Workflow: Create an automation to send alerts when a ticket needs a reply

<p>Use automations to send time-based reminder emails. An automation is a business rule that you set up in your account to perform actions when specific time intervals pass. In this example, an automation notifies you if a new ticket isn't assigned to an agent within 24 hours.</p><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: right;">
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</script><div class="accordion"><h3 id="automation-timing">Step 1: Understand Automation schedules</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>Automations run once per hour, not in real-time as triggers do.</p>
<p>What this means:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e4e2498ab47ee9eed000dcbf607f68c1c">The time conditions check every hour, such as 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e0c81c91d82f3ed7ba8116984c0856149">A ticket that meets conditions at 2:15 PM doesn't process until the 3:00 PM run</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ecc4c21d6836dca3bf43f7dee62104b69">Factor in up to a 1-hour delay for time-based conditions</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e3e95aff29d0df06b519513a969666117">For immediate alerts, use a trigger instead</li>
</ul>
<p>When to use automations and triggers:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e9fff912ecff1d4dec8a176a853ae2fb7">Alert if there is no reply in 24 hours: Use an automation because it's time-based and an hourly check is sufficient</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e8fc6a0eded998dd699cc9780d2fc2f45">Alert immediately when the ticket is created: Use a trigger because the rule needs instant execution</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ed696bae62f5fe0679ccb859fb6337265">Reminder 2 hours after the ticket status changes to pending: Use an automation because it's time-based and an hourly check is acceptable</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5dd6f0968ec1b424571ef6096d9cbb7d">Notify the agent when the ticket is assigned: Use a trigger because the rule needs instant execution</li>
</ul>
<p>Example schedule:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e127bba4b74c3f3db9b5da78db1687811">An automation has the condition "Ticket updated less than 24 hours ago"</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea7dfa1ec4794bf264c16a60d817536b4">The automation runs at 10:00 AM</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e6797e71e8cc88ec08dded2364473cb8d">The automation checks all tickets updated between 10:00 AM yesterday and 10:00 AM today</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e9f5f870ae78b6c153d6627a9b3958612">A ticket updated at 9:45 AM yesterday qualifies</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea1694874e0aafef054be390f5cca49b1">A ticket updated at 10:15 AM yesterday doesn't qualify until the automation runs again at 11:00 AM</li>
</ul>
<p>Use a one-to-two-hour buffer as a best practice. If you want an alert after a ticket has been in a pending status for at least 24 hours, use a condition such as: <strong>Ticket: Hours since status category pending | Greater than | 25</strong></p>
<p>This ensures that tickets aren't skipped due to the hourly schedule.</p>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01KWM5JVQRR4A7SD0GBXTE573D">Step 2: Create the automation</h3></div><div class="panel">
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e582f18d4ea9d9e90975ed375ed55c6a9">Go to <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408838272410-Switching-among-Zendesk-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Admin Center</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ef7e8f36f4141ec765ffdec9a1e4d82f9">Navigate to the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408883801626-Creating-and-managing-automations-for-time-based-events#topic_adj_pzy_tb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Automations</a> page</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ebfdc7d8d5b84a94b889b36f1c066216d">Select <strong>Add automation</strong> from the right-hand side</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ebafa4cb63fb2f994adeb7c8a98058d65">Under <strong>Meet all of the following conditions</strong>, add the conditions: <strong>Ticket: Status category</strong> <strong>|</strong> <strong>Is</strong> <strong>|</strong> <strong>New</strong>, and <strong>Ticket: Hours since created</strong> <strong>|</strong> <strong>Greater than</strong> <strong>|</strong> <strong>24</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e1583a73769564aed85db2e5e8cbc0cc3">
<p>Under <strong>Perform these actions</strong>, add these actions: <strong>Notifications: Email user</strong> <strong>|</strong> and select your user profile.</p>
<p><strong>Email subject</strong>:</p>
<pre class="language-auto">New request: {{ticket.title}}</pre>
<p><strong>Email body</strong>:</p>
<pre class="language-auto">This is an email to remind you that the request (#{{ticket.id}}) is new and awaits a reply.

{{ticket.comments_formatted}}</pre>
<p>Additionally, add the action: <strong>Ticket: Status category</strong> <strong>|</strong> <strong>Open</strong>.</p>
<p><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/10569894494746" alt="Ticket needs a reply automation.png" width="500px"></p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="note">Note: In accounts with <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4412575861018-Creating-custom-ticket-statuses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">custom ticket statuses</a> deactivated, use the condition <strong>Ticket: Ticket status</strong> instead of <strong>Ticket: Status category</strong> and <strong>Ticket: Hours since created</strong> instead of <strong>Ticket: Hours since status category created</strong>.</div>
<h3 id="h_01J5AERP5KB4BP59RCM4V8BK05">What's next</h3>
<p>You can string multiple actions together with automations. For example, set the ticket priority to high, escalate the ticket to a different support group, or send a notification to the customer to inform them that a response is on the way.</p>
<p>For more information, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832701850-About-automations-and-how-they-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">About automations and how they work</a>.</p>
</div>