Free Helpdesk recommendations

[Torchwood]

Hi,

 

Can anyone suggest a free simple helpdesk system?

 

We are looking for something which allows users to log tickets by sending an email.

 

Currently we are using Parago, but the problem is that even though Parago allows users to email the helpdesk to raise a ticket, users persist in emailing support staff directly, despite being asked not to do so. We can forward the email to Parago to create a ticket on the user's behalf, but then the ticket is raised under the support staff's name, and Parago has no facility for changing the name of the originator of the ticket. We have raised this problem with Parago, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

 

Consequently we are looking to ditch Parago, at least as far as helpdesk ticketing goes.

 

IMPORTANTLY any replacement system needs to have the facility to be able to change the originator of the call.

 

We are NOT looking for a full blown management system with asset registers, detailed reports, statistical analysis, etc. We just want something which allows a user to raise a ticket when they have a problem and us to close it when it's fixed.

 

Many thanks

 

Torchwood

[chris11256]

We use Manage Engine ServiceDesk Plus. It's free for up to 5 technicians, so is fine for the two of us. Users can email in or use a web portal, plus you can change the requester of a ticket. ON the technician side there's an iOS/Android app which is handy when out and about for resolving tickets.

[FragglePete]

osTicket. Been using it for a couple of years. Had to update it recently because of the email authentication changes Microsoft implement - bit fiddling getting oAuth2 working but got there in the end.

 

We have a front end where users can use the AD Login to raise and see their tickets, or send an e-mail to a specific address. Have it running on a Windows Server with IIS.

 

Pete

[adamsund]

Another +1 for OSTicket. Used it for years, works really well, and is free if you self host.

[supportman]

Microsoft lists

 

Microsoft Lists | List Maker App for Teams | Microsoft 365

[Rob_D]

+1 for ManageEngine. We've been using it for years now and it works great.

[KoolTech]

FreshDesk here. Free for 3 agents and just works!

[foofighterjim]

+1 for ManageEngine, we have been using the cloud version for a year and a half having previously used a local install for 3 years.

[jthompson]

FreshDesk will solve your problem with the forwarded tickets. If you forward an email to the helpdesk, the ticket will be raised under the original sender's name, not the forwarder. That was a massive annoyance for us as well, but loved having that problem solved after we switched from osTicket to FreshDesk. Nice to not have to maintain our own helpdesk server, too.

FreshDesk has a range of paid tiers, but the free tier may well be sufficient for your needs.

Edited April 18, 2023 by jthompson

[mbedford]

Another +1 for OSTicket, works well, free version has good community support and has all the features we need.

[Torchwood]

Hi All,

 

Many thanks for all the suggestions. We'll take a look at them.

 

Regards

 

Torchwood