--- title: "Migrate from Zendesk to Help Scout | ClonePartner" description: "Migrating from Zendesk to Help Scout means moving from a complex, highly configurable environment into a platform designed for clarity and customer-centric conv" source: Zendesk target: Help Scout canonical: "https://clonepartner.com/migrate/zendesk-to-help-scout/" --- # Zendesk → Help Scout migration Seamless Zendesk to Help Scout migration — all records moved with accuracy and care. ## Why teams migrate from Zendesk to Help Scout Migrating from Zendesk to Help Scout means moving from a complex, highly configurable environment into a platform designed for **clarity and customer-centric conversations**. The data models differ significantly — Zendesk Tickets become Help Scout **Conversations**, Comments become **Threads**, and the KB hierarchy shifts from Category/Section/Article to Collection/Category/Article. Help Scout enforces a **10 MB attachment limit** via API, has strict HTML formatting requirements, and restricts modifications to closed conversations. Side conversations and ticket skips have no native equivalent and require creative workarounds. A successful migration requires strict object sequencing, authenticated inline image re-hosting, HTML sanitization, and careful handling of deactivated agents and CC/BCC participants. ## Key migration challenges - **KB Hierarchy Mismatch** — Zendesk uses Category/Section/Article while Help Scout uses Collection/Category/Article. Sections must be mapped to Help Scout Categories with structural adjustment. - **Closed Ticket Immutability** — Help Scout restricts modifications to closed conversations. All threads, custom fields, and tags must be set before the status is changed to closed. - **Inline Image Authentication** — Zendesk inline images require agent authentication to access. Scripts must download images via authenticated API calls, upload to Help Scout, and rewrite HTML src tags. - **Attachment Size Limit** — Help Scout enforces a 10 MB per-attachment API limit. Zendesk files over 10 MB cause 400 errors and must be handled with skip-and-note logic. - **Ghost Agent Problem** — Tickets assigned to former employees need a mapped "Archive Agent" in Help Scout. Without this, API calls may error or misattribute replies. ## Entity mappings - **Tickets** (Zendesk) → **Conversations** (Help Scout) - **Ticket Comments** (Zendesk) → **Conversation Threads** (Help Scout) - **Ticket Attachments** (Zendesk) → **Conversation Attachments** (Help Scout) - **Users** (Zendesk) → **Customers** (Help Scout) - **Organizations** (Zendesk) → **Companies** (Help Scout) - **Groups** (Zendesk) → **Mailboxes** (Help Scout) - **Tags** (Zendesk) → **Tags** (Help Scout) - **Ticket Fields** (Zendesk) → **Custom Field Values** (Help Scout) - **User Fields** (Zendesk) → **Customer Properties** (Help Scout) - **Help Center Articles** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) - **Macros** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) - **Satisfaction Ratings** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) - **SLA Policies** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) - **Organization Fields** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) - **Suspended Tickets** (Zendesk) → **Not Available** (Help Scout) ## What breaks during migration - **Ticket Comments** [Direct] — Public comments map to Replies, private comments to Notes in Help Scout threads. - **Organizations** [Direct] — Direct 1:1 mapping to Help Scout Organizations. - **Knowledge Base Articles** [Workaround] — HTML body transfers but inline image URLs must be rewritten to point to Help Scout assets. - **Side Conversations** [Breaks] — No dedicated equivalent. Must be extracted and inserted as Internal Notes. - **Ticket Skips** [Workaround] — No equivalent object. Must be migrated as Internal Notes with system author. - **Attachments (>10 MB)** [Breaks] — Help Scout API rejects files over 10 MB. Requires skip logic and explanatory notes. - **CSAT Ratings** [Direct] — Can be mapped to Help Scout Ratings to preserve historical satisfaction data. - **CC/BCC Participants** [Workaround] — Must be explicitly parsed from Zendesk and mapped to cc/bcc arrays in Help Scout thread payloads. - **Triggers and Automations** [Breaks] — Must be rebuilt as Help Scout Workflows. No API migration path exists. ## What we migrate ### Migration Filter - **User Selection** — Migrate tickets for specific users or agents - **Time Range** — Migrate tickets from a specific time period - **Conversation Type** — Filter by chat, email, or social media conversations - **Tag-Based Selection** — Migrate tickets with specific tags only ### Data Types - **Knowledge Base** — Articles, categories, and help center content - **Tickets & Conversations** — Full conversation history with all metadata - **Customer Profiles** — Customer information and interaction history - **Automations & Macros** — Workflows, templates, and automation rules ## Complete technical guide For a deep-dive into the technical process, data mapping, and step-by-step migration workflow, read our full guide: [The Complete Guide to Migrating from Zendesk to Help Scout](https://clonepartner.com/blog/zendesk-to-help-scout-migration-guide/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Who can view my data? For each migration project, you'll be assigned a migration engineer. Only the migration engineer can view your data. No one else at ClonePartner can view your data. ### Can I sign an NDA? If you are reaching out to us via one of our partners, we already have an NDA signed with them that unilaterally applies to all their customers. If you are reaching us directly and need an NDA signed, we'll be happy to sign your NDA or ours. ## Get a fixed-price quote [Talk to an engineer](https://cal.com/clonepartner/meet?duration=30&utm_source=xtoy&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=demo_bookings&utm_content=cta_click&utm_term=demo_button_click) about your Zendesk → Help Scout migration.