Zendesk Macros for Efficient Customer Support

Using Zendesk macros can save a lot of time and effort for customer support teams.

Macros can be used to automate repetitive tasks, such as assigning tickets to specific agents or setting up follow-up reminders.

By automating these tasks, agents can focus on more complex and high-value tasks that require their attention.

With macros, you can also set up canned responses to frequently asked questions, which can be a huge time-saver for your team.

If this caught your attention, see: Time Tracking and Billing Software

Creating and managing macros in Zendesk can be a game-changer for your customer support team. Admins can create shared macros for all agents to use, but the maximum number of shared macros per account is 5,000.

You can create personal macros for your own use, which can be cloned by admins but are only visible to you. Personal macros can be used to save time and ensure consistency in your customer support workflows.

To create a macro, you'll need to access the Admin Dashboard and click on the "Manage" section, then select "Macros". From there, you can click on the "Add Macro" button to begin creating a new macro.

Worth a look: Zendesk Support Ticket

Give your macro a descriptive name and provide a brief explanation of its purpose. This will help your team understand the functionality of the macro. You can also define the macro actions, such as updating ticket fields, assigning the ticket to a specific agent, or sending an email notification.

Some key fields to consider when defining macro actions include ticket fields, assignee, tags, comment, and notification. You can also preview the macro to ensure it's working as expected.

Here's a summary of the steps to create a macro:

Remember, you can create macros from scratch or based on existing tickets. You can also create personal macros for your own use, which can be cloned by admins but are only visible to you.

You can add some personality to your macro comments with formatting and inline images. To do this, simply use the formatting options in the toolbar to format your content, which includes options like bold, italics, and text color.

You can also add a plain text version of your rich content macro comment, which will be intelligently applied in channels that don't support rich text formatting.

To add inline images, just drag and drop an image from your computer into the comment window or paste a copied image into the window.

Adding formatting to your comments is a breeze. You can use the toolbar to format your content, with options like bold, italics, and underline.

You can also add headings to make your comments stand out. The toolbar button for headings is right there, waiting to be clicked.

In the text field, enter the content you want to appear in the macro. Then, use the formatting options to make it look just right.

You can also add a bulleted list or a numbered list to break up your text and make it easier to read. The toolbar buttons for these options are clearly labeled.

See what others are reading: Macro Hedge Funds List

If you want to add a plain text version of your rich content macro comment, you can do that too. This will ensure that your comment looks good in channels that don't support rich text formatting.

Adding inline images to your comments is also a piece of cake. You can drag and drop an image from your computer into the comment window, or paste a copied image into the window by right-clicking and selecting Paste.

Attachments are an essential part of making your comments more engaging and informative. You can add up to five file attachments to your comments, with a maximum file size of 50 MB per attachment.

To attach a file to a comment, click the "Attach files" button under the text field, browse to the file you want to attach, select it, and click "Open". The file is then added to the ticket.

You can also create a macro attachment, which allows you to upload and associate an attachment with a macro at the same time. Note that a macro can be associated with up to five attachments.

If you need to list the attachments associated with a macro, you can use the GET /api/v2/macros/{macro_id}/attachments endpoint. This will return a list of attachments associated with the specified macro.

To show the properties of a specific macro attachment, use the GET /api/v2/macros/attachments/{attachment_id} endpoint, replacing {attachment_id} with the ID of the attachment you want to view.

Here's a quick rundown of the attachment-related endpoints:

If you've added styling, formatting, or inline images to a Comment/description macro action, you can include an alternate plain text version.

To add this plain text version, select Include plain text fallback in the macro, under the rich content version of the comment.

Make any modifications needed to create the plain text version of the macro comment in the pre-populated version that appears.

This plain text version will be intelligently applied in channels that don't support rich text formatting, such as the Zendesk mobile app, Zendesk SMS, and the standard agent interface.

You can filter macros by access, which is a string parameter with possible values of "personal", "agents", "shared", or "account". The "agents" value returns all personal macros for the account's agents and is only available to admins.

To further narrow down your macro search, you can use the active parameter, which is a boolean value that filters by active macros if true or inactive macros if false.

Here are some other parameters you can use to filter macros: category (an integer value), group_id (an integer value), include (a string value for a sideload), only_viewable (a boolean value), sort_by (a string value with possible values of "alphabetical", "created_at", "updated_at", "usage_1h", "usage_24h", "usage_7d", or "usage_30d"), and sort_order (a string value with one of "asc" or "desc").

You can apply macros with a keyboard shortcut in a ticket comment. This can save you typing time by applying a macro to a ticket with just a few keys.

Typically, your seven most used macros from the past week appear at the top of the macros list, including both shared macros and any personal macros you may use.

To apply a macro with a keyboard shortcut, type a slash (/) in the ticket’s comment. If you want to exit the Macros menu after typing a slash (/), press the space bar.

Select one of these or begin typing a macro name to filter the list. Click the macro name to apply it to the ticket. The actions defined in the macro are applied. If the macro updated the ticket comment, you can edit the text before submitting the ticket.

To apply another macro, type a slash (/) in the ticket comment.

Note that if your account has Chat or Messaging activated, the list displays both macros and shortcuts.

Parameters are a crucial part of working with macros in Zendesk, and understanding them can save you a lot of time and effort.

The access parameter allows you to filter macros by access, and it can have one of four values: "personal", "agents", "shared", or "account". The "agents" value returns all personal macros for the account's agents and is only available to admins.

You can also use the active parameter to filter by active macros if true or inactive macros if false.

The category parameter is an integer that filters macros by category.

The group_id parameter is an integer that filters macros by group.

The include parameter is a string that includes a sideload in the response, and you can see the possible values in the Sideloads section.

The only_viewable parameter is a boolean that returns only macros that can be applied to tickets if true, or all macros the current user can manage if false.

The sort_by parameter has several possible values, including "alphabetical", "created_at", "updated_at", "usage_1h", "usage_24h", "usage_7d", and "usage_30d", and it defaults to "alphabetical".

The sort_order parameter can be one of "asc" or "desc", and it defaults to "asc" for alphabetical and position sort, and "desc" for all others.

Here is a summary of the query parameters:

Categories are an essential part of macros, and understanding how they work can help you get the most out of this feature.

You can list all the macro categories available to you by sending a GET request to /api/v2/macros/categories.

This will return a list of all the categories you have access to, which can be useful for planning and organizing your macros.

To see what categories are available, simply navigate to the /api/v2/macros/categories endpoint and retrieve the list.

Here are the macro categories you can access, listed in a convenient format:

This list will give you a clear idea of what categories are available to you, and you can use this information to tailor your macros to your specific needs.

You can automate a variety of standard edits with Zendesk macros.

Macros can be used to update the ticket's status, priority, assignee, or other fields. You can also use macros to apply a predefined macro to the ticket.

Some common actions that can be performed with macros include updating the ticket's status, priority, assignee, or other fields. You can also use macros to send an email or in-app notification to the requester, assignee, or other stakeholders.

Here are some specific actions that can be performed with macros:

Macros can also be used to personalize tickets by applying personalization where possible. If you copy email addresses repeatedly, you know there’s an opportunity to automate.

Using macros with placeholders can be tricky, especially when updating problem and incident tickets. To avoid accidentally populating the wrong values, use a backward slash (\) to escape the placeholder.

When you apply a macro to a ticket, it's a good idea to use the "Show Changes to Ticket" endpoint to see what changes the macro would make. This endpoint returns only the ticket fields that would be changed by the macro, without actually changing the ticket.

You can also use the "Show Ticket After Changes" endpoint to see the full ticket object as it would be after applying the macro. This endpoint returns the full ticket object, but doesn't actually change the ticket.

This API call returns the definitions of the actions a macro can perform, including actions like setting the status of a ticket. The definition of the action includes a title, type, and possible values.

Applying macros to tickets can be a powerful tool for streamlining your workflow and reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks. You can apply one or more macros to a ticket at the same time, but be aware that what one macro does can easily be undone by another macro.

To apply a macro from the menu, click "Apply macro" in the bottom toolbar of a ticket, select a macro from the list, and then click "Apply macro" again to apply another macro. You can also filter the list by typing the beginning of a macro's name.

Typically, your five most commonly used macros from the past week appear at the top of the macros list, but you can change the order of this list or disable the most-used macros option if desired. If your macros are categorized, you can click through the levels of categorization to apply a macro.

You can preview a macro from the "Apply macro" menu before applying it to a ticket by clicking the "Open preview" icon or hovering your cursor over the macro to display its description tooltip. The preview shows the macro's title and description, as well as the fields and elements the macro will change, add, or remove.

To show the changes a macro would make to a ticket without actually changing the ticket, use the "Show Changes to Ticket" endpoint. This endpoint returns the changes the macro would make to a ticket, and you can use the response data in a subsequent API call to update the ticket.

You can also use the "Show Ticket After Changes" endpoint to see what the full ticket object would look like after applying the macro. This endpoint returns the full ticket object as it would be after applying the macro, but doesn't actually change the ticket.

Here are the available endpoints for updating macros and tickets:

To list all active shared and personal macros available to the current user, you can use the GET /api/v2/macros/active endpoint. This will return a list of all active macros.

The response will include various fields, such as name, type, and description. One of the query parameters available is "access", which allows you to filter macros by access. The possible values for this parameter are "personal", "agents", "shared", or "account". If you're an admin, you can use the "agents" value to return all personal macros for the account's agents.

You can also filter macros by category using the "category" query parameter, or by group using the "group_id" query parameter. If you want to include additional information in the response, you can use the "include" query parameter to sideload it.

The response can be sorted in various ways using the "sort_by" query parameter. For example, you can sort macros by their name in alphabetical order, or by their usage over the past 30 days. You can also specify the sort order using the "sort_order" query parameter, which can be either "asc" or "desc".

Macros are a powerful tool in Zendesk, allowing you to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your customer support processes. You can create personal or shared macros, with a maximum of 5,000 shared macros per account.

Admins can create shared macros and modify all shared macros, regardless of who created them. Agents in custom roles with permission can also create shared macros, but admins have more flexibility in managing them.

To create a personal or shared macro, navigate to the Admin Center, click on Workspaces, and select Agent tools > Macros. From there, click Create macro and enter a name and description for your macro.

You can add actions to your macro, such as updating ticket properties or sending notifications. For the Comment/description macro action, you can add formatting, images, and attachments. Admins can also clone personal macros and recreate them as shared macros.

Here are some key things to consider when setting up your macros:

Remember, creating effective macros can greatly streamline your customer support workflows and improve the overall efficiency of your Zendesk implementation.

Bulk and Advanced Operations allow you to perform repetitive tasks with ease. You can automate tasks such as updating ticket fields, assigning tags, and even sending notifications to agents.

Macros can be triggered through various channels, including the Zendesk app, API, or even via email. This flexibility makes it easy to integrate macros into your existing workflows.

Bulk operations can be performed on tickets, users, or organizations, and can be filtered by various criteria such as ticket status, priority, or due date.

Bulk Delete is a powerful feature that allows you to delete multiple macros at once. This can save you a lot of time and effort, especially when dealing with large numbers of macros.

You can use the DELETE /api/v2/macros/destroy_many endpoint to delete macros in bulk. This endpoint requires a comma-separated list of IDs to be provided in the query parameter "ids".

To delete macros using this endpoint, you'll need to provide a valid array of IDs. The IDs must be comma-separated and passed in the "ids" query parameter.

Here's an example of how to use this endpoint:

DELETE /api/v2/macros/destroy_many?ids=123,456,789

This will delete the macros with IDs 123, 456, and 789.

Zendesk macros are a fantastic tool for support teams when used in the right way. They can level up support quality across the board by creating processes that continuously improve macros.

Creating a series of processes that support your team is crucial for making macros work effectively. This helps support teams become more efficient and effective.

At SwiftEQ, they've developed apps for customer service teams working within Zendesk, including Macro Export and Search. These apps help support teams answer support requests faster.

Using the right tools, like Macro Export and Search, can make a big difference in how quickly support teams can resolve issues.

Recommended read: Zendesk Advanced Search

Macros in Zendesk are predefined sets of actions that enable support agents to execute common tasks with a single click. These actions can be as simple as setting the status of a ticket.

To get a list of the actions a macro can perform, you can use the GET /api/v2/macros/definitions endpoint. This will return the definitions of the actions a macro can perform.

The definition of an action includes a title, type, and possible values. For example, one action can set the status of a ticket.

Here are the possible types of actions a macro can perform:

Each action is represented as a JSON object with properties such as name, type, read-only, mandatory, and description. The type of an action can be an array, boolean, integer, string, or object.

JSON format is a crucial aspect of macro definitions and actions. It's a way to represent macros as JSON objects with specific properties.

The properties of a macro in JSON format include actions, active, created_at, default, description, id, position, restriction, title, updated_at, and url. Each of these properties has a specific type, such as boolean, string, or integer.

Here's a breakdown of the properties:

Action Definitions are the backbone of macros in Zendesk, and understanding them is crucial to getting the most out of this feature.

A Macro Action Definition is essentially a set of instructions that defines what a macro can do.

You can retrieve the definitions of the actions a macro can perform by sending a GET request to /api/v2/macros/definitions.

This returns a list of possible actions, including their titles, types, and possible values. For example, one action can set the status of a ticket.

Here's a list of possible action types:

Each action definition includes a title, type, and possible values, which allows you to customize the macro to fit your specific needs.

To create a macro in Zendesk, you can follow these steps. Admins and agents in custom roles with permission can create shared macros to be used by all agents or groups of agents, while personal macros can only be used or modified by the creator.

Admins can create shared macros, and can modify all shared macros, regardless of who created them. The maximum number of shared macros per account is 5,000.

You can start creating a macro by navigating to the Admin Center, clicking on Workspaces in the sidebar, then selecting Agent tools > Macros. From there, click on Create macro. Enter a Macro name and (optional) a macro Description.

To add actions to your macro, click on Add action, then select an action and complete the additional field. Some key fields to consider include Ticket Fields, Assignee, Tags, Comment, and Notification.

Here are some key fields to consider when defining macro actions:

Before deploying new macros or triggers in a live environment, it's essential to conduct thorough testing to identify any potential issues or optimizations.

Using Zendesk macros can dramatically reduce the time it takes to craft an excellent response to a ticket, allowing agents to answer far more tickets in a given period.

If you can type 120 words per minute, you're in the top 1% of typers in the world, but a macro means you can produce those 120 words in just a few seconds.

Working with macros is a game-changer in managing high ticket volume, making it easier for your agents to create a great experience for customers.

Customers who have great experiences with a brand can spend up to 140% more, making it well worth the investment in macros.

To get the most out of macros, make sure to reduce extra clicks via automations, as this will make them even more convenient and easy to use.

Here are some key benefits of using macros:

By incorporating macros into your support workflow, you can create a more efficient and effective customer experience.

Developing a Zendesk macro strategy is crucial for any support team. You need to decide how to use macros and what the process will look like for your team.

Some critical questions you should answer for your team are: What does a great macro look like? Do you have a quality standard that each macro has to follow? Do you have guidelines for intros, outros, or other terminology?

It's essential to consider whether to allow agents to create personal macros. Some teams use macros only to add comments to the ticket.

Here are some key considerations for implementing a macro strategy:

You might start by creating a centralized repository of standardized macros that deal with your most common ticket scenarios.

Measuring the performance of your Zendesk macros is a crucial step in optimizing their effectiveness. This can be done by adding a tag to the ticket as part of each macro.

By tracking how often macros are used, you can identify which ones are worth keeping and which ones are taking up space. You can then deactivate the unused macros and declutter your list.

If a macro is causing more replies per ticket or a lower first contact resolution rate, it may be worth rewriting it to see if there's an improvement. This can help you develop an internal set of best practices and improve your quality standard.

You can also use analytics to see which macros perform the best and change those that lead to a lower CSAT rate. This might involve offering training to agents who use these macros if it's due to a lack of personalization.

Migrating macros from one Zendesk instance to another can be a daunting task, but Help Desk Migration has made it easier with their Business Rules Migration feature. This feature allows you to import macros and triggers seamlessly during consolidation.

To start the migration process, you'll need to review the detailed breakdown of Zendesk migration costs. This will give you a clear understanding of the costs involved.

On the select object step, you can choose Macros or/and Triggers in the Business Rules Objects part. This is where you can select the specific macros you want to migrate.

When mapping your Macros fields, you'll need to specify the title, description, active status, attachments, action additional, and ticket actions. For ticket actions, you can match fields such as status category, brand, form, priority, type, group, assignee, set tags, add tags, remove tags, add follower, custom drop-down, checkbox, multi-select fields, etc.

A fresh viewpoint: Zendesk Migration

Starting with a solid foundation is key to making the most out of Zendesk macros. You can begin by implementing some commonly used and widely applicable macros to streamline your most frequent support workflows.

Here are 6 examples of macros you may want to consider implementing:

These examples provide a great starting point for your macro library, and you can always expand and refine them based on your team's specific needs and workflows.