How can a user be created in Zendesk?

Identify how users are created in Zendesk Support

Several methods create a user record in Zendesk Support. See each method below:

Email to a support address

Zendesk Support creates a user record when it receives an email at a support address where the user doesn't have a record.

Chat

When a customer starts a chat or fills the form for offline messages, Zendesk Chat creates a user record. It uses the email address the user provides or creates a generic Visitor record.

Inbound calls through Zendesk Talk

How Voice creates users:

To create a user through an inbound call:

Zendesk Talk searches for the phone number in users across all fields for phone numbers, which includes the primary phone, mobile phone, and direct dial when configured

If a match is found, the system associates the call with the user, creates a ticket assigned to that user, and uses the name and email

If no match is found, the system creates a user record where the phone number becomes the primary phone, the name defaults to the phone number, the email field remains empty, and an agent can update the name or email later

Important notes:

The search checks all phone number fields

Phone numbers must match exactly and include the country code

Format differences prevent a match, such as "+1-415-555-1234" and "4155551234"

Best practices:

Encourage customers to provide both email and phone during registration

Use a consistent phone format in the account

Train agents to update user names from phone numbers to actual names

Facebook or X

How social channels create users:

When someone messages through a connected social account:

Facebook:

The Facebook display name of the user becomes the Name field

The Facebook user ID is stored as an identifier

No email is provided due to privacy restrictions

A profile link is available for reference

X:

The X handle of the user becomes the identifier, for example @username

The display name from the X profile populates the Name field

X doesn't provide an email address

Each unique X handle creates one user record

The user record links to the X profile

Note: The email field remains empty for users on social media unless an agent adds it manually.

Manual registration in the help center

The system creates a user record when a visitor in the help center signs up or submits a request.

Manual addition by an agent in Zendesk Support

An agent with the proper role can create a user in the standard agent interface. A granular permission lets agents create, edit, and assume end users without delete rights.

User import

You can bulk import users with a CSV file.

CC on an email

A reply or a new ticket that CCs another address creates a user for that email identity if no matching user exists. This requires the Anybody can submit tickets setting.

API request

Create a user with a request to the Users API endpoint or with a ticket creation API call that includes a new user.

SSO user provisioning

If you use SSO (single sign-on) for authentication, it can create a user record the first time a user visits or tries to sign in to your help center.

Salesforce integration

If you sync user data between Zendesk and Salesforce, Salesforce creates user records when a sync runs.

Ticket sharing

When an agent at a sharing partner site shares a ticket with your Support account for the first time, the system creates a dummy user record for any user who comments on that ticket.

Note: A user record created from a customer email or help center request is possible only if you allow anybody to submit tickets in your account.

For more information about creating end users, see Adding and managing end users.