Zendesk Service Account — Setup Guide

Overview Use this guide to create and configure a Zendesk service account in MinuteView Console. This service account enables integration with Zendesk customer support platform including:

• Ticket management - Create, update, and track support tickets from MinuteView workflows
• Customer data sync - Synchronize customer information between systems
• Support automation - Trigger Zendesk actions based on MinuteView events
• Knowledge base integration - Access and update Zendesk knowledge articles
• SLA monitoring - Track support metrics and service level agreements
• Multi-channel support - Handle tickets from email, chat, phone, and web

This service account uses Zendesk API authentication with subdomain, username, and API token for secure access to your Zendesk instance.

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1) Obtain Zendesk Credentials

Identify Your Zendesk Subdomain

Your Zendesk subdomain is found in your Zendesk URL:

• Format: https://[subdomain].zendesk.com
• Example: If your URL is https://company-support.zendesk.com, your subdomain is company-support
• Note: Only use the subdomain portion, not the full URL

Create API Token

1. Sign in to your Zendesk Support instance
2. Navigate to Admin Center (gear icon)
3. In the sidebar, click Apps and integrations → APIs → Zendesk API
4. Click the Settings tab
5. Token Access: Make sure it's enabled
6. Click Add API token
7. API token description: e.g., MinuteView Integration
8. Click Create
9. Copy and securely store the generated API token

Important: The API token is only shown once. Save it immediately in a secure location.

Determine Username

Use the email address of the Zendesk user account that will be associated with API actions:

• Admin account: Use an admin email for full access
• Agent account: Use an agent email for limited access
• Service account: Create a dedicated service user email (recommended)

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2) Zendesk API Access and Permissions

API Token Permissions

The API token inherits permissions from the associated user account:

Admin User Permissions

• Full access to all tickets, users, and organizations
• Configuration access to settings, automations, and triggers
• Reporting access to analytics and satisfaction ratings
• User management capabilities for creating and modifying accounts

Agent User Permissions

• Ticket access limited to assigned or accessible tickets
• Customer interaction capabilities within assigned scope
• Knowledge base read/write access (if granted)
• Limited configuration access to personal settings

Service Account Recommendations

Create a dedicated service user with specific permissions:

• Role: Agent or Admin (based on requirements)
• Access: Tailored to MinuteView integration needs
• Monitoring: Easier to track API usage and actions

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3) Create Service Account in MinuteView Console

1. Navigate to Console → Service Accounts
2. Click New to create a new service account
3. Configure the following settings:

Basic Configuration

• Name: Zendesk-Support-Integration (use descriptive naming)
• Service Account Type: Select Zendesk from the dropdown

Required Configuration

• SubDomain: Enter your Zendesk subdomain
  • Example: company-support (from https://company-support.zendesk.com)
  • Format: Just the subdomain name, no URL or protocol
• Username: Enter the email address associated with the API token
  • Example: support-service@company.com
  • Format: Full email address of the Zendesk user
• API Key: Enter your Zendesk API token
  • Format: Long alphanumeric string generated by Zendesk
  • Security: Store securely, never expose in logs or code

Optional Settings

• Rate Limit Handling: Configure request throttling (default: respect Zendesk limits)
• Default Brand: Select default brand for multi-brand instances
• Locale: Set default language/locale for API interactions

4. Click Test Connection to verify subdomain, username, and API token
5. Click Save to create the service account

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4) Integration Usage

Workflow Automation

Use Zendesk service account in MinuteView automation workflows:

Available Workflow Nodes

• Create Ticket - Generate new support tickets from MinuteView events
• Update Ticket - Modify ticket status, priority, or assignee
• Get Ticket Info - Retrieve ticket details and history
• Search Tickets - Find tickets based on criteria
• Manage Users - Create or update customer and agent information
• Knowledge Base - Access and update help articles
• Add Comments - Post updates or responses to tickets

Common Use Cases

• Automated Support - Create tickets from system alerts or user reports
• Status Synchronization - Update ticket status based on MinuteView activities
• Customer Integration - Link customer data between systems
• Escalation Workflows - Trigger escalations based on conditions
• Knowledge Management - Update help articles from MinuteView content
• SLA Monitoring - Track and report on service level metrics

API Integration Capabilities

The service account provides access to:

Ticket Management

• CRUD operations - Create, read, update, delete tickets
• Bulk operations - Handle multiple tickets efficiently
• Custom fields - Access organization-specific ticket fields
• Attachments - Upload and manage ticket attachments

User and Organization Management

• Customer profiles - Access and update customer information
• Agent management - Handle agent assignments and permissions
• Organization data - Manage company and group information
• Contact synchronization - Keep contact data current across systems

Knowledge Base Operations

• Article management - Create, update, and organize help articles
• Category organization - Structure knowledge base content
• Search functionality - Find relevant articles and content
• Publishing workflow - Manage content approval and publication

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5) Security Best Practices

API Token Security

• Secure storage - Store API tokens in MinuteView's encrypted credential store
• Access control - Limit service account usage to authorized workflows and users
• Regular rotation - Update API tokens periodically for security
• Monitor usage - Track API calls for unusual activity or unauthorized access

User Account Management

• Dedicated service user - Create specific user for API operations
• Appropriate permissions - Grant minimum necessary permissions
• Account monitoring - Track service account activities in Zendesk
• Disable when needed - Deactivate account if integration is discontinued

Data Protection

• Sensitive information - Handle customer data according to privacy policies
• Data retention - Follow organizational policies for ticket data storage
• Cross-platform sync - Ensure data consistency between systems
• Compliance - Maintain compliance with data protection regulations (GDPR, etc.)

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6) Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

Invalid Subdomain

• Verify the subdomain matches your Zendesk URL exactly
• Check for typos or extra characters
• Ensure you're using just the subdomain, not the full URL

Authentication Failed

• Confirm the username (email) is correct and active in Zendesk
• Verify the API token hasn't been deleted or regenerated
• Check that API token access is enabled in Zendesk settings

Permission Denied

• Verify the user account has appropriate permissions
• Check if the user role allows the specific API operations
• Confirm the user account is active and not suspended

Integration Issues

Rate Limit Exceeded

• Zendesk has API rate limits (typically 700 requests per minute)
• Implement appropriate delays between requests
• Use bulk operations where possible to reduce API calls

Ticket Creation Failures

• Check for required fields that might be missing
• Verify custom field formats and validation rules
• Ensure user has permission to create tickets

Data Sync Problems

• Review field mapping between MinuteView and Zendesk
• Check for data type compatibility issues
• Monitor for validation errors in Zendesk responses

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7) Performance and Usage Management

API Usage Optimization

• Request efficiency - Minimize unnecessary API calls
• Bulk operations - Use batch endpoints for multiple operations
• Caching strategies - Cache frequently accessed data
• Pagination - Handle large datasets with proper pagination

Rate Limit Management

• Monitor usage - Track API call volume and patterns
• Implement delays - Add appropriate spacing between requests
• Priority queuing - Handle urgent operations first
• Error handling - Implement retry logic for rate-limited requests

Performance Monitoring

• Response times - Monitor API response performance
• Success rates - Track successful vs failed operations
• Data accuracy - Verify sync quality between systems
• Service availability - Monitor Zendesk service status

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8) Maintenance and Monitoring

Regular Maintenance

• Token rotation - Update API tokens according to security policies
• Permission review - Audit and adjust user permissions regularly
• Integration testing - Verify service account functionality periodically
• Usage analysis - Review API usage patterns and optimize

Integration Health

• Workflow monitoring - Track automated workflow success rates
• Data integrity - Verify accuracy of synchronized data
• Error tracking - Monitor and resolve integration failures
• Performance metrics - Track response times and throughput

User Account Management

• Account status - Ensure service user account remains active
• Permission updates - Adjust permissions as requirements change
• Security review - Regular security assessment of service account access
• Documentation - Maintain current documentation of integration setup

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Appendix — Configuration Examples

Production Configuration

Name: Zendesk-Production-Support
Type: Zendesk
SubDomain: company-support
Username: support-integration@company.com
API Key: [your-api-token]
Purpose: Production support ticket integration

Development Configuration

Name: Zendesk-Development-Test
Type: Zendesk
SubDomain: company-support-sandbox
Username: dev-support@company.com
API Key: [your-test-api-token]
Purpose: Development and testing environment

Multi-Brand Configuration

Name: Zendesk-Enterprise-Main
Type: Zendesk
SubDomain: enterprise-support
Username: enterprise-service@company.com
API Key: [your-enterprise-token]
Default Brand: Enterprise Support
Purpose: Enterprise customer support

Automation-Specific Configuration

Name: Zendesk-Automation-Service
Type: Zendesk
SubDomain: company-support
Username: automation-service@company.com
API Key: [your-automation-token]
Rate Limit: Conservative
Purpose: Automated ticket and workflow management

This configuration enables comprehensive Zendesk integration for MinuteView, supporting automated support ticket management, customer data synchronization, and workflow automation across both platforms.