Using and managing sandboxes

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<span class="fastpathtitle">Location: </span> <span class="ph">Admin Center &gt; Account &gt; Sandbox &gt; Sandboxes</span>
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<p class="p">This article describes how to use, maintain, and manage <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6150628316058" target="_blank">sandboxes</a>.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="zug_sandbox_premium__ul_f3p_jsm_tgb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_o4y_cs1_53">Accessing a sandbox</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ryx_hgj_tgc">Updating a sandbox</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_omh_zl1_57">Deleting a sandbox</a></li>
</ul>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_o4y_cs1_53">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Accessing a sandbox</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">After you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822049818" target="_blank">create</a> a sandbox and it's active, you can
start working in it. </p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To switch to a sandbox from the production instance of Zendesk Support</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_o4y_cs1_53__ol_try_cs1_53">
<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_o4y_cs1_53__d9e523" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Sandbox &gt; Sandboxes</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu (<img class="image" id="topic_o4y_cs1_53__image_lht_mfz_znb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/options-menu-icon-small.png">) next to one of your sandboxes, then select <strong class="ph b">Open
Sandbox</strong> to launch the sandbox instance in a new browser tab. <p class="p">You can
also bookmark the sandbox URL and access it directly.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_o4y_cs1_53__image_bv1_6je_beb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_sandbox_open.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Log in to the sandbox with your normal administrator credentials.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p">Make changes, test, and fine tune as needed. Sandbox changes are not copied to the
production instance. You can manually recreate changes to your sandbox environment
in your production instance.</p>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ryx_hgj_tgc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Updating a sandbox</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">After a sandbox is created, you can update some details, such as <a class="xref" href="#topic_bnt_2jl_tgc">account changes</a> and <a class="xref" href="#topic_d4d_gjl_tgc">configurations</a>.</p>
<p class="p">However, the only way to update other data, such as tickets and user information, is
to re-create it manually. When this is required, it is often best to <a class="xref" href="#topic_omh_zl1_57">delete</a> the sandbox and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822049818" target="_blank">create</a> a new one based on the current settings and data
in your production instance of Zendesk Support.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_bnt_2jl_tgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Managing sandboxes through account changes</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When you change your production account's subscription, including plans, seats,
and add-ons, your sandbox environment remains unchanged until you sync the
sandbox. After syncing a sandbox, the sandbox environment reflects the account
changes.</p>
<p class="p">For example, if downgrading from a Zendesk Suite plan to a lower Suite plan or
standalone Support plan without access to sandboxes, after you delete any
existing sandboxes you have, you won't be able to create a new one.</p>
<p class="p">See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7414296161818" target="_blank">Syncing product and add-on data to
sandboxes</a>. </p>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_d4d_gjl_tgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Deploying production configuration updates to sandboxes</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can use the<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8712690572442" target="_blank"> Configuration Management EAP</a> to
reflect configuration changes to your production account in a sandbox
environment.</p>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested1" id="topic_omh_zl1_57">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title6">Deleting a sandbox</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">After
you're done with a round of testing and updates, it's a good idea to delete the
existing sandbox. </p>
<div class="p">When you're ready to start testing something new, you can then create a new sandbox
based on the current settings and data in your production instance of Zendesk
Support. Creating a new sandbox is also useful if you mess up and want to start from
scratch. However, when you replace a sandbox, coordinate with your internal
development teams and consider the following effects of creating a new sandbox:<ul class="ul" id="topic_omh_zl1_57__ul_zqg_byr_tgb">
<li class="li" dir="ltr">The sandbox URL changes</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">All object IDs in the sandbox change, for example, ticket field
IDs will be different</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">Any custom help center themes are lost, but they can be <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408828976538" target="_blank">exported</a> before you delete the old
sandbox </li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">All apps are removed</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">Any sharing agreements are removed</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To delete your sandbox</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_omh_zl1_57__ol_ckw_bm1_53">
<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_omh_zl1_57__d9e523" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Sandbox &gt; Sandboxes</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu (<img class="image" id="topic_omh_zl1_57__image_ol3_5hl_5yb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/options-menu-icon-small.png">), then select <strong class="ph b">Delete Sandbox</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_omh_zl1_57__image_e5t_lvp_nlb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_sandbox_work_1.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">When you're ready to replace the deleted sandbox, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822049818" target="_blank">create a new sandbox</a>.</li>
</ol>
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