About SLA policies and how they work

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">A service level agreement, or SLA, is a policy you define that specifies and measures the response and resolution times that your support team delivers to your customers.</p>
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<div class="note fastpath">
<span class="fastpathtitle">Location: </span> <span class="ph">Admin Center &gt; Objects and rules &gt; Business
rules &gt; Service level agreements</span>
</div>
<p class="p">A service level agreement, or SLA, is a policy you define that specifies and measures the
response and resolution times that your support team delivers to your customers.</p>
<p class="p">On Enterprise plans, you can also define group SLAs. Group SLAs are separate policies between
your internal teams that define a target ownership time for a group.</p>
<p class="p">This article describes the building blocks that make up SLAs, how your support team and
customers can benefit from them, and explains when they apply to tickets. </p>
<div class="p">This article contains the following sections:<ul class="ul" id="topic_cxf_rxv_rr__ul_s1k_bdw_rr">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_f1k_1qk_kxb">About SLAs</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_xny_dtb_fxb">About group SLAs</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_srx_vtb_fxb">Structure of SLA policies</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_pz5_zzv_rr">Understanding how SLA policies are applied to tickets</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">Related articles</strong><ul class="ul" id="topic_cxf_rxv_rr__ul_c4v_v2s_gqb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829459866" target="_blank">Defining SLAs</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7412192349466" target="_blank">Customizing your SLAs with advanced settings</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5322445643802" target="_blank">Defining group SLAs for internal teams</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_f1k_1qk_kxb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">About SLAs</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can define SLA policies that specify the response and resolution times that your
support team aims to deliver to your customers based on ticket priority. For example, you
could set targets for and measure:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_f1k_1qk_kxb__ul_kht_dqk_kxb">
<li class="li">How long it takes an agent to initially respond to an urgent support request</li>
<li class="li">The amount of time a customer waited for their issue to be fully resolved</li>
<li class="li">How much time an agent should spend on a ticket</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Depending on when your account was created, you may have access to a standard SLA to help
you <a class="xref" href="#topic_y53_dxk_m2c">get started</a>.</p>
<p class="p">SLAs are automatically applied to tickets when the specified conditions are met and begin
to measure the defined response and resolution times. To learn more, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5600997516058#topic_pz5_zzv_rr" target="_blank">Understanding how SLAs policies are applied to
tickets</a>.</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note note" id="topic_f1k_1qk_kxb__note_dnt_n25_wgc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> SLAs don’t apply to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9204149016346" target="_blank">AI agent tickets</a>.</div>
</div>
<p class="p">When a ticket fails to meet SLA targets, Zendesk highlights this so that you can promptly
identify and address problems. For example, not meeting SLA targets consistently during
certain times of the day may mean you need more agents available then. </p>
<p class="p">SLA information is visible in tickets and views. You can also create business rules that
take action based on SLAs (for example, to get attention on a ticket before the SLA is
breached). See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832852122" target="_blank">Viewing and understanding SLA targets</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5604663490458" target="_blank">Using SLA policies</a> to learn more. </p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested2" id="topic_f25_5qk_kxb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title3">Why to use SLAs</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Providing support based on service levels ensures that you're delivering measured and
predictable service. It also provides greater visibility when problems arise.</p>
<p class="p">Some of the benefits of SLAs include:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_f25_5qk_kxb__ul_b5z_grk_kxb">
<li class="li">Setting clear objectives for your support team. SLA policy information is visible in
tickets and views, which can help your agents know which tickets to prioritize.</li>
<li class="li">Providing a consistent experience for customers. When your agents regularly meet your
SLA targets, customers can expect their issues to be resolved in a timely manner.</li>
<li class="li">Identifying problems quickly and solving them efficiently. You’ll be able to see when
you’re not meeting your SLA targets and take action.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://www.zendesk.com/blog/keeping-word-support-sla/?_ga=2.93811678.273605891.1681752955-1573832609.1680565575" target="_blank">Read this Zendesk blog post</a> to learn more about
how and why you should create SLAs.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Fine tuning:</strong> Learn how you can make the most out of your SLAs with <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822410650" target="_blank">Sam Chandler's Fine tuning: Succeeding with SLAs – why, when, and
how!</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Getting started with SLAs</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="note attention">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> This SLA is available for most accounts created on or after March 3,
2025.</div>
<p class="p">To help you get started with SLAs, Zendesk Support provides a standard SLA named Set
first reply time. This SLA may be referred to as a <em class="ph i">system SLA</em> or <em class="ph i">default
SLA</em>. You can use the Set first reply time SLA as it is, or it can be <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5610005959962#topic_pyf_ymg_51c" target="_blank">cloned</a> or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5610005959962#topic_qpn_fzq_kxb" target="_blank">modified</a>. </p>
<div class="p">The Set first reply time standard SLA includes:<ul class="ul" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c__ul_i23_p2l_m2c">
<li class="li">The <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829459866#topic_gpr_ppv_tr" target="_blank">First reply time</a>
<strong class="ph b">metric</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">A <strong class="ph b">target</strong> time of <strong class="ph b">one hour</strong> and <strong class="ph b">normal</strong> priority value.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c__image_qw3_1gl_m2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/sla_standard_set_first_reply_time.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p">Your account also includes a standard SLA trigger named Set tickets with no priority to
normal. If you don’t modify this trigger, then it automatically sets tickets without a
priority to normal and the standard Set first reply time SLA is applied. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408828984346" target="_blank">About the standard ticket triggers</a>.</p>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To access the Set first reply time SLA</strong><ul class="ul" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c__ul_ugt_rll_m2c">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c__d9e1853" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_objects_rules_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Objects and rules</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Business rules &gt; Service level
agreements</strong>.</span><p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_y53_dxk_m2c__image_v4b_5ll_m2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/sla_set_first_reply_time_standard_sla2.png" width="400"></p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_xny_dtb_fxb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">About group SLAs (Enterprise only)</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">On Enterprise plans, you can also define group SLAs. Group SLAs are separate policies
between your internal teams and define a target ownership time for a group. They are also
commonly known as Operational Level Agreements (OLAs) and are used in workflows that involve
multiple teams solving tickets. </p>
<p class="p">Group SLAs are automatically applied to tickets when a specified group is assigned a
ticket. The defined ownership time begins to be measured when the group is assigned a ticket
and ends when the ticket is reassigned.</p>
<p class="p">For example, you can set a target for your sales team that normal priority tickets assigned
to their group are addressed within eight hours.</p>
<p class="p">Like SLAs, you can also set additional conditions in your group SLA policies. For example,
say your finance group handles two types of tickets — refunds and expenses. You may want to
have shorter SLA targets for refunds and longer targets for expenses. You could set a
condition based on these types of tickets’ forms in the group SLA policy so that the right
policy is applied to the right tickets.</p>
<p class="p">Additionally, group SLA information is visible in tickets and views (see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832852122" target="_blank">Viewing and understanding SLA targets</a>).</p>
<p class="p">The image below illustrates how SLAs measure the response and resolution time between your
company and customers, while group SLAs measure the ownership time between your internal
teams.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_xny_dtb_fxb__image_mhn_htb_fxb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/sla_group_sla_differences.png"></p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_c12_4rk_kxb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Why to use group SLAs</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Group SLAs help create accountability between your internal teams by defining and
measuring how long tickets are assigned to a specific group.</p>
<p class="p">Benefits of group SLAs include:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_c12_4rk_kxb__ul_bgr_dsk_kxb">
<li class="li">Improving internal processes. You can track how your internal teams uphold and achieve
the overall SLA of a ticket.</li>
<li class="li">Setting targets for resolution by team. You can create a group SLA for each of your
teams and see which teams are meeting their objectives.</li>
<li class="li">Identifying gaps and problems. Group SLAs can help you get insight into performance
and training opportunities for every team that is assigned a ticket.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_n2s_prk_kxb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Differences between SLAs and group SLAs</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">Some of the key differences between SLAs and group SLAs include:<ul class="ul" id="topic_n2s_prk_kxb__ul_hsh_4tb_fxb">
<li class="li">While only one SLA can apply to a ticket at a time, SLAs and group SLAs are separate
policies. This means that an SLA and group SLA policy can apply to the same ticket at
the same time.</li>
<li class="li">You can define SLA service targets for six different measurements: first reply time,
next reply time, periodic update time, request wait time, agent work time, and total
resolution time. There is only one measurement for a group SLA service target: group
ownership time.</li>
<li class="li">Group SLAs are available only on Enterprise plans.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested1" id="topic_srx_vtb_fxb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title8">Structure of SLA policies</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">SLA policies have a set structure. Each SLA policy has:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_srx_vtb_fxb__ul_uf4_yxv_rr">
<li class="li">A set of <strong class="ph b">conditions</strong> that a ticket must satisfy in order for the SLA policy to be
applied</li>
<li class="li">The <strong class="ph b">target</strong> time for each desired metric and priority value</li>
<li class="li">One or more <strong class="ph b">metrics</strong> that you choose to measure. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829459866#topic_gpr_ppv_tr" target="_blank">Understanding which SLA metrics you can
measure</a>.</li>
<li class="li">Whether targets will be measured in <strong class="ph b">business</strong> or <strong class="ph b">calendar hours</strong> by priority
value</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">(Enterprise only) Group SLA policies also have a set structure. Each group SLA policy
has:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_srx_vtb_fxb__ul_i3g_f5b_fxb">
<li class="li">A set of <strong class="ph b">conditions</strong> that a ticket must satisfy in order for the group SLA policy
to be applied, including the <strong class="ph b">group</strong> or <strong class="ph b">groups</strong> assigned to the policy.<p class="p">If
you don’t specify a group, then group ownership time is measured on all tickets whenever
a ticket is assigned to any group.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">The <strong class="ph b">target </strong>time and priority value</li>
<li class="li">The metric you measure, <strong class="ph b">Group ownership time</strong>
</li>
<li class="li">Whether the targets will be measured in business hours or calendar hours by priority
value</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_lms_k5b_fxb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">About SLA conditions and targets</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Conditions</strong> for SLA policies are similar to the conditions you use to set up
triggers. Like conditions for triggers, they have both <strong class="ph b">All</strong> and <strong class="ph b">Any</strong>
conditions, and the conditions can be based on ticket fields, user fields, or organization
fields. However, there are fewer options than in triggers. For example, you can't create a
condition based on the ticket’s status or priority, because those pieces of information
are already built into the SLA policy model. If you've <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4412575841306" target="_blank">activated custom ticket statuses</a>, then you can create a SLA
policy with a condition based on a ticket status. </p>
<p class="p">A <strong class="ph b">target</strong> is the goal within which a particular time-based metric should fall. If,
for example, you want all urgent tickets in a given policy to have a first reply time that
is less than or equal to 15 minutes, you would set a target of 15 minutes. You can define
individual targets for each combination of metric and priority per policy. You can also
set hours of operation, whether in Business or Calendar hours, for each priority and
policy.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="topic_pz5_zzv_rr__title_hwl_zcw_rr" class="topic nested1" id="topic_pz5_zzv_rr">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="topic_pz5_zzv_rr__title_hwl_zcw_rr">Understanding how SLA policies are applied to tickets</h2>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">
<div class="note attention">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> Tickets must have a priority set in the system
default Priority field (custom ticket fields don't count). If you don't set a priority,
none of your rules will be met. You can use a trigger to set a priority when a ticket is
created. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886797466" target="_blank">Creating triggers</a>.</div>
</div>
<p class="p">When a ticket is created or updated, it runs through all the triggers set up in your
Zendesk instance. After the triggers have been applied, that ticket goes through the SLA
system.</p>
<p class="p">Starting at the top of your list of policies and moving down, the conditions on that policy
are compared to the ticket. The first policy whose conditions are satisfied by the ticket is
applied to the ticket. The same process occurs for your list of group SLAs.</p>
<p class="p">SLAs and group SLAs are separate policies. Both an SLA policy and group SLA policy can be
applied to a ticket at the same time.</p>
<p class="p">For details about how policies are ordered, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5610005534618" target="_blank">Ordering SLA policies</a>. To review which policies have been applied
to a ticket and in what order, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832852122#topic_rct_l2w_tr" target="_blank">Viewing which SLA policies have been applied to a
ticket</a>.</p>
<p class="p">In most cases when a ticket is updated, the ticket will match the exact same policy that’s
already applied and nothing will change. If your ticket has changed in priority but you
haven’t modified your SLA policies since that ticket was last updated, the targets on the
ticket will be updated to reflect the priority.</p>
<p class="p">There are, of course, some exceptions. If you’ve created a new, more restrictive policy
since that ticket was last updated, it’s possible that the ticket will receive that new
policy that didn’t exist before. Or, alternatively, you may have updated the targets for the
policy that’s already been applied. In both of those cases, the ticket will receive the new
information after a ticket update that affects the SLA, such as a priority or schedule
change.</p>
<p class="p">When you merge an older ticket with an SLA into a new ticket, the older ticket’s SLA state
is frozen, whether achieved or missed. The newer ticket proceeds with its own SLA. The merge
action appears as an internal update on the newer ticket, which doesn’t meet or change any
SLAs.
</p>
<div class="note attention">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> Tickets set to Solved immediately fulfill all active SLA targets
associated with the ticket; however, if a ticket is reopened, SLA targets may activate or
reactivate. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829459866#topic_er3_4vb_fxb" target="_blank">Reopening tickets effect on an SLA</a>.
</div>
<p class="p">If you apply or change an SLA target that is already breached, the breach will be recorded
at the time of the update. SLAs do not back-date breach events.
</p>
</div>
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