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Import Zendesk cloud recordings

Ronny avatar
Written by Ronny
Updated this week

Quick start

From the Teamspace where you want data to land, open Settings → Integrations → Zendesk → Connect. Then create one or both subscriptions:

  • Auto-import recordings — new Zendesk call recordings become Recordings in this Teamspace.

  • Auto-import tickets — new Zendesk tickets become Highlights in this Teamspace.

Zendesk stores Talk call recordings on the related ticket; NEXT AI picks them up and links back to the ticket for traceability.

Why integrate with Zendesk?

Each source adds a new dimension of customer truth. Zendesk contributes the support perspective—tickets and phone calls—that complements sales calls, meetings, surveys, and reviews you already bring into NEXT AI. Combined, these streams form a richer customer-intelligence graph that improves prioritization and automation, with evidence attached.

What gets imported

  • Call recordings → Recordings
    Object in NEXT AI: Recording (conversational)

    Fields: media, timestamps/duration, agent/requester info, and a source link to the Zendesk ticket that holds the recording. Recordings come from Zendesk Talk and are attached to voice tickets.

  • Tickets → Highlights
    Object in NEXT AI: Highlight (short-form)

    Fields: subject/title, latest message text, requester/assignee, status/priority, ticket id, and source link to the ticket. Tickets are discovered via Zendesk’s ticketing APIs (new/updated).

Connect Zendesk

  1. In NEXT AI (inside the target Teamspace), go to Settings → Integrations → Zendesk → Connect.

  2. Sign in to Zendesk and Authorize access so NEXT AI can read tickets and Talk metadata.

Zendesk’s Ticketing API is used to read tickets and related resources; authentication follows their standard API model.

Doesn't work? Send Required Information to NEXT Support:

After obtaining your API token, create a ticket with the following information:

  • Zendesk API Token

  • Zendesk Subdomain

  • Zendesk Email Address

Import from Zendesk

Auto-import recordings

Create a subscription that watches for new Zendesk Talk call recordings and imports each as a Recording in this Teamspace. Recordings are attached to the related ticket as a voice comment in Zendesk; NEXT AI uses that relationship to fetch the media and metadata and maintain a source link back to the ticket.

Ensure call recording is enabled in Zendesk Talk; recorded calls are attached to the associated ticket.

Auto-import tickets

Create a subscription that watches for new tickets and imports each as a Highlight in this Teamspace. This uses Zendesk’s ticketing endpoints designed for new/changed items (for example, Incremental Exports) to ingest fresh support signals without re-pulling your entire backlog.

Tips

  • Volume control & routing: keep Zendesk the system of record for operations; use NEXT AI to analyze, cluster, and then push validated insights to Slack/Jira with the source link intact.

  • Optional choice for long tickets: if you have a lot of conversational tickets, you can import them as Recordings if your workflow benefits from timeline playback; brief tickets fit best as Highlights.

  • Custom fields: if you rely on custom ticket fields for routing, confirm their availability via Ticket Fields and surface them in your Zendesk plan; they’ll then appear to mapping/filters as supported.

Troubleshooting

  • Recording not available” on Talk items — Zendesk TPE stores links to provider-hosted audio; if the original file was moved/expired or access was revoked, the ticket may show “Recording not available.” Restore access at the provider or re-attach a valid URL.

  • Imports slowed or delayed — heavy backfills and incremental exports are subject to Zendesk API rate limits; use backoff or schedule windows to stay within limits.

  • Tickets not appearing — confirm the subscription is active and the ticket is new/updated (incremental feeds only return changes since the last checkpoint).

FAQ

Q: What exactly is created in NEXT AI from Zendesk?

Two objects: Recordings for Talk call recordings (with media, timing, and a source link to the ticket) and Highlights for new tickets (with subject/text, status/priority, requester/assignee, and a source link).

Q: Do we need to enable call recording in Zendesk?

Yes. When call recording is enabled in Zendesk Talk, the recording is attached to the related ticket—NEXT AI then imports it as a Recording.

Q: How does NEXT AI detect “new” tickets?

By using Zendesk’s incremental export/event endpoints to fetch new or changed tickets since the last checkpoint (no full re-pull).

Q: What if a Talk recording shows “Recording not available”?

Zendesk may only store a link for some Talk Partner flows. If the upstream file was removed or permissions changed, restore it at the provider or re-attach a valid URL on the ticket.

Q: Will rate limits affect large backfills?

Zendesk enforces API rate limits (with specific, lower limits on incremental exports). Plan backfills and add backoff to stay within quotas.

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