Automation #13 - Auto assign tickets based on agent shift time

Automation #13 - Auto assign tickets based on agent shift time



This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips to optimize your customer support with the automation capabilities of Zoho Desk.
 
Business working in shifts need to adopt a different dynamic for customer support. For a seamless flow of tickets from one agent to another, it is important to avoid unnecessary delays that make angry customers. A simple two-step automation in Desk will let you ensure your incoming tickets are assigned to agents in the current shift. Giving your customer support teams to work in better co-ordination.
 
To achieve this first the ticket needs to be moved into the unassigned bucket. Then we use a custom function to achieve a round robin mechanism without load balancing to assign these tickets in the current shift.

As always, the first step to making the most of ZohoDesk's automation capabilities is to create a connection to be used in the custom function later. 

To create a  connection, carry out the following steps:
  1. Click on Setup > Developer Space > Connections 
  2. Click Create Connection
  3. In the Pick Your Service section, under Pre-Defined Services find and select Zoho OAuth
  4. In the Connection Details section, add zohodesk as the Connection Name and Connection LinkName
  5. In the Choose Scopes list, select all values that start with 'Desk.' and end with '.ALL' and then include Desk.search.READ, Desk.products.READ
  6. Click Create and Connect
  7. In the page that appears, click Connect
Now move the tickets to the unassigned bucket, by follow these steps:
  1. Go to Setup, and under Automation, click Workflows.
  2. On the left panel, under Workflows, click Rules > Create Rule.
    In the Basic Information section, carry out the following steps:
  3. In the Module drop-down menu, select Tickets.
  4. Enter a name and description for the rule.
  5. If you want to activate the rule right away, select the Active checkbox. Else, you can just create the rule now and activate it later, on the Rules page.
  6. Click Next.
    In the Execute on section, perform the following steps:
  7. Select the Create checkbox to execute this rule every time a new ticket is created.  
  8. Click Next.
    In the Criteria section, do not select any criteria and move to the next section.
    In the Actions section, carry out the following steps:
  9. Click the + icon and select Custom Functions > New
  10. Click Edit Arguments
  11. In the Name field type TicketID, and from the Value drop-down list select Ticket Id under Ticket Information.
    In the script window, input the Custom Function you find below:
    orgId = "paste orgId here";
    contactId = "paste contact ID here";
    TicketInfo = zoho.desk.getRecordById(orgId, "tickets", TicketID,"zohodesk");
    departmentId = TicketInfo.get("departmentId");
    agentId = TicketInfo.get("assigneeId");
    Param = Map();
    Param.put("departmentId", departmentId);
    Param.put("limit", "20");
    onlineagents = invokeurl
    [
    url: "
    https://desk.zoho.com/api/v1/onlineAgents?"
    type: GET
    parameters: Param
    connection:"zohodesk"
    ];
    if (onlineagents.notContains(agentId))
    {
    info zoho.desk.update(orgId, "tickets", TicketID,{"assigneeId":null},"zohodesk");

Note: navigate to Setup > Developer Space > API > get orgId and replace in custom function.


To achieve the round robin automation without load balancing, follow these steps:


Pre-requisite:
  1. In the Contacts Layout, create two fields:
    1. Add a multi line field and name it as Agent List
    2. Add a single line field and name it as Next Agent
  2. For the values, collect and save all the agentIds in the Agent List and the First Agent in the Next Agent Field. Please note the Agent List should be a comma separated values. 
To create the workflow rule, perform the following steps:
  1. Go to Setup, and under Automation, click Workflows.
  2. On the left panel, under Workflows, click Rules > Create Rule.
    In the Basic Information section, carry out the following steps:
  3. In the Module drop-down menu, select Tickets.
  4. Enter a name and description for the rule.
  5. If you want to activate the rule right away, select the Active checkbox. Else, you can just create the rule now and activate it later, on the Rules page.
  6. Click Next.
    In the Execute on section, perform the following steps:
  7. Select the Create checkbox to execute this rule every time a new ticket is created. 
  8. Click Next.
    In the Criteria section, do not select any criteria and move to the next section.
    In the Actions section, carry out the following steps:
  9. Click the + icon and select Custom Functions > New
  10. Click Edit Arguments
  11. In the Name field type TicketID, and from the Value drop-down list select Ticket Id under Ticket Information.
  12. In the script window, input the Custom Function you find below: 
orgId = "paste orgId here";
contactId = "paste contact ID here";
TicketInfo = zoho.desk.getRecordById(orgId, "tickets", TicketID,"zohodesk");
departmentId = TicketInfo.get("departmentId");
agentId = TicketInfo.get("assigneeId");
Param = Map();
Param.put("departmentId", departmentId);
Param.put("limit", "20");
checkAvail = invokeurl
[
url :"https://desk.zoho.com/api/v1/onlineAgents?departmentId=" + departmentId + "&include=mailStatus,phoneStatus,chatStatus,phoneMode,presenceStatus"
type :GET
connection:"zohodesk"
];
if (!checkAvail.toString().contains(agentId.toString()))
{
stopLoop = "false";
contactInfo = zoho.desk.getRecordById(orgId,"contacts",contactId);
allAgents = contactInfo.getJSON("cf").getJSON("cf_agent_list").toList();

elist = {"1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12","13","14"};
for each  agent in elist
{
contactInfo = zoho.desk.getRecordById(orgId,"contacts",contactId,"zohodesk");
nextAgent = contactInfo.getJSON("cf").getJSON("cf_next_agent").toLong();
if(checkAvail.toString().contains(nextAgent.toString()) && stopLoop == "false")
{
assignTicket = zoho.desk.update(orgId,"tickets",TicketID,{"assigneeId":allAgents.get(allAgents.indexOf(nextAgent))},"zohodesk");
if(allAgents.indexOf(nextAgent).toLong() < allAgents.size().toLong() - 1)
{
updateContact = zoho.desk.update(orgId,"contacts",contactId,{"cf":{"cf_next_agent":allAgents.get(allAgents.indexOf(nextAgent) + 1)}},"zohodesk");
}
else
{
updateContact = zoho.desk.update(orgId,"contacts",contactId,{"cf":{"cf_next_agent":allAgents.get("0")}},"zohodesk");
}
stopLoop = "true";
}
else if(stopLoop == "false")
{
if(allAgents.indexOf(nextAgent).toLong() < allAgents.size().toLong() - 1)
{
updateContact = zoho.desk.update(orgId,"contacts",contactId,{"cf":{"cf_next_agent":allAgents.get(allAgents.indexOf(nextAgent) + 1)}},"zohodesk");
}
else
{
updateContact = zoho.desk.update(orgId,"contacts",contactId,{"cf":{"cf_next_agent":allAgents.get("0")}},"zohodesk");
}
}
}
}
Note: navigate to Setup > Developer Space > API > to get orgId and replace it in the custom function.
 



      • Sticky Posts

      • Register for Zoho Desk Beta Community

        With the start of the year, we have decided to take a small step in making the life of our customers a little easier. We now have easy access to all our upcoming features and a faster way to request for beta access. We open betas for some of our features
      • Share your Zoho Desk story with us!

        Tell us how you use Zoho Desk for your business and inspire others with your story. Be it a simple workflow rule that helps you navigate complex processes or a macro that saves your team a lot of time; share it here and help the community learn and grow with shared knowledge. 
      • Tip #1: Learn to pick the right channels

        Mail, live chat, telephony, social media, web forms—there are so many support channels out there. Trying to pick the right channels to offer your customers can get pretty confusing. Emails are most useful when the customer wants to put things on record. However, escalated or complicated issues should not be resolved over email because it's slow and impersonal.  When you need immediate responses, live chat is more suitable. It's also quick and convenient, so it's the go-to channel for small issues. 
      • Welcome to Zoho Desk Community - Say hello here!

        Hello everyone! Though we have been here for a while, it’s time to formally establish the Zoho Desk Community; we’re really happy to have you all here! This can be the place where you take a moment to introduce yourself to the rest of the community. We’d love to hear all about you, what you do, what company or industry you work for, how you use Zoho Desk and anything else that you will like to share! Here’s a little about me. I am Chinmayee. I have been associated with Zoho since 2014. I joined here
      • Webinar 1: Blueprint for Customer Service

        With the launch of a host of new features in Zoho Desk, we thought it’ll be great to have a few webinars to help our customers make the most of them. We’re starting off with our most talked about feature, Blueprint in Zoho Desk. You can register for the Blueprint webinar here: The webinar will be delivered by our in-house product experts. This is a good opportunity to ask questions to our experts and understand how Blueprint can help you automate your service processes. We look forward to seeing

        • Recent Topics

        • Upcoming update to Google Drive integration in Zoho Creator

          Hello everyone, We're writing to inform you about an upcoming update to how Zoho Creator integrates with Google Drive. In Zoho Creator, during actions like importing files to create an app or attaching files to fields, you can choose files directly from
        • Time Tracking on Iphone doesn't stop

          When I start a time tracking session the timer starts as expected. However when I hit stop, the timer remains on that project. The only buttons available are discard and start. Start runs the timer more and discard says it will throw away the data from
        • Zoho Sign - Zoho CRM extension upgrade

          Hi everyone, We've updated Zoho Sign extension for Zoho CRM with significant internal changes. Impact on existing Zoho Sign extension users Users using the extension without customization If you are using the integration without implementing Zoho Sign's
        • Zoho Books blocks invoicing without VeriFactu even though it is not mandatory until 2027

          I would like to highlight a very serious issue in Zoho Books for Spain. 1. The Spanish government has postponed the mandatory start of VeriFactu to January 1st, 2027. This means that during all of 2026 businesses are NOT required to transmit invoices
        • Group by Owner/ Owner Kanban /Group by Custom Field

          Hi, We are missing the option of viewing Tasks grouped by their owner, as it is an essential function for us to manage our employees' working tasks. We find it hard to inspect what are the tasks that our employees are working on.  We are seeking an option
        • Flow using way too many tasks

          I built a flow that is using way too many tasks for what it is doing. I reached out to support a week ago but never heard back so hoping the community can help. Does a filter count as a task? I am seeing tons of records filtered with < 1 Sec Time Taken
        • Regarding the integration of Apollo.io with Zoho crm.

          I have been seeing for the last 3 months that your Apollo.io beta version is available in Zoho Flow, and this application has not gone live yet. We requested this 2 months ago, but you guys said that 'we are working on it,' and when we search on Google
        • Start Workflow from Deluge Script

          I have developed a customized process from our CRM that leverages a deluge script to create a statement of work document. Once the document has been created via the merge and store function, I would like the ability to start a workdrive review & approve
        • Saved Sections?

          In sites editor, the + button reveals options to add a section, element, etc. It includes Saved Sections, but I can find no way to save a section I've already created. Otherwise, is there a way to copy a section from one page to another?
        • Marketer's Space: Unable to select a sender address? Here's the fix

          Hello Marketers, Welcome back to yet another post! So you've added a sender address in Zoho Campaigns and later found that you're not able to select it while creating an email campaign. Has this ever happened to you? If so, don't worry—you're not alone.
        • Loading Project Balances in ZOHO Books for each project

          Hello, What is the best method for loading project balances actual and budget into ZOHO books to provide tracking to our project managers. We have projects and federal awards (also treated as projects) which span multiple years. We are converting from
        • Auto-Invite Users to Portals in Zoho CRM based on Conditions

          Hello Everyone, You can now automate portal invitations in Zoho CRM with the new Auto-Invite users feature in Portal management. No more manually enabling portal access one by one. With this enhancement, you can automatically send invites for users to
        • Scale up your writing style with content analysis tool in Knowledge Base

          Hello everyone, Sometimes writers may have strong knowledge about the subject but may find it challenging to articulate clearly or produce comprehensible, jargon free content. To make the process easier and to ensure consistent, high-quality articles,
        • Zoho Books "Update" Trigger for Zapier?

          Hi Zoho Team, I've been in talks with Zapier about using their services to connect my Zoho Books account to various apps, but I require an additional trigger beyond the "New" trigger. I require an "Update" trigger, which will allow me to filter and create Zaps only when certain conditions are fulfilled on the Zoho Books end before I automate a separate app. Specifically this will help me create invoices in QuickBooks Online only when payments are recorded in Zoho Books, rather than when a new invoice
        • How to prevent editing of closed tickets in Zoho Desk?

          I would like to confirm whether it is possible to completely prevent agents from editing tickets once their status is set to Closed. Is there any configuration, permission, or best practice in Zoho Desk to ensure that closed tickets remain read-only and
        • Zoho Desk Limitations

          Good day, all, I would like to know whether others share my frustration with some of Zoho's limitations. Don't get me wrong, I like Desk (and I also have a subscription for Analytics), I have been with them for close to 10 years, and unfortunately, I
        • New Mandatory One-Click Unsubscribe Link Overshadowing Custom Unsubscribe Link

          I was recently informed by Zoho CRM Support that they are now mandated by the large email service providers like Google and Yahoo to provide a one-click unsubscribe option in the header (not the body) of all mass emails. I have a custom unsubscribe link
        • how to undoreconciled transaction

          how to undo reconciled transaction
        • Can I export all attachments from Zoho CRM?

          Can I export all attachments from Zoho CRM?
        • Exciting Updates to the Kiosk Studio Feature in Zoho CRM!

          Hello Everyone, We are here again with a series of new enhancements to Kiosk Studio, designed to elevate your experience and bring even greater efficiency to your business processes. These updates build upon our ongoing commitment to making Kiosk a powerful
        • Change eMail Template for Event-Invitations

          Hello ZOHO-CRM Team How I can change the eMail Template for Event-Invitations? I work with the German Version of the Free Version. I know how I can modify eMail alerts or Signature Templates, but where I can other eMails modify you send out? Thank you for your answer. Regards, Juerg
        • Right-Click Pipeline to Open in New Tab

          Please add the ability to right-click on a pipeline to open it in a new tab
        • Service Title in Service Report Template Builder

          I am currently working on the Service Report Template Builder in Zoho FSM. I have created three separate service report templates for different workflows: Preventive Maintenance Report Requested Service Report Installation Report My issue is that I cannot
        • Zoho Sign for Zoho Projects

          Documents authorization and validation with signature is now easier in project management with Zoho Projects' Zoho Sign extension. Sign documents or send them for signatures directly from tasks and issues using Zoho Sign extension in Zoho Projects. Extension
        • Deluge Learning Series – Best Practices in Deluge | December 2025

          We’re excited to bring you the next session of the Deluge Learning Series, focused entirely on writing cleaner, faster, and more reliable Deluge code. In this edition, we’ll dive deep into the essential best practices every Deluge developer should follow
        • Associate a Contact to a Campaign using deluge?

          If I want to add one record to another related list, which zoho function do I use? zoho.updateRelatedRecord is not it I don't think.  I simply want to take a "Contact" and associate it to a "Campaign" using deluge.  Can anyone help? contactId = 5122008000000796037;
        • Add "Groups" above "Users" in the Zoho Forms Left Menu

          Hi, We have Groups but you have to go to a Form and Share or use the Directory App to manage them, please add "Groups" above "Users" in the Zoho Forms Left Menu so you can manage them in 1 place within Zoho Forms too. Thanks Dan
        • Zoho Books | Product updates | October 2025

          Hello users, We’ve rolled out new features and enhancements in Zoho Books. From iOS 26 updates to viewing reports as charts, explore the updates designed to enhance your bookkeeping experience. Zoho Books Updates for Apple Devices At WWDC 2025, Apple
        • Adding Taxes to paid consultations in Zoho Bookings

          I created a 'paid' consultation under Zoho Booking and integrated it with payment gateways for online/instant payment before a booking is done. How can I add 'taxes' to the price of consultation? I can add taxes to other Zoho apps (liks Books, Checkout,
        • Zoho CRM Reports Module on Mobil App

          I have the mobile app and the reports module doesn't appear in the sidebar for some reason. I saw a Youtube video where the user had the Reports module on mobile. Is there a setting to show it on mobile? Thanks.
        • Inquiry on Help Centre Tab Customisation

          Hi Zoho team, I’m wondering if it’s possible to further customise the Help Center tabs, specifically the descriptions under Knowledge Base, Community, and Tickets. While the current setup allows customising tab names, being able to tailor the descriptions
        • Passing a form object to a function

          Suppose I have a sort_order field in multiple tables and I want to increment it by +1 onCreate of a new record. Is there a way to pass the form object as an argument into the function to keep things DRY? The following function from Zia works, but I'd
        • Can you copy and paste a page within a form?

          I have been looking at trying to copy/duplicate a whole page within a form. I can't see how I can do this without having to add all the data in again. This is very time consuming. Any help would be great.
        • SMS to customers from within Bigin

          Hi All, Is there anyone else crying out for Bigin SMS capability to send an SMS to customers directly from the Bigin interface? We have inbuilt telephony already with call recordings which works well. What's lacking is the ability to send and receive
        • Unable to sort as Descending order

          Trying to change the sort order for a lookup field (checkboxes) from Ascending to Descending and keep getting an error in Deluge that the order must be Ascending Did anyone ran into this? Thanks Eyal
        • How do I copy an email message to one or more other folders?

          I can move a message to another folder using the "move to" option but I can't figure out how to copy a message. 
        • New feature request: Allow copy of email message to another folder

          Hello Zoho team, This is a suggested new feature to allow copy an email message to either another folder or the same folder. Within the same Zoho account. This is not a support request about "label". This is a suggested new feature to allow copies of
        • Hotmail is blocking the zoho mail IP

          Greetings, Since last Tuesday (5 days ago today) I wrote to Zoho support and I still haven't received a single response (Ticket ID: 2056917). Is this how you treat people who pay for your email service? I am making this public so that those who want to
        • Desk DMARC forwarding failure for some senders

          I am not receiving important emails into Desk, because of DMARC errors. Here's what's happening: 1. email is sent from customer e.g. john@doe.com, to my email address, e.g info@acme.com 2. email is delivered successfully to info@acme.com (a shared inbox
        • Creator Simplified #11: Create a custom button to download files

          Hey there! This time, let's see how to create custom buttons to download the files uploaded in the file upload field. Sample use-case A training app has a module that provides the materials for all the available courses. Students can click on the corresponding
        • Next Page