Running a business efficiently means using the right tools to keep things moving smoothly, from handling customer questions to managing team communication. Two of the best platforms for this are Slack and Zendesk. Slack is great for keeping your team in sync, and Zendesk helps you manage customer support. When used together, they can really boost your team's efficiency and response time.

In this article, we’re going to explore the integration between Slack and Zendesk Support. Just to clarify, we won’t be covering Slack’s connections with Zendesk Chat (a live chat tool) or Zendesk Sell (a CRM tool), but we’ll dive into all the great things you can do with Slack and Zendesk Support. Let’s get started!

Does Slack Integrate with Zendesk?

Yes, the Zendesk Slack app connects the two platforms well. Just install the app into your Slack workspace and add it to the channels you want to use with Zendesk. With this built-in connection, you can make tickets, add internal comments, and get updates on new tickets or important changes to Zendesk tickets right in Slack. The Zendesk app is free with any Zendesk subscription.

You can also try more advanced ways to connect Slack and Zendesk, like ClearFeed, Zapier, or Unito. These tools come with extra features, such as two-way syncing between Slack and Zendesk, advanced forms for using Zendesk, and help for a hybrid support system where you can handle simple stuff in Slack and only file important issues in Zendesk via a triage.

How to Get Started with Slack Zendesk Integration?

Method #1: Using Zendesk Slack Connector

The simplest way to integrate Zendesk and Slack is to use the free Zendesk Slack app. You need to install the Zendesk Slack app into the Slack workspace where you want to make tickets. If you want to make tickets from any channel, you just need to invite the Zendesk app to that channel. Once all of this is set up, you can start making tickets like this:

Method 1: Using a Zendesk slash command.

Method 2: Using Slack Actions on an existing message.

Method 3: By tagging the Zendesk bot in a Slack message.

Customers won’t have access to the two methods mentioned in a Slack Connect channel because they can’t use the command functionalities and menu actions of the Zendesk app. These features are reserved for the organization that installed the app and are accessible only to its agents.

But don’t worry! There’s an easy workaround. Both agents and customers can simply tag the Zendesk bot to submit tickets. This simple approach makes it easy for everyone to file tickets without needing to use any commands or menus.

Step 1: Post a Slack message on the channel that contains @zendesk.

Step 2: Click the Create a ticket button on the message posted back by the Zendesk bot.

Step 3: Fill in the ticket details in the dialog box that will now open up, and hit the Submit button.‍

Step 4: Whenever a support ticket is created in Zendesk using the ClearFeed integration, a form is attached to that ticket. So, select the relevant form and complete the process.

Features

• Tickets can be created from Slack messages by agents and customers.
• Ticket ID and status updates are notified back to customers.
• A two-way conversation between agents and customers on Slack can be created using side conversations from within Zendesk.
• Internal comments can be left on tickets from within Slack by replying to ticket notifications and applying the ‘Add as internal note’ Slack action from the Slack actions menu.

Limitations

• Attachments and Slack thread replies are not uploaded automatically into Zendesk.
• There’s no synchronization by default between the Slack thread and the created Zendesk ticket. Side conversations create a new thread.
• There is no support for configuring required fields or specifying default values.

Method #2: ClearFeed

ClearFeed is one of the top three ways to connect Slack channels to Zendesk in 2025. Customer support, IT, and Engineering teams can make the most of ClearFeed for tracking, prioritizing, and resolving customer requests received over Slack. Your teams can work from your ticketing system or Slack to communicate with the customer.

Features

1. Converting Slack Threads into Tickets: Transform your existing Slack threads into support tickets effortlessly. ClearFeed’s AI-driven mechanism creates a ticket title and directly uploads all thread messages, including any attached images, into the ticket.
2. Setting Up Bi-Directional Sync: You can synchronize seamlessly between a Slack thread and its corresponding ticket. Whenever a new reply is posted on the Slack thread or a public comment on the ticket, it gets automatically mirrored to its counterpart. This efficient two-way sync allows customers to interact smoothly with customer support agents using Zendesk directly through Slack.
3. Ticket Management from Slack: It empowers customers to manage their tickets directly within Slack. They can escalate, edit, or close their tickets, providing them with heightened control and convenience.
4. Configurable Fields for Ticket Operations: ClearFeed allows you to customize fields for creating and closing tickets, letting you specify default values for mandatory fields. This makes ticket management more streamlined and tailored to your specific needs.

Bonus Read: Learn More About ClearFeed’s Slack-Zendesk Integration

Limitations

• There is no way to leave internal comments on tickets from Slack using ClearFeed.
• Creating a ticket without using an existing Slack message as a starting point is impossible.

How to Integrate Slack Channels into Zendesk Using ClearFeed?

To effectively use ClearFeed for ticket management, users must follow these steps:

1. Users must register for a ClearFeed account to start the ticketing process.
2. Users can install the ClearFeed app on their Slack workspace after signing up, ensuring seamless integration between Slack and Zendesk.
3. To enable flawless communication, users must authorize ClearFeed to connect with their Zendesk account.
4. The ClearFeed app should be invited to each channel where tickets must be filed. This ensures the app can document all relevant dialogues and generate tickets accordingly.

With the setup complete, users can create tickets using two straightforward methods:

Method 1: Using an emoji on a message posted on Slack

1. Send a message on the Slack channel. Post as many replies to the message as desired, including attachments.
2. Apply the ticket emoji on the first message. The customer and the customer service team can do this.

A ticket will be generated, and the ticket number, title, latest status, and other fields will be displayed on the thread. All thread messages and their attachments are automatically uploaded into the ticket. Two-way syncing between the thread and the Zendesk ticket will automatically happen therefrom.

Method 2: Using Slack Actions on a Slack Message

1. Click on the three dots/More Actions icon beside the message. Select ‘ClearFeed Actions’ from the list displayed.
2. Select the ‘File a Zendesk ticket’ option from the ClearFeed dialogue box.

3. Review the ticket details auto-populated in the dialog box (and edit them if required). 
4. Click on the ‘Create’ button to complete the ticket creation.

Method 2 is available only to customer service agents and allows them to create tickets privately (and share ticket updates automatically on the thread as a configurable option). It also gives agents much control over which messages from a Slack thread are auto-populated into the ticket.

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3. Zapier

Workflow automation tool Zapier can be great for bringing Slack and Zendesk together! They can help automate processes by triggering workflows when new messages arrive in Slack, which then creates tickets in Zendesk and the other way around. However, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding their features:

1. Thread Conversion and Attachments: Unfortunately, these tools can’t automatically turn entire conversation threads into tickets, and uploading attachments from Slack directly into tickets isn’t possible either.
2. Ticket Status Updates: There’s currently no way to send updates back to Slack that show the ticket's status or any important details.
3. Synchronization Options: Zapier operates with a one-way workflow, meaning you can’t sync information back and forth between Zendesk tickets and Slack threads. On the other hand, Unito claims to offer two-way synchronization, but it lacks the documentation and real-world examples to show how it works.
4. User Interaction: As automation tools, they don’t come with interactive screens or dialogs for users to manage their tickets easily. While you can customize them to fit your needs, the lack of built-in user engagement can be a drawback.
5. Custom Fields and Comments: Additionally, there’s no option for adding custom fields or default values, and users can’t post internal comments directly through Slack.

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What Are the Most Important Features for a Slack-Zendesk Integration?

A great Slack and Zendesk integration should provide essential functions like creating tickets from Slack and enable important functionality like Zendesk forms and fields within Slack while providing a seamless conversational way of interacting with Zendesk - that is natural to Slack users. Here are some of the top features users should look for when integrating these two tools:

• Make it possible to create tickets from Slack channels easily.
• Allows conversion of existing Slack threads to tickets.
• Allows linking Slack conversations to existing tickets and returning ticket status updates to Slack conversations.
• Allows live synchronization of Slack threads and Zendesk tickets.
• Allows users to perform actions like close/re-open/escalate tickets from within Slack.
• It makes it possible to configure forms and fields for opening/closing/editing tickets from within Slack.
• Provide an option to detect customer requests and convert them into tickets automatically.
• Allows external users on Slack Connect channels to create tickets and perform other actions.
• Allows agents to post internal comments on tickets from within Slack.

Bonus Read: How to Find the Right Slack-Zendesk Integration

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The Bottom Line

Good communication and top-notch customer service are super important for any business. By joining Zendesk and Slack, businesses can make these areas smoother, work faster, and make their customers happier. By bringing together valuable information and promoting teamwork, businesses can discover many chances to do better than their rivals and impress their customers.

Using the helpful advice and tricks for making the most of bringing Zendesk and Slack together, you're ready to see what wonders this combination can do! You can change the way your teams and your customers communicate. Pretty incredible, right? And if you want to learn more about how ClearFeed can help you with Slack-Zendesk integration, book a demo here.