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Zendesk

Prefer guided AI setup?

Instead of following these steps manually, you can use the AI Credential Assistant — describe what you want to connect and the AI will walk you through the setup step by step, tailored to your account.

Overview​

Connect your Zendesk account to Nirvai to manage tickets, users, and customer support workflows programmatically.

Supported Authentication Methods​

  • API Token - Recommended for server-side integrations (requires subdomain and email)

Prerequisites​

  • A Zendesk account with admin access
  • Your Zendesk subdomain (from your-company.zendesk.com)

Setup Instructions​

API Token Authentication​

  1. Log in to your Zendesk account
  2. Go to Admin Center (gear icon) > Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API
  3. Enable Token Access if not already enabled
  4. Click Add API token
  5. Enter a description (e.g., "Nirvai Integration")
  6. Click Save
  7. Important: Copy the token immediately - it won't be shown again

In Nirvai​

When creating the credential, you'll need to provide:

  • Subdomain: Your Zendesk subdomain (e.g., mycompany from mycompany.zendesk.com)
  • Email: Your Zendesk account email
  • API Token: The token you generated

How Authentication Works​

Zendesk API token authentication uses Basic Auth with a special format:

{email}/token:{api_token}

This is handled automatically by Nirvai when you provide the subdomain, email, and token.

Finding Your Subdomain​

Your subdomain is the first part of your Zendesk URL:

https://mycompany.zendesk.com
        ^^^^^^^^
        This is your subdomain

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  • 401 Unauthorized: Check that:
    • Token access is enabled in Zendesk
    • Email and token combination is correct
    • Token hasn't been revoked
  • 403 Forbidden: Your account may not have permission for the requested action
  • Wrong subdomain: Double-check your Zendesk URL

Token vs Password Authentication​

Zendesk supports two auth methods:

  • API Token (recommended): {email}/token:{api_token}
  • Password (not recommended): {email}:{password}

Always use API tokens for integrations - they can be revoked without changing your password.

API Rate Limits​

  • Rate limits vary by Zendesk plan
  • Responses include X-Rate-Limit headers
  • Implement retry logic with backoff

Security Best Practices​

  • Use dedicated API tokens for each integration
  • Revoke tokens you no longer need
  • Don't share tokens or commit them to version control
  • Consider creating a dedicated agent for API access

Adapted for Nirvai platform

Next Steps​

Got your credential? Connect it to an agent

Use the AI Tool Creator to turn this credential into agent-callable tools. Describe what your agent should be able to do and the AI investigates the API, configures the endpoints, and gives you a reviewable toolkit before saving anything.