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Freshdesk MCP server

Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer support platform that streamlines support conversations across email, phone, chat, and social channels. An AI agent with access to Freshdesk can manage support tickets, update customer information, route requests to agents, and provide status updates without manual ticket management.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
  • API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server​

Find the API in the catalog​

  1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
  2. Select New MCP Server.
  3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server​

  1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
  2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
  3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
  4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
  5. Select Next.

Configure authentication​

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security​

  1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
  2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
  3. Select Next.

Deploy​

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

Connect to an AI client​

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

Tips​

  • You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
  • If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
  • You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication​

Freshdesk uses API key authentication. Get your API key from your Profile Settings in Freshdesk. The API base URL is https://yourcompany.freshdesk.com/api/v2 and you'll need to replace yourcompany with your Freshdesk subdomain. Send your API key and the literal character 'X' as the password in Basic Authentication: curl -u YOUR_API_KEY:X https://yourcompany.freshdesk.com/api/v2/tickets. The default rate limit is 1,000 requests per hour, though this varies by plan.

Available tools​

This MCP server enables ticket management, contact operations, agent assignment, automation configuration, and knowledge base management for customer support.

ToolDescription
Create ticketCreate a new support ticket with requester, subject, and description
Get ticketRetrieve ticket details including status, assignee, and conversation history
Update ticketModify ticket properties including status, priority, and custom fields
Delete ticketRemove a ticket from the system
List ticketsRetrieve tickets with filtering by status, assignee, or priority
Search ticketsSearch tickets by keywords or content
Add noteAdd internal notes to a ticket that are visible only to agents
Add replyPost a response to a ticket visible to the customer
Get conversationRetrieve all messages in a ticket thread with metadata
Create contactAdd a new customer contact to the system
Get contactRetrieve customer profile including ticket history
Update contactModify customer information and status
Delete contactRemove a customer contact from the system
List contactsRetrieve contacts with filtering options
Search contactsSearch for customers by email, name, or attributes
Create companyAdd a company to the system
Get companyRetrieve company information and associated contacts
List agentsRetrieve all support agents in the account
Get agentRetrieve agent profile and availability
Update agentModify agent settings and availability status
Create automation ruleCreate a ticket automation rule with conditions and actions
List automation rulesRetrieve all configured automation rules
Get SLA policyRetrieve SLA policy details and targets
List SLA policiesRetrieve all configured SLA policies

Tips​

Use consistent ticket statuses — Freshdesk has preset statuses like Open, In Progress, and Resolved. Keep status names consistent across your workflow to avoid confusion and ensure automation rules work as expected.

Use the exact custom field ID when updating custom fields on tickets — field names alone will not work, and you'll receive validation errors.

Use the API's batch operations instead of making individual requests when updating multiple tickets. This reduces API calls and improves performance.

Use consistent tagging for ticket categorization — tags enable filtering, reporting, and automation rule triggering, making them valuable for any support workflow.

Set up automation rules to alert managers when SLAs are at risk. Respond to at-risk tickets proactively rather than waiting for SLAs to breach.