Set up a Zendesk connector

This is an updated and improved version of the Zendesk connector!If you’re setting up Zendesk with C1 for the first time, you’re in the right place.

Capabilities

Resource	Sync	Provision
Accounts
Groups
Organizations
Roles

The Zendesk connector supports automatic account provisioning and deprovisioning.

Connector actions

Connector actions are custom capabilities that extend C1 automations with app-specific operations. You can use connector actions in the Perform connector action automation step.

Action name	Additional fields	Description
enable_user	`user_id` (string, required)	Unsuspend a Zendesk user account by setting suspended to `false`
disable_user	`user_id` (string, required)	Suspend a Zendesk user account by setting suspended to `true`

Gather Zendesk credentials

Configuring the connector requires you to pass in credentials generated in Zendesk. Gather these credentials before you move on.

A user with System Admin access and the permission to create and delete users in Zendesk must perform this task.

Locate the subdomain for your Zendesk account

In your Zendesk account, navigate to the Admin page by clicking the gear icon in the left menu bar.

Locate your Zendesk subdomain in the top right corner of the page. Your subdomain is whatever precedes zendesk.com.

Make a note of your subdomain.

Create an API token

Log in to your Zendesk account at yoursubdomain.zendesk.com, then click the gear icon (⚙️) in the left sidebar and click Go to Admin Center.

Navigate to Apps and integrations > APIs > API configuration.

Make sure both Token Access and Password Access are toggled on.

Password Access is required to list group memberships. Without it, the connector will return authentication errors when syncing groups.

Navigate to Apps and integrations > APIs > API tokens and click Add API token.

Optionally add a description, then copy the token immediately — it won’t be shown again.

Click Save.

That’s it! Next, move on to the connector configuration instructions.

Configure the Zendesk connector

To complete this task, you’ll need:

The Connector Administrator or Super Administrator role in C1
Access to the set of Zendesk credentials generated by following the instructions above

Cloud-hosted
Self-hosted

Follow these instructions to use a built-in, no-code connector hosted by C1.

In C1, navigate to Integrations > Connectors and click Add connector.

Search for Zendesk v2 and click Add.

Choose how to set up the new Zendesk connector:

Add the connector to a currently unmanaged app (select from the list of apps that were discovered in your identity, SSO, or federation provider that aren’t yet managed with C1)
Add the connector to a managed app (select from the list of existing managed apps)
Create a new managed app

Set the owner for this connector. You can manage the connector yourself, or choose someone else from the list of C1 users. Setting multiple owners is allowed.If you choose someone else, C1 will notify the new connector owner by email that their help is needed to complete the setup process.

Click Next.

Find the Settings area of the page and click Edit.

In the Subdomain field, enter the subdomain.

In the Email field, enter the email address associated with your System Admin account in Zendesk.

Paste the token into the API Token field.

Optional. Enter a comma-separated list of the organizations you want to sync in the Organizations field. If this field is left blank C1 will sync all available organizations.

Click Save.

The connector’s label changes to Syncing, followed by Connected. You can view the logs to ensure that information is syncing.

That’s it! Your Zendesk connector is now pulling access data into C1.

Follow these instructions to use the Zendesk connector, hosted and run in your own environment.When running in service mode on Kubernetes, a self-hosted connector maintains an ongoing connection with C1, automatically syncing and uploading data at regular intervals. This data is immediately available in the C1 UI for access reviews and access requests.

Resources

GitHub repository: Access the source code, report issues, or contribute to the project.

Step 1: Set up a new Zendesk connector

In C1, navigate to Integrations > Connectors > Add connector.

Search for Baton and click Add.

Choose how to set up the new Zendesk connector:

Add the connector to a currently unmanaged app (select from the list of apps that were discovered in your identity, SSO, or federation provider that aren’t yet managed with C1)
Add the connector to a managed app (select from the list of existing managed apps)
Create a new managed app

Click Next.

In the Settings area of the page, click Edit.

Click Rotate to generate a new Client ID and Secret.Carefully copy and save these credentials. We’ll use them in Step 2.

Step 2: Create Kubernetes configuration files

Create two Kubernetes manifest files for your Zendesk connector deployment:

Secrets configuration

# baton-zendesk-secrets.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: baton-zendesk-secrets
type: Opaque
stringData:
  # C1 credentials
  BATON_CLIENT_ID: <C1 client ID>
  BATON_CLIENT_SECRET: <C1 client secret>
  
  # Zendesk credentials
  BATON_API_TOKEN: <Zendesk API token>
  BATON_EMAIL: <Email address associated with your System Admin account in Zendesk>
  BATON_SUBDOMAIN: <Zendesk subdomain>

  # Optional: include if you want C1 to provision access using this connector
  BATON_PROVISIONING: true

See the connector’s README or run --help to see all available configuration flags and environment variables.

Deployment configuration

# baton-zendesk.yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: baton-zendesk
  labels:
    app: baton-zendesk
spec:
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: baton-zendesk
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: baton-zendesk
        baton: true
        baton-app: zendesk
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: baton-zendesk
        image: ghcr.io/conductorone/baton-zendesk:latest
        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
        env:
        - name: BATON_HOST_ID
          value: baton-zendesk
        envFrom:
        - secretRef:
            name: baton-zendesk-secrets

Step 3: Deploy the connector

Create a namespace in which to run C1 connectors (if desired), then apply the secret config and deployment config files.

Check that the connector data uploaded correctly. In C1, click Apps. On the Managed apps tab, locate and click the name of the application you added the Zendesk connector to. Zendesk data should be found on the Entitlements and Accounts tabs.

That’s it! Your Zendesk connector is now pulling access data into C1.

Welcome

Manage connectors

Deploy connectors

Upload connector data

Configurable connectors

Pre-built connectors

Set up a Zendesk connector

Capabilities

Connector actions

Gather Zendesk credentials

Locate the subdomain for your Zendesk account

Create an API token

Configure the Zendesk connector

Resources

Step 1: Set up a new Zendesk connector

Step 2: Create Kubernetes configuration files

Secrets configuration

Deployment configuration

Step 3: Deploy the connector

Welcome

Manage connectors

Deploy connectors

Upload connector data

Configurable connectors

Pre-built connectors

​Capabilities

​Connector actions

​Gather Zendesk credentials

​Locate the subdomain for your Zendesk account

​Create an API token

​Configure the Zendesk connector

​Resources

​Step 1: Set up a new Zendesk connector

​Step 2: Create Kubernetes configuration files

​Secrets configuration

​Deployment configuration

​Step 3: Deploy the connector

Capabilities

Connector actions

Gather Zendesk credentials

Locate the subdomain for your Zendesk account

Create an API token

Configure the Zendesk connector

Resources

Step 1: Set up a new Zendesk connector

Step 2: Create Kubernetes configuration files

Secrets configuration

Deployment configuration

Step 3: Deploy the connector