Working with Sandbox in Zoho Desk
Key benefits of using Sandbox are:
- Mitigate risk - Some use cases or implementations can cause data loss or hinder other processes from functioning; this kind of impact can be avoided by testing the cases before implementing them in the live account.
- Resolve conflict - Certain changes can conflict with existing configurations, which can impact the overall flow and stall the essential processes. In Sandbox, you can make these changes and understand every conflict scenario that they bring, finding ways to resolve them before implementing.
- Validate data - A detailed breakdown of the changes and the impact they will have on the live data can be viewed and evaluated in the Sandbox environment to allow only valid or qualified changes to be deployed. Sandbox automatically lists down the changes that are qualified based on conflict and issue analysis.
- Implement changes in batches - New features, enhancements, or issue fixes that are huge can be broken down into smaller batches and implemented after thorough trial to ensure minimal impact on the existing data.
Building a Sandbox account
Creating Multiple Sandbox accounts
- Multiple Sandbox accounts function independently. Changes in one Sandbox do not affect others.
- Build, rebuild, and deployment operations are processed sequentially across all Sandbox accounts.
- With multiple sandboxes, only one operation (Build, Rebuild, or Deploy) can happen across all sandboxes at any given time.
If This Is Happening In Any Sandbox | Build in Another Sandbox | Rebuild in Another Sandbox | Deploy in Another Sandbox |
Build | Not Allowed | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
Rebuild | Not Allowed | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
Deploy | Not Allowed | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
- Once an ongoing operation is completed, other Sandbox accounts can proceed with their actions.
- Navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Sandbox.
- Click Build New Sandbox.
- In the Sandbox creation page, enter the Name of the Sandbox.
- Enter the Description, if required.
- In Set Permissions, select Agents or Teams.
- Click Create.
You will receive an email notification with the access URL once the account is created.
Role and profile mapping of users in Sandbox
Points to remember
- Sandbox is available in the Enterprise edition, allowing up to three Sandbox accounts per desk portal.
- The Build New Sandbox option will be disabled once the maximum limit of three Sandboxes is reached.
- While all the configurations under Setup can be tested in Sandbox, ONLY the configurations under customization and automation mentioned below can be deployed to the production account.
- Layouts and fields, time tracking, modules, templates.
- Assignment rules, notify, workflows, skills, blueprint, macros, supervise, and schedules
- Only those agents and teams that are given access to the Sandbox during creation have the permission to test and trial. However, users need Manage Sandbox permission to deploy the changes to the production account.
- Sandbox mode is displayed on the top panel to help distinguish it from the live account.
- The Sandbox will replicate the live account and display all the features under Setup. It will display the same list of modules on the top panel as the live account, however the records in the modules will not be populated. Users can manually add or import records if required.
- Users can make use of the default help center available in the sandbox portal. Creating of multi-help cenetrs is not supported.
Data that will not be copied from production to Sandbox
Modules | Records from the modules will not be copied. It can be added manually or imported. Sample data can be populated. |
Company | Details will not be copied. |
Channels |
|
Zia |
|
Guided Conversation | Flows will not be copied. |
Marketplace |
|
Testing and validating data
Configurations that can be tested | Description |
Departments | Departments created in the production account will be copied to Sandbox and can be tested. |
Emails |
|
Templates |
|
Channels |
|
Notifications |
|
Modules |
|
Profiles and permission | All profiles and roles will be copied from the production account and can be tested. |
Customization |
|
Automation | All automations, including Blueprint can be created and tested. |
Import/export | Data import and export can be tested and validated. |
Data that cannot be tested in Sandbox
- Agents - Agents cannot be added and existing agents cannot be disabled.
- Data backup cannot be performed.
Deploying changes to production
Customization | Automation |
|
|
- Mapping of ticket status with the state will not be deployed.
- Changes can be deployed only one at a time.
Some common reasons for conflicts can be:
- Duplication of name such as templates or template folders.
- Deletion of record in the live account.
- Record updated in both Sandbox and live environment.
- Exceeding limit such as number of fields.
- Duplicate module
To deploy changes to production
- Go to the Sandbox account and navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Sandbox.
- Click the Change Set tab.
- Select the list of changes or click Deploy All Changes Production.
The system will validate and list the qualified changes and conflicts - Click Proceed Qualified.
- Click View Details to see the conflicts.
- Click Ok, on the deployed successful message.
Viewing the deployed changes
Rebuilding Sandbox
- New modifications or configurations done in the production account can be pushed into a rebuilt Sandbox account for testing and validation.
- Discard the changes that have been previously carried out in the Sandbox account.
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