Migrate from Frappe Helpdesk to Zendesk

HD Ticket maps directly to Zendesk Ticket. We preserve ticket status, priority, type, creation and modification timestamps, SLA deadline fields (response_by and resolution_by), and description HTML. The Frappe HD Ticket Template configuration does not transfer; we flag every HD Ticket custom field during discovery and create equivalent Zendesk custom ticket fields in Admin before import. Ticket ID from Frappe is stored in a custom field frappe_ticket_id__c for cross-reference.

HD Customer records map to Zendesk End Users (requesters) with name, email, phone, and organization link preserved. If the Frappe instance links HD Customer to a Contact DocType outside Helpdesk, we migrate that record as a Zendesk Contact and link it to the End User organization. Custom fields on HD Customer require field-level mapping during scoping; Zendesk custom fields are created before contact import so values land on day one.

Every HD Ticket has linked Communication records representing agent replies and customer messages. These include timestamp, author, and message body. We preserve chronological order and thread structure by inserting comments in creation-date sequence. The Frappe author reference resolves to the Zendesk agent or end user by email match. Internal notes (communication via is Internal) map to Zendesk private comments; external replies map to public comments.

Frappe Helpdesk Teams define agent groupings and routing scope. We preserve team structure, team-level SLA assignments, and email inbox routing rules. Zendesk Groups serve the same organizational purpose. Team names migrate as Group names, and agent-to-team membership resolves via the Agent-to-Group assignment during user provisioning. Email inbox routing rules become Zendesk email routing configurations post-migration.

Agent records include user accounts, roles, and permissions. We match agents by email against the Zendesk destination User table. Any Frappe agent without a matching Zendesk user goes to a reconciliation queue for the customer's admin to provision before record import. Agent workload history and assignment counts migrate as activity metadata in a custom field if the customer requires it for reporting continuity.

SLA Policies define response and resolution time windows by priority or ticket type. We migrate policy definitions as Zendesk SLA Policies created in Admin before ticket import. Frappe's response_by and resolution_by timestamps are preserved as custom fields on the Zendesk Ticket so historical SLA performance is visible without recalculation. Zendesk SLA Policies link via schedules; we create the matching schedule during policy migration.

Assignment Rules automate ticket routing based on conditions (subject keywords, customer tier, ticket type). These are configuration records stored in Frappe Desk. We do not migrate them as code because Frappe Assignment Rules use DocType conditions that have no direct Zendesk Trigger equivalent. We deliver a written inventory of every active Assignment Rule with its trigger conditions, target team, and recommended Zendesk Trigger or Macro configuration. The customer's admin rebuilds these post-migration.

KB Articles are DocTypes with category assignments and article content in HTML. We migrate articles and category hierarchy into Zendesk Help Center Categories and Sections. Frappe KB categories map to Zendesk Sections; articles map to Zendesk Articles with HTML body preserved. Zendesk's Section nesting depth (up to five levels) accommodates most Frappe category hierarchies. Article view counts and feedback ratings are not always transferable and are documented separately for manual re-entry if required.

Pre-written response templates are stored as DocTypes with subject and content fields. They migrate as Zendesk Macros with subject as Macro title and content as Macro body. Dynamic variable substitution syntax in Frappe templates (such as ticket.customer_name or {{ticket.subject}}) does not map directly; we document the variable mapping and advise the customer's admin to update Macro placeholders post-import.

Tags on HD Tickets are stored as Tag entries linked to the ticket. We map tag names to Zendesk Tags on the corresponding Ticket record. Zendesk Tags are flat and managed in Admin; there is no tag hierarchy in Zendesk Support. Tags that represent ticket categories in Frappe may need to be converted to Zendesk custom fields or Topics depending on the customer's reporting needs.

Ticket and communication attachments are stored in Frappe's private files directory or as File records linked to the DocType. We migrate file URLs and re-download attachments where the file is publicly accessible or we have a valid session token. Private files requiring authentication are flagged during the inventory phase; we advise the customer to temporarily make files public or export them manually alongside the structured data export. Zendesk's attachment size limit for API imports is 50 MB per file.

Portal branding, allowed ticket creation types, and visibility settings are Frappe configuration records rather than transactional data. We do not migrate these as configuration artifacts. We deliver a written inventory of current portal settings (portal name, branding, allowed channels, ticket type restrictions, SLA visibility) so the customer's Zendesk admin can configure Zendesk's equivalent Support settings (brand, channels, request form configuration) post-migration.