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

New to these concepts? Read the detailed explanation in Requests, Tickets and Tasks to understand how requests, tickets, and tasks work together in ClearFeed.

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

Internal Helpdesk Product Edition: ClearFeed ticketing is enabled for all Collections by default and cannot be changed.

To configure ClearFeed ticketing for a Collection:

Navigate to your desired Collection
Go to Settings → Ticketing Settings
Under Ticketing Integration, ensure ClearFeed is selected
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)
Under Forms, specify whether:
- All Forms should be shown while creating a ticket, or
- Only Specific Forms should be shown

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

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

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

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

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

Configure Collections: Collections Setup Guide

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:

Methods for Creating Tickets

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

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.

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

From Email

Customers send emails to create tickets.

How it works:

ClearFeed provides a default support email address
Or configure custom email (e.g., [email protected])
Each email creates a ticket automatically

View Full Guide

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

Note: For External Tickets (Zendesk, Jira, Intercom, etc.), refer to the integration-specific documentation.

FAQs

Can a bot reaction trigger ticket creation in ClearFeed? Answer: Yes — if no user input is required, bot reactions can successfully trigger ticket creation.
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.
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
Do bot reactions work only for whitelisted bots? Answer: No — whitelisting is not required. Bot reactions are honored regardless of whitelist status.
Can I specify a form to use for bot-based ticket creation? Answer: No, the system uses the default form assigned to the Collection.
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.
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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Last updated 7 days ago