Helpdesk Communication Tools
Integrate Gmail, Outlook and SMS for multi-channel support
The Helpdesk Mail Plugin module allows managing customer support requests directly from Gmail or Outlook, converting emails to tickets with one click, viewing all customer tickets and logging emails to tickets.
The Helpdesk SMS module allows sending automatic SMS to customers when tickets move to stages with configured SMS templates, helping update processing status quickly and reducing manual messaging.
Key Features
Key points
• Create tickets from Gmail/Outlook emails with one click
• View customer ticket list in plugin sidebar
• Log email content to tickets as internal notes
• Automatically send confirmation email when ticket created
• Send automatic SMS when ticket changes stage
• Manage entire support process from mailbox
Mail Plugin Requirements and Installation
The helpdesk_mail_plugin module requires Helpdesk and Mail Plugin installed. Plugin supports both Gmail and Outlook.
Steps
1. Install Gmail Plugin — Open Gmail, search "Odoo" in Chrome Web Store, click Add to Chrome, login to Odoo
2. Install Outlook Plugin — Open Outlook, search "Odoo" in Outlook Add-ins Store, click Get, login to Odoo
3. Check permissions — Go to Helpdesk → Tickets, if you see New button you have ticket creation rights
4. Plugin will appear in Gmail right corner or Outlook toolbar
Plugin Interface
When opening email, plugin displays main sections:
Key points
• Contact Info — Customer information (name, email, company)
• Tickets — Customer ticket list (displays 5 most recent tickets)
• Create Ticket — Button to create new ticket from this email
• Log Email — Button to log email to current ticket
Create Ticket from Email
Process to create ticket from email in Gmail or Outlook:
Steps
1. Open email from customer requiring ticket
2. Click Odoo icon (Gmail: right corner, Outlook: toolbar)
3. Check customer information displayed in plugin
4. Click Create Ticket button
5. Plugin automatically uses email subject as ticket title, email body as description
6. Ticket is linked to customer, assigned to creator and confirmation email sent
7. Plugin displays "Ticket created successfully" notification with Ticket ID
View Customer Tickets
Plugin displays customer ticket list when opening email:
Key points
• Each ticket displays name, status (New, In Progress, Waiting, Closed)
• Displays ticket count (e.g., "Tickets (5)" = 5 tickets)
• Click ticket name to open in Odoo (new tab)
• Plugin only displays 5 most recent tickets, view all in Odoo
• If no tickets, displays "No tickets found for this contact"
Log Email to Ticket
Log additional email to current ticket to save conversation history:
Steps
1. Open email from customer with additional information
2. Open Odoo plugin and view Tickets list
3. Click ticket to log email to
4. Click "Log the email on the ticket" (Gmail) or "Log Email Into Ticket" (Outlook)
5. Plugin logs email content to ticket as internal note
6. Displays "Email logged successfully" notification
7. Internal notes only visible to staff, not customers
Email Workflow
Standard process when receiving customer email:
Key points
• Check tickets first — View customer ticket list before creating new
• Avoid duplicate tickets — If related ticket exists, log email to that ticket
• Create ticket immediately — Don't let emails wait, create ticket to avoid forgetting
• Log additional emails — Save email content in ticket for history record
• Update status — Update ticket status in Odoo so customer knows progress
• Respond quickly — Send confirmation email to customer immediately after creating ticket
Configure Automatic SMS
The helpdesk_sms module allows sending automatic SMS when ticket changes stage:
Steps
1. Create SMS Template — Go to SMS Template area, create template for Helpdesk Ticket model
2. Assign template to Stage — Go to Helpdesk Stage, select stage requiring SMS
3. Select sms_template_id field — Assign SMS template to stage
4. From now on, whenever ticket enters that stage, system will send SMS if conditions met
SMS Sending Conditions
SMS is sent automatically when meeting these conditions:
Key points
• Ticket has customer (partner)
• Current stage has sms_template_id configured
• Ticket is newly created or stage updated
• When creating ticket, if first stage has SMS template, system sends immediately
• When changing stage, if new stage has SMS template, system sends SMS per new template
SMS Operation Tips
Key points
• Only assign SMS to important stages (Received, In Progress, Completed)
• Write concise, clear templates with ticket code if needed
• Avoid assigning too many stages to prevent spamming customers
• Check system SMS provider configuration
• Update template when needing to change SMS content
Common Plugin Issues
Common issues when using mail plugin and solutions:
Issue và Cause & Solution
| Issue | Cause & Solution |
|---|---|
| Plugin not appearing | Plugin not installed or not activated — Reinstall from Chrome Web Store (Gmail) or Outlook Add-ins Store (Outlook), login to Odoo |
| "Contact needs to exist to create Ticket" | Customer does not exist in Odoo — Go to Contacts, create new customer with name and email, then try creating ticket again |
| "Could not create the ticket" | Error during ticket creation — Check Helpdesk team configured, ticket creation rights, internet connection |
| "Email already logged on the ticket" | Email already logged previously — Check ticket to view logged email, select different ticket if needed |
| Cannot see customer tickets | Customer has no tickets — Create new ticket or check if customer is correct |
Common SMS Issues
Common issues when using SMS and solutions:
Issue và Cause & Solution
| Issue | Cause & Solution |
|---|---|
| Not sending SMS | Check if ticket has partner, stage has sms_template_id, SMS provider configuration |
| Wrong SMS content | Update SMS template, check template variables |
| SMS spamming customers | Remove SMS template from unimportant stages, only keep necessary stages |
Effective Usage Tips
Key points
• Ticket management — Create tickets immediately, log additional emails, update status, close tickets when done
• Plugin usage — Check tickets first, avoid duplicates, detailed notes, quick responses
• Security — Use internal notes for sensitive information, don't share customer emails
• Complex tickets — Assign other staff, create subtasks, set deadlines, contact manager
• Process optimization — Use email templates, automate classification, view reports, train staff
User Groups
Permissions by user group:
Group và Permissions
| Group | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Support Staff | Create tickets from email, view customer tickets, log emails to tickets |
| Helpdesk Manager | Full access: configure teams, install plugin, manage tickets, configure SMS templates |
| Sales Staff | Can create tickets for customers if granted permission |
Terminology Reference
| Fields | Trường dữ liệu | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mail Plugin | Email Plugin | |
| Create Ticket | Create Support Request | |
| Log Email | Log Email | |
| Contact Info | Customer Information | |
| SMS Template | SMS Template | |
| Stage | Status / Stage | |
| Internal Note | Internal Note |