How to send a Persona verification link from a Zendesk ticket

To send a Persona identity verification link from Zendesk, create a Persona API key with only inquiry.read, inquiry.write and verification.read, then install Whowell and paste it into Persona API key. Add your inquiry template to Verification flows as persona itmpl_... Account recovery. On a ticket, pick the flow in the Whowell sidebar, click Send verification link, then Create link and add to reply, and submit the reply.

Set up the Persona key

1. Open the Persona Dashboard > API > API Keys and create a key. Name it "Zendesk Whowell". Persona says creating keys needs the Admin role or a custom role with API key permissions.
2. Tick only three permissions:

3. Pick the environment. Production keys start persona_production_, sandbox keys persona_sandbox_. Sandbox inquiries don't run real checks, which makes them good for a first test.
4. Copy the template id. In Inquiries > Templates, copy each template's id (itmpl_...).

Persona's own API keys guide covers key permissions and rotation.

Add it to Zendesk

1. Install Whowell from the Zendesk Marketplace and start the 14-day trial.
2. Paste the key into Persona API key. It's a Zendesk secure setting: agents never see it, and Zendesk only adds it to requests to the Persona and Onfido API domains the app lists.
3. Write one line per flow in Verification flows: vendor, template id, then the name agents pick. For example persona itmpl_abc123 Account recovery.
4. Adjust the reply. Reply text fills in {link}, {hours} and {name} (the requester's first name). The default asks the customer to confirm it's them and says the link expires in {hours} hours.

Send the link

1. Open the ticket and pick the flow in the Whowell sidebar.
2. Click Send verification link. The confirmation says exactly what Persona gets: the template, a reference zendesk-user-<id> and the note Zendesk ticket #<id>. No name or email.
3. Click Create link and add to reply. The link goes into your reply draft. If the editor doesn't take the text, copy it from the box in the sidebar.
4. Submit the reply as usual.

Read the result

The sidebar checks the status when the ticket opens and when you click Refresh.

Each result is written once as an internal note: the flow, the checks that ran with passed or failed, Persona's reason codes and a link to the inquiry. On approval, Whowell also sets the requester's "Whowell: identity verified on" date.

Resend or cancel

• Send a new link if the customer lost it or it expired. Persona reopens the same inquiry.
• Cancel link stops a Persona link sent by mistake. It stops working at once.

Error messages and fixes

What it costs

Whowell is $129 per Zendesk account per month, any number of agents, billed monthly by Zendesk with a 14-day trial; Zendesk asks for a card. Persona bills its verification fees under your own contract. See the Whowell setup guide.