== WHMCS Long-Term Support ==

Product enhancements, bug fixes and security fixes for published versions of WHMCS are common; WHMCS is constantly being refined to ensure a safe and robust experience. However, it is impractical for customers to always track the latest product refinements at the same pace as our Development Team. And for that reason, WHMCS has implemented a Long-Term Support Policy for WHMCS.

=== Overview ===
The WHMCS Long-Term Support Policy provides customers with a clear understanding of our commitment to supporting the software they have purchased a license for and installed on their systems.

WHMCS will provide periodic maintenance releases for major and minor versions of WHMCS as part of the normal WHMCS Release Process. This is called [[#Active Development | Active Development]]. Versions of WHMCS that are not under Active Development will not receive maintenance releases, however, they are candidates for Targeted Critical and Security Releases. WHMCS will only provide Targeted Releases for candidates that have not reached their [[#Defining End Of Life | End Of Life]].

Please refer to the [[#WHMCS Version & LTS Schedule|WHMCS Version and LTS Schedule]] to see what versions of WHMCS are currently covered by Long-Term Support or under Active Development.

=== Provisions of Long-Term Support ===
Once a version of WHMCS is no longer being actively developed it will receive Long-Term Support (LTS) from our Development and Security Teams. LTS is a finite period which expires on a specific date known as End Of Life (EOL). Each minor version has it's own EOL date.

Product versions that are in LTS are provided Targeted Critical and Security Releases.

Once a version has moved from Active Development to LTS it will not receive product enhancements or maintenance fixes unless they are deemed critical to the viability of a Targeted Critical or Security Release, and therefore delivered as part of LTS. If you require product enhancements or maintenance fixes, we suggest updating to a product version that is being actively developed.

=== Active Development ===
A product version that is under Active Development is in the process of being refined. Therefore, subsequent revisions are likely to be released until a new minor version is published. Revision releases can include bug fixes, security enhancements, minor optimizations, third-party updates, as well as Important or Critical updates.

At any given moment in time, there will likely be only one actively developed version of WHMCS available; it will be the latest version available for our site. However, to ensure a smooth transition from one major or minor version to the next, WHMCS may extend Active Development of the previously published version. These overlaps between product versions is usually quite small, on the order of a few weeks at most.

Please refer to [[#WHMCS Version & LTS Schedule|WHMCS Version and LTS Schedule]] to know if your version is currently under Active Development.

=== Defining End Of Life ===
A core attribute of the Long-Term Support Policy is defining a given version's End Of Life (EOL) date. The EOL date is established upon the publication of a new minor or major release and typically is set one year into the future.

For example if version 1.0.0 is published January 31, 2012, then it will have an EOL of January 1st 2013 because it is a major release. If 1.1.0 is published on May 1st, 2012, it will have an EOL of May 1st 2013 because it is a minor release. If 1.1.1 is published on May 15th 2012 it will have an EOL of May 1st 2013 because it is a maintenance release to a previous minor release. Likewise, if 1.1.5 is published on July 24th 2012 it will have an EOL of May 1st 2013 because it is a maintenance release to a previous minor release.

=== After End Of Life ===
Once a version's EOL date has passed, no further releases or updates will be provided, regardless of the observed deficiency in that version.

Products that have reached EOL are not available for download from WHMCS.

As noted below in [[#Licensing & Services | Licensing & Services]], the product will continue to function even after the EOL date has passed. The use of the software is not tied to LTS or EOL, but the active/inactive state of your license.

=== Licensing & Services ===
WHMCS has historically offered with two types of licenses: Monthly and Owned. Whilst all new sales are of the Monthly type, this document also describes how the policy applies to grandfathered Owned licenses. Each license type is bundled with [[#Help Desk Support | help desk support]] and access to [[#Software Update Service | software updates]] when initially purchased.

A Monthly license always has access to these two services. An Owned license has access to these two services for one year. After one year, an Owned license holder can purchase an additional year of these two services as an addon.

An Owned license validates use of the software indefinitely, even after the term of help desk support and access to software updates expires. A Monthly license validates use of the software, help desk support, and access to software updates in one month durations. The active status of your license governs the functional state of your WHMCS installation, not the development status (Active Development/LTS/EOL) of the deployed product version.

==== Help Desk Support ====
The help desk support service allows customers to open tickets with our help desk. These tickets are managed by our Technical Analysts. Our Analysts work with customers to resolve a broad range of issues from configuration to identifying deficiency within a given version of WHMCS. With this service, customers have access to Analysts regardless of which version of the product they are using, even if that version has reached its End Of Life.

It's important to remember, however, that support provided by this service, or deficiencies identified by our Analysts, does not imply future refinements for versions. The [[#WHMCS Version & LTS Schedule|LTS schedule]], along with the severity of the identified issue, will determine what versions of WHMCS are candidates for any future refines.

==== Software Update Service ====
The software update service allows customers access to the latest versions of WHMCS. The service does not imply continued development, maintenance, or critical fixes for any given version of WHMCS. The [[#WHMCS Version & LTS Schedule|LTS schedule]] will determine what versions of WHMCS are candidates for any refinements. It is recommended that customers leverage this service and keep their WHMCS installation up to date, and optimally, tracking a version that is currently under [[#Active Development | Active Development]].

=== Grandfathered LTS ===
The WHMCS Long-Term Support policy is effective May 1st, 2013. Particular versions have been grandfathered, namely 4.5, 5.0, and 5.1.

=== WHMCS Version & LTS Schedule ===
This chart is updated upon each major or minor release of WHMCS.

{| class="table table-striped"
! WHMCS Version
! Approximate Publication Date
! Targeted End-Of-Life Date
! Current Status

|-
| 8.3 || September 2021 || October 31st, 2022 || style="background: #81D153; font-weight: bold;" | [[#Active Development | <span style="color:#333">Active Development</span>]]
|-
| 8.2 || May 2021 || June 30th, 2022 || style="background: #FFCCCC; font-weight: bold;" | LTS
|-
| 8.1 || November 2020 || December 31st, 2021 || style="background: #FFCCCC; font-weight: bold;" | LTS
|-
| 8.0 || August 2020 || September 30th, 2021 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;" | EOL
|-
| 7.10 || April 2020|| April 30th, 2021 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;" | EOL
|-
| 7.9 || November 2019 || December 31st, 2020 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;" | EOL
|-
| 7.8 || August 2019 || August 31st, 2020 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.7 || January 2019 || January 31st, 2020 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.6 || June 2018 || July 31st, 2019 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.5 || April 2018 || April 30th, 2019 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.4 || November 2017 || November 30th, 2018 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.3 || October 2017 || October 31st, 2018 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.2 || May 2017 || May 31st, 2018 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.1 || December 2016 || December 31, 2017 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 7.0 || October 2016 || October 31, 2017 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 6.3 || March 2016 || March 31, 2017 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 6.2 || December 2015 || December 31, 2016 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 6.1 || September 2015 || September 30, 2016 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 6.0 || July 2015 || July 31, 2016 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 5.3 || September 2013 || October 31, 2015 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 5.2 || March 2013 || March 31, 2014 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 5.1 || July 2012 || November 30, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 5.0 || December 2011 || July 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.5 || April 2011 || June 30, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.4 || December 2010 || May 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.3 || September 2010 || May 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.2 || March 2010 || May 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.1 || November 2009 || May 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 4.0 || May 2009 || May 31, 2013 || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold;color: black" | EOL
|-
| 1.x-3.x || -- || -- || style="background: #84807F; font-weight: bold; font-style: bold;color: black" | EOL
|}

''Last Updated: 13th September 2021''

Version 8.3.0 Release Notes

2021-10-13T15:45:07Z

Benlake:

<div class="docs-alert-info" style="max-width:370px;">
<span class="title">Release Information</span>
<br />
Version: 8.3<br />
Release Type: General Availability<br />
Latest Update: 13th October 2021<br />
Distribution Types: Full and Via Automatic Updater
</div>

==Version History==
<onlyinclude>
<table class="table table-striped">
<tr><td>8.3.0</td><td>Beta 1</td><td>13th September 2021</td></tr>
<tr><td>8.3.0</td><td>Release Candidate 1</td><td>28th September 2021</td></tr>
<tr><td>8.3.0</td><td>General Availability</td><td>13th October 2021</td></tr>
</table>
</onlyinclude>
==Download==

Download the latest version of WHMCS from https://download.whmcs.com/

==Upgrade Process==

WHMCS 8.0 and above requires PHP 7.2 or later. WHMCS 8.0 introduces support for PHP 7.4. Earlier versions of WHMCS do not support PHP 7.4.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">You will only see the WHMCS 8 updates within the Automatic Updater if you are running on PHP 7.2 or later. If you are running PHP 7.1 or earlier, to update to WHMCS 8 via the Automatic Updater, you will first need to upgrade to PHP 7.2 or PHP 7.3, and then check for updates and perform the update.</div>

Once you are running WHMCS 8, you can upgrade to PHP 7.4.

[[Upgrading|View Standard Upgrade Steps]]

===Automatic Updating===

If you are running WHMCS 7.0 or later, you can use the built-in [[Automatic_Updater|Automatic Update]] utility.

Go to '''Utilities > Update WHMCS''' to begin the process.

<div class="docs-alert-info"><i class="fa fa-info-circle fa-fw"></i> If the update was released recently, you may need to click '''Check for Updates''' before the update will be available.
</div>

For more information about updating, refer to the [[Automatic Updater]] documentation.

== Release Notes ==

=== Improved Email Reply Importing and Attachments ===

We have improved the support ticket system's handling of insecure email replies. This includes new settings at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > [[General Settings]]''' that set how WHMCS handles importing for support tickets.

[[Blocked_Support_Email_Replies|Learn more...]]

=== Plesk Usage Statistics ===

The list of servers at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > Servers''' now displays services and either accounts or domains for Plesk servers.

=== Manage Stripe and PayPal® Disputes ===

You can now work with disputes directly within the WHMCS Admin Area, including viewing and closing disputes and submitting evidence. Currently, this feature supports the Stripe and PayPal payment gateways.

[[Disputes|Learn More...]]

=== Improved Client Profile Summary ===

The client profile '''Summary''' tab at '''Clients > View/Search Clients > Client Profile''' now offers faster filtering, sorting, and pagination tools. This improves the ability to locate products, services, addons, domains, and quotes.

=== Automated WordPress® Hosting ===

You can now easily create WordPress hosting products with full WHMCS automation for cPanel and Plesk servers. Automatic provisioning installs WordPress when the product is purchased, and both clients and admins can create additional WordPress installations on the hosting account from the Client Area and Admin Area.

[[WordPress Hosting|Learn More...]]

=== Friendly URLs for Products ===

You can now customize friendly URLs for each of your products. Once you have created one or more product URLs, you can easily view the number of visits for the active (most recent) product URL.

[[Friendly URLs|Learn More...]]

=== Affiliate Commission Reversals ===

New updates to the affiliate system help you reverse commission payments for disputed or refunded purchases. This ensures that affiliates won't receive a commission if your business did not retain the funds from a given purchase.

[[Affiliates|Learn More...]]

=== Improved SSL Certificate Validation ===

WHMCS now supports DNS validation for MarketConnect's DigiCert SSL certificates. Starting in October 2021, certificates will require wildcard certificate validation through either DNS or email. Our changes include interface improvements that allow clients and admins to access validation data for certificates that are waiting to be issued.

[[SSL_Certificates_via_WHMCS_MarketConnect|Learn More...]]

== Deprecation and Removal Notices ==

''None''

== Template ==

For a list of changed files and a graphical view of the exact changes, please refer to the GitHub repositories below.

===Twenty-One Theme===

The following link provides a comparison of changes between 8.2.1 and 8.3.0 (General Availability):

https://github.com/WHMCS/templates-twenty-one/compare/v8.2.1-release.1...v8.3.0-release.1

=== Six Theme ===

The following link provides a comparison of changes between 8.2.1 and 8.3.0 (General Availability):

https://github.com/WHMCS/templates-six/compare/v8.2.1-release.1...v8.3.0-release.1

=== Standard Cart Order Form ===

The following link provides a comparison of changes between 8.2.1 and 8.3.0 (General Availability):

https://github.com/WHMCS/orderforms-standard_cart/compare/v8.2.1-release.1...v8.3.0-release.1

== Changelog ==
* [[Changelog:WHMCS_V8.3.0_Beta_1|Version 8.3.0 Beta 1]]
* [[Changelog:WHMCS_V8.3.0_RC_1|Version 8.3.0 RC 1]]
* [[Changelog:WHMCS_V8.3.0_GA|Version 8.3.0 GA]]

Changelog:WHMCS V8.3.0

2021-10-13T15:41:52Z

Benlake:

Changelog:WHMCS V8.3.0 GA

2021-10-13T15:40:14Z

Benlake: Created page with "<noinclude>Version 8.3.0 Release Notes</noinclude> == Maintenance == CORE-16706 - Add indices for pricing table<br /> Also known as: CORE-16939<br /> CORE-16894 - Use..."

<noinclude>[[Version 8.3.0 Release Notes]]</noinclude>

== Maintenance ==
CORE-16706 - Add indices for pricing table<br /> Also known as: CORE-16939<br />
CORE-16894 - Use translated service merge field when available<br />
CORE-16914 - Improve resilience of duplicate recipient check for system emails<br />
CORE-17053 - Log user account deletion<br />
CORE-17067 - Prevent transliteration of original dataset provided to registrar function SaveContactDetails<br />
CORE-17083 - Correct support department connection test<br />
CORE-17099 - Prevent manual transaction entry for invalid invoice ID<br />
CORE-17115 - Correct syntax error in Service Renewal Failed email template<br />
CORE-17123 - Prevent erroneous failure when saving general settings<br />
CORE-17126 - Add FileInfo extension to recommended environment health check<br />

== Languages ==
CORE-17015 - Update Hebrew translations<br />
CORE-17039 - Update Farsi translations<br />

Support Tickets

2021-06-04T16:19:56Z

Benlake: added ==Ticket Reply Badges==

The '''Support Ticket''' system is a fully featured ticket desk that allows you to handle all communication with your clients. It features threaded discussions, private notes, ticket flagging, varying priority levels, [[Predefined_Replies|predefined replies]], and automatic inactive ticket closure. You can assign Admins to specific departments, so that they only have access to their designated areas.

==The Ticket List==
[[File:Support-tickets-view.png|thumb|The support ticket list]]
When a client submits a support ticket the appropriate members of staff assigned to that department will receive a '''New Support Ticket Opened''' email. To view the ticket, navigate to '''Support > Support Tickets'''.

This page displays all tickets that are in the '''Awaiting Reply''' status by default. The ticket order can be changed by clicking the table headings. To view only those tickets with a certain status, department or to search click the '''Search/Filter''' tab. The most-commonly-used status lists can accessed directly via '''Support''' in the navigation bar.

The '''Auto Refresh''' feature reloads the ticket list automatically at frequencies ranging from every 1 minute to 15 minutes. This is configured via the '''Auto Refresh''' tab.

There are several bulk tools on this page.
* Click '''Close''' to close tickets.
* Click '''Delete''' to delete tickets.
* Click '''Merge''' to merge two tickets, with the older ticket merging into the newer ticket.
* Click '''Block Sender & Delete''' to delete tickets and add the sender's email to the '''Banned Emails''' list.

A ticket starts in the '''Open''' status. This indicates that the client has not yet received a reply from a member of staff. After a reply, the status automatically changes to '''Answered'''.

The status can also be changed manually from the view ticket screen, using the dropdown menu next to the ticket subject. A change in selection here is saved immediately using AJAX, without needing to reload the page. Custom statuses can also be created to help with management of tickets. See the [[Support Ticket Statuses]] section for more information.

==Merging Tickets==
When using '''Merge''':

* A ticket will always merge into the earliest-opened ticket. This is the one with the lowest ID in the database. This is the same whether you merge from inside of a ticket or from the ticket list.
* Unless it already appears in the subject, the subject of the ticket will have '''[MERGED]''' appended in the client's language.
* The ticket status will take the status from the ticket that has received the latest reply.
* A ticket that has been merged into another ticket will not appear in the ticket list, but accessing an old ticket URL will redirect to the appropriate ticket.
* Replying to an old ticket via email will also redirect the reply to the appropriate ticket after the merge.
* If you are merging tickets from multiple clients together, the client that had the oldest ticket would see the merged ticket in their client area.

==Replying to a Ticket==

[[File:Ticket-reply.png|thumb|The support ticket reply page]]

To open a ticket and view the contents of it, from where you can submit a reply, simply click the subject in the ticket list. You will then be taken to the ticket view page. The clients' messages and staff replies will all be displayed to you here, along with any private admin notes. The order of ticket message can be changed in '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > [[Support_Tab#Ticket_Reply_List_Order|General Settings]]'''.

The most common task when viewing a ticket is making a reply, and so this tab is open by default when entering a ticket, providing a large text area for a reply to be entered into. If a Support Ticket Signature is configured in your admin profile, it will be pre-populated into this field.

Support ticket replies allow you to use both predefined replies, and insert links to KB articles automatically to make replying to common questions simple.

===Merge Fields===

Support ticket replies support 3 automatic data merge fields - <tt>[FIRSTNAME]</tt>, <tt>[NAME]</tt>, and <tt>[EMAIL]</tt>. These are most commonly used in Predefined Replies but can also be used in the custom messages you write if it's easier to insert the merge field syntax rather than the actual value itself.

===Ticket Markdown===

WHMCS supports [[Markdown_Editor|Markdown formatting]] in ticket replies and notes.

A convenient and easily accessible Markdown Guide is provided within the product accessible via the Help icon within the editor toolbar at any time.

===Quoting a Reply===

To include a copy of a previous reply in your message, you can click the corresponding speech bubble icon next to the reply you want to quote and it will be automatically inserted to the message box using indentation to indicate it's quoted text.

===File Attachments===

Attachments can be sent with a reply, and these will be automatically attached to the notification email sent to the client as well as being downloadable from the client area at any time. To attach a file, click the '''Browse''' button and select the file on your computer, the file will be uploaded to the attachments directory. Clicking the '''Add More''' link allows multiple files to be attached with a single reply.

===Billing a Client===

It's also possible to create a [[Billable Items|billable item]] for a client upon replying to a ticket. This allows you to generate invoices, or log time spent on a ticket, in one step for convenience. Fill in the description, amount, and invoice action in the '''Add Billing Entry''' section and it will be actioned when the reply is submitted.

===Post Reply Action===

The '''Post Reply''' dropdown menu allows for the selection of the action to be taken upon clicking the '''Add Response''' button for example changing the ticket status and remaining in the ticket view or returning to the main ticket list.

===Editing/Deleting a Reply===

Client and staff ticket replies can be edited by clicking the '''Edit''' button next to a message.

To delete a message from a ticket, simply click the red delete icon located to the top right of the message. Deleting the '''first message''' in a ticket will delete the entire ticket.

===Predefined Ticket Replies===

Predefined ticket replies are useful if you get asked the same questions repeatedly via support tickets. With a predefined reply, this can be loaded into the reply box when replying to a users ticket and modified as required to answer the users question.

====Adding a Predefined Reply====

To set up a predefined reply, go to '''Support > Predefined Replies'''. You will need to configure categories and predefined replies in the same way as [[Support_Center#Knowledgebase|knowledgebase articles]].

As mentioned previously, you can have predefined replies automatically customised to a user using the merge fields <tt>[FIRSTNAME]</tt>, <tt>[NAME]</tt>, or <tt>[EMAIL]</tt> anywhere within the message.

====Using a Predefined Reply====

To use a predefined ticket reply when replying to a users ticket click the '''Insert Predefined Ticket Reply''' link located immediately below the text area for entering your reply. A popup window will appear allowing you to select the reply you want to use and it will then be loaded into the reply message box once selected. The search field can also be used to find replies by title to save having to search through each category. You can then edit the reply as required to customise it to the user and then click Reply button as normal.

Finally once the reply has been composed click the '''Add Response''' button to record the reply against the ticket. The client will be sent a notification email containing a copy of the message.

==Splitting Replies==
[[File:Split-replies.JPG|thumb|Split Selected Ticket Replies]]

Sometimes it may be necessary to move specific replies out from one support ticket and into a new one. If the message contains an attachment, this will be carried across into the new ticket too.

To do this:
#Check the checkboxes in the top-right corner of the messages you wish to split into a new ticket.
#Scroll to the bottom of the page and click '''Split Selected Replies'''.
#In the prompt that appears, select a department, priority, and subject for the new ticket, and whether to send a new ticket notification.
#Click '''Submit'''.

To quickly return to the original ticket, click '''Other Tickets'''.

==Admin Notes==

The '''Add Note''' tab allows private staff-only messages to be recorded against a ticket. Clicking the tab provides a new text area to enter the note. When you submit it, will add the note and display it to all other admins viewing the ticket along with the staff member's name and date and time. Customers do not get any notification of notes being added and cannot see them.

===Staff Mentions===
Staff mentions allow you to "tag" other administrative users and trigger an email notification to them as a quick and easy way to alert them to the note you have just added. To use a staff tag in a ticket note, just type the <tt>@</tt> followed by the staff member's name.

For more information, see [[Staff_Mentions|Staff Mentions]].

==Changing Associated Service==

<div class="docs-alert-info"><i class="fa fa-info-circle"></i> This section describes features available in version 7.10 and above.</div>

A client opening a ticket can select a related service, which will be highlighted when viewing the ticket via the admin area. Click '''Change Associated Service''' to change the service that a ticket is associated with. This is useful when a client doesn't choose a service when opening the ticket, or if a client chooses the wrong service. A change of associated service will be logged to the ticket log so all changes can be seen.

[[File:AdminTicketRelatedServiceManagement.png]]

When clicking '''Change Associated Service''', an AJAX call will fetch, if appropriate, the remaining services for a client if they aren't all displayed. If an admin user is already viewing all the services of a client on a ticket, an AJAX call will not take place.

[[File:AdminTicketRelatedServiceManagementEdit.png]]

==View Security Question==

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">WHMCS 8.0</span><br/>
We added '''View Security Question''' in WHMCS 8.0.
</div>

To access a user's security question information, click '''View Security Question''' in the top-right corner of their reply to the ticket. This allows you to view, but not change, the user's '''Security Question''' and '''Security Answer'''.

If the user has not configured a question and answer at '''Hello, Name! > Security Settings''' in the Client Area, '''View Security Question''' will not display in their replies. Users cannot configure security questions until you add one or more questions at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > [[Security Questions]]'''.

==Custom Fields==

You can set up custom fields for support departments on a per department basis. Use this to suit a given department's specific needs. These fields display on the '''[[Custom Fields]]''' tab within the ticket.

==Options==

The '''Options''' tab allows the attributes of the ticket to be modified. The department, subject, status, and priority can all be changed.

Sometimes it may be useful for additional people to receive copies of the email messages in this ticket. To do this, enter their email addresses in the '''CC Recepients''' field. Multiple recipients can be entered in a comma separated list (for example, <tt>jeff@example.com,bob@example.com</tt>).

To change the client a ticket is assigned to, adjust the '''Client ID'''. If the client's name, company, or email address is known, start typing this into the field. An AJAX list of the search results will appear. Click the appropriate client from the list to automatically fill in their '''Client ID'''.

When two tickets are merged, the messages from both tickets will be arranged chronologically. In '''Merge Ticket''', enter the '''Ticket ID''' of the ticket to be combined. The newer ticket is merged into the older ticket.

Flagging a ticket to another admin is useful if you want to bring the ticket to the attention of another staff member. Flagged tickets appear in a separate section at the top of the support ticket page to ensure they stand out from the main queue. The '''Support Ticket Flagged''' email will also be sent to the user. Flagging a ticket to oneself will not send the email.

==Ticket Tags/Tag Cloud==

The ''Ticket Tags'' section is displayed on the sidebar when viewing a support ticket. It is designed to link tickets that have a common item (for example, tickets that all report the same issue). You could use this to save a case ID from an external system (for example, if you wish to follow up with those tickets once it is marked as resolved). To use, enter the desired tag text and press Return to save.

Tags associated with tickets in the support ticket list are displayed in the ''Tag Cloud'' section of the sidebar of the '''Support > Support Tickets''' list.
To find all the tickets linked to the tag, use the same name for the tag and then search by tag from '''Search/Filter''' on the support ticket list page. The will display the list of tickets linked to the tag.

==Log==

The ticket log displays an audit trail of all the actions applied to this ticket. This includes department changes, tickets flaggings, adding of notes, changes of ownership, and status changes.

==Opening a New Ticket==
[[File:Open-new-ticket.jpg|thumb|The open support ticket page]]

Staff can open support tickets from within the administration area by navigating to '''Support > Open New Ticket'''. There, enter the details of the recipient.

*If they are not a client, fill their name in the '''To''' field and the '''Email Address''' field.
*If they are a client, use the '''Client Search''' field to search by name, company, and email addresses. Clicking the client's name will automatically fill in the recipient's details.

If the client has contacts or sub-accounts configured, a '''Contacts''' menu will appear. If you wish the ticket message to be emailed to the contact, select their name from the menu. Select '''None''' to deliver it to the master account.

==Automated Knowledgebase Article Suggestions==
[[File:Knowledgebase-suggestions.JPG|thumb|Suggesting Knowledgebase Articles]]

As a user enters a message for submission as a support ticket, WHMCS can lookup and display relevant articles that match keywords in the submission text. This can provide an answer to a user without them needing to ever submit the ticket. This is designed to help reduce common support questions. To enable or disable this, use '''Knowledgebase Suggestions''' in the '''Support''' tab at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > General Settings'''.

You will need at least 5 articles with 30 words in each before the suggestions start working. This uses MySQL full text searching for matches.

==Ticket Reply Ratings==

[[File:Ticket_reply_rating.png|200px|thumb|right]]
Ticket reply ratings allow your customers to rate responses they receive on tickets in the ticket system. They also allow you to monitor customers' reactions to the support they receive from your staff. To enable the ticket rating feature, go to the '''Support''' tab at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > General Settings'''. Then, check '''Support Ticket Ratings'''.

[[File:Ticket_reply_stars_admin.png|200px|thumb|right]]
When enabled, each reply in the client area will show a row of stars for the user to choose from in rating the response. They range from 1 being poor to 5 being excellent. Rating a reply is optional, so not every reply will get a rating. Ratings display when viewing the ticket in the admin area and there is also a report in the Reporting section that allows you to monitor these ratings:

'''Ticket Ratings Reviewer''' allows you to filter based on specific star ratings and within a given date range.

==Feedback Request==
<div class="docs-alert-info">
The location of this functionality was changed in WHMCS 7.0.<br />
</div>

[[File:Feedback_request.png|200px|thumb|right]]
In WHMCS 7.0 and later, you can enable emails requesting a user to provide feedback for their support ticket experience on a per-department basis. On upgrading to WHMCS 7.0, if you have enabled '''Ticket Feedback''', it will be enabled by default for all existing departments. If you do not have it enabled, it will not be enabled for any departments automatically.

'''[[Support_Tickets#Departments|Feedback Request]]''' determines whether an email request will be sent for a user to provide feedback for their support ticket experience. The results of the feedback emails can be reviewed via the '''[[Reports#Ticket_Feedback_Scores|Ticket Feedback Scores]]''' and '''[[Reports#Ticket_Feedback_Comments|Ticket Feedback Comments]]''' reports.

==Auto Closing==

This feature allows you to have support tickets automatically closed after a certain time of inactivity has passed. This only closes tickets set to '''Open''' or '''Answered'''. Tickets set to '''On Hold''' or '''In Progress''' are not closed.

To set the length of time of inactivity before closure, go to '''Support Ticket Settings''' at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > Automation Settings''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > Automation Settings'''. Then, enter the time in hours (for example, <tt>48</tt> indicates two days) in '''Close Inactive Tickets'''.

When closing the ticket, WHMCS sends a '''Support Ticket Auto Close Notification''' email to the user. You can customise that email in '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > Email Templates''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > Email Templates'''.

==Automated Escalations==
The status, department, and priority of a ticket can be changed automatically after a set time. For more information, see [[Support_Ticket_Escalations|Support Ticket Escalations]].

==Allowed File Attachments==

Support tickets and replies allow a file to be uploaded if the user needs to send you something or if you need to send the user something.

To configure the list of allowed file types, go to the '''Support''' tab at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > General Settings'''. By default, the allowed file types are:

* Image files (<tt>.jpg</tt>, <tt>.gif</tt>, <tt>.jpeg</tt>, and <tt>.png</tt>)
* <tt>.pdf</tt>
* <tt>.zip</tt>

You can add additional types by adding them to the allowed extensions field in a comma-separated list. It is not possible to allow the user to upload PHP files due to the security risks this creates.

<div class="docs-alert-info">
<span class="title">Note</span><br/>
The file upload restrictions do not apply to admin users and an admin user can attach any type of file to a ticket.
</div>

===Ticket Attachments===
Thumbnail previews of image attachments display beneath the ticket message if you enable them in the '''Support''' tab at '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' or, prior to WHMCS 8.0, '''Setup > General Settings'''.

[[File:attachment-thumbnails.png]]

<div class="docs-alert-info">
<span class="title">Note</span><br/>
Ticket attachments will not be forwarded to staff members in notification emails. This is to prevent potentially sensitive attachments being re-transmitted via email and reduce email bandwidth consumption.
</div>

==Ticket Reply Badges==

Every ticket reply includes a badge based on the correspondent's email address, the associated account for the ticket, and the WHMCS system:

* '''Authorized User''' indicates a user who is associated with the account but is not the account owner.
* '''Registered User''' indicates a user who can log in to the WHMCS Client Area but who is not associated with the account and is not the account owner. (This was '''External User''' in WHMCS 8.1 and earlier.)
* '''Guest''' indicates an email address that is not associated with any account, user, or contact in WHMCS.
* '''Owner''' indicates the user who is the account owner.
* '''Operator''' indicates a WHMCS admin user.
* '''Sub-account''' indicates an address in the account's list of contacts.

For more information about users, accounts, and account owners, see [[Users and Accounts]].

==Ticket Watchers==

Any admin-level user with access to view a support ticket can watch the ticket. Watching a ticket subscribes the admin user to email notifications of any replies, notes, or changes to the ticket options.

To watch a ticket, click '''Watch Ticket''' in the admin area ticket sidebar.

An email notification be generated for any of the following actions:

*A client or user posting a reply.
*Another admin user posting a reply.
*Another admin user posting a ticket note.
*A change of ticket options by another admin user.
*A ticket being assigned to your admin user.
*A closure of the ticket by the client or user.

For a full overview of support ticket notifications, including ticket watcher notifications, see [[Ticket Notifications]].

An admin user can unsubscribe from receiving notifications for a ticket at any time by clicking '''Unwatch Ticket'''. This is only visible in tickets that the admin user is currently watching.

==Ticket Collision Detection==

Collision detection prevents you from replying to a ticket or making changes when the status of a ticket has changed since you originally opened it.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Example</span><br/>
You open the ticket at 10:45am. You begin to type a reply but, before you finish, you become distracted. You return to the ticket 15 minutes later. You submit your reply, not realising that, in the lapsed time, another member of staff has already replied to the ticket. The collision detection will alert you to this before sending the reply to the customer, avoiding the confusing extra reply.
</div>

You will receive a warning message if any changes have been made to a ticket when performing any of the following actions:

* Change of department.
* Change of assignment or flagged user.
* Change of priority.
* Change of status.
* Submitting a reply.
* Making a change to the ticket options.

The alert you receive will provide details about what has changed and ask you to confirm whether you wish to continue.

[[File:TicketCollisionDetectionModal.png]]

The following attributes of a ticket will trigger a collision detection warning:

* Department
* Ticket Subject
* Ticket Priority
* Assigned Client
* Assigned Admin User
* CC Recipients
* Last Reply Time
* Ticket Status

==Email Piping and Importing==

You can automatically send user emails into the ticket system as tickets and ticket replies. To do this, you will need to either pipe or import the email into WHMCS (email piping and email importing).

* For more information about email piping, see [[Email Piping]].
* For more information about email importing, see [[Email Importing]].

Users and Accounts

2021-06-04T16:17:28Z

Benlake: /* In Support Tickets */

WHMCS 8.0 and later introduced a new user management system. It allows a single user access to multiple client accounts. It clearly separates authentication and authorization from services, billing, and support. It's also a simple, powerful, flexible way for customers to manage their accounts and grant access to it to other users. In WHMCS 8.1, we added several additional improvements to these features.

Several changes occur when you upgrade to WHMCS 8.0 and this new system. For more information, see [[#Upgrading to WHMCS 8.0|Upgrading to WHMCS 8.0]] below.

==Accounts and Users==

===What Is An Account?===
Accounts (formerly "clients") own products and services. They represent a billable party, like a business.

===What Is A User?===
Users have one or more associated accounts that they can access and manage. When a new account is created, a new user is created based on the account profile. This new user then becomes the account owner (see below). Separate controls manage users' access to each account.

For example, each of a web designer's customers could represent a distinct account. The web designer could log in as a user and access each of these accounts using a single set of credentials. However, the accounts themselves would not be connected.

===What Is An Account Owner?===
Each account is associated with a single account owner. Account owners have all of the possible permissions that a user can possess. They are also the only user who can send invitations from the account to new or existing users.

During checkout, users can choose to create a new account for the items in the cart. In this case, the system will assign account ownership for the new account to that user.

==Creating and Managing Users and Accounts==

===Creating Accounts and Users in the Client Area===

Account owners can manage users and their permissions from the '''User Management''' section of the Client Area. For more information, see [https://help.whmcs.com/m/managing/l/1275668-adding-and-managing-users Adding and Managing Users].

[[File:CreateAccountInCheckout.png|300px|thumb|right|Creating an account during checkout.]]

When client registration is enabled (as it is by default), new visitors can create an account through the Client Area.

Anyone can create an account through the Client Area. To do this:

# Click '''Account''' in the top-right corner.
# Select '''Register'''.
# Fill out the form.
# Click '''Submit'''.

This creates an account and an associated user who is the account owner.

Unauthenticated users will need to either log in with as their user and select an existing account or create a new account, either as described above or as part of the order completion process.

Logged-in users can choose to create a new account for the items in the cart during checkout. In this case, the system will assign account ownership for the new account to the logged-in user. To do this, select ''Create a New Account'' under '''Choose Account''' during the checkout process. Fill out the form that appears and then continue with the usual checkout process.

===Invitations===

[[File:UserInvitation.png|300px|thumb|right|Invitations]]

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Note</span><br />
Invitations expire after 7 days.
</div>

To connect a user to multiple accounts at any time, send invitations from each account to that user or email address. The invitee will receive an email and must click the included link.

* If you send an invitation to an email address for an existing account, they can access the client account using their existing login credentials.
* If the email address does not correspond to an existing account, they can create one.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Note</span><br />
While invitations go to the specified email address, the recipient can complete the invitation process using this link with any email address they choose. Because of this, accepting an invitation is not equivalent to user email verification, which is a separate feature.
</div>

====In the Client Area====

Account owners can send invitations from the '''User Management''' section of the Client Area.

[[File:UserManagementInvite.png|300px|thumb|right|Inviting New Users]]

To do this:

# Go to '''Hello, Name! > User Management'''.
# Enter an email address under '''Invite New User'''.
# Choose '''All Permissions''' to grant all available permissions, or choose '''Choose Permissions''' and select the desired permissions.
# Click '''Send Invite'''.

We recommend this method for [[#Invitations|inviting users to existing accounts]].

====In the Admin Area====

Admins can send invitations from the '''[[Clients:Users_Tab|Users]]''' tab of the client profile in the Admin Area.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Disabling Users</span><br />
'''Disable Client Area User Management''' in
'''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' in the '''Other''' tab can disable user management for account owners and prevent them from inviting new users.
</div>

To do this:

# Go to the '''Users''' tab in the account's client profile.
# Click '''Associate User'''.
# Choose an account from '''Select User''' or enter an email address.
# Check the boxes for the desired '''Permissions''', or click '''Check All''' to select all of them.
# Toggle '''Send Invite''' to '''Yes''' to send an invitation email.
# Click '''Invite User'''.

After you send an invitation, the invitee will display in '''Users''' in the client's profile. Click '''Resend Invite''' to resend the invitation email, or click '''Cancel Invite''' to cancel the invitation.

For more information, see [https://help.whmcs.com/m/managing/l/1275668-adding-and-managing-users Adding and Managing Users].

===Managing Accounts and Users in the Client Area===

Account owners can manage users and their permissions from the '''User Management''' section of the Client Area. We recommend this method for [[#Invitations|inviting users to existing accounts]].

[[File:UserManagementClient.png|300px|thumb|right|Managing Users in the Client Area]]

To do this:

# Go to '''Hello, Name! > User Management'''.
# Find the desired user in the list.
# Click '''Manage Permissions'''.
# Select the desired permissions.
# Click '''Save Changes'''.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Note</span><br />
Account owners cannot edit their own permissions.
</div>

===Managing Accounts and Users in the Admin Area===

Admins can view information about and manage individual accounts and their associated users in the '''[[Clients:Users_Tab|Users]]''' tab of an account's client profile.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Note</span><br />
Account ownership can only be transferred between users through the Admin Area.
</div>

[[File:UsersTab.png|350px|thumb|right|Managing Users in the Admin Area]]

To manage a user from the Admin Area:

# Go to the '''Users''' tab in the account's client profile.
# Click '''Manage User''' for the desired user.
# Make the desired updates to the user's information and permissions.
# If you want to change ownership of the account, check '''Make Owner'''.
# Click '''Save'''.

To trigger a password reset for a user:

# Go to the '''Users''' tab in the account's client profile.
# Click the down arrow for that user and select '''Password Reset'''.
# Click '''OK'''.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Disabling Users</span><br />
'''Disable Client Area User Management''' in
'''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > General Settings''' in the '''Other''' tab can disable user management for account owners and prevent them from inviting new users.
</div>

===Users and Orders===

In WHMCS 8.2 and later, each order is associated with a specific user account.

If the user placed the order through the Client Area, it is associated with the logged-in user that placed the order. If an admin creates the order through the Admin Area, the account owner's user is associated with the order. This determines which user requires verification if you use [[User Identity Verification]].

==Deleting Users==

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Admins Only</span><br />
User deletion is permanent, and you cannot delete users who are associated with multiple accounts. You also can't delete account owners unless you're also deleting that account.
</div>

You can delete users in the WHMCS Admin Area through two methods:

* Go to '''Clients > Manage Users''' and click '''Manage User''' for the desired user. Then, click '''Permanently Delete'''.
* Toggle '''Delete users who are only associated with this client''' to '''YES''' when you delete a client from the '''Summary''' tab of the Client Profile.

===Deleting Users with Inactive Accounts===

If you use '''Data Retention Pruning''' to delete clients after closure or a period of inactivity, you can also choose to automatically delete the account's associated users. To do this, go to '''Configuration (<i class="fa fa-wrench" aria-hidden="true"></i>) > System Settings > Automation Settings''' , go to '''Automatically Delete Inactive Clients''', and set the toggle to '''YES'''.

<div class="docs-alert-warning">
<span class="title">Inactive Users</span><br />
When you enable this, the system will only delete users that are not associated with any other client accounts.
</div>

==Logging In==

When a user who is only associated with one account logs in, their login session will automatically be associated with that account.

When a user with more than one account logs in, the '''Choose Account''' page will display. The user must select an account so that only information relevant to that account displays.

[[File:ChooseAccountOnLogin.png|300px|thumb|right|Click an Account When Logging In]]

Click on the desired account name to log in to that account. You can change your account at any time by going to '''Hello, Name!''', clicking '''Switch Account''', and clicking an account name again.

==In Support Tickets==

If they have the '''View & Open Support Tickets''' permission, all of the users for an account can view and reply to the account's support tickets.

In the Admin Area, each reply on a ticket includes a badge based on the correspondent's email address, the associated account for the ticket, and the WHMCS system. For example, these badges include '''Owner''' for the account owner, '''Operator''', '''Authorized User''', '''Registered User''', and '''Guest'''. '''Sub-account''' appears when a reply is received from an address that's in the account's list of contacts. For an explanation of each badge's meaning, see [[Support Tickets]].

==In the Activity Log==

[[File:SystemActivityLogUsers.png|200px|thumb|left|Entries For The Same User in the System Activity Log]]

The '''Activity Log''' in the Admin Area lists information about events in WHMCS, attributing each event to its associated entity.

* Automation events are attributed to '''System'''.
* Admin actions that operate on the system are attributed to that admin. All other admin actions are attributed to that admin '''and''' list the associated client account.
* User actions are attributed to that user and list information about the associated client account.

==Upgrading to WHMCS 8.0==
In the upgrade to WHMCS 8.0, items like passwords, security questions, and two-factor authentication move from client accounts to the associated users. The primary client account will become a user who is the account owner. Additionally, sub-accounts are automatically converted to users during the WHMCS 8.0 upgrade process. Contacts will remain associated with their respective accounts.

The upgrade will '''not''' automatically combine or associate any users or accounts beyond what's discussed in this document. Use invitations, as described above, to associate users with accounts.