# IT helpdesk requests from Slack n8n template

> Each new message in your #it-help Slack channel is classified by Claude into a fixed category with the app, error, location and urgency extracted. How-to questions get knowledge base links in the thread, everything else becomes a Jira Service Management request with rule-based priority, and outages page on-call. You need n8n, Slack, an Anthropic API key and Atlassian Cloud.

- Platform: n8n
- Download: https://www.lumeor.studio/templates/n8n/automate-it-helpdesk-requests.json
- Trigger: Slack, new message posted in the #it-help channel
- Credentials needed: Slack, Anthropic API, Jira Software Cloud API
- Full guide: https://www.lumeor.studio/guides/automate-it-helpdesk-requests/
- Last updated: 2026-10-14

## What this workflow does

1. **Slack: new message in #it-help** (Slack Trigger) fires on each message in the channel.
2. **Filter and build prompt** (Code) drops bot posts, edits and thread replies, then builds a low-effort classification request with a strict schema and a fixed category list: how-to, access request, hardware, outage, account lockout, purchase, other.
3. **Claude: classify request** (HTTP Request) calls the Anthropic Messages API with structured outputs.
4. **Parse and route** (Code) parses the JSON and handles `refusal` and `max_tokens`. The Claude node's error output is wired here too, so a failed API call still becomes a ticket instead of a lost message. Priority comes from category and urgency rules in code.
5. **Route request** (Switch) sends confident how-to questions to the knowledge base, everything else to ticketing, and outages to on-call as well.
6. **Search knowledge base** (HTTP Request) runs a Confluence Cloud search in your IT space, and **Format KB reply** (Code) turns the top three results into links.
7. **Articles found?** (If) replies in the thread with the links, or falls through to a ticket when nothing matched.
8. **JSM: create request** (HTTP Request) creates a Jira Service Management request with the summary, extracted fields and original message. **Slack: confirm ticket** posts the issue key in the thread.
9. **Slack: page on-call** alerts the on-call channel for outages. **Slack: IT ops exceptions** reports any request that could not be created.

## Before you import

- n8n 1.x with a public URL so Slack can reach the trigger.
- A Slack app with Event Subscriptions for `message.channels` and the `channels:history`, `chat:write` and `users:read` scopes.
- An Anthropic API key.
- An Atlassian Cloud site with Jira Service Management and Confluence, plus an API token for an agent account.

## Setup

1. Import the JSON and attach the Slack, Anthropic and Jira Software Cloud credentials. The Jira credential (email and API token) also authenticates the Confluence search.
2. Set `REPLACE_WITH_IT_HELP_CHANNEL_ID` on the trigger and paste the trigger URL into your Slack app's Event Subscriptions.
3. In **Parse and route**, set `REPLACE_WITH_SERVICE_DESK_ID`, each `REPLACE_WITH_REQUEST_TYPE_ID_...` and `REPLACE_WITH_KB_SPACE_KEY`. Set `SET_PRIORITY_FIELD` to true only if your request types expose Priority.
4. Replace `REPLACE_WITH_ATLASSIAN_SITE` in the two Atlassian URLs and in **Format KB reply**.
5. Set `REPLACE_WITH_ONCALL_CHANNEL_ID` and `REPLACE_WITH_IT_OPS_CHANNEL_ID`.

## Test it

Post three messages in a test channel: a how-to question your knowledge base covers, an access request, and "Outlook is down for the whole office". Expect a thread reply with links, a JSM request with its key in the thread, and a ticket plus an on-call alert. Then post a how-to question with no matching article and confirm it becomes a ticket.

## Make it production-ready

- Add an error workflow in workflow settings so a broken trigger or credential alerts IT.
- Add a "did this fix it?" follow-up so knowledge base answers can be counted as deflections.
- Map the Slack user to a JSM customer so requests are raised on their behalf.
- Add manager approval and identity provider actions only for an allowlist of reversible changes, such as group membership.
- `claude-haiku-5-5` is a cheaper option for this volume of short messages. Review a sample of classifications weekly.

Read the full guide at [How to automate IT helpdesk requests](/guides/automate-it-helpdesk-requests/), or [talk to us](/start/) if you want help with approvals and Microsoft Graph actions.

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Source: https://www.lumeor.studio/templates/automate-it-helpdesk-requests/
Published by Lumeor Studio, Newtown, PA. hello@lumeor.studio. Get a written scope: https://www.lumeor.studio/start/