Klips: Creating Freshdesk data sources

You can set up a connection between Klipfolio^® Klips and your Freshdesk data to display your customer support metrics on a dashboard.

This article includes:

• Options for visualizing my Freshdesk data
• Connecting my Freshdesk data in Klipfolio
• Adding a Freshdesk pre-built data source
• Adding a Freshdesk custom-built data source
• Creating a Freshdesk custom Klip
• More about Freshdesk's API and queries

What options do I have for visualizing my Freshdesk data?

Create data visualizations based on pre-built options or build your own. The choice is yours!

Pre-built by Klipfolio

Take advantage of our pre-built data sources to gather the data most meaningful to you.

• Freshdesk pre-built data sources: Data sources provide the foundation for Klip^® building, so we suggest you create a data source as a first step (before building Klips^™ and adding them to your dashboard). Our pre-built data sources focus on the most sought-after Freshdesk data and are found on the Service Connectors page, available from this link or from your list of data sources. When you select a service connector from this page, the data source for that service is automatically added.

Custom-built by you

Taking the time to learn how to create your own data sources and Klips unlocks your data and enables you to control, manipulate, and transform it, leading you to unprecedented insights into your business.

• Custom data sources: When you create a custom data source, you can either use the pre-built data source as a starting point from which to write your own query or you can write your own queries from the ground up and build a data source from scratch. You create custom-built data sources in the Service Connectors page, accessible from this link or from your list of data sources.
• Custom Klips: Using our Klip Editor, you can construct and manipulate your data, including integrating multiple data sources, to produce unique, custom-built data visualizations. You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard.

Regardless of whether you choose pre-built, custom-built, or a combination of both, before you can start building Klips and dashboards you need to connect to Freshdesk data in Klipfolio.

How do I connect to Freshdesk data in Klipfolio?

To connect your Freshdesk data to Klipfolio, you will need your API key.

To get the right data from Freshdesk, you use your Freshdesk API key in the queries provided by Klipfolio or in your own query when building data sources.

How do I find my Freshdesk API key?

To find your Freshdesk API key:

1. Log in to your Freshdesk helpdesk.
2. Click on your profile picture on the top right and select Profile Settings.
3. Copy your API key from the sidebar on the right.

How do I add a Freshdesk pre-built data source?

To add a Freshdesk pre-built data source:

1. Navigate to the Service Connectors page in Klipfolio and choose Freshdesk from the list.
2. Select a pre-built data source from the left section of the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page. 
3. Enter your Freshdesk domain and API token.

The text you enter for your domain name is typically "yourcompanyname".

4. Click Get data or, if you want to modify the pre-built data request, click Switch to Custom settings.
   Note: If you switch back to the Basic settings page after making changes in the Custom settings page, your changes will not be saved.
5. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. Then, optionally select the checkbox to Model your data. Learn more about modelling data sources.
6. Click Continue.
7. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
8. Click Save.

If you clicked Switch to Custom settings:

1. On the Configure your data source page, modify the Query URL to get the data you want. You can use the existing information in the Query URL text box as a base. It was auto-filled based on the pre-built data source you selected on the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page. Refer to the Freshdesk API documentation for details
2. Click Get data.
3. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. Then, optionally select the checkbox to Model your data. Learn more about modelling data sources.
4. Click Continue.
5. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
6. Click Save.

How do I create a Freshdesk custom-built data source?

To create a Freshdesk custom-built data source:

1. Navigate to the Service Connectors page in Klipfolio and choose Freshdesk from the list.
2. On the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page, click Create a custom Freshdesk data source.
3. Adjust the Query URL information, as noted on the Configure your data source page, to replace any generic placeholder query information with your own.
   For example, replace <domain> with your Freshdesk domain. 
4. Edit the Query URL to return the data you need. Refer to the Freshdesk API documentation for details.
5. Expand Authentication (OAuth, 2-Step, X-WSSE, or Basic).
6. At Type, select Basic HTTP Authentication.
7. At Username, paste your Freshdesk API token.
8. At Password, leave the field blank.
9. Click Get data.
10. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. Then, optionally select the checkbox to Model your data. Learn more about modelling data sources.
11. Click Continue.
12. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
13. Click Save.

How do I create a Freshdesk custom Klip?

You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard. You choose a data visualization format, for example, a pie chart, gauge, or table, and decide whether you want to use an existing data source or create a new one. In the Klip Editor, there are limitless opportunities to modify, relate, and display your data. See the following related articles for more information and get building!

• The Klip Editor
• Build a custom Klip

More about Freshdesk's API and queries

Klipfolio connects to hundreds of services in the cloud that have a REST API. If you take the time to learn your service’s API to create queries for the data you want, your possibilities are endless. Here’s a quick overview video on APIs and Klipfolio:

  Klipfolio API's 101

If you need assistance using APIs, enlist a data analyst or developer.

Refer to the Freshdesk API documentation to discover more data requests.

See the reference table below for API related information and sample queries.

Related articles

• Introduction to data sources
• Connect your data
• About JSON and XML data sources
• Guide to REST API data sources