How to make Zendesk agents check before replying outside their groups
By Jake Marsh · Updated
To make Zendesk agents confirm before replying publicly outside their own groups, install Heedwell and turn on Ask when the ticket is in a group the agent is not in. When an agent presses Submit on a public reply to a ticket assigned to a group they don't belong to, Heedwell opens a window that names the group and lists every recipient. Agents can still read every ticket and write internal notes anywhere.
Steps
- Install Heedwell from the Zendesk Marketplace.
- Open its settings in Admin Center > Apps and integrations > Apps > Zendesk Support apps > Heedwell.
- Turn on Ask when the ticket is in a group the agent is not in. It is off by default.
- Choose who is checked. Leave out roles that reply anywhere on purpose with Never check these roles (for example
admin). To check only some teams, list them in Only check agents in these groups. - Test it. As an agent, open a ticket in a group you're not in and start a public reply. The sidebar shows Would ask with "This ticket belongs to a group you are not in". Press Submit, read the window, then Go back and edit.
What the agent sees
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Public reply on a ticket in one of the agent's groups | Sent as normal, unless another check fires |
| Public reply on a ticket in another group | Window: Send this as a public reply? with "Group: |
| Internal note on any ticket | Never checked |
| Ticket with no group yet | Not flagged by this check |
| Agent's role is in Never check these roles | Not checked in the sidebar |
The window asks rather than blocks: Send publicly still sends a deliberate reply, and Go back and edit sends nothing.
The opposite case: watch certain groups for everyone
Watch tickets in these groups works the other way round: any public reply on a ticket in a listed group asks first, whoever writes it. Use it for groups like legal or escalations. It takes names or ids separated by commas. The same goes for Watch tickets with these tags, Watch tickets on these brands, Watch tickets using these forms and Watch requesters in these organizations.
| Setting | Asks when |
|---|---|
| Ask when the ticket is in a group the agent is not in | The agent isn't a member of the ticket's group |
| Watch tickets in these groups | The ticket is in a listed group, for anyone |
| Only check agents in these groups | Limits all checks to agents in these groups |
Role restrictions vs. this check
Zendesk's Role restrictions on the app decide where Heedwell runs at all. If a role is restricted out, the app doesn't load for those agents and their replies aren't checked. Leave Heedwell on for the agents you want checked, and use Heedwell's own Never check these roles for exemptions.
Limits
- Only replies sent from the agent interface pass through Submit. Replies by email, API or other apps aren't checked.
- The app must be loaded on the ticket. It loads with the ticket, so the sidebar doesn't need to be open.
The Heedwell documentation has every check and setting.
What it costs
Heedwell is $2 per agent per month after a 14-day free trial, billed monthly by Zendesk.
Heedwell
Public reply guard: asks before a risky public reply goes out and says why. Notes are never checked. $2 a month per agent.
Questions
Can I stop agents commenting publicly outside their groups entirely?
Heedwell asks rather than blocks for this check, so a reply the agent means to send still goes out after they confirm. The window names the group, so a mistake is caught before the email is sent.
Do agents lose access to tickets in other groups?
No. Heedwell changes nothing about ticket access. Agents read and write internal notes as before.
Does it check side conversations?
No. Heedwell checks public replies on the ticket when the agent presses Submit.
Can team leads be exempt?
Yes. Put their custom role id in Never check these roles, or leave their group out of Only check agents in these groups.