1. Merchant Central
  2. Getting Started User Guides
  3. Helpdesk

Introduction to Merchant Central Helpdesk

Overview

The Helpdesk module in your CRM is a centralized support system that enables ISOs and their teams to efficiently track, manage, and resolve client issues across every stage of the merchant lifecycle. Designed specifically for the payment processing industry, Helpdesk brings structure and transparency to support workflows through customizable ticket types, automated checklists, SLA tracking, and collaboration tools.

With Helpdesk, users can create tickets directly from merchant or lead records, assign tasks to team members, upload and share documents, and keep detailed logs of communication and activity—all within a single interface. The system supports role-based permissions and merchant visibility settings, so your team can control what merchants see and receive notifications on.

Key features include:

  • Ticket creation from anywhere in the CRM (Helpdesk, Lead Form, Merchant Details)
  • Automated SLA due dates based on ticket type
  • Role-based access controls and merchant visibility options
  • File uploads and sharing across tickets, leads, and merchant records
  • Comment threading with user mentions and notification controls
  • Status tracking and filtering for streamlined ticket queues
  • Customizable checklists to guide task completion

Helpdesk ensures that no client issue falls through the cracks, giving your support team the tools to deliver fast, accountable, and well-documented service—whether internally or directly to your merchants.

Prerequisites

To access the Helpdesk, confirm that your user class is configured with the necessary permissions.

Creating Helpdesk Tickets

To create a new ticket:

  1. Open Helpdesk from the menu bar and click Add New Ticket.
  2. The ticket creation page will open. Fill in the required ticket details.
  3. Complete any checklist items (if applicable).
  4. Click Create Ticket in the top-right corner.

Ticket Page Explained

Below is a description of the fields and actions available on the Create New Ticket page.

  • Ticket Category: Determines which ticket types are available for users to select.
  • Ticket Type: Defines the form structure and checklist based on selection.
  • Priority: Choose Low (blue), Medium (yellow), or Rush (red).
  • Channel: Displays the source of your tickets (e.g. Email, Phone, API, or other custom source).
  • Due Date: Manual or SLA-driven auto-fill.
  • For: Specify Merchant, Lead, or None. Use search to locate merchant by DBA/MID or a lead by name.
  • Merchant Visibility: Toggle visibility to the merchant.
  • Subject: Short title shown in the ticket and reports.
  • Description: Detailed issue explanation.
  • Speech Recognition: Click the mic to dictate instead of typing.
  • Attachments: Drag & drop, browse, or upload from merchant/lead profile.
  • Checklist: Must be completed before resolution—some before creation.
  • Assign To: Manual selection or auto-assigned based on rules.

💡Tickets can also be created directly from the Lead Tickets tab or the Merchant Details page (Merchant Actions → Create Ticket). In these cases, the ticket is automatically pre-filled with the associated lead or merchant DBA. 

Navigating, Searching, and Filtering Tickets

The Helpdesk page is divided into a Summary Table and a Detail Table.

At the top of the page, the summary table provides a quick overview of ticket counts categorized by both status (e.g., New, Open, In Progress) and timeframe (e.g., Today, Month-to-Date, Lifetime).

Clicking any total in the summary table will automatically refresh the detail table below to display tickets that match the selected status and time period. This interactive design helps you quickly drill down into relevant ticket data.

The detail table displays individual tickets matching the current filters. You can click on any ticket here to open it directly.

Additional features in the detail table include filtering tickets by date fields such as Created, Modified, or Due Date, and defining a custom date range.

You can also:

  • Search within the filtered results
  • Add or remove columns to customize the view (using the gear icon)
  • Export the data to Excel or CSV format

To help monitor whether tickets are being resolved within their assigned SLAs, the Ticket Due Date Status widget allows you to toggle between different due date statuses. When you select a status, the Detail Table will automatically refresh to display only the relevant tickets.

 

For more advanced filtering, use the Ticket Filters button in the summary table. 

💡If you frequently apply the same filter settings, you can save your configuration by clicking Save New View in the filter pane. This allows you to quickly reapply saved filters in the future, and you can create multiple saved views as needed. 

Viewing Tickets on Linked Lead and Merchant Accounts

When a Lead is linked to a Merchant Account, all of the Lead’s existing tickets will automatically appear under the Merchant’s ticket list in the Tickets tab. This also works in reverse—tickets associated with the Merchant will appear in the Lead’s ticket list under the lead's Tickets tab.

ℹ️For more details on linking leads to merchants, see our article on Linking Leads to Merchant Accounts. 

If a ticket originated from a Lead that is linked to a Merchant, the ticket will show links to both the Lead and the Merchant, allowing you to quickly navigate to either based on context. 

However, if the ticket originated from the Merchant account, it will only show the link to the Merchant, as such tickets are assumed to pertain solely to the Merchant and not the Lead.

Working Your Tickets

Once a ticket lands in your queue, managing it effectively is key to delivering timely and helpful support.

In this section, we’ll walk through the essential actions and tools involved in working tickets—from understanding and updating ticket statuses, to adding comments, attaching files or images, creating and viewing appointments, and using internal processes like merging related tickets.

We’ll also cover how to meet your SLA targets, leverage checklists for consistency, and ultimately resolve issues with the appropriate ticket outcome.

Using Ticket Statuses

Helpdesk tickets follow a fixed set of five statuses, shown in the image below.

These names are not customizable and are intentionally limited to keep tracking straightforward (unlike lead statuses, which offer more flexibility).

  • New – The starting status for all incoming tickets; no action has been taken yet.
  • Open – You're reviewing the ticket and preparing to respond.
  • In Progress – Work is underway, often involving a third party (e.g., a request sent to MSC or a processor).
  • Additional Information Required – You're waiting on more details from the ticket submitter.
  • Resolved – The issue has been fully addressed; no further action is needed.

💡You may adapt how these statuses are used based on your team's workflow.

To change a ticket’s status, just click the desired status and confirm the update.

Adding Comments, Files, and Images

Use the Comments widget on a ticket to add notes and notify others.

💡 Images can be pasted directly into the comments field to provide visual context. After saving, the image appears as a thumbnail next to the note. Clicking the thumbnail allows you to preview or download the image.

💡To make your comment visible to the merchant, select the Comment Visible to Merchant checkbox.

When you add a ticket comment, the selected users are automatically notified.

The Notify Users box on the widget automatically includes users notified in the previous comment, but you can also add or remove users manually on each new comment. You can also automatically notify all associated users or type external email addresses to notify and enter them using the Tab or Enter key.

All submitted comments appear at the bottom of the widget. From the top-right corner of each comment, you can check who was notified, edit your own comment, or pin it to the top of the list.

To attach files to your ticket, drag and drop them into the Files section (or click Browse File(s)), update the label if needed (default: Ticket Attachment), and click the upload button.

If your ticket is linked to a lead or merchant, then you can attach previously uploaded documents to the ticket by clicking the Attach Existing File(s) button and selecting the files.

💡 If you're browsing for files to upload, you can use Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) to select multiple files. You can also upload files directly from the Comments widget.

When files with a specific label are uploaded to a ticket, you can configure the system to automatically copy those files to the lead’s Attachments tab, ensuring they are saved both on the lead and in the ticket if required by your workflow.

Additionally, when a ticket is resolved, you can prompt the user to decide whether to copy files with a from the ticket to the linked lead. This behavior is managed through the document label settings. For details, see Configuring Helpdesk File Behavior

Uploaded files can be viewed, downloaded, edited, or deleted from the ticket using the shortcuts in the Actions column.

Scheduling Tasks and Appointments

You can easily schedule tasks or appointments with your clients directly from the Events tab within the ticket. This allows you to create, assign, and track follow-up activities—such as meetings, check-ins, or to-do items—while staying in the context of the client's support request.

By managing events within the ticket, you maintain a streamlined workflow and ensure that all client interactions and commitments are organized in one centralized place.

Merging Duplicate Tickets

Sometimes, duplicate or related tickets are submitted for the same issue. In these cases, you can merge them to keep your queue organized and ensure all communication stays in one place.

When you merge a ticket, selected information from the secondary ticket is combined into the primary one, and the secondary ticket is closed.

⚠️ Note: Merging is permanent and cannot be undone.

Here are the steps to merge two tickets:

  1. Open the primary ticket (the one you want to keep), and click Merge Ticket.
  2. Search for the ticket you want to merge by entering its ID or other details, then click Continue.
  3. Select which details from the secondary ticket to include, then click Merge Tickets.
  4. Confirm the action in the popup.
  5. A confirmation message will appear once the merge is complete.

If there are many attachments or files, it may take a few minutes to fully copy them. You’ll see status notifications as the process completes.

Finally, a merge note will be added to the primary ticket for reference.

Tracking SLA Progress on a Ticket

When a new Helpdesk ticket is created in the CRM, its due date is automatically set based on the SLA (Service Level Agreement) rules defined for its ticket type.

For example, a ticket may be due 3 days after creation. If the ticket type doesn’t have an SLA-based due date, you can set it manually using the Due Date field. You can also update the due date on existing tickets.

ℹ️ In v1, you can update the SLA by hovering over the Due Date field and clicking the edit icon.

All changes to a ticket’s due date are recorded in the ticket comments. This date is internal and not visible to merchants.

Your SLA status is shown in the Due column of the Helpdesk dashboard. Time remaining is shown in green, and overdue time in red. If no SLA is set, the column displays "n/a". When resolved on time, the SLA label updates to "SLA Met". If the SLA is missed, it shows how much time was exceeded.

You can sort the Due column or filter tickets by a specific date range using the Due Date filter.

Completing Checklists

When working with certain ticket types, you may encounter checklists designed to ensure all necessary steps are completed. These checklists help maintain consistency and compliance throughout the ticketing process.

If a checklist is enabled for a ticket type, all checklist items must be completed before the ticket can be resolved. Some checklist items may require you to upload files as part of the completion criteria.

Checklist items that must be completed before a ticket can be created will be marked with a red asterisk. The Create Ticket button will remain greyed out until all such required items are completed.

Resolving tickets

To resolve a ticket, click Mark as Resolved and confirm the update. If the ticket type includes predefined outcomes, select the appropriate outcome before finalizing the resolution. 

The Details table on the Helpdesk page allows you to view and report on ticket outcomes.

Using Maintenance Tickets

Maintenance tickets are pre-configured tools designed to streamline a variety of routine tasks related to NMI and TSYS merchant accounts. These tickets enable you to efficiently perform functions such as:

  • Creating or updating NMI gateway accounts
  • Adding or configuring terminal equipment
  • Modifying demographic details
  • Updating pricing structures
  • Managing value-added services

These tasks can be executed in real time, ensuring quicker updates and reduced manual intervention.

For detailed guidance, please refer to the following support articles:

Automating Ticket Workflows

The CRM Helpdesk offers several automation methods to reduce manual effort and ensure consistent, timely handling of support tickets. Depending on your workflow needs, tickets can be created and managed automatically using any of the following options:

  • Status Triggers: Tickets can be automatically created and assigned when a lead reaches a specific status in the CRM pipeline. This ensures consistent workflows and immediate handoff without manual intervention. More info: Using Status Triggers for Ticket Automation
  • Zapier Integration: The Helpdesk integrates with Zapier, allowing you to build workflows between the Helpdesk and thousands of third-party apps. For example, you can create tickets from form submissions, chat tools, or email alerts. More info: Merchant Central Zapier Integration
  • Open API: The CRM’s Open API enables programmatic ticket creation, updates, and reporting. This is ideal for building custom workflows, syncing data from other platforms, or embedding ticket actions into external systems. More info: Open API

Helpdesk Gmail and Outlook Integration

You can connect a Gmail or Outlook account to the CRM so that incoming emails automatically trigger ticket creation and updates.

By syncing a dedicated group email address—such as support@yourdomain.com—clients can submit new Helpdesk tickets simply by sending an email, without needing to log in to the CRM.

This integration also allows CRM users to respond to ticket notifications directly from their inbox, streamlining communication and ensuring faster response times.

For more details, see the our articles on Email Sync for Helpdesk Tickets and Gmail & Outlook Sync Email Integration Guide.

Enabling Helpdesk Access For Merchants

To streamline support for your Merchant users, you can enable them to log tickets through the Helpdesk in Merchant Central. This allows merchants to easily submit inquiries, report issues, and track the status of their tickets.

To enable this feature, follow these two steps:

1. Enable Helpdesk Permissions

  • Go to Manage Administration User Classes.
  • Select Permissions for the Merchant user class.
  • Enable Helpdesk System and Email Notifications permissions.
  • Click Update Permissions.

2. Add Ticket Types for Merchants

  • Create ticket types for merchants to use when logging tickets.

Once these steps are complete, merchants will see the Helpdesk option in their menu.

Upon opening it, they’ll be able to view tickets for their linked MID(s) and create new tickets using the Add New Ticket button.

This provides an efficient way for merchants to contact you directly through the Helpdesk, ensuring faster issue resolution and improved communication.

Importing Tickets

The Helpdesk Ticket Importer enables bulk creation of tickets within the CRM Helpdesk by uploading data from a structured CSV file. It supports flexible field mapping, default values for unmapped fields, and advanced options for date/time formats.

Users can preview the import, track progress in real time, and save mappings for future use. The ticket importer simplifies ticket migrations, external system syncs, and large-scale data imports.

For more information, please refer to our article on the Helpdesk Ticket Importer.

Video Resources

View our webinar on Helpdesk updates made in 2024.

 

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