Using macros to update tickets

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">A macro is a prepared response or action that an agent can manually apply when they are creating or updating tickets (seeAbout macros). If youcreated macrosfor support requests that can be answered with a single, standard response or action, agents can evaluate tickets and apply macros manually as needed.</p>
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<p class="p">A macro is a prepared response or action that an agent can manually apply when they are
creating or updating tickets (see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408844187034#topic_zlk_nf1_dsb" target="_blank">About macros</a>). If you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408844187034" target="_blank">created macros</a> for support requests that can be answered with a
single, standard response or action, agents can evaluate tickets and apply macros manually as
needed. </p>
<p class="p">Macros can be applied to one or more tickets by selecting them from the Apply macro menu or
by using a keyboard shortcut in ticket comments. </p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following sections:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_lty_vgx_tb">Macros to get you started</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_kda_eew_uf">Applying macros from the menu</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_agl_vdf_2vb">Applying macros with a keyboard
shortcut</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_fqb_yjz_j3c">Notes about applying macros</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_cz5_hrn_r3b">Previewing macros</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_abf_z5m_n1c">Using macros to update problem and incident tickets</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">Related articles:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic-1__ul_bcv_gcy_4y">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408844187034" target="_blank">Creating macros for tickets</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832783642" target="_blank">Building macro action statements</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886850586" target="_blank">Creating macros from existing tickets</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408884166554" target="_blank">Organizing and managing your macros</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_lty_vgx_tb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Macros to get you started</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">There are a number of macros you can use to get started, including:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Close and redirect to topics</strong><p class="p">This sets the ticket status to Closed. If it is
an incident of a known problem, the requester will be informed via a comment that the
ticket has been closed and recommended that they visit the forums for more information
about the incident.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Requester not responding</strong><p class="p">This is a reminder that can be sent to the requester
if they have not responded to a request for more information on a pending
ticket.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Downgrade and inform</strong><p class="p">This tells the requester that the priority of their
request has been downgraded to low and that there may be some delay in resolving their
request.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Take it!</strong><p class="p">This macro is a shortcut for agents to assign a new request to
themselves.</p>
</li>
</ul>
These macros can be used as is, edited, or cloned, so you can modify and repurpose them
as needed. </div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_kda_eew_uf">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Applying macros from the menu</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can manually apply one or more macros to a ticket at the same time. Keep in
mind that what one macro does can easily be undone by another macro. </p>
<p class="p">Just as you can make bulk updates to many tickets at once, you can also
apply a macro to more than one ticket using your views. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886890906" target="_blank">Managing
tickets in bulk</a>.</p>
<p class="p">So why would you apply more than one macro? A typical use case is a
ticket that contains more than one question or issue—let's say two in this example. You
might have set up two macros that both insert a comment into a ticket to answer each issue
separately. By applying each macro to the ticket, you add two comments and address both
issues in a single response.</p>
<p class="p">You can view which macros were applied in the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829602970" target="_blank">ticket's events log</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To apply a macro from the menu</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__ol_pga_eew_uf">
<li class="li">In a ticket, click <strong class="ph b">Apply macro</strong> in the bottom toolbar.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__image_ayt_qv5_ft" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/apply_macro_button.png"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Select a macro from the list. You can filter the list by typing the beginning of a
macro's name. By default, the list of macros is displayed alphabetically. You can change
the order of this list. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408884166554#topic_dgr_jhv_zbc" target="_blank">Reordering macros manually</a>.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__image_jz4_45j_mw" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/apply_macros_small.png"></p>
<p class="p">Typically, your five most commonly used macros from the past week appear at
the top of the macros list. The most-used macros display can be disabled, in which
case, you'll only see the all macros list. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408884166554#topic_jf5_2cc_dx" target="_blank">Disabling the most-used macros
option</a>.</p>
<p class="p">If your
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408884166554#topic_dpr_k1j_mw" target="_blank">macros are categorized</a>, you can click through
the levels of categorization to apply a macro.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__image_cl5_jtg_dpb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_assign_by_category1.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__image_lbl_stg_dpb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_assign_by_category2.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_kda_eew_uf__image_om1_wtg_dpb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_assign_by_category3.png" width="400"></p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Macros cannot be set up for specific channels. </div>
</div>
<p class="p">The actions defined in the macro are applied. If the macro updated the ticket
comment, you can edit the text before submitting the ticket.</p>
<p class="p">If you have a macro that inserts text into a ticket comment, you can set an insertion
point in the ticket comment first, before you apply a macro. This enables you to
control exactly where the macro text appears.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">To apply another macro, click <strong class="ph b">Apply macro</strong> again and select another macro.</li>
<li class="li">Submit the ticket.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_agl_vdf_2vb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Applying macros with a keyboard shortcut</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you have <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821259930-About-the-Zendesk-Agent-Workspace" target="_blank">Agent Workspace</a> activated, you can apply macros
using a keyboard shortcut in a ticket comment. Using a macro keyboard shortcut can save you
typing time by applying a macro to a ticket with just a few keys. </p>
<p class="p">Macro keyboard shortcuts are activated by default. To deactivate macro keyboard shortcuts,
see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4984951994778" target="_blank">Activating and deactivating macros keyboard shortcuts</a>.</p>
<p class="p">For more information about other keyboard shortcuts, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832849946" target="_blank">Viewing and deactivating keyboard shortcuts</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To apply a macro with a keyboard shortcut</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_agl_vdf_2vb__ol_yrw_xjf_2vb">
<li class="li">In a ticket, type a slash (/) in the ticket’s comment.<div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If you want to exit the
Macros menu after typing a slash (/), press the space bar.</div>
<p class="p">Typically, your
seven most used macros from the past week appear at the top of the macros list,
including both shared macros and any personal macros you may use.</p>
<img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_agl_vdf_2vb__image_mx3_ykf_2vb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macros_keyboard_shortcut.png" width="400"><div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If your account has Chat or Messaging activated, the list displays
both macros and shortcuts. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408824439194#topic_kd5_klb_x3b" target="_blank">Using shortcuts in Chat</a>.</div>
<img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_agl_vdf_2vb__image_qrw_clf_2vb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/Macros_Shortcuts_menu.png" width="400">
</li>
<li class="li">Select one of these or begin typing a macro name to filter the list.</li>
<li class="li">Click the macro name to apply it to the ticket.<p class="p">The actions defined in the macro are
applied. If the macro updated the ticket comment, you can edit the text before
submitting the ticket.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">To apply another macro, type a slash (/) in the ticket comment.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_fqb_yjz_j3c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">Notes about applying macros</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">In some cases your macro may not apply as expected. If this happens, check the
following:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_fqb_yjz_j3c__ul_s5g_gkz_j3c">
<li class="li">If you're applying a macro that updates a ticket field, the ticket field must appear on
the ticket form in order for the macro to apply.</li>
<li class="li">Sometimes tickets are updated simultaneously from multiple sources. For example, a
workflow may be making updates in the background or multiple agents might be working on
the ticket. When this occurs, macros can't be applied until the latest changes are showing
in the ticket. If you try to apply a macro to a ticket that doesn't have the latest data,
then an error appears prompting you to wait and try again. </li>
<li class="li">If the macro updates the ticket comment but the ticket tab is closed before the ticket
is submitted, the text of the macro will still appear in the composer when you return to
the ticket. However, after submitting the ticket, only the comment is updated and the
macro isn't shown in the events log for the ticket.
</li>
<li class="li">If you apply a macro but you don't have permission to make the change made by the
macro, then the action won't occur. Ask your admin to check your <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408883763866-Understanding-Zendesk-Support-user-roles" target="_blank">role permissions</a>.</li>
<li class="li">If you apply a macro, then manually revert changes made by the macro or apply another
macro that performs a contradicting action, the initial macro actions may not look like
they were applied.</li>
<li class="li">Triggers or automations can conflict with a ticket update, causing tag collisions. Check
the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829602970" target="_blank">ticket's events log</a> to ensure this behavior isn't
happening.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested1" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title6">Previewing macros</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can preview a macro from the Apply macro menu before applying it to a ticket.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To preview and apply a macro from the menu</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__ol_w5y_trn_r3b">
<li class="li">In a ticket, click <strong class="ph b">Apply macro</strong> in the bottom toolbar.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__image_mmm_vrn_r3b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/apply_macro_button.png"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Find the macro you want to use in the list.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Open preview</strong> icon (<img class="image" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__image_jcp_pg3_45b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_preview_eye.png">).<p class="p">Alternatively, hover your cursor over the macro
to display its description tooltip. From the tooltip, you can view the macro's
description (if one exists) and access its preview by pressing Shift +
Enter.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__image_vlc_w5n_r3b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_preview_description.png" width="500"></p>
<p class="p">The preview shows the
macro's title and description (if one exists), as well as the fields and elements the
macro will change, add, or remove, including:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__ul_r5k_swn_r3b">
<li class="li">Ticket fields</li>
<li class="li">Comments, replies, or notes (including placeholders and dynamic content)</li>
<li class="li">Attachments</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_cz5_hrn_r3b__image_kqt_pwn_r3b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/macro_preview_screen.png" width="500"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">If the macro looks correct, click <strong class="ph b">Apply Macro</strong>. <p class="p">You can also click
<strong class="ph b">Cancel</strong> to return to the ticket screen, or click <strong class="ph b">Open in Settings</strong> to
view the macro's settings in Admin Center.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested1" id="topic_abf_z5m_n1c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title7">Using macros to update problem and incident tickets</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Use caution when applying macros with placeholders to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408835103898" target="_blank">problem and incident tickets</a>. It's easy to accidentally populate
the wrong values in ticket comments when using macros with placeholders in this scenario. To
avoid this, you often need use a backward slash (\) to escape the placeholder so that it
populates the appropriate value within the related incident tickets. </p>
<p class="p">For example: <code class="ph codeph">Hello
\{{ticket.requester.first_name}}</code></p>
</div>
</div>
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