Introduction

You can connect to your Zendesk data from Talend Studio 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:

    Open ZappySys Data Gateway Service Manager

  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
    Data Gateway - Add User

  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
    Data Gateway - Add data source

  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
    ODBC DSN Template Selection

  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
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration
    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
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration
    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
    ODBC DSN HTTP Connection Configuration
    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
    ODBC DSN HTTP Connection Configuration
    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
    Open Query Builder in API ODBC Driver to read and write data to REST API

  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 Talend Studio to retrieve data from Zendesk. Hit OK button to use this query in the next step. 

    SELECT * FROM Tickets
    Configure table/endpoint parameters in ODBC data source based on API Driver
    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 Talend Studio:

    ZappySys API Driver - Zendesk
    Read and write Zendesk data effortlessly. Manage tickets, users, and organizations — almost no coding required.
    ZendeskDSN
    SELECT * FROM Tickets
    API ODBC Driver-based data source data preview
    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:

    Data Gateway - Add firewall rule for inbound connections
    • 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:

    ZappySys Data Gateway - Save Changes
    Skipping this step may cause the new settings to fail, preventing you from connecting to the data source.

Read Zendesk data in Talend Studio

To read Zendesk data in Talend Studio, we'll need to complete several steps. Let's get through them all right away!

This article is compatible with Talend Open Studio (a free version, currently retired by Qlik). If you don't have it, you can still purchase a shareware version of Talend Studio from Qlik.

Create connection for input

  1. First of all, open Talend Studio
  2. Create a new connection: Creating a new connection in Talend Studio
  3. Select Microsoft SQL Server connection: Creating SQL Server connection in Talend Studio
  4. Name your connection: Naming a connection in Talend Studio
  5. Fill-in connection parameters and then click Test connection:
    ZendeskDSN
    Configuring the ZappySys Data Gateway connection in Talend Studio
  6. If the List of modules not installed for this operation window shows up, then download and install all of them: Configure the connection
    Review and accept all additional module license agreements during the process
  7. Finally, you should see a successful connection test result at the end: Connection test successful

Add input

  1. Once we have a connection to ZappySys Data Gateway created, we can proceed by creating a job:

    Create a job in Talend Studio

  2. Simply drag and drop ZappySys Data Gateway connection onto the job:

    Creating an input based on ZappySys Data Gateway connection

  3. Then create an input based on ZappySys Data Gateway connection:

    Creating an input based on ZappySys Data Gateway connection

  4. Continue by configuring a SQL query and click Guess schema button:

    Configuring a SQL query in Talend Studio

  5. Finish by configuring the schema, for example:

    Configuring a schema in Talend Studio

Add output

We are ready to add an output. From Palette drag and drop a tFileOutputDelimited output and connect it to the input: Connecting tFileOutputDelimited output in Talend Studio

Run the job

Finally, run the job and integrate your Zendesk data: Integrating Zendesk data in Talend Studio

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 Talend Studio, so you don't have to figure out the setup from scratch. Check out the step-by-step guides below:

Conclusion

In this guide, we demonstrated how to connect to Zendesk in Talend Studio and integrate your data — all without writing complex code.

Ready to get started? Download ODBC PowerPack now or ping us via chat if you still need help:

Download ODBC PowerPack
Chat with an Expert