Use Zendesk with Automation - Value name

[Łukasz Głowacki]

Hi Community,

I'm building an automation rule that retrieves a Zendesk ticket and adds its details as a comment on a Jira issue. I'm following the documentation here: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/use-zendesk-with-automation/

My automation flow:

1. Trigger: Issue created
2. Create variable: {{ZDID}} — extracts ZD ticket number from summary
3. Get Zendesk ticket — using {{ZDID}} as Ticket ID ✅
4. Add comment to work item — ❓

The problem:

Step 3 ("Get Zendesk ticket") executes successfully according to the Audit Log. However, I don't know what smart value to use in Step 4 to reference the data returned by the "Get Zendesk ticket" action.

For example, if I want to add a comment with the Zendesk ticket's subject, status, or description — what is the correct syntax?

I've tried things like:

• {{getZendeskTicket.subject}}
• {{zendesk.ticket.subject}}
• {{steps.getZendeskTicket.subject}}

But none seem to work.

My question:

What is the correct smart value path to access the response data from the "Get Zendesk ticket" action in subsequent steps?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[rafal_bis]

Great question, I am facing the same issue.

[Łukasz Głowacki]

Hello @Marc -Devoteam-  @Alex Taylor @Rudy Holtkamp 

Total smart values tested: 120+ Result: ALL returned empty/blank

Conclusion: The "Get Zendesk ticket" action executes successfully but does NOT expose any response data via smart values. There is no documented or undocumented way to reference the returned ticket data in subsequent automation steps.

Workaround: Use "Send web request" with Zendesk API and reference data via {{webResponse.body.ticket.*}}

Thanks everyone, and as @Alex Taylor said - If anyone has managed to access the output of Get Zendesk ticket directly, We would be interested to know how.

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Łukasz Głowacki 

I think for now a web request is the only option.

I have provided feedback on the KB article you mentioned, on how and what we can see or get using this action.

[Alex Taylor]

The Get Zendesk ticket action doesn't expose the returned ticket fields as general smart values that you can reference later in the rule. That's why values like {{getZendeskTicket.subject}} or {{zendesk.ticket.subject}} don't resolve.

As far as I know, there isn't a documented smart value path for the response from that action. If you need to use the ticket's subject, status, description, etc., you'll need to use Send web request to call the Zendesk API instead. That lets you access the JSON response with smart values (for example, using {{webResponse.body...}}) and use those fields in later automation steps.

If anyone has managed to access the output of Get Zendesk ticket directly, I'd be interested to know as well, but I don't believe it's currently supported.

[Rudy Holtkamp]

@Łukasz Głowacki ,

Did you try to do an action log of {{zendesk}}

And maybe {{zendesk.subject}}

[Łukasz Głowacki]

Hello  @Rudy Holtkamp 

Log action of {{zendesk}} returns "Log"

{{zendesk}} and {{zendesk.subject}} are returning nothing (empty value)

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Łukasz Głowacki 

Welcome to the community.

Then you would need a web request action to the API of Zendesk to get ticket details from the Zendesk ticket (look at the Zendesk API documentation)

Then use smart vraiable {{webRepsonse.body}} in the add comment action.

You might need to refine what you want to get.

[Łukasz Głowacki]

Hi @Marc -Devoteam- 
I know that I could use "Send web request", but my question is how to use "Get Zendesk ticket" action in automation. It's there, available in Jira SD Automations, I would like to get the smart value with response from this action, but documentation is missing.
Thanks!

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Łukasz Głowacki 

You could use List Zendesk ticket comments action.

Otherwise you will need to use, the web request action.if you want more Zendesk issue details.

[Łukasz Głowacki]

Hey @Marc -Devoteam-  "You could use List Zendesk ticket comments action." - similar situation, I can set it up, but there is no value to get the results.

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Łukasz Głowacki 

The your only option is to use a web request action.

[Szymon Pusz]

That's very confusing and I'm looking for an answer as well...