How to create a Thinkific API key or Teachable API key for Zendesk

By Jake Marsh · Updated

To connect Thinkific to Zendesk, sign in to your Thinkific admin, go to Settings > Code & analytics > API Access Tokens, click Add API access token, name it "Zendesk Lessonwell", choose an expiration date and save. Copy the token at once, because Thinkific shows it only once, and paste it into Thinkific API Access Token in Lessonwell's settings. For Teachable, the school owner creates a key under Settings > API > Create API Key.

Which credential you need

PlatformCredentialWhere to find itLessonwell setting
Thinkific (current plans)API Access TokenSettings > Code & analytics > API Access Tokens > Add API access tokenThinkific API Access Token, with Thinkific credential type token
Thinkific (legacy plans)API key plus subdomainThe same section, where older sites show the API keyThinkific API key (legacy) and Thinkific subdomain (acme for acme.thinkific.com), with Thinkific credential type key
TeachableAPI keySettings > API > Create API Key (school owners only)Teachable API key

API access depends on your course platform plan: Thinkific Grow, Pro + Growth or above, and Teachable Growth or above.

Steps for Thinkific

  1. Open the token section. In your Thinkific admin, go to Settings, open the Code & analytics tab and scroll to API Access Tokens.
  2. Add a token. Click Add API access token, name it "Zendesk Lessonwell" and pick an expiration date you're comfortable with, such as 12 months out. After that date the token stops working.
  3. Copy it. Thinkific shows the token value once and never again, per its API Access Token article.
  4. Paste it into Zendesk. In Lessonwell's settings, set Course platform to thinkific, leave Thinkific credential type as token and paste into Thinkific API Access Token.

Steps for Teachable

  1. Sign in as the school owner. The API page is only open to school owners.
  2. Create the key. Go to Settings > API, click Create API Key, name it "Zendesk Lessonwell" and copy the key.
  3. Paste it into Zendesk. Set Course platform to teachable and paste into Teachable API key.

Where the key goes

Every credential is a Zendesk secure setting. Agents never see it, and Zendesk adds it to requests on its own servers, only for api.thinkific.com or developers.teachable.com. Lessonwell has no server of its own, so the key is never sent to Great Work.

Check it works

Open a ticket from someone who has bought a course. Their student record should appear in the sidebar with every course and its progress. If it doesn't, use the table below.

Message or symptomFix
"did not accept the API Access Token" (or key)The token was revoked, expired or pasted wrong, or the site's plan has no API access. Create a new one and paste it again.
No student foundThe student bought with another address. Add it to their Zendesk profile, or type it into Find another student.
Legacy key refusedCheck Thinkific credential type is key and Thinkific subdomain holds only the subdomain.

Rotating the key

Create the new token or key first, paste it into Lessonwell, check a ticket, then revoke the old one in Thinkific or Teachable. That way support never loses the sidebar.

What it costs

Lessonwell is $99 a month per Zendesk account on Team (up to 12 agents and admins) or $8 per agent per month on Scale (13 or more), with a 14-day trial; Zendesk asks for a card and bills monthly. Your Thinkific or Teachable plan is separate. The Lessonwell documentation covers every setting.

Lessonwell

Student courses for Thinkific and Teachable: progress and access on the ticket. From $99 a month. From $99 a month per Zendesk account.

Install LessonwellAbout LessonwellDocumentation

Questions

Does Thinkific have an API on every plan?

No. Thinkific's API needs the Grow or Pro + Growth plan or above, and a site without it answers with an authentication error even for a valid token.

I lost the Thinkific token. Can I see it again?

No. Thinkific shows the token only once. Remove it and add a new API access token.

Can a Teachable admin who isn't the owner create the key?

No. Teachable's Settings > API page is only open to school owners.

What should I do after uninstalling Lessonwell?

Uninstalling deletes the stored key from Zendesk. Then revoke the "Zendesk Lessonwell" token or key in Thinkific or Teachable.

More Lessonwell guides

More Zendesk guides