How to add custom fields to your support request forms that display data from your SQL databases

Drop-down select list custom fields can be an efficient way to collect the details you need in a Zendesk ticket. You can even create drop-down lists that contain multiple levels of organization. Customers can navigate by category to make the right selection when they are filling out a support request from.

But creating drop-down select lists manually is time consuming if you have more than a few options. What if you want to make an entire product catalog available? Copying and pasting 250 entries is not the way to go.

That's where the app Elements Connect can help: Elements Connect allows you to populate drop-down custom fields with data from PostgreSQL or MySQL databases.

How to set custom field values with data from your SQL databases in 3 steps

1) Connect your SQL database to Zendesk

Once you've started your free trial, connect your PostgreSQL or MySQL database to Zendesk. You'll need to be an admin to do this, of course, and you can follow the instructions on the app documentation.

2) Use an SQL query to create a dataset that will be used as ticket field values.

Need product names, office locations, asset serial numbers or something else from your database? Use an SQL query to fetch the data you want to display in your custom fields. This could be a simple list, or you could fetch more details to display using multiple levels of organization in your custom fields.

3) Synchronize ticket fields with SQL data

You have the data you need, now you just need to set it as the ticket values. You can display the data in a pre-existing Zendesk field, or create a new one. To make the field available for customers on the support request form, under Permissions, select the option Editable for end-users: the field will appear in tickets and in the support request form in Help Center. Then select the dataset you prepared to synchronize the ticket values.

If you have a single ticket form, the new field will automatically appear in your ticket form according to your settings here. If you have multiple ticket forms, you need to add the ticket field to any ticket forms you want it to appear in.

4) Simplify how customers add details to a Zendesk contact form

Congratulations, you've just made external data available in Zendesk contact forms for better customer support. Here's how it could look

Want to try it yourself? Check out Elements Connect over on the Zendesk Marketplace and start your free trial.