HelpDesk Pro

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First Steps ​

After installing HelpDesk Pro, follow this guide to set up your system and start managing customer support effectively.

Initial Setup Checklist ​

1. Admin Account Setup ​

Access the Dashboard:

  1. Navigate to https://yourdomain.com/dashboard
  2. Log in with your admin credentials created during installation
  3. Verify you can access all sections

Admin Account Verification:

  • ✅ Dashboard loads successfully
  • ✅ All menu items are visible
  • ✅ User profile is complete
  • ✅ Permissions are properly set

2. Basic System Configuration ​

Company Information ​

  1. Go to Settings → General
  2. Configure Basic Settings:
    Application Name: Your Company HelpDesk
Default Language: English
Timezone: Your local timezone
Currency: USD (or your preferred currency)

Logo and Branding ​

  1. Upload Company Logo:

    • Click "Choose File" next to Logo
    • Select your company logo (PNG/JPG, max 2MB)
    • Upload white version for dark themes
    • Set favicon for browser tabs

  2. Custom CSS (Optional):

    • Add custom styling in the CSS editor
    • Preview changes before saving

3. Email Configuration ​

SMTP Setup ​

  1. Navigate to Settings → SMTP

  2. Configure Email Settings:

    Mail Host: smtp.gmail.com (or your provider)
Mail Port: 587
Mail Username: support@yourdomain.com
Mail Password: your-app-password
Mail Encryption: TLS
From Address: noreply@yourdomain.com
From Name: Your Company Support

  3. Test Email Configuration:

    • Click "Test Email" button
    • Check your inbox for test message
    • Verify email delivery works

Email Templates ​

  1. Review Default Templates:

    • New ticket notification
    • Ticket status updates
    • Password reset emails
    • Welcome messages

  2. Customize Templates:

    • Edit template content
    • Add company branding
    • Test template rendering

4. User Management Setup ​

Create Departments ​

  1. Go to Settings → Departments

  2. Add Your Departments:

    Technical Support
Sales
Billing
General Inquiries

  3. Configure Department Settings:

    • Set department heads
    • Configure email addresses
    • Set business hours
    • Define escalation rules

Create User Roles ​

  1. Go to Settings → Roles

  2. Review Default Roles:

    • Admin (Full access)
    • Agent (Support access)
    • Customer (Limited access)

  3. Create Custom Roles (if needed):

    • Senior Agent
    • Department Manager
    • Read-only User

Add Team Members ​

  1. Go to Users → Create User

  2. Add User Information:

    First Name: John
Last Name: Smith
Email: john@yourdomain.com
Role: Agent
Department: Technical Support

  3. Set User Permissions:

    • Ticket access levels
    • Department restrictions
    • Feature permissions

5. Ticket System Configuration ​

Create Categories ​

  1. Go to Settings → Categories

  2. Add Ticket Categories:

    Technical Issues
Billing Questions
Feature Requests
Bug Reports
General Inquiries

  3. Set Up Subcategories:

    • Technical Issues → Login Problems
    • Technical Issues → Performance Issues
    • Billing Questions → Payment Issues

Configure Priorities ​

  1. Go to Settings → Priorities

  2. Review Default Priorities:

    • Low (Green)
    • Medium (Yellow)
    • High (Orange)
    • Urgent (Red)

  3. Customize Priority Settings:

    • Set SLA times for each priority
    • Configure escalation rules
    • Define response time targets

Set Up Statuses ​

  1. Go to Settings → Statuses

  2. Review Default Statuses:

    • Open
    • In Progress
    • Pending Customer
    • Resolved
    • Closed

  3. Create Custom Statuses:

    • Awaiting Approval
    • On Hold
    • Escalated

6. Knowledge Base Setup ​

Create Knowledge Base Structure ​

  1. Go to Knowledge Base → Categories
  2. Add Main Categories:
    Getting Started
Account Management
Billing & Payments
Technical Support
Troubleshooting

Create Initial Articles ​

  1. Go to Knowledge Base → Articles

  2. Create Essential Articles:

    • "How to Submit a Ticket"
    • "Account Setup Guide"
    • "Password Reset Instructions"
    • "Contact Information"

  3. Article Best Practices:

    • Use clear, descriptive titles
    • Include step-by-step instructions
    • Add screenshots and images
    • Use proper formatting and headings

Set Up FAQ Section ​

  1. Go to FAQ → Manage
  2. Add Common Questions:
    • "How do I reset my password?"
    • "What are your business hours?"
    • "How long does support take to respond?"
    • "Can I track my ticket status?"

7. Live Chat Configuration ​

Enable Live Chat ​

  1. Go to Settings → Chat
  2. Configure Chat Settings:
    Enable Chat: Yes
Welcome Message: "Hello! How can we help you today?"
Offline Message: "We're currently offline. Please leave a message."
Business Hours: 9 AM - 6 PM (Monday-Friday)

Set Up Chat Widget ​

  1. Configure Widget Appearance:

    • Choose widget color scheme
    • Set widget position
    • Customize chat button text
    • Add company logo

  2. Test Chat Functionality:

    • Open chat widget on your site
    • Send test messages
    • Verify agent notifications
    • Test file sharing

8. AI Features Setup (Optional) ​

OpenAI Configuration ​

  1. Go to Settings → AI Configuration

  2. Enter OpenAI API Key:

    • Get API key from OpenAI platform
    • Enter key in configuration
    • Test connection

  3. Enable AI Features:

    • Smart ticket classification
    • Response suggestions
    • Sentiment analysis
    • Predictive analytics

Configure AI Settings ​

  1. Set Confidence Thresholds:

    • Classification threshold: 80%
    • Suggestion threshold: 70%
    • Sentiment threshold: 60%

  2. Train AI Models:

    • Provide sample tickets
    • Correct AI classifications
    • Monitor AI performance

9. Front-End Configuration ​

Customize Public Pages ​

  1. Go to Front Pages → Home
  2. Configure Landing Page:
    • Update hero section text
    • Add company information
    • Set up contact details
    • Configure ticket submission form

Set Up Public Ticket Submission ​

  1. Configure Ticket Form:

    • Choose required fields
    • Set up custom fields
    • Configure validation rules
    • Test form submission

  2. Set Up Email Piping (Optional):

    • Configure IMAP settings
    • Set up email forwarding
    • Test email-to-ticket conversion

10. Security Configuration ​

User Authentication ​

  1. Configure Password Policies:

    • Minimum password length
    • Password complexity requirements
    • Password expiration settings

  2. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication:

    • Enable 2FA for admin accounts
    • Configure authenticator apps
    • Set up backup codes

System Security ​

  1. Review Security Settings:

    • Session timeout settings
    • IP restrictions
    • Rate limiting
    • CSRF protection

  2. Configure SSL/TLS:

    • Ensure HTTPS is enabled
    • Set up proper SSL certificates
    • Configure secure headers

Testing Your Setup ​

1. Create Test Ticket ​

  1. Go to Tickets → Create Ticket

  2. Fill Out Test Ticket:

    Subject: Test Ticket - System Setup
Description: This is a test ticket to verify system functionality
Category: General Inquiries
Priority: Medium
Customer: Test Customer

  3. Verify Ticket Creation:

    • Ticket appears in ticket list
    • Email notification sent
    • Ticket has correct status and priority

2. Test Live Chat ​

  1. Open chat widget on your website
  2. Send test message:
    • "Hello, this is a test message"
  3. Verify from agent dashboard:
    • Message appears in chat interface
    • Notification received
    • Can respond to customer

3. Test Knowledge Base ​

  1. Visit your knowledge base page
  2. Search for articles:
    • Test search functionality
    • Browse categories
    • Read article content
  3. Verify article display:
    • Proper formatting
    • Images load correctly
    • Links work properly

4. Test Email Notifications ​

  1. Create test ticket
  2. Check email delivery:
    • Customer receives confirmation
    • Agent receives notification
    • Status updates sent
  3. Verify email content:
    • Proper formatting
    • Correct information
    • Working links

Go Live Checklist ​

Pre-Launch Verification ​

  • [ ] All team members have accounts
  • [ ] Email notifications working
  • [ ] Live chat functional
  • [ ] Knowledge base populated
  • [ ] Ticket system tested
  • [ ] AI features configured (if using)
  • [ ] SSL certificate installed
  • [ ] Backup system configured

Launch Day ​

  1. Announce to Team:

    • Send login credentials
    • Provide training materials
    • Set up support channels

  2. Announce to Customers:

    • Update website with new support system
    • Send announcement emails
    • Update contact information

  3. Monitor System:

    • Watch for any issues
    • Monitor ticket volume
    • Check system performance

Next Steps ​

Immediate Actions ​

  1. Train Your Team:

    • Provide user guides
    • Conduct training sessions
    • Set up best practices

  2. Customize Further:

    • Add more knowledge base articles
    • Create custom email templates
    • Set up automation rules

  3. Monitor and Optimize:

    • Track ticket metrics
    • Analyze customer feedback
    • Optimize response times

Ongoing Maintenance ​

  1. Regular Updates:

    • Keep system updated
    • Monitor security patches
    • Update knowledge base

  2. Performance Monitoring:

    • Track system performance
    • Monitor user satisfaction
    • Optimize workflows

  3. Continuous Improvement:

    • Gather user feedback
    • Implement new features
    • Refine processes

Getting Help ​

Documentation Resources ​

  • User Guide: Complete feature documentation
  • Admin Guide: Advanced configuration options
  • API Documentation: Integration possibilities
  • Video Tutorials: Step-by-step guides

Support Channels ​

  • Email Support: For technical issues
  • Community Forum: User discussions
  • Video Calls: For complex setups
  • Documentation: Self-service help

Best Practices ​

  1. Start Simple: Begin with basic features
  2. Train Gradually: Introduce features over time
  3. Monitor Usage: Track how features are used
  4. Gather Feedback: Listen to user input
  5. Iterate: Continuously improve

Congratulations! Your HelpDesk Pro system is now set up and ready to provide excellent customer support. Start with basic features and gradually explore advanced capabilities as your team becomes comfortable with the system.

Released under the MIT License.

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