Zendesk Ticket Fields and Forms: Setup

Welcome back to our comprehensive guide on mastering Zendesk administration. Building on the foundation we laid in our previous blog posts, we’ll delve into more technical aspects of Zendesk setup – ticket fields, ticket forms, and conditional fields.

What are Ticket Fields?

Ticket fields are customizable elements in your support ticket system that capture specific data from users. Understanding and setting up your ticket fields correctly is key to effective ticket routing, team assignment, reporting, and ultimately, customer satisfaction.

There are various types of ticket fields in Zendesk, including:

1. System Fields: These are the default fields in every Zendesk account like status, priority, and type.
2. Custom Fields: You can create fields that cater to your specific requirements. These may include fields to capture order numbers, product details, etc. You can choose from the following types of custom fields:
   • Dropdown Fields: These fields offer a list of pre-determined options for users to select.
   • Text Fields: These fields allow users to type in their responses.
   • Checkbox Fields: Checkbox fields are boolean fields that can either be checked (true) or unchecked (false).
   • Numeric Fields: These fields only accept numeric inputs without decimals.
   • Multiline Fields: Like text fields, these fields allow users to type in their responses but are useful when multiple lines of text are expected.
   • Date Fields: These fields only accept date inputs.
   • Multi-select Fields: Users can select multiple values from the options provided.
   • Decimal Fields: These fields only accept numeric inputs but allow for decimals.
   • Regex Fields: These fields validate user input against a regular expression pattern.

Some of these ticket fields, such as dropdown, checkbox, and multi-select fields, can be associated with tags.

Ticket Fields and Tags

Tags are integral to Zendesk’s ticketing system. They can be automatically added to a ticket when certain conditions are met or manually added by agents. Tags are associated with several elements, including ticket fields. For example, when a user selects an option from a dropdown field, it might add a specific tag to the ticket.

One crucial thing to remember is that tags need to be unique. They play a critical role in automating and organizing your ticketing system. Unique tags help to avoid confusion and ensure the system functions as expected.

The Impact of Removing Tags from Ticket Fields

Removing tags from ticket fields can lead to complications, especially if the tag is tied to any automation or trigger in your Zendesk system. Existing tickets with that tag might not function as expected. For example, a ticket might not be routed correctly or might miss an important automated response. Therefore, be cautious while editing or deleting tags that are already in use.

Setting Up Ticket Fields

Setting up ticket fields in Zendesk is quite straightforward. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Zendesk account and navigate to the Admin Center.
2. In the left sidebar, click on “Objects and rules” > “Fields”.
3. Click the “Add field” button.
4. Choose the type of field you want to add.
5. Fill in the title and description, set the field’s permissions, and add any associated tags (if applicable).
6. Click “Save”.

Your new custom field will now appear in your list of active ticket fields.

Setting Up Ticket Forms

Ticket forms are sets of ticket fields that define what a ticket looks like for end-users and agents. Here’s how you set up ticket forms:

1. Navigate to the Admin Center.
2. In the left sidebar, click on “Objects and rules” > “Forms”.
3. Click “Add form”.
4. Name the form and, if you select to make the form editable for end users, provide a name for the form that end users will see in the Help Center.
5. Choose the ticket fields you want to include in the form from the list on the right and drag them over to the form on the left.
6. Organize the fields in the order you want them to appear.
7. Click “Save”.

Now, your agents and end-users will be able to use this ticket form when creating tickets.

Setting

Up Conditional Fields

Conditional fields in Zendesk are a way to show or hide ticket fields based on the values of other fields. Here’s how to set up conditional fields:

1. Navigate to the Admin Center.
2. In the left sidebar, click on “Objects and rules” > “Forms”
3. In the list of ticket forms, click the 3 dots icon on the right side of the ticket form when hovering over it and select “Conditions”.
4. Choose whether the conditions should apply to agents viewing the form in Zendesk Support or end users viewing the form in the Help Center.
5. Click the “Add condition” button to add your first condition.
6. Set the conditions under which certain fields will appear or be hidden.
7. Click “Save”.

With that, your conditional fields are ready, making ticket creation a more dynamic and relevant process for your users.

In conclusion, understanding and appropriately setting up ticket fields, forms, and conditional fields is essential in ensuring an efficient and effective ticketing system in Zendesk. Remember to use unique tags and be cautious when modifying them to prevent any ticket mishandling. Happy Zendesk managing!