Guest Account Logins?

[alinford]

We are trying to figure out how to best integrate Kayako into our existing system.

We can tie the user login to our database so clients going to the Kayako panel use the same user/pass as their account with us, and that works fine.

However, we have not sorted out how to handle guest accounts yet. I think what I have to do is make "presales" or non-account issues go through a different "template group", which will not authenticate through our system, but will use Kayako's authentication instead.

Is that correct?

How are others handling this?

[craigbrass]

Personally, I have a few sites and handle it in different ways on each.

On one, I make it so only people who have registered can submit a ticket. I use http://forums.kayako.com/f52/integra...al-link-17915/ for integration but then also have a pre-sales contact form that just just goes to a presales@ mailbox.

On another, I again use the Integration API but then force all users to register first. I prefer this way.

[supportskins]

One can use the LoginShare feature however I personally feel the biggest drawback of the LoginShare feature is that it does not fall back onto the Kayako database to check if the user exists or not if the login with the integrated system fails.

[craigbrass]

I have always found the LoginShare system confusing to the end user, hence creating the API.

[alinford]

Originally Posted by craigbrass

Personally, I have a few sites and handle it in different ways on each.

On one, I make it so only people who have registered can submit a ticket. I use http://forums.kayako.com/f52/integra...al-link-17915/ for integration but then also have a pre-sales contact form that just just goes to a presales@ mailbox.

On another, I again use the Integration API but then force all users to register first. I prefer this way.

Thanks for the feedback.

I like the idea of a presales form for non clients, but would really like the Kayako FAQ system to work with presales.

Ideally, our clients would be able to login using their current login info, and non clients would be auto assigned login info when they submit a ticket. Is there a way that this can be done?

Also, is there any way to merge Kayako accounts?

[craigbrass]

You can leave the FAQ open to anyone using the Kayako front end or the integration API without forcing them to login.

And no, no way to merge via the ACP. You have to run database queries.

[alinford]

Originally Posted by craigbrass

You can leave the FAQ open to anyone using the Kayako front end or the integration API without forcing them to login.

Sorry, I did not explain that very well. Can I have users login, but also have the option for guests to submit tickets without logging in? I know that we would end up with clients submitting tickets without logging in at times, but I can live with that. If this is possible, then clients could login, and guests could submit without logging in.

[craigbrass]

I don't think this is possible, no.

[alinford]

We are probably not going to use the LoginShare option due to the problems it creates.

So, it looks like we then have 2 options:
1 - we could setup Kayako as a separate system.
2 - we could use Craig's Integration API. I am trying to understand what the Integration API does that would be useful in our case. We are a hosting/domain management company. How might it work for us?

[craigbrass]

Do you have a client area? If so, what software do you use? You could set it up so that the ticket lists, create ticket page and knowledge base show inside this area forcing them to login first...

[alinford]

Originally Posted by craigbrass

Do you have a client area? If so, what software do you use? You could set it up so that the ticket lists, create ticket page and knowledge base show inside this area forcing them to login first...

We have a client area that is similar to WHMCS's, but we need to be able to receive pre sales requests from non clients as well.

[craigbrass]

That is why I suggested using a pre-sales form just going to an email address for presales. Trust me, it makes life easier I have found. Afterall, your likely to get more support questions and they are the ones requiring tracking.

[alinford]

Originally Posted by craigbrass

That is why I suggested using a pre-sales form just going to an email address for presales. Trust me, it makes life easier I have found. Afterall, your likely to get more support questions and they are the ones requiring tracking.

Ok, that makes sense. I think it makes more sense for us to just allow anyone to create a ticket then.
Thanks for the help.