible to users.

  4. Configure the service request form by clicking Add field and selecting from the following options:
    • Fields: Allows you to add custom ticket fields to the service item, allowing users to provide more details about their specific request. In the sidebar, click the add icon (+) next to each ticket field you want to add to the service.

      Adding ticket fields to services allows users to provide more details about their specific request. For example, if you're adding an Apple MacBook Pro to your service catalog, you might want to add fields for storage size, shipping address, or other details.

      If the field that you're looking for isn't listed in the Fields sidebar, you can create a new custom ticket field or update an existing field's permissions.
      Note: To be available for use in services, custom ticket fields must have their permissions set to Customers can edit.
    • Upload files: Allows users to add attachments to service requests for this service item. Use the sidebar to modify the attachments Field name and Description and select whether attachments are Required to submit a request.
    • Available asset types: (ITAM EAP only) Allows users to select the type of IT asset associated with the service request. Use the sidebar to select which types of available assets should be listed for this service catalog item. This field is often used in service requests for new hardware.
    • Assigned assets to user: (ITAM EAP only) Allows users to select IT assets already assigned to them that are associated with the service request. Use the sidebar to select which types of assets should be available to select for this service catalog item. This field is often used in service requests related to issues with a user's assets.

      Select whether the field is Required to submit a request and whether to Allow users to choose certain asset types.

  5. Click the settings icon () in the top right corner, click Select category, and select one or more categories.

    If you haven't created service categories or don't select a category, the service is added to the catalog as uncategorized.

  6. (Optional) If you want to add a thumbnail image to the service, making it easier to recognize within the catalog, click the settings icon () in the top right corner and then browse for or drag and drop a file into the panel.
  7. Click Save draft.

    When you're ready to make the service available to users in the service catalog, you must publish it.

Allowing users to request services on behalf of others

By default, a person submitting a service request becomes the requester on the resulting ticket. However, you can let authorized users submit requests on behalf of other users. This is useful for employee service workflows, such as a manager requesting hardware for a team member, or an assistant submitting a request for an executive.

Here's what happens when a user submits a request on behalf of another person:

  1. The person selected in the Requester field becomes the ticket requester, so the service or asset is associated with the correct beneficiary.
  2. The user who submitted the request is automatically added as a CC (follower) so they can track progress.
  3. Agents see an indication on the ticket showing that the request was submitted by one user on behalf of another.

The ability to submit a service catalog request on behalf of another user is intended for employee service accounts where all end users are internal employees.

Turning on this functionality is a two-step process:

  1. First, turn on the functionality at the account level.
  2. Second, turn it on for specific service catalog items (for example, enabled for "Hardware", disabled for "Payroll").

To turn on this functionality at the account level

  1. In Knowledge admin, click Settings () in the sidebar.
  2. In Help center settings, under Service catalog, select Allow end users to submit items for others.

    This setting exposes all account users across all brands. Selecting it confirms that you take responsibility for this change in access.

  3. Click Update.

If you subsequently turn off this setting, the functionality becomes unavailable on all services, even if it was previously enabled on individual items.

To turn on the functionality for a specific service catalog item

  1. In Knowledge admin, click Service catalog () in the sidebar.

    A list of all services in your service catalog appears.

  2. Click a service's title to edit it.
  3. Click the Service settings icon () in the top right corner, then select the Allow requesters to submit for someone else option under Permissions.
  4. Click Save.

Publishing services to your service catalog

Services can be created ahead of time and saved as drafts. To add the service to the service catalog, a Support admin must publish it.

To publish services
  1. In Knowledge admin, click Service catalog () in the sidebar..

  2. Click the title of the service you want to publish.
  3. Click the drop-down arrow next to Save draft and select Publish.
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