Freshdesk Import for FreeScout

Built as part of Refresh, a new interface for FreeScout inspired by Freshdesk. Works with or without it.

Move from Freshdesk to FreeScout without losing your history. This module imports your Freshdesk tickets into a FreeScout mailbox, from FreeScout's own settings page, then keeps importing new and changed tickets on demand until the day you switch over.

• Everything in a ticket: customer messages, agent replies, private notes, attachments, original dates, status, assignee, the Cc Freshdesk pre-fills when replying, priority, type, custom fields (kept in the conversation data) and tags (in the Tags module when it is active).
• Inline images are copied into FreeScout. Images pasted in Freshdesk messages point to Freshdesk URLs that expire; the importer downloads them and rewrites the messages, so they still show once Freshdesk is closed.
• Tickets created by agents (outbound e-mails) keep their first message credited to the agent.
• Customers are created or matched by e-mail, with their phone and mobile numbers.
• Agents are matched to FreeScout users by e-mail; agents without a user get a disabled placeholder user named after them (or tickets stay unassigned, your choice).
• Runs in the background, in small batches started by the FreeScout scheduler: no timeout, resumes by itself after a server restart, and pauses automatically when Freshdesk's API rate limit is reached.
• Sync until you switch over: "Import new and changed tickets" continues where the last run stopped. A ticket changed in Freshdesk is re-imported, unless it has been replied to or noted in FreeScout in the meantime: it is then left untouched and reported in the log, so work done in FreeScout is never overwritten.
• Live status, counters and log on the settings page. English and French.

• FreeScout 1.8 or newer, with its cron job set up (php artisan schedule:run every minute): the import runs from it.
• A Freshdesk API key, preferably an administrator's (see below).

1. Download FreshdeskImport.zip from the latest release and unzip it into the Modules folder of FreeScout: you get Modules/FreshdeskImport (the folder must have this name).
2. In FreeScout, Manage › Modules: activate Freshdesk Import.
3. Manage › Settings › Freshdesk Import: fill in the settings, save, then click Start import.

Updates: from version 1.0.2, FreeScout tells you in Manage › Modules when a new version is out, and the Update button installs it in one click. From an older version, update once by hand as above.

Use an administrator's API key. With the key of an agent who is not an administrator, Freshdesk still gives access to the tickets but not to the list of agents: tickets are then imported unassigned and replies are credited to the FreeScout user who started the import (the log says so).

Create your FreeScout users first, with the same e-mail addresses as in Freshdesk, to keep assignments and authors.

1. Run Start import once. Speed depends on your Freshdesk plan's API limit (one or two API calls per ticket, plus attachments): you can leave the page, it runs in the background.
2. Until the switch, click Import new and changed tickets whenever you want to catch up.
3. On switch day: point your support address to FreeScout, run Import new and changed tickets a last time, and check the log for tickets "changed in both tools".

• Freshdesk statuses: Open → Active, Pending and custom statuses → Pending, Resolved / Closed → Closed, spam → Spam.
• Conversations get FreeScout numbers; the Freshdesk ticket number is kept in the conversation data (fd_id).
• Clear import history forgets which tickets were imported (not the conversations themselves): a new import would then create them again.
• Not imported (yet): companies, canned responses, knowledge base, satisfaction ratings, time entries.

This module was built as part of Refresh, a new interface for FreeScout. The modules of the project, all usable on their own:

• Refresh: a new, Freshdesk-inspired interface for FreeScout: views, SLA badges, dashboard, properties panel, phone version.
• Web Push: install FreeScout as an app on phones and desktops, with end-to-end encrypted Web Push notifications.
• Cobrowse: co-browse with your customers (Cobrowse.io) from the ticket sidebar, to guide them on your website or app.
• Claude Assistant: draft and improve replies with Claude, from the reply editor.

AGPL-3.0, like FreeScout.

Freshdesk is a trademark of Freshworks Inc. This module is an independent tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by Freshworks.