Configure a Connection Profile

From the CData ribbon, click Get Data and select From Zendesk connection/s to launch the CData Query window. To setup a new connection, you will have to click the New Zendesk Connection button. Here you can set the connection settings, test the connection, and save the connection profile.

Connecting to Zendesk

To connect to Zendesk, set the URL (Zendesk Support URL), using the format https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com. Once connected, user authenticate as described in the following section.

In addition, users who work with archived data for the TicketMetrics table must set the UseIncrementalAPI property to True.

Authenticating to Zendesk

Zendesk supports three types of authentication, depending on the configuration of your Zendesk instance.

API Token Authentication

To use API Token authentication, specify an email address and an ApiToken. Set AuthScheme to APIToken, set User to your email address, and then use the Zendesk Support admin interface to do the following:

1. Enable Token access.
2. At Admin > Channels > API, manage API tokens. Only one token can be active at a time. Deleting a token deactivates it permanently.

Finally, set ApiToken to an active API Token.

OAuth Authentication

Zendesk supports OAuth authentication for all instances where the user is accessing shared data via the network. This means that, regardless of whether authentication originates at the Web, a Desktop, or a Headless Server, you must set AuthScheme to OAuth, and you must create a custom OAuth application.

The following subsections describe how to authenticate to Zendesk from three common authentication flows:

• Desktop: a connection to a server on the user's local machine, frequently used for testing and prototyping.
• Web: access to data via a shared website.
• Headless Server: a dedicated computer that provides services to other computers and their users, which is configured to operate without a monitor and keyboard.

For information about how to create a custom OAuth application, see Creating a Custom OAuth Application. For a complete list of connection string properties available in Zendesk, see Connection.

Desktop Applications

To authenticate with the credentials for a custom OAuth application, you must get and refresh the OAuth access token. After you do that, you are ready to connect.

Get and refresh the OAuth access token:

• InitiateOAuth = GETANDREFRESH. Used to automatically get and refresh the OAuthAccessToken.
• OAuthClientId = the client Id assigned when you registered your application.
• OAuthClientSecret = the client secret that was assigned when you registered your application.
• CallbackURL = the redirect URI that was defined when you registered your application.

When you connect, the add-in opens Zendesk's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application.

When the access token expires, the add-in refreshes it automatically.

Automatic refresh of the OAuth access token:

To have the add-in automatically refresh the OAuth access token, do the following:

1. Before connecting to data for the first time, set the following connection parameters:
   • InitiateOAuth = REFRESH.
   • OAuthClientId = the client Id in your application settings.
   • OAuthClientSecret = the client secret in your application settings.
   • OAuthAccessToken = the access token returned by GetOAuthAccessToken.
   • OAuthSettingsLocation = the path where you want the add-in to save the OAuth values, which persist across connections.
2. On subsequent data connections, set the following:
   • InitiateOAuth
   • OAuthSettingsLocation

Basic Authentication (Legacy)

Basic Authentication is being deprecated by Zendesk, but may still be available for some accounts. To use Basic authentication, specify an email address and a Password. Set AuthScheme to Basic, set User to your email address, and Password to your password.

Connection Properties

The Connection properties describe the various options that can be used to establish a connection.

Managing Connections

After successfully authenticating to Zendesk you will be able to customize the data you are importing. To learn more about this, see Managing Connections.

See Also

• Querying Data: Use the data selection wizard to pull data into a spreadsheet. You can also configure scheduled data refresh here.
• Using the Excel Add-In: Find other ways to interact with Zendesk data, such as using the available CData Excel Functions.