## Introduction
For startup teams, automation engineers, and operations specialists using Zendesk for customer support, one of the pivotal features is SLA Timers which help ensure tickets are responded to within a predefined time. When SLAs are breached, Zendesk triggers escalations automatically. However, Zendesk licenses including SLA features can be expensive for startups or growing teams.
In this guide, you will learn how to build a robust SLA timer and escalation automation workflow in n8n, an open-source automation tool. This solution is designed to track Zendesk ticket response times, monitor SLA breaches, and trigger escalation notifications—all without the cost of Zendesk’s native SLA feature.
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## Problem Solved and Beneficiaries
**Problem:** SLA compliance and escalations require monitoring ticket response times and acting promptly on any delays. Zendesk’s SLA timer feature is convenient but adds to your licensing cost.
**Beneficiaries:** Startup support teams, automation engineers, and operations specialists seeking a cost-effective, customizable SLA monitoring and escalation system.
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## Tools and Services Integrated
– **Zendesk API:** To fetch and update ticket data.
– **n8n Automation Platform:** To build the workflow, track SLA timers, and trigger escalations.
– **Slack or Email:** For escalation notifications (configurable).
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## Workflow Overview
The workflow will:
1. Trigger periodically (e.g., every 5 minutes).
2. Fetch open Zendesk tickets pending agent reply.
3. Check the time elapsed since the last customer reply.
4. Compare elapsed time with SLA thresholds.
5. For tickets breaching SLA, update a tag/note on Zendesk and send an escalation notification.
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## Step-By-Step Technical Tutorial
### Prerequisites
– Running n8n instance (cloud or self-hosted).
– Zendesk API credentials (OAuth or API token).
– Slack webhook/email SMTP setup for notifications.
### Step 1: Set The Trigger Node
– Use the **Cron** node in n8n to run this workflow at an interval (e.g., every 5 minutes).
– Configure with your desired schedule.
### Step 2: Fetch Open Tickets From Zendesk
– Add an **HTTP Request** node.
– Configure to make a GET request to the Zendesk API endpoint `/api/v2/tickets.json?status=open&sort_by=updated_at&sort_order=asc`.
– Use pagination to handle large volumes if necessary.
– This returns open tickets that need agent replies.
### Step 3: Filter Tickets Waiting on Agent Response
– Zendesk ticket fields include `via`, `updated_at`, and `comment_count`.
– Use a **Function** node to filter tickets where the last comment was from the customer and there is no agent reply yet.
– This requires examining comments via Zendesk API `/api/v2/tickets/{id}/comments.json` for each ticket.
– Use an additional HTTP Request node iteratively to fetch comments per ticket or use the incremental API to optimize.
### Step 4: Calculate Elapsed Time and Check SLA Breaches
– For each filtered ticket, calculate the elapsed time since the last customer comment (or ticket creation if no comments).
– Compare this elapsed time against the SLA threshold (e.g., 30 minutes).
– Use a **Function** node to do this calculation and filter tickets breaching SLA.
### Step 5: Update Zendesk Tickets to Mark SLA Breached
– For tickets that breached SLA, send a PATCH request via the Zendesk API to update the ticket (add an SLA breach tag, priority bump, or internal note).
– Use the `/api/v2/tickets/{id}.json` endpoint with appropriate JSON payload.
### Step 6: Send Escalation Notifications
– Use a **Slack** node configured for your workspace or an **Email** node to notify the appropriate team/channel about SLA breaches.
– Include ticket ID, subject, customer info, and elapsed time.
### Step 7: Handle Pagination, Errors, and Logging
– Implement the Zendesk API pagination to ensure all tickets are evaluated.
– Add error handling in n8n nodes, especially HTTP requests.
– Use n8n’s built-in retry mechanism or custom logic for resilience.
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## Example n8n Workflow Breakdown
1. **Cron Node:** Runs every 5 minutes.
2. **HTTP Request Node (Get Tickets):** Fetches all open tickets sorted by update time.
3. **For Each Ticket:**
– HTTP Request to get comments.
– Function node to check last comment author and timestamp.
– If last comment from customer, calculate SLA elapsed time.
– If elapsed time exceeds SLA threshold:
– HTTP Request PATCH to update ticket with SLA breach comment/tag.
– Slack or Email node to notify escalation channel.
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## Common Errors and Tips for Robustness
– **Zendesk API Rate Limits:** Monitor limits and implement throttling or batching to avoid hitting the API cap.
– **Empty or Slow Responses:** Add retries and error catching.
– **Time Zone Consistency:** Convert all timestamps to UTC before calculations.
– **Workflow Optimization:** Cache comments when possible to reduce API calls.
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## Adapting and Scaling the Workflow
– **Multiple SLA Levels:** Add variables to manage different SLA timers per ticket priority.
– **Escalation Chains:** Trigger multiple levels of escalation based on how long SLA is breached.
– **Dashboard Integration:** Push SLA breach data to Google Sheets or BI tools for reporting.
– **Multi-Channel Notifications:** Add SMS or Microsoft Teams integrations.
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## Summary
By leveraging n8n’s flexibility and Zendesk’s API, you can reproduce SLA timer escalations without paying for the Zendesk SLA feature. This workflow effectively tracks support ticket response times and triggers timely escalation alerts, preserving customer satisfaction and team accountability.
The modular design allows customization and scaling as your team grows, saving significant costs while maintaining SLA compliance.
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## Bonus Tip
Consider incorporating a dedicated **state management** system using database nodes (PostgreSQL, Redis, etc.) within n8n to store SLA breach history and avoid duplicate notifications, especially if your ticket volume grows.
This way, you keep your escalation alerts clean and actionable.