> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/getting-started/getting-started-guides/for-internal-support/using-clearfeed-ticketing.md).

# Supporting Employees using ClearFeed Ticketing

This guide helps you set up ClearFeed's native ticketing system to manage internal employee requests in Slack, Email, and via the ClearFeed Slack App - for IT helpdesk, HR, sales ops, legal, and other internal teams.

## Sign Up & Connect

1. Go to [ClearFeed Web App](https://web.clearfeed.app/)
2. Sign up with **Google, Microsoft, or Email** (use your Slack workspace email)
3. During onboarding, select:
   * **Primary use case:** `Supporting Employees`
   * **How to use ClearFeed:** `Create & Manage Tickets in ClearFeed`
4. **Authorize ClearFeed** when prompted to connect to your Slack workspace

## Understanding Your Setup

After signing up, ClearFeed automatically configures four sources where employees can create support tickets:

* **`#cf-request-channel`** - Slack channel where employees post questions and requests
* **ClearFeed App** - Slack app home where employees can file tickets directly without using a channel
* **Support Email** - Email address where employees can email to create tickets
* **`#cf-triage-channel`** - Slack channel where all tickets appear for your support team to manage

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** ClearFeed automatically posts a test request in `#cf-request-channel`, converts it into a ticket, and sends a test email ticket - both visible in `#cf-triage-channel`. These are great for trying out the workflow before adding real employees.
{% endhint %}

### Request Channel (`#cf-request-channel`)

Your **request channel** is where employees post questions and requests. When a message is posted:

* ClearFeed starts tracking this as a request
* Add the 🎫 emoji to convert it into a **ticket** with a public ID and status visible to the employee
* Tickets are automatically routed to your triage channel for your team to see and respond to
* If configured, the AI Agent finds a suggested answer and shares it privately with your team, who can review and send it to the employee

### ClearFeed App (Slack Home Tab)

Employees don't need to be in the request channel to file a ticket:

* Open the **ClearFeed** app in Slack and go to the **Home** tab
* Click **File a Ticket** and fill in the ticket details
* The ticket is created directly and is immediately visible in your triage channel and ClearFeed WebApp
* Useful for employees outside your support channels who need to file a ticket quickly

### Support Email

ClearFeed creates an email address during onboarding where employees can email to create tickets:

* **Format:** `support@<subdomain>.clearfeed-mail.com`
* Emails sent to this address automatically create tickets with public IDs in ClearFeed
* Each email becomes a ticket thread in the Triage channel and is visible in ClearFeed WebApp
* Replies to the thread in the Triage channel appear as email replies back to employees
* You can replace this with your own custom support email address (see [Email documentation](/clearfeed-help-center/sources/email.md))

### Triage Channel (`#cf-triage-channel`)

Your **triage channel** is your support team's command center within Slack. Here you'll see:

* All incoming tickets with status, assignee, and ticket IDs
* Tickets from all sources: Slack channel, email, and ClearFeed App
* Reply to ticket threads to respond to employees and manage tickets
* Post private comments (using `:lock:` emoji) visible only to your team, not synced to employees
* Private answer suggestions by the AI Agent (if configured)

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** Unlike ClearFeed's Customer Support accounts, only **tickets** are routed to the triage channel here. A message in the request channel stays visible only in that channel until someone adds the 🎫 emoji to convert it into a ticket.
{% endhint %}

## Creating Tickets

### Create a Ticket from Slack

1. Post a message in your request channel (e.g., "How do I reset my VPN password?")
2. ClearFeed automatically creates a request (no ticket ID shown yet, and not yet visible in the triage channel)
3. Add the 🎫 emoji to convert it into a ticket with a public ID and status visible to the requester

### Create a Ticket from Email

Employees can email your ClearFeed support address:

* Emails automatically create tickets with public IDs
* Email tickets create Slack threads in the Triage Channel and are visible in the ClearFeed WebApp
* Replies to the thread in the Triage Channel appear as email replies to employees

### Create a Ticket from the ClearFeed App

* Open the ClearFeed app's Home tab in Slack and click **File a Ticket**
* Fill in the ticket details in the form
* The ticket appears in the Triage Channel and ClearFeed WebApp

## Reply to and Manage Tickets

### From the Slack Triage Channel

* Replying to the thread in `#cf-triage-channel` → syncs to the request channel (or email thread)
* Update status, priority, or assignment → reflects in the ticket on ClearFeed WebApp
* Add internal notes (prefix with :lock: emoji) → visible only to your team and not synced to employees

💡 **Tip:** [Mute request channels](https://slack.com/help/articles/204411433-Mute-channels-and-direct-messages) that you're part of to avoid duplicate notifications - work from the triage channel instead.

### From the Request Channel

You can also work directly in the request channel before (or after) a request becomes a ticket:

* Use the :eyes: emoji to assign a request to yourself
* Use the ✅ emoji to mark a request as solved
* Enable the [Edit Ticket Form](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/forms.md#edit-form) to update ticket properties (assignee, priority) directly from Slack

### From the ClearFeed WebApp

* You can see all tickets from the ClearFeed WebApp
* Click on a specific ticket and post replies from there - these sync back to the requester's Slack or email thread and the corresponding thread in the Triage channel

## Understanding Collections

Sources of tickets are managed as **Collections** in ClearFeed. When you sign up, ClearFeed creates several collections automatically:

* **Slack Channels** - the default collection containing your `#cf-request-channel` and `#cf-triage-channel`
* **Email** - handles tickets created via your support email address
* **ClearFeed App** - handles tickets filed directly from the ClearFeed Slack app's Home tab
* **Web Chat** - (optional) for creating tickets via a chat widget on your website
* **Support Portal** - (optional) for employees to file tickets via a self-service portal

<figure><img src="/files/XckjATq3Kgc2sUycJe3s" alt="" width="400"><figcaption><p>Internal Helpdesk collections and ticket sources</p></figcaption></figure>

Collections are how you organize and manage your support ticket sources in ClearFeed. Each collection can have its own settings, workflows, forms, and triage channel configuration.

### Adding More Slack Channels

As your support needs grow, you can add more Slack channels to the **Slack Channels** collection:

* **Public channels** can be added from the ClearFeed WebApp: go to [Collections](https://web.clearfeed.app/collections), click on **Slack Channels**, and add a new channel
* **Private channels** can be added by typing `/invite @Clearfeed` in the channel itself
* You can also create **additional collections** to group channels for different teams (e.g., IT, HR, Legal) with their own workflows, responders, and settings

### Configuring Your Support Email

The email address created for you during onboarding (`support@<subdomain>.clearfeed-mail.com`) is ready to use immediately. To customize it:

* Replace with your own domain email (e.g., `support@yourcompany.com`) - see [Email documentation](/clearfeed-help-center/sources/email.md) for setup instructions
* Your email is part of the **Email** collection, which automatically routes all incoming emails to your triage channel as tickets
* Replies in the triage channel thread sync back as email replies to employees

## Setting Up Your Support Team

**Configure your support team:**

1. Go to [Users](https://web.clearfeed.app/settings/users) in ClearFeed WebApp
2. Add support team members (pick either Admin or Manager role) and set them as **Agents**
   * **Agents** can reply to tickets, be assigned tickets, and manage them from the triage channel and web app
   * **Non-Agents** can view tickets and add private comments but cannot make public replies or be assigned tickets
3. Agents are automatically added as **Responders** in your collection

## AI Agents

ClearFeed comes with an AI Agent pre-configured to answer questions from the World Wide Web by default. The AI Agent is triggered whenever a new employee request is detected in Slack, and when it finds relevant answers, it posts suggestions privately to your team. Your team can review the automated answer and copy and post it as a reply if it's correct.

### Customize or Disable

**To add your own knowledge sources:**

1. Go to **Settings > AI > Knowledge Sources**
2. Connect your documentation (Confluence, Notion, Google Drive etc.) and tag them.
3. Go to **Settings > AI > Agent Studio** and click on the `Default Agent` pre-configured in your account
4. Add the Knowledge Sources added in Step-2 using their tags
5. Optionally - disable the Web Search option (to prevent answers beyond your knowledge sources)

**To change visibility of AI Agent Answers:**

1. Go to the **Inbox**
2. Click on the Collection where you want to enable/disable the AI Agent (eg: **Slack Channels**)
3. Click on **Settings** from the top right and then click on **AI Agent** section
4. You can disable the AI Agent completely - or switch to **Virtual Agent** mode to provide automated replies to users when they create tickets

## FAQs

1. **How do I stop creating requests from my and my team's messages?**\
   When a new ClearFeed account is set up, it creates requests from all users. You can turn off request and ticket creation from your own team in the "Responders" section of the Collection Settings:

   * Click on the **Slack Channels** collection from the Inbox
   * Click **Settings** in the top right corner
   * Expand the **Responders** section
   * Turn off "Create requests from responder threads"

   <figure><img src="/files/gFGeqz4gP7ENa41xcHOv" alt="" width="300"><figcaption><p>Turn off request creation from responders</p></figcaption></figure>

## Next Steps

* [Whitelabeling the ClearFeed bot](/clearfeed-help-center/account-setup/whitelabel-clearfeed.md) to match your brand
* [Set up Out of Office responses](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/workflows.md) - Automatic responses when your team is unavailable
* [Configure Forms & Custom Fields](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/forms.md) - Collect structured information from employees
* [Build Automations](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/automations.md) - Auto-respond, escalate, and organize tickets based on rules
* [Adjust Triage Settings](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/triage-channel-setup.md) - Customize what information appears in your triage channel
* [Set up SLA rules](/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/sla-management.md) - Configure response time targets and business hours
