# Creating or Linking Tickets

## Creating or Linking Tickets

This guide explains what tickets are in ClearFeed, the different types available, how to configure them, and the various methods for creating tickets.

### Understanding Requests vs. Tickets

Before working with tickets, it's important to understand the difference:

* **Requests** are internal queries tracked privately by your team (no customer-facing ID)
* **Tickets** are formal, customer-visible items with public IDs and status tracking

{% hint style="info" %}
**New to these concepts?** Read the detailed explanation in [Requests, Tickets and Tasks](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/request-tickets-tasks) to understand how requests, tickets, and tasks work together in ClearFeed.
{% endhint %}

## Types of Tickets

ClearFeed supports two types of ticketing systems. Choose the one that fits your workflow:

### 1. ClearFeed Tickets

ClearFeed's native ticketing system managed entirely within the platform. **Key Features:**

* Native ticket IDs (e.g., CF-12345)
* Customer Portal for self-service
* Email ticketing support
* Web Chat integration
* No external system required

#### Enabling ClearFeed Ticketing

{% hint style="info" %}
**Internal Helpdesk Product Edition:** ClearFeed ticketing is enabled for all Collections by default and cannot be changed.
{% endhint %}

To configure ClearFeed ticketing for a Collection:

1. Navigate to your desired **Collection**
2. Go to **Settings → Ticketing Settings**
3. Under **Ticketing Integration**, ensure **ClearFeed** is selected
4. Choose the **Trigger Mode**:
   * **Emoji Trigger** - A ticket is created when a specific emoji is added to a message
     * Select the emoji to be used (default: 🎫 `:ticket:`)
     * Choose who can trigger ticket creation:
       * **All** - Ticket created when emoji added by either requester or responder
       * **Responder** - Only responder emoji reactions trigger ticket creation
   * **Automatic Trigger** - A ticket is created automatically when a message meets predefined conditions (no emoji required)
5. Under **Forms**, specify whether:
   * **All Forms** should be shown while creating a ticket, or
   * Only **Specific Forms** should be shown

<figure><img src="https://3455705434-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FE2O2wTaNovd6fXpEuLKz%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1adeda152188b02e9285dab92072f83bc27e2432%2Fimage%20(16)%20(1).png?alt=media" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>ClearFeed Ticketing Settings</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Creating ClearFeed Tickets

**Manual Ticketing with Emoji:**

* A conversation is initiated in the request channel
* React to the first message using the 🎫 (`:ticket:`) emoji
* A ClearFeed ticket is created and requester sees ticket details in the thread

<figure><img src="https://3455705434-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FE2O2wTaNovd6fXpEuLKz%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2a890cb4dc8f40ad3601036474e21db8461ec6fd%2Fimage%20(1)%20(2).gif?alt=media" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Manually creating tickets with emoji</p></figcaption></figure>

**Automatic Ticketing:**

* Every new conversation (Slack thread) in the request channel is automatically converted into a ClearFeed ticket
* ClearFeed posts a message in the Slack thread sharing the ticket details
* No manual emoji reaction required

<figure><img src="https://3455705434-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FE2O2wTaNovd6fXpEuLKz%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-49f7b9c76407f516bc21246d5e4c01fbbef0ac79%2Fimage%20(2)%20(1).gif?alt=media" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Automatic ticket creation</p></figcaption></figure>

**Creating Tickets with Forms:**

* Once forms are set up, users see a **File Ticket** button
* Clicking the button prompts users to complete the form
* If multiple forms are configured, a dropdown appears to choose which form to fill

<figure><img src="https://3455705434-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FE2O2wTaNovd6fXpEuLKz%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6575d27ec32fa5b8f321872848291b4ef3f337af%2Fimage%20(211)%20(1).png?alt=media" alt="" width="515"><figcaption><p>Creating tickets with forms enabled</p></figcaption></figure>

### 2. External Tickets (Integrations)

Connect ClearFeed with your existing ticketing systems for bidirectional sync. **Supported Platforms:**

* Zendesk, Jira, Jira Service Management
* Intercom, Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk
* ClickUp, HubSpot, Linear

**Key Features:**

* External ticket IDs (e.g., ZEN-12345, JIRA-456)
* Bidirectional sync between Slack and external system
* Preserves your existing workflows
* Custom field mappings

**Learn More:** [Integration Setup Guide](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/task-and-ticketing-systems)

## Configuring Ticketing

Before you can create tickets, you need to configure how ticketing works in ClearFeed.

### Collection Settings

Collections define which Slack channels are monitored and how tickets are created. Configure the following at the Collection level:

**Ticketing Mode:**

* **Manual** - Use emoji reactions (🎫) or commands to create tickets
* **Automatic** - Every new conversation automatically becomes a ticket

**Additional Settings:**

* **Forms** - Require forms when tickets are created
* **Emoji Rules** - Customize which emojis trigger ticket update
* **Request Channels** - Define which Slack channels are monitored
* **Set a default form -** You can choose a form that will be used when creating tickets from *new messages* in the request channel.
  * If the selected default form contains **non-hidden fields**, ClearFeed will show a warning modal informing the user that they must fill in the visible fields before the ticket can be created.
  * If the default form contains **only hidden fields**, the ticket is created **automatically** without prompting the user.
  * This setting applies **only** to automatic ticket creation from new messages.
  * When a user manually creates a ticket using **/cf-file** or the **Message Bar**, they will continue to see **all forms** configured under *Forms*, regardless of the default form setting.

**Configure Collections:** [Collections Setup Guide](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/collections)

### Integration Setup (For External Tickets)

If using external ticketing systems, you'll need to: **Connect your platform** - Link ClearFeed to Zendesk, Jira, etc.

**Setup Instructions:** Each integration has specific setup steps. Visit the integration-specific guides:

* [Zendesk Integration](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/zendesk)
* [Jira Integration](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/jira)
* [Intercom Integration](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/intercom)
* [Freshdesk Integration](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/freshdesk)
* [Salesforce Integration](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/salesforce)
* [All Integrations](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/task-and-ticketing-systems)

## Methods for Creating Tickets

Once ticketing is configured, there are multiple ways to create tickets depending on your workflow needs.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** The methods below apply to **ClearFeed Tickets**. For External Tickets (Zendesk, Jira, Intercom, etc.), refer to the integration-specific documentation as setup and ticket creation may differ.
{% endhint %}

### From Slack Channels

Create tickets from conversations in your monitored Request Channels.

**How it works:**

* React with 🎫 (`:ticket:`) emoji to convert a message to a ticket (Manual mode)
* Every new conversation automatically becomes a ticket (Automatic mode)

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/slack-channels)

### From Email

Customers send emails to create tickets.

**How it works:**

* ClearFeed provides a default support email address
* Or configure custom email (e.g., <support@yourdomain.com>)
* Each email creates a ticket automatically

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/email)

### From WebChat Widget

Embed a chat widget on your website for customer conversations.

**How it works:**

* Install ClearFeed chat widget on your website
* Customers initiate chat conversations
* Each conversation creates a ticket

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/web-chat)

### From Customer Portal

Self-service portal where customers can create and track tickets.

**How it works:**

* Customers access the ClearFeed Customer Portal
* Submit ticket requests via web forms
* Track existing tickets

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/portal)

### From WebApp

ClearFeed allows responders to create tickets directly from the WebApp as part of the External Helpdesk edition.

**How it works:**

* Log into ClearFeed web app
* Use "New Request" button
* Fill out details and submit

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/webapp)

### Using API

Programmatically create tickets using ClearFeed API.

**How it works:**

* Use ClearFeed REST API endpoints
* Send ticket data via API calls
* Automate ticket creation from external systems

[**View Full Guide**](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/how-it-works/creating-or-linking-tickets/api)

## Recommended Setup Flow

Follow this sequence to set up ticketing in ClearFeed:

#### Step 1: Choose Your Ticket Type

Decide whether to use **ClearFeed Tickets** (built-in) or **External Tickets** (integrations).

#### Step 2: Configure Your Collection

* Set up your Collection with Request Channels
* Choose automatic vs manual ticketing mode
* Configure forms if needed [Collections Setup Guide](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/clearfeed-helpdesk/collections)

#### Step 3: Enable Creation Methods

Choose and enable the ticket creation methods your team and customers need:

* **Start simple** - Slack Channels and Shortcuts work well for most teams
* **Add channels** - Enable Email, Web Chat, or Portal as needed
* **Automate** - Use API for programmatic creation

#### Step 4: Test the Workflow

* Create test tickets using different methods
* Verify ticket IDs, statuses, and sync behavior
* Train your team on the available options

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** For External Tickets (Zendesk, Jira, Intercom, etc.), refer to the [integration-specific documentation](https://docs.clearfeed.ai/clearfeed-help-center/integrations/task-and-ticketing-systems).
{% endhint %}

## FAQs

1. **Can a bot reaction trigger ticket creation in ClearFeed?**\
   **Answer:** Yes — if **no user input is required**, bot reactions can successfully trigger ticket creation.
2. **What happens if the ticket form requires user input?**\
   **Answer:** ClearFeed attempts to send an **ephemeral message** to the reacting user. Since bots cannot view ephemerals, the ticket filing fails silently.
3. **How can I ensure bot-triggered tickets work?**\
   **Answer:** Make sure:
   1. The associated form requires **no user input** (all required fields have **default values**)
   2. Optionally, set a **default requester email** in the form to bypass missing user identity issues
4. **Do bot reactions work only for whitelisted bots?**\
   **Answer:** No — **whitelisting is not required**. Bot reactions are honored regardless of whitelist status.
5. **Can I specify a form to use for bot-based ticket creation?**\
   **Answer:** No, the system uses the default form assigned to the Collection.
6. **What's the difference between ClearFeed Tickets and External Tickets?**\
   **Answer:**
   * **ClearFeed Tickets** - Native tickets managed within ClearFeed (CF-12345)
   * **External Tickets** - Tickets synced with external systems like Zendesk, Jira, etc.
7. **Can I use both ClearFeed Tickets and External Tickets?**\
   **Answer:** No, each Collection can only use one ticketing system at a time. You can have different Collections using different systems.


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