Sandbox Configuration Management is designed to streamline the management of configuration settings across your different Zendesk environments, specifically focusing on the sandbox and production setups. This initiative aims to mitigate the challenges associated with managing configurations by providing a unified approach to inspect, compare, and deploy changes between these environments.
Key Features of the Sandbox Configuration Management EAP
1. Inspecting Your Configuration
The inspection feature provides Admins with a near-complete overview of an environment's configuration. Through it, you can easily observe and assess the current state of your Zendesk environment. By offering a detailed summary, admins can quickly identify settings and configurations without the need to navigate through multiple screens.
→ See Inspecting your Configuration for details on how to use this feature.
2. Saving a Version of Your Configuration
This feature allows Admins to save a specific version of their configuration settings. By doing so, you can create a snapshot of your environment at a particular point in time. This capability allows you to maintain an historical record of configurations, which can be referenced or restored as needed. It serves as a safeguard against unintended changes and provides a basis for future comparisons.
→ See Saving an environment's current configuration for details on how to use this feature.
3. Comparing Versions
The comparison feature enables Admins to compare two versions simultaneously. Instead of toggling between different environments to identify discrepancies, this feature highlights the differences between configurations, such as triggers or settings, in the production and sandbox environments. This functionality streamlines the process of identifying changes and ensures that Admins can easily pinpoint what has been altered. By simplifying the comparison process, it enhances clarity and reduces the risk of errors.
→ See Comparing saved versions for details on how to use this feature.
4. Deploying a Version to your Sandbox
The deployment feature allows Admin to push a specific version of configuration settings to your sandbox environment. This functionality minimizes the need for manual changes to keep your sandbox up to date and helps to ensure you are testing in an environment similar to your production account.
→ See Deploying to a sandbox for details on how to use this feature.
5. Deploying a Version to your Production environment (Coming soon)
This feature rounds out the deployment functionality by adding the capability to deploy a version / snapshot to your production environment. This functionality minimizes the need for making manual changes to your production environment. Automating the deployment process enhances efficiency and accuracy, and reduces the risk involved in managing changes. Additionally, the ability to roll back to a previous version provides flexibility and security, allowing Admins to revert changes if necessary.
How will this EAP affect me?
These features will be released progressively throughout the first half of 2025. The first release of this program will allow you to inspect the state and configuration of both your production and sandbox environments.
Not all configuration items will be available. We will be focusing on the Support product to begin with so areas like Explore will not be available. Use of some Configuration Management features will count against your existing API rate limits and could cause issues with other systems that use the APIs (e.g., integrations, apps, etc.)
You will receive further instructions and information after signing up to the EAP. The first release was launched on January 17, 2025. Customers who sign up to the EAP will be contacted when subsequent features are made available.
Where can I learn more?
For more information, signing up to the EAP, and providing feedback, visit the Sandbox Configuration Management Community Forum.