# Freshdesk

## Overview

Connect your ElevenLabs AI agents with Freshdesk to drive customer support workflows. The integration covers two scopes:

- **Tools**: let an agent look up tickets and contacts, search the helpdesk, post replies and internal notes, and create new tickets while a conversation is running.
- **Triggers**: have an agent automatically respond to new tickets or customer replies on existing tickets. Replies post back as an admin reply through the Freshdesk Conversations API, or as a private note when shadow mode is enabled.

## Capabilities

| Capability                | Support                                                                                    |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Zero retention mode (ZRM) | Not supported                                                                              |
| Attachments in triggers   | Not supported — attachments on incoming tickets and replies are not forwarded to the agent |
| Attachments in tools      | Not supported — tools operate on text only                                                 |

## Setup

:::::steps
:::step{title="Get your Freshdesk API key"}
In Freshdesk, click your profile picture (top-right) → **Profile settings**. Your API key is shown below the change-password section. Copy it.
:::

:::step{title="Find your Freshdesk subdomain"}
It’s the part of your portal URL before `.freshdesk.com`. For example, if your portal is `acme.freshdesk.com`, your subdomain is `acme`.
:::

:::step{title="Connect in ElevenLabs"}
In the ElevenLabs Freshdesk integration page, click **Connect** and provide:

- **API Key**: the token from step 1.
- **Subdomain**: the slug from step 2.

ElevenLabs authenticates with HTTP Basic auth using your API key as the username and `X` as the password — the standard Freshdesk authentication scheme.
:::

::::step{title="Enable the trigger (optional)"}
If you want the agent to respond automatically to customer activity on tickets, enable the **Freshdesk Ticket Event** trigger and select:

- **Agent**: the agent that should handle incoming conversations.
- **Responder**: the Freshdesk agent identity the bot posts replies as.
- **Shadow Mode** (optional): when enabled, the agent writes a private note for staff review instead of sending a public reply.

When you activate the trigger, ElevenLabs creates a Freshdesk automation rule in your account that POSTs to our webhook on ticket creation and customer reply. Deactivating removes the rule. No manual Freshdesk admin steps are required.

:::callout{intent="warning"}
**Automation rule ordering for new tickets.** Freshdesk runs **Ticket Creation** automation rules top to bottom and executes only the **first** rule whose conditions match a new ticket — it then stops. If you already have one or more Ticket Creation rules that match the same tickets and sit **above** the ElevenLabs rule, our rule will never fire and the agent won’t respond to new tickets. If that happens, open **Admin → Workflows → Automations → Ticket Creation** and move the `ElevenLabs agent …` rule above any conflicting rule. (Ticket-reply triggers use the **Ticket Updates** category, where all matching rules run, so this only affects responses to brand-new tickets.)
:::
::::
:::::

### Shadow mode

Enable shadow mode on a Freshdesk trigger to let the agent draft responses without sending them to customers. When shadow mode is active, the agent writes its responses as **private notes** on the ticket instead of public replies. Only Freshdesk agents can see private notes — the requester is not notified.

Freshdesk does not expose a ticket-reply draft API. Private notes are the supported equivalent: staff copy the suggested reply into the ticket’s reply editor, edit if needed, and send.

:::callout{intent="warning"}
Shadow mode only affects how the agent posts its responses. If the agent uses tools that modify the ticket (for example changing status, adding tags, or assigning the ticket), those changes still apply. To prevent unintended modifications, use a separate branch of the agent with modifying tool calls removed.
:::

Shadow mode is useful for evaluating agent quality before going live. Review the private notes alongside the actual support responses to compare accuracy and tone, then turn shadow mode off once you are confident in the output.

### CLI

:::callout{intent="note"}
CLI documentation for this integration is coming soon.
:::

### SDK

:::callout{intent="note"}
SDK documentation for this integration is coming soon.
:::

## Useful links

- [Freshdesk REST API reference](https://developers.freshdesk.com/api/)
- [Freshdesk search query syntax](https://developers.freshdesk.com/api/#filter_tickets)
- [Freshdesk automation rules with webhooks](https://support.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/132589-using-webhooks-in-automation-rules-that-run-on-ticket-updates)

## Related pages

- [Administration](./administration-index.md)
- [API reference](./api-reference-index.md)
- [Changelog](./changelog-index.md)
- [ElevenAgents](./elevenagents-index.md)
- [ElevenAPI](./elevenapi-index.md)
- [ElevenCreative](./elevencreative-index.md)
- [ElevenLabs Documentation Docs](../index.md)
- [General Troubleshooting FAQ](./troubleshooting-index.md)
- [General Website FAQ](./website-index.md)
- [Help Center](./help-center-2-index.md)

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