Migrate from Helpy to Zendesk

Helpy Customer CSV records (name, email, company, locale) map to Zendesk Users via the Zendesk Users API. We resolve by email as the dedupe key; matching users update rather than duplicate. Unmatched users are created with role=end-user. The original Helpy customer_id is preserved as an external_id field in Zendesk for reconciliation.

Helpy Ticket CSV records (subject, body, priority, status, assignee, channel, created_at) map to Zendesk Tickets via the Tickets API. Helpy channel values (email, web, chat) map to Zendesk via_id. Priority maps directly. Assignee resolves via the agent reconciliation step against Zendesk Users. Original Helpy ticket_id is preserved as external_id in Zendesk.

Helpy Ticket Replies are a separate CSV import type referenced by parent ticket number. We sort all replies chronologically by timestamp before import, then POST each reply as a Comment to the corresponding Zendesk Ticket using the external_id lookup. Replies referencing non-existent parent tickets are held in a reconciliation queue.

Helpy Categories import first in a dedicated pass to produce valid category IDs in the target. We map each Helpy category to either a Zendesk Guide Category (Suite Professional+) or a Section depending on the destination plan tier. Helpy's category name and position (sort order) transfer directly. No article can be imported without a valid parent category or section ID.

Helpy KB Docs (title, body, meta, category assignment) map to Zendesk Guide Articles. We extract article body content from the source, apply Zendesk's HTML or markdown format requirement, and assign the article to the previously created Category or Section using the resolved section_id. Article position maps to the Zendesk article sort order. Metadata (author, created_at, updated_at) transfers as article attributes.

Helpy agents are not a standalone CSV export type. We extract unique agent email addresses from ticket assignee fields, match against the Zendesk destination org's User table by email, and provision any missing agents via the Zendesk Users API with role=agent before ticket import begins. Agent role mapping (admin, agent) is inferred from Helpy admin-level CSV export access.

Helpy tag support depends on the installed version's CSV template. We audit the source template for tag columns during discovery. Tags migrate to Zendesk Tags, which apply to tickets and articles. If the Helpy version does not include tags in the CSV, we flag the absence and exclude tag migration. Zendesk plan determines the tag count limit (Suite Team 10,000; Suite Growth 50,000; Suite Professional+ unlimited).

Helpy custom ticket fields vary by installation. We audit the source CSV headers to identify any fields beyond the standard set, then create matching Zendesk ticket custom fields (drop-down, text, checkbox, date, integer) via the Zendesk ticket_fields API before ticket import. Values are mapped by field name match. Fields that exist in Helpy but have no Zendesk equivalent are flagged for a post-migration review.

Helpy's CSV import does not support inline attachments. We flag attachment-heavy tickets during scoping, extract files to a managed CDN bucket, and provide a post-migration reference table mapping each Zendesk ticket to its source file URLs. The customer's admin applies the reference table to attach files manually or via a separate file migration script.

Helpy automation rules (triggers, automations, filters) are not exported via CSV and have no documented API for bulk extraction. We document every active Helpy automation during discovery: trigger conditions, actions, and associated ticket filters. This document is delivered to the customer's Zendesk admin as a rebuild guide mapping each Helpy rule to the equivalent Zendesk Trigger, Automation, or Macro configuration.

Helpy macros are not exposed via the CSV export and have no public API for bulk retrieval. We document the list of macros visible in the Helpy admin panel (title, body, and recipient rules) and deliver this as a reference table for the customer's Zendesk admin to recreate as Zendesk Macros. Zendesk Macros use a different variable syntax ({% ticket.id %}) than Helpy placeholders, so a manual rewrite is required.