Setting up Vanilla and Zendesk

Vanilla and Zendesk

There are several ways that you can use your Higher Logic Vanilla (Vanilla) account with your Zendesk account in order to maximize the features and functionality of both accounts.

• The Zendesk integration is the foundation of this cross-account relationship and the anchor point for other features and functionality.
  • 📝 NOTE: This is the focus of this article.
• The Zendesk addon builds upon the integration by adding features that automate and simplify some of the permissions-based user activities in your Vanilla community.
• The Zendesk Guide Search Connector is the "federated search" component that you can use in order to include your Zendesk knowledge base content in your Vanilla community-based searches.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: You must have a Zendesk account to use this integration. If you don’t have a Zendesk account, visit Zendesk, create an account, and then return here to complete the set up.

Integration highlights

If you're using a Zendesk help center, you can integrate it with your Vanilla community in order to:

• Link your Zendesk account to your Vanilla user profile.
• Submit users’ discussions and comments as tickets to your Zendesk ticketing system.

Set-up steps in Zendesk

You have to enable API access in your Zendesk account for the integration to work.

1. Login to your Zendesk site and open the Admin Center.
2. Go to Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
3. Select the OAuth Clients tab.
4. Add a client.
5. Complete the form.
6. Copy the Unique Identifier and the Secret and save them (e.g., paste them into Notepad).
   📝 NOTE: These will be required when you configure the Zendesk addon.
7. Set the Redirect URLs as described in the next section.

Redirect URLs

You set the Redirect URLs by appending

• /profile/zendeskconnect and
• /plugin/zendesk/connect

…to your Vanilla community’s URL.

If your community URL is:

• https://forum.example.com/

...your Redirect URLs will be:

• https://forum.example.com/profile/zendeskconnect
• https://forum.example.com/plugin/zendesk/connect

If your community URL is:

• https://forum.example.com/en/

...your Redirect URLs will be:

• https://forum.example.com/en/profile/zendeskconnect
• https://forum.example.com/en/plugin/zendesk/connect

Link your Vanilla & Zendesk accounts

1. Log in to Vanilla and access your profile page.
2. Click Connections to access the Connections page (/profile/connections). The breadcrumbs trail is HOME > PROFILE > SOCIAL.
3. Click the Connect button for Zendesk.

When you log in to Zendesk, follow the instructions to link your Vanilla and Zendesk accounts.

Troubleshooting

Issue: When I try to link my account I get the error:

Invalid Authorization Request. bad_request

Check: Make sure that the URL of your profile's SOCIAL section (the Connections page) matches the Redirect URLs that you set in the configuration.

⭐️ EXAMPLE: When you are in your profile's SOCIAL section, if the URL is

https://forum.example.com/somedirectory/profile/connections

...then, in your configuration, should be

https://forum.example.com/somedirectory/profile/zendeskconnect

...and

https://forum.example.com/somedirectory/plugin/zendesk/connect

Addon settings

If the URLs above are correct but the issue persists, check the URL in the Your Zendesk URL field of the Zendesk addon settings page (in Settings > Addons > Addons > Zendesk).

✅ TIP: The Zendesk addon and all of its settings are described in Manage the Zendesk Addon.

• Make sure that the URL uses the https (secure) protocol.

📝 NOTE: If the protocol is (the less secure) http, Zendesk will reject the connection request.