> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gowindmill.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Zendesk Support

> Connect Zendesk Support to Windmill so ticket activity, response times, and customer interactions appear in recaps, 1:1 prep, and performance reviews.

## Benefits of connecting Zendesk to Windmill

Connecting Zendesk to Windmill brings customer support and service work into performance conversations — without agents needing to create reports or justify their impact.

* Automatically surfaces ticket work, response patterns, and resolution outcomes
* Ensures support teams get recognition for effort, communication quality, and problem-solving
* Reduces prep time for performance reviews, calibrations, and promotions
* Helps managers coach using real conversation and case-handling context
* Makes performance reviews more fair, consistent, and grounded in measurable customer outcomes

Windmill turns ongoing customer support activity into structured insight for coaching, development, and recognition.

## Connected data

When connected, Windmill securely reads **support activity metadata** from Zendesk:

| Data Type                              | How Windmill Uses It                                                              |
| -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ticket assignments and ownership       | Attributes work to the correct support rep                                        |
| Ticket status and resolution timelines | Highlights responsiveness, workload management, and follow-through                |
| Tags, categories, and issue types      | Helps contextualize complexity and scope of work                                  |
| Public reply + internal note metadata  | Surfaces communication and collaboration patterns (not message bodies by default) |
| CSAT scores (if enabled)               | Supports coaching and success recognition based on real customer feedback         |

> Windmill focuses on **signals**, not full transcript content — unless deeper analysis is explicitly enabled.

## Permissions

Windmill requests **read-only**, scoped API access via Zendesk OAuth.

| Permission                                  | Purpose                                                          |
| ------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Read ticket metadata                        | To reflect workload, responsiveness, and resolution patterns     |
| Read assignment + group/team data           | To correctly attribute work and collaboration                    |
| Read comment/note metadata (not full text)  | To surface communication context for coaching                    |
| **No write access**                         | Windmill never updates tickets, statuses, or comments in Zendesk |
| **Scoped to selected support groups/teams** | You choose exactly what Windmill can access                      |

> Windmill follows a **least-privilege access** model — collecting only data needed for performance context.

## Permissions

You need to be a Zendesk Administrator or an Account Owner to connect Zendesk.

## FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does Windmill read full customer message content?">
    By default, no. Windmill syncs metadata (timestamps, assignment, tags, counts) rather than full text.\
    Full text analysis can be **optionally enabled**, with separate approval.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Windmill write anything back to Zendesk?">
    No. The integration is entirely read-only.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How often does Windmill sync data?">
    Continuously. Ticket activity and trends appear in Windmill shortly after they happen in Zendesk.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is the integration secure?">
    Yes. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Windmill meets SOC 2 requirements and uses scoped, revocable OAuth tokens.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens when a support rep changes teams or leaves?">
    Their historical contribution context remains available, but Windmill stops attributing new work once the user is deactivated.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>