How to connect Zendesk to SSAS

Introduction

You can connect to your Zendesk data from SSAS via the high-performance Zendesk ODBC Driver. We'll walk you through the entire setup.

Let's not waste time and get started!

Create data source in ZappySys Data Gateway

In this section we will create a data source for Zendesk in the Data Gateway. Let's follow these steps to accomplish that:

1. Download and install ODBC PowerPack (if you haven't already).

2. Search for gateway in the Windows Start Menu and open ZappySys Data Gateway Configuration:

   

3. Go to the Users tab and follow these steps to add a Data Gateway user:

   • Click the Add button
   • In the Login field enter a username, e.g., john
   • Then enter a Password
   • Check the Is Administrator checkbox
   • Click OK to save
   

4. Now we are ready to add a data source:

   • Click the Add button
   • Give the Data source a name (have it handy for later)
   • Then select Native - ZappySys API Driver
   • Finally, click OK
   ZendeskDSN

   ZappySys API Driver

   

5. When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "Zendesk" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "Zendesk" is not present in the list, then click "Search Online" and download it. Then set the path to the location where you downloaded it. Finally, click Continue >> to proceed with configuring the DSN:

   ZendeskDSN

   Zendesk

   

6. Select your authentication scenario below to expand connection configuration steps to:

   • Configure the authentication in Zendesk.
   • Enter those details into the ZappySys API Driver data source configuration.
   OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server)

   Zendesk authentication

   Recommended for unattended server-to-server automation. No interactive user login or refresh token is required. The OAuth client must be configured as a Confidential client in Zendesk. [API reference]

   Use OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server) for unattended applications such as ETL packages, scheduled jobs, services, data pipelines, and other server-side integrations.

   Recommended for unattended automation: This authentication method does not require an interactive user login and does not use a refresh token. When the access token expires, ZappySys automatically requests a new access token using the same Client ID and Client Secret.

   1. Sign in to Zendesk as an administrator.
   2. Go to Admin Center > Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
   3. Open the OAuth Clients section and create an OAuth client.
   4. Configure the OAuth client as a Confidential client.
   5. Enter a unique Client ID.
   6. Copy the generated Client Secret and store it securely.
   7. Configure the permissions/scopes required by your integration.
   8. In the ZappySys connection, enter your Zendesk Sub Domain, Client ID, Client Secret, and desired Permissions.
   9. Click Test Connection.

   Security: Client Credentials should only be used in trusted server-side environments where the Client Secret can be stored securely. Do not expose the Client Secret in browser-side or client-side applications.

   The access token is associated with the Zendesk user linked to the OAuth client and inherits that user's permissions. For automated integrations, consider using a dedicated Zendesk service account with only the permissions required by the integration.

   No Redirect URL, browser login, authorization code, or refresh token is required for this authentication method.

   API Connection Manager configuration

   Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

   1. Set Authentication Type to OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server) [OAuth]
   2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
   3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
   4. Finally, hit OK button:

   ZendeskDSN

   Zendesk

   OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server) [OAuth]

   https://[$Domain$].zendesk.com/api/v2

   Required Parameters
   Sub Domain (e.g. mycompany)	Fill-in the parameter...
   OAuth Client ID	Fill-in the parameter...
   OAuth Client Secret	Fill-in the parameter...
   Permissions	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

   Find full details in the Zendesk Connector authentication reference.

   OAuth - User Login (Interactive)

   Zendesk authentication

   Authenticate through an interactive Zendesk login. Create an OAuth client in Zendesk Admin Center under Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API > OAuth Clients. [API reference]

   Use OAuth - User Login (Interactive) when the integration should access Zendesk on behalf of a specific user.

   During initial setup, a browser window opens and the user signs in to Zendesk and authorizes the application. No Zendesk password is stored in the connection.

   1. Sign in to Zendesk as an administrator.
   2. Go to Admin Center > Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
   3. Open the OAuth Clients section and create an OAuth client.
   4. Enter a unique Client ID.
   5. Copy the generated Client Secret and store it securely.
   6. Configure the following Redirect URL for the OAuth client:
      https://zappysys.com/oauth
   7. In the ZappySys connection, enter your Zendesk Sub Domain, Client ID, Client Secret, and desired Permissions.
   8. Start the authorization process and sign in to Zendesk when the browser opens.
   9. Approve access when prompted.
   10. Click Test Connection.

   Token renewal: Zendesk access tokens expire. ZappySys uses the OAuth refresh token to obtain new access tokens without requiring the user to sign in again. The latest refresh token must be stored securely because Zendesk rotates refresh tokens during renewal.

   If the refresh token expires, is revoked, or cannot be restored from the saved connection, the interactive Zendesk login process must be performed again.

   For unattended server-side integrations where you do not want to maintain a refresh token, consider OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server).

   API Connection Manager configuration

   Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

   1. Set Authentication Type to OAuth - User Login (Interactive) [OAuth]
   2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
   3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
   4. Press Generate Token button to generate the tokens.
   5. Finally, hit OK button:

   ZendeskDSN

   Zendesk

   OAuth - User Login (Interactive) [OAuth]

   https://[$Domain$].zendesk.com/api/v2

   Required Parameters
   Sub Domain (e.g. mycompany)	Fill-in the parameter...
   ClientId	Fill-in the parameter...
   ClientSecret	Fill-in the parameter...
   Permissions	Fill-in the parameter...
   RedirectUrl	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

   Find full details in the Zendesk Connector authentication reference.

   Token Authentication (Legacy)

   Zendesk authentication

   Authenticate using Static Token instead of userid / password ([Token Access] option must be enabled under Admin Console > Channel > API > Settings and then Click [ADD API Token] to generate new token. These settings typically found here https://YOUR-SUB-DOMAIN.zendesk.com/agent/admin/api/settings [API reference]

   Use API Token authentication to authenticate with your Zendesk user email and a Zendesk API token instead of your password.

   Deprecated by Zendesk: Zendesk is removing API token authentication. Existing API tokens are scheduled to stop working on April 30, 2027. For new integrations, use OAuth instead.

   1. Sign in to Zendesk as an administrator.
   2. Go to Admin Center > Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
   3. Make sure Token access is enabled.
   4. Create or select an existing API token.
   5. Copy the generated token and store it securely.
   6. Enter your Zendesk Sub Domain.
   7. Enter your Zendesk User ID / Email.
   8. Paste the API token into the Token field.
   9. Click Test Connection.

   Migration: For unattended ETL, scheduled jobs, and server-side integrations, use OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server).

   API Connection Manager configuration

   Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

   1. Set Authentication Type to Token Authentication (Legacy) [Http]
   2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
   3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
   4. Finally, hit OK button:

   ZendeskDSN

   Zendesk

   Token Authentication (Legacy) [Http]

   https://[$Domain$].zendesk.com/api/v2

   Required Parameters
   Sub Domain (e.g. mycompany)	Fill-in the parameter...
   UserId	Fill-in the parameter...
   Token	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

   Find full details in the Zendesk Connector authentication reference.

   Basic Authentication (User ID + Password)

   Zendesk authentication

   Authenticate using your Zendesk user ID and password. Two-factor authentication (2FA) must be disabled, and Password Access must be enabled under Admin Console > Channels > API > Settings. [API reference]

   Use Basic Authentication to authenticate with your Zendesk user email and password.

   Important: This method cannot be used when two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled for the Zendesk user. Password access to the API must also be enabled in Zendesk.

   1. Sign in to Zendesk as an administrator.
   2. Go to Admin Center > Apps and integrations > APIs > Zendesk API.
   3. Make sure Password access is enabled.
   4. Enter your Zendesk Sub Domain. For example, if your Zendesk URL is: https://mycompany.zendesk.com, enter mycompany.
   5. Enter your Zendesk User ID / Email and Password.
   6. Click Test Connection.

   Recommendation: For new integrations, OAuth is preferred over storing a user's password. For unattended server-side integrations, consider OAuth - Client Credentials (Server-to-Server).

   API Connection Manager configuration

   Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

   1. Set Authentication Type to Basic Authentication (User ID + Password) [Http]
   2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
   3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
   4. Finally, hit OK button:

   ZendeskDSN

   Zendesk

   Basic Authentication (User ID + Password) [Http]

   https://[$Domain$].zendesk.com/api/v2

   Required Parameters
   Sub Domain (e.g. mycompany)	Fill-in the parameter...
   UserName (2FA Must be OFF)	Fill-in the parameter...
   Password	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

   Find full details in the Zendesk Connector authentication reference.

7. Once the data source connection has been configured, it's time to configure the SQL query. Select the Preview tab and then click Query Builder button to configure the SQL query:

   

   ZappySys API Driver - Zendesk

   Read and write Zendesk data effortlessly. Manage tickets, users, and organizations — almost no coding required.

   ZendeskDSN

   

8. Start by selecting the Table or Endpoint you are interested in and then configure the parameters. This will generate a query that we will use in SSAS to retrieve data from Zendesk. Hit OK button to use this query in the next step.

   SELECT * FROM Tickets

   
   Some parameters configured in this window will be passed to the Zendesk API, e.g. filtering parameters. It means that filtering will be done on the server side (instead of the client side), enabling you to get only the meaningful data much faster.

9. Now hit Preview Data button to preview the data using the generated SQL query. If you are satisfied with the result, use this query in SSAS:

   

   ZappySys API Driver - Zendesk

   Read and write Zendesk data effortlessly. Manage tickets, users, and organizations — almost no coding required.

   ZendeskDSN

   SELECT * FROM Tickets

   
   You can also access data quickly from the tables dropdown by selecting <Select table>.
   A WHERE clause, LIMIT keyword will be performed on the client side, meaning that the whole result set will be retrieved from the Zendesk API first, and only then the filtering will be applied to the data. If possible, it is recommended to use parameters in Query Builder to filter the data on the server side (in Zendesk servers).

10. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

11. Once done, go to the Network Settings tab and Add a firewall rule for inbound traffic:

    
    • This will initially allow all inbound traffic.
    • Click Edit IP filters to restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges.

12. Crucial Step: After creating or modifying the data source, you must:

    • Click the Save button to persist your changes.
    • Hit Yes when prompted to restart the Data Gateway service.

    This ensures all changes are properly applied:

    
    Skipping this step may cause the new settings to fail, preventing you from connecting to the data source.

Read Zendesk data in SSAS cube

With the data source created in the Data Gateway (previous step), we're now ready to read Zendesk data in an SSAS cube. Before we dive in, open Visual Studio and create a new Analysis Services project. Then, you're all set!

Create data source based on ZappySys Data Gateway

Let's start by creating a data source for a cube, based on the Data Gateway's data source we created earlier. So, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!

1. Create a new data source:
2. Once a window opens, select Create a data source based on an existing or new connection option and click New...:
3. Here things become a little complicated, but do not despair, it's only for a little while. Just perform these little steps:
   • Select Native OLE DB\SQL Server Native Client 11.0 as provider.
   • Enter your Server name (or IP address) and Port, separated by a comma.
   • Select SQL Server Authentication option for authentication.
   • Input User name which has admin permissions in the ZappySys Data Gateway.
   • In Database name field enter the same data source name you use in the ZappySys Data Gateway.
   • Hopefully, our hard work is done, when we Test Connection.
   ZendeskDSN

   ZendeskDSN

   
   If SQL Server Native Client 11.0 is not listed as Native OLE DB provider, try using these:

   • Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server
   • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
4. Indeed, life is easy again:

Add data source view

We have data source in place, it's now time to add a data source view. Let's not waste a single second and get on to it!

1. Start by right-clicking on Data Source Views and then choosing New Data Source View...:

   

2. Select the previously created data source and click Next:

   

3. Ignore the Name Matching window and click Next.

4. Add the tables you will use in your SSAS cube:

   
   For cube dimensions, consider creating a Virtual Table in the Data Gateway's data source. Use the DISTINCT keyword in the SELECT statement to get unique values from the facts table, like this:

   SELECT DISTINCT Country FROM Customers

   For demonstration purposes we are using sample tables which may not be available in Zendesk.

5. Review your data source view and click Finish:

   

6. Add the missing table relationships and you're done!

   

Create cube

We have a data source view ready to be used by our cube. Let's create one!

1. Start by right-clicking on Cubes and selecting New Cube... menu item:
2. Select tables you will use for the measures:
3. And then select the measures themselves:
4. Don't stop and select the dimensions too:
5. Move along and click Finish before the final steps:
6. Review your cube before processing it:
7. It's time for the grand finale! Hit Process... to create the cube:
8. A splendid success!

Execute MDX query

The cube is created and processed. It's time to reap what we sow! Just execute an MDX query and get Zendesk data in your SSAS cube:

Zendesk Connector actions

Got a specific use case in mind? We've mapped out exactly how to perform a variety of essential Zendesk operations directly in SSAS, so you don't have to figure out the setup from scratch. Check out the step-by-step guides below:

• Read Tickets (All)
• Read Tickets (Incremental) changed after a specified date
• Read Users (Incremental) changed after a specified date
• Read Organizations (Incremental) changed after a specified date
• Read Ticket Events (Incremental) changed after a specified date
• Read Ticket Metric Events (Incremental) changed after a specified date
• Read Ticket(s) by ID
• Read User(s) by ID
• Read Organization(s) by ID
• Read Tickets for Organization
• Read Tickets for User (Requested)
• Read Tickets for User (CCed)
• Read Tickets for User (Assigned)
• Read Tickets (Recent)
• Read Tickets Count (All)
• Read Tickets Count (for Organization)
• Read Ticket Metrics
• Read Ticket Fields
• Read Ticket Forms
• Read Ticket Comments
• Read Ticket Attachments
• Read Ticket ActivityStream
• Read Ticket ActivityStream Details
• Search Records - WITH Sorting and Extra Columns (Max 1000 rows)
• Search Records - NO Sorting (Allows more than 1000 rows)
• Read Organization Count
• Read Organization Fields
• Read Tags
• Read Groups
• Read User Fields
• Read Current User Info
• Read Brands
• Read Views
• Read Macros
• Read Sessions
• Read User Sessions
• Read Requests
• Read Requests Search
• Read Attachment
• Delete Attachment
• Upload Attachment (Single file)
• Delete Upload Session
• Create Ticket (Single)
• Create Tickets (Bulk)
• Delete Tickets (Bulk)
• Update Tickets (Bulk)
• Update Ticket (Single)
• Delete Ticket
• Read Users (All)
• Read Organizations (All)
• Upsert Users (Bulk) - Create or Update
• Delete User
• Update User
• Create User
• Upsert User - Create or Update
• Delete Organization
• Update Organization
• Create Organization
• Upsert Organization - Create or Update
• Make Generic REST API Request
• Make Generic REST API Request (Bulk Write)