PHPJunkyard support forum

HESK version: 2.5.5 - HESK is up to date
PHP version: 5.3.10-1ubuntu3.8 (MySQLi)
MySQL version: 5.5.24-0ubuntu0.12.04.1

I'm trying to use Hesk as a support tool but almost entirely behind email. Here is my projected flow ... and following is the problem.

1) Customer send email to our support address. GREAT!
2) Hesk picks it up via POP3 and creates ticket, assigns to the receptionist, and notifies customer. GREAT!
3) Reception assigns ticket to a support tech. I modified the script to also contain the body of the message from the customer so support tech can easily find out the problem. GREAT!
4) Customer CAN reply to the email, Hesk picks it up, adds to the ticket and notifies support tech. GREAT!
5) Support tech CAN NOT reply to the email! I need the support tech to be able to reply to the email so he doesn't have to login to the web interface to communicate with customer. When support tech replies to the email, it goes to the same mailbox, Hesk picks it up via POP3, BUT creates a new ticket. Even though the TRACKID does exist.

How come when Customer replies to email it works, but not support tech? That is the ONLY limiting factor for us to use this great program!

Correct, staff CANNOT reply to tickets via emails. This is by design.

The reason is that email headers are easily forged and to reliably authenticate staff emails a rather complex system would need to be setup which is out of the scope of HESK design (for example using certificates or PGP to sign staff emails to make sure they are not forged).

So, unfortunately, staff will need to use the user interface to respond to tickets. On the other hand this usually is the exact reason of using a help desk in the first place rather than email support.