How to Integrate Joomla with Help Scout Helpdesk Using Shack HelpScout

Help Scout is one of the most popular tools for efficient one-on-one email customer support. We ourselves use it here at Joomlashack.com.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to integrate your Joomla site with your Help Scout account using the "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension.

This is a two-step process:

  1. Create a custom Help Scout application in your Help Scout account
  2. Connect your Joomla site with Help Scout using the "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension.

Let's take a look at this process in more detail.


Step #1. Create a custom Help Scout App in your Help Scout account

When your "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension does not have access to Help Scout, you should see these instructions on your "Shack HelpScout" dashboard:

the access to helpscout has not been granted message

As you can see, your "Shack HelpScout" Joomla component prompts you to grant it access to your Help Scout account.

Let's create a custom application in your Help Scout account.

  • Copy the "Redirection URL" and save it. You will need it in a few moments:

copy the redirection url

  • Log in to your Help Scout account.
  • In the top right corner of the screen, click "Your Profile":

click your profile

  • In the left navigation menu, click "My Apps":

click my apps

  • You will see the "Create Custom App" box. Enter your preferred app name and the Redirection URL in their respective fields and click "Create":

click create

  • This will bring you to the screen with the credentials of your Help Scout custom application. Click "Save":

click save

  • You will see the "App saved" message at the top of the screen:

you will see the app saved message

  • Copy the "App ID" and "App Secret" and save them on your computer. You will use them in the next step:

copy the app id and app secret

Important: stay logged in to your Help Scout account, otherwise you won't be able to complete the next step.

Good job. You just created your Help Scout custom application. You are half-way done. The next step is to use this custom Help Scout application to connect your Help Scout account with your Joomla site using the "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension.


Step #2. Connect your "Shack HelpScout" Joomla component with your Help Scout account

  • In the control panel of your "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension, in the top right corner, click "Options":

click options

  • This will bring you to the "Shack HelpScout Configuration" screen. Enter your "App ID" and "App Secret" into their respective fields and click "Save" at the top of the screen:

click save

  • Click "Grant Access":

click grant access

  • This will bring up the "Authenticate App" box. Click "Authorize":

click authorize

  • You will see the "Access Granted" message:

access granted

Excellent! Job done! You just connected your Joomla site with your Help Scout account using the "Shack HelpScout" Joomla extension.

You can now create a menu item on your Joomla site for logged in users to see all their contact information via Help Scout (based on email address).

You can now also create a contact form available for your Joomla site visitors to initiate a conversation via your Help Scout customer support mailbox.